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   JT Santana @[email protected] · 2025-11-28 · 18:42 UTC

   THE THREAD THAT REFUSES TO BREAK: A PERSONAL HISTORY OF WORLD AIDS DAY AND THE YEAR IT CUTS A LITTLE DEEPER

   There are moments in history that do not simply arrive; they accumulate. They gather weight, memoryand meaning until they become more than dates on a calendar. World AIDS Day is one of those moments. It is a day that carries an entire era on its shoulders: the grief of the early epidemic, the rage of activists who refused to stay silent, the breakthroughs that turned despair into possibility, and the ongoing struggle to protect dignity in a world where stigma never fully disappears. World AIDS Day is woven from millions of individual stories, yet it remains a single, unified symbol of remembrance and resistance. It has existed for more than forty years, and every one of those years has been shaped by triumph, loss, misinformation, activism, science, bigotry, hope, and the relentless determination of communities who learned quickly that no one was coming to save them unless they saved each other.

   When I write about World AIDS Day now, in 2025, I find myself reflecting not only on the global arc of the epidemic but on the personal threads that tie me to this day in ways I once did not expect. I did not grow up thinking I would one day speak about HIV, AIDS, stigma, or loss. I did not imagine sitting in clinics as volunteers comforted frightened clients. I did not imagine dancing at the Red Ribbon Ball beside survivors who once planned their funerals because they believed they had run out of time. I did not imagine being part of events organized by The Project or ICARE, or standing in community spaces where education, testing, music, grief, and joy intersected all at once. But life has a way of pulling you into the spaces you need to understand. And understanding the meaning of World AIDS Day has reshaped the way I move through the world.

   This year feels heavier. More fragile. More electric. The political backdrop is different. The public silence is louder. The absence of federal recognition under the Trump administration intensified the emotional weight of the day. It is one thing to carry grief. It is another to have your government tell you that your grief is inconvenient. When a president cancels federal observance of World AIDS Day, he is not simply removing a symbolic gesture. He is pulling at the threads of remembrance, hoping the whole tapestry unravels. But communities like ours do not unravel. We hold tight.

   This post explores the history of World AIDS Day—the decades of activism and pain and triumph that shaped it—and examines why observance matters not just for people living with HIV, but for everyone. I want to explore the psychosocial grooves this day carves into communities, how it strengthens resilience, disrupts stigma, and expands understanding. I want to include space for readers to explore related posts on The Babblings of JT, because the story of HIV is far too large to fit in one narrative (See: HIV Stigma and the Stories We Carry, jtwb768.com [placeholder]). And most importantly, I want to explain why World AIDS Day 2025 lands so personally for me—why the absence of acknowledgment feels like a reopened wound.

   This is not just history. It is testimony. And it is an insistence that remembrance cannot be erased

   THE ORIGIN: HOW WORLD AIDS DAY BEGAN AND WHY IT MATTERED FROM DAY ONE
   World AIDS Day was first observed on December 1, 1988, at a time when the AIDS epidemic was no longer new but still carried immense fear and stigma. The disease had already taken hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide. Families were grieving in private because public mourning often led to judgment. Medical providers were still learning how to treat the virus. Entire communities—especially gay men, trans women, sex workers, people who inject drugs, and people living in poverty—were fighting not only a deadly virus but a world that blamed them for their suffering.

   The origins of World AIDS Day grew from two essential needs: awareness and acknowledgment. Dr. Thomas Netter and Dr. James Bunn, public information officers for the World Health Organization’s Global Programme on AIDS, recognized that the world lacked both. They proposed a day dedicated to raising awareness, encouraging testing and education, and creating a space for public recognition of the epidemic’s human toll (UNAIDS, 2024). World AIDS Day became the first international health day in history.

   But globally, the observance took root because communities insisted on it. In the United States, activists from ACT UP, GMHC, community organizers, health educators, and families who had buried too many loved ones pushed continually for visibility. Public pressure forced political leaders to acknowledge the reality of the epidemic, even when those leaders resisted. In 1988, President Reagan issued his first public speech on AIDS—years after thousands had already died and after countless activists had demanded attention. World AIDS Day emerged from that culture of forced recognition. It was created because silence had become lethal.

   The earliest observances were somber. They were marked by candlelight vigils, quilt displays, reading of names, marches, church services, and public education campaigns. But they were also defiant. They asserted that people living with HIV were not going to disappear quietly. That their lives deserved visibility. That death from AIDS was not inevitable. That activism could change policy. That science needed funding. And that humanity required compassion.

   The power of World AIDS Day rested in its dual nature: it honored the dead while demanding accountability from the living. It confronted stigma head-on by placing grief in public view. It reminded the world that epidemics are shaped not only by viruses but by inequity, policy, and prejudice (Shilts, 1987). And it told people living with HIV that they were not alone. For individuals whose families had rejected them, for communities ravaged by loss, for partners barred from hospital rooms, the observance became a place to breathe—to be seen.

   For more than forty years, World AIDS Day has continued to evolve. It has grown into a global phenomenon observed in more than 100 countries. It has been recognized by presidents, prime ministers, public health agencies, the United Nations, churches, universities, and community centers. But at its core, it remains what it always was: a day of remembrance, resistance, education, and connection.

   It is a day built from the human need to honor those who shaped us.

   And that is why attempts to erase it matter so deeply.

   THE IMPACT: WHY WORLD AIDS DAY STILL MATTERS—FOR PEOPLE WITH HIV AND FOR THOSE WITHOUT
   It is easy for people untouched by the epidemic to assume that World AIDS Day is largely symbolic—a day about the past rather than the present. That assumption could not be further from the truth. The observance continues to play a vital role in saving lives, improving public understanding, encouraging testing, reducing stigma, and reminding policymakers that public health responsibilities cannot be abandoned. Its impact extends far beyond people who live with HIV.

   For people with HIV, World AIDS Day provides validation, visibility, and collective strength. Living with HIV, even in 2025, involves navigating stigma that persists in ways both subtle and overt. Stigma influences whether someone seeks testing, whether they disclose their status, whether they access care consistently, whether they feel safe in relationships, and whether they experience shame or acceptance (CDC, 2024). On World AIDS Day, people with HIV see themselves reflected in public dialogue. They watch global leaders acknowledge their lives. They gather at events where they are not alone in their stories. It becomes a day where their experiences are centralized, honored, and protected.

   For people without HIV, the observance provides education, empathy, and responsibility. It teaches the public that HIV is not a relic of the past. It explains that prevention tools exist—PrEP, PEP, condoms, harm reduction, U=U—and that access to these tools is deeply shaped by inequities in race, class, geography, and sexuality. It shows communities that HIV is not a disease of “others,” but a public health issue affecting millions. The day prompts conversations that people might otherwise avoid. It encourages testing among individuals who may not realize they are at risk. It combats misinformation that still circulates decades after it should have disappeared.

   For policymakers, World AIDS Day serves as an accountability marker. Budgets, legislation, funding for research, support for community groups, access to medications, and public health infrastructure are all shaped by political will. The observance reminds leaders that the epidemic is ongoing, that lives are still at stake, and that abandoning support is not an option. Historical data shows that educational campaigns increase around World AIDS Day, awareness spikes, and engagement with testing and treatment services rises (KFF, 2023). The day’s influence is measurable.

   For communities, World AIDS Day strengthens connection, healing, and psychosocial resilience. It provides a communal space to grieve, celebrate, organize, and support one another. It holds both joy and sorrow. The emotional impact is transformative. In towns like Davenport, Des Moines, or Iowa City, community events create safe environments where people can speak openly about their experiences, educate each other, and feel part of something larger than themselves.

   World AIDS Day matters because epidemics are not shaped only by biology—they are shaped by the collective will to care.

   THE PSYCHOSOCIAL GROOVE: HOW WORLD AIDS DAY SHAPES COMMUNITY IDENTITY AND RESILIENCE
   Every community has rituals—moments that give shape to its emotional landscape and create shared meaning. In the HIV community, World AIDS Day is one of the most powerful of these rituals. It is not just a day; it is a psychosocial groove carved into the heart of collective memory. It creates structure around grief, celebration, advocacy, and connection. It gives people a place to put feelings that otherwise go unspoken. And it reminds communities that healing does not occur in isolation; it grows from connection, from remembrance, and from a shared understanding that the past informs the present.

   World AIDS Day gives people permission to feel. In a society where many still speak about HIV in hushed tones, the observance creates a moment where grief is public, where stories are shared openly, and where people living with HIV are surrounded rather than isolated. It transforms loneliness into solidarity. When someone attends a candlelight vigil, or sees quilt panels displayed, or listens to names being read aloud, they recognize that they are part of something larger than their personal journey. That recognition is psychologically grounding. Humans need belonging. They need context. They need space where vulnerability is met with acceptance rather than avoidance. World AIDS Day supplies that space.

   For caregivers, case managers, clinicians, outreach workers, and volunteers, the day becomes a moment of collective reflection. These individuals carry stories that often remain unspoken—stories of clients who fell through cracks in the system, patients who arrived too late, families fractured by stigma, and survivors who persevered. The observance validates their emotional labor. It gives them an opportunity to recalibrate, to remember why the work matters, and to honor those they helped along the way. It reinforces the idea that compassion is not expendable. In this sense, World AIDS Day nurtures the internal emotional infrastructure of caregiving professions that are often stretched to their limits.

   Communities build identity through shared memory. The HIV community’s identity is forged through decades of activism, survival, and mutual support. World AIDS Day strengthens that identity by reminding people of their collective roots. It brings together individuals who might otherwise never cross paths: survivors from the eighties and nineties, newly diagnosed young adults, public health experts, faith leaders, drag performers, shelter staff, outreach teams, harm-reduction workers, and family members who lost someone they loved. Where else do these worlds intersect so naturally? The day creates a tapestry from threads that might not weave together on any ordinary afternoon.

   That tapestry does not just represent remembrance; it symbolizes hope. For people newly diagnosed, seeing others speak openly about their experiences can dismantle fear and shame. For young LGBTQIA+ people, the observance connects them to a lineage of resilience. For immigrants and refugees navigating a new country, the day offers cultural grounding in communal care. For people in recovery, it links harm reduction to dignity. World AIDS Day shapes the psychosocial experience of entire communities, reminding them that they are not defined by stigma or isolation but by resistance, connection, and the will to survive.

   And then there is the role of organizations like The Project and ICARE. Their events carve deep emotional grooves because they are built from trust. When people walk into a testing event hosted by ICARE, they feel the presence of care rather than surveillance. When they attend a remembrance ceremony organized by The Project, they see their grief reflected back at them in compassionate ways. When they experience the Red Ribbon Ball for the first time, they see what it means to celebrate the living while honoring the dead. These events shape the emotional foundation of Iowa’s HIV community in ways numbers cannot measure.

   World AIDS Day becomes a mirror, a meeting place, a container for emotion, and a reminder that no community survives without its rituals. And in 2025, that ritual has taken on an even sharper edge.

   A THREAD THAT REACHES INTO THE PRESENT: WHY WORLD AIDS DAY 2025 FEELS SO PERSONAL THIS YEAR
   Every year, World AIDS Day is personal to someone. This year, it is personal to me in ways I did not expect. 2025 has been a year of political assaults, public health neglect, and increasingly hostile rhetoric aimed at the communities most affected by HIV. When the Trump administration announced that federal agencies would not observe World AIDS Day, something in me cracked open. I expected frustration, but what I felt was a deeper, heavier kind of hurt—a sense of erasure that lingered in my chest like smoke from a fire still burning. That hurt slowly sharpened into resolve.

   I have spent years immersed in community work that directly touches the lives shaped by HIV. At The Project, I watched clients walk through doors terrified about what their lives might look like after testing. I have seen case managers sit with people for hours, explaining everything from lab results to medication options to housing applications. I have watched people cry from relief because someone finally spoke to them without judgment. At ICARE, I witnessed the courage of individuals who approached testing tables in public spaces, their palms sweating as they tried to act casual while their entire world felt uncertain. I have watched volunteers give warmth and dignity to strangers whose fear was palpable.

   At the Red Ribbon Ball, I felt the emotional gravity of the community. There is nothing quite like standing in a room full of survivors while music fills the air and people hold each other through laughter and tears. The event is part fundraiser, part homecoming, part memorial, and part celebration of continued existence. It reveals the fullness of the HIV community’s humanity in a way no textbook ever could.

   These experiences shaped my identity, not only as a writer but as a person who believes deeply in dignity, remembrance, and human connection. So when the federal government withdrew recognition of World AIDS Day, the message felt personal. It said, “The work you do does not matter. The community you stand beside is inconvenient. The grief you have borne is not worth public acknowledgment.”

   But I know better.
   And the community knows better.

   World AIDS Day 2025 feels personal because the political indifference is impossible to separate from the lived experiences I have witnessed. I think of the young man who walked around the block six times before deciding to get tested at an ICARE event. I think of the survivor who attended the Red Ribbon Ball for the first time in twenty years because he finally felt safe enough to be in a room with others who carried similar memories. I think of the countless stories told quietly in clinic rooms, in waiting areas, in support groups, and in living rooms. These stories deserve acknowledgment.

   This year also feels personal because the political climate has intensified stigma rather than alleviated it. HIV stigma thrives when leadership is silent. It thrives when education is suppressed. It thrives when people feel unprotected. And when the President cancels an observance that has existed for more than four decades, it tells the world that stigma has permission to grow again. That kind of silence is violent.

   And beyond all of that, this year feels personal because I have grown older. I have seen how communities change over time. I know what it means for collective memory to weaken if it is not nurtured. I understand the urgency of keeping stories alive. I have watched too many people forget the devastating early years of the epidemic—a forgetfulness that breeds misunderstanding. When I see younger generations understand HIV only in passing, without the context of activism, suffering, and resilience that shaped the movement, I feel a responsibility to write more, share more, and remember more.

   World AIDS Day 2025 lands differently because the thread connecting past and present feels more fragile than ever. And that fragility fuels my resolve to keep pulling that thread forward rather than letting it break

   THE NATIONAL BLIND SPOT: HOW WORLD AIDS DAY FILLS A VOID THAT STILL EXISTS IN 2025
   One of the most striking realities about HIV in the United States is how deeply it still intersects with silence. Even with decades of scientific advancements, educational campaigns, and public advocacy, the social understanding of HIV remains shallow for many. Too many people believe HIV is “not a problem anymore.” Too many assume the epidemic is a relic of the past. Too many imagine that medication alone solves everything, forgetting the layers of stigma, trauma, discrimination, and systemic inequality that shape the lived experiences of people with HIV today.

   This national blind spot is not accidental. It is the product of years of underreporting, political discomfort, weak sex education curricula, and the declining visibility of HIV in mainstream media. Younger generations may not have witnessed the funerals, protests, and devastating losses of the eighties and nineties. Middle-aged adults may assume they already “know enough” about HIV from what they heard thirty years ago. Older adults who lived through the terror of those early years may carry memories so painful they avoid speaking about them at all.

   World AIDS Day interrupts that silence. It does what few national observances can: it forces a confrontation with reality, both past and present. It centers the experiences of people with HIV in the public consciousness. It compels people who know little about the epidemic to pause, listen, learn, and acknowledge. It provides a structured moment for education at a scale that individual organizations could never achieve alone.

   Without World AIDS Day, the national conversation about HIV becomes scattered, inconsistent, and too easily overshadowed by political noise or public exhaustion. The observance concentrates attention—something crucial in a media environment where attention is currency. It reminds the country that HIV is still disproportionately affecting Black, Latino, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and low-income communities (CDC, 2024). It reminds the public that access to PrEP, PEP, antiretroviral therapy, and culturally competent care remains unequal. It reminds policymakers that funding must be maintained, expanded, and directed intentionally based on data, not ideology.

   National awareness campaigns launched around World AIDS Day routinely reach millions. Hospitals prepare educational materials. Schools incorporate lessons. News outlets run interviews with public health experts. Community groups hold panels, marches, vigils, and events. Social media becomes saturated with messages about prevention, stigma reduction, and remembrance. The observance gives advocates a platform to reach people who might otherwise remain unaware, uninterested, or uninformed.

   It also fills gaps in sexual health education that remain shockingly wide. Many states still lack comprehensive sex education requirements. Many curricula still ignore or misrepresent LGBTQIA+ health. Many schools avoid discussing HIV altogether unless forced. World AIDS Day helps mitigate this harm by creating public-facing education that reaches students, parents, teachers, and communities who would not otherwise encounter accurate information.

   This national blind spot widens when federal leadership disengages from the observance. The cancellation of World AIDS Day 2025 by the Trump administration did not merely remove a ceremonial statement; it reinforced the dangerous misconception that HIV is no longer a national issue. It told millions of people living with HIV that their lives do not warrant recognition. It told communities still fighting the epidemic that their work exists in a vacuum. It gave permission for stigma to deepen. It gave ignorance fertile soil.

   That is why communities must compensate for the absence of federal leadership by amplifying remembrance on their own terms. As long as HIV continues to exist—and as long as stigma continues to shape human lives—World AIDS Day will remain essential.

   THE THREAD OF MEMORY: HOW WORLD AIDS DAY PROMOTES HEALING AND INTERRUPTS STIGMA
   HIV stigma has always been one of the deadliest forces shaping the epidemic. It influences whether people access care, whether they disclose their status, whether they trust medical providers, and whether they believe they deserve support in the first place. Stigma can fracture family relationships, isolate individuals socially, deepen depression or anxiety, and lead to dangerous delays in testing or treatment (UNAIDS, 2024). The silence surrounding HIV often causes more harm than the virus itself.

   World AIDS Day disrupts that silence. It creates a moment in time where stigma loses some of its power because the world turns its eyes toward truth instead of myth. It invites people to reflect on their assumptions. It pushes conversations into public spaces where they cannot be easily ignored. It creates language around experiences that many might otherwise struggle to name.

   For people living with HIV, stigma can manifest in ways both large and small. It is the awkward silence after someone reveals their status. It is the shift in facial expression. It is the friend who suddenly becomes distant. It is the family member who insists on barriers or refuses physical affection. It is the coworker who whispers instead of asking questions. It is the dating prospect who vanishes after learning the truth. It is the lingering internalized shame that grows from these encounters.

   World AIDS Day helps counter this by validating the experience of people with HIV. It provides public affirmation that their lives are worthy of respect, support, and dignity. It offers opportunities for storytelling, which is one of the most powerful tools in combating stigma. When people hear stories—raw, human, honest—they begin to understand HIV as something deeply personal rather than abstract. They see faces, families, relationships, and futures rather than stereotypes or fear.

   Storytelling also shifts the internal narrative for people living with HIV. Many people struggle to speak openly about their status, even with professionals. Shame is a heavy burden. But storytelling in the context of World AIDS Day creates a shared environment where shame loses its grip. When someone hears their experience echoed through another person’s story, they realize their struggle is not isolation but connection.

   I have seen this firsthand. During remembrance events, people who have remained silent for years sometimes speak for the first time. They share memories, gratitude, and grief. They reveal moments from their past they have never said aloud. For some, these stories carry decades of weight. For others, the emotions are fresh. Whether the speaker is newly diagnosed or a survivor of the early epidemic, their stories matter. And the act of sharing them can be profoundly healing.

   The observance also gives families permission to remember loved ones without fear of judgment. In the early years, many families suffered in silence. Some refused to acknowledge the cause of death because of societal stigma. Some held funerals without mentioning the truth. Some never spoke their loved one’s name again. World AIDS Day gives those families a chance to reclaim memory. It tells them that remembrance is not shameful—it is sacred.

   Stigma weakens when communities remember together. And memory grows stronger when communities reclaim it publicly. World AIDS Day does both.

   THE THREAD OF ADVOCACY: HOW WORLD AIDS DAY CONTINUES TO SHAPE POLICY AND PUBLIC HEALTH
   Activism has always been the heart of the HIV movement. Without activism, HIV treatments would not have been developed as quickly as they were. Without activism, discriminatory policies would have remained intact. Without activism, the government would have continued ignoring a crisis that was killing thousands. World AIDS Day emerged from that activism—not as a passive memorial, but as a strategic moment to push for change.

   In 2025, advocacy remains as crucial as ever. The epidemic has not disappeared, and neither have the structural barriers that shape it. In some ways, the landscape is even more complex now. Politicians have become bolder in attacking LGBTQIA+ communities, transgender health care, harm reduction, and sexual health education. Public health budgets remain vulnerable to partisan cuts. Misinformation spreads quickly online, fueled by polarized media ecosystems. And the cancellation of World AIDS Day at the federal level signals a troubling shift in political willingness to engage with truth.

   World AIDS Day amplifies advocacy by creating a unified moment when public attention is focused on HIV. This matters for several reasons.

   First, visibility influences funding. Legislators are more responsive when they perceive a strong, vocal constituency. When advocates mobilize on World AIDS Day—through marches, events, campaigns, or meetings with elected officials—they apply pressure during a moment of heightened visibility.

   Second, the observance supports policy literacy. Many people do not understand how laws affect HIV care. They may not realize that Ryan White funding, Medicaid expansion, or housing programs shape the ability of people with HIV to survive. World AIDS Day offers a platform for educating the public about policy, connecting individual experiences with systemic forces.

   Third, advocacy grounded in remembrance carries moral urgency. Policymakers may be indifferent to statistics, but stories move them. When survivors speak about losing half their friend group in the eighties, or when young people describe struggling to access culturally competent providers, the narrative becomes harder to ignore. World AIDS Day provides the emotional framework for advocacy that data alone cannot provide.

   Fourth, the observance supports global cooperation. HIV does not recognize borders. Advocacy related to PEPFAR, WHO initiatives, and international health cooperation gains strength when tied to a global day of awareness. When nations reaffirm their commitments on December first, they solidify partnerships that strengthen public health systems worldwide (PEPFAR, 2024).

   Advocacy thrives on unity, visibility, and momentum. World AIDS Day generates all three!

   PART 4 OF 4
   (No lines between sections. Narrative headings. Conclusion included. APA-style references at end.)

   THE PERSONAL THREAD THAT TIES IT ALL TOGETHER: WORLD AIDS DAY AS A LIVING LEGACY
   When I think about World AIDS Day as a whole—its history, its purpose, its emotional weight—I realize that it operates as a kind of living legacy. It is not something frozen in time. It evolves, adapts, reshapes itself, and gathers new meaning every year. For people who lived through the darkest chapters of the epidemic, it is a moment to honor those who never had the chance to witness today’s advancements. For younger generations, it is a doorway into a history they did not experience firsthand but inherit nonetheless. For communities like mine in Iowa—where stigma still lingers in quiet corners, where access and understanding differ wildly from place to place—World AIDS Day grounds us in shared purpose.

   This legacy matters even more in 2025 because the silence coming from federal leadership forces communities to confront a hard truth: remembrance cannot depend on institutions that are unwilling to honor it. The cancellation of the federal observance by the Trump administration has pushed communities to step up even more, to speak even louder, to organize even more intentionally, because the absence of national acknowledgment leaves a void that memory must fill. It is a sobering reminder that progress is not secure. Rights are not permanent. Memory is not guaranteed.

   World AIDS Day becomes an act of safeguarding. It protects the stories that would otherwise be lost. It preserves the emotional truth of the epidemic. It sustains the networks of care that people have built across decades. It reinforces the idea that remembrance is not passive—it is active, deliberate, and necessary.

   This is why the day feels so personal to me this year. I am watching how easily a single political decision can threaten to unravel decades of acknowledgment. I am watching how quickly silence can try to reclaim space that activists fought like hell to open. I am watching how communities must fight both the virus and the narratives that seek to erase its impact. And I am reminded that remembrance is not just about looking backward—it is about protecting the present and shaping the future.

   World AIDS Day is not only for people who lost friends, partners, lovers, or chosen family—though it certainly belongs to them. It is not only for people who live with HIV—though it certainly uplifts them. It is not only for activists, volunteers, community organizations, or clinicians—though they carry the day with astonishing grace.

   World AIDS Day belongs to everyone who believes that truth matters. That dignity matters. That lives matter. That silence must never again dominate the conversation about HIV. And that remembrance is a collective responsibility.

   It belongs to all of us because the epidemic reshaped the world we live in. It reshaped laws, communities, families, science, activism, culture, and public health. To ignore it is to ignore a chapter of human history that continues to influence the present.

   In the absence of federal recognition, the responsibility falls to us—to writers, advocates, community members, and anyone who refuses to let memory die. Every time a story is told, every time a name is spoken, every time a candle is lit, every time a quilt panel is displayed, and every time an article like this is shared, World AIDS Day endures.

   And as long as it endures, we remain connected to the people who came before us, to the people who walk beside us, and to the people who will come after us. Remembrance becomes a form of love—a love that refuses erasure, that refuses silence, that refuses to let history be rewritten.

   This year, that love feels urgent. And necessary. And deeply, unshakably personal.

   CONCLUSION: THE REFUSAL TO FORGET
   World AIDS Day was born from activism, grief, and the refusal to let stigma define human lives. It continues to matter because the epidemic continues to shape communities, identities, policies, and personal histories. It lifts the stories of those who have lived through unimaginable loss and honors the resilience that continues to save lives. It creates connection where isolation once thrived. It replaces silence with truth. It transforms grief into action, memory into movement, and history into a tool for liberation.

   In 2025, World AIDS Day carries a new layer of meaning. The decision by the Trump administration to cancel federal observance stripped away institutional acknowledgment, but it could not strip away remembrance. It could not silence community voices. It could not erase decades of activism. And it could not diminish the personal importance of this day for those of us who understand how fragile memory becomes when institutions choose convenience over truth.

   This observance remains an anchor for public health, an engine for advocacy, a container for grief, a celebration of survival, and a reminder of the collective responsibility we hold toward one another. It shapes psychosocial resilience in ways few events can. It heals, educates, mobilizes, and unites.

   As readers of The Babblings of JT, I invite you to explore other reflections on stigma, resilience, and the ongoing fight for dignity (See: The Weight of Silence: How Stigma Hurts More Than Truth, jtwb768.com [placeholder]). I invite you to read the essays that delve deeper into the intersections of identity, public health, and community care (See: Breaking Stigma Through Storytelling, jtwb768.com [placeholder]). And I invite you to carry forward the remembrance that institutions failed to uphold this year.

   Memory persists because we choose to hold it.
   World AIDS Day persists because we refuse to forget.

   REFERENCES
   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). HIV surveillance report.
   KFF. (2023). HIV funding trends.
   PEPFAR. (2024). Annual program results.
   Shilts, R. (1987). And the Band Played On.
   UNAIDS. (2024). World AIDS Day history and impact report.

   #aidsActivism #communication #communityResilience #federalPolicy #firstPersonCommentary #globalHealth #hivAdvocacy #hivAwareness #humanDignity #jtSantana #jtwb768 #lgbtqiaHealth #mentalHealth #politics #publicHealth #remembrance #stigmaReduction #trumpAdministration #worldAidsDay

   #aidsactivism #communication #communityresilience #federalpolicy #firstpersoncommentary #globalhealth
2. 

   The Wiert Corner - irregular stream of stuff @[email protected] · 2025-11-14 · 17:00 UTC

   More Apple ][*, //* II* and classic Macintosh hardware upgrades

   The mini micro classic Apple emulators related post last week became way too big, so here is the classic Apple 2/Macintosh hardware upgrade part follow-up I announced in Some notes on mini/micro Apple //e emulators.

   Last week, I mentioned [Wayback/Archive] ARC Javmaster – YouTube. Let’s continue from there for an even bigger post (:

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     [Wayback/Archive] New 3.5 drive case for Apple II & Macintosh Floppy Emu: soon at 8bitstuff.com! #3dprinting #Apple – YouTube

     [Wayback/Archive] Starting GSOS 6.04 from the new Floppy Emu 3.5, a match made in heaven! #apple #3dprint #appleiigs – YouTube

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     [Wayback/Archive] New Release: Floppy Emu ][ Case Assembly Guide! – YouTube[Wayback/Archive] #AprilApples Guest episode: Watch Jon Assemble a Floppy Emu Case from Scratch! – YouTube

   • 3D Printed Apple II Joystick – clear Special edition: internals

     3D Printed Apple II Joystick – clear Special edition

     3D Printed Apple II Joystick

     USD 80-155 Apple II Joystick Recreation: cheapest is 3D printed in classic color, the other clear

     The 3D recreation of the iconic Apple II Joystick, keeping all the classic features with brand new mechanical parts. The moving parts brand new, adapted to work seamlessly with Apple II’s that use the DB9 port.
     The switches are brand-new Matias key switches, a new version of the ALPS keys that were so successful in most original keyboards.
     By using these materials, the quality and durability are better. The 3D printed case and switches resemble the original and is crafted to be enjoyed and used with your retro systems.

     • [Wayback/Archive] 3D Printed Apple II Joystick – A Fusion of Nostalgia and Innovation – 8 bit stuff cool retro computer 3D gadgets and geekery
       

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       [Wayback/Archive] DSC_0018-300×300.jpg (300×300)

     [Wayback/Archive] Apple II Joystick Recreation – Rediscover the Ultimate Retro Gaming Experience! – YouTube

   8bitstuff also pointed me to this shop with cool parts helping you fix Apple ][* and Apple //e and II* model issues: [Wayback/Archive] Shop | ReActiveMicro.com which is part of [Wayback/Archive] ReActiveMicro.com which has this great card in their catalog:

   • A2FPGA Multicard

     USD 150 [Wayback/Archive] A2FPGA Multicard | ReActiveMicro.com

     [Wayback/Archive] #156: Can One Apple II Card Replace Them All? – YouTube

     The firmware is open source at [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – a2fpga/a2fpga_core: Apple II FPGA Co-Processor and still being maintained.

     [Wayback/Archive] A2FPGA – The ReActiveMicro Apple II Wiki

     The A2FPGA is primarily an HD video and Mockingboard-compatible sound card for the Apple II, II+, //e, and IIgs.

   and other hardware like:

   • Disk ][+ v1.0 kit

     USD 30-40 [Wayback/Archive] Disk ][+ – Assembled or Kit | ReActiveMicro.com

     Disk ][+ v1.0 is a small PCB that installs into Apple Disk ][ drives. It replaces the red LED in the drives with a two-color LED, to better distinguish the reading phases, in green, from the writing phases, in red. Comes assembled or in kit form.

     Notes:

     • You need one set for each drive.
     • I don’t really like the way they connect to the drive electronics, see picture below from [Wayback/Archive] Disk II+ – The ReActiveMicro Apple II Wiki . Instead of the pin, I would likely solder the wires to the electronics.
       

       4 hook probes connected to the Disk II analog board.

   • Apple IIe Enhancement Kit

     USD 30-35 [Wayback/Archive] IIe Enhancement Kit | ReActiveMicro.com

     Comes with an ‘Enhanced’ paper template, 65C02 CPU, and all the ROM’s necessary to upgrade your Apple IIe.

     [Wayback/Archive] Apple IIe Enhancement Kit – The ReActiveMicro Apple II Wiki

     Note it has various options (USA vs European Apple //e, plus  languages: check before you order!)

     I need to check if my Apple //e already has this enhancement kit.

   • No-Slot Clock v1.0

     USD 65 [Wayback/Archive] No-Slot Clock | ReActiveMicro.com

     The No-Slot Clock v1.0 allows your Apple II to remember the date and time. It will work on an Apple II, Apple II+, Apple IIe, Apple IIc, and Clone systems. It features dual battery holders. Two CR1025 cells included.

     The No Slot Clock does not fit in to the IIc or IIc+ with a RAM Card installed.

     [Wayback/Archive] No-Slot Clock – The ReActiveMicro Apple II Wiki

     Likely won’t needs this as ROMXe and ROMXc both include a clock.

   • Ultimate-Micro.com Apple II 3.5″ Disk Controller Card v1.0

     USD 200 [Wayback/Archive] Apple II 3.5 Disk Controller Card | ReActiveMicro.com

     This is the Apple II 3.5″ Disk Controller Card v1.0 from Ultimate-Micro.com.

     The Apple II 3.5″ Disk Controller Card v1.0 is a clone of Apple’s Apple II 3.5″ Disk Controller Card. The disk controller card allows you to use 3.5-inch floppy disk drives, including the Apple SuperDrive and Apple 3.5 Drive, with all Apple II computers. This card also supports the operation of older model Apple II UniDisk 3.5 drives.

     Not sure if I really want this one, especially with the USD 200 price tag: The Ultimate-Micro.com domain vanished and the Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller mentioned below at USD 170 (including cables) can do more.

   • Apple II A2io Bluetooth Game Port Receiver

     USD 20 [Wayback/Archive] A2io Bluetooth Game Port Receiver For Your Apple II Systems | ReActiveMicro.com

     This is the A2io Bluetooth Game Port Receiver from CraftyMech and designed by Aaron Reid. Works on all Apple II systems with a 9 pin game port.

     …

     A2io allow you to connect and use a modern wireless game pad as either a joystick, paddle, or pad input device. You pair the game pad with your mobile device (phone/tablet/laptop) and then connect to the A2io. The mobile device acts like a translator between your Apple and game pad.

   • CFFA 300 REV C

     USD 225 [Wayback/Archive] CFFA3000 v1.0 Rev C-RM for II, II+, ///, IIe, and IIgs | ReActiveMicro.com

     This is the CFFA3000 v1.0 Rev C-RM built by ReActiveMicro under license from R&D Automation.

     …

     The CFFA3000 v1.0 Rev C-RM Controller is a Mass Storage Device and Floppy Emulator that once installed in your Apple II system acts like a solid-state Hard Drive using Compact Flash Cards and USB Flash Drives. Floppy Emulation allows users to load .PO images as if they were physical disk. See the manual for more details. There is also discussion about adding .WOZ support, and we will post updates if/when it happens.

     Comes with CF Card as pictured, and with Remote option standard. Manual can be found here for review.

     Plug and play ready, and fully tested. Comes started with **256MB** CF Card, preloaded with several ProDOS 8 volumes with games and utilities, and several GS/OS volumes. You can select which one to boot using the on-board firmware menu (press “M” key on power up).

     [Wayback/Archive] wiki.reactivemicro.com/images/9/9d/2021-10-23-CFFA-RM_Manual.pdf

     I already have this, including the original remote back in 2014 from dreher: [Wayback/Archive] CFFA3000 Run 3: Order Status

   • CFFA3000 Remote

     USD 40 [Wayback/Archive] CFFA3000 – Remote Option With Cable | ReActiveMicro.com

     This is the CFFA3000 Remote option built by ReActiveMicro under license from R&D Automation. ***REMOTE ONLY!***
     ReActiveMicro is an authorized dealer and partner with R&D

     …

     The CFFA3000 Remote option comes with the connector cable, which attaches to the CFFA3000 card installed in your Apple II system. It comes as pictured, with the Remote, the connection cable, and a 3D printed enclosure.

   Finally it pointed me to [Wayback/Archive] Home | JD Micro which has RAMX (for Apple ][* systems) and ROMX (variants for any Apple 2 model) for which these are most applicable to my systems (both ROMX versions also contain the fonts mentioned in their blog post [Wayback/Archive] 11th May 2021 | JD Micro):

   [Wayback/Archive] Review: ROMX+ Device for Apple II+ – YouTube

   • [Wayback/Archive] ROMXe | JD Micro for Apple //e – includes clock
     

     [Wayback/Archive] Review: ROMXe by JD Micro – More ROMS than you can shake a joystick at! – YouTube

   • [Wayback/Archive] ROMXc | JD Micro for Apple IIc – includes clock
     

     [Wayback/Archive] Boot Instantly – ROMXc Review for the Apple //c – YouTube

   Other results from the queries I used in the post last week also returned some hardware that can be used for classic Apple machines:

   • [Wayback/Archive] The ESP32 SoftCard for the Apple II | Applefritter
     

     I’ve been working on a new card for the Apple II that would extend its capabilities using my favorite Wi-Fi module: the ESP32. I decided to called it a soft card, because similarly to the original Z80 SoftCard it contains its own processor allowing it to run software not originally meant for the Apple II. And similarly to the original 80-column card that was needed, it produces its own composite video enabled through a soft switch. Both NTSC and PAL are supported and can be switched using a command. In addition it can produce 8-bit sound that is mixed and played through the Apple II speaker. For most of its applications the card also needs a FAT32 formatted microSD card.

     …

     [Wayback/Archive] ESP32 SoftCard Expansion Card for the Apple II from CVT on Tindie

     ESP32 SoftCard Expansion Card for the Apple II

   • [Wayback/Archive] Apple2idiot card (ESP32) | Applefritter
     

     It is an interesting and different take on interfacing an ESP32 module to an Apple II. It uses a dual ported SRAM instead of trying to interface the ESP32 to the Apple II bus using something like 74LVC245s or through a parallel chip like a 6522 or 82C55 or through a serial chip like a 6551 or 6850.

     https://github.com/equant/apple2idiot

     …

     [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – equant/apple2idiot: A general purpose ESP32 IOT board for the Apple IIe

   • assembly lines

     [Wayback/Archive] Shop – CT6502 and [Wayback/Archive] Shop – Page 2 of 2 – CT6502a

     • [Wayback/Archive] Assembly Lines: The Mug – CT6502
       

       Assembly Lines: The Mug; Print-on-demand from Printful.

       Mug; handle left

       Mug; handle behind

       Mug; handle right

       This is a really cool idea including the Choplifter and Lode Runner main sprites on the mug. The right picture shows you can also get it in 15oz size.

     • Apple II wDrive Disk Drive Emulator

       [Wayback/Archive] Apple II wDrive Disk Drive Emulator – CT6502

       The wDrive is a disk drive emulator for the Apple II (II+, IIe, IIc, IIGS) that boots disk images (WOZ, DSK, 2MG, HDV, etc) from an SD card.

       Manufacturer: [Wayback/Archive] Mfa2 Workshop

       We are developer of wDrive, softSP card and related accessories which are published through Kboo HK

       [email protected]

       Note it there are two options to choose from:

       • USD ~80: wDrive only (Apple IIc and IIGS)
       • USD ~100: wDrive plus SoftSP card (Apple II, II+, IIe)

       The second option includes this one:

     • MFA2 SoftSP Card

       [Wayback/Archive] Apple II MFA2 SoftSP Card wDrive or FujiNet – CT6502

       The SoftSP card allows you to boot hard disk images or use FujiNet devices on an Apple II+ or IIe, which do not have SmartPort support.

       The SoftSP card is not needed on the Apple IIc or Apple IIGS.

       …

       The SoftSP card should be placed into a slot lower than the wDrive disk controller card. Slot 1 or 2 usually works well.

       Note: The SoftSP card will also work with the FloppyEMU. However, you MUST use a special drive cable that isolates pin 12, to avoid damaging your FloppyEMU. You do not need to use this cable with the wDrive, although it won’t cause any issues if you do. You can find details about the issue here.

       That last bit is really really important as SoftSP only can be installed in a system that also connects to a FloppyEMU under these circumstances:

       • Connect the FloppyEMU to a Yellowstone is a universal disk controller card for Apple II computers (see below), especially since the Yellowstone also supports both wDrive and FujiNet.
       • Connect the FloppyEMU to an original Disk Controller, but cut wire #12 as explained in [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu SoftSP Warning | Big Mess o’ Wires
         

         You can’t safely connect a Smartport device to a Disk II controller card, no matter how the card’s internal logic might be modified. That includes Floppy Emu when it’s configured in Smartport emulation mode. The reason is that Smartport devices connect pin 12 internally to ground. This is how other connected equipment and daisy-chained drives know that they’re Smartport drives, and it’s essential for correct daisy-chain operation of Smartport drives with the BMOW Daisy Chainer or the Apple Unidisk 3.5 drive.

       Both options essentially makes the SoftSP unneeded for FloppyEMU, and with this signalling problem for wire #12 (which is the SmartPort compatibility indicator) I am not sure which other SmartPort devices besides wDrive will actually work with the Apple ][, Apple ][+ and Apple //e without damaging the SmartPort device.

     • a
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   • a

   Another shop via [Wayback/Archive] Big Mess o’ Wires -> [Wayback/Archive] Big Mess o’ Wires Store

   Bring new life to your classic computer

   From disk emulators to ROM upgrades, keyboard and mouse adapters, and more hardware creations, BMOW has your retrocomputer needs covered.

   • Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller Card and two DB-19 female adapters

     [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone Disk Controller Everything Bundle – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Yellowstone is a universal disk controller card for Apple II computers. It supports nearly every type of Apple disk drive ever made, including standard 3.5 inch drives, 5.25 inch drives, smart drives like the Unidisk 3.5 and the BMOW Floppy Emu’s smartport hard disk, and even Macintosh 3.5 inch drives. Yellowstone combines the power of an Apple 3.5 Disk Controller Card, a standard 5.25 inch Disk II controller card, the Apple Liron controller, and more, all in a single card.

     …

     The “everything” bundle includes the latest version Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller Card and two DB-19 female adapters

     • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone: Cloning the Apple II Liron | Big Mess o’ Wires
       

       …

       The “Liron” disk controller was introduced by Apple in 1985. More formally known as the Apple II UniDisk 3.5 Controller, it’s designed to work with a new generation of “smart” disk drives more sophisticated than the venerable Disk II 5.25 inch floppy drive. The smart disk port on the Liron is appropriately named the Smartport, and it can communicate with block-based storage devices such as the Unidisk 3.5 (an early 800K drive) and Smartport-based Apple II hard drives.
       Why care about the Liron? The Apple IIc and Apple IIgs have integrated disk ports with built-in Smartport functionality, but for the earlier Apple II+ and IIe, the Liron is the only way to get a Smartport. For owners of the BMOW Floppy Emu disk emulator, the Liron card makes it possible to use the Floppy Emu as an external hard drive for the II+ and IIe. Unfortunately finding a Liron is difficult, and although they occasionally turn up on eBay, they’re quite expensive. That made cloning the Liron a logical first goal.

       …

     • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller – Big Mess o’ Wires
       

       Article: [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller for Apple II | Big Mess o’ Wires – Run any disk drive with your Apple II computer!

       Supported Drives

       Need to attach a disk drive to your Apple II? Yellowstone has got you covered. Yellowstone is compatible with the Apple IIe, Apple IIgs, Apple II+, Apple II, and most Apple II clones. It works with these disk drives and drive emulators:

       Can be connected directlyDisk II A2M0003Naked Apple 3.5” 800K, black labelNaked half-height Apple 5.25″Naked Apple 3.5” 800K, red labelFloppy Emu 5.25 modeNaked Apple 3.5” 1.44MB, auto-injectFloppy Emu Model C dual 5.25 modeNaked Apple 3.5” 1.44MB, manual-injectFloppy Emu 3.5 modewDriveFloppy Emu Unidisk 3.5 mode [1]Floppy Emu Smartport hard disk mode [1]And more…Requires optional DB-19F connectorUnidisk 5.25 A9M0104Macintosh 800K External M0131Disk IIc A2M4050Apple SuperDrive (Apple FDHD Drive) G7287Duo Disk 5.25 A9M0108Unidisk 3.5 A2M2053 [1]AppleDisk 5.25 A9M01075Applied Engineering 3.5 [2]Laser FD100 5.25Apple 3.5 Drive A9M0106And more…

       [1] smart drive
       [2] partial compatibility

       When using 3.5 inch drives, Yellowstone is compatible with Apple II standard 800K double-sided double-density disk media.

