Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

The grid's climate stress test
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 07/31/26

A series of dangerous heat waves this summer - including one that has left 17 states under an emergency federal order - are putting the electric grid under an intense real-world stress test.

Why it matters: Successive summer heat waves are forcing utilities to rethink how they prepare the grid for longer and more frequent periods of extreme stress.

They're raising questions about whether the electric grid can keep pace with surging demand from both climate change and the AI-driven electricity boom.

State of play: Heat waves create a double challenge by increasing electricity demand for air-conditioning while reducing the efficiency of some power plants. ... Read more

Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, July 31, 2026 | Washington Week PBS | 07/31/26 | 26:46

Rump's final act begins
Axios | Jim VandeHei | 08/02/26

President Trump doesn't much care if Republicans lose the House and/or the Senate in the midterms this fall.

Yes, he'd prefer a big win, but he seems indifferent to the election and the possibility of endless Democratic investigations of his family, wealth and policies, his closest advisers tell us.

A big reason: Trump knows he'll emerge just as strong, or even stronger, heading into his final two years, at least among Republicans.

Why it matters: Trump will enjoy a more pro-Trump Republican Congress, win or lose; gleefully play '28 kingmaker and further test the boundaries of presidential power beyond legislating, his preferred method anyway. He'll use pardons to protect his people, the advisers say. ... Read more

Best Economic System? AI debates (Capitalist vs Socialist) | Clarified Mind | 2025 | 34:02

A revolution is unfolding, and voters are furious | CNN/Fareed's Take | Clarified Mind | 07/29/26 | 10:54

Capital One says it closed Trump Organization's accounts after anti-money-laundering review
TheGuardian | Reuters | 08/01/26

Capital One Financial hit back on Friday against a lawsuit over its decision to close the Trump Organization's bank accounts years ago, stating that it did so after a review by anti-money-laundering experts.

Capital One has never accused the Trump Organization of money laundering. But Friday's filing argues that "documents and Plaintiffs' own Plaintiffs' accounts for anti-money laundering ('AML') reasons.

"The closures were the result of months of analysis and a careful review by Capital One's AML team in accordance with bank policies and regulatory guidance."

Capital One gave notice of its plans to close more than 300 Trump-affiliated bank accounts in March 2021. ... Read more

America gripped by election fears as November nears
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Americans fear November's midterms could be stolen or otherwise compromised, with most worried about political pressure to change results or officials mishandling ballots, new Gallup polling finds.

Why it matters: President Trump has cast the American election system as under siege and vulnerable with unfounded claims about his 2020 loss. Meanwhile, his critics warn his push to reshape the ways Americans vote are undermining elections.

By the numbers: Republicans (56%) and Democrats (77%) alike fear politicians will pressure election officials to change the outcomes of races.

Nearly eight in 10 also worry about wealthy people or organizations making large, anonymous political donations (78%) or about gerrymandering (77%), as redistricting has reshaped the upcoming midterm elections. ... Read more

Musk plans massive push for GOP in midterms
Axios | Alex Isenstadt | 07/30/26

Tech billionaire Elon Musk is jumping into the midterms with a huge investment in a plan to boost Republican voter turnout, Axios has learned.

Driving the news: Musk is resuscitating his dormant super PAC, America PAC, which spent more than $260 million to help get President Trump elected in 2024.

America PAC will focus on door-knocking, digital advertising and direct mail aimed at turning out the conservative base, including voters who typically are less inclined to cast ballots in a non-presidential election year, sources with knowledge of the plans tell Axios.

Musk's representatives declined to specify exactly how much he'd spend. But given what he donated in 2024, the number is expected to be high.

Zoom in: Musk's pro-Trump donations through America PAC in 2024 made him the largest individual political donor in a single election cycle in U.S. history. ... Read more

The Economics of Retiring in America | Gray Economy | 07/21/26 | 11:47

"What's Coming Is BIGGER Than A Recession..." - Catherine Austin | LifeWorthLiving | 07/29/26 | 10:33

Iran launches missiles at U.S. base for first time since Trump paused strikes
Axios | Barak Ravid | 07/29/26

Iran launched multiple ballistic missiles toward a U.S. military base in Jordan on Tuesday in what U.S. Central Command described as an "attempted surprise attack."

All of the missiles were intercepted, CENTCOM said in a statement.

Why it matters: This marks Iran's first ballistic missile attack against a U.S. base in the region since President Trump paused strikes against Iran on Friday to give diplomacy another chance.

The attack threatens to unravel the fragile pause and could force Trump to decide whether to resume military action. ... Read more

Thune's next nightmare
Axios | Stef W. Kight | 07/29/26

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has one of the toughest jobs in Washington. It could get even harder next year.

