From our The Buck Stops Here Dept.:
Surprise! Fearless Leader has denied responsibility for the scurrilous trope posted on his Truth Anti-Social account Feb. 5 that depicts former President and Mrs. Obama as animals. He claimed that he decided to post it based on "the first part," which he did not define by content or time signature, and the purpose of which "first part" no one has separately identified, explained or praised. He then assignedblame for the "mixup" to an unnamed staff member.
]There would appear to be several possibilities.
1. He's lying.
2. The staff member does not exist.
3. The staff member exists and has not come forward to accept responsibility.
4. One or both of them is a cowardly racist with no scruples or personal honor.
The possibilities are not mutually exclusive.
It remains to be seen if some low-ranking toady will be thrown to the wolves by name or if some true believer will throw him/herself on the pyre of this self-igniting administration and sacrifice his or her reputation forever by taking the blame.
News and Commentary
☰
News
Truth Anti-social
Ignorance is Bliss Presidential
In case you're trapped in an elevator with a Make America Groan Again friend or relative, someone we know asked a popular AI application:
How many violent crimes were committed by non-citizens in the USA during the most recent ten years for which numbers or rates are available?
The response suggests the reason why so many citizens have been arrested by ICE: It is they (we?) and not the aliens who are the principal perpetrators. The app said...
There is no national U.S. data series that cleanly reports “violent crimes committed by non‑citizens” each year for the last ten years, so the number you are asking for cannot be directly calculated from official statistics.[1][2][3]`
Why the number is not available
- The main national sources (FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports and the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Crime Victimization Survey) do not routinely publish offender citizenship for all violent crimes, only limited demographics such as age, sex, and race/ethnicity.[2][1]
- Citizenship data started to appear in NCVS microdata only recently and in a way that focuses on victims’ status (citizen vs non‑citizen), not a full annual count of non‑citizen offenders.[3][4][5]
- A 2021 BJS report covers “Non‑U.S. Citizens in the Federal Criminal Justice System, 1998–2018,” but this is limited to federal cases and mixes immigration and non‑immigration offenses; it does not translate into a comprehensive annual national count of violent crimes by non‑citizens.[6]
What we can say from existing research
- Studies using state‑level data with citizenship information (for example, Texas arrest records) find that U.S.‑born citizens are more than twice as likely to be arrested for violent crimes as undocumented immigrants, with legal immigrants in between.[7][8]
- Analyses of NCVS data show that foreign‑born people (including non‑citizens) have lower violent victimization rates than U.S.‑born individuals, implying lower exposure to violent crime both as victims and, indirectly, as offenders.[4][5][9][10]
Practical bottom line
- For the last decade, there is no official nationwide table or report that gives annual counts or rates of violent crimes committed by non‑citizens, so any precise ten‑year number would be speculative.[1][2][3][6]
- The best available research that does disaggregate by citizenship or immigration status consistently finds that non‑citizens (including undocumented immigrants) are *less* likely, not more likely, to be arrested for or otherwise involved in violent crimes than similarly situated U.S.‑born citizens.[8][10][11][7]
Some might conclude that ICE is just picking low-hanging fruit, with the primary purpose not of expelling violent offenders but of instilling fear. What do you think?
A flash in the pond
PS: If you think this is an accurate map of the arctic region, you really need to go back to geography school. Click the link below the map for a polar primer.
TrumpRx — Another scam a'borning
Dear True Believers: If you think DJT has only your best interests at heart, consider the response to the following AI-assisted query. Spoiler alert: To paraphrase P.T. Barnum, there's a MAGA born every minute.
"Will Donald Trump, 'The Trump Organization' or any other trump family controlled entity profit from the proposed 'TrumpRx' platform?"
Response from Perplexity.ai:
Yes. Donald Trump, The Trump Organization, and Trump family-controlled entities are positioned to profit, both directly and indirectly, from the proposed TrumpRx platform.
While TrumpRx is promoted as a government-run website meant to reduce prescription drug costs by connecting consumers with discounted direct-to-consumer offers from pharmaceutical companies, investigative reporting and disclosures point to several business ties and financial interests that link the Trump family to potential profits from this initiative[1][2][3][4].