       A naked drive is a bare drive mechanism without any enclosure, such as an internal drive taken from a Macintosh, Apple IIc, or Apple IIc+.

       Yes, pull the internal 3.5 inch drive from an old Mac and use it directly with your Apple II!

       This brought back Applied Engineering memories (:

     • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone DB-19 Female Disk Adapter – Big Mess o’ Wires
       

       The adapter includes a six inch ribbon cable and a detachable mini-board that converts the ribbon cable connector into a DB-19 female shape.

       …

       This adapter has custom wiring that’s specifically designed for use with Yellowstone, and should not be used with other disk hardware.

       Can be connected directly to Yellowstone boardApple Disk II A2M0003BMOW Floppy EmuNaked Apple 5.25” DriveswDriveNaked Apple 3.5” DrivesRequires Yellowstone DB-19F adapterUnidisk 5.25 A9M0104Macintosh 800K External M0131Disk IIc A2M4050Apple SuperDrive (Apple FDHD Drive) G7287Duo Disk 5.25 A9M0108Unidisk 3.5 A2M2053AppleDisk 5.25 A9M01075Applied Engineering 3.5Apple 3.5 Drive A9M0106Laser FD100 5.25 A naked drive is a bare drive mechanism without any enclosure, such as an internal drive taken from a Macintosh, Apple IIc, or Apple IIc+.

       (note that’s a ~15 cm ribbon cable)

     • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone Back From the Dead | Big Mess o’ Wires

   • Floppy Emu Model C Deluxe Bundle

     USD 130 [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Model C Deluxe Bundle – Big Mess o’ Wires

     The BMOW Floppy Emu is a disk emulator for classic Apple II, Macintosh, and Lisa computers.

     …

     The bundle includes:

     • Floppy Emu Model C
     • Frosted Ice Acrylic Case
     • Vintage Apple Software Collection SD Card
     • Full-Size SD Adapter
     • Disk Extension Cable

     • USD 110 [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Model C – Big Mess o’ Wires
       

       Articles and videos:

       • [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Technology Design | Big Mess o’ Wires
       • [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Disk Emulator for Apple II, Macintosh, and Lisa | Big Mess o’ Wires

       There are way more, but these are a good start.

     • USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] Frosted Ice Case for Floppy Emu Model C – Big Mess o’ Wires
     • USD 15 [Wayback/Archive] Vintage Software Collection SD Card – Big Mess o’ Wires which includes the Full-Size SD Adapter
     • USD 20 [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone DB-19 Female Disk Adapter – Big Mess o’ Wires but with a 100cm cable instead of a ~15cm cable

     [Wayback/Archive] BMOW Floppy EMU for Vintage Apple Computers! | Mastergeko4 – YouTube shot at the time the YouTuber was quite a novice, which brought back memories of me being young and figuring out things by fiddling with them and bumping my head against walls (:

   • Noisy Disk Mechanical Sounder with 2 ribbon cables attached

     USD 20 [Wayback/Archive] Noisy Disk Mechanical Sounder – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Noisy Disk uses a mechanical relay to create authentic-sounding mechanical stepping sounds for disk head movements for your Floppy Emu disk emulator’s virtual 5.25 inch floppy disk.

     …

     Nothing will be harmed if Noisy Disk is used with other computers or emulation modes, but you’ll hear strange clacking noises that don’t match the disk activity.

     …

     The product includes the Noisy Disk board with 2 x 10 pin rectangular input and output connectors, and a 6-inch extension cable for connecting to your Floppy Emu board.

     This likely sounds exactly like the more expensive Disk Clicker which was reviewed at [Wayback/Archive] Testing the New Classic Floppy Clicker on Apple Floppy Emulator – Authentic Retro Sounds! – YouTube and sold at [Wayback/Archive] Disk Clicker – 8bitdevices.com

   • Internal/External Drive Switcher for Apple IIc

     USD 25 [Wayback/Archive] Internal/External Drive Switcher for Apple IIc – Big Mess o’ Wires

     At the flip of a switch, select which Apple IIc floppy drives should act as Drive 1 and Drive 2. Add support for dual external 5.25 inch floppy emulation. For the Apple IIc with the Floppy Emu disk emulator.

     …

     [Wayback/Archive] Internal/External Drive Switcher for Apple IIc | Big Mess o’ Wires

     This is a two-part device: a signal tap that should be installed inside the Apple IIc, and a modified DB19 adapter with two slide switches for the external connection. Two female-female jumper wires are passed through a gap in the case to make the connection between the two parts.

   • Daisy Chainer Disk Coupler

     USD 45 [Wayback/Archive] Daisy Chainer Disk Coupler – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Link the Floppy Emu disk emulator into a daisy chain with other Apple II disk drives. For use with Floppy Emu Model B and C.

     …

     In order to work correctly, Apple II computers require daisy chained drives to be connected in a specific order:

     1. any 3.5 inch drives must go first in the chain
     2. Smartport and Unidisk 3.5 inch drives must go second
     3. any 5.25 inch drives must go last

     There can be at most two drives of each type, six drives total.

     …

     There are two primary firmware versions for the Floppy Emu: normal firmware and Smartport daisy chain SPDC firmware. When using a Floppy Emu with the Daisy Chainer, the SPDC firmware is required if your Emu is configured to emulate a Smartport Hard Disk or a Unidisk 3.5. In all other cases, the normal firmware should be used.

     [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Update: Smartport Daisy-Chain Support | Big Mess o’ Wires

     Most people should use the normal firmware version, and it’s the default for newly-purchased hardware. The Smartport daisy chain firmware version is only needed in uncommon situations when:

     1. The Floppy Emu’s selected emulation mode is Smartport Hard Disk, Smartport Unit 2, or Unidisk 3.5AND

     2. The Floppy Emu is plugged into the back of a BMOW Daisy Chainer or to the Apple Unidisk 3.5 drive, A2M2053.

     The wiki.apple2.org died, so here are archived links: [Wayback/Archive] wiki.apple2.org: A2 3.5 Drives -> Apple UniDisk 3.5 (A2M2053)

     Daisy Chainer clear acrylic case

     Oh: there is also this one for it:

   • USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] Clear Acrylic Case for Daisy Chainer – Big Mess o’ Wires
     

     A clear acrylic case to protect and showcase your Daisy Chainer board. These custom-made Daisy Chainer cases protect your board in style!

     …

     This is a top-and-bottom “plate” style case with open sides. Assembly takes about 5 minutes.

   • Apple Disk Drive A/B Switch

     USD 20 [Wayback/Archive] Apple Disk Drive A/B Switch – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Select between a Floppy Emu and a real floppy drive at the flip of a switch. Includes switch module and one 3 foot 20-pin ribbon cable.

     …

     For Lisa computer owners, and Macs with only one internal floppy connector, disk drive emulation can be awkward sometimes. The Apple Disk Drive A/B Switch aims to eliminate that awkwardness. This accessory makes it possible to attach a Floppy Emu and a real floppy disk drive at the same time, and select between them with a switch. Both drives will be powered, but the computer will only “see” one drive at a time, depending on the switch position.

     …

     ⚠ Do not use Floppy Emu’s Dual 5.25 mode in combination with the A/B Switch. It will cause disk errors and may damage the Floppy Emu or your other 5.25 inch drive.

   Macintosh specific stuff from BMOW:

   • Mac Sync-inator VGA Sync Converter

     USD 40 [Wayback/Archive] Mac Sync-inator VGA Sync Converter – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Take the hassles out of vintage Macintosh monitor setup! The Mac Sync-inator is a Mac-to-VGA video converter with a powerful sync processor built-in.

     …

     [Wayback/Archive] Mac Sync-inator VGA Sync Converter | Big Mess o’ Wires has much more information including tables for the DIP-switches that set:

     • Setting the Desired Video Resolution
     • Choosing the Sync Processing Mode

     Too bad this is not compatible with my Macintosh SE/30, but still interesting to know it exists.

   • ADB-USB Wombat Input Converter

     USD 40 [Wayback/Archive] ADB-USB Wombat Input Converter – Big Mess o’ Wires

     ADB-USB Wombat is a bidirectional input converter for USB and ADB keyboards and mice. It works in two directions, connecting modern USB peripherals to a classic ADB-based Macintosh or Apple IIgs computer, or ADB peripherals to a USB-based computer running Windows, OSX, or Linux. The foreign keyboards and mice behave exactly like native peripherals, requiring no special software or drivers – just plug it in and go. This is the Wombat main board. You will also need ADB and/or USB cables depending on your intended usage (sold separately).

     [Wayback/Archive] Wombat ADB-USB Input Converter | Big Mess o’ Wires has extensive documentation.

     USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] Black Acrylic Case for ADB-USB Wombat – Big Mess o’ Wires protects the top of the board (but not the sides)

     USD 6 [Wayback/Archive] ADB Cable, 3 ft – Big Mess o’ Wires (sold out at the time of writing, but might be in stock when you read this)

     Despite having spare ADB keyboards, I don’t have spare ADB mice, so this might come in really useful.

   • Mac ROM-inator II

     USD 45 [Wayback/Archive] Mac ROM-inator II | Big Mess o’ Wires

     Want to add new features to your old Mac? The Mac ROM-inator II replaces the stock Macintosh ROM SIMM with a custom flash memory module. Add a bootable ROM disk, make your system 32-bit clean, gain HD20 hard disk support, and more. The Mac ROM-inator II supports the Macintosh SE/30, IIx, IIcx, IIci, IIfx, and IIsi.

     …

     The ROM-inator II is based on Doug Brown’s earlier Mac ROM SIMM design, used with permission.

     …

     Compatibility The ROM SIMM and pre-programmed ROM contents are compatible with the Macintosh SE/30, IIx, IIcx, IIci, IIfx, and IIsi. The SIMM simply snaps into the ROM socket on the computer’s logic board. Note the Macintosh SE differs from the SE/30 internally, and is not compatible with the ROM-inator II. CPU accelerators such as the Daystar PowerCache and Turbo series are not compatible with the ROM-inator II. Some SE/30 hardware may require a shim to ensure ideal fit of the SIMM – see instructions for details. If running Mac OS System 7.5 or later, some Mac models require a software patch to the System file.

     …

     The ROM disk contains:

     • System 7.1, with System Update 3.0 and Apple CD-ROM Extension 5.3.1
     • HD SC Setup 7.3.5 (patched to support formatting non-Apple hard disks)
     • SCSI Probe 3.3 (for troubleshooting the SCSI bus)
     • ResEdit 2.1.3

     …

     Usage Most of the ROM-inator II’s benefits are automatic: just install the SIMM, and you’ll gain HD20 support, 32-bit cleanliness, and custom sounds and icons. Only the ROM disk requires any user interaction. When first powered on, a Macintosh with the ROM-inator II will play a customized startup sound, and display diagnostic info about the amount of installed RAM, the current addressing mode, and the detected ROM disk type. After a moment, an interactive startup menu will be displayed. To boot from the ROM disk as a read-only disk, press the R key on the keyboard. Or to convert the ROM disk into a writable RAM disk, press the A key. Or to bypass the ROM disk, do nothing and wait five seconds. If no keys are pressed, the Macintosh will boot normally from an attached SCSI or HD20 disk, or wait for a floppy disk to be inserted. Note: If booting from a SCSI disk when the ROM-inator II is installed, any 32-bit enablers or extensions such as MODE32 or 32-Bit System Enabler must be removed from the disk’s System folder.

     [Wayback/Archive] Mac SE/30 with Upgraded ROM | Big Mess o’ Wires

     [Wayback/Archive] SE/30 WITH IIsi or IIfx ROM

     [Wayback/Archive] Vintage Box : 68k Mac – OS 8/030

     This was actually a trip down memory lane, as 10 years ago, I bought a Macintosh SE/30, upgraded the memory, and helped the original author – Doug Brown – with their documentation:
     • [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – dougg3/mac-rom-simm-programmer.software: Control software for Mac ROM SIMM programmer
     • [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – dougg3/mac-rom-simm-programmer: Firmware for Mac ROM SIMM programmer
     • [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – jpluimers/dougg3..mac-rom-simm-programmer: Firmware for Mac ROM SIMM programmer
     • [Wayback/Archive] Wiki updates (images, links); added README.md to master branch; added downloads branch. by jpluimers · Pull Request #25 · dougg3/mac-rom-simm-programmer · GitHub
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   Then there is a shop on the Cayman Islands that ships world wide and has both the Mac ROM SIMM and the Mac ROMM SIMM programmer:

   • USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] RTC PCB for SE30 – CayMac Vintage’s Ko-fi Shop – Ko-fi ❤️ Where creators get support from fans through donations, memberships, shop sales and more! The original ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ Page.
     

     Replacement RTC chip for the SE30. This RTC is a ATTiny85 on a PCB with its own crystal for better accuracy on the SE30. No battery is needed when using this RTC version as the P/RAM settings are stored in the flash RAM. The external crystal on the logic board is not needed either.

   And there is [Wayback/Archive] a2heaven: For everyone who still loves and uses old computers.:

   • Liron Reborn

     USD 60 [Wayback/Archive] Liron Reborn

     Liron Reborn is a Samrt Port / Disk II controller card for Apple II/IIe computers.

     It is a functional hardware compatible Liron clone , with original Liron card Firmware.

     A difference from Original Liron card is that card can be used as a a standard 5.25 inch (Disk II) controller or Liron ( SmartPort ) card .

     I likely won’t need this as the Yellowstone card looks way more promising

   • FASTChip //e – 65C02

     USD 150 [Wayback/Archive] FASTChip //e – 65C02

     The FASTChip //e accelerates the Apple //e™ by replacing the on-board microprocessor with a much faster one. Because the memory on the Apple //e™ can only run at a 1 MHz speed maximum, faster memory (SRAM) must be provided to increase performance and allow the 65C02/65C816 CPU to run at full speed.

     To do this, the FASTChip //e contains 512KB/1024KB of fast SRAM memory. The clever design allows the acceleration of programs running in both main and auxiliary memory. The additional FASTChip //e memory can emulate both 192/448 KB fast RamWorks compatible RAM and 256/512 KB fast RamFactor (slinky) compatible RAM.

     [Wayback/Archive] REVIEW: FastChip //e Accellerator by A2Heaven – YouTube

   • 65C816->65C02 Board

     USD 35 [Wayback/Archive] 65C816->65C02 Board

     You can use 65C816->65C02 board to connect 65C816 CPU to your Apple II computer .

     …

     * This board was based on Daryl Rictor’s original design. More information can be found here: sbc.rictor.org/support/conv.html

     [Wayback/Archive] 65816 to 6502 converter by Daryl Rictor.

   • DB19 to IDC20

     USD 11 [Wayback/Archive] DB19 to IDC20 Floppy Disk adapter

     DB19 to IDC20 Floppy Disk adapter

     …

     directly connect IDC20 Pin Cable  connector to the 19-pin port of Apple IIc, or to a floppy controller with a 19-pin connector

     Probably cheaper to use the package deals from BMOW

   • IDC20 to DB19 cable adapter

     USD 13 [Wayback/Archive] IDC20 to DB19 cable adapter

     The product is designed to be directly connect IDC20 pin connector to the DB19 pin port .

     Likely the combo from BMOW is cheaper.

     TrackStar II

      

   • USD 75 [Wayback/Archive] TRAK STAR II
     

     Readout of Disk Drive head position .

     …

     Constant Digital Readout of Disk Drive head position .

     Work with any 5″ Apple II compatible Drive .
     Display Full , Half and Quarter track head position .

     Nice idea, but has not been in stock for a long time and feels overpriced.

   • Quadlink Clone Kit

     USD 160 [Wayback/Archive] Quadlink Clone Kit

     It’s an ISA expansion card from the ’80s designed to turn your IBM PC (such as a 5150 or 5160) into an Apple ][! After booting and running the software, you can switch quickly between PC and Apple mode using Ctrl-Alt-A (for Apple) and Ctrl-Alt-P (for PC).

     Kit contain all PCB , passive components and chips needed to build working Quadlink Clone .

     [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – schlae/quapple: Quadlink clone turns your ancient IBM PC into an Apple ][

     Only useful if I find back an ISA compatible PC.

   • 3D Stickers set

     USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] 3D Stickers set

     Apple II logo and Disk II label sticker set .

     Actually this is quite a nice idea, despite them having been out of stock like forever.

   • RamFactor1M

     USD 85 [Wayback/Archive] RamFactor1M

     RamFactor1M is based on Aplied Engineering RAMFactor card ( firmware is same as original ), however it uses more modern low power 1MB SRAM and can provided battery backup up to 1-2 Year with small CR2032 Battery.

     The battery is for backup data (just like PowerFactor from Aplied Engineering ) and can be used as Solid State Disk.

     This is a trip down memory lane, though back then school could not afford these.

   • Apple II Slot Extender

     USD 40 [Wayback/Archive] Apple II Slot Extender

     The Apple II slot extender allows you to easily and freely test the functionality and repair your Apple II cards outside of the computer.

     You can also turn off voltages that aren’t necessary for the card to work to prevent testing errors.

     Package include

     • 1 x Apple II extender PCB bottom
     • 1 x Apple II extender PCB Top
     • 1 x 50 pin Flat ribbon cable with 0.5m length ( contact me if you want a longer cable )

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   One more shop (: I think I found it searching for [Wayback/Archive] BlueSCSI, but anyway at [Wayback/Archive] Shop – Joe’s Computer Museum, focussing on [Wayback/Archive] Apple //e Archives – Joe’s Computer Museum I found these interesting items:

   • A2Pico

     USD 55 [Wayback/Archive] A2Pico – Multi-Function Card – Joe’s Computer Museum

     A2Pico is, essentially, a universal peripheral card for your Apple ][ Computer. Want a Z80 CPM Card? Maybe you need inexpensive mass storage. Need to add SmartPort support to your machine? Or, maybe you’re a hacker and want to design your own function. A2Pico lets you do just that!

     Using it easy: Flash it with the firmware you want to use (or write your own firmware!), put it in the appropriate Apple // slot and have fun!

     NOTE: your card will come without firmware, so that you can choose to make the card whatever you like!

     [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – oliverschmidt/a2pico: A2Pico

     A2Pico is about Apple II peripheral cards based on the Raspberry Pi Pico. It consists of two parts:

     • Several hardware reference designs
     • A software library for projects based on A2Pico

   • A2DVI card

     USD 50 [Wayback/Archive] A2DVI v2.0 – Apple II Digital Video Adapter – Joe’s Computer Museum

     The A2DVI produces a digital video stream from your Apple II’s memory. The signal is output via an HDMI-compatible connector, giving your Apple II the option of output to modern displays. No more analog signal conversion required.

     [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – rallepalaveev/A2DVI

     Unlike the below “universal” adapter, the A2DVI might be just the thing for me.

   • JCM Universal Apple RGB Adapter

     USD 20-35 (kit or assembled) [Wayback/Archive] JCM Universal Apple RGB Adapter – Joe’s Computer Museum

     The Universal Apple RGB Adapter takes the 4-Bit TTL RGB signal from an Apple ///, the Apple /// Plus or the Apple IIe Video7-style RGB card and converts it to two formats: IBM-style CGA-Compatible TTL, and Apple IIgs Standard. On the Apple /// machines, it also connects the color NTSC signal from the rear connector to a standard RCA-Jack so you can use it.

     Since I don’t have either an Apple ///, nore a Apple IIe Video7-style RGB card, this might not be fore me.

   • Why Cable? – Original DB19

     USD 15-30 [Wayback/Archive] Why Cable? – Apple IIe Card Y-Cable Replacement (Original DB19) – Joe’s Computer Museum

     Everybody wants the Apple IIe Card. Nobody has the “Y-Cable” that goes with it; they tend to get lost. So, I designed a replacement solution!

     The Why Cable? Apple IIe Card Y-Cable Replacement solves your Floppy and Joystick problem with your Apple IIe Card. Just plug it into your card, then add your floppy drive and joystick and your Apple IIe card will work as intended!

     This version emulates the original DB19 cable, and is fully compatible with all drives the Apple IIe Card lists as compatible.

     Need to check out if I still have this cable/connector or need the below one (:

   • Why Cable? – 20-Pin Cable Version

     USD 10-25 [Wayback/Archive] Why Cable? – Apple IIe Card Y-Cable Replacement (20-Pin Cable Version) – Joe’s Computer Museum

     Everybody wants the Apple IIe Card. Nobody has the “Y-Cable” that goes with it; they tend to get lost. So, I designed a replacement solution!

     The Why Cable? Apple IIe Card Y-Cable Replacement solves your Floppy and Joystick problem with your Apple IIe Card. Just plug it into your card, then add your floppy drive and joystick and your Apple IIe card will work as intended!

     This version works with 20-pin ribbon cable connectors and supports any drive that properly emulates a standard 5.25 inch Disk ][ drive, including the FloppyEMU and wDrive.

     And I need to check if it is missing, if I need the 19 or 20 pin version. Likely I need the 20-pin one.

     • Some 3D printed replacement for your Apple //e opening covers on the back of your machine, and for your Alps Key Stems:
       

       DB-19/DB-25/DB-9 back plates (3D printed, STL files if you want to print your own)

       DB-19: outside view

       DB-19: inside view

       DB-25: outside view

       DB-25: inside view

       DB-25 for Audio Jacks: outside

       DB-25 for Audio Jacks: inside

       DB-9: outside view

       DB-9: inside view

       DB-25 with DB-9 opening: assembled

       DB-25 with DB-9 opening: outside

       DB-25 with DB-9 opening: inside

       USD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB-19 Back PlateUSD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB-25 Back PlateUSD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB-25 Back Plate for Audio JacksUSD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB-9 Back PlateUSD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB25 Back Plate with DB9 Opening[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stl[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stl[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stl[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stl[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stlAdding the hole in the design required thickening of the base and increasing the depth of the holding clips so they would not pull out when tension is applied to an attached external cable.

       Note that all link(ed?) to the same .stl file, which is only correct for the right most back plate: “DB-25 with DB-9 opening”.

       All of these are based on [Wayback/Archive] Apple IIe port covers, thicker for FFF printers by scruss – Thingiverse which in turn is based on [Wayback/Archive] Apple IIe port covers, three sizes by option8 – Thingiverse.

       Alps Key Stems (one of them has the wrong picture, but they are manufactured correctly; 3D printed; no STL-files on the product pages)

       Alps Key Stems, Short – 10 Pack

       Alps Key Stems, Long – 10 Pack

       USD 5
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Alps Key Stems, Short – 10 Pack – Joe’s Computer MuseumUSD 5
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Alps Key Stems, Long – 10 Pack – Joe’s Computer Museum

       This might have been the base STL file for this: [Wayback] Hairpin-To-Alps-keycap-adaptor.stl

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   For all shops: I didn’t list all of their items, just the ones that I might use in the future.

   An interesting device I did not know about either was the FujiNet one: it is fully open source! One thing to check out is where to order pre-assembled ones for Apple II series.

   • [Wayback/Archive] FujiNet · GitHub
     

     FujiNet is a multi-peripheral emulator and WiFi network device for vintage computers. The first completed hardware was for the Atari 8-Bit line of computers and development has begun for other systems (Coleco ADAM, Apple II, Commodore 64, Atari Lynx, ZX Spectrum and more) with the goal of supporting as many old systems as possible. What sets FujiNet apart from other WiFi devices is the new Network Device (the N Device). The N device allows vintage computers that do not have enough processing power to handle TCP/IP connections themselves to talk to the modern internet over WiFi. Virtual adapters have been created for many protocols including: TCP, UDP, HTTP, FTP, TNFS, HTTPS (SSL/TLS), SSH, TELNET, WebDAV and JSON parser. The FujiNet project is 100% completely open source, software and hardware. All code and schematics are available here.

   • [Wayback/Archive] FutureVision Research was the only shop I found selling them, but I probably overlooked others.
     • [Wayback/Archive] FujiNet – FutureVision Research

     • Apple II/III FujiNet w/ accesoiries

       USD 110 [Wayback/Archive] FujiNet for Apple II & III (With Accessories) – FutureVision Research

       The FujiApple Rev1.1 for SmartPort enabled Apple II computers emulates SmartPort drives, Disk II drives (read only), CP/M, Clock, Modem, and a new Network Device. Disk images can be mounted directly from the internet via TNFS servers or from the onboard MicroSD socket*. The Network device enables access to Internet protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, TNFS, SSH, TCP, UDP and more.

       …

       This kit comes with the following (ribbon cable color may be gray or rainbow depending on availability):

       • FujiNet for Apple II & III
       • DB-19 to IDC20 Female adapter
       • 30cm IDC20 Female to Male cable
       • 30cm IDC20 Female to Female cable
       • DB-19 spacer
       • Two different lengths of thumbscrews
         • Two 1.375″ thumbscrews for use with IIe/III
         • Two 1.5″ thumbscrews for use with IIc/gs/+

       The page contains many more helpful information and links.

    

   ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

   Some non-shop links

   • [Wayback/Archive] FloppyEmu vs. CFFA3000/Booti | Applefritter
   • [Wayback/Archive] Plus Too Mac Replica | Big Mess o’ Wires
     • [Wayback/Archive] Plus Too | Big Mess o’ Wires
   • [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Disk Emulator? : apple2
     

     Yes. I’d rank it as the most versatile as it works across the greatest number of machines (Apple 2s and Macs).

     It is cheaper and more readily available than the other solutions.
     The only slight downside is it isn’t as fast, direct memory access/processor wise, as the card solutions that exist – but those do use up a slot, and there isn’t much software that can take advantage of the speed difference anyway – and on a machine that only goes a couple Mhz anyway, it won’t make much difference.

     It’s 7 years old at this point, but Joe’s Computer Museum did an excellent video comparing the major options here:

     https://youtu.be/Wjy6_qnTnv0

     a covering

     • MicroDrive/Turbo
     • CFFA3000
     • Floppy Emu
     • SDFloppy II
     • UNISDISK Air 19 – [Wayback/Archive] UNISDISK Air Series, very hard to get

     [Wayback/Archive] Apple II Mass Storage Benchmark Results – Joe’s Computer Museum

     [Wayback/Archive] Apple II Mass Storage Mega Roundup – YouTube

   • [Wayback/Archive] Nerdly Pleasures: wDrive v. Floppy Emu – Comparison of the Best Apple II Disk Emulators
   • [Wayback/Archive] Thoughts on wDrive versus Floppy Emu? | Applefritter
   • [Wayback/Archive] Fujinet for Apple II, SD card and Internet capable device for SmartPort | Applefritter (works with Yellowstone card)
   • ………………………………………………………………………………………………

   An external monitor on a Macingosh SE/30

   • [Wayback/Archive] Mac SE can use an external Monitor?? – Apple Community
   • ………………………………………………………

   Mac SE/30 and Macintosh Classic

   Since I own both a Macintosh SE/30 and a Macintosh Classic, these are relevant too:

   • [Wayback/Archive] Classic II vs SE/30 – TidBITS
   • [Wayback/Archive] Siblings – Macintosh SE and Mac Classic : VintageApple
   • ……………………………………………………………………………………………

   Queries

   I used additional queries than the first blog post to complete this blog post. Here they are:

   • [Wayback/Archive] macintosh Floppy Emu 3.5 – Google Suche
   • [Wayback/Archive] apple 2 disk sd card – Google Suche
   • [Wayback/Archive] Liron disk controller card – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] cffa vs floppy emu – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] floppy emu apple ii disk controller – Google Suche
   • [Wayback/Archive] wDrive vs floppy emu – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] fujinet apple ii – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] Apple Liron – Search on Google
   • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone fujinet – Sök på Google
   • [Wayback/Archive] does floppy emu work with classic macintosh – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] mac se/30 versus macintosh classic – Google Suche
   • ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
   • [Wayback/Archive] bluescsi v2 – Sök på Google

   --jeroen

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

   Rate this:

   #12 #156 #25 #3dprint #3dprinting #4 #Apple #appleiigs #AprilApples

   #3dprint #3dprinting #apple #appleiigs #aprilapples
3. 

   The Wiert Corner - irregular stream of stuff @[email protected] · 2025-11-14 · 17:00 UTC

   More Apple ][*, //* II* and classic Macintosh hardware upgrades

   The mini micro classic Apple emulators related post last week became way too big, so here is the classic Apple 2/Macintosh hardware upgrade part follow-up I announced in Some notes on mini/micro Apple //e emulators.

   Last week, I mentioned [Wayback/Archive] ARC Javmaster – YouTube. Let’s continue from there for an even bigger post (:

   Javmaster actually has a shop at [Wayback/Archive] Welcome to the 8-bit stuff store – 8 bit stuff cool retro computer 3D gadgets and geekery with a lot of interesting (mainly Apple ][ era related) retro things like:

   • USD 25 [Wayback/Archive] Apple IIc USB C power adapter with Volt Gauge – 8 bit stuff cool retro computer 3D gadgets and geekery
     

     Apple IIc USB C power adapter with Volt Gauge with USB-C connected and showing 15.2 volts

     [Wayback/Archive] Transform your Apple IIc experience with this sleek USB-C power supply replacement! – YouTube

   • USD 120-430 [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu 3.5 Drive Case – 8 bit stuff cool retro computer 3D gadgets and geekery
     

     Floppy Emu 3.5 Drive Case powered up with green screen fitting well together with an Apple //c plus

     [Wayback/Archive] Step into the future of vintage computing with the Floppy Emu 3.5! – YouTube

     [Wayback/Archive] New 3.5 drive case for Apple II & Macintosh Floppy Emu: soon at 8bitstuff.com! #3dprinting #Apple – YouTube

     [Wayback/Archive] Starting GSOS 6.04 from the new Floppy Emu 3.5, a match made in heaven! #apple #3dprint #appleiigs – YouTube

   • USD 120-430 [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emulator Disk ][ Case – 8 bit stuff cool retro computer 3D gadgets and geekery
     

     Floppy Emulator Disk ][ Case with green screen fitted in an original Apple ][ era 5.25 inch diskette drive case

     [Wayback/Archive] New Release: Floppy Emu ][ Case Assembly Guide! – YouTube[Wayback/Archive] #AprilApples Guest episode: Watch Jon Assemble a Floppy Emu Case from Scratch! – YouTube

   • 3D Printed Apple II Joystick – clear Special edition: internals

     3D Printed Apple II Joystick – clear Special edition

     3D Printed Apple II Joystick

     USD 80-155 Apple II Joystick Recreation: cheapest is 3D printed in classic color, the other clear

     The 3D recreation of the iconic Apple II Joystick, keeping all the classic features with brand new mechanical parts. The moving parts brand new, adapted to work seamlessly with Apple II’s that use the DB9 port.
     The switches are brand-new Matias key switches, a new version of the ALPS keys that were so successful in most original keyboards.
     By using these materials, the quality and durability are better. The 3D printed case and switches resemble the original and is crafted to be enjoyed and used with your retro systems.

     • [Wayback/Archive] 3D Printed Apple II Joystick – A Fusion of Nostalgia and Innovation – 8 bit stuff cool retro computer 3D gadgets and geekery
       

       [Wayback/Archive] Joystick-300×300.jpg (300×300)

     • [Wayback/Archive] 3D Printed Apple II Joystick – clear Special edition – 8 bit stuff cool retro computer 3D gadgets and geekery
       

       [Wayback/Archive] DSC_0015-300×300.jpg (300×300)

       [Wayback/Archive] DSC_0018-300×300.jpg (300×300)

     [Wayback/Archive] Apple II Joystick Recreation – Rediscover the Ultimate Retro Gaming Experience! – YouTube

   8bitstuff also pointed me to this shop with cool parts helping you fix Apple ][* and Apple //e and II* model issues: [Wayback/Archive] Shop | ReActiveMicro.com which is part of [Wayback/Archive] ReActiveMicro.com which has this great card in their catalog:

   • A2FPGA Multicard

     USD 150 [Wayback/Archive] A2FPGA Multicard | ReActiveMicro.com

     [Wayback/Archive] #156: Can One Apple II Card Replace Them All? – YouTube

     The firmware is open source at [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – a2fpga/a2fpga_core: Apple II FPGA Co-Processor and still being maintained.

     [Wayback/Archive] A2FPGA – The ReActiveMicro Apple II Wiki

     The A2FPGA is primarily an HD video and Mockingboard-compatible sound card for the Apple II, II+, //e, and IIgs.

   and other hardware like:

   • Disk ][+ v1.0 kit

     USD 30-40 [Wayback/Archive] Disk ][+ – Assembled or Kit | ReActiveMicro.com

     Disk ][+ v1.0 is a small PCB that installs into Apple Disk ][ drives. It replaces the red LED in the drives with a two-color LED, to better distinguish the reading phases, in green, from the writing phases, in red. Comes assembled or in kit form.

     Notes:

     • You need one set for each drive.
     • I don’t really like the way they connect to the drive electronics, see picture below from [Wayback/Archive] Disk II+ – The ReActiveMicro Apple II Wiki . Instead of the pin, I would likely solder the wires to the electronics.
       

       4 hook probes connected to the Disk II analog board.

   • Apple IIe Enhancement Kit

     USD 30-35 [Wayback/Archive] IIe Enhancement Kit | ReActiveMicro.com

     Comes with an ‘Enhanced’ paper template, 65C02 CPU, and all the ROM’s necessary to upgrade your Apple IIe.

     [Wayback/Archive] Apple IIe Enhancement Kit – The ReActiveMicro Apple II Wiki

     Note it has various options (USA vs European Apple //e, plus  languages: check before you order!)

     I need to check if my Apple //e already has this enhancement kit.

   • No-Slot Clock v1.0

     USD 65 [Wayback/Archive] No-Slot Clock | ReActiveMicro.com

     The No-Slot Clock v1.0 allows your Apple II to remember the date and time. It will work on an Apple II, Apple II+, Apple IIe, Apple IIc, and Clone systems. It features dual battery holders. Two CR1025 cells included.

     The No Slot Clock does not fit in to the IIc or IIc+ with a RAM Card installed.

     [Wayback/Archive] No-Slot Clock – The ReActiveMicro Apple II Wiki

     Likely won’t needs this as ROMXe and ROMXc both include a clock.

   • Ultimate-Micro.com Apple II 3.5″ Disk Controller Card v1.0

     USD 200 [Wayback/Archive] Apple II 3.5 Disk Controller Card | ReActiveMicro.com

     This is the Apple II 3.5″ Disk Controller Card v1.0 from Ultimate-Micro.com.

     The Apple II 3.5″ Disk Controller Card v1.0 is a clone of Apple’s Apple II 3.5″ Disk Controller Card. The disk controller card allows you to use 3.5-inch floppy disk drives, including the Apple SuperDrive and Apple 3.5 Drive, with all Apple II computers. This card also supports the operation of older model Apple II UniDisk 3.5 drives.

     Not sure if I really want this one, especially with the USD 200 price tag: The Ultimate-Micro.com domain vanished and the Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller mentioned below at USD 170 (including cables) can do more.

   • Apple II A2io Bluetooth Game Port Receiver

     USD 20 [Wayback/Archive] A2io Bluetooth Game Port Receiver For Your Apple II Systems | ReActiveMicro.com

     This is the A2io Bluetooth Game Port Receiver from CraftyMech and designed by Aaron Reid. Works on all Apple II systems with a 9 pin game port.

     …

     A2io allow you to connect and use a modern wireless game pad as either a joystick, paddle, or pad input device. You pair the game pad with your mobile device (phone/tablet/laptop) and then connect to the A2io. The mobile device acts like a translator between your Apple and game pad.

   • CFFA 300 REV C

     USD 225 [Wayback/Archive] CFFA3000 v1.0 Rev C-RM for II, II+, ///, IIe, and IIgs | ReActiveMicro.com

     This is the CFFA3000 v1.0 Rev C-RM built by ReActiveMicro under license from R&D Automation.

     …

     The CFFA3000 v1.0 Rev C-RM Controller is a Mass Storage Device and Floppy Emulator that once installed in your Apple II system acts like a solid-state Hard Drive using Compact Flash Cards and USB Flash Drives. Floppy Emulation allows users to load .PO images as if they were physical disk. See the manual for more details. There is also discussion about adding .WOZ support, and we will post updates if/when it happens.

     Comes with CF Card as pictured, and with Remote option standard. Manual can be found here for review.

     Plug and play ready, and fully tested. Comes started with **256MB** CF Card, preloaded with several ProDOS 8 volumes with games and utilities, and several GS/OS volumes. You can select which one to boot using the on-board firmware menu (press “M” key on power up).

     [Wayback/Archive] wiki.reactivemicro.com/images/9/9d/2021-10-23-CFFA-RM_Manual.pdf

     I already have this, including the original remote back in 2014 from dreher: [Wayback/Archive] CFFA3000 Run 3: Order Status

   • CFFA3000 Remote

     USD 40 [Wayback/Archive] CFFA3000 – Remote Option With Cable | ReActiveMicro.com

     This is the CFFA3000 Remote option built by ReActiveMicro under license from R&D Automation. ***REMOTE ONLY!***
     ReActiveMicro is an authorized dealer and partner with R&D

     …

     The CFFA3000 Remote option comes with the connector cable, which attaches to the CFFA3000 card installed in your Apple II system. It comes as pictured, with the Remote, the connection cable, and a 3D printed enclosure.

   Finally it pointed me to [Wayback/Archive] Home | JD Micro which has RAMX (for Apple ][* systems) and ROMX (variants for any Apple 2 model) for which these are most applicable to my systems (both ROMX versions also contain the fonts mentioned in their blog post [Wayback/Archive] 11th May 2021 | JD Micro):

   [Wayback/Archive] Review: ROMX+ Device for Apple II+ – YouTube

   • [Wayback/Archive] ROMXe | JD Micro for Apple //e – includes clock
     

     [Wayback/Archive] Review: ROMXe by JD Micro – More ROMS than you can shake a joystick at! – YouTube

   • [Wayback/Archive] ROMXc | JD Micro for Apple IIc – includes clock
     

     [Wayback/Archive] Boot Instantly – ROMXc Review for the Apple //c – YouTube

   Other results from the queries I used in the post last week also returned some hardware that can be used for classic Apple machines:

   • [Wayback/Archive] The ESP32 SoftCard for the Apple II | Applefritter
     

     I’ve been working on a new card for the Apple II that would extend its capabilities using my favorite Wi-Fi module: the ESP32. I decided to called it a soft card, because similarly to the original Z80 SoftCard it contains its own processor allowing it to run software not originally meant for the Apple II. And similarly to the original 80-column card that was needed, it produces its own composite video enabled through a soft switch. Both NTSC and PAL are supported and can be switched using a command. In addition it can produce 8-bit sound that is mixed and played through the Apple II speaker. For most of its applications the card also needs a FAT32 formatted microSD card.

     …

     [Wayback/Archive] ESP32 SoftCard Expansion Card for the Apple II from CVT on Tindie

     ESP32 SoftCard Expansion Card for the Apple II

   • [Wayback/Archive] Apple2idiot card (ESP32) | Applefritter
     

     It is an interesting and different take on interfacing an ESP32 module to an Apple II. It uses a dual ported SRAM instead of trying to interface the ESP32 to the Apple II bus using something like 74LVC245s or through a parallel chip like a 6522 or 82C55 or through a serial chip like a 6551 or 6850.

     https://github.com/equant/apple2idiot

     …

     [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – equant/apple2idiot: A general purpose ESP32 IOT board for the Apple IIe

   • assembly lines

     [Wayback/Archive] Shop – CT6502 and [Wayback/Archive] Shop – Page 2 of 2 – CT6502a

     • [Wayback/Archive] Assembly Lines: The Mug – CT6502
       

       Assembly Lines: The Mug; Print-on-demand from Printful.

       Mug; handle left

       Mug; handle behind

       Mug; handle right

       This is a really cool idea including the Choplifter and Lode Runner main sprites on the mug. The right picture shows you can also get it in 15oz size.

     • Apple II wDrive Disk Drive Emulator

       [Wayback/Archive] Apple II wDrive Disk Drive Emulator – CT6502

       The wDrive is a disk drive emulator for the Apple II (II+, IIe, IIc, IIGS) that boots disk images (WOZ, DSK, 2MG, HDV, etc) from an SD card.

       Manufacturer: [Wayback/Archive] Mfa2 Workshop

       We are developer of wDrive, softSP card and related accessories which are published through Kboo HK

       [email protected]

       Note it there are two options to choose from:

       • USD ~80: wDrive only (Apple IIc and IIGS)
       • USD ~100: wDrive plus SoftSP card (Apple II, II+, IIe)

       The second option includes this one:

     • MFA2 SoftSP Card

       [Wayback/Archive] Apple II MFA2 SoftSP Card wDrive or FujiNet – CT6502

       The SoftSP card allows you to boot hard disk images or use FujiNet devices on an Apple II+ or IIe, which do not have SmartPort support.

       The SoftSP card is not needed on the Apple IIc or Apple IIGS.

       …

       The SoftSP card should be placed into a slot lower than the wDrive disk controller card. Slot 1 or 2 usually works well.

       Note: The SoftSP card will also work with the FloppyEMU. However, you MUST use a special drive cable that isolates pin 12, to avoid damaging your FloppyEMU. You do not need to use this cable with the wDrive, although it won’t cause any issues if you do. You can find details about the issue here.

       That last bit is really really important as SoftSP only can be installed in a system that also connects to a FloppyEMU under these circumstances:

       • Connect the FloppyEMU to a Yellowstone is a universal disk controller card for Apple II computers (see below), especially since the Yellowstone also supports both wDrive and FujiNet.
       • Connect the FloppyEMU to an original Disk Controller, but cut wire #12 as explained in [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu SoftSP Warning | Big Mess o’ Wires
         

         You can’t safely connect a Smartport device to a Disk II controller card, no matter how the card’s internal logic might be modified. That includes Floppy Emu when it’s configured in Smartport emulation mode. The reason is that Smartport devices connect pin 12 internally to ground. This is how other connected equipment and daisy-chained drives know that they’re Smartport drives, and it’s essential for correct daisy-chain operation of Smartport drives with the BMOW Daisy Chainer or the Apple Unidisk 3.5 drive.

       Both options essentially makes the SoftSP unneeded for FloppyEMU, and with this signalling problem for wire #12 (which is the SmartPort compatibility indicator) I am not sure which other SmartPort devices besides wDrive will actually work with the Apple ][, Apple ][+ and Apple //e without damaging the SmartPort device.