Why it matters: Thune is one of the few Republicans in Washington who's managed to say "no" to President Trump and still keep his job. But the Senate leader could enter the next Congress with diminished power, leading a conference whose loyalty increasingly lies with Trump.

1. Republican control of Congress could be weakened, if not lost.
2. The Senate's MAGA flank is poised to grow.
3. And Trump - who has been relatively restrained in his criticism of Thune even as his demands to pass the SAVE America Act and kill the filibuster remain unmet - will have nothing to lose in the last two years of his presidency.
... Read more
The Economics of Aging Alone in America
The Economics of Aging Alone in America | Gray Economy | 07/28/26 | 14:06
The Economics of Retiring Broke
The Economics of Retiring Broke | Gray Economy | 07/28/26 | 13:27

America Had No Social Security Until 1935
America Had No Social Security Until 1935 - How Did the Elderly Survive? | The Cold Market and America's Glory WW2 | 07/28/26 | 51:30

Behind the Curtain: The 6 stages of political surrender
Axios | Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen | 07/28/26

Republicans didn't decide to become President Trump's party. They surrendered to him, one stage at a time, over a decade, in plain sight.

Democrats swear that socialism's growing grip on their party is different, and can be contained. The early signals suggest otherwise.

Why it matters: Party transformations follow a predictable six-stage evolution - recoil, squint, rationalize, submit, amplify, and purge. Each stage has language you can hear long before you see it in the votes. Republicans just finished the full cycle. Democrats might be starting it.

A diminished Bibi arrives for his moment with Trump
Axios | Barak Ravid | 07/28/26

Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with Donald Trump in the Oval Office Tuesday for the eighth time since the president returned to office. But the Israeli prime minister arrives at the White House weaker and less influential than the previous seven times.

Why it matters: On Feb. 28, Trump and Netanyahu went to war together and it looked like there was no daylight between them. But exactly five months later, their interests have diverged more than ever - and bad blood and frustration have deepened as they've grown suspicious of each other's intentions.

Driving the news: Netanyahu's visit comes several days after Trump paused U.S. strikes in Iran and announced his envoys are trying - again - to negotiate a deal with the Iranian regime.

Last Friday, Netanyahu found himself holding marathon talks with his cabinet about the war — while largely in the dark about Trump's thinking and plans. ... Read more

These 5 AI risks have the highest potential for catastrophe
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Axios | Herb Scribner | 07/27/26

There is a one-in-five chance of AI gaining dangerous weapons capabilities or causing mass harm that could kill millions in the next five years, per global experts surveyed for a recent MIT study.

Why it matters: The findings add to the growing debate over AI safety and cybersecurity as governments and companies race to deploy increasingly capable systems.

Last week's news of an OpenAI model breaking containment and breaching the AI platform Hugging Face only adds to the debate about what can go wrong.

Driving the news: Researchers from MIT and the University of Queensland in Australia asked 272 international experts to evaluate 24 different risks based on their likelihood and severity between 2025 and 2030.

A SUPER El Nino Triggered History's DEADLIEST Disaster. THIS One Might Be Worse. | PBS Terra | 07/28/26 | 11:26

Nobody Is Ready For This Weather Shift... | Weather Frontier | 07/26/26 | 18:35

Trump & Crypto: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | John Oliver | 07/26/26 | 26:32

Trump's former top food official: Cyclospora outbreak 'approaching catastrophic' level
Politico | Marcia Brown | 07/24/26

President Donald Trump's former top food safety official is calling for an independent review of the federal government's response to a cyclospora outbreak that has sickened thousands of people this summer.

"This one deserves a lot of questions, and it is starting to approach a catastrophic level in terms of how mismanaged it's been on multiple fronts," said Frank Yiannas, who served as the Food and Drug Administration's deputy commissioner for food policy and response during both Trump and former President Joe Biden's administration from 2018 to 2023.

He pointed to the outbreak's magnitude, the widespread consumer confusion and the “lack of strong federal leadership" as well as what he described as uncoordinated messaging from federal authorities.

"My point is not to find fault, but to find facts on how we can further strengthen the system," Yiannas told POLITICO. "It's not being critical of any particular agency, but it is being critical of the system. In some respects, I think there’s been some dismantling of the system." ... Read more

Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, July 24, 2026 | Washington Week PBS | 07/25/26 | 26:46

Top U.S. military commander in Middle East advised halting Hormuz bombing
Axios | Barak Ravid | 07/27/26

The top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, Adm. Brad Cooper, recommended stopping the bombing campaign around the Strait of Hormuz because it has reached the limit of its effectiveness, according to two sources with knowledge of his position.

