https://www.thedailybeast.com/russian-state-media-declares-our-agent-donald-trump-is-irreversibly-screwed?ref=home

Apparently even Putin is concerned about his “agent” in America.

I don’t normally post from DB, as they can be a bit hyperbolic. But sometimes something pops up that deserves to be shared.

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/16/records-trump-fbi-white-house-mar-a-lago-00052272

Chaos run amok is no excuse for material protected by the Presidential Records Act and security classification to end up in a loosely locked basement storeroom of a private club.

Funny. It is 4 PM and this is the first post HERE on this reporting. Have we all decided to play wait and see all of a sudden?

https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/10/us/little-league-hug-batter-pitcher/index.html

This gives me some hope that things will be fine if we stay out of the way and let the kids do the right thing.

For those of you who believe in the axiom “Children should be seen and not heard”, should REALLY pay attention to seeing this moment and what was said.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/pulitzer-winning-author-david-mccullough-dies-at-89?ref=home

David McCullough wrote some amazing historical pieces. If you haven’t read The Great Bridge, about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, I highly recommend it. You need to be stuck inside for about a month to get through it, but it is fascinating in it’s detail and story telling.

Also 1776, one of the first history books a I read as an adult, and his historical telling of The Wright Brothers, were books I found to be quite enjoyable. I have not read his John Adams or Harry Truman biographies, but I may have to do so.

I know some of us have a hard time agreeing with each other on things, but I’m optimistic there will be little push back on this. (But I could be wrong. 😇)

https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/29/energy/exxonmobil-chevron-earnings/index.html

Without clicking the link, can you guess what that number is?

https://www.pilotonline.com/government/nation/vp-nw-alito-religion-abortion-decision-20220729-6wpzgwyowfa7jeoletwswegfuq-story.html

In his own words, Alito APPEARS to admit that it was his religious beliefs and not the law that pushed him to write the Dobbs opinion.

In his mind, ONLY Christian liberty matters and the others be damned. – IMO

I would like to remind him that without Judaism, Christianity doesn’t exist. His apparent dismissal of other religions over his own is bad precedent. Freedom FROM religion is a cornerstone of this country. First Amendment means nothing to him.

He blames societal changes in the decline of Christianity. Perhaps he should consider the many scandals that have been plaguing the Christian Church and the people being disgusted by it.

https://theweek.com/andrew-yang/1015471/ex-republicans-and-democrats-form-forward-a-new-centrist-political-party

Quick read with a link to the Reuters story.

David Jolly, Christine Todd Whitman, and Andrew Yang are making the attempt. An interesting mix of a former Republican who lost his Florida seat after redistricting, a Centrist GOP Governor, and a seemingly Progressive business man turned politician who started the PAC that is becoming, potentially, a third party alternative.

Not saying yay or nay. Just opening the discussion on the possibility of a viable third party forming due to the terrible tribalism and fractures in the country due to the two-party system we are suffering through.

I certainly hope Santa Clause stays with the Libertarians. (Sorry, Don. Couldn’t resist.)

https://www.polygraph.info/a/fact-check-kremlin-conjures-up-postage-stamp-to-spread-ukraine-antisemitism-smear-/31960834.html

Historical references to things long gone used in an attempt to convince the world (and Russians) that Ukraine is a Nazi-run country.

From the article, the forgery is pretty easily identified by those trained in such things. Yet I won’t be surprised if someone here tries to use it as “proof” of Putin’s claims.

https://theweek.com/religion/1015400/explainer-about-the-rise-of-christian-nationalism

Joel Mathis takes a deeper dive into who and what Christian Nationalists are.

In answer to the headline question: Not too much. There were quite a few Christians there who may or may not self-identify as such, but their beliefs may say otherwise.

However, some of the underlying numbers as who identifies as Christian Nationalist are interesting.