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   Another shop via [Wayback/Archive] Big Mess o’ Wires -> [Wayback/Archive] Big Mess o’ Wires Store

   Bring new life to your classic computer

   From disk emulators to ROM upgrades, keyboard and mouse adapters, and more hardware creations, BMOW has your retrocomputer needs covered.

   • Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller Card and two DB-19 female adapters

     [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone Disk Controller Everything Bundle – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Yellowstone is a universal disk controller card for Apple II computers. It supports nearly every type of Apple disk drive ever made, including standard 3.5 inch drives, 5.25 inch drives, smart drives like the Unidisk 3.5 and the BMOW Floppy Emu’s smartport hard disk, and even Macintosh 3.5 inch drives. Yellowstone combines the power of an Apple 3.5 Disk Controller Card, a standard 5.25 inch Disk II controller card, the Apple Liron controller, and more, all in a single card.

     …

     The “everything” bundle includes the latest version Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller Card and two DB-19 female adapters

     • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone: Cloning the Apple II Liron | Big Mess o’ Wires
       

       …

       The “Liron” disk controller was introduced by Apple in 1985. More formally known as the Apple II UniDisk 3.5 Controller, it’s designed to work with a new generation of “smart” disk drives more sophisticated than the venerable Disk II 5.25 inch floppy drive. The smart disk port on the Liron is appropriately named the Smartport, and it can communicate with block-based storage devices such as the Unidisk 3.5 (an early 800K drive) and Smartport-based Apple II hard drives.
       Why care about the Liron? The Apple IIc and Apple IIgs have integrated disk ports with built-in Smartport functionality, but for the earlier Apple II+ and IIe, the Liron is the only way to get a Smartport. For owners of the BMOW Floppy Emu disk emulator, the Liron card makes it possible to use the Floppy Emu as an external hard drive for the II+ and IIe. Unfortunately finding a Liron is difficult, and although they occasionally turn up on eBay, they’re quite expensive. That made cloning the Liron a logical first goal.

       …

     • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller – Big Mess o’ Wires
       

       Article: [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller for Apple II | Big Mess o’ Wires – Run any disk drive with your Apple II computer!

       Supported Drives

       Need to attach a disk drive to your Apple II? Yellowstone has got you covered. Yellowstone is compatible with the Apple IIe, Apple IIgs, Apple II+, Apple II, and most Apple II clones. It works with these disk drives and drive emulators:

       Can be connected directlyDisk II A2M0003Naked Apple 3.5” 800K, black labelNaked half-height Apple 5.25″Naked Apple 3.5” 800K, red labelFloppy Emu 5.25 modeNaked Apple 3.5” 1.44MB, auto-injectFloppy Emu Model C dual 5.25 modeNaked Apple 3.5” 1.44MB, manual-injectFloppy Emu 3.5 modewDriveFloppy Emu Unidisk 3.5 mode [1]Floppy Emu Smartport hard disk mode [1]And more…Requires optional DB-19F connectorUnidisk 5.25 A9M0104Macintosh 800K External M0131Disk IIc A2M4050Apple SuperDrive (Apple FDHD Drive) G7287Duo Disk 5.25 A9M0108Unidisk 3.5 A2M2053 [1]AppleDisk 5.25 A9M01075Applied Engineering 3.5 [2]Laser FD100 5.25Apple 3.5 Drive A9M0106And more…

       [1] smart drive
       [2] partial compatibility

       When using 3.5 inch drives, Yellowstone is compatible with Apple II standard 800K double-sided double-density disk media.

       A naked drive is a bare drive mechanism without any enclosure, such as an internal drive taken from a Macintosh, Apple IIc, or Apple IIc+.

       Yes, pull the internal 3.5 inch drive from an old Mac and use it directly with your Apple II!

       This brought back Applied Engineering memories (:

     • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone DB-19 Female Disk Adapter – Big Mess o’ Wires
       

       The adapter includes a six inch ribbon cable and a detachable mini-board that converts the ribbon cable connector into a DB-19 female shape.

       …

       This adapter has custom wiring that’s specifically designed for use with Yellowstone, and should not be used with other disk hardware.

       Can be connected directly to Yellowstone boardApple Disk II A2M0003BMOW Floppy EmuNaked Apple 5.25” DriveswDriveNaked Apple 3.5” DrivesRequires Yellowstone DB-19F adapterUnidisk 5.25 A9M0104Macintosh 800K External M0131Disk IIc A2M4050Apple SuperDrive (Apple FDHD Drive) G7287Duo Disk 5.25 A9M0108Unidisk 3.5 A2M2053AppleDisk 5.25 A9M01075Applied Engineering 3.5Apple 3.5 Drive A9M0106Laser FD100 5.25 A naked drive is a bare drive mechanism without any enclosure, such as an internal drive taken from a Macintosh, Apple IIc, or Apple IIc+.

       (note that’s a ~15 cm ribbon cable)

     • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone Back From the Dead | Big Mess o’ Wires

   • Floppy Emu Model C Deluxe Bundle

     USD 130 [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Model C Deluxe Bundle – Big Mess o’ Wires

     The BMOW Floppy Emu is a disk emulator for classic Apple II, Macintosh, and Lisa computers.

     …

     The bundle includes:

     • Floppy Emu Model C
     • Frosted Ice Acrylic Case
     • Vintage Apple Software Collection SD Card
     • Full-Size SD Adapter
     • Disk Extension Cable

     • USD 110 [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Model C – Big Mess o’ Wires
       

       Articles and videos:

       • [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Technology Design | Big Mess o’ Wires
       • [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Disk Emulator for Apple II, Macintosh, and Lisa | Big Mess o’ Wires

       There are way more, but these are a good start.

     • USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] Frosted Ice Case for Floppy Emu Model C – Big Mess o’ Wires
     • USD 15 [Wayback/Archive] Vintage Software Collection SD Card – Big Mess o’ Wires which includes the Full-Size SD Adapter
     • USD 20 [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone DB-19 Female Disk Adapter – Big Mess o’ Wires but with a 100cm cable instead of a ~15cm cable

     [Wayback/Archive] BMOW Floppy EMU for Vintage Apple Computers! | Mastergeko4 – YouTube shot at the time the YouTuber was quite a novice, which brought back memories of me being young and figuring out things by fiddling with them and bumping my head against walls (:

   • Noisy Disk Mechanical Sounder with 2 ribbon cables attached

     USD 20 [Wayback/Archive] Noisy Disk Mechanical Sounder – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Noisy Disk uses a mechanical relay to create authentic-sounding mechanical stepping sounds for disk head movements for your Floppy Emu disk emulator’s virtual 5.25 inch floppy disk.

     …

     Nothing will be harmed if Noisy Disk is used with other computers or emulation modes, but you’ll hear strange clacking noises that don’t match the disk activity.

     …

     The product includes the Noisy Disk board with 2 x 10 pin rectangular input and output connectors, and a 6-inch extension cable for connecting to your Floppy Emu board.

     This likely sounds exactly like the more expensive Disk Clicker which was reviewed at [Wayback/Archive] Testing the New Classic Floppy Clicker on Apple Floppy Emulator – Authentic Retro Sounds! – YouTube and sold at [Wayback/Archive] Disk Clicker – 8bitdevices.com

   • Internal/External Drive Switcher for Apple IIc

     USD 25 [Wayback/Archive] Internal/External Drive Switcher for Apple IIc – Big Mess o’ Wires

     At the flip of a switch, select which Apple IIc floppy drives should act as Drive 1 and Drive 2. Add support for dual external 5.25 inch floppy emulation. For the Apple IIc with the Floppy Emu disk emulator.

     …

     [Wayback/Archive] Internal/External Drive Switcher for Apple IIc | Big Mess o’ Wires

     This is a two-part device: a signal tap that should be installed inside the Apple IIc, and a modified DB19 adapter with two slide switches for the external connection. Two female-female jumper wires are passed through a gap in the case to make the connection between the two parts.

   • Daisy Chainer Disk Coupler

     USD 45 [Wayback/Archive] Daisy Chainer Disk Coupler – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Link the Floppy Emu disk emulator into a daisy chain with other Apple II disk drives. For use with Floppy Emu Model B and C.

     …

     In order to work correctly, Apple II computers require daisy chained drives to be connected in a specific order:

     1. any 3.5 inch drives must go first in the chain
     2. Smartport and Unidisk 3.5 inch drives must go second
     3. any 5.25 inch drives must go last

     There can be at most two drives of each type, six drives total.

     …

     There are two primary firmware versions for the Floppy Emu: normal firmware and Smartport daisy chain SPDC firmware. When using a Floppy Emu with the Daisy Chainer, the SPDC firmware is required if your Emu is configured to emulate a Smartport Hard Disk or a Unidisk 3.5. In all other cases, the normal firmware should be used.

     [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Update: Smartport Daisy-Chain Support | Big Mess o’ Wires

     Most people should use the normal firmware version, and it’s the default for newly-purchased hardware. The Smartport daisy chain firmware version is only needed in uncommon situations when:

     1. The Floppy Emu’s selected emulation mode is Smartport Hard Disk, Smartport Unit 2, or Unidisk 3.5AND

     2. The Floppy Emu is plugged into the back of a BMOW Daisy Chainer or to the Apple Unidisk 3.5 drive, A2M2053.

     The wiki.apple2.org died, so here are archived links: [Wayback/Archive] wiki.apple2.org: A2 3.5 Drives -> Apple UniDisk 3.5 (A2M2053)

     Daisy Chainer clear acrylic case

     Oh: there is also this one for it:

   • USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] Clear Acrylic Case for Daisy Chainer – Big Mess o’ Wires
     

     A clear acrylic case to protect and showcase your Daisy Chainer board. These custom-made Daisy Chainer cases protect your board in style!

     …

     This is a top-and-bottom “plate” style case with open sides. Assembly takes about 5 minutes.

   • Apple Disk Drive A/B Switch

     USD 20 [Wayback/Archive] Apple Disk Drive A/B Switch – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Select between a Floppy Emu and a real floppy drive at the flip of a switch. Includes switch module and one 3 foot 20-pin ribbon cable.

     …

     For Lisa computer owners, and Macs with only one internal floppy connector, disk drive emulation can be awkward sometimes. The Apple Disk Drive A/B Switch aims to eliminate that awkwardness. This accessory makes it possible to attach a Floppy Emu and a real floppy disk drive at the same time, and select between them with a switch. Both drives will be powered, but the computer will only “see” one drive at a time, depending on the switch position.

     …

     ⚠ Do not use Floppy Emu’s Dual 5.25 mode in combination with the A/B Switch. It will cause disk errors and may damage the Floppy Emu or your other 5.25 inch drive.

   Macintosh specific stuff from BMOW:

   • Mac Sync-inator VGA Sync Converter

     USD 40 [Wayback/Archive] Mac Sync-inator VGA Sync Converter – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Take the hassles out of vintage Macintosh monitor setup! The Mac Sync-inator is a Mac-to-VGA video converter with a powerful sync processor built-in.

     …

     [Wayback/Archive] Mac Sync-inator VGA Sync Converter | Big Mess o’ Wires has much more information including tables for the DIP-switches that set:

     • Setting the Desired Video Resolution
     • Choosing the Sync Processing Mode

     Too bad this is not compatible with my Macintosh SE/30, but still interesting to know it exists.

   • ADB-USB Wombat Input Converter

     USD 40 [Wayback/Archive] ADB-USB Wombat Input Converter – Big Mess o’ Wires

     ADB-USB Wombat is a bidirectional input converter for USB and ADB keyboards and mice. It works in two directions, connecting modern USB peripherals to a classic ADB-based Macintosh or Apple IIgs computer, or ADB peripherals to a USB-based computer running Windows, OSX, or Linux. The foreign keyboards and mice behave exactly like native peripherals, requiring no special software or drivers – just plug it in and go. This is the Wombat main board. You will also need ADB and/or USB cables depending on your intended usage (sold separately).

     [Wayback/Archive] Wombat ADB-USB Input Converter | Big Mess o’ Wires has extensive documentation.

     USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] Black Acrylic Case for ADB-USB Wombat – Big Mess o’ Wires protects the top of the board (but not the sides)

     USD 6 [Wayback/Archive] ADB Cable, 3 ft – Big Mess o’ Wires (sold out at the time of writing, but might be in stock when you read this)

     Despite having spare ADB keyboards, I don’t have spare ADB mice, so this might come in really useful.

   • Mac ROM-inator II

     USD 45 [Wayback/Archive] Mac ROM-inator II | Big Mess o’ Wires

     Want to add new features to your old Mac? The Mac ROM-inator II replaces the stock Macintosh ROM SIMM with a custom flash memory module. Add a bootable ROM disk, make your system 32-bit clean, gain HD20 hard disk support, and more. The Mac ROM-inator II supports the Macintosh SE/30, IIx, IIcx, IIci, IIfx, and IIsi.

     …

     The ROM-inator II is based on Doug Brown’s earlier Mac ROM SIMM design, used with permission.

     …

     Compatibility The ROM SIMM and pre-programmed ROM contents are compatible with the Macintosh SE/30, IIx, IIcx, IIci, IIfx, and IIsi. The SIMM simply snaps into the ROM socket on the computer’s logic board. Note the Macintosh SE differs from the SE/30 internally, and is not compatible with the ROM-inator II. CPU accelerators such as the Daystar PowerCache and Turbo series are not compatible with the ROM-inator II. Some SE/30 hardware may require a shim to ensure ideal fit of the SIMM – see instructions for details. If running Mac OS System 7.5 or later, some Mac models require a software patch to the System file.

     …

     The ROM disk contains:

     • System 7.1, with System Update 3.0 and Apple CD-ROM Extension 5.3.1
     • HD SC Setup 7.3.5 (patched to support formatting non-Apple hard disks)
     • SCSI Probe 3.3 (for troubleshooting the SCSI bus)
     • ResEdit 2.1.3

     …

     Usage Most of the ROM-inator II’s benefits are automatic: just install the SIMM, and you’ll gain HD20 support, 32-bit cleanliness, and custom sounds and icons. Only the ROM disk requires any user interaction. When first powered on, a Macintosh with the ROM-inator II will play a customized startup sound, and display diagnostic info about the amount of installed RAM, the current addressing mode, and the detected ROM disk type. After a moment, an interactive startup menu will be displayed. To boot from the ROM disk as a read-only disk, press the R key on the keyboard. Or to convert the ROM disk into a writable RAM disk, press the A key. Or to bypass the ROM disk, do nothing and wait five seconds. If no keys are pressed, the Macintosh will boot normally from an attached SCSI or HD20 disk, or wait for a floppy disk to be inserted. Note: If booting from a SCSI disk when the ROM-inator II is installed, any 32-bit enablers or extensions such as MODE32 or 32-Bit System Enabler must be removed from the disk’s System folder.

     [Wayback/Archive] Mac SE/30 with Upgraded ROM | Big Mess o’ Wires

     [Wayback/Archive] SE/30 WITH IIsi or IIfx ROM

     [Wayback/Archive] Vintage Box : 68k Mac – OS 8/030

     This was actually a trip down memory lane, as 10 years ago, I bought a Macintosh SE/30, upgraded the memory, and helped the original author – Doug Brown – with their documentation:
     • [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – dougg3/mac-rom-simm-programmer.software: Control software for Mac ROM SIMM programmer
     • [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – dougg3/mac-rom-simm-programmer: Firmware for Mac ROM SIMM programmer
     • [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – jpluimers/dougg3..mac-rom-simm-programmer: Firmware for Mac ROM SIMM programmer
     • [Wayback/Archive] Wiki updates (images, links); added README.md to master branch; added downloads branch. by jpluimers · Pull Request #25 · dougg3/mac-rom-simm-programmer · GitHub
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   Then there is a shop on the Cayman Islands that ships world wide and has both the Mac ROM SIMM and the Mac ROMM SIMM programmer:

   • USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] RTC PCB for SE30 – CayMac Vintage’s Ko-fi Shop – Ko-fi ❤️ Where creators get support from fans through donations, memberships, shop sales and more! The original ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ Page.
     

     Replacement RTC chip for the SE30. This RTC is a ATTiny85 on a PCB with its own crystal for better accuracy on the SE30. No battery is needed when using this RTC version as the P/RAM settings are stored in the flash RAM. The external crystal on the logic board is not needed either.

   And there is [Wayback/Archive] a2heaven: For everyone who still loves and uses old computers.:

   • Liron Reborn

     USD 60 [Wayback/Archive] Liron Reborn

     Liron Reborn is a Samrt Port / Disk II controller card for Apple II/IIe computers.

     It is a functional hardware compatible Liron clone , with original Liron card Firmware.

     A difference from Original Liron card is that card can be used as a a standard 5.25 inch (Disk II) controller or Liron ( SmartPort ) card .

     I likely won’t need this as the Yellowstone card looks way more promising

   • FASTChip //e – 65C02

     USD 150 [Wayback/Archive] FASTChip //e – 65C02

     The FASTChip //e accelerates the Apple //e™ by replacing the on-board microprocessor with a much faster one. Because the memory on the Apple //e™ can only run at a 1 MHz speed maximum, faster memory (SRAM) must be provided to increase performance and allow the 65C02/65C816 CPU to run at full speed.

     To do this, the FASTChip //e contains 512KB/1024KB of fast SRAM memory. The clever design allows the acceleration of programs running in both main and auxiliary memory. The additional FASTChip //e memory can emulate both 192/448 KB fast RamWorks compatible RAM and 256/512 KB fast RamFactor (slinky) compatible RAM.

     [Wayback/Archive] REVIEW: FastChip //e Accellerator by A2Heaven – YouTube

   • 65C816->65C02 Board

     USD 35 [Wayback/Archive] 65C816->65C02 Board

     You can use 65C816->65C02 board to connect 65C816 CPU to your Apple II computer .

     …

     * This board was based on Daryl Rictor’s original design. More information can be found here: sbc.rictor.org/support/conv.html

     [Wayback/Archive] 65816 to 6502 converter by Daryl Rictor.

   • DB19 to IDC20

     USD 11 [Wayback/Archive] DB19 to IDC20 Floppy Disk adapter

     DB19 to IDC20 Floppy Disk adapter

     …

     directly connect IDC20 Pin Cable  connector to the 19-pin port of Apple IIc, or to a floppy controller with a 19-pin connector

     Probably cheaper to use the package deals from BMOW

   • IDC20 to DB19 cable adapter

     USD 13 [Wayback/Archive] IDC20 to DB19 cable adapter

     The product is designed to be directly connect IDC20 pin connector to the DB19 pin port .

     Likely the combo from BMOW is cheaper.

     TrackStar II

      

   • USD 75 [Wayback/Archive] TRAK STAR II
     

     Readout of Disk Drive head position .

     …

     Constant Digital Readout of Disk Drive head position .

     Work with any 5″ Apple II compatible Drive .
     Display Full , Half and Quarter track head position .

     Nice idea, but has not been in stock for a long time and feels overpriced.

   • Quadlink Clone Kit

     USD 160 [Wayback/Archive] Quadlink Clone Kit

     It’s an ISA expansion card from the ’80s designed to turn your IBM PC (such as a 5150 or 5160) into an Apple ][! After booting and running the software, you can switch quickly between PC and Apple mode using Ctrl-Alt-A (for Apple) and Ctrl-Alt-P (for PC).

     Kit contain all PCB , passive components and chips needed to build working Quadlink Clone .

     [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – schlae/quapple: Quadlink clone turns your ancient IBM PC into an Apple ][

     Only useful if I find back an ISA compatible PC.

   • 3D Stickers set

     USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] 3D Stickers set

     Apple II logo and Disk II label sticker set .

     Actually this is quite a nice idea, despite them having been out of stock like forever.

   • RamFactor1M

     USD 85 [Wayback/Archive] RamFactor1M

     RamFactor1M is based on Aplied Engineering RAMFactor card ( firmware is same as original ), however it uses more modern low power 1MB SRAM and can provided battery backup up to 1-2 Year with small CR2032 Battery.

     The battery is for backup data (just like PowerFactor from Aplied Engineering ) and can be used as Solid State Disk.

     This is a trip down memory lane, though back then school could not afford these.

   • Apple II Slot Extender

     USD 40 [Wayback/Archive] Apple II Slot Extender

     The Apple II slot extender allows you to easily and freely test the functionality and repair your Apple II cards outside of the computer.

     You can also turn off voltages that aren’t necessary for the card to work to prevent testing errors.

     Package include

     • 1 x Apple II extender PCB bottom
     • 1 x Apple II extender PCB Top
     • 1 x 50 pin Flat ribbon cable with 0.5m length ( contact me if you want a longer cable )

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   One more shop (: I think I found it searching for [Wayback/Archive] BlueSCSI, but anyway at [Wayback/Archive] Shop – Joe’s Computer Museum, focussing on [Wayback/Archive] Apple //e Archives – Joe’s Computer Museum I found these interesting items:

   • A2Pico

     USD 55 [Wayback/Archive] A2Pico – Multi-Function Card – Joe’s Computer Museum

     A2Pico is, essentially, a universal peripheral card for your Apple ][ Computer. Want a Z80 CPM Card? Maybe you need inexpensive mass storage. Need to add SmartPort support to your machine? Or, maybe you’re a hacker and want to design your own function. A2Pico lets you do just that!

     Using it easy: Flash it with the firmware you want to use (or write your own firmware!), put it in the appropriate Apple // slot and have fun!

     NOTE: your card will come without firmware, so that you can choose to make the card whatever you like!

     [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – oliverschmidt/a2pico: A2Pico

     A2Pico is about Apple II peripheral cards based on the Raspberry Pi Pico. It consists of two parts:

     • Several hardware reference designs
     • A software library for projects based on A2Pico

   • A2DVI card

     USD 50 [Wayback/Archive] A2DVI v2.0 – Apple II Digital Video Adapter – Joe’s Computer Museum

     The A2DVI produces a digital video stream from your Apple II’s memory. The signal is output via an HDMI-compatible connector, giving your Apple II the option of output to modern displays. No more analog signal conversion required.

     [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – rallepalaveev/A2DVI

     Unlike the below “universal” adapter, the A2DVI might be just the thing for me.

   • JCM Universal Apple RGB Adapter

     USD 20-35 (kit or assembled) [Wayback/Archive] JCM Universal Apple RGB Adapter – Joe’s Computer Museum

     The Universal Apple RGB Adapter takes the 4-Bit TTL RGB signal from an Apple ///, the Apple /// Plus or the Apple IIe Video7-style RGB card and converts it to two formats: IBM-style CGA-Compatible TTL, and Apple IIgs Standard. On the Apple /// machines, it also connects the color NTSC signal from the rear connector to a standard RCA-Jack so you can use it.

     Since I don’t have either an Apple ///, nore a Apple IIe Video7-style RGB card, this might not be fore me.

   • Why Cable? – Original DB19

     USD 15-30 [Wayback/Archive] Why Cable? – Apple IIe Card Y-Cable Replacement (Original DB19) – Joe’s Computer Museum

     Everybody wants the Apple IIe Card. Nobody has the “Y-Cable” that goes with it; they tend to get lost. So, I designed a replacement solution!

     The Why Cable? Apple IIe Card Y-Cable Replacement solves your Floppy and Joystick problem with your Apple IIe Card. Just plug it into your card, then add your floppy drive and joystick and your Apple IIe card will work as intended!

     This version emulates the original DB19 cable, and is fully compatible with all drives the Apple IIe Card lists as compatible.

     Need to check out if I still have this cable/connector or need the below one (:

   • Why Cable? – 20-Pin Cable Version

     USD 10-25 [Wayback/Archive] Why Cable? – Apple IIe Card Y-Cable Replacement (20-Pin Cable Version) – Joe’s Computer Museum

     Everybody wants the Apple IIe Card. Nobody has the “Y-Cable” that goes with it; they tend to get lost. So, I designed a replacement solution!

     The Why Cable? Apple IIe Card Y-Cable Replacement solves your Floppy and Joystick problem with your Apple IIe Card. Just plug it into your card, then add your floppy drive and joystick and your Apple IIe card will work as intended!

     This version works with 20-pin ribbon cable connectors and supports any drive that properly emulates a standard 5.25 inch Disk ][ drive, including the FloppyEMU and wDrive.

     And I need to check if it is missing, if I need the 19 or 20 pin version. Likely I need the 20-pin one.

     • Some 3D printed replacement for your Apple //e opening covers on the back of your machine, and for your Alps Key Stems:
       

       DB-19/DB-25/DB-9 back plates (3D printed, STL files if you want to print your own)

       DB-19: outside view

       DB-19: inside view

       DB-25: outside view

       DB-25: inside view

       DB-25 for Audio Jacks: outside

       DB-25 for Audio Jacks: inside

       DB-9: outside view

       DB-9: inside view

       DB-25 with DB-9 opening: assembled

       DB-25 with DB-9 opening: outside

       DB-25 with DB-9 opening: inside

       USD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB-19 Back PlateUSD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB-25 Back PlateUSD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB-25 Back Plate for Audio JacksUSD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB-9 Back PlateUSD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB25 Back Plate with DB9 Opening[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stl[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stl[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stl[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stl[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stlAdding the hole in the design required thickening of the base and increasing the depth of the holding clips so they would not pull out when tension is applied to an attached external cable.

       Note that all link(ed?) to the same .stl file, which is only correct for the right most back plate: “DB-25 with DB-9 opening”.

       All of these are based on [Wayback/Archive] Apple IIe port covers, thicker for FFF printers by scruss – Thingiverse which in turn is based on [Wayback/Archive] Apple IIe port covers, three sizes by option8 – Thingiverse.

       Alps Key Stems (one of them has the wrong picture, but they are manufactured correctly; 3D printed; no STL-files on the product pages)

       Alps Key Stems, Short – 10 Pack

       Alps Key Stems, Long – 10 Pack

       USD 5
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Alps Key Stems, Short – 10 Pack – Joe’s Computer MuseumUSD 5
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Alps Key Stems, Long – 10 Pack – Joe’s Computer Museum

       This might have been the base STL file for this: [Wayback] Hairpin-To-Alps-keycap-adaptor.stl

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   For all shops: I didn’t list all of their items, just the ones that I might use in the future.

   An interesting device I did not know about either was the FujiNet one: it is fully open source! One thing to check out is where to order pre-assembled ones for Apple II series.

   • [Wayback/Archive] FujiNet · GitHub
     

     FujiNet is a multi-peripheral emulator and WiFi network device for vintage computers. The first completed hardware was for the Atari 8-Bit line of computers and development has begun for other systems (Coleco ADAM, Apple II, Commodore 64, Atari Lynx, ZX Spectrum and more) with the goal of supporting as many old systems as possible. What sets FujiNet apart from other WiFi devices is the new Network Device (the N Device). The N device allows vintage computers that do not have enough processing power to handle TCP/IP connections themselves to talk to the modern internet over WiFi. Virtual adapters have been created for many protocols including: TCP, UDP, HTTP, FTP, TNFS, HTTPS (SSL/TLS), SSH, TELNET, WebDAV and JSON parser. The FujiNet project is 100% completely open source, software and hardware. All code and schematics are available here.

   • [Wayback/Archive] FutureVision Research was the only shop I found selling them, but I probably overlooked others.
     • [Wayback/Archive] FujiNet – FutureVision Research

     • Apple II/III FujiNet w/ accesoiries

       USD 110 [Wayback/Archive] FujiNet for Apple II & III (With Accessories) – FutureVision Research

       The FujiApple Rev1.1 for SmartPort enabled Apple II computers emulates SmartPort drives, Disk II drives (read only), CP/M, Clock, Modem, and a new Network Device. Disk images can be mounted directly from the internet via TNFS servers or from the onboard MicroSD socket*. The Network device enables access to Internet protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, TNFS, SSH, TCP, UDP and more.

       …

       This kit comes with the following (ribbon cable color may be gray or rainbow depending on availability):

       • FujiNet for Apple II & III
       • DB-19 to IDC20 Female adapter
       • 30cm IDC20 Female to Male cable
       • 30cm IDC20 Female to Female cable
       • DB-19 spacer
       • Two different lengths of thumbscrews
         • Two 1.375″ thumbscrews for use with IIe/III
         • Two 1.5″ thumbscrews for use with IIc/gs/+

       The page contains many more helpful information and links.

    

   ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

   Some non-shop links

   • [Wayback/Archive] FloppyEmu vs. CFFA3000/Booti | Applefritter
   • [Wayback/Archive] Plus Too Mac Replica | Big Mess o’ Wires
     • [Wayback/Archive] Plus Too | Big Mess o’ Wires
   • [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Disk Emulator? : apple2
     

     Yes. I’d rank it as the most versatile as it works across the greatest number of machines (Apple 2s and Macs).

     It is cheaper and more readily available than the other solutions.
     The only slight downside is it isn’t as fast, direct memory access/processor wise, as the card solutions that exist – but those do use up a slot, and there isn’t much software that can take advantage of the speed difference anyway – and on a machine that only goes a couple Mhz anyway, it won’t make much difference.

     It’s 7 years old at this point, but Joe’s Computer Museum did an excellent video comparing the major options here:

     https://youtu.be/Wjy6_qnTnv0

     a covering

     • MicroDrive/Turbo
     • CFFA3000
     • Floppy Emu
     • SDFloppy II
     • UNISDISK Air 19 – [Wayback/Archive] UNISDISK Air Series, very hard to get

     [Wayback/Archive] Apple II Mass Storage Benchmark Results – Joe’s Computer Museum

     [Wayback/Archive] Apple II Mass Storage Mega Roundup – YouTube

   • [Wayback/Archive] Nerdly Pleasures: wDrive v. Floppy Emu – Comparison of the Best Apple II Disk Emulators
   • [Wayback/Archive] Thoughts on wDrive versus Floppy Emu? | Applefritter
   • [Wayback/Archive] Fujinet for Apple II, SD card and Internet capable device for SmartPort | Applefritter (works with Yellowstone card)
   • ………………………………………………………………………………………………

   An external monitor on a Macingosh SE/30

   • [Wayback/Archive] Mac SE can use an external Monitor?? – Apple Community
   • ………………………………………………………

   Mac SE/30 and Macintosh Classic

   Since I own both a Macintosh SE/30 and a Macintosh Classic, these are relevant too:

   • [Wayback/Archive] Classic II vs SE/30 – TidBITS
   • [Wayback/Archive] Siblings – Macintosh SE and Mac Classic : VintageApple
   • ……………………………………………………………………………………………

   Queries

   I used additional queries than the first blog post to complete this blog post. Here they are:

   • [Wayback/Archive] macintosh Floppy Emu 3.5 – Google Suche
   • [Wayback/Archive] apple 2 disk sd card – Google Suche
   • [Wayback/Archive] Liron disk controller card – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] cffa vs floppy emu – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] floppy emu apple ii disk controller – Google Suche
   • [Wayback/Archive] wDrive vs floppy emu – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] fujinet apple ii – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] Apple Liron – Search on Google
   • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone fujinet – Sök på Google
   • [Wayback/Archive] does floppy emu work with classic macintosh – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] mac se/30 versus macintosh classic – Google Suche
   • ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
   • [Wayback/Archive] bluescsi v2 – Sök på Google

   --jeroen

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

   Rate this:

   #12 #156 #25 #3dprint #3dprinting #4 #Apple #appleiigs #AprilApples

   #3dprint #3dprinting #apple #appleiigs #aprilapples
4. 

   The Wiert Corner - irregular stream of stuff @[email protected] · 2025-11-14 · 17:00 UTC

   More Apple ][*, //* II* and classic Macintosh hardware upgrades

   The mini micro classic Apple emulators related post last week became way too big, so here is the classic Apple 2/Macintosh hardware upgrade part follow-up I announced in Some notes on mini/micro Apple //e emulators.

   Last week, I mentioned [Wayback/Archive] ARC Javmaster – YouTube. Let’s continue from there for an even bigger post (:

   Javmaster actually has a shop at [Wayback/Archive] Welcome to the 8-bit stuff store – 8 bit stuff cool retro computer 3D gadgets and geekery with a lot of interesting (mainly Apple ][ era related) retro things like:

   • USD 25 [Wayback/Archive] Apple IIc USB C power adapter with Volt Gauge – 8 bit stuff cool retro computer 3D gadgets and geekery
     

     Apple IIc USB C power adapter with Volt Gauge with USB-C connected and showing 15.2 volts

     [Wayback/Archive] Transform your Apple IIc experience with this sleek USB-C power supply replacement! – YouTube

   • USD 120-430 [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu 3.5 Drive Case – 8 bit stuff cool retro computer 3D gadgets and geekery
     

     Floppy Emu 3.5 Drive Case powered up with green screen fitting well together with an Apple //c plus

     [Wayback/Archive] Step into the future of vintage computing with the Floppy Emu 3.5! – YouTube

     [Wayback/Archive] New 3.5 drive case for Apple II & Macintosh Floppy Emu: soon at 8bitstuff.com! #3dprinting #Apple – YouTube

     [Wayback/Archive] Starting GSOS 6.04 from the new Floppy Emu 3.5, a match made in heaven! #apple #3dprint #appleiigs – YouTube

   • USD 120-430 [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emulator Disk ][ Case – 8 bit stuff cool retro computer 3D gadgets and geekery
     

     Floppy Emulator Disk ][ Case with green screen fitted in an original Apple ][ era 5.25 inch diskette drive case

     [Wayback/Archive] New Release: Floppy Emu ][ Case Assembly Guide! – YouTube[Wayback/Archive] #AprilApples Guest episode: Watch Jon Assemble a Floppy Emu Case from Scratch! – YouTube

   • 3D Printed Apple II Joystick – clear Special edition: internals

     3D Printed Apple II Joystick – clear Special edition

     3D Printed Apple II Joystick

     USD 80-155 Apple II Joystick Recreation: cheapest is 3D printed in classic color, the other clear

     The 3D recreation of the iconic Apple II Joystick, keeping all the classic features with brand new mechanical parts. The moving parts brand new, adapted to work seamlessly with Apple II’s that use the DB9 port.
     The switches are brand-new Matias key switches, a new version of the ALPS keys that were so successful in most original keyboards.
     By using these materials, the quality and durability are better. The 3D printed case and switches resemble the original and is crafted to be enjoyed and used with your retro systems.

     • [Wayback/Archive] 3D Printed Apple II Joystick – A Fusion of Nostalgia and Innovation – 8 bit stuff cool retro computer 3D gadgets and geekery
       

       [Wayback/Archive] Joystick-300×300.jpg (300×300)

     • [Wayback/Archive] 3D Printed Apple II Joystick – clear Special edition – 8 bit stuff cool retro computer 3D gadgets and geekery
       

       [Wayback/Archive] DSC_0015-300×300.jpg (300×300)

       [Wayback/Archive] DSC_0018-300×300.jpg (300×300)

     [Wayback/Archive] Apple II Joystick Recreation – Rediscover the Ultimate Retro Gaming Experience! – YouTube

   8bitstuff also pointed me to this shop with cool parts helping you fix Apple ][* and Apple //e and II* model issues: [Wayback/Archive] Shop | ReActiveMicro.com which is part of [Wayback/Archive] ReActiveMicro.com which has this great card in their catalog:

   • A2FPGA Multicard

     USD 150 [Wayback/Archive] A2FPGA Multicard | ReActiveMicro.com

     [Wayback/Archive] #156: Can One Apple II Card Replace Them All? – YouTube

     The firmware is open source at [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – a2fpga/a2fpga_core: Apple II FPGA Co-Processor and still being maintained.

     [Wayback/Archive] A2FPGA – The ReActiveMicro Apple II Wiki

     The A2FPGA is primarily an HD video and Mockingboard-compatible sound card for the Apple II, II+, //e, and IIgs.

   and other hardware like:

   • Disk ][+ v1.0 kit

     USD 30-40 [Wayback/Archive] Disk ][+ – Assembled or Kit | ReActiveMicro.com

     Disk ][+ v1.0 is a small PCB that installs into Apple Disk ][ drives. It replaces the red LED in the drives with a two-color LED, to better distinguish the reading phases, in green, from the writing phases, in red. Comes assembled or in kit form.

     Notes:

     • You need one set for each drive.
     • I don’t really like the way they connect to the drive electronics, see picture below from [Wayback/Archive] Disk II+ – The ReActiveMicro Apple II Wiki . Instead of the pin, I would likely solder the wires to the electronics.
       

       4 hook probes connected to the Disk II analog board.

   • Apple IIe Enhancement Kit

     USD 30-35 [Wayback/Archive] IIe Enhancement Kit | ReActiveMicro.com

     Comes with an ‘Enhanced’ paper template, 65C02 CPU, and all the ROM’s necessary to upgrade your Apple IIe.

     [Wayback/Archive] Apple IIe Enhancement Kit – The ReActiveMicro Apple II Wiki

     Note it has various options (USA vs European Apple //e, plus  languages: check before you order!)

     I need to check if my Apple //e already has this enhancement kit.

   • No-Slot Clock v1.0

     USD 65 [Wayback/Archive] No-Slot Clock | ReActiveMicro.com

     The No-Slot Clock v1.0 allows your Apple II to remember the date and time. It will work on an Apple II, Apple II+, Apple IIe, Apple IIc, and Clone systems. It features dual battery holders. Two CR1025 cells included.

     The No Slot Clock does not fit in to the IIc or IIc+ with a RAM Card installed.

     [Wayback/Archive] No-Slot Clock – The ReActiveMicro Apple II Wiki

     Likely won’t needs this as ROMXe and ROMXc both include a clock.

   • Ultimate-Micro.com Apple II 3.5″ Disk Controller Card v1.0

     USD 200 [Wayback/Archive] Apple II 3.5 Disk Controller Card | ReActiveMicro.com

     This is the Apple II 3.5″ Disk Controller Card v1.0 from Ultimate-Micro.com.

     The Apple II 3.5″ Disk Controller Card v1.0 is a clone of Apple’s Apple II 3.5″ Disk Controller Card. The disk controller card allows you to use 3.5-inch floppy disk drives, including the Apple SuperDrive and Apple 3.5 Drive, with all Apple II computers. This card also supports the operation of older model Apple II UniDisk 3.5 drives.

     Not sure if I really want this one, especially with the USD 200 price tag: The Ultimate-Micro.com domain vanished and the Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller mentioned below at USD 170 (including cables) can do more.

   • Apple II A2io Bluetooth Game Port Receiver

     USD 20 [Wayback/Archive] A2io Bluetooth Game Port Receiver For Your Apple II Systems | ReActiveMicro.com

     This is the A2io Bluetooth Game Port Receiver from CraftyMech and designed by Aaron Reid. Works on all Apple II systems with a 9 pin game port.

     …

     A2io allow you to connect and use a modern wireless game pad as either a joystick, paddle, or pad input device. You pair the game pad with your mobile device (phone/tablet/laptop) and then connect to the A2io. The mobile device acts like a translator between your Apple and game pad.

   • CFFA 300 REV C

     USD 225 [Wayback/Archive] CFFA3000 v1.0 Rev C-RM for II, II+, ///, IIe, and IIgs | ReActiveMicro.com

     This is the CFFA3000 v1.0 Rev C-RM built by ReActiveMicro under license from R&D Automation.

     …

     The CFFA3000 v1.0 Rev C-RM Controller is a Mass Storage Device and Floppy Emulator that once installed in your Apple II system acts like a solid-state Hard Drive using Compact Flash Cards and USB Flash Drives. Floppy Emulation allows users to load .PO images as if they were physical disk. See the manual for more details. There is also discussion about adding .WOZ support, and we will post updates if/when it happens.

     Comes with CF Card as pictured, and with Remote option standard. Manual can be found here for review.

     Plug and play ready, and fully tested. Comes started with **256MB** CF Card, preloaded with several ProDOS 8 volumes with games and utilities, and several GS/OS volumes. You can select which one to boot using the on-board firmware menu (press “M” key on power up).

     [Wayback/Archive] wiki.reactivemicro.com/images/9/9d/2021-10-23-CFFA-RM_Manual.pdf

     I already have this, including the original remote back in 2014 from dreher: [Wayback/Archive] CFFA3000 Run 3: Order Status

   • CFFA3000 Remote

     USD 40 [Wayback/Archive] CFFA3000 – Remote Option With Cable | ReActiveMicro.com

     This is the CFFA3000 Remote option built by ReActiveMicro under license from R&D Automation. ***REMOTE ONLY!***
     ReActiveMicro is an authorized dealer and partner with R&D

     …

     The CFFA3000 Remote option comes with the connector cable, which attaches to the CFFA3000 card installed in your Apple II system. It comes as pictured, with the Remote, the connection cable, and a 3D printed enclosure.

   Finally it pointed me to [Wayback/Archive] Home | JD Micro which has RAMX (for Apple ][* systems) and ROMX (variants for any Apple 2 model) for which these are most applicable to my systems (both ROMX versions also contain the fonts mentioned in their blog post [Wayback/Archive] 11th May 2021 | JD Micro):

   [Wayback/Archive] Review: ROMX+ Device for Apple II+ – YouTube

   • [Wayback/Archive] ROMXe | JD Micro for Apple //e – includes clock
     

     [Wayback/Archive] Review: ROMXe by JD Micro – More ROMS than you can shake a joystick at! – YouTube

   • [Wayback/Archive] ROMXc | JD Micro for Apple IIc – includes clock
     

     [Wayback/Archive] Boot Instantly – ROMXc Review for the Apple //c – YouTube

   Other results from the queries I used in the post last week also returned some hardware that can be used for classic Apple machines:

   • [Wayback/Archive] The ESP32 SoftCard for the Apple II | Applefritter
     

     I’ve been working on a new card for the Apple II that would extend its capabilities using my favorite Wi-Fi module: the ESP32. I decided to called it a soft card, because similarly to the original Z80 SoftCard it contains its own processor allowing it to run software not originally meant for the Apple II. And similarly to the original 80-column card that was needed, it produces its own composite video enabled through a soft switch. Both NTSC and PAL are supported and can be switched using a command. In addition it can produce 8-bit sound that is mixed and played through the Apple II speaker. For most of its applications the card also needs a FAT32 formatted microSD card.

     …

     [Wayback/Archive] ESP32 SoftCard Expansion Card for the Apple II from CVT on Tindie

     ESP32 SoftCard Expansion Card for the Apple II

   • [Wayback/Archive] Apple2idiot card (ESP32) | Applefritter
     

     It is an interesting and different take on interfacing an ESP32 module to an Apple II. It uses a dual ported SRAM instead of trying to interface the ESP32 to the Apple II bus using something like 74LVC245s or through a parallel chip like a 6522 or 82C55 or through a serial chip like a 6551 or 6850.

     https://github.com/equant/apple2idiot

     …

     [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – equant/apple2idiot: A general purpose ESP32 IOT board for the Apple IIe

   • assembly lines

     [Wayback/Archive] Shop – CT6502 and [Wayback/Archive] Shop – Page 2 of 2 – CT6502a

     • [Wayback/Archive] Assembly Lines: The Mug – CT6502
       

       Assembly Lines: The Mug; Print-on-demand from Printful.