Trump Family Connections and Financial Interests
- Donald Trump Jr. sits on the board of BlinkRx, an online prescription drug delivery service that will likely benefit from increased traffic and sales generated by referrals through the TrumpRx platform[1][2][4].
- Trump Jr. and the investment firm 1789 Capital, known for backing "parallel economy" MAGA-branded businesses, are significant stakeholders in BlinkRx, giving the Trump family a direct financial interest in the success of companies positioned to profit from TrumpRx[1][2].
- Exclusive summits and events for pharmaceutical executives are being organized at Trump Jr.'s private club, potentially resulting in lucrative business opportunities for entities associated with the Trump family[1][2].
- Multiple reports confirm that family members of Donald Trump and even other administration officials (such as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s family) are set to profit from the new pharmaceutical market and regulatory overhaul enabled by TrumpRx and related policy shifts[3][4].
Platform Structure
- TrumpRx does not itself sell medications; it routes users to drug manufacturers’ or partners’ sales platforms, facilitating transactions without insurance intermediaries and amplifying direct-to-consumer sales[5][6].
- The restructuring of the market favors companies like BlinkRx, which provides these direct fulfillment and pricing solutions, furthering the financial interests of its board members and major investors—including Trump family members[1][2].
Expert Commentary
- Multiple analysts and reporters highlight significant ethical concerns over the Trump family's business entanglements and the potential for personal profit from a government-backed prescription drug marketplace[2][3][4].
- While some Trump family representatives claim there is no improper promotion or conflict of interest, independent observers suggest that alignment of government policy and private business interests is poised to benefit Trump family-controlled companies[1][2][3].
In summary, the Trump family, through both direct stakes and related business ventures, is likely to profit from the implementation and success of the TrumpRx platform[1][2][3][4].
Sources
"Will Donald Trump, 'The Trump Organization' or any other trump family controlled entity profit from the proposed 'TrumpRx' platform?"
Response from Perplexity.ai:
Yes. Donald Trump, The Trump Organization, and Trump family-controlled entities are positioned to profit, both directly and indirectly, from the proposed TrumpRx platform.
While TrumpRx is promoted as a government-run website meant to reduce prescription drug costs by connecting consumers with discounted direct-to-consumer offers from pharmaceutical companies, investigative reporting and disclosures point to several business ties and financial interests that link the Trump family to potential profits from this initiative[1][2][3][4].
Trump Family Connections and Financial Interests
- Donald Trump Jr. sits on the board of BlinkRx, an online prescription drug delivery service that will likely benefit from increased traffic and sales generated by referrals through the TrumpRx platform[1][2][4].
- Trump Jr. and the investment firm 1789 Capital, known for backing "parallel economy" MAGA-branded businesses, are significant stakeholders in BlinkRx, giving the Trump family a direct financial interest in the success of companies positioned to profit from TrumpRx[1][2].
- Exclusive summits and events for pharmaceutical executives are being organized at Trump Jr.'s private club, potentially resulting in lucrative business opportunities for entities associated with the Trump family[1][2].
- Multiple reports confirm that family members of Donald Trump and even other administration officials (such as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s family) are set to profit from the new pharmaceutical market and regulatory overhaul enabled by TrumpRx and related policy shifts[3][4].
Platform Structure
- TrumpRx does not itself sell medications; it routes users to drug manufacturers’ or partners’ sales platforms, facilitating transactions without insurance intermediaries and amplifying direct-to-consumer sales[5][6].
- The restructuring of the market favors companies like BlinkRx, which provides these direct fulfillment and pricing solutions, furthering the financial interests of its board members and major investors—including Trump family members[1][2].
Expert Commentary
- Multiple analysts and reporters highlight significant ethical concerns over the Trump family's business entanglements and the potential for personal profit from a government-backed prescription drug marketplace[2][3][4].
- While some Trump family representatives claim there is no improper promotion or conflict of interest, independent observers suggest that alignment of government policy and private business interests is poised to benefit Trump family-controlled companies[1][2][3].
In summary, the Trump family, through both direct stakes and related business ventures, is likely to profit from the implementation and success of the TrumpRx platform[1][2][3][4].
