Random Tuesday Morning Thoughts

This was real story with multiple news agencies running with it.  There's never be a single thing written about it since. 

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• Allegedly friendly fire.
  
  
  
• Every time I see a story about an "influencer" my first question is always, "Who?"
  
  
  
• So it will be just short of the record high set in .  . .  2021?
  
  
  
• A new batch of Epstein files has been released and this time the Justice Department is truly acting as Trump's defense lawyer in their press release. They aren't even pretending not to be.
  
  
  
  
• I've been burying the lede.  This must be at least one of the things the Justice Department and the Administration are worried about: A letter allegedly written by Epstein to another famous sex offender, Larry Nassar, days before Epstein's death. And Epstein references Trump. Oh, my! (Source files of DOJ's release: Here and here and here) 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
•  An assistant U.S. Attorney wrote in 2020: "Donald Trump traveled on Epstein's private jet many more times than previously has been reported...including during the period we would expect to charge in a Maxwell case...didn't want any of this to be a surprise down the road"
  


• It just keeps getting dumber and dumber. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Speaking of . . . 
  
• JD Vance has entered the cosplay world. 
  
  
  
• Welcome to the Autocracy update:
• How close is Trump to shutting down the New York Times? Seriously. If you woke up one morning and found it to have happened, would you be surprised?
  
  
  
• ICE has a new online ad. 
  
  
  
• Answer: Decatur's own Nate Palmer.
  
• This is really the cover of the USA Today this morning. A paid ad - and a wild one at that.