       Mug; handle left

       Mug; handle behind

       Mug; handle right

       This is a really cool idea including the Choplifter and Lode Runner main sprites on the mug. The right picture shows you can also get it in 15oz size.

     • Apple II wDrive Disk Drive Emulator

       [Wayback/Archive] Apple II wDrive Disk Drive Emulator – CT6502

       The wDrive is a disk drive emulator for the Apple II (II+, IIe, IIc, IIGS) that boots disk images (WOZ, DSK, 2MG, HDV, etc) from an SD card.

       Manufacturer: [Wayback/Archive] Mfa2 Workshop

       We are developer of wDrive, softSP card and related accessories which are published through Kboo HK

       [email protected]

       Note it there are two options to choose from:

       • USD ~80: wDrive only (Apple IIc and IIGS)
       • USD ~100: wDrive plus SoftSP card (Apple II, II+, IIe)

       The second option includes this one:

     • MFA2 SoftSP Card

       [Wayback/Archive] Apple II MFA2 SoftSP Card wDrive or FujiNet – CT6502

       The SoftSP card allows you to boot hard disk images or use FujiNet devices on an Apple II+ or IIe, which do not have SmartPort support.

       The SoftSP card is not needed on the Apple IIc or Apple IIGS.

       …

       The SoftSP card should be placed into a slot lower than the wDrive disk controller card. Slot 1 or 2 usually works well.

       Note: The SoftSP card will also work with the FloppyEMU. However, you MUST use a special drive cable that isolates pin 12, to avoid damaging your FloppyEMU. You do not need to use this cable with the wDrive, although it won’t cause any issues if you do. You can find details about the issue here.

       That last bit is really really important as SoftSP only can be installed in a system that also connects to a FloppyEMU under these circumstances:

       • Connect the FloppyEMU to a Yellowstone is a universal disk controller card for Apple II computers (see below), especially since the Yellowstone also supports both wDrive and FujiNet.
       • Connect the FloppyEMU to an original Disk Controller, but cut wire #12 as explained in [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu SoftSP Warning | Big Mess o’ Wires
         

         You can’t safely connect a Smartport device to a Disk II controller card, no matter how the card’s internal logic might be modified. That includes Floppy Emu when it’s configured in Smartport emulation mode. The reason is that Smartport devices connect pin 12 internally to ground. This is how other connected equipment and daisy-chained drives know that they’re Smartport drives, and it’s essential for correct daisy-chain operation of Smartport drives with the BMOW Daisy Chainer or the Apple Unidisk 3.5 drive.

       Both options essentially makes the SoftSP unneeded for FloppyEMU, and with this signalling problem for wire #12 (which is the SmartPort compatibility indicator) I am not sure which other SmartPort devices besides wDrive will actually work with the Apple ][, Apple ][+ and Apple //e without damaging the SmartPort device.

     • a
     • a
   • a

   Another shop via [Wayback/Archive] Big Mess o’ Wires -> [Wayback/Archive] Big Mess o’ Wires Store

   Bring new life to your classic computer

   From disk emulators to ROM upgrades, keyboard and mouse adapters, and more hardware creations, BMOW has your retrocomputer needs covered.

   • Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller Card and two DB-19 female adapters

     [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone Disk Controller Everything Bundle – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Yellowstone is a universal disk controller card for Apple II computers. It supports nearly every type of Apple disk drive ever made, including standard 3.5 inch drives, 5.25 inch drives, smart drives like the Unidisk 3.5 and the BMOW Floppy Emu’s smartport hard disk, and even Macintosh 3.5 inch drives. Yellowstone combines the power of an Apple 3.5 Disk Controller Card, a standard 5.25 inch Disk II controller card, the Apple Liron controller, and more, all in a single card.

     …

     The “everything” bundle includes the latest version Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller Card and two DB-19 female adapters

     • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone: Cloning the Apple II Liron | Big Mess o’ Wires
       

       …

       The “Liron” disk controller was introduced by Apple in 1985. More formally known as the Apple II UniDisk 3.5 Controller, it’s designed to work with a new generation of “smart” disk drives more sophisticated than the venerable Disk II 5.25 inch floppy drive. The smart disk port on the Liron is appropriately named the Smartport, and it can communicate with block-based storage devices such as the Unidisk 3.5 (an early 800K drive) and Smartport-based Apple II hard drives.
       Why care about the Liron? The Apple IIc and Apple IIgs have integrated disk ports with built-in Smartport functionality, but for the earlier Apple II+ and IIe, the Liron is the only way to get a Smartport. For owners of the BMOW Floppy Emu disk emulator, the Liron card makes it possible to use the Floppy Emu as an external hard drive for the II+ and IIe. Unfortunately finding a Liron is difficult, and although they occasionally turn up on eBay, they’re quite expensive. That made cloning the Liron a logical first goal.

       …

     • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller – Big Mess o’ Wires
       

       Article: [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone Universal Disk Controller for Apple II | Big Mess o’ Wires – Run any disk drive with your Apple II computer!

       Supported Drives

       Need to attach a disk drive to your Apple II? Yellowstone has got you covered. Yellowstone is compatible with the Apple IIe, Apple IIgs, Apple II+, Apple II, and most Apple II clones. It works with these disk drives and drive emulators:

       Can be connected directlyDisk II A2M0003Naked Apple 3.5” 800K, black labelNaked half-height Apple 5.25″Naked Apple 3.5” 800K, red labelFloppy Emu 5.25 modeNaked Apple 3.5” 1.44MB, auto-injectFloppy Emu Model C dual 5.25 modeNaked Apple 3.5” 1.44MB, manual-injectFloppy Emu 3.5 modewDriveFloppy Emu Unidisk 3.5 mode [1]Floppy Emu Smartport hard disk mode [1]And more…Requires optional DB-19F connectorUnidisk 5.25 A9M0104Macintosh 800K External M0131Disk IIc A2M4050Apple SuperDrive (Apple FDHD Drive) G7287Duo Disk 5.25 A9M0108Unidisk 3.5 A2M2053 [1]AppleDisk 5.25 A9M01075Applied Engineering 3.5 [2]Laser FD100 5.25Apple 3.5 Drive A9M0106And more…

       [1] smart drive
       [2] partial compatibility

       When using 3.5 inch drives, Yellowstone is compatible with Apple II standard 800K double-sided double-density disk media.

       A naked drive is a bare drive mechanism without any enclosure, such as an internal drive taken from a Macintosh, Apple IIc, or Apple IIc+.

       Yes, pull the internal 3.5 inch drive from an old Mac and use it directly with your Apple II!

       This brought back Applied Engineering memories (:

     • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone DB-19 Female Disk Adapter – Big Mess o’ Wires
       

       The adapter includes a six inch ribbon cable and a detachable mini-board that converts the ribbon cable connector into a DB-19 female shape.

       …

       This adapter has custom wiring that’s specifically designed for use with Yellowstone, and should not be used with other disk hardware.

       Can be connected directly to Yellowstone boardApple Disk II A2M0003BMOW Floppy EmuNaked Apple 5.25” DriveswDriveNaked Apple 3.5” DrivesRequires Yellowstone DB-19F adapterUnidisk 5.25 A9M0104Macintosh 800K External M0131Disk IIc A2M4050Apple SuperDrive (Apple FDHD Drive) G7287Duo Disk 5.25 A9M0108Unidisk 3.5 A2M2053AppleDisk 5.25 A9M01075Applied Engineering 3.5Apple 3.5 Drive A9M0106Laser FD100 5.25 A naked drive is a bare drive mechanism without any enclosure, such as an internal drive taken from a Macintosh, Apple IIc, or Apple IIc+.

       (note that’s a ~15 cm ribbon cable)

     • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone Back From the Dead | Big Mess o’ Wires

   • Floppy Emu Model C Deluxe Bundle

     USD 130 [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Model C Deluxe Bundle – Big Mess o’ Wires

     The BMOW Floppy Emu is a disk emulator for classic Apple II, Macintosh, and Lisa computers.

     …

     The bundle includes:

     • Floppy Emu Model C
     • Frosted Ice Acrylic Case
     • Vintage Apple Software Collection SD Card
     • Full-Size SD Adapter
     • Disk Extension Cable

     • USD 110 [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Model C – Big Mess o’ Wires
       

       Articles and videos:

       • [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Technology Design | Big Mess o’ Wires
       • [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Disk Emulator for Apple II, Macintosh, and Lisa | Big Mess o’ Wires

       There are way more, but these are a good start.

     • USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] Frosted Ice Case for Floppy Emu Model C – Big Mess o’ Wires
     • USD 15 [Wayback/Archive] Vintage Software Collection SD Card – Big Mess o’ Wires which includes the Full-Size SD Adapter
     • USD 20 [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone DB-19 Female Disk Adapter – Big Mess o’ Wires but with a 100cm cable instead of a ~15cm cable

     [Wayback/Archive] BMOW Floppy EMU for Vintage Apple Computers! | Mastergeko4 – YouTube shot at the time the YouTuber was quite a novice, which brought back memories of me being young and figuring out things by fiddling with them and bumping my head against walls (:

   • Noisy Disk Mechanical Sounder with 2 ribbon cables attached

     USD 20 [Wayback/Archive] Noisy Disk Mechanical Sounder – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Noisy Disk uses a mechanical relay to create authentic-sounding mechanical stepping sounds for disk head movements for your Floppy Emu disk emulator’s virtual 5.25 inch floppy disk.

     …

     Nothing will be harmed if Noisy Disk is used with other computers or emulation modes, but you’ll hear strange clacking noises that don’t match the disk activity.

     …

     The product includes the Noisy Disk board with 2 x 10 pin rectangular input and output connectors, and a 6-inch extension cable for connecting to your Floppy Emu board.

     This likely sounds exactly like the more expensive Disk Clicker which was reviewed at [Wayback/Archive] Testing the New Classic Floppy Clicker on Apple Floppy Emulator – Authentic Retro Sounds! – YouTube and sold at [Wayback/Archive] Disk Clicker – 8bitdevices.com

   • Internal/External Drive Switcher for Apple IIc

     USD 25 [Wayback/Archive] Internal/External Drive Switcher for Apple IIc – Big Mess o’ Wires

     At the flip of a switch, select which Apple IIc floppy drives should act as Drive 1 and Drive 2. Add support for dual external 5.25 inch floppy emulation. For the Apple IIc with the Floppy Emu disk emulator.

     …

     [Wayback/Archive] Internal/External Drive Switcher for Apple IIc | Big Mess o’ Wires

     This is a two-part device: a signal tap that should be installed inside the Apple IIc, and a modified DB19 adapter with two slide switches for the external connection. Two female-female jumper wires are passed through a gap in the case to make the connection between the two parts.

   • Daisy Chainer Disk Coupler

     USD 45 [Wayback/Archive] Daisy Chainer Disk Coupler – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Link the Floppy Emu disk emulator into a daisy chain with other Apple II disk drives. For use with Floppy Emu Model B and C.

     …

     In order to work correctly, Apple II computers require daisy chained drives to be connected in a specific order:

     1. any 3.5 inch drives must go first in the chain
     2. Smartport and Unidisk 3.5 inch drives must go second
     3. any 5.25 inch drives must go last

     There can be at most two drives of each type, six drives total.

     …

     There are two primary firmware versions for the Floppy Emu: normal firmware and Smartport daisy chain SPDC firmware. When using a Floppy Emu with the Daisy Chainer, the SPDC firmware is required if your Emu is configured to emulate a Smartport Hard Disk or a Unidisk 3.5. In all other cases, the normal firmware should be used.

     [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Update: Smartport Daisy-Chain Support | Big Mess o’ Wires

     Most people should use the normal firmware version, and it’s the default for newly-purchased hardware. The Smartport daisy chain firmware version is only needed in uncommon situations when:

     1. The Floppy Emu’s selected emulation mode is Smartport Hard Disk, Smartport Unit 2, or Unidisk 3.5AND

     2. The Floppy Emu is plugged into the back of a BMOW Daisy Chainer or to the Apple Unidisk 3.5 drive, A2M2053.

     The wiki.apple2.org died, so here are archived links: [Wayback/Archive] wiki.apple2.org: A2 3.5 Drives -> Apple UniDisk 3.5 (A2M2053)

     Daisy Chainer clear acrylic case

     Oh: there is also this one for it:

   • USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] Clear Acrylic Case for Daisy Chainer – Big Mess o’ Wires
     

     A clear acrylic case to protect and showcase your Daisy Chainer board. These custom-made Daisy Chainer cases protect your board in style!

     …

     This is a top-and-bottom “plate” style case with open sides. Assembly takes about 5 minutes.

   • Apple Disk Drive A/B Switch

     USD 20 [Wayback/Archive] Apple Disk Drive A/B Switch – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Select between a Floppy Emu and a real floppy drive at the flip of a switch. Includes switch module and one 3 foot 20-pin ribbon cable.

     …

     For Lisa computer owners, and Macs with only one internal floppy connector, disk drive emulation can be awkward sometimes. The Apple Disk Drive A/B Switch aims to eliminate that awkwardness. This accessory makes it possible to attach a Floppy Emu and a real floppy disk drive at the same time, and select between them with a switch. Both drives will be powered, but the computer will only “see” one drive at a time, depending on the switch position.

     …

     ⚠ Do not use Floppy Emu’s Dual 5.25 mode in combination with the A/B Switch. It will cause disk errors and may damage the Floppy Emu or your other 5.25 inch drive.

   Macintosh specific stuff from BMOW:

   • Mac Sync-inator VGA Sync Converter

     USD 40 [Wayback/Archive] Mac Sync-inator VGA Sync Converter – Big Mess o’ Wires

     Take the hassles out of vintage Macintosh monitor setup! The Mac Sync-inator is a Mac-to-VGA video converter with a powerful sync processor built-in.

     …

     [Wayback/Archive] Mac Sync-inator VGA Sync Converter | Big Mess o’ Wires has much more information including tables for the DIP-switches that set:

     • Setting the Desired Video Resolution
     • Choosing the Sync Processing Mode

     Too bad this is not compatible with my Macintosh SE/30, but still interesting to know it exists.

   • ADB-USB Wombat Input Converter

     USD 40 [Wayback/Archive] ADB-USB Wombat Input Converter – Big Mess o’ Wires

     ADB-USB Wombat is a bidirectional input converter for USB and ADB keyboards and mice. It works in two directions, connecting modern USB peripherals to a classic ADB-based Macintosh or Apple IIgs computer, or ADB peripherals to a USB-based computer running Windows, OSX, or Linux. The foreign keyboards and mice behave exactly like native peripherals, requiring no special software or drivers – just plug it in and go. This is the Wombat main board. You will also need ADB and/or USB cables depending on your intended usage (sold separately).

     [Wayback/Archive] Wombat ADB-USB Input Converter | Big Mess o’ Wires has extensive documentation.

     USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] Black Acrylic Case for ADB-USB Wombat – Big Mess o’ Wires protects the top of the board (but not the sides)

     USD 6 [Wayback/Archive] ADB Cable, 3 ft – Big Mess o’ Wires (sold out at the time of writing, but might be in stock when you read this)

     Despite having spare ADB keyboards, I don’t have spare ADB mice, so this might come in really useful.

   • Mac ROM-inator II

     USD 45 [Wayback/Archive] Mac ROM-inator II | Big Mess o’ Wires

     Want to add new features to your old Mac? The Mac ROM-inator II replaces the stock Macintosh ROM SIMM with a custom flash memory module. Add a bootable ROM disk, make your system 32-bit clean, gain HD20 hard disk support, and more. The Mac ROM-inator II supports the Macintosh SE/30, IIx, IIcx, IIci, IIfx, and IIsi.

     …

     The ROM-inator II is based on Doug Brown’s earlier Mac ROM SIMM design, used with permission.

     …

     Compatibility The ROM SIMM and pre-programmed ROM contents are compatible with the Macintosh SE/30, IIx, IIcx, IIci, IIfx, and IIsi. The SIMM simply snaps into the ROM socket on the computer’s logic board. Note the Macintosh SE differs from the SE/30 internally, and is not compatible with the ROM-inator II. CPU accelerators such as the Daystar PowerCache and Turbo series are not compatible with the ROM-inator II. Some SE/30 hardware may require a shim to ensure ideal fit of the SIMM – see instructions for details. If running Mac OS System 7.5 or later, some Mac models require a software patch to the System file.

     …

     The ROM disk contains:

     • System 7.1, with System Update 3.0 and Apple CD-ROM Extension 5.3.1
     • HD SC Setup 7.3.5 (patched to support formatting non-Apple hard disks)
     • SCSI Probe 3.3 (for troubleshooting the SCSI bus)
     • ResEdit 2.1.3

     …

     Usage Most of the ROM-inator II’s benefits are automatic: just install the SIMM, and you’ll gain HD20 support, 32-bit cleanliness, and custom sounds and icons. Only the ROM disk requires any user interaction. When first powered on, a Macintosh with the ROM-inator II will play a customized startup sound, and display diagnostic info about the amount of installed RAM, the current addressing mode, and the detected ROM disk type. After a moment, an interactive startup menu will be displayed. To boot from the ROM disk as a read-only disk, press the R key on the keyboard. Or to convert the ROM disk into a writable RAM disk, press the A key. Or to bypass the ROM disk, do nothing and wait five seconds. If no keys are pressed, the Macintosh will boot normally from an attached SCSI or HD20 disk, or wait for a floppy disk to be inserted. Note: If booting from a SCSI disk when the ROM-inator II is installed, any 32-bit enablers or extensions such as MODE32 or 32-Bit System Enabler must be removed from the disk’s System folder.

     [Wayback/Archive] Mac SE/30 with Upgraded ROM | Big Mess o’ Wires

     [Wayback/Archive] SE/30 WITH IIsi or IIfx ROM

     [Wayback/Archive] Vintage Box : 68k Mac – OS 8/030

     This was actually a trip down memory lane, as 10 years ago, I bought a Macintosh SE/30, upgraded the memory, and helped the original author – Doug Brown – with their documentation:
     • [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – dougg3/mac-rom-simm-programmer.software: Control software for Mac ROM SIMM programmer
     • [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – dougg3/mac-rom-simm-programmer: Firmware for Mac ROM SIMM programmer
     • [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – jpluimers/dougg3..mac-rom-simm-programmer: Firmware for Mac ROM SIMM programmer
     • [Wayback/Archive] Wiki updates (images, links); added README.md to master branch; added downloads branch. by jpluimers · Pull Request #25 · dougg3/mac-rom-simm-programmer · GitHub
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   Then there is a shop on the Cayman Islands that ships world wide and has both the Mac ROM SIMM and the Mac ROMM SIMM programmer:

   • USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] RTC PCB for SE30 – CayMac Vintage’s Ko-fi Shop – Ko-fi ❤️ Where creators get support from fans through donations, memberships, shop sales and more! The original ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ Page.
     

     Replacement RTC chip for the SE30. This RTC is a ATTiny85 on a PCB with its own crystal for better accuracy on the SE30. No battery is needed when using this RTC version as the P/RAM settings are stored in the flash RAM. The external crystal on the logic board is not needed either.

   And there is [Wayback/Archive] a2heaven: For everyone who still loves and uses old computers.:

   • Liron Reborn

     USD 60 [Wayback/Archive] Liron Reborn

     Liron Reborn is a Samrt Port / Disk II controller card for Apple II/IIe computers.

     It is a functional hardware compatible Liron clone , with original Liron card Firmware.

     A difference from Original Liron card is that card can be used as a a standard 5.25 inch (Disk II) controller or Liron ( SmartPort ) card .

     I likely won’t need this as the Yellowstone card looks way more promising

   • FASTChip //e – 65C02

     USD 150 [Wayback/Archive] FASTChip //e – 65C02

     The FASTChip //e accelerates the Apple //e™ by replacing the on-board microprocessor with a much faster one. Because the memory on the Apple //e™ can only run at a 1 MHz speed maximum, faster memory (SRAM) must be provided to increase performance and allow the 65C02/65C816 CPU to run at full speed.

     To do this, the FASTChip //e contains 512KB/1024KB of fast SRAM memory. The clever design allows the acceleration of programs running in both main and auxiliary memory. The additional FASTChip //e memory can emulate both 192/448 KB fast RamWorks compatible RAM and 256/512 KB fast RamFactor (slinky) compatible RAM.

     [Wayback/Archive] REVIEW: FastChip //e Accellerator by A2Heaven – YouTube

   • 65C816->65C02 Board

     USD 35 [Wayback/Archive] 65C816->65C02 Board

     You can use 65C816->65C02 board to connect 65C816 CPU to your Apple II computer .

     …

     * This board was based on Daryl Rictor’s original design. More information can be found here: sbc.rictor.org/support/conv.html

     [Wayback/Archive] 65816 to 6502 converter by Daryl Rictor.

   • DB19 to IDC20

     USD 11 [Wayback/Archive] DB19 to IDC20 Floppy Disk adapter

     DB19 to IDC20 Floppy Disk adapter

     …

     directly connect IDC20 Pin Cable  connector to the 19-pin port of Apple IIc, or to a floppy controller with a 19-pin connector

     Probably cheaper to use the package deals from BMOW

   • IDC20 to DB19 cable adapter

     USD 13 [Wayback/Archive] IDC20 to DB19 cable adapter

     The product is designed to be directly connect IDC20 pin connector to the DB19 pin port .

     Likely the combo from BMOW is cheaper.

     TrackStar II

      

   • USD 75 [Wayback/Archive] TRAK STAR II
     

     Readout of Disk Drive head position .

     …

     Constant Digital Readout of Disk Drive head position .

     Work with any 5″ Apple II compatible Drive .
     Display Full , Half and Quarter track head position .

     Nice idea, but has not been in stock for a long time and feels overpriced.

   • Quadlink Clone Kit

     USD 160 [Wayback/Archive] Quadlink Clone Kit

     It’s an ISA expansion card from the ’80s designed to turn your IBM PC (such as a 5150 or 5160) into an Apple ][! After booting and running the software, you can switch quickly between PC and Apple mode using Ctrl-Alt-A (for Apple) and Ctrl-Alt-P (for PC).

     Kit contain all PCB , passive components and chips needed to build working Quadlink Clone .

     [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – schlae/quapple: Quadlink clone turns your ancient IBM PC into an Apple ][

     Only useful if I find back an ISA compatible PC.

   • 3D Stickers set

     USD 10 [Wayback/Archive] 3D Stickers set

     Apple II logo and Disk II label sticker set .

     Actually this is quite a nice idea, despite them having been out of stock like forever.

   • RamFactor1M

     USD 85 [Wayback/Archive] RamFactor1M

     RamFactor1M is based on Aplied Engineering RAMFactor card ( firmware is same as original ), however it uses more modern low power 1MB SRAM and can provided battery backup up to 1-2 Year with small CR2032 Battery.

     The battery is for backup data (just like PowerFactor from Aplied Engineering ) and can be used as Solid State Disk.

     This is a trip down memory lane, though back then school could not afford these.

   • Apple II Slot Extender

     USD 40 [Wayback/Archive] Apple II Slot Extender

     The Apple II slot extender allows you to easily and freely test the functionality and repair your Apple II cards outside of the computer.

     You can also turn off voltages that aren’t necessary for the card to work to prevent testing errors.

     Package include

     • 1 x Apple II extender PCB bottom
     • 1 x Apple II extender PCB Top
     • 1 x 50 pin Flat ribbon cable with 0.5m length ( contact me if you want a longer cable )

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   One more shop (: I think I found it searching for [Wayback/Archive] BlueSCSI, but anyway at [Wayback/Archive] Shop – Joe’s Computer Museum, focussing on [Wayback/Archive] Apple //e Archives – Joe’s Computer Museum I found these interesting items:

   • A2Pico

     USD 55 [Wayback/Archive] A2Pico – Multi-Function Card – Joe’s Computer Museum

     A2Pico is, essentially, a universal peripheral card for your Apple ][ Computer. Want a Z80 CPM Card? Maybe you need inexpensive mass storage. Need to add SmartPort support to your machine? Or, maybe you’re a hacker and want to design your own function. A2Pico lets you do just that!

     Using it easy: Flash it with the firmware you want to use (or write your own firmware!), put it in the appropriate Apple // slot and have fun!

     NOTE: your card will come without firmware, so that you can choose to make the card whatever you like!

     [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – oliverschmidt/a2pico: A2Pico

     A2Pico is about Apple II peripheral cards based on the Raspberry Pi Pico. It consists of two parts:

     • Several hardware reference designs
     • A software library for projects based on A2Pico

   • A2DVI card

     USD 50 [Wayback/Archive] A2DVI v2.0 – Apple II Digital Video Adapter – Joe’s Computer Museum

     The A2DVI produces a digital video stream from your Apple II’s memory. The signal is output via an HDMI-compatible connector, giving your Apple II the option of output to modern displays. No more analog signal conversion required.

     [Wayback/Archive] GitHub – rallepalaveev/A2DVI

     Unlike the below “universal” adapter, the A2DVI might be just the thing for me.

   • JCM Universal Apple RGB Adapter

     USD 20-35 (kit or assembled) [Wayback/Archive] JCM Universal Apple RGB Adapter – Joe’s Computer Museum

     The Universal Apple RGB Adapter takes the 4-Bit TTL RGB signal from an Apple ///, the Apple /// Plus or the Apple IIe Video7-style RGB card and converts it to two formats: IBM-style CGA-Compatible TTL, and Apple IIgs Standard. On the Apple /// machines, it also connects the color NTSC signal from the rear connector to a standard RCA-Jack so you can use it.

     Since I don’t have either an Apple ///, nore a Apple IIe Video7-style RGB card, this might not be fore me.

   • Why Cable? – Original DB19

     USD 15-30 [Wayback/Archive] Why Cable? – Apple IIe Card Y-Cable Replacement (Original DB19) – Joe’s Computer Museum

     Everybody wants the Apple IIe Card. Nobody has the “Y-Cable” that goes with it; they tend to get lost. So, I designed a replacement solution!

     The Why Cable? Apple IIe Card Y-Cable Replacement solves your Floppy and Joystick problem with your Apple IIe Card. Just plug it into your card, then add your floppy drive and joystick and your Apple IIe card will work as intended!

     This version emulates the original DB19 cable, and is fully compatible with all drives the Apple IIe Card lists as compatible.

     Need to check out if I still have this cable/connector or need the below one (:

   • Why Cable? – 20-Pin Cable Version

     USD 10-25 [Wayback/Archive] Why Cable? – Apple IIe Card Y-Cable Replacement (20-Pin Cable Version) – Joe’s Computer Museum

     Everybody wants the Apple IIe Card. Nobody has the “Y-Cable” that goes with it; they tend to get lost. So, I designed a replacement solution!

     The Why Cable? Apple IIe Card Y-Cable Replacement solves your Floppy and Joystick problem with your Apple IIe Card. Just plug it into your card, then add your floppy drive and joystick and your Apple IIe card will work as intended!

     This version works with 20-pin ribbon cable connectors and supports any drive that properly emulates a standard 5.25 inch Disk ][ drive, including the FloppyEMU and wDrive.

     And I need to check if it is missing, if I need the 19 or 20 pin version. Likely I need the 20-pin one.

     • Some 3D printed replacement for your Apple //e opening covers on the back of your machine, and for your Alps Key Stems:
       

       DB-19/DB-25/DB-9 back plates (3D printed, STL files if you want to print your own)

       DB-19: outside view

       DB-19: inside view

       DB-25: outside view

       DB-25: inside view

       DB-25 for Audio Jacks: outside

       DB-25 for Audio Jacks: inside

       DB-9: outside view

       DB-9: inside view

       DB-25 with DB-9 opening: assembled

       DB-25 with DB-9 opening: outside

       DB-25 with DB-9 opening: inside

       USD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB-19 Back PlateUSD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB-25 Back PlateUSD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB-25 Back Plate for Audio JacksUSD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB-9 Back PlateUSD 1
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Apple //e DB25 Back Plate with DB9 Opening[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stl[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stl[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stl[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stl[Wayback]
       A2e-DB25-with-DB9-insert.stlAdding the hole in the design required thickening of the base and increasing the depth of the holding clips so they would not pull out when tension is applied to an attached external cable.

       Note that all link(ed?) to the same .stl file, which is only correct for the right most back plate: “DB-25 with DB-9 opening”.

       All of these are based on [Wayback/Archive] Apple IIe port covers, thicker for FFF printers by scruss – Thingiverse which in turn is based on [Wayback/Archive] Apple IIe port covers, three sizes by option8 – Thingiverse.

       Alps Key Stems (one of them has the wrong picture, but they are manufactured correctly; 3D printed; no STL-files on the product pages)

       Alps Key Stems, Short – 10 Pack

       Alps Key Stems, Long – 10 Pack

       USD 5
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Alps Key Stems, Short – 10 Pack – Joe’s Computer MuseumUSD 5
       [Wayback/Archive]
       Alps Key Stems, Long – 10 Pack – Joe’s Computer Museum

       This might have been the base STL file for this: [Wayback] Hairpin-To-Alps-keycap-adaptor.stl

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   For all shops: I didn’t list all of their items, just the ones that I might use in the future.

   An interesting device I did not know about either was the FujiNet one: it is fully open source! One thing to check out is where to order pre-assembled ones for Apple II series.

   • [Wayback/Archive] FujiNet · GitHub
     

     FujiNet is a multi-peripheral emulator and WiFi network device for vintage computers. The first completed hardware was for the Atari 8-Bit line of computers and development has begun for other systems (Coleco ADAM, Apple II, Commodore 64, Atari Lynx, ZX Spectrum and more) with the goal of supporting as many old systems as possible. What sets FujiNet apart from other WiFi devices is the new Network Device (the N Device). The N device allows vintage computers that do not have enough processing power to handle TCP/IP connections themselves to talk to the modern internet over WiFi. Virtual adapters have been created for many protocols including: TCP, UDP, HTTP, FTP, TNFS, HTTPS (SSL/TLS), SSH, TELNET, WebDAV and JSON parser. The FujiNet project is 100% completely open source, software and hardware. All code and schematics are available here.

   • [Wayback/Archive] FutureVision Research was the only shop I found selling them, but I probably overlooked others.
     • [Wayback/Archive] FujiNet – FutureVision Research

     • Apple II/III FujiNet w/ accesoiries

       USD 110 [Wayback/Archive] FujiNet for Apple II & III (With Accessories) – FutureVision Research

       The FujiApple Rev1.1 for SmartPort enabled Apple II computers emulates SmartPort drives, Disk II drives (read only), CP/M, Clock, Modem, and a new Network Device. Disk images can be mounted directly from the internet via TNFS servers or from the onboard MicroSD socket*. The Network device enables access to Internet protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, TNFS, SSH, TCP, UDP and more.

       …

       This kit comes with the following (ribbon cable color may be gray or rainbow depending on availability):

       • FujiNet for Apple II & III
       • DB-19 to IDC20 Female adapter
       • 30cm IDC20 Female to Male cable
       • 30cm IDC20 Female to Female cable
       • DB-19 spacer
       • Two different lengths of thumbscrews
         • Two 1.375″ thumbscrews for use with IIe/III
         • Two 1.5″ thumbscrews for use with IIc/gs/+

       The page contains many more helpful information and links.

    

   ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

   Some non-shop links

   • [Wayback/Archive] FloppyEmu vs. CFFA3000/Booti | Applefritter
   • [Wayback/Archive] Plus Too Mac Replica | Big Mess o’ Wires
     • [Wayback/Archive] Plus Too | Big Mess o’ Wires
   • [Wayback/Archive] Floppy Emu Disk Emulator? : apple2
     

     Yes. I’d rank it as the most versatile as it works across the greatest number of machines (Apple 2s and Macs).

     It is cheaper and more readily available than the other solutions.
     The only slight downside is it isn’t as fast, direct memory access/processor wise, as the card solutions that exist – but those do use up a slot, and there isn’t much software that can take advantage of the speed difference anyway – and on a machine that only goes a couple Mhz anyway, it won’t make much difference.

     It’s 7 years old at this point, but Joe’s Computer Museum did an excellent video comparing the major options here:

     https://youtu.be/Wjy6_qnTnv0

     a covering

     • MicroDrive/Turbo
     • CFFA3000
     • Floppy Emu
     • SDFloppy II
     • UNISDISK Air 19 – [Wayback/Archive] UNISDISK Air Series, very hard to get

     [Wayback/Archive] Apple II Mass Storage Benchmark Results – Joe’s Computer Museum

     [Wayback/Archive] Apple II Mass Storage Mega Roundup – YouTube

   • [Wayback/Archive] Nerdly Pleasures: wDrive v. Floppy Emu – Comparison of the Best Apple II Disk Emulators
   • [Wayback/Archive] Thoughts on wDrive versus Floppy Emu? | Applefritter
   • [Wayback/Archive] Fujinet for Apple II, SD card and Internet capable device for SmartPort | Applefritter (works with Yellowstone card)
   • ………………………………………………………………………………………………

   An external monitor on a Macingosh SE/30

   • [Wayback/Archive] Mac SE can use an external Monitor?? – Apple Community
   • ………………………………………………………

   Mac SE/30 and Macintosh Classic

   Since I own both a Macintosh SE/30 and a Macintosh Classic, these are relevant too:

   • [Wayback/Archive] Classic II vs SE/30 – TidBITS
   • [Wayback/Archive] Siblings – Macintosh SE and Mac Classic : VintageApple
   • ……………………………………………………………………………………………

   Queries

   I used additional queries than the first blog post to complete this blog post. Here they are:

   • [Wayback/Archive] macintosh Floppy Emu 3.5 – Google Suche
   • [Wayback/Archive] apple 2 disk sd card – Google Suche
   • [Wayback/Archive] Liron disk controller card – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] cffa vs floppy emu – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] floppy emu apple ii disk controller – Google Suche
   • [Wayback/Archive] wDrive vs floppy emu – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] fujinet apple ii – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] Apple Liron – Search on Google
   • [Wayback/Archive] Yellowstone fujinet – Sök på Google
   • [Wayback/Archive] does floppy emu work with classic macintosh – Google Search
   • [Wayback/Archive] mac se/30 versus macintosh classic – Google Suche
   • ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
   • [Wayback/Archive] bluescsi v2 – Sök på Google

   --jeroen

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

   Rate this:

   #12 #156 #25 #3dprint #3dprinting #4 #Apple #appleiigs #AprilApples

   #3dprint #3dprinting #apple #appleiigs #aprilapples
5. 

   Sky Dancing @[email protected] · 2025-05-24 · 17:48 UTC

   Lazy Caturday Reads

   Woman and Cat, by Koji Fukiya, 1936.

   Good Afternoon!!

   Yesterday, Dakinikat wrote about Trump’s crypto dinner, where he briefly spoke to the people who had spent the most on his personal memecoin. The “gala dinner” was held at Trump’s Virginia golf club. The attendees–mostly from foreign countries–had spent their money hoping to gain “access” to Trump, but that didn’t happen, at least at this event. Trump showed up on a “military helicopter,” spoke for less than half and hour and then did his YMCA dance. Then he left again without speaking to anyone personally. And the food was terrible.

   Wired: A Helicopter, Halibut, and ‘Y.M.C.A’: Inside Donald Trump’s Memecoin Dinner.

   Donald Trump left the stage at his golf club near Washington, DC, on Thursday night, he pointed to the crowd, brought his index finger to his temple—as if to say: You know what’s coming—then began to dance. To the beat of “Y.M.C.A” by The Village People, Trump shimmied, gyrated, and pumped his arms above his head.

   Looking on were more than 200 people who had been invited to the Trump National Golf Club for a private gala dinner. They had won their seats by purchasing large quantities of Trump’s own crypto coin—TRUMP—some holding millions of dollars’ worth….

   By late afternoon, the dinner guests had started to filter through the gates of the golf club. By comparison to Trump’s previous banquets, thronging with DC insiders and members of the Silicon Valley elite, the crypto dinner attracted a mismatched collection of oddballs: independent traders rubbed shoulders with crypto executives, die-hard Trump fans, and even professional sports stars—former NBA player Lamar Odom towered overhead. A handful wore bowties in Bitcoin orange; others sported gold Trump sneakers.

   Just after 7 pm, the dinner guests gathered at the window to watch Trump descend in Marine One, his presidential helicopter. A short while later, he appeared from behind a blue velvet curtain to whoops and applause from the crowd. Had they seen the helicopter, Trump asked. “Yeah, super cool!” somebody yelled….

   From behind a lectern at one end of the dining room, backdropped by four US flags, Trump delivered a characteristically winding and digressive speech that sources say lasted around 25 minutes. At some point, he got round to crypto.

   “We’ve got some of the smartest minds anywhere in the world right here in this room,” said Trump. “You believe in the whole crypto thing. A lot of people are starting to believe in it … This is really something that may be special—who knows, right? Who knows—but it may be special.”

   For some, the dinner represented a chance to network with other deep-pocketed crypto figures, and to hear directly from Trump about his plans to bring an end to the regulatory uncertainty that crimped the industry’s expansion under Biden.

   “You don’t get to meet the president easily,” Vincent Liu, chief investment officer at trading firm Kronos Research, told WIRED a few days before the dinner. “To be able to hear his message on crypto directly—I’m definitely looking forward to that.”

   Woodblock print from Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s series One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (1885-1892)

   No one got to meet the president, but I Wired says they also wanted to network with each other. On the general presentation and the food, served at circular tables

   …each seating 10 people arrayed beneath a set of crystal chandeliers. Waiting on the chairs were gift bags containing Fight Fight Fight-themed hats and posters, and a collectible plastic card (some allege that they didn’t receive merch at their seats.) The four largest coin holders—along with two other attendees selected by raffle, sources say—received a gem-encrusted Trump gold watch.

   Between mouthfuls, the attendees discussed trading and investment strategies—and Trump’s speech. “To feel his personal charisma to me was very inspiring,” says Liu. But others complained about the brevity of Trump’s appearance: After his speech, Trump had departed immediately in a golf cart bound for his helicopter. “Trump could have at least given the top people their watches himself,” says Pinto. “He didn’t.”

   The food itself had left a bitter taste in the mouth, too. “It was the worst food I’ve ever had at a Trump golf course,” says Pinto, who added he left hungry. “The only good thing was bread and butter.” Another attendee described the meal as “OK, but not top-class.”

   From Penn Live: Trump’s controversial crypto dinner ripped by attendee: ‘Trash.’

   Donald Trump’s controversial memecoin dinner Thursday night was shrouded in secrecy, and while it still isn’t clear who all attended — the White House did not make the list public — we do have a report of how good the food was….

   According to Fortune, 25-year-old Nicholas Pinto was one of those who attended. The site said he invested “more than $360,000 in Trump’s memecoin.

   And for that, he told the site, the dinner that was served was “trash.”

   “Walmart steak, man,” he texted Fortune.

   The site said the menu for the included a “Trump organic field green salad” and an “entrée duet” of filet mignon and pan-seared halibut.

   “Everybody at my table was saying the food was so of the worst they ever had,” Pinto said.

   “I was hoping for Big Macs or pizza,” Pinto told Fortune. “That would have been better than the food that we were served.”

   Trump is just raking in the dough as quickly as he can with the minimum effort.

   The New York Times got the guest list: Who Won a Seat at Trump’s Crypto Dinner?

   The invitees for President Trump’s private dinner for customers of his cryptocurrency business on Thursday included a Chinese billionaire fighting a lawsuit from U.S. regulators, a lawyer for Justice Clarence Thomas and a former basketball star, according to a guest list obtained by The New York Times and social media posts.

   The dinner, at which Mr. Trump gave remarks, was an extraordinary moment in which the president leveraged his position to make money — for his crypto business and for his Virginia golf club, which hosted the event.

   The event’s invited guests were not known publicly beforehand, even to each other. They were identified only by the pseudonyms they used on the electronic wallets where they kept their $TRUMP memecoins. Most had gained an invitation by becoming one of the top 220 holders of that memecoin over a certain period of time. The top 25 of those were given V.I.P. status and afforded a more intimate gathering before the dinner and an unofficial tour of the White House on Friday.

   When they arrived at Mr. Trump’s club outside Washington Thursday evening, the digital world had become physical. The invitees’ names and contact information were delineated on paper lists, checked by staffers at the door. A Times reporter reviewed one of those lists, and used it to identify people who were present. Some other invitees self-identified on social media. A reporter and photographer from The Times also saw some $TRUMP crypto buyers enter and exit the White House on Friday.

   Merchant’s Daughter by Mizuno Toshikata

   Some top invitees:

   Justin Sun, a Chinese crypto billionaire who was sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission under President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for allegedly inflating the value of a cryptocurrency. Mr. Sun is a major investor in a separate crypto venture largely owned by a company tied to Mr. Trump, World Liberty Financial. After Mr. Trump took office, the S.E.C. asked a judge to put Mr. Sun’s case on hold….

   Elliot Berke, a Washington attorney who has worked for congressional Republicans and Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court. The Times identified him because the invitee list included his email address at his law firm, Berke Farah. He was honored as “Republican Lawyer of the Year” in 2021 by the Republican National Lawyers Association….

   Evgeny Gaevoy, the founder and chief executive of a digital-asset firm, Wintermute. The Times identified him because the list of invitees included his Wintermute email….

   Anil Lulla and Yan Liberman, two co-founders of Delphi Digital, a Miami Beach firm that offers market intelligence for crypto investors. Their corporate emails were included in the list of invitees….

   Cheng Lu, 32, a crypto investor from Shanghai, was observed by a Times reporter entering the White House on Friday. He said he did not have a chance to speak with Mr. Trump during the dinner on Thursday or at the Friday tour. “I just want to see President Trump,” he said.

   Several more are listed at the NYT link.

   Another big story today is Trump’s terrifying persecution of Harvard University. Here’s the latest:

   From The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board: Is Trump Trying to Destroy Harvard? The order against foreign students turns away the world’s brightest.

   The Trump Administration has frozen billions in federal grants to Harvard University, threatened its tax-exempt status, and sought to dictate its curriculum and hiring. Now the government seems bent on destroying the school for the offense of fighting back. And for what purpose?

   That’s how we read the Department of Homeland Security’s move Thursday to bar foreign students from attending the world-renowned institution. That’s 6,800 students, or a quarter of Harvard’s student body, whose futures are suddenly in disarray. It’s also a short-sighted attack on one of America’s great competitive strengths: Its ability to attract the world’s best and brightest.

   The latest assault began when DHS demanded that Harvard turn over sundry records on its foreign students, including whether any had participated in illegal activity or left the university owing to “dangerous or violent activity or deprivation of rights.”

   Some of its record requests are reasonable, but some overreached by requiring private student information. DHS also gave Harvard all of two weeks to respond. If it failed to do so, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said she would “automatically withdraw” the school’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. “The withdrawal will not be subject to appeal.”