Sources
Local Citizens Terrified by Seasonal Display
Last Code Talkers Await Sunset
Thomas Begay and Peter MacDonald, the last two surviving Navajo Code Talkers, recount their experiences during World War II. Their unique role, using the Navajo language to send encrypted messages, proved invaluable to the US military. Despite their significant contributions, their legacy faces challenges, including the Pentagon’s deletion of webpages honoring their service and the ongoing struggle to establish a dedicated national museum.
Image after CNN.
Tom Lehrer 1928-2025
Tom Lehrer, who died this weekend at 97, was surely the greatest satyrical song writer of the mid-20th Century. In the 1960s one had to be living in a hole under a rock in a cave not to have heard his works, which dispatched diverse sacred cows with equal enthusiasm. A brilliant mathematician, he exemplifed the goal of not taking oneself too seriously. The name Lehrer means "teacher" in German, fitting for any/all of his careers. His parting gift was to leave all his work to the public domain. Enjoy!
Wiki
Obit
Anthology
PS: We're happy to give him credit for certain stylistic elements of SSG.
Wiki
Obit
Anthology
PS: We're happy to give him credit for certain stylistic elements of SSG.
DOGE Aftermath Reaches South Asia as Malnutrition
Le Monde reports that the US administration will destroy "several tons" of enriched, nutritious "cookies" that would have gone to malnourished children in Afghanistan and Pakistan from storage in Dubai and elsewhere.
The items are not American-style sweet treats but rather nutritious biscuits that provide much of the daily requirements of children — essentially to ward off starvation. The intended destruction of these products is a consequence of the DOGE closing of the US Agency for International Development earlier this year*.
"Why?"
During questioning about the matter in a senate committee, Michael Rigas, the person charged with administering the program, replied "I have no good response to that question."
One excuse for the action to waste the food has been that the expiration date on the packaging has past. This is not because the product is unsafe or no longer nutritious but rather because the delivery was delayed by Pres. Tr$mp's DOGE kiddies.
* Lest you be worried about this or other aspects of the DOGE process, it's OK. Elon Musk's sports car, launched in 2018, is apparently steady in an elliptical orbit around the Sun, where it will no doubt be a beacon of consolation to mothers in Afghanistan and Pakistan as they bury their children.
As anti-war protesters chanted to another president in the 1960s, "the whole world is watching."
NOTE: SSG is not able to independently verify this news. However, it has been reported in numerous other publications worldwide. (For example...)
The items are not American-style sweet treats but rather nutritious biscuits that provide much of the daily requirements of children — essentially to ward off starvation. The intended destruction of these products is a consequence of the DOGE closing of the US Agency for International Development earlier this year*.
"Why?"
During questioning about the matter in a senate committee, Michael Rigas, the person charged with administering the program, replied "I have no good response to that question."
One excuse for the action to waste the food has been that the expiration date on the packaging has past. This is not because the product is unsafe or no longer nutritious but rather because the delivery was delayed by Pres. Tr$mp's DOGE kiddies.
* Lest you be worried about this or other aspects of the DOGE process, it's OK. Elon Musk's sports car, launched in 2018, is apparently steady in an elliptical orbit around the Sun, where it will no doubt be a beacon of consolation to mothers in Afghanistan and Pakistan as they bury their children.
As anti-war protesters chanted to another president in the 1960s, "the whole world is watching."
NOTE: SSG is not able to independently verify this news. However, it has been reported in numerous other publications worldwide. (For example...)
Science 'mite' have identified culprit in bee population mystery
According to Joanna Thompson, writing in Science. a species of mite might be the perpetrator in the great bee die-off around the world.
Cognitive decline or anti-Tr$mp fervor? U B the judge
Claims that US President Donald J. Tr$mp is in cognitive decline have recently circulated. We asked AI (Perplexity) whether this could be true.
PROMPT: Act as a gerontologist. Evaluate concisely any convincing evidence that can be adduced suggesting that US President Donald J. Tr$mp is suffering from cognitive decline. For each item, offer rebuttal evidence that questions the assertion. Limit the answer to 300 words or less.
PROMPT: Act as a gerontologist. Evaluate concisely any convincing evidence that can be adduced suggesting that US President Donald J. Tr$mp is suffering from cognitive decline. For each item, offer rebuttal evidence that questions the assertion. Limit the answer to 300 words or less.