Why it matters: The recommendation by Cooper, the commander of the U.S. Military Central Command (CENTCOM), together with other advisers impacted President Trump's decision on Friday to pause U.S. strikes against Iran, the sources said.

It was an acknowledgement by both military and civilian advisers to the president that there are limits to what can be accomplished through military action, and specifically an air power campaign. ... ... ... Read more

Brooks and Marcus on the Iran conflict becoming a 'forever war' | PBS Newshour | 07/25/26 | 10:13

Behind the Curtain: AI titans' biggest private fear
Axios | Jim VandeHei,Mike Allen | 07/24/26

We ask almost every AI architect and leader the same thing in private: What AI risk worries you most?

Almost all of them fire back the same response: a killer pathogen, spreading too silently, widely and quickly to stop.

Why it matters: The rare agreement among AI experts flows from the belief these advanced models could help a bad actor create a deadly pathogen before the government and industry perfect detection and prevention systems.

This isn't a likely scenario. And some of AI's biggest optimists reject doom scenarios.

It's simply a plausible one as AI gets better at understanding our biological vulnerabilities, much like it has our cyber ones inside large nonhuman systems. ... Read more

Drones have created a new energy security landscape
Axios | Ben Geman | 07/24/26

The wars in Iran and Ukraine show how the drone tech revolution makes it easier - and cheaper - to interrupt energy supplies by striking refineries and oil tankers.

Why it matters: It's an important reason why oil traded at $100 per barrel this week and gasoline and diesel fuel are so expensive these days.

Looking ahead, the way drones are reshaping modern warfare has high stakes for how policymakers and companies view new and existing power grids, pipelines, liquefied natural gas ports and plenty in between.

The big picture: "Anyone building energy infrastructure in any area where kinetic conflict is even remotely possible is going to have to think about drone defense," said Gregory Brew, an analyst with the Eurasia Group, a political risk consulting firm.

Catch up quick: Ukraine has increasingly carried out effective drone strikes against multiple Russian refineries from great distances, and Russian crude infrastructure in and around the Black Sea. ... Read more

The world is crazy. Why are stocks up?
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Axios | mily Peck | 07/23/26

A markets mystery has perplexed some analysts this year: Why are stocks sitting near all-time highs while the global economy is rocked by geopolitical conflict and inflation pressures?

Why it matters: The usual retort is that the stock market is not the economy, but a new report from Moody's offers a more nuanced explanation.

Markets have adjusted to the new economic world order - you just have to know where to look.

How it works: You can see the change in bond markets, where government yields have risen across most advanced economies. In corporate bonds, investors have moved away from riskier debt.

There have been huge economic shifts since the pandemic.

Until then, we were in a post-2008 financial crisis regime. Inflation ran lower than central bank targets. Governments were able to borrow money cheaply. Low interest rates helped fuel companies' growth.

With rates near zero, investors flocked to investments that offered a return: high-growth tech, long-dated government bonds, loans to riskier businesses.

Where it stands: That era is over. "In the last few years, we've moved to a different era," says Atsi Sheth, chief credit officer at Moody's Ratings. ... Read more

The Trump You Don't See (w/ Maggie Haberman) | The Fifth Column | 07/21/26 | 8:25

What worried investors about Alphabet
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Axios | Matt Phillips | 07/23/26

Alphabet shares slumped Wednesday after the search giant and AI power player reported results that were, at first glance, pretty darn strong.

Why it matters: Alphabet is the first of the hyperscalers to report results this earnings season.

The stock reaction could reflect investors' more cautious posture toward the AI narrative that has dominated the market in recent years.

The big picture: Alphabet's second-quarter results were better than what Wall Street analysts expected for revenue and earnings per share, as well as some other metrics.

Yes, but: Its stock still slid after hours.

Reality check: There was no clear takeaway on exactly what investors didn't love. Here are a few guesses. ... ... ... Read more

The Heatwave Era Has Begun - Are We Too Late? | Bright Side Global | 03/05/26 | 52:00

Trump's Failed Promises on Debt and Manufacturing | Steve Rattner on Morning Joe | 07/22/26 | 8:03

Weakened yen reflects a lopsided world economy
Axios | Courtenay Brown | 07/22/26

Look out below: The yen is hovering near its weakest level in almost 40 years, reflecting an increasingly lopsided global economy, where capital keeps flowing to the U.S.

Why it matters: The yen is being squeezed by both long-term and short-term forces.

Higher interest rates in the U.S. continue to draw investors to dollar-denominated assets, while Japan remains stuck with relatively low borrowing costs.