   The SEVP program lets non-citizens enroll at universities on student visas. DHS can bar universities from the program if they fail to comply with “recordkeeping, retention, reporting and other requirements” on foreign students. Harvard says it responded with “information required by law” within two weeks and handed over more records on May 14.

   Twin Guardians, by Hawse Sumi

   That didn’t satisfy Noem and she banned Harvard from enrolling international students. Harvard soon got a restraining order from a federal court.

   Most of Harvard’s foreign students are enrolled in graduate programs. Many assist with scientific research and teaching undergraduate courses. Driving them out of Harvard will disrupt research projects and might cause some professors in the sciences to leave for other universities. This seems to be a goal of freezing Harvard’s research grants.

   Harvard sued on Friday, and a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against the student ban. The university rightly says the Administration’s actions are “clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the ‘ideology’ of its faculty and students.”

   The university seems likely to prevail on the law, but until courts settle the merits, thousands of students who have done nothing wrong will be in legal limbo. Some of them no doubt opposed the anti-Israel protests and may even hail from Israel. Why punish them? [….]

   This will be terribly damaging to America’s ability to attract talented young people who bring their enterprise and intellectual capital to the U.S. Non-citizens accounted for more than half of doctoral degrees in AI-related fields in 2022. Many have gone to work at U.S. companies like Nvidia or started their own.

   Clearly Trump hates Harvard, higher education, and education generally. But I’m coming to the conclusion that Trump’s goal is to destroy the U.S. in every possible way and at the same time enrich himself and his wealthy friends. He doesn’t even appear to care about the economy anymore. He wants Americans to be poor, ignorant, and isolated from the rest of the world.

   The New York Times: Universities See Trump’s Harvard Move as a Threat to Them, Too.

   The Trump administration’s surprising bid to end Harvard’s international enrollment put the higher education world on edge this week, looming as a larger threat against academic autonomy.

   Well beyond the halls of Harvard this week, college leaders were shocked that one swift move by the federal government could eliminate their ability to serve students from abroad, a growing population that has infused their campuses with cachet and wealth.

   “This is a grave moment,” Sally Kornbluth, the president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote in a message to her campus.

   More than 5,000 miles away, Wendy Hensel, the president of the University of Hawaii, said that it was “reverberating across higher education.”

   President Trump has already unnerved universities this year by launching investigations, freezing grants, demanding changes in campus practices and attempting to deport international students. He has justified his punitive approach as a means to combat what he considers antisemitism. But he and his allies also have long resented a perceived liberal bias and racial diversity efforts at prestigious colleges.

   The Trump administration said Thursday that it revoked Harvard’s international student certification because the university had failed to meet its demands, including a request for records of student protest activity dating back five years.

   To many academics, that was a clear signal that Mr. Trump was prepared to use any federal mechanism as leverage if he did not get what he wants.

   “While Harvard is the victim of the moment, it’s a warning and unprecedented attempt of a hostile federal government to erode the autonomy of all major universities in the U.S.,” said John Aubrey Douglass, a senior research fellow at the Center for Studies in Higher Education at the University of California, Berkeley.

   Yesterday, Trump and Marco Rubio began dismantling the National Security Council.

   CNN: More than 100 National Security Council staffers put on administrative leave.

   The Trump administration has put more than 100 officials at the National Security Council at the White House on administrative leave on Friday as part of a restructuring under interim national security adviser and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to two US officials and another source familiar with the matter.

   Woman and cat, by Toyohara Kunichika

   CNN previously reported that a significant overhaul of the body in charge of coordinating the president’s foreign policy agenda was expected in the coming days, including a staff reduction and a reinforced top-down approach with decision-making concentrated at the highest levels.

   An email from NSC chief of staff Brian McCormack went out around 4:20 p.m. informing those being dismissed they’d have 30 minutes to clean out their desks, according to an administration official. If they weren’t on campus, the email read, they could email an address and arrange a time to retrieve their stuff later and turn in devices.

   The email subject line read: “Your return to home agency,” indicating that most of those affected were detailed to the NSC from other departments and agencies….

   With this happening on a Friday afternoon before a long holiday weekend, the official called it “as unprofessional and reckless as could possibly be.”

   Those put on leave include career officials, as well as political hires made during the Trump administration….

   Staffed by foreign policy experts from across the US government, the NSC typically serves as a critical body for coordinating the president’s foreign policy agenda.

   But under President Donald Trump, the NSC’s role has been diminished, with the overhaul expected to further reduce its importance in the White House.

   Axios says they are trying to purge the “deep state.”

   President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have orchestrated a vast restructuring of the National Security Council, reducing its size and transferring many of its powers to the State and Defense departments.

   Why it matters: Trump’s White House sees the NSC as notoriously bureaucratic and filled with longtime officials who don’t share the president’s vision.

   • A White House official involved in the planning characterized the reorganization as Trump and Rubio’s latest move against what they see as Washington’s “Deep State.”
   • “The NSC is the ultimate Deep State. It’s Marco vs. the Deep State. We’re gutting the Deep State,” the official said of the move, which will cut the NSC staff to about half of its current 350 members. Those cut from the NSC will be moved to other positions in government, officials said.
   • “The right-sizing of the NSC is in line with its original purpose and the president’s vision,” Rubio told Axios in a statement. “The NSC will now be better positioned to collaborate with agencies.”

   Zoom in: White House officials point to an NSC structure that’s filled with committees and meetings that they say slow down decision-making and produce lots of jargon and acronyms.

   There’s a lot more a the link, but I think Trump is just trying to bring every part of the government under his personal control.

   Finally, I want to look at what Trump and RFK Jr. are doing with Covid-19 and Covid vaccines.

   ABC News: Why are more than 300 people in the US still dying from COVID every week? Experts say there is low vaccine uptake and people are not accessing treatments.

   More than five years after the first cases of COVID-19 were detected in the United States, hundreds of people are still dying every week.

   By Utagawa Hiroshige, 1797-1858

   Last month, an average of about 350 people died each week from COVID, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

   While high, the number of deaths is decreasing and is lower than the peak of 25,974 deaths recorded the week ending Jan. 9, 2021, as well as weekly deaths seen in previous spring months, CDC data shows.

   Public health experts told ABC News that although the U.S. is in a much better place than it was a few years ago, COVID is still a threat to high-risk groups.

   “The fact that we’re still seeing deaths just means it’s still circulating, and people are still catching it,” Dr. Tony Moody, a professor in the department of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Duke University Medical Center, told ABC News.

   The experts said there are a few reasons why people might still be dying from the virus, including low vaccination uptake, waning immunity and not enough people accessing treatments.

   Read more details at the ABC link.

   So why is the government limiting access to Covid Vaccines?

   Scientific American: What FDA’s Planned Limits on COVID Vaccinations Mean for Health.

   Larry Saltzman has blood cancer. He’s also a retired doctor, so he knows getting covid-19 could be dangerous for him — his underlying illness puts him at high risk of serious complications and death. To avoid getting sick, he stays away from large gatherings, and he’s comforted knowing healthy people who get boosters protect him by reducing his exposure to the virus.

   Until now, that is.

   Vaccine opponents and skeptics in charge of federal health agencies — starting at the top with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — are restricting access to covid shots that were a signature accomplishment of President Donald Trump’s first term and cost taxpayers about $13 billion to develop, produce, and distribute. The agencies are narrowing vaccination recommendations, pushing drugmakers to perform costly clinical studies, and taking other steps that will result in fewer people getting protection from a virus that still kills hundreds each week in the U.S.

   “There are hundreds of thousands of people who rely on these vaccines,” said Saltzman, 71, of Sacramento, California. “For people who are immunocompromised, if there aren’t enough people vaccinated, we lose the ring that’s protecting us. We’re totally vulnerable.”

   The Trump administration on May 20 rolled out tougher approval requirements for covid shots, described as a covid-19 “vaccination regulatory framework,” that could leave millions of Americans who want boosters unable to get them.

   Vaccine opponents and skeptics in charge of federal health agencies — starting at the top with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — are restricting access to covid shots that were a signature accomplishment of President Donald Trump’s first term and cost taxpayers about $13 billion to develop, produce, and distribute. The agencies are narrowing vaccination recommendations, pushing drugmakers to perform costly clinical studies, and taking other steps that will result in fewer people getting protection from a virus that still kills hundreds each week in the U.S.

   “There are hundreds of thousands of people who rely on these vaccines,” said Saltzman, 71, of Sacramento, California. “For people who are immunocompromised, if there aren’t enough people vaccinated, we lose the ring that’s protecting us. We’re totally vulnerable.”

   The Trump administration on May 20 rolled out tougher approval requirements for covid shots, described as a covid-19 “vaccination regulatory framework,” that could leave millions of Americans who want boosters unable to get them.

   Read the rest at the link. You can also check out this article at Technology Review: The FDA plans to limit access to covid vaccines. Here’s why that’s not all bad.

   Trump simply doesn’t care if Americans die. That’s obvious based on the way he dealt with Covid during his first term. He seems willing to let RFK Jr. do whatever he wants. So who can Americans turn to for guidance and access to vaccines and treatments?

   That’s it for me today. What’s on your mind?

   #CovidVaccines #Covid19Deaths #CryptoCurrency #FDA #HarvardUniversity #internationalUniversityStudents #KristiNoem #NationalSecurityCouncil #NSC #RobertFKennedyJr_ #TrumpCorruption

   #covidvaccines #covid19deaths #cryptocurrency #fda #harvarduniversity #internationaluniversitystudents
6. 

   Sky Dancing @[email protected] · 2025-08-06 · 16:50 UTC

   Wednesday Reads

   Good Afternoon!!

   Trump shouts to reporters from White House roof.

   Yesterday, Trump wandered around on the White House roof, and shouted inanities at reporters on the ground, including a joke about nuclear weapons. He is such an embarrassment.

   ABC News: Trump takes unusual stroll on White House roof.

   President Donald Trump made a surprise appearance on the White House roof above the briefing room in an apparent effort to inspect future construction.

   The press, which had been pushed significantly down the driveway, attempted to figure out what was going on.

   “Mr. President, what are you doing up there?”

   “Just taking a little walk,” he shouted back.

   “What are you building?”

   “It goes with the ballroom, which is on the other side,” he said.

   Pressed again by reporters, Trump said “Something beautiful,” while pantomiming with his hands.

   Great. So he’s planning to wreck both the East and West wings?

   The president was accompanied by a small group of aides and Secret Service. The group included architect Jim McCrery, who has been commissioned to add Trump’s ballroom to the White House. The two men appeared engaged in intense conversation as they surveyed the grounds with lots of animated pointing….

   “What are you trying to build?” one reporter shouted.

   “Missiles,” Trump responded, presumably joking. “Nuclear missiles,” he repeated while making the gesture of a rocket launching.

   Q: Sir, what are you trying to build?TRUMP: Missiles. Nuclear missiles

   — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-08-05T16:00:05.466Z

   Monica Charen at The Bulwark (Charen worked as Nancy Reagan’s speechwriter): Trump’s White House Renovation Is Awful—and Fitting.

   Americans who haven’t visited the White House for a guided tour probably can’t picture the East Wing. There’s no TV show about it. It has no famous office to rival the Oval. There are relatively few photos of it in its current form.

   As someone who worked there for six months (I moved to the West Wing after the 1984 election), allow me to sing its praises: The East Wing was built in 1902 as a visitors’ entrance and then expanded in 1942 to house the First Lady’s offices. Its style echoes the West Wing in design and footprint, which gives the White House complex a rough symmetry. Like the West Wing, it’s smaller than Hollywood imagines. It conveys stability and authority without ostentation. Unlike the West Wing, it’s flooded with sunlight and, at least when Nancy Reagan held court, adorned with fresh flowers. The two-story structure melds seamlessly into the surrounding gardens. You can hardly see it from the street.

   Rendering of planned White House ballroom

   Now President Trump has announced that he will “modernize” (which must mean demolish) the East Wing and replace it with a huge, gaudy ballroom. At 90,000 square feet, the ballroom will dwarf the West Wing and even the residence. Naturally it will be adorned in white and gold (to get a flavor, have a look at the way Trump has decorated the Oval Office). This permanent disfigurement will solve a problem that doesn’t exist. When the president entertains more people than can comfortably fit in the East Room (about 200), tents are erected on the lawn complete with floors and walls. But Trump is dissatisfied with the historic building that was good enough for Lincoln and Eisenhower and Reagan. Ladies’ high heels sink into the grass, he says, explaining why he has also paved over the Rose Garden.

   But rather than rail against this desecration of a key national symbol, perhaps it’s better to welcome it. The presidency will never be the same post-Trump, so why not the White House? Why not make concrete and visible the destruction of centuries-old norms and values? This president has just elevated to a Court of Appeals a lawyer who presided over a purge of FBI agents who investigated Trump for January 6th and instructed his underlings at the Justice Department to “F— the courts.” He has opened a criminal investigation into former Special Counsel Jack Smith on the specious charge of violating the Hatch Act. His attorney general has opened a disciplinary investigation of Judge James Boasberg because Boasberg privately expressed concerns that the Trump administration might, to borrow a phrase, “F— the courts.”

   Read the rest at the Bulwark.

   Later yesterday, Trump further made an ass of himself at an event about to the Olympics. The Los Angeles Times: Trump names himself chair of L.A. Olympics task force, sees role for military during Games.

   In past Olympic Games held on American soil, sitting presidents have served in passive, ceremonial roles. President Trump may have other plans.

   An executive order signed by Trump on Tuesday names him chair of a White House task force on the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, viewed by the president as “a premier opportunity to showcase American exceptionalism,” according to a White House statement. Trump, the administration said, “is taking every opportunity to showcase American greatness on the world stage.”

   At the White House, speaking in front of banners adding the presidential seal to the logo for LA28, Trump said he would send the military back to Los Angeles if he so chose in order to protect the Games. In June, Trump sent the National Guard and U.S. Marines to the city amid widespread immigration enforcement actions, despite widespread condemnation from Mayor Karen Bass and other local officials.

   “We’ll do anything necessary to keep the Olympics safe, including using our National Guard or military, OK?” he said. “I will use the National Guard or the military. This is going to be so safe. If we have to.”

   Trump’s executive order establishes a task force led by him and Vice President JD Vance to steer federal coordination for the Games. The task force will work with federal, state and local partners on security and transportation, according to the White House.

   Those roles have been fairly standard for the federal government in past U.S.-hosted Olympic Games. But Trump’s news conference could present questions about whether a president with a penchant for showmanship might assume an unusually active role in planning the Olympics, set to take place in the twilight of his final term.

   There is ample precedent for military and National Guard forces providing security support during U.S.-hosted Olympic Games. But coming on the heels of the recent military deployment to Los Angeles, Trump’s comments may prove contentious.

   Anyone who thinks Trump is planning to leave the White House at the end of his term is living in a fantasy world. He’s turning the White House into Mar-a-Lago North, and he doesn’t plan to leave. Next, he’ll build a golf course on White House grounds. Rachel Maddow said it out loud on Monday night.

   The Wrap: Rachel Maddow Warns the US Isn’t Headed for Dictatorship: ‘We Are There.’

   Rachel Maddow did not sugarcoat it for viewers: The MSNBC anchor warned viewers that the United States is not headed towards an authoritarian state under President Donald Trump: “We are there. It is here.”

   “Life in the United States is profoundly changing and is profoundly different than it was even six months ago,” the anchor said Monday night on “The Rachel Maddow Show.” “Because we do now live in a country that has an authoritarian leader in charge, we have a consolidating dictatorship in our country.”

   Maddow went on to paint the picture of what she called a caricature of an authoritarian state. She mentioned secret police, prison camps and individuals fired for speaking a truth that does not please their authoritarian leader.

   “We’re beyond waiting and seeing now. It is clear what’s going on,” she said. “We have crossed a line. We are in a place we did not want to be, but we are there.”

   She pointed to immigration raids happening nationwide, comparing ICE agents with masked secret police, even referring to immigrants as “the scapegoated enemy on whom all things must be blamed and against whom all things are justified.” Another element she raised was that Trump has turned military force inward on the American people.

   In addition to acts of violence against Americans, Maddow noted that under this authoritarian rule protests must be criminalized and media must be intimidated into saying and doing what the leader wants. She added that top universities and law firms are also subject to funding cuts if they do not bow to the president.

   And if you release facts to the contrary of the president, be careful.

   “Because he said it, then it must be true, and if you say otherwise then you will be fired,” Maddow said.

   Also during the Olympics event, Grandpa Trump repeated, for he umpteenth time, his insane ideas about California’s supposed mismanagement of water and forest fires.

   oh my goodness — get a load of Trump's incoherent rant about water management in California (this is an event about the Olympics!)

   — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-08-05T21:00:44.957Z

   In Epstein scandal news, Trump and Vance will meet with other top officials, including the Attorney General and Assistant Attorney General and the head of the FBI to discuss how to control the fallout from the highly unusual meeting of Assistant AG Todd Blanche with Ghislaine Maxwell and her subsequent transfer to a minimum security prison. Remember the days when the Department of Justice remained scrupulously independent of the president?

   CNN: Top Trump officials will discuss Epstein strategy at Wednesday dinner hosted by Vance.

   Top Trump administration officials will gather at the vice president’s residence Wednesday evening as they continue to weigh whether to publish an audio recording and transcript of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s recent conversation with Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

   The administration’s handling of the Epstein case, as well as the need to craft a unified response, is expected to be a main focus of the dinner, three sources familiar with the meeting told CNN. The meeting will include White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Vice President JD Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel and Blanche.

   Officials who will meet to discuss Epstein strategy

   With the exception of Vance, the White House considers those officials the leaders of the administration’s ongoing strategy regarding the Epstein files, two of the sources said.

   The meeting comes as Trump’s administration is considering releasing the contents of Blanche’s interview last month with Maxwell. Two officials told CNN that the materials could be made public as early as this week.

   There have also been internal discussions about Blanche holding a press conference or doing a high-profile interview, possibly with popular podcaster Joe Rogan, according to three people familiar with the discussions, though those conversations are preliminary. Rogan, who endorsed Trump on the eve of last fall’s election, has been highly critical of the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein case and previously called their refusal release more information about Epstein a “line in the sand.”

   Meanwhile, CNN previously reported that the Justice Department has been digitizing, transcribing and redacting the interview materials as they weigh if and when to publicly release the information from the Maxwell interview. There is over 10 hours of audio, a senior Trump administration official said. Portions of the transcript that could reveal sensitive details like victim names would also have to be redacted, one of the officials said.

   One official told CNN that some of the conversation within the White House has focused on whether making the details from the interview public would bring the Epstein controversy back to the surface. Many officials close to Trump believe the story has largely died down.

   Really? I don’t think so.

   Meanwhile, in his supposed investigation of the Epstein files, GOP Rep. James Comer has issued subpoenas to a bizarre list of people. Politico: Comer issues subpoenas for DOJ’s Epstein files, depositions with former officials.

   The House Oversight Committee on Tuesday issued subpoenas for Department of Justice records on the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, as well as for interviews with a slate of former government officials in connection to the case.

   Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) announced that he was summoning nearly a dozen former officials to appear for depositions on the Epstein investigation — a list that includes former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

   Former U.S. Attorneys General William Barr, Alberto Gonzales, Jeff Sessions, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder and Merrick Garland, as well as former FBI Directors Robert Mueller and James Comey were also tapped to give testimony in connection to the case.

   Comer was required to send the subpoenas after a Democratic-led subcommittee vote in July.

   The move is the latest in a broader battle over the Epstein files, which took the Trump administration by storm last month as anger boiled over from within MAGA circles about the administration’s handling of the case.

   The committee’s subpoena of Bill Clinton in particular seems more symbolic than substantive. No former president has ever testified to Congress under the compulsion of a subpoena — and lawmakers have tried only twice before: once in 1953, when the House Un-American Activities Committee subpoenaed Harry Truman, and once in 2022, when the Jan. 6 select committee subpoenaed Donald Trump.

   Neither president testified in those instances, and the Justice Department has long cited Truman’s example — though not backed by any legal precedent — to suggest that it is improper for Congress to compel even former presidents to testify, given separation of powers concerns.

   Yesterday The New York Times published photos from inside Jeffrey Epstein’s New York townhouse. The article also included the full text of a letter from Woody Allen on Epstein’s 63 birthday. (gift link): A Look Inside Jeffrey Epstein’s Manhattan Lair.

   As a gift for Jeffrey Epstein’s 63rd birthday, friends sent letters in tribute to the wealthy financier and convicted sex offender. Several shared a common theme: recounting the dinner gatherings that Mr. Epstein regularly hosted at his palatial townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

   Ehud Barak, former prime minister of Israel, and his wife noted the great diversity of guests. “There is no limit to your curiosity,” they wrote in their message, which was compiled with others in January 2016. “You are like a closed book to many of them but you know everything about everyone.”

   A sculpture of a bride clinging to a rope dangled in a central atrium of Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion.

   The media mogul Mortimer Zuckerman suggested ingredients for a meal that would reflect the culture of the mansion: a simple salad and whatever else “would enhance Jeffrey’s sexual performance.”

   And the director Woody Allen described how the dinners reminded him of Dracula’s castle, “where Lugosi has three young female vampires who service the place.” [….]

   But Mr. Epstein’s prized property was no gloomy Transylvanian fortress. He had spent years turning the seven-story, 21,000-square-foot townhouse into a place where he could flaunt — and deepen — his connections to the rich and powerful, even as hints of his dark side lurked within, according to previously undisclosed photos and documents showing how he lived in his later years.

   Since Mr. Epstein’s death in federal custody in 2019, which was ruled a suicide, many mysteries about his life have remained unsolved. How did he amass a nine-figure fortune? And why did so many powerful men continue to fraternize with him long after he became a registered sex offender?

   The White House had pledged to release details about the federal investigations into Mr. Epstein and his associates. But this summer the Trump administration backpedaled. The ensuing right-wing outrage has threatened to splinter the Make America Great Again movement — for whom Mr. Epstein is a central figure in conspiracy theories — and has put Mr. Trump on the defensive like few other issues….

   At least one other MAGA luminary also visited the townhouse: Stephen K. Bannon, a former adviser to Mr. Trump and an online media personality, who has said that he videotaped hours of interviews in the mansion with Mr. Epstein in 2019. Framed photos of Mr. Bannon — including a mirror selfie snapped by Mr. Epstein — were kept in at least two rooms in the mansion.

   Use the gift link to read the rest if you’re interested.

   The Guardian: Epstein scandal broadens as trove of letters from famous figures published.

   The long-running scandal surrounding the disgraced late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein broadened on Tuesday after the New York Times published a trove ofpreviously unseen letters to Epstein from numerous powerful figures as well as unseen photographs from inside his Manhattan mansion.

   The letters, written to Epstein by a number of high-profile individuals, were reportedly compiled as a birthday gift for Epstein’s 63rd birthday in 2016. Their publication comes amid intense speculation around Donald Trump’s ties to Epstein, who was found dead in a New York jail in 2019 and had long cultivated a celebrity social circle of the rich and powerful.

   In one letter, former prime minister of Israel Ehud Barak and his wife wrote “there is no limit to your curiosity.”

   “You are like a closed book to many of them but you know everything about everyone,” they wrote, describing Epstein as “A COLLECTOR OF PEOPLE”.

   They continued: “May you enjoy long and healthy life and may all of us, your friends, enjoy your table for many more years to come.”

   In a letter from film-maker Woody Allen, Allen reminisced about Epstein’s dinner parties at his Upper East Side townhouse and described the gatherings as “always interesting”. He noted that the parties included “politicians, scientists, teachers, magicians, comedians, intellectuals, journalists” and “even royalty”.

   Allen also described the dinners as “well served”: “I say well served – often it’s by some professional houseman and just as often by several young women” who he said reminded him of “Castle Dracula where Lugosi has three young female vampires who service the place.”

   Other letter writers reportedly included billionaire media mogulMortimer Zuckerman;Noam Chomsky and his wife; Joichi Ito, the former head of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab; physicist Lawrence M Krauss; and Harvard biologist and mathematician Martin Nowak.

   A few more insane stories:

   BBC News: RFK Jr cancels $500m in funding for mRNA vaccines for diseases like Covid.

   The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to cancel $500m (£376m) in funding for mRNA vaccines being developed to counter viruses that cause diseases such as the flu and Covid-19.

   That will impact 22 projects being led by major pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer and Moderna, for vaccines against bird flu and other viruses, HHS said.

   Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, a vaccine sceptic, announced he was pulling the funding over claims that “mRNA technology poses more risks than benefits for these respiratory viruses”.

   Doctors and health experts have criticised Kennedy’s longstanding questioning of the safety and efficacy of vaccines and his views on health policies.

   The development of mRNA vaccines to target Covid-19 was critical in helping slow down the pandemic and saving millions of lives, said Peter Lurie, a former US Food and Drug Administration official.

   He told the BBC that the change was the US “turning its back on one of the most promising tools to fight the next pandemic”.

   In a statement, Kennedy said his team had “reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted”. “[T]he data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu,” he said.

   He said the department was shifting the funding toward “safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate”.

   Kennedy also claimed that mRNA vaccines can help “encourage new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine”.

   Health experts have said that viruses mutate regardless of whether vaccines exist for them.

   NPR: Why a NASA satellite that scientists and farmers rely on may be destroyed on purpose.

   The Trump administration has asked NASA employees to draw up plans to end at least two major satellite missions, according to current and former NASA staffers. If the plans are carried out, one of the missions would be permanently terminated, because the satellite would burn up in the atmosphere.

   The data the two missions collect is widely used, including by scientists, oil and gas companies and farmers who need detailed information about carbon dioxide and crop health. They are the only two federal satellite missions that were designed and built specifically to monitor planet-warming greenhouse gases.

   It is unclear why the Trump administration seeks to end the missions. The equipment in space is state of the art and is expected to function for many more years, according to scientists who worked on the missions. An official review by NASA in 2023 found that “the data are of exceptionally high quality” and recommended continuing the mission for at least three years.

   Both missions, known as the Orbiting Carbon Observatories, measure carbon dioxide and plant growth around the globe. They use identical measurement devices, but one device is attached to a stand-alone satellite while the other is attached to the International Space Station. The standalone satellite would burn up in the atmosphere if NASA pursued plans to terminate the mission.

   NASA employees who work on the two missions are making what the agency calls Phase F plans for both carbon-monitoring missions, according to David Crisp, a longtime NASA scientist who designed the instruments and managed the missions until he retired in 2022. Phase F plans lay out options for terminating NASA missions.

   Crisp says NASA employees making those termination plans have reached out to him for his technical expertise. “What I have heard is direct communications from people who were making those plans, who weren’t allowed to tell me that that’s what they were told to do. But they were allowed to ask me questions,” Crisp says. “They were asking me very sharp questions. The only thing that would have motivated those questions was [that] somebody told them to come up with a termination plan.”

   Joseph Cirincione, vice-chair of the Center for International Policy Board of Directors at MSNBC: We don’t need nuclear reactors on the moon.

   If Transportation Secretary and acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy wanted to do his part to help provide a distraction from the Trump administration’s Jeffrey Epstein files scandal, his announcement of a plan to put nuclear reactors on the moon was a partial success. In the 24 hours after his announcement on Monday, he was briefly trending on social media, just behind Ghislaine Maxwell.

   If he intended this to be a serious proposal for human occupation of the moon, he failed. For the near future, nuclear reactors on the moon are impractical, expensive and dangerous.

   Duffy may not understand this. He has no experience in space or nuclear technology. He is a former Fox News host who became interim director in June when President Donald Trump pulled the nomination of Elon Musk’s choice, billionaire Jared Isaacman, after Trump’s breakup with Musk.

   Space exploration has used nuclear materials for power for many decades. This is overwhelmingly in the form of radioisotope thermoelectric generators. These use plutonium-238, which gives off heat used to generate electric power for small probes, including some of the rovers on Mars. This typically involves 20 or 30 pounds of material. In fact, several of the Apollo missions left some behind on the moon were powered by such radioactive means.

   But a nuclear reactor is another matter altogether. This would involve potentially hundreds of pounds of low-enriched uranium in yet-undeveloped small reactors delivered by space launchers that don’t exist.

   Read more at the link. Also see this article from BBC News: Nasa to put nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030 – US media.

   That’s all I have for you today. What’s on your mind?

   #2028Olympics #DonaldTrump #GhislaineMaxwell #greenhouseGasesData #JeffreyEpsteinNYTownhouse #JeffreyEpsteinScandal #mNRAVaccines #NASASatellites #NuclearReactorOnMoon #RepJamesComer #RFKJr #SeanDuffy #USDictatorship #WhiteHouseBallroomPlans

   #2028olympics #donaldtrump #ghislainemaxwell #greenhousegasesdata #jeffreyepsteinnytownhouse #jeffreyepsteinscandal
7. 

   Sky Dancing @[email protected] · 2025-08-06 · 16:50 UTC

   Wednesday Reads

   Good Afternoon!!

   Trump shouts to reporters from White House roof.

   Yesterday, Trump wandered around on the White House roof, and shouted inanities at reporters on the ground, including a joke about nuclear weapons. He is such an embarrassment.

   ABC News: Trump takes unusual stroll on White House roof.

   President Donald Trump made a surprise appearance on the White House roof above the briefing room in an apparent effort to inspect future construction.

   The press, which had been pushed significantly down the driveway, attempted to figure out what was going on.

   “Mr. President, what are you doing up there?”

   “Just taking a little walk,” he shouted back.

   “What are you building?”

   “It goes with the ballroom, which is on the other side,” he said.

   Pressed again by reporters, Trump said “Something beautiful,” while pantomiming with his hands.

   Great. So he’s planning to wreck both the East and West wings?

   The president was accompanied by a small group of aides and Secret Service. The group included architect Jim McCrery, who has been commissioned to add Trump’s ballroom to the White House. The two men appeared engaged in intense conversation as they surveyed the grounds with lots of animated pointing….

   “What are you trying to build?” one reporter shouted.

   “Missiles,” Trump responded, presumably joking. “Nuclear missiles,” he repeated while making the gesture of a rocket launching.

   Q: Sir, what are you trying to build?TRUMP: Missiles. Nuclear missiles

   — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-08-05T16:00:05.466Z

   Monica Charen at The Bulwark (Charen worked as Nancy Reagan’s speechwriter): Trump’s White House Renovation Is Awful—and Fitting.

   Americans who haven’t visited the White House for a guided tour probably can’t picture the East Wing. There’s no TV show about it. It has no famous office to rival the Oval. There are relatively few photos of it in its current form.

   As someone who worked there for six months (I moved to the West Wing after the 1984 election), allow me to sing its praises: The East Wing was built in 1902 as a visitors’ entrance and then expanded in 1942 to house the First Lady’s offices. Its style echoes the West Wing in design and footprint, which gives the White House complex a rough symmetry. Like the West Wing, it’s smaller than Hollywood imagines. It conveys stability and authority without ostentation. Unlike the West Wing, it’s flooded with sunlight and, at least when Nancy Reagan held court, adorned with fresh flowers. The two-story structure melds seamlessly into the surrounding gardens. You can hardly see it from the street.

   Rendering of planned White House ballroom

   Now President Trump has announced that he will “modernize” (which must mean demolish) the East Wing and replace it with a huge, gaudy ballroom. At 90,000 square feet, the ballroom will dwarf the West Wing and even the residence. Naturally it will be adorned in white and gold (to get a flavor, have a look at the way Trump has decorated the Oval Office). This permanent disfigurement will solve a problem that doesn’t exist. When the president entertains more people than can comfortably fit in the East Room (about 200), tents are erected on the lawn complete with floors and walls. But Trump is dissatisfied with the historic building that was good enough for Lincoln and Eisenhower and Reagan. Ladies’ high heels sink into the grass, he says, explaining why he has also paved over the Rose Garden.

   But rather than rail against this desecration of a key national symbol, perhaps it’s better to welcome it. The presidency will never be the same post-Trump, so why not the White House? Why not make concrete and visible the destruction of centuries-old norms and values? This president has just elevated to a Court of Appeals a lawyer who presided over a purge of FBI agents who investigated Trump for January 6th and instructed his underlings at the Justice Department to “F— the courts.” He has opened a criminal investigation into former Special Counsel Jack Smith on the specious charge of violating the Hatch Act. His attorney general has opened a disciplinary investigation of Judge James Boasberg because Boasberg privately expressed concerns that the Trump administration might, to borrow a phrase, “F— the courts.”

   Read the rest at the Bulwark.

   Later yesterday, Trump further made an ass of himself at an event about to the Olympics. The Los Angeles Times: Trump names himself chair of L.A. Olympics task force, sees role for military during Games.

   In past Olympic Games held on American soil, sitting presidents have served in passive, ceremonial roles. President Trump may have other plans.

   An executive order signed by Trump on Tuesday names him chair of a White House task force on the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, viewed by the president as “a premier opportunity to showcase American exceptionalism,” according to a White House statement. Trump, the administration said, “is taking every opportunity to showcase American greatness on the world stage.”

   At the White House, speaking in front of banners adding the presidential seal to the logo for LA28, Trump said he would send the military back to Los Angeles if he so chose in order to protect the Games. In June, Trump sent the National Guard and U.S. Marines to the city amid widespread immigration enforcement actions, despite widespread condemnation from Mayor Karen Bass and other local officials.

   “We’ll do anything necessary to keep the Olympics safe, including using our National Guard or military, OK?” he said. “I will use the National Guard or the military. This is going to be so safe. If we have to.”

   Trump’s executive order establishes a task force led by him and Vice President JD Vance to steer federal coordination for the Games. The task force will work with federal, state and local partners on security and transportation, according to the White House.

   Those roles have been fairly standard for the federal government in past U.S.-hosted Olympic Games. But Trump’s news conference could present questions about whether a president with a penchant for showmanship might assume an unusually active role in planning the Olympics, set to take place in the twilight of his final term.

   There is ample precedent for military and National Guard forces providing security support during U.S.-hosted Olympic Games. But coming on the heels of the recent military deployment to Los Angeles, Trump’s comments may prove contentious.

   Anyone who thinks Trump is planning to leave the White House at the end of his term is living in a fantasy world. He’s turning the White House into Mar-a-Lago North, and he doesn’t plan to leave. Next, he’ll build a golf course on White House grounds. Rachel Maddow said it out loud on Monday night.

   The Wrap: Rachel Maddow Warns the US Isn’t Headed for Dictatorship: ‘We Are There.’

   Rachel Maddow did not sugarcoat it for viewers: The MSNBC anchor warned viewers that the United States is not headed towards an authoritarian state under President Donald Trump: “We are there. It is here.”

   “Life in the United States is profoundly changing and is profoundly different than it was even six months ago,” the anchor said Monday night on “The Rachel Maddow Show.” “Because we do now live in a country that has an authoritarian leader in charge, we have a consolidating dictatorship in our country.”

   Maddow went on to paint the picture of what she called a caricature of an authoritarian state. She mentioned secret police, prison camps and individuals fired for speaking a truth that does not please their authoritarian leader.

   “We’re beyond waiting and seeing now. It is clear what’s going on,” she said. “We have crossed a line. We are in a place we did not want to be, but we are there.”

   She pointed to immigration raids happening nationwide, comparing ICE agents with masked secret police, even referring to immigrants as “the scapegoated enemy on whom all things must be blamed and against whom all things are justified.” Another element she raised was that Trump has turned military force inward on the American people.

   In addition to acts of violence against Americans, Maddow noted that under this authoritarian rule protests must be criminalized and media must be intimidated into saying and doing what the leader wants. She added that top universities and law firms are also subject to funding cuts if they do not bow to the president.

   And if you release facts to the contrary of the president, be careful.

   “Because he said it, then it must be true, and if you say otherwise then you will be fired,” Maddow said.

   Also during the Olympics event, Grandpa Trump repeated, for he umpteenth time, his insane ideas about California’s supposed mismanagement of water and forest fires.

   oh my goodness — get a load of Trump's incoherent rant about water management in California (this is an event about the Olympics!)

   — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2025-08-05T21:00:44.957Z

   In Epstein scandal news, Trump and Vance will meet with other top officials, including the Attorney General and Assistant Attorney General and the head of the FBI to discuss how to control the fallout from the highly unusual meeting of Assistant AG Todd Blanche with Ghislaine Maxwell and her subsequent transfer to a minimum security prison. Remember the days when the Department of Justice remained scrupulously independent of the president?

   CNN: Top Trump officials will discuss Epstein strategy at Wednesday dinner hosted by Vance.

   Top Trump administration officials will gather at the vice president’s residence Wednesday evening as they continue to weigh whether to publish an audio recording and transcript of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s recent conversation with Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

   The administration’s handling of the Epstein case, as well as the need to craft a unified response, is expected to be a main focus of the dinner, three sources familiar with the meeting told CNN. The meeting will include White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, Vice President JD Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel and Blanche.

   Officials who will meet to discuss Epstein strategy

   With the exception of Vance, the White House considers those officials the leaders of the administration’s ongoing strategy regarding the Epstein files, two of the sources said.

   The meeting comes as Trump’s administration is considering releasing the contents of Blanche’s interview last month with Maxwell. Two officials told CNN that the materials could be made public as early as this week.

   There have also been internal discussions about Blanche holding a press conference or doing a high-profile interview, possibly with popular podcaster Joe Rogan, according to three people familiar with the discussions, though those conversations are preliminary. Rogan, who endorsed Trump on the eve of last fall’s election, has been highly critical of the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein case and previously called their refusal release more information about Epstein a “line in the sand.”

   Meanwhile, CNN previously reported that the Justice Department has been digitizing, transcribing and redacting the interview materials as they weigh if and when to publicly release the information from the Maxwell interview. There is over 10 hours of audio, a senior Trump administration official said. Portions of the transcript that could reveal sensitive details like victim names would also have to be redacted, one of the officials said.

   One official told CNN that some of the conversation within the White House has focused on whether making the details from the interview public would bring the Epstein controversy back to the surface. Many officials close to Trump believe the story has largely died down.

   Really? I don’t think so.

   Meanwhile, in his supposed investigation of the Epstein files, GOP Rep. James Comer has issued subpoenas to a bizarre list of people. Politico: Comer issues subpoenas for DOJ’s Epstein files, depositions with former officials.

   The House Oversight Committee on Tuesday issued subpoenas for Department of Justice records on the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, as well as for interviews with a slate of former government officials in connection to the case.

   Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) announced that he was summoning nearly a dozen former officials to appear for depositions on the Epstein investigation — a list that includes former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

   Former U.S. Attorneys General William Barr, Alberto Gonzales, Jeff Sessions, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder and Merrick Garland, as well as former FBI Directors Robert Mueller and James Comey were also tapped to give testimony in connection to the case.

   Comer was required to send the subpoenas after a Democratic-led subcommittee vote in July.

   The move is the latest in a broader battle over the Epstein files, which took the Trump administration by storm last month as anger boiled over from within MAGA circles about the administration’s handling of the case.

   The committee’s subpoena of Bill Clinton in particular seems more symbolic than substantive. No former president has ever testified to Congress under the compulsion of a subpoena — and lawmakers have tried only twice before: once in 1953, when the House Un-American Activities Committee subpoenaed Harry Truman, and once in 2022, when the Jan. 6 select committee subpoenaed Donald Trump.

   Neither president testified in those instances, and the Justice Department has long cited Truman’s example — though not backed by any legal precedent — to suggest that it is improper for Congress to compel even former presidents to testify, given separation of powers concerns.

   Yesterday The New York Times published photos from inside Jeffrey Epstein’s New York townhouse. The article also included the full text of a letter from Woody Allen on Epstein’s 63 birthday. (gift link): A Look Inside Jeffrey Epstein’s Manhattan Lair.

   As a gift for Jeffrey Epstein’s 63rd birthday, friends sent letters in tribute to the wealthy financier and convicted sex offender. Several shared a common theme: recounting the dinner gatherings that Mr. Epstein regularly hosted at his palatial townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

   Ehud Barak, former prime minister of Israel, and his wife noted the great diversity of guests. “There is no limit to your curiosity,” they wrote in their message, which was compiled with others in January 2016. “You are like a closed book to many of them but you know everything about everyone.”

   A sculpture of a bride clinging to a rope dangled in a central atrium of Jeffrey Epstein’s mansion.

   The media mogul Mortimer Zuckerman suggested ingredients for a meal that would reflect the culture of the mansion: a simple salad and whatever else “would enhance Jeffrey’s sexual performance.”

   And the director Woody Allen described how the dinners reminded him of Dracula’s castle, “where Lugosi has three young female vampires who service the place.” [….]

   But Mr. Epstein’s prized property was no gloomy Transylvanian fortress. He had spent years turning the seven-story, 21,000-square-foot townhouse into a place where he could flaunt — and deepen — his connections to the rich and powerful, even as hints of his dark side lurked within, according to previously undisclosed photos and documents showing how he lived in his later years.

   Since Mr. Epstein’s death in federal custody in 2019, which was ruled a suicide, many mysteries about his life have remained unsolved. How did he amass a nine-figure fortune? And why did so many powerful men continue to fraternize with him long after he became a registered sex offender?

   The White House had pledged to release details about the federal investigations into Mr. Epstein and his associates. But this summer the Trump administration backpedaled. The ensuing right-wing outrage has threatened to splinter the Make America Great Again movement — for whom Mr. Epstein is a central figure in conspiracy theories — and has put Mr. Trump on the defensive like few other issues….

   At least one other MAGA luminary also visited the townhouse: Stephen K. Bannon, a former adviser to Mr. Trump and an online media personality, who has said that he videotaped hours of interviews in the mansion with Mr. Epstein in 2019. Framed photos of Mr. Bannon — including a mirror selfie snapped by Mr. Epstein — were kept in at least two rooms in the mansion.

   Use the gift link to read the rest if you’re interested.

   The Guardian: Epstein scandal broadens as trove of letters from famous figures published.

   The long-running scandal surrounding the disgraced late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein broadened on Tuesday after the New York Times published a trove ofpreviously unseen letters to Epstein from numerous powerful figures as well as unseen photographs from inside his Manhattan mansion.

   The letters, written to Epstein by a number of high-profile individuals, were reportedly compiled as a birthday gift for Epstein’s 63rd birthday in 2016. Their publication comes amid intense speculation around Donald Trump’s ties to Epstein, who was found dead in a New York jail in 2019 and had long cultivated a celebrity social circle of the rich and powerful.

   In one letter, former prime minister of Israel Ehud Barak and his wife wrote “there is no limit to your curiosity.”

   “You are like a closed book to many of them but you know everything about everyone,” they wrote, describing Epstein as “A COLLECTOR OF PEOPLE”.

   They continued: “May you enjoy long and healthy life and may all of us, your friends, enjoy your table for many more years to come.”

