08/17/26
Title
Jared Kushner, Bright Legal Mind That He Is
Good morning! It’s Monday, August 17th.
National Black Cat Day
I used to have a black cat – its name was Krypton. As in Kal-El, aka Superman’s, home planet that blew up which, many believe, happened because of its unstable core thanks to sever solar winds, although there is a canonical version that frames the explosion as having happened because of a civil war.
I… had other interests as well. Probably. No, I’m kidding. I definitely didn’t.
And now, the news.
Virginia State Shooting
-via ABC News and Gun Violence Archive
We start how we start here in America, with five injured, including one critically, after a nineteen-year-old opened fire on the Virginia State University campus on Saturday afternoon. Police say the suspect, who was found hiding in a dorm room closet, is not a student at the school.
Out of the five injured, only one was a student at the school.
Police are still investigating the shooting, including looking for a motive.
This is the 305th mass shooting of the year and today is the 229th day of the year.
Earthquake in Indonesia
And in Indonesia – at least 53 people have died, 130 people have been injured, and 5,000 people have been evacuated after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit eastern Indonesia on Sunday.
If it feels like there are more earthquakes than normal lately…
Trust your gut normally – but not this time. According to a study by the US Geological Society, looking at records dating back to almost 1900, about 16 major earthquakes are expected each year - 15 earthquakes in the magnitude 7 range and one 8.0 or greater. In the past 40-50 years, their records show that that average has only been exceeded about a dozen times, have exceeded the long-term average number of major earthquakes about a dozen times.
So far, we’ve only had 11 7.0 or higher earthquakes. And look, obviously it doesn’t feel like the word “only” works for the folks that have been affected by these earthquakes, but I just… you know… in case you were worried, those are the facts.
Weather
-via The Guardian, NPR, and KTLA
And talking weather on the tens and twos – in Indiana, at least six people have died (these are some BLEAK starts to these stories!) since storms in the Hoosier State started on August 11th.
The storms, which have also knocked out the power for about 300,000 customers at their peak, are said to have caused the worst flooding that Indianapolis has seen in more than 30 years.
By Sunday, the rain had slowed in northern Indiana, while they continue through the week in central Indiana, although the region will get a small reprieve on Tuesday.
And in Pawnee, Indiana… I’m being told NOT to bring up Parks and Rec in this story because the timing is very inappropriate.
Moving west to Hawaii, Hurricane Lala has weakened to a tropical storm. But just because the hurricane never touched down in the state, doesn’t mean the Rainbow State made it out of this without any issue.
The Big Island saw about three feet of rain on higher windward slopes, as well as wind speeds up to 30% stronger than normal, from Maui to Oahu, and then Kauai.
And in Los Angeles, we’re going to see another heatwave in Southern California, starting today and holding through Friday. Downtown LA is expected to see temperatures in the mid-nineties, while the western San Fernando Valley, as well as the Antelope Valley, will see some of the highest temperatures.
And that’s, frankly, on anyone who decided they would move to the San Fernando Valley. You fools. What were you thinking… (Parking. I was thinking about easy it is to park in the valley!)
Kushner on the Case
-via AP News, Brown University, and The UN
Moving overseas… as the Israeli government continues to reject Hamas’ 15-point ceasefire plan, Jared Kushner(!!!) is on the case.
…Jared Kushner.
So, that’s gotta make everyone feel better.
Kushy met with Hamas’ leader on Sunday ahead with a meeting with Netanyahu today. The ceasefire is being held up over, mostly, Hamas’ hesitation to disarm, with Hamas having said earlier this month that Israeli troops need to pull back and stop the attacks in Gaza before they hand their weapons over to a new Palestinian body to run Gaza.
The problem there is that Israel’s Energy Minister has said there was no plan to stop the attacks on Gaza and that he saw the need for Israel to take full control of Gaza if Hamas didn’t disarm.
Several regional powers including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia, issued a statement condemning Israel’s rejection of the road map, saying that “Israel now bears responsibility for obstructing the efforts to bring peace in Gaza.”
This is such a tricky thing because of the one hand… very obviously, what the government of Israel is doing in Gaza is a genocide. And that’s not just me, a wildly popular podcast host, saying that. Multiple nations, including South Africa, Colombia, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Turkey, and various members of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), as well as international bodies, human rights organizations including Amnesty International, International Association of Genocide Scholars, various Israeli Human Rights Groups, academic associations, and a UN Commission of Inquiry, have said it.
But also… Hamas is not a good group! They don’t allow free speech, they enforce gender segregation, and there are reports of Hamas-run forces executing or torturing perceived political opponents, dissidents, and individuals accused of cooperating with Israel.
And on top of all of that… Trump is the captain of peace for the Board of Peace and he’s released AI videos of turning Gaza into a gold-plated, super cheesy-looking, beach resort called Trump Gaza. And in the video, he showed Benjamin Netanyahu lounging on a sunbed.
But we’re talking about an area where the population of 2.3 million has dropped by 73,000, with most of those people having been killed. And of the 2.13 million still living in the area, 730,000, or more than 34%, have been displaced.
And there’s no easy answer here. There just isn’t.
But the fact is – Israel is the one holding up this ceasefire plan. So right now, kind of the best path forward is… Israel agreeing to pull back and stop the attacks, while Hamas disarms, so an apolitical committee of Palestinian administrators can eventually govern the area. The best available outcome for Gaza isn't an Israeli victory or a Hamas victory. It's getting Israel out, getting Hamas disarmed and out of government, and putting Gaza's civilian administration back in Palestinian hands.
Thank goodness Jared Kushner, bright legal mind that he is, is on the case!
Todd Blanche Pledges Allegiance
-via The Guardian
In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Todd Blanche, Trump’s former lawyer and now our current AG, was asked to assure the American public that he would act independently of the White House and the Trump administration, as the Department of Justice should and he said…
“No, I’m not going to pledge that. And no attorney general should ever pledge that.”
And then he added, and this is the funniest part - “The president will never ask me to do something unethical or legal or illegal. He never has. He never will.”
Dude. You were his lawyer in the hush money crimes trial, the stealing classified documents crimes trial, and the 2020 overturning election results crime trial… he already has asked you to be unethical! He’s unethical! He doesn’t know how to be ethical!
But pop off I guess.
Anyway, that’s not really news but it’s been a ROUGH episode so I thought him looking dumb was funny.
Dangerous for our legal system, obviously. But still kind of funny. In like… “oh, so that’s who you are as a person? Bummer for you.” Kind of way.
And that’s it. That’s the news.
On Sunday, Kentucky’s governor Beshear came out to say he still hasn’t heard anything from Mitch McConnell. Literally, he’s “heard absolutely nothing back.” Adding, “All he needs to do is call into this show for two minutes, or Fox News for two minutes, or do a video for two minutes to the people he’s supposed to serve, but you know what? He absolutely refuses to do so.”
Pal, I don’t think he’s refusing to do so. I just… I don’t think they get service down there.
That’s part of what makes the bad place so bad – no internet access!
Anyway, shocking for sure though, that he hasn’t heard from McConnell. I’m sure he’s just a busy boi.
I’m proud of… cats.
Gatos.
They’re cute and they’re in charge.
But more than cats, because you are also very much in charge but your nails are none of my business... I’m proud of you.