The Iran war has pushed up oil prices, a blow to an energy-importing economy like Japan that adds to the downward pressure on the currency.

What they're saying: "Rising oil prices, the prospect of U.S. rate hikes and stimulatory fiscal and monetary policy conditions in Japan [are] fueling the trend - one that's unlikely to end without a material course correction from Japanese authorities," Kyle Rodda, a market analyst at Capital.com, wrote in a note Wednesday morning.

The intrigue: Japanese officials have said they are prepared to support the currency, as they did earlier this year.

But intervention has provided only temporary relief because it doesn't address the underlying driver: the wide gap in interest rates between Japan and the U.S. ... Read more

Why The U.S. Economy Has Not Collapsed Yet | Mark Tilbury | 07/22/26 | 18:12

Cyclospora outbreak surges. Here's how to lower infection risk
Axios | Herb Scribner | 07/21/26

The growing Cyclospora outbreak is raising questions about produce safety and whether washing fruits and vegetables is enough to prevent infection.

Why it matters: Cyclosporiasis can cause severe diarrhea, and experts say washing produce may reduce - but not eliminate - the risk of infection.

The Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite is normally found in human waste and feces. It spreads when contaminated water is used to grow, clean or wash produce.

Driving the news: Health officials and investigators pointed to fresh produce as the main culprit, potentially including products from Taylor Farms, which are sold at Taco Bell.

The Food and Drug Administration said Monday it still thinks Taylor Farms lettuce is likely behind a Cyclospora outbreak, even after pulling back earlier test results linking the produce to the parasite. ... Read more

Study Finds Americans Are Divided into 9 Political Groups. Which Are You In? | Amanpour and Company | 07/14/26 | 18:20

Federal judge pauses Paramount Skydance-WBD merger
Axios | Sara Fischer | 07/20/26

A federal judge has paused Paramount Skydance's takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery in response to a lawsuit last week from a dozen state attorneys general looking to block the deal on antitrust grounds.

Why it matters: The delay represents the most significant legal challenge related to the merger globally to-date.

While some foreign regulators, including the U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority, are still reviewing the deal, none have issued an order that independently bars Paramount and WBD from closing. ... Read more

Michigan Weather Forecast - Tuesday, July 21, 2026 | MLive | 07/21/26 | 9:28

The Deadliest Disaster in History is Repeating? The Super El Nino Is Back in 2026. | Neal K. Shah | 07/10/26 | 16:46

GOP midterm strategy: Make it a "hate election"
Axios | Marc Caputo | 07/20/26

Republicans admit the GOP's midterm forecast is bleak. But they're clinging to two hopes: voters' fear and loathing of Democrats.

"It's going to be a hate election," a Republican tied to President Trump's political operation told Axios. "Voters have to hate the Dems more than they hate us. And we have material to work with."

Why it matters: There's broad GOP frustration that Trump has made challenging midterm elections worse by not focusing heavily on pocketbook issues - especially the tax cuts Republicans won - while launching the Iran war, which raised gas prices and fueled inflation.

Trump's prime-time speech Thursday night about China's alleged influence campaign targeting U.S. voters six years ago did little to assuage those concerns.

"I have yet to understand how we win the midterms by talking about what happened in 2020," Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told Axios. ... Read more

Brooks and Capehart on what Trump is trying to accomplish with his election claims | PBS NewsHour | 07/17/26 | 9:19

Washington Week with The Atlantic full episode, July 17, 2026 | Washington Week PBS | 07/17/26 | 26:46

A 49C Heatwave Is Heading for the USA - Experts Issue a Warning | Bright Side Global | 07/14/26 | 1:25:48

Trump's climate denial COLLIDES with America's apocalyptic summer | MSNow/Chris Hayes | 07/18/26 | 8:33

AI race splits in two as China wages open-weight insurgency
Axios | Madison Mills,Zachary Basu | 07/18/26

China's latest AI breakthrough is forcing Silicon Valley to confront a terrifying possibility: Building the world's smartest models may no longer be enough to win.

Why it matters: Chinese labs like Moonshot AI are cornering the market for cheap, customizable intelligence, threatening to turn America's prestige models into expensive niche products.

Driving the news: Companies were already shifting away from premium AI models and toward cheaper Chinese alternatives before Moonshot's Kimi K3 exploded onto the scene this week.