   In a letter from film-maker Woody Allen, Allen reminisced about Epstein’s dinner parties at his Upper East Side townhouse and described the gatherings as “always interesting”. He noted that the parties included “politicians, scientists, teachers, magicians, comedians, intellectuals, journalists” and “even royalty”.

   Allen also described the dinners as “well served”: “I say well served – often it’s by some professional houseman and just as often by several young women” who he said reminded him of “Castle Dracula where Lugosi has three young female vampires who service the place.”

   Other letter writers reportedly included billionaire media mogulMortimer Zuckerman;Noam Chomsky and his wife; Joichi Ito, the former head of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab; physicist Lawrence M Krauss; and Harvard biologist and mathematician Martin Nowak.

   A few more insane stories:

   BBC News: RFK Jr cancels $500m in funding for mRNA vaccines for diseases like Covid.

   The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to cancel $500m (£376m) in funding for mRNA vaccines being developed to counter viruses that cause diseases such as the flu and Covid-19.

   That will impact 22 projects being led by major pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer and Moderna, for vaccines against bird flu and other viruses, HHS said.

   Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, a vaccine sceptic, announced he was pulling the funding over claims that “mRNA technology poses more risks than benefits for these respiratory viruses”.

   Doctors and health experts have criticised Kennedy’s longstanding questioning of the safety and efficacy of vaccines and his views on health policies.

   The development of mRNA vaccines to target Covid-19 was critical in helping slow down the pandemic and saving millions of lives, said Peter Lurie, a former US Food and Drug Administration official.

   He told the BBC that the change was the US “turning its back on one of the most promising tools to fight the next pandemic”.

   In a statement, Kennedy said his team had “reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted”. “[T]he data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu,” he said.

   He said the department was shifting the funding toward “safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate”.

   Kennedy also claimed that mRNA vaccines can help “encourage new mutations and can actually prolong pandemics as the virus constantly mutates to escape the protective effects of the vaccine”.

   Health experts have said that viruses mutate regardless of whether vaccines exist for them.

   NPR: Why a NASA satellite that scientists and farmers rely on may be destroyed on purpose.

   The Trump administration has asked NASA employees to draw up plans to end at least two major satellite missions, according to current and former NASA staffers. If the plans are carried out, one of the missions would be permanently terminated, because the satellite would burn up in the atmosphere.

   The data the two missions collect is widely used, including by scientists, oil and gas companies and farmers who need detailed information about carbon dioxide and crop health. They are the only two federal satellite missions that were designed and built specifically to monitor planet-warming greenhouse gases.

   It is unclear why the Trump administration seeks to end the missions. The equipment in space is state of the art and is expected to function for many more years, according to scientists who worked on the missions. An official review by NASA in 2023 found that “the data are of exceptionally high quality” and recommended continuing the mission for at least three years.

   Both missions, known as the Orbiting Carbon Observatories, measure carbon dioxide and plant growth around the globe. They use identical measurement devices, but one device is attached to a stand-alone satellite while the other is attached to the International Space Station. The standalone satellite would burn up in the atmosphere if NASA pursued plans to terminate the mission.

   NASA employees who work on the two missions are making what the agency calls Phase F plans for both carbon-monitoring missions, according to David Crisp, a longtime NASA scientist who designed the instruments and managed the missions until he retired in 2022. Phase F plans lay out options for terminating NASA missions.

   Crisp says NASA employees making those termination plans have reached out to him for his technical expertise. “What I have heard is direct communications from people who were making those plans, who weren’t allowed to tell me that that’s what they were told to do. But they were allowed to ask me questions,” Crisp says. “They were asking me very sharp questions. The only thing that would have motivated those questions was [that] somebody told them to come up with a termination plan.”

   Joseph Cirincione, vice-chair of the Center for International Policy Board of Directors at MSNBC: We don’t need nuclear reactors on the moon.

   If Transportation Secretary and acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy wanted to do his part to help provide a distraction from the Trump administration’s Jeffrey Epstein files scandal, his announcement of a plan to put nuclear reactors on the moon was a partial success. In the 24 hours after his announcement on Monday, he was briefly trending on social media, just behind Ghislaine Maxwell.

   If he intended this to be a serious proposal for human occupation of the moon, he failed. For the near future, nuclear reactors on the moon are impractical, expensive and dangerous.

   Duffy may not understand this. He has no experience in space or nuclear technology. He is a former Fox News host who became interim director in June when President Donald Trump pulled the nomination of Elon Musk’s choice, billionaire Jared Isaacman, after Trump’s breakup with Musk.

   Space exploration has used nuclear materials for power for many decades. This is overwhelmingly in the form of radioisotope thermoelectric generators. These use plutonium-238, which gives off heat used to generate electric power for small probes, including some of the rovers on Mars. This typically involves 20 or 30 pounds of material. In fact, several of the Apollo missions left some behind on the moon were powered by such radioactive means.

   But a nuclear reactor is another matter altogether. This would involve potentially hundreds of pounds of low-enriched uranium in yet-undeveloped small reactors delivered by space launchers that don’t exist.

   Read more at the link. Also see this article from BBC News: Nasa to put nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030 – US media.

   That’s all I have for you today. What’s on your mind?

   #2028Olympics #DonaldTrump #GhislaineMaxwell #greenhouseGasesData #JeffreyEpsteinNYTownhouse #JeffreyEpsteinScandal #mNRAVaccines #NASASatellites #NuclearReactorOnMoon #RepJamesComer #RFKJr #SeanDuffy #USDictatorship #WhiteHouseBallroomPlans

   #whitehouseballroomplans #usdictatorship #seanduffy #rfkjr #repjamescomer #nuclearreactoronmoon
8. 

   Sky Dancing @[email protected] · 2025-11-15 · 18:24 UTC

   Lazy Caturday Reads: Epstein, Epstein, Epstein, and More News

   Good Afternoon!!

   Elizabeth Taylor with her Siamese cat, 1956, photo by Sanford Roth

   Epstein, Epstein, Epstein. He’s everywhere in the news. We still haven’t seen the DOJ Epstein files, but we’re already learning more about Epstein’s relationship to Trump from the recently released text messages. We don’t know yet how bad it will get when the files are released, but the extent to which Trump is publicly panicking suggests it will be very bad for him.

   In Trump’s latest effort to control the Epstein story, he ordered Attorney General Bondi to investigate Democrats who had connections to the child sex trafficker.

   AP: At Trump’s urging, Bondi says US will investigate Epstein’s ties to Clinton and other political foes.

   Acceding to President Donald Trump’s demands, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Friday that she has ordered a top federal prosecutor to investigate sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to Trump political foes, including former President Bill Clinton.

   Bondi posted on X that she was assigning Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to lead the probe, capping an eventful week in which congressional Republicans released nearly 23,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate and House Democrats seized on emails mentioning Trump.

   Trump, who was friends with Epstein for years, didn’t explain what supposed crimes he wanted the Justice Department to investigate. None of the men he mentioned in a social media post demanding the probe has been accused of sexual misconduct by any of Epstein’s victims.

   Hours before Bondi’s announcement, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he would ask her, the Justice Department and the FBI to investigate Epstein’s “involvement and relationship” with Clinton and others, including former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and LinkedIn founder and Democratic donor Reid Hoffman.

   Trump, calling the matter “the Epstein Hoax, involving Democrats, not Republicans,” said the investigation should also include financial giant JPMorgan Chase, which provided banking services to Epstein, and “many other people and institutions.”

   There’s no evidence that any of the people Trump is targeting were involved in sexual abuse or sex trafficking.

   A JPMorgan Chase spokesperson, Patricia Wexler, said the company regretted associating with Epstein “but did not help him commit his heinous acts.”

   “The government had damning information about his crimes and failed to share it with us or other banks,” she said. The company agreed previously to pay millions of dollars to Epstein’s victims, who had sued arguing that the bank ignored red flags about criminal activity.

   Clinton has acknowledged traveling on Epstein’s private jet but has said through a spokesperson that he had no knowledge of the late financier’s crimes. He also has never been accused of misconduct by Epstein’s known victims.

   Clinton’s deputy chief of staff Angel Ureña posted on X Friday: “These emails prove Bill Clinton did nothing and knew nothing. The rest is noise meant to distract from election losses, backfiring shutdowns, and who knows what else.” [….]

   Summers and Hoffman had nothing to do with either case, but both were friendly with Epstein and exchanged emails with him. Those messages were among the documents released this week, along with other correspondence Epstein had with friends and business associates in the years before his death.

   Nothing in the messages suggested any wrongdoing on the men’s part, other than associating with someone who had been accused of sex crimes against children.

   At Letters from an American, historian Heather Cox Richardson writes:

   In a transparent attempt to distract from the many times his own name appears in the documents from the Epstein estate members of the House Oversight Committee released Wednesday, President Donald J. Trump asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Democrats whose names appeared in the documents. He singled out former president Bill Clinton, former treasury secretary Lawrence H. Summers, and Reid Hoffman, who founded LinkedIn and who is a Democratic donor.

   Marlon Brando and cat

   Although the attorney general is the nation’s chief law enforcement officer and is supposed to be nonpartisan in protecting the rule of law, Bondi responded that the Department of Justice “will pursue this with urgency and integrity.” Maegan Vazquez and Shayna Jacobs of the Washington Post note that reporters have already covered the relationship of Epstein with Clinton, Summers, and Hoffman for years, and that in July, Justice Department officials said an examination of the FBI files relating to Epstein—a different cache than Wednesday’s—“did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”

   Meidas Touch noted: “In normal times, it would be a major scandal for the President to direct his AG to criminally investigate his political opponents to deflect from his own involvement in a major scandal—and for the AG to immediately announce she is doing it. The Epstein scandal and cover up just got even bigger.”

   This scandal truly has Trump flailing. I hope this will be the one that really brings him down, but he somehow seems to wriggle out of every scandal. But he certainly is terrified of the Epstein files being released.

   Politico: House plans to vote Tuesday on releasing Epstein files.

   House Republican leaders are planning to hold a vote Tuesday on legislation to force the release of federal files related to Jeffrey Epstein, according to three people granted anonymity to discuss internal plans ahead of a public announcement.

   The tentative scheduling decision follows a successful effort by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to sidestep Speaker Mike Johnson and force a floor vote on their bipartisan bill to compel the Justice Department to release all of its records related to the late convicted sex offender.

   President Donald Trump has made repeated attempts to kill the effort, which continued in a series of Truth Social posts Friday. But Johnson said Wednesday he intends to move quickly to hold the vote and put the matter to bed.

   Under the current GOP plan, the House Rules Committee would approve a procedural measure Monday night to advance eight bills for floor consideration, including language to tee up the Epstein legislation. If that measure is approved on the floor, likely early Tuesday afternoon, debate and a final vote on the Epstein bill could immediately follow. GOP leaders are considering whether to postpone the Epstein vote until Tuesday evening….

   The four Republicans who signed on to the discharge petition forcing the vote — Massie, plus Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Nancy Mace of South Carolina — are likely to examine Johnson’s moves very closely. They could together block any procedural measure that would undercut the Epstein legislation, postpone it or otherwise alter it.

   One more story on the Epstein texts from Jason Wilson at The Guardian: Steve Bannon advised Jeffrey Epstein for years on how to rehab his reputation, texts show.

   Hundreds of texts over almost a year show Maga influencer Steve Bannon and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein workshopping legal and media strategies to protect Epstein from the legal and publicity quagmire that enveloped him in the last year of his life.

   The texts, released by the House oversight committee on Wednesday, show that as early as June 2018, the pair were devising responses to the gathering storm of public outrage about Epstein’s criminal history, his favorable treatment by the justice system, and his friendships with powerful figures in business, politics and academia.

   Bannon conspiratorially described the renewed scrutiny of Epstein as a “sophisticated op”, and over time he counseled Epstein in his adversarial responses to media outlets, the justice system and his victims.

   All the while, both men were also strategizing how best to promote Bannon’s rightwing populist agenda, and the political fortunes of its standard bearer, Donald Trump.

   In all of Epstein’s messages, the identity of his correspondent is redacted. But Bannon’s identity in the threads cited in this reporting is clear from contextual clues including his documented activities at the time, details of his business and media pursuits, and other disclosures. In one document, the sender’s phone number is not redacted – and it is the same number linked to Bannon in a legal case against Trump adviser Roger Stone.

   Read the rest at The Guardian.

   Trump is also beginning to panic about the economy and the negative effects of his insane tariffs.

   David J. Lynch at The Washington Post: Trump goes on defense over tariffs as prices on everyday items keep rising.

   President Donald Trump’s bid Friday to sootheconsumers by dropping tariffs on a wide array of groceries, including coffee, beef, bananas and tomatoes — contradicting his repeated claims that the levies were not affecting retail prices — shows he is on the defensive over his signature policy initiative.

   Public opposition, eroding support on Capitol Hill and a potentially lethal challenge before the Supreme Court have Trump scrambling to defend his economic strategy even as the administration notches diplomatic agreements that are cementing its high-tariff approach to rebalancing global trade.

   Sophia Loren with her cat, 1959

   Public opinion is the immediate worry, following recent Democratic electoral victories in Virginia and New Jersey that were fueled by Americans’ ire over the cost of living. By a nearly 2-to-1 margin, registered voters disapproved of the president’s tariffs in a recent Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, a finding that has been consistent all year and could imperil Republican candidates in next year’s congressional elections.

   The president on Friday issued an executive order rolling back import taxes on many foods, his most significant retreat on the emergency tariffs he imposed in April, which were billed at the time as loophole-free. In September, the White House had signaled that some products that are not generally produced in the United States could be spared tariffs once nations where they originate reached trade deals with the United States. But Friday’s exemptions apply to products from any nation, even those that have not agreed on trade terms.

   “They know that they shouldn’t have imposed a lot of these tariffs and that they’re hurting affordability for consumers. Now they’re looking for a way to justify lowering them. And that’s fine. But did we really need to go through all this in the first place?” said Christopher Padilla, senior adviser to the Brunswick Group and a former trade official in the George W. Bush administration….

   This week’s tariff cuts appear aimed at responding to public concern over high prices. Inflation overall is running at an annual rate of 3 percent, above the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target for price stability but well down from the mid-2022 peak of 9.1 percent.

   Prices on many everyday items, however, continue to soar. Through September, the most recent data available, coffee prices were up 19 percent over the previous 12 months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bananas were up 7 percent.

   Elizabeth Buchwald at CNN: Trump’s latest tariff TACO probably won’t make your life more affordable.

   Americans could soon see some goods get cheaper after President Donald Trump exempted certain agricultural imports from a set of tariffs on Friday. But any price drops likely won’t be enough to make life feel more affordable any time soon.

   The executive order exempted products like coffee, beef and some fruit from Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs, which began rolling out in April.

   The new exemptions are part of what traders have dubbed TACO, or Trump Always Chickens Out, to describe times when the president backs off a policy after unintended consequences pop up. In the case of tariffs, Trump has already reversed a number of his measures, a sign that the administration is reshaping his signature economic tool.

   The latest TACO comes after voters, worried about affordability, gave Republicans a drubbing in recent off-year elections.

   Why this likely won’t help consumers much:

   Nevertheless, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the new exemptions generally won’t help improve affordability.

   “It depends on what the importers do with the tariff,” he said in a CNBC interview on Friday. “So when you look at the overall price trend, it hasn’t been because of tariffs. It’s been because of these other events going on and just supply and demand.”

   Steve Martin and cat

   But in cases where tariffs have been passed along to consumers, prices could drop, Greer said.

   One potential example: bananas. American consumers are paying about 8% more for bananas than before Trump’s second term began.

   The US largely imports bananas from South American countries. With bananas exempt from “reciprocal” tariffs that started at 10%, prices could go back to where they were earlier this year, said Sarah House, senior economist at Wells Fargo. But it’s unlikely to be something most consumers notice unless they’re buying bananas often, she added.

   But not everyone is convinced it will even do that much.

   “It is not clear that lowering tariffs will lower prices — it depends on what retailers think they can get away with. The import price of bananas has fallen since tariffs were imposed, but the US consumer price has risen,” Paul Donovan, chief economist at UBS global wealth management, said in a note last week. (The United States tracks import prices before accounting for tariffs. In some cases, import prices have fallen as exporters lower what they charge as a way to share in the tariff expense importers pay.)

   More analysis at the CNN link.

   Another flop: Trump’s soybean deal with China may have just been a mirage. AP: USDA data casts doubt on China’s soybean purchase promises touted by Trump.

   New data the Agriculture Department released Friday created serious doubts about whether China will really buy millions of bushels of American soybeans like the Trump administration touted last month after a high-stakes meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

   The USDA report released after the government reopened showed only two Chinese purchases of American soybeans since the summit in South Korea that totaled 332,000 metric tons. That’s well short of the 12 million metric tons that Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said China agreed to purchase by January and nowhere near the 25 million metric tons she said they would buy in each of the next three years.

   American farmers were hopeful that their biggest customer would resume buying their crops. But CoBank’s Tanner Ehmke, who is its lead economist for grains and oilseed, said there isn’t much incentive for China to buy from America right now because they have plenty of soybeans on hand that they have bought from Brazil and other South American countries this year, and the remaining tariffs ensure that U.S. soybeans remain more expensive than Brazilian beans.

   “We are still not even close to what has been advertised from the U.S. in terms of what the agreement would have been,” Ehmke said.

   Beijing has yet to confirm any detailed soybean purchase agreement but only that the two sides have reached “consensus” on expanding trade in farm products. Ehmke said that even if China did promise to buy American soybeans it may have only agreed to buy them if the price was attractive.

   Will Trump try to distract from the Epstein files and his failures on the economy by taking us to war with Venezuela?

   David E. Sanger, Eric Schmit, Tyler Pager, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs at The New York Times (gift link): Trump Escalates Pressure on Venezuela, but Endgame Is Unclear.

   The Trump administration is rapidly escalating its pressure campaign against Venezuela, with America’s largest aircraft carrier, the Ford, about to take up a position within striking distance of the country, even as President Trump’s aides provide conflicting accounts of what, exactly, they are seeking to achieve.

   Mr. Trump held back-to-back days of meetings at the White House over the past two days, reviewing military options, including the use of Special Operations forces and direct action inside Venezuela.

   Marlyn Monroe with her cat

   It is still not clear whether Mr. Trump has made a decision about what kind of action to authorize, if any. On Friday, he told reporters on Air Force One that “I sort of made up my mind.” “I can’t tell you what it is,” he said, “but we made a lot of progress with Venezuela in terms of stopping drugs from pouring in.”

   It is possible Mr. Trump is relying on the arrival of so much firepower to intimidate the government of Nicolás Maduro, who the United States and many of its allies say is not Venezuela’s legitimate president. Mr. Maduro has put his forces on high alert, leaving the two countries with their weapons cocked and ready for war.

   There were signs that the administration was moving into a new and more aggressive posture. Shortly after a meeting on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on social media that the mission in the Caribbean now had a name — “Southern Spear.” He described its goal in expansive terms, saying the operation “removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere.”

   “The Western Hemisphere is America’s neighborhood,” he wrote, “and we will protect it.” With the arrival of the Ford and three accompanying missile-firing Navy destroyers, there are now 15,000 troops in the region, more than there have been at any time in decades.

   The only thing missing is a strategic explanation from the Trump administration that would clarify why the United States is amassing such a large force. Mr. Hegseth’s posting on X was only the latest in a series of statements from administration officials that, at best, are in tension with one another. Some are outright contradictory.

   Mr. Trump has been the most consistent, saying it is all about drugs. But that would not explain why the Ford was rushed from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Caribbean region, adding to an American force that has now reached 15,000 soldiers and sailors, to attack small boats that until early September had been intercepted by the Coast Guard. Nor would it explain why Colombia or Mexico — Mexico being the main conduit for fentanyl — are not in the Navy’s sights.

   Dan Lamothe, Tara Copp, Michael Birnbaum, and Noah Robertson: Trump weighs Venezuela strikes as U.S. forces prepare for attack order.

   President Donald Trump said Friday night that he has “sort of made up my mind” about how he will proceed with the possibility of military action in Venezuela, following a second consecutive day of deliberations at the White House that included top national security advisers.

   Trump’s vague remarks aboard Air Force One were delivered as he traveled for the weekend to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, and included no additional new details. The comments came as U.S. forces in the region awaited possible attack orders and after days of high-level discussions about whether — and how — to strike in Venezuela, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the matter is highly sensitive. Joining Trump in deliberations Friday were Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, these people said.

   Robert Redford with his cat

   Earlier in the day, an administration official said “a host of options” had been presented to the president. Trump is “very good at maintaining strategic ambiguity, and something he does very well is he does not dictate or broadcast to our adversaries what he wants to do next,” the official said.

   Any strike on Venezuelan territory would upend the president’s frequent promises of avoiding new conflicts and betray promises made to Congress in recent weeks that no active preparations were underway for such an attack. It also would further complicate U.S. cooperation with other Latin American countries, and deepen suspicions — there and in Washington — over whether Trump’s endgame is the forced removal of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, whom Trump has accused of sending drugs and violent criminals to the United States.

   Maduro, a socialist strongman, came to power in Caracas in 2013 and increasingly has become a fixation for Trump.

   In August, U.S. officials increased the reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction from $25 million to $50 million, citing alleged ties to drug cartels and U.S. beliefs dating back to the Biden administration that he lost Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election and refused to step down.

   “The United States is very plugged into what’s going on in Venezuela, the chatter among Maduro’s people and the highest levels of his regime,” the administration official said. “Maduro is very scared, and he should be scared. The president has options on the table that are very bad for Maduro and his illegitimate regime. … We view this regime as illegitimate, and it’s not serving the Western Hemisphere well.”

   CNN: Trump likely to face long military commitment and chaos if he ousts Maduro in Venezuela, experts say.

   President Donald Trump has said he believes Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s days are numbered, and that land strikes inside Venezuela are possible.

   Experts say that the US doesn’t currently have the military assets in place to launch a largescale operation to remove Maduro from power, though Trump has approved covert action within Venezuela, CNN has reported.

   Bette Davis with cat

   But if Trump did order strikes inside Venezuela aimed at ousting Maduro, he could face serious challenges with fractured opposition elements and a military poised for insurgency, according to experts, as well as political backlash at home for a president who promised to avoid costly entanglements overseas.

   CNN reported that Trump received a briefing earlier this week to review updated options for military action inside Venezuela, a concept the White House has been weighing. The administration had not made a decision on whether to launch strikes, CNN reported, though the US military has moved more than a dozen warships and 15,000 troops into the region as part of what the Pentagon branded Operation Southern Spear in an announcement Thursday.

   The concentration of military assets and threats of further attacks beyond the ongoing drug boat campaign have served to increase pressure on Maduro, with administration officials saying he needs to leave office while arguing that he’s closely tied to the Tren de Aragua gang and leading drug trafficking efforts.

   But if Maduro does flee Venezuela or is killed out in a targeted strike, experts worry about a military takeover of the country or the boosting of another dictator similar to Maduro.

   Read the rest at CNN.

   Those are my recommended reads. I’ll add a few more links in the comment thread. What stories are you interested in today?

   #BillClinton #catArt #caturday #ChinaSoybeanPurchases #DonaldTrump #EpsteinFiles #JeffreyEpstein #LarrySummers #NicolasMaduro #PamBondi #ReidHoffman #SteveBannon #TACOTrump #TrumpTariffs #Venezuela

   #billclinton #catart #caturday #chinasoybeanpurchases #donaldtrump #epsteinfiles
9. 

   Sky Dancing @[email protected] · 2025-11-15 · 18:24 UTC

   Lazy Caturday Reads: Epstein, Epstein, Epstein, and More News

   Good Afternoon!!

   Elizabeth Taylor with her Siamese cat, 1956, photo by Sanford Roth

   Epstein, Epstein, Epstein. He’s everywhere in the news. We still haven’t seen the DOJ Epstein files, but we’re already learning more about Epstein’s relationship to Trump from the recently released text messages. We don’t know yet how bad it will get when the files are released, but the extent to which Trump is publicly panicking suggests it will be very bad for him.

   In Trump’s latest effort to control the Epstein story, he ordered Attorney General Bondi to investigate Democrats who had connections to the child sex trafficker.

   AP: At Trump’s urging, Bondi says US will investigate Epstein’s ties to Clinton and other political foes.

   Acceding to President Donald Trump’s demands, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Friday that she has ordered a top federal prosecutor to investigate sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to Trump political foes, including former President Bill Clinton.

   Bondi posted on X that she was assigning Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to lead the probe, capping an eventful week in which congressional Republicans released nearly 23,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate and House Democrats seized on emails mentioning Trump.

   Trump, who was friends with Epstein for years, didn’t explain what supposed crimes he wanted the Justice Department to investigate. None of the men he mentioned in a social media post demanding the probe has been accused of sexual misconduct by any of Epstein’s victims.

   Hours before Bondi’s announcement, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he would ask her, the Justice Department and the FBI to investigate Epstein’s “involvement and relationship” with Clinton and others, including former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and LinkedIn founder and Democratic donor Reid Hoffman.

   Trump, calling the matter “the Epstein Hoax, involving Democrats, not Republicans,” said the investigation should also include financial giant JPMorgan Chase, which provided banking services to Epstein, and “many other people and institutions.”

   There’s no evidence that any of the people Trump is targeting were involved in sexual abuse or sex trafficking.

   A JPMorgan Chase spokesperson, Patricia Wexler, said the company regretted associating with Epstein “but did not help him commit his heinous acts.”

   “The government had damning information about his crimes and failed to share it with us or other banks,” she said. The company agreed previously to pay millions of dollars to Epstein’s victims, who had sued arguing that the bank ignored red flags about criminal activity.

   Clinton has acknowledged traveling on Epstein’s private jet but has said through a spokesperson that he had no knowledge of the late financier’s crimes. He also has never been accused of misconduct by Epstein’s known victims.

   Clinton’s deputy chief of staff Angel Ureña posted on X Friday: “These emails prove Bill Clinton did nothing and knew nothing. The rest is noise meant to distract from election losses, backfiring shutdowns, and who knows what else.” [….]

   Summers and Hoffman had nothing to do with either case, but both were friendly with Epstein and exchanged emails with him. Those messages were among the documents released this week, along with other correspondence Epstein had with friends and business associates in the years before his death.

   Nothing in the messages suggested any wrongdoing on the men’s part, other than associating with someone who had been accused of sex crimes against children.

   At Letters from an American, historian Heather Cox Richardson writes:

   In a transparent attempt to distract from the many times his own name appears in the documents from the Epstein estate members of the House Oversight Committee released Wednesday, President Donald J. Trump asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Democrats whose names appeared in the documents. He singled out former president Bill Clinton, former treasury secretary Lawrence H. Summers, and Reid Hoffman, who founded LinkedIn and who is a Democratic donor.

   Marlon Brando and cat

   Although the attorney general is the nation’s chief law enforcement officer and is supposed to be nonpartisan in protecting the rule of law, Bondi responded that the Department of Justice “will pursue this with urgency and integrity.” Maegan Vazquez and Shayna Jacobs of the Washington Post note that reporters have already covered the relationship of Epstein with Clinton, Summers, and Hoffman for years, and that in July, Justice Department officials said an examination of the FBI files relating to Epstein—a different cache than Wednesday’s—“did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”

   Meidas Touch noted: “In normal times, it would be a major scandal for the President to direct his AG to criminally investigate his political opponents to deflect from his own involvement in a major scandal—and for the AG to immediately announce she is doing it. The Epstein scandal and cover up just got even bigger.”

   This scandal truly has Trump flailing. I hope this will be the one that really brings him down, but he somehow seems to wriggle out of every scandal. But he certainly is terrified of the Epstein files being released.

   Politico: House plans to vote Tuesday on releasing Epstein files.

   House Republican leaders are planning to hold a vote Tuesday on legislation to force the release of federal files related to Jeffrey Epstein, according to three people granted anonymity to discuss internal plans ahead of a public announcement.

   The tentative scheduling decision follows a successful effort by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to sidestep Speaker Mike Johnson and force a floor vote on their bipartisan bill to compel the Justice Department to release all of its records related to the late convicted sex offender.

   President Donald Trump has made repeated attempts to kill the effort, which continued in a series of Truth Social posts Friday. But Johnson said Wednesday he intends to move quickly to hold the vote and put the matter to bed.

   Under the current GOP plan, the House Rules Committee would approve a procedural measure Monday night to advance eight bills for floor consideration, including language to tee up the Epstein legislation. If that measure is approved on the floor, likely early Tuesday afternoon, debate and a final vote on the Epstein bill could immediately follow. GOP leaders are considering whether to postpone the Epstein vote until Tuesday evening….

   The four Republicans who signed on to the discharge petition forcing the vote — Massie, plus Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Nancy Mace of South Carolina — are likely to examine Johnson’s moves very closely. They could together block any procedural measure that would undercut the Epstein legislation, postpone it or otherwise alter it.

   One more story on the Epstein texts from Jason Wilson at The Guardian: Steve Bannon advised Jeffrey Epstein for years on how to rehab his reputation, texts show.

   Hundreds of texts over almost a year show Maga influencer Steve Bannon and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein workshopping legal and media strategies to protect Epstein from the legal and publicity quagmire that enveloped him in the last year of his life.

   The texts, released by the House oversight committee on Wednesday, show that as early as June 2018, the pair were devising responses to the gathering storm of public outrage about Epstein’s criminal history, his favorable treatment by the justice system, and his friendships with powerful figures in business, politics and academia.

   Bannon conspiratorially described the renewed scrutiny of Epstein as a “sophisticated op”, and over time he counseled Epstein in his adversarial responses to media outlets, the justice system and his victims.

   All the while, both men were also strategizing how best to promote Bannon’s rightwing populist agenda, and the political fortunes of its standard bearer, Donald Trump.

   In all of Epstein’s messages, the identity of his correspondent is redacted. But Bannon’s identity in the threads cited in this reporting is clear from contextual clues including his documented activities at the time, details of his business and media pursuits, and other disclosures. In one document, the sender’s phone number is not redacted – and it is the same number linked to Bannon in a legal case against Trump adviser Roger Stone.

   Read the rest at The Guardian.

   Trump is also beginning to panic about the economy and the negative effects of his insane tariffs.

   David J. Lynch at The Washington Post: Trump goes on defense over tariffs as prices on everyday items keep rising.

   President Donald Trump’s bid Friday to sootheconsumers by dropping tariffs on a wide array of groceries, including coffee, beef, bananas and tomatoes — contradicting his repeated claims that the levies were not affecting retail prices — shows he is on the defensive over his signature policy initiative.

   Public opposition, eroding support on Capitol Hill and a potentially lethal challenge before the Supreme Court have Trump scrambling to defend his economic strategy even as the administration notches diplomatic agreements that are cementing its high-tariff approach to rebalancing global trade.

   Sophia Loren with her cat, 1959

   Public opinion is the immediate worry, following recent Democratic electoral victories in Virginia and New Jersey that were fueled by Americans’ ire over the cost of living. By a nearly 2-to-1 margin, registered voters disapproved of the president’s tariffs in a recent Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, a finding that has been consistent all year and could imperil Republican candidates in next year’s congressional elections.

   The president on Friday issued an executive order rolling back import taxes on many foods, his most significant retreat on the emergency tariffs he imposed in April, which were billed at the time as loophole-free. In September, the White House had signaled that some products that are not generally produced in the United States could be spared tariffs once nations where they originate reached trade deals with the United States. But Friday’s exemptions apply to products from any nation, even those that have not agreed on trade terms.

   “They know that they shouldn’t have imposed a lot of these tariffs and that they’re hurting affordability for consumers. Now they’re looking for a way to justify lowering them. And that’s fine. But did we really need to go through all this in the first place?” said Christopher Padilla, senior adviser to the Brunswick Group and a former trade official in the George W. Bush administration….

   This week’s tariff cuts appear aimed at responding to public concern over high prices. Inflation overall is running at an annual rate of 3 percent, above the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target for price stability but well down from the mid-2022 peak of 9.1 percent.

   Prices on many everyday items, however, continue to soar. Through September, the most recent data available, coffee prices were up 19 percent over the previous 12 months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bananas were up 7 percent.

   Elizabeth Buchwald at CNN: Trump’s latest tariff TACO probably won’t make your life more affordable.

   Americans could soon see some goods get cheaper after President Donald Trump exempted certain agricultural imports from a set of tariffs on Friday. But any price drops likely won’t be enough to make life feel more affordable any time soon.

   The executive order exempted products like coffee, beef and some fruit from Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs, which began rolling out in April.

   The new exemptions are part of what traders have dubbed TACO, or Trump Always Chickens Out, to describe times when the president backs off a policy after unintended consequences pop up. In the case of tariffs, Trump has already reversed a number of his measures, a sign that the administration is reshaping his signature economic tool.

   The latest TACO comes after voters, worried about affordability, gave Republicans a drubbing in recent off-year elections.

   Why this likely won’t help consumers much:

   Nevertheless, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the new exemptions generally won’t help improve affordability.

   “It depends on what the importers do with the tariff,” he said in a CNBC interview on Friday. “So when you look at the overall price trend, it hasn’t been because of tariffs. It’s been because of these other events going on and just supply and demand.”

   Steve Martin and cat

   But in cases where tariffs have been passed along to consumers, prices could drop, Greer said.

   One potential example: bananas. American consumers are paying about 8% more for bananas than before Trump’s second term began.

   The US largely imports bananas from South American countries. With bananas exempt from “reciprocal” tariffs that started at 10%, prices could go back to where they were earlier this year, said Sarah House, senior economist at Wells Fargo. But it’s unlikely to be something most consumers notice unless they’re buying bananas often, she added.

   But not everyone is convinced it will even do that much.

   “It is not clear that lowering tariffs will lower prices — it depends on what retailers think they can get away with. The import price of bananas has fallen since tariffs were imposed, but the US consumer price has risen,” Paul Donovan, chief economist at UBS global wealth management, said in a note last week. (The United States tracks import prices before accounting for tariffs. In some cases, import prices have fallen as exporters lower what they charge as a way to share in the tariff expense importers pay.)

   More analysis at the CNN link.

   Another flop: Trump’s soybean deal with China may have just been a mirage. AP: USDA data casts doubt on China’s soybean purchase promises touted by Trump.

   New data the Agriculture Department released Friday created serious doubts about whether China will really buy millions of bushels of American soybeans like the Trump administration touted last month after a high-stakes meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

   The USDA report released after the government reopened showed only two Chinese purchases of American soybeans since the summit in South Korea that totaled 332,000 metric tons. That’s well short of the 12 million metric tons that Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said China agreed to purchase by January and nowhere near the 25 million metric tons she said they would buy in each of the next three years.

   American farmers were hopeful that their biggest customer would resume buying their crops. But CoBank’s Tanner Ehmke, who is its lead economist for grains and oilseed, said there isn’t much incentive for China to buy from America right now because they have plenty of soybeans on hand that they have bought from Brazil and other South American countries this year, and the remaining tariffs ensure that U.S. soybeans remain more expensive than Brazilian beans.

   “We are still not even close to what has been advertised from the U.S. in terms of what the agreement would have been,” Ehmke said.

   Beijing has yet to confirm any detailed soybean purchase agreement but only that the two sides have reached “consensus” on expanding trade in farm products. Ehmke said that even if China did promise to buy American soybeans it may have only agreed to buy them if the price was attractive.

   Will Trump try to distract from the Epstein files and his failures on the economy by taking use to war with Venezuela?

   David E. Sanger, Eric Schmit, tTyler Pager, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs at The New York Times (gift link): Trump Escalates Pressure on Venezuela, but Endgame Is Unclear.

   The Trump administration is rapidly escalating its pressure campaign against Venezuela, with America’s largest aircraft carrier, the Ford, about to take up a position within striking distance of the country, even as President Trump’s aides provide conflicting accounts of what, exactly, they are seeking to achieve.

   Mr. Trump held back-to-back days of meetings at the White House over the past two days, reviewing military options, including the use of Special Operations forces and direct action inside Venezuela.

   Marlyn Monroe with her cat

   It is still not clear whether Mr. Trump has made a decision about what kind of action to authorize, if any. On Friday, he told reporters on Air Force One that “I sort of made up my mind.” “I can’t tell you what it is,” he said, “but we made a lot of progress with Venezuela in terms of stopping drugs from pouring in.”

   It is possible Mr. Trump is relying on the arrival of so much firepower to intimidate the government of Nicolás Maduro, who the United States and many of its allies say is not Venezuela’s legitimate president. Mr. Maduro has put his forces on high alert, leaving the two countries with their weapons cocked and ready for war.

   There were signs that the administration was moving into a new and more aggressive posture. Shortly after a meeting on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on social media that the mission in the Caribbean now had a name — “Southern Spear.” He described its goal in expansive terms, saying the operation “removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere.”

   “The Western Hemisphere is America’s neighborhood,” he wrote, “and we will protect it.” With the arrival of the Ford and three accompanying missile-firing Navy destroyers, there are now 15,000 troops in the region, more than there have been at any time in decades.

   The only thing missing is a strategic explanation from the Trump administration that would clarify why the United States is amassing such a large force. Mr. Hegseth’s posting on X was only the latest in a series of statements from administration officials that, at best, are in tension with one another. Some are outright contradictory.

   Mr. Trump has been the most consistent, saying it is all about drugs. But that would not explain why the Ford was rushed from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Caribbean region, adding to an American force that has now reached 15,000 soldiers and sailors, to attack small boats that until early September had been intercepted by the Coast Guard. Nor would it explain why Colombia or Mexico — Mexico being the main conduit for fentanyl — are not in the Navy’s sights.

   Dan Lamothe, Tara Copp, Michael Birnbaum, and Noah Robertson: Trump weighs Venezuela strikes as U.S. forces prepare for attack order.

   President Donald Trump said Friday night that he has “sort of made up my mind” about how he will proceed with the possibility of military action in Venezuela, following a second consecutive day of deliberations at the White House that included top national security advisers.

   Trump’s vague remarks aboard Air Force One were delivered as he traveled for the weekend to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, and included no additional new details. The comments came as U.S. forces in the region awaited possible attack orders and after days of high-level discussions about whether — and how — to strike in Venezuela, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the matter is highly sensitive. Joining Trump in deliberations Friday were Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, these people said.

   Robert Redford with his cat

   Earlier in the day, an administration official said “a host of options” had been presented to the president. Trump is “very good at maintaining strategic ambiguity, and something he does very well is he does not dictate or broadcast to our adversaries what he wants to do next,” the official said.

   Any strike on Venezuelan territory would upend the president’s frequent promises of avoiding new conflicts and betray promises made to Congress in recent weeks that no active preparations were underway for such an attack. It also would further complicate U.S. cooperation with other Latin American countries, and deepen suspicions — there and in Washington — over whether Trump’s endgame is the forced removal of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, whom Trump has accused of sending drugs and violent criminals to the United States.

   Maduro, a socialist strongman, came to power in Caracas in 2013 and increasingly has become a fixation for Trump.

   In August, U.S. officials increased the reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction from $25 million to $50 million, citing alleged ties to drug cartels and U.S. beliefs dating back to the Biden administration that he lost Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election and refused to step down.

   “The United States is very plugged into what’s going on in Venezuela, the chatter among Maduro’s people and the highest levels of his regime,” the administration official said. “Maduro is very scared, and he should be scared. The president has options on the table that are very bad for Maduro and his illegitimate regime. … We view this regime as illegitimate, and it’s not serving the Western Hemisphere well.”

   CNN: Trump likely to face long military commitment and chaos if he ousts Maduro in Venezuela, experts say.

   President Donald Trump has said he believes Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s days are numbered, and that land strikes inside Venezuela are possible.

   Experts say that the US doesn’t currently have the military assets in place to launch a largescale operation to remove Maduro from power, though Trump has approved covert action within Venezuela, CNN has reported.

   Bette Davis with cat

   But if Trump did order strikes inside Venezuela aimed at ousting Maduro, he could face serious challenges with fractured opposition elements and a military poised for insurgency, according to experts, as well as political backlash at home for a president who promised to avoid costly entanglements overseas.

   CNN reported that Trump received a briefing earlier this week to review updated options for military action inside Venezuela, a concept the White House has been weighing. The administration had not made a decision on whether to launch strikes, CNN reported, though the US military has moved more than a dozen warships and 15,000 troops into the region as part of what the Pentagon branded Operation Southern Spear in an announcement Thursday.

   The concentration of military assets and threats of further attacks beyond the ongoing drug boat campaign have served to increase pressure on Maduro, with administration officials saying he needs to leave office while arguing that he’s closely tied to the Tren de Aragua gang and leading drug trafficking efforts.

   But if Maduro does flee Venezuela or is killed out in a targeted strike, experts worry about a military takeover of the country or the boosting of another dictator similar to Maduro.

   Read the rest at CNN.

   Those are my recommended reads. I’ll add a few more links in the comment thread. What stories are you interested in today?

   #BillClinton #catArt #caturday #ChinaSoybeanPurchases #DonaldTrump #EpsteinFiles #JeffreyEpstein #LarrySummers #NicolasMaduro #PamBondi #ReidHoffman #SteveBannon #TACOTrump #TrumpTariffs #Venezuela

   #billclinton #catart #caturday #chinasoybeanpurchases #donaldtrump #epsteinfiles
10. 

    Sky Dancing @[email protected] · 2025-11-15 · 18:24 UTC

    Lazy Caturday Reads: Epstein, Epstein, Epstein, and More News

    Good Afternoon!!

    Elizabeth Taylor with her Siamese cat, 1956, photo by Sanford Roth

    Epstein, Epstein, Epstein. He’s everywhere in the news. We still haven’t seen the DOJ Epstein files, but we’re already learning more about Epstein’s relationship to Trump from the recently released text messages. We don’t know yet how bad it will get when the files are released, but the extent to which Trump is publicly panicking suggests it will be very bad for him.

    In Trump’s latest effort to control the Epstein story, he ordered Attorney General Bondi to investigate Democrats who had connections to the child sex trafficker.

    AP: At Trump’s urging, Bondi says US will investigate Epstein’s ties to Clinton and other political foes.

    Acceding to President Donald Trump’s demands, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Friday that she has ordered a top federal prosecutor to investigate sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to Trump political foes, including former President Bill Clinton.

    Bondi posted on X that she was assigning Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to lead the probe, capping an eventful week in which congressional Republicans released nearly 23,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate and House Democrats seized on emails mentioning Trump.

    Trump, who was friends with Epstein for years, didn’t explain what supposed crimes he wanted the Justice Department to investigate. None of the men he mentioned in a social media post demanding the probe has been accused of sexual misconduct by any of Epstein’s victims.

    Hours before Bondi’s announcement, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he would ask her, the Justice Department and the FBI to investigate Epstein’s “involvement and relationship” with Clinton and others, including former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and LinkedIn founder and Democratic donor Reid Hoffman.

    Trump, calling the matter “the Epstein Hoax, involving Democrats, not Republicans,” said the investigation should also include financial giant JPMorgan Chase, which provided banking services to Epstein, and “many other people and institutions.”