Cost-benefit analysis and you — the week in review
We asked the Web, "How much did the US airstrikes this week in Iran cost the US?"
The Web answered:
Cost of US Airstrikes on Iran (June 2025)
Summary of the Operation
The US airstrikes on Iran this week, codenamed "Operation Midnight Hammer," targeted three major Iranian nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The operation involved seven B-2 stealth bombers, which deployed 14 bunker-buster bombs, and a submarine that launched over two dozen Tomahawk missiles. In total, about 125 US aircraft were involved, including bombers, fighters, tankers, and support planes.
Estimated Direct Costs
According to detailed breakdowns and defense analysts:
Munitions:
14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs at $5 million each: $70 million
30 Tomahawk missiles at $2 million each: $60 million
Flight Hours:
Seven B-2 bombers flew a 37-hour round trip at $170,000 per hour, totaling: $44 million
Total Direct Cost Estimate:
$174 million for the initial US airstrikes, covering munitions and bomber flight hours.
"Operation Midnight Hammer... estimated cost is $174 million, broken down as follows: 14 GBU-57 bombs at $5 million each ($70 million), 30 Tomahawk missiles at $2 million each ($60 million), and seven B-2 bombers flying a 37-hour mission at $170,000 per hour ($44 million). This figure excludes costs for support aircraft, personnel, and logistics, which could increase the total."
Additional Considerations
The $174 million estimate does not include costs for support aircraft, logistics, or personnel, which could raise the total further.
The operation was a single, high-profile strike rather than a sustained campaign, so ongoing costs remain limited unless the conflict escalates.
Broader US military expenditures in the region, including support to Israel and regional security postures, are much higher but not directly attributed to this specific strike.
Conclusion
The US airstrikes on Iran this week cost an estimated $174 million in direct operational expenses, primarily for munitions and bomber flight hours, with the total potentially higher when factoring in full support and logistics.
In other news...
New York Post reports White House officials are hunting the suspected “low-level paper pusher” who leaked a preliminary Pentagon intelligence assessment questioning the scale of destruction after Saturday’s US airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites — as the CIA released its own finding that the attacks set the theocracy’s nuke development back “years.”
The controversial Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment, first reported Tuesday by CNN, stated with a low level of confidence that the US attacks may only have disrupted Iran’s progress toward an atomic weapon for a few months.
The Web answered:
Cost of US Airstrikes on Iran (June 2025)
Summary of the Operation
The US airstrikes on Iran this week, codenamed "Operation Midnight Hammer," targeted three major Iranian nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The operation involved seven B-2 stealth bombers, which deployed 14 bunker-buster bombs, and a submarine that launched over two dozen Tomahawk missiles. In total, about 125 US aircraft were involved, including bombers, fighters, tankers, and support planes.
Estimated Direct Costs
According to detailed breakdowns and defense analysts:
Munitions:
14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs at $5 million each: $70 million
30 Tomahawk missiles at $2 million each: $60 million
Flight Hours:
Seven B-2 bombers flew a 37-hour round trip at $170,000 per hour, totaling: $44 million
Total Direct Cost Estimate:
$174 million for the initial US airstrikes, covering munitions and bomber flight hours.
"Operation Midnight Hammer... estimated cost is $174 million, broken down as follows: 14 GBU-57 bombs at $5 million each ($70 million), 30 Tomahawk missiles at $2 million each ($60 million), and seven B-2 bombers flying a 37-hour mission at $170,000 per hour ($44 million). This figure excludes costs for support aircraft, personnel, and logistics, which could increase the total."
Additional Considerations
The $174 million estimate does not include costs for support aircraft, logistics, or personnel, which could raise the total further.
The operation was a single, high-profile strike rather than a sustained campaign, so ongoing costs remain limited unless the conflict escalates.
Broader US military expenditures in the region, including support to Israel and regional security postures, are much higher but not directly attributed to this specific strike.
Conclusion
The US airstrikes on Iran this week cost an estimated $174 million in direct operational expenses, primarily for munitions and bomber flight hours, with the total potentially higher when factoring in full support and logistics.