1. On OpenRouter - a major marketplace that lets developers access hundreds of competing AI systems - Chinese models now occupy the top five spots by weekly token usage.
2. All five models - from China-based Tencent, Xiaomi, DeepSeek, MiniMax and Z.ai - are "open-weight," allowing users to download, customize and run them on their own systems.
3. Businesses can use cheaper systems for routine coding, summarization, data extraction and customer service, reserving premium models for their hardest problems.
4. "There are going to be open-source models that eventually handle 95% of enterprise queries, and that remaining 5% may go to OpenAI or Anthropic," one AI investor told Axios.

Trump's dark warning on U.S. elections: 4 takeaways
Axios | Alex Isenstadt, Marc Caputo | 07/17/26

President Trump cast American elections as under siege Thursday night, describing a system riddled with vulnerabilities that hostile foreign actors and unauthorized immigrants are exploiting.

Driving the news: Trump's dark, foreboding 25-minute address from the East Room of the White House served two main purposes:

Build support for his SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voter registration and is stalled in the Senate.

And return to a topic that fixates him perhaps more than any other: The 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden.

1. The bogeymen: China and the Deep State
2. Unauthorized immigrants on voting rolls
3. "Shocking vulnerabilities" in voting systems
4. Setting the table for November, and 2028

Trump held Situation Room meeting on massive new Iran strikes
Axios | Barak Ravid | 07/16/26

President Trump held a Situation Room meeting Tuesday to discuss a massive offensive in Iran that will be wider in scope than the current strikes around the Strait of Hormuz, three sources with knowledge said.

Why it matters: Trump appears willing to escalate the war to cause enough damage that the Iranian regime will open the Strait of Hormuz and accept Trump's nuclear demands.

Driving the news: Trump convened the meeting as the U.S. military conducted strikes in the Strait of Hormuz area and along the southern coast of Iran for the fourth day in a row.

Most of the targets were air defense and radar systems, anti-ship missile positions and drone launch sites.

U.S. officials said the aim of the strikes was to significantly degrade Iran's ability to conduct attacks against ships in the Strait of Hormuz. ... Read more

China just erased America's AI lead
Axios | Zachary Basu,Madison Mills,Ben Berkowitz | 07/17/26

America's commanding lead in advanced AI is gone.

A Chinese moonshot - literally and figuratively - has caught up to models that defined the U.S. frontier just weeks ago, at a substantially lower price.

Why it matters: Kimi K3, a massive new model by Beijing-based Moonshot AI, threatens the foundations of America's AI boom. Its release Thursday dazzled developers, jolted Silicon Valley and reset the AI race overnight.

Driving the news: Kimi immediately vaulted into the top tier of global AI, beating Anthropic's Fable 5 and OpenAI's GPT-5.6 Sol in front-end coding tests by AI evaluator Arena.

1. In Arena's broader text ranking, Kimi finished ahead of Anthropic's Opus 4.8 - the company's flagship model until Fable 5 arrived in June - while costing 40% less.
2. Unlike the premium U.S. models it's challenging, Moonshot plans to release Kimi as an open-weight model on July 27 - allowing companies and governments to customize and run it on their own systems.

Trump held Situation Room meeting on massive new Iran strikes
Axios | Barak Ravid | 07/15/26

President Trump held a Situation Room meeting Tuesday to discuss a massive offensive in Iran that will be wider in scope than the current strikes around the Strait of Hormuz, three sources with knowledge said.

Why it matters: Trump appears willing to escalate the war to cause enough damage that the Iranian regime will open the Strait of Hormuz and accept Trump's nuclear demands.

Driving the news: Trump convened the meeting as the U.S. military conducted strikes in the Strait of Hormuz area and along the southern coast of Iran for the fourth day in a row. ... ... ... Read more

In Gaza, Fathers Can't Promise Their Children Food, Safety, or Even Survival
TruthOut | Hassan Herzallah | 06/21/26

In Gaza, where I live, the Israeli occupation has stripped fathers of the most basic promises of fatherhood.

A father cannot promise his children a safe place, because the place they flee to may be bombed only hours later. He cannot promise them a meal at the end of the day, because food has become uncertain. Even when they ask him whether they will stay alive, he must answer while not knowing whether he himself will survive until morning.

1. Gaza Soccer Player Who Dreamed of Competing in World Cup Can Now Barely Watch It
2. New Cafes in Gaza Can't Conceal Tent Cities and Mountains of Rubble
3. Israel Has Engineered a Deadly Shortage of Medications and Health Care in Gaza
4. Israel Ramps Up Demolitions of Palestinian Homes Ahead of Fall Elections
5. Gaza Reconstruction Is Hindered as Israel Restricts Aid and Building Materials
6. For Palestinians, the Nakba Isn't Just History. It's Also Our Present.

... Read more

Why America Deliberately Destroyed Its Manufacturing Industry | METTLE | 07/09/26 | 33:27