    There’s no evidence that any of the people Trump is targeting were involved in sexual abuse or sex trafficking.

    A JPMorgan Chase spokesperson, Patricia Wexler, said the company regretted associating with Epstein “but did not help him commit his heinous acts.”

    “The government had damning information about his crimes and failed to share it with us or other banks,” she said. The company agreed previously to pay millions of dollars to Epstein’s victims, who had sued arguing that the bank ignored red flags about criminal activity.

    Clinton has acknowledged traveling on Epstein’s private jet but has said through a spokesperson that he had no knowledge of the late financier’s crimes. He also has never been accused of misconduct by Epstein’s known victims.

    Clinton’s deputy chief of staff Angel Ureña posted on X Friday: “These emails prove Bill Clinton did nothing and knew nothing. The rest is noise meant to distract from election losses, backfiring shutdowns, and who knows what else.” [….]

    Summers and Hoffman had nothing to do with either case, but both were friendly with Epstein and exchanged emails with him. Those messages were among the documents released this week, along with other correspondence Epstein had with friends and business associates in the years before his death.

    Nothing in the messages suggested any wrongdoing on the men’s part, other than associating with someone who had been accused of sex crimes against children.

    At Letters from an American, historian Heather Cox Richardson writes:

    In a transparent attempt to distract from the many times his own name appears in the documents from the Epstein estate members of the House Oversight Committee released Wednesday, President Donald J. Trump asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Democrats whose names appeared in the documents. He singled out former president Bill Clinton, former treasury secretary Lawrence H. Summers, and Reid Hoffman, who founded LinkedIn and who is a Democratic donor.

    Marlon Brando and cat

    Although the attorney general is the nation’s chief law enforcement officer and is supposed to be nonpartisan in protecting the rule of law, Bondi responded that the Department of Justice “will pursue this with urgency and integrity.” Maegan Vazquez and Shayna Jacobs of the Washington Post note that reporters have already covered the relationship of Epstein with Clinton, Summers, and Hoffman for years, and that in July, Justice Department officials said an examination of the FBI files relating to Epstein—a different cache than Wednesday’s—“did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”

    Meidas Touch noted: “In normal times, it would be a major scandal for the President to direct his AG to criminally investigate his political opponents to deflect from his own involvement in a major scandal—and for the AG to immediately announce she is doing it. The Epstein scandal and cover up just got even bigger.”

    This scandal truly has Trump flailing. I hope this will be the one that really brings him down, but he somehow seems to wriggle out of every scandal. But he certainly is terrified of the Epstein files being released.

    Politico: House plans to vote Tuesday on releasing Epstein files.

    House Republican leaders are planning to hold a vote Tuesday on legislation to force the release of federal files related to Jeffrey Epstein, according to three people granted anonymity to discuss internal plans ahead of a public announcement.

    The tentative scheduling decision follows a successful effort by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to sidestep Speaker Mike Johnson and force a floor vote on their bipartisan bill to compel the Justice Department to release all of its records related to the late convicted sex offender.

    President Donald Trump has made repeated attempts to kill the effort, which continued in a series of Truth Social posts Friday. But Johnson said Wednesday he intends to move quickly to hold the vote and put the matter to bed.

    Under the current GOP plan, the House Rules Committee would approve a procedural measure Monday night to advance eight bills for floor consideration, including language to tee up the Epstein legislation. If that measure is approved on the floor, likely early Tuesday afternoon, debate and a final vote on the Epstein bill could immediately follow. GOP leaders are considering whether to postpone the Epstein vote until Tuesday evening….

    The four Republicans who signed on to the discharge petition forcing the vote — Massie, plus Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Nancy Mace of South Carolina — are likely to examine Johnson’s moves very closely. They could together block any procedural measure that would undercut the Epstein legislation, postpone it or otherwise alter it.

    One more story on the Epstein texts from Jason Wilson at The Guardian: Steve Bannon advised Jeffrey Epstein for years on how to rehab his reputation, texts show.

    Hundreds of texts over almost a year show Maga influencer Steve Bannon and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein workshopping legal and media strategies to protect Epstein from the legal and publicity quagmire that enveloped him in the last year of his life.

    The texts, released by the House oversight committee on Wednesday, show that as early as June 2018, the pair were devising responses to the gathering storm of public outrage about Epstein’s criminal history, his favorable treatment by the justice system, and his friendships with powerful figures in business, politics and academia.

    Bannon conspiratorially described the renewed scrutiny of Epstein as a “sophisticated op”, and over time he counseled Epstein in his adversarial responses to media outlets, the justice system and his victims.

    All the while, both men were also strategizing how best to promote Bannon’s rightwing populist agenda, and the political fortunes of its standard bearer, Donald Trump.

    In all of Epstein’s messages, the identity of his correspondent is redacted. But Bannon’s identity in the threads cited in this reporting is clear from contextual clues including his documented activities at the time, details of his business and media pursuits, and other disclosures. In one document, the sender’s phone number is not redacted – and it is the same number linked to Bannon in a legal case against Trump adviser Roger Stone.

    Read the rest at The Guardian.

    Trump is also beginning to panic about the economy and the negative effects of his insane tariffs.

    David J. Lynch at The Washington Post: Trump goes on defense over tariffs as prices on everyday items keep rising.

    President Donald Trump’s bid Friday to sootheconsumers by dropping tariffs on a wide array of groceries, including coffee, beef, bananas and tomatoes — contradicting his repeated claims that the levies were not affecting retail prices — shows he is on the defensive over his signature policy initiative.

    Public opposition, eroding support on Capitol Hill and a potentially lethal challenge before the Supreme Court have Trump scrambling to defend his economic strategy even as the administration notches diplomatic agreements that are cementing its high-tariff approach to rebalancing global trade.

    Sophia Loren with her cat, 1959

    Public opinion is the immediate worry, following recent Democratic electoral victories in Virginia and New Jersey that were fueled by Americans’ ire over the cost of living. By a nearly 2-to-1 margin, registered voters disapproved of the president’s tariffs in a recent Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, a finding that has been consistent all year and could imperil Republican candidates in next year’s congressional elections.

    The president on Friday issued an executive order rolling back import taxes on many foods, his most significant retreat on the emergency tariffs he imposed in April, which were billed at the time as loophole-free. In September, the White House had signaled that some products that are not generally produced in the United States could be spared tariffs once nations where they originate reached trade deals with the United States. But Friday’s exemptions apply to products from any nation, even those that have not agreed on trade terms.

    “They know that they shouldn’t have imposed a lot of these tariffs and that they’re hurting affordability for consumers. Now they’re looking for a way to justify lowering them. And that’s fine. But did we really need to go through all this in the first place?” said Christopher Padilla, senior adviser to the Brunswick Group and a former trade official in the George W. Bush administration….

    This week’s tariff cuts appear aimed at responding to public concern over high prices. Inflation overall is running at an annual rate of 3 percent, above the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target for price stability but well down from the mid-2022 peak of 9.1 percent.

    Prices on many everyday items, however, continue to soar. Through September, the most recent data available, coffee prices were up 19 percent over the previous 12 months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bananas were up 7 percent.

    Elizabeth Buchwald at CNN: Trump’s latest tariff TACO probably won’t make your life more affordable.

    Americans could soon see some goods get cheaper after President Donald Trump exempted certain agricultural imports from a set of tariffs on Friday. But any price drops likely won’t be enough to make life feel more affordable any time soon.

    The executive order exempted products like coffee, beef and some fruit from Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs, which began rolling out in April.

    The new exemptions are part of what traders have dubbed TACO, or Trump Always Chickens Out, to describe times when the president backs off a policy after unintended consequences pop up. In the case of tariffs, Trump has already reversed a number of his measures, a sign that the administration is reshaping his signature economic tool.

    The latest TACO comes after voters, worried about affordability, gave Republicans a drubbing in recent off-year elections.

    Why this likely won’t help consumers much:

    Nevertheless, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the new exemptions generally won’t help improve affordability.

    “It depends on what the importers do with the tariff,” he said in a CNBC interview on Friday. “So when you look at the overall price trend, it hasn’t been because of tariffs. It’s been because of these other events going on and just supply and demand.”

    Steve Martin and cat

    But in cases where tariffs have been passed along to consumers, prices could drop, Greer said.

    One potential example: bananas. American consumers are paying about 8% more for bananas than before Trump’s second term began.

    The US largely imports bananas from South American countries. With bananas exempt from “reciprocal” tariffs that started at 10%, prices could go back to where they were earlier this year, said Sarah House, senior economist at Wells Fargo. But it’s unlikely to be something most consumers notice unless they’re buying bananas often, she added.

    But not everyone is convinced it will even do that much.

    “It is not clear that lowering tariffs will lower prices — it depends on what retailers think they can get away with. The import price of bananas has fallen since tariffs were imposed, but the US consumer price has risen,” Paul Donovan, chief economist at UBS global wealth management, said in a note last week. (The United States tracks import prices before accounting for tariffs. In some cases, import prices have fallen as exporters lower what they charge as a way to share in the tariff expense importers pay.)

    More analysis at the CNN link.

    Another flop: Trump’s soybean deal with China may have just been a mirage. AP: USDA data casts doubt on China’s soybean purchase promises touted by Trump.

    New data the Agriculture Department released Friday created serious doubts about whether China will really buy millions of bushels of American soybeans like the Trump administration touted last month after a high-stakes meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

    The USDA report released after the government reopened showed only two Chinese purchases of American soybeans since the summit in South Korea that totaled 332,000 metric tons. That’s well short of the 12 million metric tons that Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said China agreed to purchase by January and nowhere near the 25 million metric tons she said they would buy in each of the next three years.

    American farmers were hopeful that their biggest customer would resume buying their crops. But CoBank’s Tanner Ehmke, who is its lead economist for grains and oilseed, said there isn’t much incentive for China to buy from America right now because they have plenty of soybeans on hand that they have bought from Brazil and other South American countries this year, and the remaining tariffs ensure that U.S. soybeans remain more expensive than Brazilian beans.

    “We are still not even close to what has been advertised from the U.S. in terms of what the agreement would have been,” Ehmke said.

    Beijing has yet to confirm any detailed soybean purchase agreement but only that the two sides have reached “consensus” on expanding trade in farm products. Ehmke said that even if China did promise to buy American soybeans it may have only agreed to buy them if the price was attractive.

    Will Trump try to distract from the Epstein files and his failures on the economy by taking us to war with Venezuela?

    David E. Sanger, Eric Schmit, Tyler Pager, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs at The New York Times (gift link): Trump Escalates Pressure on Venezuela, but Endgame Is Unclear.

    The Trump administration is rapidly escalating its pressure campaign against Venezuela, with America’s largest aircraft carrier, the Ford, about to take up a position within striking distance of the country, even as President Trump’s aides provide conflicting accounts of what, exactly, they are seeking to achieve.

    Mr. Trump held back-to-back days of meetings at the White House over the past two days, reviewing military options, including the use of Special Operations forces and direct action inside Venezuela.

    Marlyn Monroe with her cat

    It is still not clear whether Mr. Trump has made a decision about what kind of action to authorize, if any. On Friday, he told reporters on Air Force One that “I sort of made up my mind.” “I can’t tell you what it is,” he said, “but we made a lot of progress with Venezuela in terms of stopping drugs from pouring in.”

    It is possible Mr. Trump is relying on the arrival of so much firepower to intimidate the government of Nicolás Maduro, who the United States and many of its allies say is not Venezuela’s legitimate president. Mr. Maduro has put his forces on high alert, leaving the two countries with their weapons cocked and ready for war.

    There were signs that the administration was moving into a new and more aggressive posture. Shortly after a meeting on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on social media that the mission in the Caribbean now had a name — “Southern Spear.” He described its goal in expansive terms, saying the operation “removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere.”

    “The Western Hemisphere is America’s neighborhood,” he wrote, “and we will protect it.” With the arrival of the Ford and three accompanying missile-firing Navy destroyers, there are now 15,000 troops in the region, more than there have been at any time in decades.

    The only thing missing is a strategic explanation from the Trump administration that would clarify why the United States is amassing such a large force. Mr. Hegseth’s posting on X was only the latest in a series of statements from administration officials that, at best, are in tension with one another. Some are outright contradictory.

    Mr. Trump has been the most consistent, saying it is all about drugs. But that would not explain why the Ford was rushed from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Caribbean region, adding to an American force that has now reached 15,000 soldiers and sailors, to attack small boats that until early September had been intercepted by the Coast Guard. Nor would it explain why Colombia or Mexico — Mexico being the main conduit for fentanyl — are not in the Navy’s sights.

    Dan Lamothe, Tara Copp, Michael Birnbaum, and Noah Robertson: Trump weighs Venezuela strikes as U.S. forces prepare for attack order.

    President Donald Trump said Friday night that he has “sort of made up my mind” about how he will proceed with the possibility of military action in Venezuela, following a second consecutive day of deliberations at the White House that included top national security advisers.

    Trump’s vague remarks aboard Air Force One were delivered as he traveled for the weekend to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, and included no additional new details. The comments came as U.S. forces in the region awaited possible attack orders and after days of high-level discussions about whether — and how — to strike in Venezuela, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the matter is highly sensitive. Joining Trump in deliberations Friday were Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, these people said.

    Robert Redford with his cat

    Earlier in the day, an administration official said “a host of options” had been presented to the president. Trump is “very good at maintaining strategic ambiguity, and something he does very well is he does not dictate or broadcast to our adversaries what he wants to do next,” the official said.

    Any strike on Venezuelan territory would upend the president’s frequent promises of avoiding new conflicts and betray promises made to Congress in recent weeks that no active preparations were underway for such an attack. It also would further complicate U.S. cooperation with other Latin American countries, and deepen suspicions — there and in Washington — over whether Trump’s endgame is the forced removal of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, whom Trump has accused of sending drugs and violent criminals to the United States.

    Maduro, a socialist strongman, came to power in Caracas in 2013 and increasingly has become a fixation for Trump.

    In August, U.S. officials increased the reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction from $25 million to $50 million, citing alleged ties to drug cartels and U.S. beliefs dating back to the Biden administration that he lost Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election and refused to step down.

    “The United States is very plugged into what’s going on in Venezuela, the chatter among Maduro’s people and the highest levels of his regime,” the administration official said. “Maduro is very scared, and he should be scared. The president has options on the table that are very bad for Maduro and his illegitimate regime. … We view this regime as illegitimate, and it’s not serving the Western Hemisphere well.”

    CNN: Trump likely to face long military commitment and chaos if he ousts Maduro in Venezuela, experts say.

    President Donald Trump has said he believes Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s days are numbered, and that land strikes inside Venezuela are possible.

    Experts say that the US doesn’t currently have the military assets in place to launch a largescale operation to remove Maduro from power, though Trump has approved covert action within Venezuela, CNN has reported.

    Bette Davis with cat

    But if Trump did order strikes inside Venezuela aimed at ousting Maduro, he could face serious challenges with fractured opposition elements and a military poised for insurgency, according to experts, as well as political backlash at home for a president who promised to avoid costly entanglements overseas.

    CNN reported that Trump received a briefing earlier this week to review updated options for military action inside Venezuela, a concept the White House has been weighing. The administration had not made a decision on whether to launch strikes, CNN reported, though the US military has moved more than a dozen warships and 15,000 troops into the region as part of what the Pentagon branded Operation Southern Spear in an announcement Thursday.

    The concentration of military assets and threats of further attacks beyond the ongoing drug boat campaign have served to increase pressure on Maduro, with administration officials saying he needs to leave office while arguing that he’s closely tied to the Tren de Aragua gang and leading drug trafficking efforts.

    But if Maduro does flee Venezuela or is killed out in a targeted strike, experts worry about a military takeover of the country or the boosting of another dictator similar to Maduro.

    Read the rest at CNN.

    Those are my recommended reads. I’ll add a few more links in the comment thread. What stories are you interested in today?

    #BillClinton #catArt #caturday #ChinaSoybeanPurchases #DonaldTrump #EpsteinFiles #JeffreyEpstein #LarrySummers #NicolasMaduro #PamBondi #ReidHoffman #SteveBannon #TACOTrump #TrumpTariffs #Venezuela

    #venezuela #trumptariffs #tacotrump #stevebannon #reidhoffman #pambondi
11. 

    Sky Dancing @[email protected] · 2025-11-15 · 18:24 UTC

    Lazy Caturday Reads: Epstein, Epstein, Epstein, and More News

    Good Afternoon!!

    Elizabeth Taylor with her Siamese cat, 1956, photo by Sanford Roth

    Epstein, Epstein, Epstein. He’s everywhere in the news. We still haven’t seen the DOJ Epstein files, but we’re already learning more about Epstein’s relationship to Trump from the recently released text messages. We don’t know yet how bad it will get when the files are released, but the extent to which Trump is publicly panicking suggests it will be very bad for him.

    In Trump’s latest effort to control the Epstein story, he ordered Attorney General Bondi to investigate Democrats who had connections to the child sex trafficker.

    AP: At Trump’s urging, Bondi says US will investigate Epstein’s ties to Clinton and other political foes.

    Acceding to President Donald Trump’s demands, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Friday that she has ordered a top federal prosecutor to investigate sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to Trump political foes, including former President Bill Clinton.

    Bondi posted on X that she was assigning Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to lead the probe, capping an eventful week in which congressional Republicans released nearly 23,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate and House Democrats seized on emails mentioning Trump.

    Trump, who was friends with Epstein for years, didn’t explain what supposed crimes he wanted the Justice Department to investigate. None of the men he mentioned in a social media post demanding the probe has been accused of sexual misconduct by any of Epstein’s victims.

    Hours before Bondi’s announcement, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he would ask her, the Justice Department and the FBI to investigate Epstein’s “involvement and relationship” with Clinton and others, including former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and LinkedIn founder and Democratic donor Reid Hoffman.

    Trump, calling the matter “the Epstein Hoax, involving Democrats, not Republicans,” said the investigation should also include financial giant JPMorgan Chase, which provided banking services to Epstein, and “many other people and institutions.”

    There’s no evidence that any of the people Trump is targeting were involved in sexual abuse or sex trafficking.

    A JPMorgan Chase spokesperson, Patricia Wexler, said the company regretted associating with Epstein “but did not help him commit his heinous acts.”

    “The government had damning information about his crimes and failed to share it with us or other banks,” she said. The company agreed previously to pay millions of dollars to Epstein’s victims, who had sued arguing that the bank ignored red flags about criminal activity.

    Clinton has acknowledged traveling on Epstein’s private jet but has said through a spokesperson that he had no knowledge of the late financier’s crimes. He also has never been accused of misconduct by Epstein’s known victims.

    Clinton’s deputy chief of staff Angel Ureña posted on X Friday: “These emails prove Bill Clinton did nothing and knew nothing. The rest is noise meant to distract from election losses, backfiring shutdowns, and who knows what else.” [….]

    Summers and Hoffman had nothing to do with either case, but both were friendly with Epstein and exchanged emails with him. Those messages were among the documents released this week, along with other correspondence Epstein had with friends and business associates in the years before his death.

    Nothing in the messages suggested any wrongdoing on the men’s part, other than associating with someone who had been accused of sex crimes against children.

    At Letters from an American, historian Heather Cox Richardson writes:

    In a transparent attempt to distract from the many times his own name appears in the documents from the Epstein estate members of the House Oversight Committee released Wednesday, President Donald J. Trump asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Democrats whose names appeared in the documents. He singled out former president Bill Clinton, former treasury secretary Lawrence H. Summers, and Reid Hoffman, who founded LinkedIn and who is a Democratic donor.

    Marlon Brando and cat

    Although the attorney general is the nation’s chief law enforcement officer and is supposed to be nonpartisan in protecting the rule of law, Bondi responded that the Department of Justice “will pursue this with urgency and integrity.” Maegan Vazquez and Shayna Jacobs of the Washington Post note that reporters have already covered the relationship of Epstein with Clinton, Summers, and Hoffman for years, and that in July, Justice Department officials said an examination of the FBI files relating to Epstein—a different cache than Wednesday’s—“did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”

    Meidas Touch noted: “In normal times, it would be a major scandal for the President to direct his AG to criminally investigate his political opponents to deflect from his own involvement in a major scandal—and for the AG to immediately announce she is doing it. The Epstein scandal and cover up just got even bigger.”

    This scandal truly has Trump flailing. I hope this will be the one that really brings him down, but he somehow seems to wriggle out of every scandal. But he certainly is terrified of the Epstein files being released.

    Politico: House plans to vote Tuesday on releasing Epstein files.

    House Republican leaders are planning to hold a vote Tuesday on legislation to force the release of federal files related to Jeffrey Epstein, according to three people granted anonymity to discuss internal plans ahead of a public announcement.

    The tentative scheduling decision follows a successful effort by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to sidestep Speaker Mike Johnson and force a floor vote on their bipartisan bill to compel the Justice Department to release all of its records related to the late convicted sex offender.

    President Donald Trump has made repeated attempts to kill the effort, which continued in a series of Truth Social posts Friday. But Johnson said Wednesday he intends to move quickly to hold the vote and put the matter to bed.

    Under the current GOP plan, the House Rules Committee would approve a procedural measure Monday night to advance eight bills for floor consideration, including language to tee up the Epstein legislation. If that measure is approved on the floor, likely early Tuesday afternoon, debate and a final vote on the Epstein bill could immediately follow. GOP leaders are considering whether to postpone the Epstein vote until Tuesday evening….

    The four Republicans who signed on to the discharge petition forcing the vote — Massie, plus Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Nancy Mace of South Carolina — are likely to examine Johnson’s moves very closely. They could together block any procedural measure that would undercut the Epstein legislation, postpone it or otherwise alter it.

    One more story on the Epstein texts from Jason Wilson at The Guardian: Steve Bannon advised Jeffrey Epstein for years on how to rehab his reputation, texts show.

    Hundreds of texts over almost a year show Maga influencer Steve Bannon and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein workshopping legal and media strategies to protect Epstein from the legal and publicity quagmire that enveloped him in the last year of his life.

    The texts, released by the House oversight committee on Wednesday, show that as early as June 2018, the pair were devising responses to the gathering storm of public outrage about Epstein’s criminal history, his favorable treatment by the justice system, and his friendships with powerful figures in business, politics and academia.

    Bannon conspiratorially described the renewed scrutiny of Epstein as a “sophisticated op”, and over time he counseled Epstein in his adversarial responses to media outlets, the justice system and his victims.

    All the while, both men were also strategizing how best to promote Bannon’s rightwing populist agenda, and the political fortunes of its standard bearer, Donald Trump.

    In all of Epstein’s messages, the identity of his correspondent is redacted. But Bannon’s identity in the threads cited in this reporting is clear from contextual clues including his documented activities at the time, details of his business and media pursuits, and other disclosures. In one document, the sender’s phone number is not redacted – and it is the same number linked to Bannon in a legal case against Trump adviser Roger Stone.

    Read the rest at The Guardian.

    Trump is also beginning to panic about the economy and the negative effects of his insane tariffs.

    David J. Lynch at The Washington Post: Trump goes on defense over tariffs as prices on everyday items keep rising.

    President Donald Trump’s bid Friday to sootheconsumers by dropping tariffs on a wide array of groceries, including coffee, beef, bananas and tomatoes — contradicting his repeated claims that the levies were not affecting retail prices — shows he is on the defensive over his signature policy initiative.

    Public opposition, eroding support on Capitol Hill and a potentially lethal challenge before the Supreme Court have Trump scrambling to defend his economic strategy even as the administration notches diplomatic agreements that are cementing its high-tariff approach to rebalancing global trade.

    Sophia Loren with her cat, 1959

    Public opinion is the immediate worry, following recent Democratic electoral victories in Virginia and New Jersey that were fueled by Americans’ ire over the cost of living. By a nearly 2-to-1 margin, registered voters disapproved of the president’s tariffs in a recent Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, a finding that has been consistent all year and could imperil Republican candidates in next year’s congressional elections.

    The president on Friday issued an executive order rolling back import taxes on many foods, his most significant retreat on the emergency tariffs he imposed in April, which were billed at the time as loophole-free. In September, the White House had signaled that some products that are not generally produced in the United States could be spared tariffs once nations where they originate reached trade deals with the United States. But Friday’s exemptions apply to products from any nation, even those that have not agreed on trade terms.

    “They know that they shouldn’t have imposed a lot of these tariffs and that they’re hurting affordability for consumers. Now they’re looking for a way to justify lowering them. And that’s fine. But did we really need to go through all this in the first place?” said Christopher Padilla, senior adviser to the Brunswick Group and a former trade official in the George W. Bush administration….

    This week’s tariff cuts appear aimed at responding to public concern over high prices. Inflation overall is running at an annual rate of 3 percent, above the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target for price stability but well down from the mid-2022 peak of 9.1 percent.

    Prices on many everyday items, however, continue to soar. Through September, the most recent data available, coffee prices were up 19 percent over the previous 12 months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bananas were up 7 percent.

    Elizabeth Buchwald at CNN: Trump’s latest tariff TACO probably won’t make your life more affordable.

    Americans could soon see some goods get cheaper after President Donald Trump exempted certain agricultural imports from a set of tariffs on Friday. But any price drops likely won’t be enough to make life feel more affordable any time soon.

    The executive order exempted products like coffee, beef and some fruit from Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs, which began rolling out in April.

    The new exemptions are part of what traders have dubbed TACO, or Trump Always Chickens Out, to describe times when the president backs off a policy after unintended consequences pop up. In the case of tariffs, Trump has already reversed a number of his measures, a sign that the administration is reshaping his signature economic tool.

    The latest TACO comes after voters, worried about affordability, gave Republicans a drubbing in recent off-year elections.

    Why this likely won’t help consumers much:

    Nevertheless, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the new exemptions generally won’t help improve affordability.

    “It depends on what the importers do with the tariff,” he said in a CNBC interview on Friday. “So when you look at the overall price trend, it hasn’t been because of tariffs. It’s been because of these other events going on and just supply and demand.”

    Steve Martin and cat

    But in cases where tariffs have been passed along to consumers, prices could drop, Greer said.

    One potential example: bananas. American consumers are paying about 8% more for bananas than before Trump’s second term began.

    The US largely imports bananas from South American countries. With bananas exempt from “reciprocal” tariffs that started at 10%, prices could go back to where they were earlier this year, said Sarah House, senior economist at Wells Fargo. But it’s unlikely to be something most consumers notice unless they’re buying bananas often, she added.

    But not everyone is convinced it will even do that much.

    “It is not clear that lowering tariffs will lower prices — it depends on what retailers think they can get away with. The import price of bananas has fallen since tariffs were imposed, but the US consumer price has risen,” Paul Donovan, chief economist at UBS global wealth management, said in a note last week. (The United States tracks import prices before accounting for tariffs. In some cases, import prices have fallen as exporters lower what they charge as a way to share in the tariff expense importers pay.)

    More analysis at the CNN link.

    Another flop: Trump’s soybean deal with China may have just been a mirage. AP: USDA data casts doubt on China’s soybean purchase promises touted by Trump.

    New data the Agriculture Department released Friday created serious doubts about whether China will really buy millions of bushels of American soybeans like the Trump administration touted last month after a high-stakes meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

    The USDA report released after the government reopened showed only two Chinese purchases of American soybeans since the summit in South Korea that totaled 332,000 metric tons. That’s well short of the 12 million metric tons that Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said China agreed to purchase by January and nowhere near the 25 million metric tons she said they would buy in each of the next three years.

    American farmers were hopeful that their biggest customer would resume buying their crops. But CoBank’s Tanner Ehmke, who is its lead economist for grains and oilseed, said there isn’t much incentive for China to buy from America right now because they have plenty of soybeans on hand that they have bought from Brazil and other South American countries this year, and the remaining tariffs ensure that U.S. soybeans remain more expensive than Brazilian beans.

    “We are still not even close to what has been advertised from the U.S. in terms of what the agreement would have been,” Ehmke said.

    Beijing has yet to confirm any detailed soybean purchase agreement but only that the two sides have reached “consensus” on expanding trade in farm products. Ehmke said that even if China did promise to buy American soybeans it may have only agreed to buy them if the price was attractive.

    Will Trump try to distract from the Epstein files and his failures on the economy by taking use to war with Venezuela?

    David E. Sanger, Eric Schmit, tTyler Pager, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs at The New York Times (gift link): Trump Escalates Pressure on Venezuela, but Endgame Is Unclear.

    The Trump administration is rapidly escalating its pressure campaign against Venezuela, with America’s largest aircraft carrier, the Ford, about to take up a position within striking distance of the country, even as President Trump’s aides provide conflicting accounts of what, exactly, they are seeking to achieve.

    Mr. Trump held back-to-back days of meetings at the White House over the past two days, reviewing military options, including the use of Special Operations forces and direct action inside Venezuela.

    Marlyn Monroe with her cat

    It is still not clear whether Mr. Trump has made a decision about what kind of action to authorize, if any. On Friday, he told reporters on Air Force One that “I sort of made up my mind.” “I can’t tell you what it is,” he said, “but we made a lot of progress with Venezuela in terms of stopping drugs from pouring in.”

    It is possible Mr. Trump is relying on the arrival of so much firepower to intimidate the government of Nicolás Maduro, who the United States and many of its allies say is not Venezuela’s legitimate president. Mr. Maduro has put his forces on high alert, leaving the two countries with their weapons cocked and ready for war.

    There were signs that the administration was moving into a new and more aggressive posture. Shortly after a meeting on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on social media that the mission in the Caribbean now had a name — “Southern Spear.” He described its goal in expansive terms, saying the operation “removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere.”

    “The Western Hemisphere is America’s neighborhood,” he wrote, “and we will protect it.” With the arrival of the Ford and three accompanying missile-firing Navy destroyers, there are now 15,000 troops in the region, more than there have been at any time in decades.

    The only thing missing is a strategic explanation from the Trump administration that would clarify why the United States is amassing such a large force. Mr. Hegseth’s posting on X was only the latest in a series of statements from administration officials that, at best, are in tension with one another. Some are outright contradictory.

    Mr. Trump has been the most consistent, saying it is all about drugs. But that would not explain why the Ford was rushed from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Caribbean region, adding to an American force that has now reached 15,000 soldiers and sailors, to attack small boats that until early September had been intercepted by the Coast Guard. Nor would it explain why Colombia or Mexico — Mexico being the main conduit for fentanyl — are not in the Navy’s sights.

    Dan Lamothe, Tara Copp, Michael Birnbaum, and Noah Robertson: Trump weighs Venezuela strikes as U.S. forces prepare for attack order.

    President Donald Trump said Friday night that he has “sort of made up my mind” about how he will proceed with the possibility of military action in Venezuela, following a second consecutive day of deliberations at the White House that included top national security advisers.

    Trump’s vague remarks aboard Air Force One were delivered as he traveled for the weekend to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, and included no additional new details. The comments came as U.S. forces in the region awaited possible attack orders and after days of high-level discussions about whether — and how — to strike in Venezuela, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the matter is highly sensitive. Joining Trump in deliberations Friday were Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, these people said.

    Robert Redford with his cat

    Earlier in the day, an administration official said “a host of options” had been presented to the president. Trump is “very good at maintaining strategic ambiguity, and something he does very well is he does not dictate or broadcast to our adversaries what he wants to do next,” the official said.

    Any strike on Venezuelan territory would upend the president’s frequent promises of avoiding new conflicts and betray promises made to Congress in recent weeks that no active preparations were underway for such an attack. It also would further complicate U.S. cooperation with other Latin American countries, and deepen suspicions — there and in Washington — over whether Trump’s endgame is the forced removal of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, whom Trump has accused of sending drugs and violent criminals to the United States.

    Maduro, a socialist strongman, came to power in Caracas in 2013 and increasingly has become a fixation for Trump.

    In August, U.S. officials increased the reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction from $25 million to $50 million, citing alleged ties to drug cartels and U.S. beliefs dating back to the Biden administration that he lost Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election and refused to step down.

    “The United States is very plugged into what’s going on in Venezuela, the chatter among Maduro’s people and the highest levels of his regime,” the administration official said. “Maduro is very scared, and he should be scared. The president has options on the table that are very bad for Maduro and his illegitimate regime. … We view this regime as illegitimate, and it’s not serving the Western Hemisphere well.”

    CNN: Trump likely to face long military commitment and chaos if he ousts Maduro in Venezuela, experts say.

    President Donald Trump has said he believes Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s days are numbered, and that land strikes inside Venezuela are possible.

    Experts say that the US doesn’t currently have the military assets in place to launch a largescale operation to remove Maduro from power, though Trump has approved covert action within Venezuela, CNN has reported.

    Bette Davis with cat

    But if Trump did order strikes inside Venezuela aimed at ousting Maduro, he could face serious challenges with fractured opposition elements and a military poised for insurgency, according to experts, as well as political backlash at home for a president who promised to avoid costly entanglements overseas.

    CNN reported that Trump received a briefing earlier this week to review updated options for military action inside Venezuela, a concept the White House has been weighing. The administration had not made a decision on whether to launch strikes, CNN reported, though the US military has moved more than a dozen warships and 15,000 troops into the region as part of what the Pentagon branded Operation Southern Spear in an announcement Thursday.

    The concentration of military assets and threats of further attacks beyond the ongoing drug boat campaign have served to increase pressure on Maduro, with administration officials saying he needs to leave office while arguing that he’s closely tied to the Tren de Aragua gang and leading drug trafficking efforts.

    But if Maduro does flee Venezuela or is killed out in a targeted strike, experts worry about a military takeover of the country or the boosting of another dictator similar to Maduro.

    Read the rest at CNN.

    Those are my recommended reads. I’ll add a few more links in the comment thread. What stories are you interested in today?

    #BillClinton #catArt #caturday #ChinaSoybeanPurchases #DonaldTrump #EpsteinFiles #JeffreyEpstein #LarrySummers #NicolasMaduro #PamBondi #ReidHoffman #SteveBannon #TACOTrump #TrumpTariffs #Venezuela

    #billclinton #catart #caturday #chinasoybeanpurchases #donaldtrump #epsteinfiles
12. 

    Sky Dancing @[email protected] · 2024-08-19 · 19:01 UTC

    “Come on, Mr. President. Just do it!” John Buss, @repeat1968

    Good Day, Sky Dancers!

    The DNC begins today in Chicago. It’s a busy schedule of what’s ahead for the future, but tonight’s focus will be on President Joe Biden’s long record of public service.  Here’s the line-up of events and speakers.

    This is from Axios. “DNC lineup: Who’s speaking and what to expect.”

    The Democratic National Convention will open in Chicago on Monday, with President Biden speaking in prime time as he passes the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris.

    Driving the news: Convention organizers released night-by-night themes and speaker details on Sunday morning. One speaker who’s not on the official agenda but Axios has confirmed will take the stage on Tuesday: former First Lady Michelle Obama.

    • Monday, “For the People”: Biden and Dr. Jill Biden speak, along with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and a welcome from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
    • Tuesday, “A Bold Vision for America’s Future”: Former President Obama plus second gentleman Doug Emhoff, with a welcome from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
    • Wednesday, “A Fight for Our Freedoms”: Vice presidential nominee Tim Walz delivers his acceptance speech, preceded by former President Clinton, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (per CNN).
    • Thursday, “For Our Future”: Harris accepts the convention’s nomination for president.

    Other speakers include Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

    • Former President Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, is expected to speak on behalf of his grandfather, who has said he hopes to stay alive long enough to vote for Harris.

    Sneak peek: The stairs at the delegate entrance will say “History Is In Your Hands” — a quote from Biden’s Oval Office address on July 24.

    • As delegates arrive on Monday ahead of Biden’s speech, digital signage in the United Center will say: “History is in your hands” and “Spread the faith.”

    Robert Reich sums up what I feel about Biden’s four years.  I was beginning my career as an economist when Ronald Reagan took over. I was working in a highly regulated banking industry about to be turned loose.  Eventually, my first home had a fixed rate of 16.7%, which my employment turned into 12%. That’s just one of the nightmare stories I have to tell students.

    I attended schools that produced ‘freshwater’ economists, which is a term that basically describes us as not coming from either coast, likely public university educated, and by no means radical.  During that time, I lived through two recessions that took out my nascent savings and investment portfolio. I realized that the radical policy was not coming from the Democratic Party.

    By the time I found out about the Iran-Contra affair, I was ready to vote for Bill Clinton.  I didn’t lose much in the “Great Recession” because I knew another Republican meant another economic roller-coaster ride. The last Reagan recession took out most of my parents’ retirement savings, but they didn’t want to discuss why. If you know how to use derivatives, and that’s where hedge fund managers come in, you can make money in any economy.  Unfortunately, it hasn’t been very accessible to regular folks until recently.

    My oldest Kansas City Cousin and her husband graduated from Ivy League Schools, Princeton and Vassar. One time, when I was in high school, they drove to buy a car from Dad’s Ford Dealership in Iowa. My dad gave them the usual family price.  I was their flower girl at their wedding and spent much of my young life with my Kansas City family. I adored them.

    Her lawyer husband told me that the only way to grow an economy was to give massive tax cuts to the wealthy to start businesses, which would create jobs. I can’t remember exactly what started that conversation.  Although, I must have said something outside of the orthodox Republican Policy Bible at the time.  It sounded logical but seemed too good to be true when I started thinking about it.  I’ve never gotten the chance to tell him that it doesn’t work, will never work, and actually works worse than anyone ever thought now that I’ve got my doctorate in Financial Economics, worked at the Fed, and taught and researched economics and finance since 1980.  I now have the chops and the proof of why all that does is create chaos in the overall economy and siphon public funds to people who don’t need any more wealth.

    I’m not sure why people fondly remember the Reagan years, but they were not economic good times.  Also, I found out the Republicans will run up huge deficits as long as the rich or defense contractors get the results of whatever happened to create them.  Trickle-down economics is even more of a failure with all the incentives now of not taxing capital gains and giving tax breaks for basically stock market gambling. The rich do not put their gains into actual industry anymore. They keep rolling it into the stock market, and then they’re great consumers of things like gigantic German Yachts and all kinds of goodies that mess up our trade balance.  I voted for Bill Clinton because his policy came from economists and worked.  Reagan was the one who put taxes on tips, unemployment, and Social Security.  He had to make huge tax increases to compensate for the huge deficit with the 1981 tax cuts. So, from 1982 to 1993, there were huge tax cuts, including some from “Read My Lips” by HW Bush.  Weirdly, undoing the taxes on tips and Social Security that Trump is high on is basically removing Reagan’s economic legacy.

    But enough of that rant … on to the Reich commentary.

    Tonight’s opening of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will be an opportunity for the Democratic Party and the nation to take stock of Joe Biden’s term of office and thank him for his service.

    He still has five months to go as president, of course, but the baton has been passed.

    Biden’s singular achievement has been to change the economic paradigm that reigned since Reagan and return to one that dominated public life between 1933 and 1980 — and is far superior to the one that has prevailed since.

    Biden’s democratic capitalism is neither socialism nor “big government.” It is, rather, a return to an era when government organized the market for the greater good.

    The Great Crash of 1929 followed by the Great Depression taught the nation a crucial lesson that we forgot after Reagan’s presidency: markets are human creations. The economy that collapsed in 1929 was the consequence of allowing nearly unlimited borrowing, encouraging people to gamble on Wall Street, and permitting the Street to take huge risks with other people’s money.

    Franklin D. Roosevelt and his administration reversed this. They stopped the looting of America. They also gave Americans a modicum of economic security. During World War II, they put almost every American to work.

    Subsequent Democratic and Republican administrations enlarged and extended democratic capitalism. Wall Street was regulated, as were television networks, airlines, railroads, and other common carriers. CEO pay was modest. Taxes on the highest earners financed public investments in infrastructure (such as the national highway system) and higher education.

    America’s postwar industrial policy spurred innovation. The Department of Defense and its Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration developed satellite communications, container ships, and the internet. The National Institutes of Health did trailblazing basic research in biochemistry, DNA, and infectious diseases.

    Public spending rose during economic downturns to encourage hiring. Antitrust enforcers broke up AT&T and other monopolies. Small businesses were protected from giant chain stores. Labor unions thrived. By the 1960s, a third of all private-sector workers were unionized. Large corporations sought to be responsive to all their stakeholders.

    But then America took a giant U-turn. The OPEC oil embargo of the 1970s brought double-digit inflation followed by Fed Chair Paul Volcker’s effort to “break the back” of it by raising interest rates so high that the economy fell into deep recession.

    All of which prepared the ground for Reagan’s war on democratic capitalism. From 1981 onward, a new bipartisan orthodoxy emerged that markets functioned well only if the government got out of the way.

    The goal of economic policy thereby shifted from the common good to economic growth, even though Americans already well-off gained most from that growth. And the means shifted from public oversight of the market to deregulation, free trade, privatization, “trickle-down” tax cuts, and deficit reduction — all of which helped the monied interests make even more money.

    If you notice the last two Republican administrations with the emphasis on the last one, there were very few real economists who advised the President.  Trump only had one with the creds but was considered insane by his peers because he fitted his papers to a political take rather than data analysis and the usual scientific method.

    No matter what party you’re in, and I know Bernanke, Mankiw, Greenspan, and Krugman feel this way, the facts are the facts.  Concentrating fiscal policy on Main Street and the middle and working classes is the best use of tax dollars to keep the engine of economic growth steadily growing.  Biden’s stewardship of the economy has proved this.  He also provided input on the Obama administration’s cleanup of the huge mess called “The Great Recession,” which was completely on the back of bad policy and lack of oversight regarding the financial economy.  I am a Financial Economist. We know enough to know that these things should not happen if it wasn’t the habit of Pols to go after Dark Money and then vote to install bad policy into law.  It’s also disheartening to see it on the Supreme Court, where Dark Money has completely corrupted at least two Judges.

    And the crazy thing is we’re back to being called Communists again which, like capitalism, is a Marxist theoretical abstract that cannot work, has never worked, and has never actually been implemented anywhere. We live in mixed market economies, and their characteristics determine what kind of oversight they require.  You cannot compare a market where there are only two providers, like airplane manufacturing and Boeing and Airbus, with the market for apples. There have never been any economies where the government owns all the production factors. The Soviet Style system was called a command economy. Even the Chinese have given up on the planned command economy and the Cubans have many markets based on private ownership. It’s not just the major ones. I can’t believe we’re back to red-baiting.

    The most interesting trivia I have for you today is that Donald J. Harris, Kamala’s father, is a bona fide Emeritus Economics Professor at Stanford. His research is primarily in developing economies. He published a book in 1978, “Capital Accumulation and Income Distribution,” which relies heavily on the new statistical methods that were developing at the time and takes the field from political philosophy to using scientific methods and data to see what works!  That’s my kind of pragmatism.  You wonder what kind of talk the Harris family had at the dinner table.