In other news...
New York Post reports White House officials are hunting the suspected “low-level paper pusher” who leaked a preliminary Pentagon intelligence assessment questioning the scale of destruction after Saturday’s US airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites — as the CIA released its own finding that the attacks set the theocracy’s nuke development back “years.”
The controversial Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment, first reported Tuesday by CNN, stated with a low level of confidence that the US attacks may only have disrupted Iran’s progress toward an atomic weapon for a few months.
Word salad of the week
(And it's only Wednesday!)
(May 5) at a meeting to announce that Washington, D.C., will host the 2027 National Football League draft, Pres. Tr$mp confirmed that he suddenly decided to announce he was reopening Alcatraz because the word sounded strong.
“It represents something very strong, very powerful in terms of law and order, he said, adding "Our country needs law and order. Alcatraz is uh, I would say the ultimate, right? Alcatraz. Sing Sing and Alcatraz, the movies.... Nobody's ever escaped from Alcatraz and just represented something, uh, strong having to do with law and order. We need law and order in this country. And so we're going to look at it. Some of the people up here are going to be working very hard on that, and, uh, we had a little conversation. I think it's gonna be very interesting. We'll see if we can bring it back. In large form, add a lot. But I think it represents something. Right now, it's a big hulk that's sitting there rusting and rotting, uh, very, uh, you look at it, it's sort of, you saw that picture that was put out. It's sort of amazing, but it sort of represents something that's both horrible and beautiful and strong and miserable, weak. And it's got a lot of it's got a lot of qualities that are interesting. And I think they make a point.”
—As quoted by H.C. Richardson
(May 5) at a meeting to announce that Washington, D.C., will host the 2027 National Football League draft, Pres. Tr$mp confirmed that he suddenly decided to announce he was reopening Alcatraz because the word sounded strong.
“It represents something very strong, very powerful in terms of law and order, he said, adding "Our country needs law and order. Alcatraz is uh, I would say the ultimate, right? Alcatraz. Sing Sing and Alcatraz, the movies.... Nobody's ever escaped from Alcatraz and just represented something, uh, strong having to do with law and order. We need law and order in this country. And so we're going to look at it. Some of the people up here are going to be working very hard on that, and, uh, we had a little conversation. I think it's gonna be very interesting. We'll see if we can bring it back. In large form, add a lot. But I think it represents something. Right now, it's a big hulk that's sitting there rusting and rotting, uh, very, uh, you look at it, it's sort of, you saw that picture that was put out. It's sort of amazing, but it sort of represents something that's both horrible and beautiful and strong and miserable, weak. And it's got a lot of it's got a lot of qualities that are interesting. And I think they make a point.”
—As quoted by H.C. Richardson
MAGA, pseudo-science believers share beliefs
MAGA supporters and believers in pseudoscientific myths appears to be significant, with several overlapping characteristics between the two phenomena. For example, MAGA supporters and pseudoscience adherents both demonstrate belief-dependent realism, where understanding is based on faith rather than empirical observation. This manifests in the MAGA movement through unwavering devotion to Trump despite contradictions or controversies.
Danger, Will Robinson: China's on the Moon!
White House - Jun 2 2023 - Both India (2019) and China (2023) have now landed autonomous spacecraft on the "dark side" of the moon.
UPDATE:
White House - Mar 20 2025 - China has also (2023) landed a spacecraft on the far side of the moon. The presence of Indian and Chinese equipment, possibly of military design and intent, on the dark side of the Moon, which is forever turned away from earth, giving them a platform from which they might launch an attack on the USA at any time, is of increasing concern to perceptive, forward-looking military minds like those of Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard and Pres. Donald Tr$mp.
UPDATE:
White House - Mar 20 2025 - China has also (2023) landed a spacecraft on the far side of the moon. The presence of Indian and Chinese equipment, possibly of military design and intent, on the dark side of the Moon, which is forever turned away from earth, giving them a platform from which they might launch an attack on the USA at any time, is of increasing concern to perceptive, forward-looking military minds like those of Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard and Pres. Donald Tr$mp.
Services, staffing, morale all targets of DOGE interlopers
After Washington Post 6 March 2025 — "Due to a DOGE*-driven spending freeze on federal credit cards, some offices can’t pay phone bills, the employee said, while one office was forced last week to cancel three disability hearings because the staff could not use charge cards to pay for interpreters who speak foreign languages or American Sign Language. One claimant has a terminal illness, and another is in danger of losing their house, the employee said. No new hearings have been scheduled.
"Meanwhile, a DOGE-led campaign to cancel contracts deemed “wasteful” across the government is also hurting Social Security. The agency lost a contract that paid for medical experts to testify at disability hearings, the employee said, along with another contract for mold removal from offices.
"The elimination of the entire civil rights office is causing further chaos and uncertainty; the staff there was responsible not just for processing discrimination cases, but for obtaining office equipment for blind employees — accommodations that are required under federal disability law. No one has explained who will be taking over this type of work, employees said.
"As the agency prepares for a mandated return to in-office work, space constraints in some offices have left supervisors to consider assigning employees to work at desks in supply closets, the worker said.
“'It’s just chaos, people are terrified, and no one knows anything, including our supervisors,' the employee said.
"Another employee said they were briefed on a call last week in which managers received instructions to come up with cuts of half the agency’s staff and the same number of contractors by the end of March. Word of reductions on that scale spread throughout the agency, the employee said. In an internal announcement, Dudek said staff cuts of 50 percent were inaccurate, causing still more confusion.
"For his entire nearly 30-year career at SSA, one employee said, changes came slowly and were accompanied by a barrage of information explaining to staff exactly what was being altered and why. However, since DOGE took hold, changes have come so fast that they are impossible to follow, the employee said.
“'No one really knows what they’re doing, no one has answers, and at some point something is going to break.'
“'Morale is in the toilet, (one) employee said. 'We all know what DOGE wants to do, which is just break us, so they can privatize us.'"
* DOGE is the so-called Dept. of Government Efficiency created by Pres. Donald Trump and his major politcal donor-sidekick Elon Musk.
"Meanwhile, a DOGE-led campaign to cancel contracts deemed “wasteful” across the government is also hurting Social Security. The agency lost a contract that paid for medical experts to testify at disability hearings, the employee said, along with another contract for mold removal from offices.
"The elimination of the entire civil rights office is causing further chaos and uncertainty; the staff there was responsible not just for processing discrimination cases, but for obtaining office equipment for blind employees — accommodations that are required under federal disability law. No one has explained who will be taking over this type of work, employees said.
"As the agency prepares for a mandated return to in-office work, space constraints in some offices have left supervisors to consider assigning employees to work at desks in supply closets, the worker said.
“'It’s just chaos, people are terrified, and no one knows anything, including our supervisors,' the employee said.
"Another employee said they were briefed on a call last week in which managers received instructions to come up with cuts of half the agency’s staff and the same number of contractors by the end of March. Word of reductions on that scale spread throughout the agency, the employee said. In an internal announcement, Dudek said staff cuts of 50 percent were inaccurate, causing still more confusion.
"For his entire nearly 30-year career at SSA, one employee said, changes came slowly and were accompanied by a barrage of information explaining to staff exactly what was being altered and why. However, since DOGE took hold, changes have come so fast that they are impossible to follow, the employee said.
“'No one really knows what they’re doing, no one has answers, and at some point something is going to break.'
“'Morale is in the toilet, (one) employee said. 'We all know what DOGE wants to do, which is just break us, so they can privatize us.'"
* DOGE is the so-called Dept. of Government Efficiency created by Pres. Donald Trump and his major politcal donor-sidekick Elon Musk.
Categories
Recent Posts
- Tr&mp Poll Tax Favored by Many
- Truth Anti-social
- Ignorance is Bliss Presidential
- A flash in the pond
- Today's Body Count Unreported by ICE
- Greenland Ground Grab Grows Gradually
- Don't hold your breath for action on health care
- The Epstein Files May Dominate Trump Legacy
- MTG: If the shoe fits, run away home
- Just deify me now to save time
- Making up law as one goes along...
- TrumpRx — Another scam a'borning
- Local Citizens Terrified by Seasonal Display
- A piece of a prize
- Tr$mpist anti-health cabal strikes again