    So, while this shindig in Chicago gets going, watch the week for Trump’s further insane adventures for attention. Unfortunately, he usually succeeds at getting press attention even when it’s not newsworthy or basically a rant of a senile old man stuck in the 1980s.  People need to know how bad it was 4 years ago with COVID-19 unassailed by policy and treated with denial. We are the strongest economy in the world with the strongest growth.  Economists were prepared to see China become the number one economy shortly, but it’s not because of this administration’s policy. Inflation is back within normal parameters.  That’s not to say there are not people who still aren’t seeing the benefits. But Kamala’s policy announcement last Friday was full of suggestions to get everyone back on track. The answer to folks left behind is not in the Project 2025 Playbook. (See BB’s post on Saturday for coverage of the Harris/Walz economic priorities in her Caturday Post.)

    David R Lurie, who is writing for Public Notice, writes, “Trump’s carny act isn’t working anymore. His Folgers Coffee™ Conference showed a candidate in decline.  I’m sure the DNC productions will have much better production chops, pithy content, and actual policy presentation.

    Last Thursday, Donald Trump held a “press conference” outside a building in his Bedminster country club in New Jersey, done up with many American flags so as to vaguely resemble the White House.

    Trump rambled on astride a tableau of groceries, ranging from brightly toned condiments and a Wheaties™ box (bearing the image of Billie Jean King) to tubs of Folgers Coffee™ (caff and decaf) and packages of sausage and bacon that lay roasting in the midsummer heat.

    Trump’s team also assembled a chorus, apparently composed of club visitors, that cheered and jeered during the “news conference” when needed.

    Simply put, it was quite a weird scene.

    The event was all the more bizarre because Trump hardly referred to (or even acknowledged) the cornucopia of processed food arrayed around him during his typically lengthy and meandering rant before the assembled press corps.

    Presumably, the food had been intended to serve as a prop for a “policy” discussion of inflation. Trump, however, spent most of his time in front of the cameras deriding Kamala Harris’s intelligence and appearance, and insisting that he’s “entitled” to “personally attack” her, because, as Trump explained, she unfairly labeled him “weird.”

    To borrow an old ad meme, where’s the beef? Well, it was sitting on the table at that presser, rotting in the sun.  That’s quite a metaphor for what’s happening with the DonOld/JD show.  JD’s rallies look like the Time Out Room for bad behavior.  And no one can take 90 minutes of Trump’s senile ramblings on sharks, batteries, and how much better he looks than Harris.

    The topic that I’m looking forward to hearing about at the DNC is the presentation on how Trump proposes an existential threat to democracy. Will we see a lot of Project 2025?  How do they make it not look like a school assembly event? This is from CNN. “Democrats to highlight threat to democracy they say Trump poses, giving speaking roles to January 6 committee lawmakers.”

    Democrats gathered in Chicago this week for their national convention will highlight the threat to democracy that they say former President Donald Trump poses, giving prominent speaking roles to lawmakers, as well as to a Capitol Police officer injured during the January 6, 2021, riots.

    An official with Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign told CNN that among those speakers are Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, who both served on the House select committee to investigate the January 6 insurrection. That committee ultimately recommended in its 2022 report that Trump be barred from holding office again.

    Retired St. Aquilino Gonell, one of the Capitol Police officers injured during the January 6 attack, will also address the convention. Since responding to the attack on the US Capitol over three years ago, Gonell has become a public face of the insurrection’s toll and a vocal critic of Trump and the Republicans who continue to defend him.

    “Donald Trump’s failure to denounce the violence on January 6, 2021 is a betrayal to every officer who put their life on the line that day — and to every veteran who risked everything to defend our country,” Gonell, who is supporting Harris, said in a statement provided to CNN. “You cannot say you back the police or the Constitution if you’re offering pardons to criminals who tried to destroy our democracy, hurt our leaders and attack law enforcement.”

    Former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, who also served on the January 6 committee, is scheduled to address the convention Thursday, CNN previously reported. Kinzinger, who is now a CNN political commentator, was one of 10 House Republicans to vote for Trump’s impeachment for “incitement of an insurrection” in relation to his role during the attack on the Capitol.

    The so-called Tennessee Three — state Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson and Gloria Johnson — are also expected to speak at the convention. Jones and Pearson were expelled from the Tennessee House last year after the three lawmakers led a gun control protest on the chamber floor. They have since won reelection.

    Also scheduled to speak during the week, according to the campaign official, are Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, who served in the state Legislature in 2021 when Democrats sought to block restrictive voting legislation in the state, and Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, who serves as pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. served.

    Before dropping out of the 2024 race, President Joe Biden made the argument that Trump posed a threat to democracy a driving feature of his candidacy.

    “Anita Dunn says Joe Biden’s speech is about looking forward, not back. “This is not a time for legacy,” the longtime Biden aide said on CNN.”  This analysis can be found at Politico. It’s written by Irrie Sentner.

    Anita Dunn is looking to the future — and says President Joe Biden is, too.

    The former senior Biden adviser, who left the White House last month to work with the Future Forward super PAC supporting Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, said on CNN today that Biden in his speech will make a “resounding argument for why Kamala Harris should be elected president in 2024.” She joked that he is now Harris’ “volunteer in chief.”

    Tonight’s speech will cap off a half-century political career for the president. But, Dunn said, it won’t be about looking back.

    “This is not a time for legacy,” Dunn said. “This is a time for arguing why Kamala Harris is the best candidate.”

    Biden will be speaking to a party that pushed him to drop his reelection bid — and endorsing a candidate the party has since rallied around. Those intraparty tensions are still playing out at the DNC.

    Well, it’s bound to be much better than whatever the Republicans put on.  I remember turning off Pat Buchanan’s racist rant in his Culture Wars speech at the 1992 Republican National Convention and was glad I didn’t attend in person.  The state convention was weird enough and overrun with what we now call White Christian Nationalists. Because even though I  was running as a Republican at the time, it was another one of those things that made me vote for Clinton. I could tell then that there was no saving the Republican Party. I was an Independent for a long time.

    So, I’m certain there will be a lot going on that won’t include all that anger and bigotry of the other!  Stay tuned! You may exit the Rabbit Hole now!

    What’s on your reading and blogging list today?

    One of my other cousins performed at the White House as Martha Jefferson in 1776 when Nixon was President in 1970 as part of the Broadway Cast.  She fell asleep on a settee to the chagrin of some tourists who probably thought they’d seen a ghost. Her mother was a descendant of Hamilton.  Ever so often, a glimpse at the founding fathers singing is fun. So, it seems appropriate that we watch Obama and Biden watching “One Last Time.” I’m waiting to see if this show song is played at the DNC for the President.

    https://skydancingblog.com/2024/08/19/mostly-monday-reads-party-time/

    #Repeat1968 #andUnemploymentBenefits #DNC #HarrisWalzPolicyPriorities2024 #JohnBuss #OneLastTime #PresidentBiden #RNC #tips #TrumpTravailsAndTribulations #TrumpUndoingReaganTaxesOnSocialSecurity

    #repeat1968 #andunemploymentbenefits #dnc #harriswalzpolicypriorities2024 #johnbuss #onelasttime
13. 

    Sky Dancing @[email protected] · 2024-08-19 · 19:01 UTC

    “Come on, Mr. President. Just do it!” John Buss, @repeat1968

    Good Day, Sky Dancers!

    The DNC begins today in Chicago. It’s a busy schedule of what’s ahead for the future, but tonight’s focus will be on President Joe Biden’s long record of public service.  Here’s the line-up of events and speakers.

    This is from Axios. “DNC lineup: Who’s speaking and what to expect.”

    The Democratic National Convention will open in Chicago on Monday, with President Biden speaking in prime time as he passes the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris.

    Driving the news: Convention organizers released night-by-night themes and speaker details on Sunday morning. One speaker who’s not on the official agenda but Axios has confirmed will take the stage on Tuesday: former First Lady Michelle Obama.

    • Monday, “For the People”: Biden and Dr. Jill Biden speak, along with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and a welcome from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
    • Tuesday, “A Bold Vision for America’s Future”: Former President Obama plus second gentleman Doug Emhoff, with a welcome from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
    • Wednesday, “A Fight for Our Freedoms”: Vice presidential nominee Tim Walz delivers his acceptance speech, preceded by former President Clinton, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (per CNN).
    • Thursday, “For Our Future”: Harris accepts the convention’s nomination for president.

    Other speakers include Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

    • Former President Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, is expected to speak on behalf of his grandfather, who has said he hopes to stay alive long enough to vote for Harris.

    Sneak peek: The stairs at the delegate entrance will say “History Is In Your Hands” — a quote from Biden’s Oval Office address on July 24.

    • As delegates arrive on Monday ahead of Biden’s speech, digital signage in the United Center will say: “History is in your hands” and “Spread the faith.”

    Robert Reich sums up what I feel about Biden’s four years.  I was beginning my career as an economist when Ronald Reagan took over. I was working in a highly regulated banking industry about to be turned loose.  Eventually, my first home had a fixed rate of 16.7%, which my employment turned into 12%. That’s just one of the nightmare stories I have to tell students.

    I attended schools that produced ‘freshwater’ economists, which is a term that basically describes us as not coming from either coast, likely public university educated, and by no means radical.  During that time, I lived through two recessions that took out my nascent savings and investment portfolio. I realized that the radical policy was not coming from the Democratic Party.

    By the time I found out about the Iran-Contra affair, I was ready to vote for Bill Clinton.  I didn’t lose much in the “Great Recession” because I knew another Republican meant another economic roller-coaster ride. The last Reagan recession took out most of my parents’ retirement savings, but they didn’t want to discuss why. If you know how to use derivatives, and that’s where hedge fund managers come in, you can make money in any economy.  Unfortunately, it hasn’t been very accessible to regular folks until recently.

    My oldest Kansas City Cousin and her husband graduated from Ivy League Schools, Princeton and Vassar. One time, when I was in high school, they drove to buy a car from Dad’s Ford Dealership in Iowa. My dad gave them the usual family price.  I was their flower girl at their wedding and spent much of my young life with my Kansas City family. I adored them.

    Her lawyer husband told me that the only way to grow an economy was to give massive tax cuts to the wealthy to start businesses, which would create jobs. I can’t remember exactly what started that conversation.  Although, I must have said something outside of the orthodox Republican Policy Bible at the time.  It sounded logical but seemed too good to be true when I started thinking about it.  I’ve never gotten the chance to tell him that it doesn’t work, will never work, and actually works worse than anyone ever thought now that I’ve got my doctorate in Financial Economics, worked at the Fed, and taught and researched economics and finance since 1980.  I now have the chops and the proof of why all that does is create chaos in the overall economy and siphon public funds to people who don’t need any more wealth.

    I’m not sure why people fondly remember the Reagan years, but they were not economic good times.  Also, I found out the Republicans will run up huge deficits as long as the rich or defense contractors get the results of whatever happened to create them.  Trickle-down economics is even more of a failure with all the incentives now of not taxing capital gains and giving tax breaks for basically stock market gambling. The rich do not put their gains into actual industry anymore. They keep rolling it into the stock market, and then they’re great consumers of things like gigantic German Yachts and all kinds of goodies that mess up our trade balance.  I voted for Bill Clinton because his policy came from economists and worked.  Reagan was the one who put taxes on tips, unemployment, and Social Security.  He had to make huge tax increases to compensate for the huge deficit with the 1981 tax cuts. So, from 1982 to 1993, there were huge tax cuts, including some from “Read My Lips” by HW Bush.  Weirdly, undoing the taxes on tips and Social Security that Trump is high on is basically removing Reagan’s economic legacy.

    But enough of that rant … on to the Reich commentary.

    Tonight’s opening of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will be an opportunity for the Democratic Party and the nation to take stock of Joe Biden’s term of office and thank him for his service.

    He still has five months to go as president, of course, but the baton has been passed.

    Biden’s singular achievement has been to change the economic paradigm that reigned since Reagan and return to one that dominated public life between 1933 and 1980 — and is far superior to the one that has prevailed since.

    Biden’s democratic capitalism is neither socialism nor “big government.” It is, rather, a return to an era when government organized the market for the greater good.

    The Great Crash of 1929 followed by the Great Depression taught the nation a crucial lesson that we forgot after Reagan’s presidency: markets are human creations. The economy that collapsed in 1929 was the consequence of allowing nearly unlimited borrowing, encouraging people to gamble on Wall Street, and permitting the Street to take huge risks with other people’s money.

    Franklin D. Roosevelt and his administration reversed this. They stopped the looting of America. They also gave Americans a modicum of economic security. During World War II, they put almost every American to work.

    Subsequent Democratic and Republican administrations enlarged and extended democratic capitalism. Wall Street was regulated, as were television networks, airlines, railroads, and other common carriers. CEO pay was modest. Taxes on the highest earners financed public investments in infrastructure (such as the national highway system) and higher education.

    America’s postwar industrial policy spurred innovation. The Department of Defense and its Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration developed satellite communications, container ships, and the internet. The National Institutes of Health did trailblazing basic research in biochemistry, DNA, and infectious diseases.

    Public spending rose during economic downturns to encourage hiring. Antitrust enforcers broke up AT&T and other monopolies. Small businesses were protected from giant chain stores. Labor unions thrived. By the 1960s, a third of all private-sector workers were unionized. Large corporations sought to be responsive to all their stakeholders.

    But then America took a giant U-turn. The OPEC oil embargo of the 1970s brought double-digit inflation followed by Fed Chair Paul Volcker’s effort to “break the back” of it by raising interest rates so high that the economy fell into deep recession.

    All of which prepared the ground for Reagan’s war on democratic capitalism. From 1981 onward, a new bipartisan orthodoxy emerged that markets functioned well only if the government got out of the way.

    The goal of economic policy thereby shifted from the common good to economic growth, even though Americans already well-off gained most from that growth. And the means shifted from public oversight of the market to deregulation, free trade, privatization, “trickle-down” tax cuts, and deficit reduction — all of which helped the monied interests make even more money.

    If you notice the last two Republican administrations with the emphasis on the last one, there were very few real economists who advised the President.  Trump only had one with the creds but was considered insane by his peers because he fitted his papers to a political take rather than data analysis and the usual scientific method.

    No matter what party you’re in, and I know Bernanke, Mankiw, Greenspan, and Krugman feel this way, the facts are the facts.  Concentrating fiscal policy on Main Street and the middle and working classes is the best use of tax dollars to keep the engine of economic growth steadily growing.  Biden’s stewardship of the economy has proved this.  He also provided input on the Obama administration’s cleanup of the huge mess called “The Great Recession,” which was completely on the back of bad policy and lack of oversight regarding the financial economy.  I am a Financial Economist. We know enough to know that these things should not happen if it wasn’t the habit of Pols to go after Dark Money and then vote to install bad policy into law.  It’s also disheartening to see it on the Supreme Court, where Dark Money has completely corrupted at least two Judges.

    And the crazy thing is we’re back to being called Communists again which, like capitalism, is a Marxist theoretical abstract that cannot work, has never worked, and has never actually been implemented anywhere. We live in mixed market economies, and their characteristics determine what kind of oversight they require.  You cannot compare a market where there are only two providers, like airplane manufacturing and Boeing and Airbus, with the market for apples. There have never been any economies where the government owns all the production factors. The Soviet Style system was called a command economy. Even the Chinese have given up on the planned command economy and the Cubans have many markets based on private ownership. It’s not just the major ones. I can’t believe we’re back to red-baiting.

    The most interesting trivia I have for you today is that Donald J. Harris, Kamala’s father, is a bona fide Emeritus Economics Professor at Stanford. His research is primarily in developing economies. He published a book in 1978, “Capital Accumulation and Income Distribution,” which relies heavily on the new statistical methods that were developing at the time and takes the field from political philosophy to using scientific methods and data to see what works!  That’s my kind of pragmatism.  You wonder what kind of talk the Harris family had at the dinner table.

    So, while this shindig in Chicago gets going, watch the week for Trump’s further insane adventures for attention. Unfortunately, he usually succeeds at getting press attention even when it’s not newsworthy or basically a rant of a senile old man stuck in the 1980s.  People need to know how bad it was 4 years ago with COVID-19 unassailed by policy and treated with denial. We are the strongest economy in the world with the strongest growth.  Economists were prepared to see China become the number one economy shortly, but it’s not because of this administration’s policy. Inflation is back within normal parameters.  That’s not to say there are not people who still aren’t seeing the benefits. But Kamala’s policy announcement last Friday was full of suggestions to get everyone back on track. The answer to folks left behind is not in the Project 2025 Playbook. (See BB’s post on Saturday for coverage of the Harris/Walz economic priorities in her Caturday Post.)

    David R Lurie, who is writing for Public Notice, writes, “Trump’s carny act isn’t working anymore. His Folgers Coffee™ Conference showed a candidate in decline.  I’m sure the DNC productions will have much better production chops, pithy content, and actual policy presentation.

    Last Thursday, Donald Trump held a “press conference” outside a building in his Bedminster country club in New Jersey, done up with many American flags so as to vaguely resemble the White House.

    Trump rambled on astride a tableau of groceries, ranging from brightly toned condiments and a Wheaties™ box (bearing the image of Billie Jean King) to tubs of Folgers Coffee™ (caff and decaf) and packages of sausage and bacon that lay roasting in the midsummer heat.

    Trump’s team also assembled a chorus, apparently composed of club visitors, that cheered and jeered during the “news conference” when needed.

    Simply put, it was quite a weird scene.

    The event was all the more bizarre because Trump hardly referred to (or even acknowledged) the cornucopia of processed food arrayed around him during his typically lengthy and meandering rant before the assembled press corps.

    Presumably, the food had been intended to serve as a prop for a “policy” discussion of inflation. Trump, however, spent most of his time in front of the cameras deriding Kamala Harris’s intelligence and appearance, and insisting that he’s “entitled” to “personally attack” her, because, as Trump explained, she unfairly labeled him “weird.”

    To borrow an old ad meme, where’s the beef? Well, it was sitting on the table at that presser, rotting in the sun.  That’s quite a metaphor for what’s happening with the DonOld/JD show.  JD’s rallies look like the Time Out Room for bad behavior.  And no one can take 90 minutes of Trump’s senile ramblings on sharks, batteries, and how much better he looks than Harris.

    The topic that I’m looking forward to hearing about at the DNC is the presentation on how Trump proposes an existential threat to democracy. Will we see a lot of Project 2025?  How do they make it not look like a school assembly event? This is from CNN. “Democrats to highlight threat to democracy they say Trump poses, giving speaking roles to January 6 committee lawmakers.”

    Democrats gathered in Chicago this week for their national convention will highlight the threat to democracy that they say former President Donald Trump poses, giving prominent speaking roles to lawmakers, as well as to a Capitol Police officer injured during the January 6, 2021, riots.

    An official with Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign told CNN that among those speakers are Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, who both served on the House select committee to investigate the January 6 insurrection. That committee ultimately recommended in its 2022 report that Trump be barred from holding office again.

    Retired St. Aquilino Gonell, one of the Capitol Police officers injured during the January 6 attack, will also address the convention. Since responding to the attack on the US Capitol over three years ago, Gonell has become a public face of the insurrection’s toll and a vocal critic of Trump and the Republicans who continue to defend him.

    “Donald Trump’s failure to denounce the violence on January 6, 2021 is a betrayal to every officer who put their life on the line that day — and to every veteran who risked everything to defend our country,” Gonell, who is supporting Harris, said in a statement provided to CNN. “You cannot say you back the police or the Constitution if you’re offering pardons to criminals who tried to destroy our democracy, hurt our leaders and attack law enforcement.”

    Former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, who also served on the January 6 committee, is scheduled to address the convention Thursday, CNN previously reported. Kinzinger, who is now a CNN political commentator, was one of 10 House Republicans to vote for Trump’s impeachment for “incitement of an insurrection” in relation to his role during the attack on the Capitol.

    The so-called Tennessee Three — state Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson and Gloria Johnson — are also expected to speak at the convention. Jones and Pearson were expelled from the Tennessee House last year after the three lawmakers led a gun control protest on the chamber floor. They have since won reelection.

    Also scheduled to speak during the week, according to the campaign official, are Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, who served in the state Legislature in 2021 when Democrats sought to block restrictive voting legislation in the state, and Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock, who serves as pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. served.

    Before dropping out of the 2024 race, President Joe Biden made the argument that Trump posed a threat to democracy a driving feature of his candidacy.

    “Anita Dunn says Joe Biden’s speech is about looking forward, not back. “This is not a time for legacy,” the longtime Biden aide said on CNN.”  This analysis can be found at Politico. It’s written by Irrie Sentner.

    Anita Dunn is looking to the future — and says President Joe Biden is, too.

    The former senior Biden adviser, who left the White House last month to work with the Future Forward super PAC supporting Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, said on CNN today that Biden in his speech will make a “resounding argument for why Kamala Harris should be elected president in 2024.” She joked that he is now Harris’ “volunteer in chief.”

    Tonight’s speech will cap off a half-century political career for the president. But, Dunn said, it won’t be about looking back.

    “This is not a time for legacy,” Dunn said. “This is a time for arguing why Kamala Harris is the best candidate.”

    Biden will be speaking to a party that pushed him to drop his reelection bid — and endorsing a candidate the party has since rallied around. Those intraparty tensions are still playing out at the DNC.

    Well, it’s bound to be much better than whatever the Republicans put on.  I remember turning off Pat Buchanan’s racist rant in his Culture Wars speech at the 1992 Republican National Convention and was glad I didn’t attend in person.  The state convention was weird enough and overrun with what we now call White Christian Nationalists. Because even though I  was running as a Republican at the time, it was another one of those things that made me vote for Clinton. I could tell then that there was no saving the Republican Party. I was an Independent for a long time.

    So, I’m certain there will be a lot going on that won’t include all that anger and bigotry of the other!  Stay tuned! You may exit the Rabbit Hole now!

    What’s on your reading and blogging list today?

    One of my other cousins performed at the White House as Martha Jefferson in 1776 when Nixon was President in 1970 as part of the Broadway Cast.  She fell asleep on a settee to the chagrin of some tourists who probably thought they’d seen a ghost. Her mother was a descendant of Hamilton.  Ever so often, a glimpse at the founding fathers singing is fun. So, it seems appropriate that we watch Obama and Biden watching “One Last Time.” I’m waiting to see if this show song is played at the DNC for the President.

    https://skydancingblog.com/2024/08/19/mostly-monday-reads-party-time/

    #Repeat1968 #andUnemploymentBenefits #DNC #HarrisWalzPolicyPriorities2024 #JohnBuss #OneLastTime #PresidentBiden #RNC #tips #TrumpTravailsAndTribulations #TrumpUndoingReaganTaxesOnSocialSecurity

    #trumpundoingreagantaxesonsocialsecurity #trumptravailsandtribulations #tips #rnc #presidentbiden #onelasttime
14. 

    Sky Dancing @[email protected] · 2025-05-24 · 17:48 UTC

    Lazy Caturday Reads

    Woman and Cat, by Koji Fukiya, 1936.

    Good Afternoon!!

    Yesterday, Dakinikat wrote about Trump’s crypto dinner, where he briefly spoke to the people who had spent the most on his personal memecoin. The “gala dinner” was held at Trump’s Virginia golf club. The attendees–mostly from foreign countries–had spent their money hoping to gain “access” to Trump, but that didn’t happen, at least at this event. Trump showed up on a “military helicopter,” spoke for less than half and hour and then did his YMCA dance. Then he left again without speaking to anyone personally. And the food was terrible.

    Wired: A Helicopter, Halibut, and ‘Y.M.C.A’: Inside Donald Trump’s Memecoin Dinner.

    Donald Trump left the stage at his golf club near Washington, DC, on Thursday night, he pointed to the crowd, brought his index finger to his temple—as if to say: You know what’s coming—then began to dance. To the beat of “Y.M.C.A” by The Village People, Trump shimmied, gyrated, and pumped his arms above his head.

    Looking on were more than 200 people who had been invited to the Trump National Golf Club for a private gala dinner. They had won their seats by purchasing large quantities of Trump’s own crypto coin—TRUMP—some holding millions of dollars’ worth….

    By late afternoon, the dinner guests had started to filter through the gates of the golf club. By comparison to Trump’s previous banquets, thronging with DC insiders and members of the Silicon Valley elite, the crypto dinner attracted a mismatched collection of oddballs: independent traders rubbed shoulders with crypto executives, die-hard Trump fans, and even professional sports stars—former NBA player Lamar Odom towered overhead. A handful wore bowties in Bitcoin orange; others sported gold Trump sneakers.

    Just after 7 pm, the dinner guests gathered at the window to watch Trump descend in Marine One, his presidential helicopter. A short while later, he appeared from behind a blue velvet curtain to whoops and applause from the crowd. Had they seen the helicopter, Trump asked. “Yeah, super cool!” somebody yelled….

    From behind a lectern at one end of the dining room, backdropped by four US flags, Trump delivered a characteristically winding and digressive speech that sources say lasted around 25 minutes. At some point, he got round to crypto.

    “We’ve got some of the smartest minds anywhere in the world right here in this room,” said Trump. “You believe in the whole crypto thing. A lot of people are starting to believe in it … This is really something that may be special—who knows, right? Who knows—but it may be special.”

    For some, the dinner represented a chance to network with other deep-pocketed crypto figures, and to hear directly from Trump about his plans to bring an end to the regulatory uncertainty that crimped the industry’s expansion under Biden.

    “You don’t get to meet the president easily,” Vincent Liu, chief investment officer at trading firm Kronos Research, told WIRED a few days before the dinner. “To be able to hear his message on crypto directly—I’m definitely looking forward to that.”

    Woodblock print from Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s series One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (1885-1892)

    No one got to meet the president, but I Wired says they also wanted to network with each other. On the general presentation and the food, served at circular tables

    …each seating 10 people arrayed beneath a set of crystal chandeliers. Waiting on the chairs were gift bags containing Fight Fight Fight-themed hats and posters, and a collectible plastic card (some allege that they didn’t receive merch at their seats.) The four largest coin holders—along with two other attendees selected by raffle, sources say—received a gem-encrusted Trump gold watch.

    Between mouthfuls, the attendees discussed trading and investment strategies—and Trump’s speech. “To feel his personal charisma to me was very inspiring,” says Liu. But others complained about the brevity of Trump’s appearance: After his speech, Trump had departed immediately in a golf cart bound for his helicopter. “Trump could have at least given the top people their watches himself,” says Pinto. “He didn’t.”

    The food itself had left a bitter taste in the mouth, too. “It was the worst food I’ve ever had at a Trump golf course,” says Pinto, who added he left hungry. “The only good thing was bread and butter.” Another attendee described the meal as “OK, but not top-class.”

    From Penn Live: Trump’s controversial crypto dinner ripped by attendee: ‘Trash.’

    Donald Trump’s controversial memecoin dinner Thursday night was shrouded in secrecy, and while it still isn’t clear who all attended — the White House did not make the list public — we do have a report of how good the food was….

    According to Fortune, 25-year-old Nicholas Pinto was one of those who attended. The site said he invested “more than $360,000 in Trump’s memecoin.

    And for that, he told the site, the dinner that was served was “trash.”

    “Walmart steak, man,” he texted Fortune.

    The site said the menu for the included a “Trump organic field green salad” and an “entrée duet” of filet mignon and pan-seared halibut.

    “Everybody at my table was saying the food was so of the worst they ever had,” Pinto said.

    “I was hoping for Big Macs or pizza,” Pinto told Fortune. “That would have been better than the food that we were served.”

    Trump is just raking in the dough as quickly as he can with the minimum effort.

    The New York Times got the guest list: Who Won a Seat at Trump’s Crypto Dinner?

    The invitees for President Trump’s private dinner for customers of his cryptocurrency business on Thursday included a Chinese billionaire fighting a lawsuit from U.S. regulators, a lawyer for Justice Clarence Thomas and a former basketball star, according to a guest list obtained by The New York Times and social media posts.

    The dinner, at which Mr. Trump gave remarks, was an extraordinary moment in which the president leveraged his position to make money — for his crypto business and for his Virginia golf club, which hosted the event.

    The event’s invited guests were not known publicly beforehand, even to each other. They were identified only by the pseudonyms they used on the electronic wallets where they kept their $TRUMP memecoins. Most had gained an invitation by becoming one of the top 220 holders of that memecoin over a certain period of time. The top 25 of those were given V.I.P. status and afforded a more intimate gathering before the dinner and an unofficial tour of the White House on Friday.

    When they arrived at Mr. Trump’s club outside Washington Thursday evening, the digital world had become physical. The invitees’ names and contact information were delineated on paper lists, checked by staffers at the door. A Times reporter reviewed one of those lists, and used it to identify people who were present. Some other invitees self-identified on social media. A reporter and photographer from The Times also saw some $TRUMP crypto buyers enter and exit the White House on Friday.

    Merchant’s Daughter by Mizuno Toshikata

    Some top invitees:

    Justin Sun, a Chinese crypto billionaire who was sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission under President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for allegedly inflating the value of a cryptocurrency. Mr. Sun is a major investor in a separate crypto venture largely owned by a company tied to Mr. Trump, World Liberty Financial. After Mr. Trump took office, the S.E.C. asked a judge to put Mr. Sun’s case on hold….

    Elliot Berke, a Washington attorney who has worked for congressional Republicans and Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court. The Times identified him because the invitee list included his email address at his law firm, Berke Farah. He was honored as “Republican Lawyer of the Year” in 2021 by the Republican National Lawyers Association….

    Evgeny Gaevoy, the founder and chief executive of a digital-asset firm, Wintermute. The Times identified him because the list of invitees included his Wintermute email….

    Anil Lulla and Yan Liberman, two co-founders of Delphi Digital, a Miami Beach firm that offers market intelligence for crypto investors. Their corporate emails were included in the list of invitees….

    Cheng Lu, 32, a crypto investor from Shanghai, was observed by a Times reporter entering the White House on Friday. He said he did not have a chance to speak with Mr. Trump during the dinner on Thursday or at the Friday tour. “I just want to see President Trump,” he said.

    Several more are listed at the NYT link.

    Another big story today is Trump’s terrifying persecution of Harvard University. Here’s the latest:

    From The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board: Is Trump Trying to Destroy Harvard? The order against foreign students turns away the world’s brightest.

    The Trump Administration has frozen billions in federal grants to Harvard University, threatened its tax-exempt status, and sought to dictate its curriculum and hiring. Now the government seems bent on destroying the school for the offense of fighting back. And for what purpose?

    That’s how we read the Department of Homeland Security’s move Thursday to bar foreign students from attending the world-renowned institution. That’s 6,800 students, or a quarter of Harvard’s student body, whose futures are suddenly in disarray. It’s also a short-sighted attack on one of America’s great competitive strengths: Its ability to attract the world’s best and brightest.

    The latest assault began when DHS demanded that Harvard turn over sundry records on its foreign students, including whether any had participated in illegal activity or left the university owing to “dangerous or violent activity or deprivation of rights.”

    Some of its record requests are reasonable, but some overreached by requiring private student information. DHS also gave Harvard all of two weeks to respond. If it failed to do so, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said she would “automatically withdraw” the school’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. “The withdrawal will not be subject to appeal.”

    The SEVP program lets non-citizens enroll at universities on student visas. DHS can bar universities from the program if they fail to comply with “recordkeeping, retention, reporting and other requirements” on foreign students. Harvard says it responded with “information required by law” within two weeks and handed over more records on May 14.

    Twin Guardians, by Hawse Sumi

    That didn’t satisfy Noem and she banned Harvard from enrolling international students. Harvard soon got a restraining order from a federal court.

    Most of Harvard’s foreign students are enrolled in graduate programs. Many assist with scientific research and teaching undergraduate courses. Driving them out of Harvard will disrupt research projects and might cause some professors in the sciences to leave for other universities. This seems to be a goal of freezing Harvard’s research grants.

    Harvard sued on Friday, and a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against the student ban. The university rightly says the Administration’s actions are “clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the ‘ideology’ of its faculty and students.”

    The university seems likely to prevail on the law, but until courts settle the merits, thousands of students who have done nothing wrong will be in legal limbo. Some of them no doubt opposed the anti-Israel protests and may even hail from Israel. Why punish them? [….]

    This will be terribly damaging to America’s ability to attract talented young people who bring their enterprise and intellectual capital to the U.S. Non-citizens accounted for more than half of doctoral degrees in AI-related fields in 2022. Many have gone to work at U.S. companies like Nvidia or started their own.

    Clearly Trump hates Harvard, higher education, and education generally. But I’m coming to the conclusion that Trump’s goal is to destroy the U.S. in every possible way and at the same time enrich himself and his wealthy friends. He doesn’t even appear to care about the economy anymore. He wants Americans to be poor, ignorant, and isolated from the rest of the world.

    The New York Times: Universities See Trump’s Harvard Move as a Threat to Them, Too.

    The Trump administration’s surprising bid to end Harvard’s international enrollment put the higher education world on edge this week, looming as a larger threat against academic autonomy.

    Well beyond the halls of Harvard this week, college leaders were shocked that one swift move by the federal government could eliminate their ability to serve students from abroad, a growing population that has infused their campuses with cachet and wealth.

    “This is a grave moment,” Sally Kornbluth, the president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote in a message to her campus.

    More than 5,000 miles away, Wendy Hensel, the president of the University of Hawaii, said that it was “reverberating across higher education.”

    President Trump has already unnerved universities this year by launching investigations, freezing grants, demanding changes in campus practices and attempting to deport international students. He has justified his punitive approach as a means to combat what he considers antisemitism. But he and his allies also have long resented a perceived liberal bias and racial diversity efforts at prestigious colleges.

    The Trump administration said Thursday that it revoked Harvard’s international student certification because the university had failed to meet its demands, including a request for records of student protest activity dating back five years.

    To many academics, that was a clear signal that Mr. Trump was prepared to use any federal mechanism as leverage if he did not get what he wants.

    “While Harvard is the victim of the moment, it’s a warning and unprecedented attempt of a hostile federal government to erode the autonomy of all major universities in the U.S.,” said John Aubrey Douglass, a senior research fellow at the Center for Studies in Higher Education at the University of California, Berkeley.

    Yesterday, Trump and Marco Rubio began dismantling the National Security Council.

    CNN: More than 100 National Security Council staffers put on administrative leave.

    The Trump administration has put more than 100 officials at the National Security Council at the White House on administrative leave on Friday as part of a restructuring under interim national security adviser and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to two US officials and another source familiar with the matter.

    Woman and cat, by Toyohara Kunichika

    CNN previously reported that a significant overhaul of the body in charge of coordinating the president’s foreign policy agenda was expected in the coming days, including a staff reduction and a reinforced top-down approach with decision-making concentrated at the highest levels.

    An email from NSC chief of staff Brian McCormack went out around 4:20 p.m. informing those being dismissed they’d have 30 minutes to clean out their desks, according to an administration official. If they weren’t on campus, the email read, they could email an address and arrange a time to retrieve their stuff later and turn in devices.

    The email subject line read: “Your return to home agency,” indicating that most of those affected were detailed to the NSC from other departments and agencies….

    With this happening on a Friday afternoon before a long holiday weekend, the official called it “as unprofessional and reckless as could possibly be.”

    Those put on leave include career officials, as well as political hires made during the Trump administration….

    Staffed by foreign policy experts from across the US government, the NSC typically serves as a critical body for coordinating the president’s foreign policy agenda.

    But under President Donald Trump, the NSC’s role has been diminished, with the overhaul expected to further reduce its importance in the White House.

    Axios says they are trying to purge the “deep state.”

    President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have orchestrated a vast restructuring of the National Security Council, reducing its size and transferring many of its powers to the State and Defense departments.

    Why it matters: Trump’s White House sees the NSC as notoriously bureaucratic and filled with longtime officials who don’t share the president’s vision.

    • A White House official involved in the planning characterized the reorganization as Trump and Rubio’s latest move against what they see as Washington’s “Deep State.”
    • “The NSC is the ultimate Deep State. It’s Marco vs. the Deep State. We’re gutting the Deep State,” the official said of the move, which will cut the NSC staff to about half of its current 350 members. Those cut from the NSC will be moved to other positions in government, officials said.
    • “The right-sizing of the NSC is in line with its original purpose and the president’s vision,” Rubio told Axios in a statement. “The NSC will now be better positioned to collaborate with agencies.”

    Zoom in: White House officials point to an NSC structure that’s filled with committees and meetings that they say slow down decision-making and produce lots of jargon and acronyms.

    There’s a lot more a the link, but I think Trump is just trying to bring every part of the government under his personal control.

    Finally, I want to look at what Trump and RFK Jr. are doing with Covid-19 and Covid vaccines.

    ABC News: Why are more than 300 people in the US still dying from COVID every week? Experts say there is low vaccine uptake and people are not accessing treatments.

    More than five years after the first cases of COVID-19 were detected in the United States, hundreds of people are still dying every week.

    By Utagawa Hiroshige, 1797-1858

    Last month, an average of about 350 people died each week from COVID, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

    While high, the number of deaths is decreasing and is lower than the peak of 25,974 deaths recorded the week ending Jan. 9, 2021, as well as weekly deaths seen in previous spring months, CDC data shows.

    Public health experts told ABC News that although the U.S. is in a much better place than it was a few years ago, COVID is still a threat to high-risk groups.

    “The fact that we’re still seeing deaths just means it’s still circulating, and people are still catching it,” Dr. Tony Moody, a professor in the department of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Duke University Medical Center, told ABC News.

    The experts said there are a few reasons why people might still be dying from the virus, including low vaccination uptake, waning immunity and not enough people accessing treatments.

    Read more details at the ABC link.

    So why is the government limiting access to Covid Vaccines?

    Scientific American: What FDA’s Planned Limits on COVID Vaccinations Mean for Health.

    Larry Saltzman has blood cancer. He’s also a retired doctor, so he knows getting covid-19 could be dangerous for him — his underlying illness puts him at high risk of serious complications and death. To avoid getting sick, he stays away from large gatherings, and he’s comforted knowing healthy people who get boosters protect him by reducing his exposure to the virus.

    Until now, that is.

    Vaccine opponents and skeptics in charge of federal health agencies — starting at the top with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — are restricting access to covid shots that were a signature accomplishment of President Donald Trump’s first term and cost taxpayers about $13 billion to develop, produce, and distribute. The agencies are narrowing vaccination recommendations, pushing drugmakers to perform costly clinical studies, and taking other steps that will result in fewer people getting protection from a virus that still kills hundreds each week in the U.S.

    “There are hundreds of thousands of people who rely on these vaccines,” said Saltzman, 71, of Sacramento, California. “For people who are immunocompromised, if there aren’t enough people vaccinated, we lose the ring that’s protecting us. We’re totally vulnerable.”

    The Trump administration on May 20 rolled out tougher approval requirements for covid shots, described as a covid-19 “vaccination regulatory framework,” that could leave millions of Americans who want boosters unable to get them.

    Vaccine opponents and skeptics in charge of federal health agencies — starting at the top with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — are restricting access to covid shots that were a signature accomplishment of President Donald Trump’s first term and cost taxpayers about $13 billion to develop, produce, and distribute. The agencies are narrowing vaccination recommendations, pushing drugmakers to perform costly clinical studies, and taking other steps that will result in fewer people getting protection from a virus that still kills hundreds each week in the U.S.

    “There are hundreds of thousands of people who rely on these vaccines,” said Saltzman, 71, of Sacramento, California. “For people who are immunocompromised, if there aren’t enough people vaccinated, we lose the ring that’s protecting us. We’re totally vulnerable.”

    The Trump administration on May 20 rolled out tougher approval requirements for covid shots, described as a covid-19 “vaccination regulatory framework,” that could leave millions of Americans who want boosters unable to get them.

    Read the rest at the link. You can also check out this article at Technology Review: The FDA plans to limit access to covid vaccines. Here’s why that’s not all bad.

    Trump simply doesn’t care if Americans die. That’s obvious based on the way he dealt with Covid during his first term. He seems willing to let RFK Jr. do whatever he wants. So who can Americans turn to for guidance and access to vaccines and treatments?

    That’s it for me today. What’s on your mind?

    #CovidVaccines #Covid19Deaths #CryptoCurrency #FDA #HarvardUniversity #internationalUniversityStudents #KristiNoem #NationalSecurityCouncil #NSC #RobertFKennedyJr_ #TrumpCorruption

    #covidvaccines #covid19deaths #cryptocurrency #fda #harvarduniversity #internationaluniversitystudents
15. 

    Sky Dancing @[email protected] · 2025-05-24 · 17:48 UTC

    Lazy Caturday Reads

    Woman and Cat, by Koji Fukiya, 1936.

    Good Afternoon!!

    Yesterday, Dakinikat wrote about Trump’s crypto dinner, where he briefly spoke to the people who had spent the most on his personal memecoin. The “gala dinner” was held at Trump’s Virginia golf club. The attendees–mostly from foreign countries–had spent their money hoping to gain “access” to Trump, but that didn’t happen, at least at this event. Trump showed up on a “military helicopter,” spoke for less than half and hour and then did his YMCA dance. Then he left again without speaking to anyone personally. And the food was terrible.

    Wired: A Helicopter, Halibut, and ‘Y.M.C.A’: Inside Donald Trump’s Memecoin Dinner.

    Donald Trump left the stage at his golf club near Washington, DC, on Thursday night, he pointed to the crowd, brought his index finger to his temple—as if to say: You know what’s coming—then began to dance. To the beat of “Y.M.C.A” by The Village People, Trump shimmied, gyrated, and pumped his arms above his head.

    Looking on were more than 200 people who had been invited to the Trump National Golf Club for a private gala dinner. They had won their seats by purchasing large quantities of Trump’s own crypto coin—TRUMP—some holding millions of dollars’ worth….

    By late afternoon, the dinner guests had started to filter through the gates of the golf club. By comparison to Trump’s previous banquets, thronging with DC insiders and members of the Silicon Valley elite, the crypto dinner attracted a mismatched collection of oddballs: independent traders rubbed shoulders with crypto executives, die-hard Trump fans, and even professional sports stars—former NBA player Lamar Odom towered overhead. A handful wore bowties in Bitcoin orange; others sported gold Trump sneakers.

    Just after 7 pm, the dinner guests gathered at the window to watch Trump descend in Marine One, his presidential helicopter. A short while later, he appeared from behind a blue velvet curtain to whoops and applause from the crowd. Had they seen the helicopter, Trump asked. “Yeah, super cool!” somebody yelled….

    From behind a lectern at one end of the dining room, backdropped by four US flags, Trump delivered a characteristically winding and digressive speech that sources say lasted around 25 minutes. At some point, he got round to crypto.

    “We’ve got some of the smartest minds anywhere in the world right here in this room,” said Trump. “You believe in the whole crypto thing. A lot of people are starting to believe in it … This is really something that may be special—who knows, right? Who knows—but it may be special.”

    For some, the dinner represented a chance to network with other deep-pocketed crypto figures, and to hear directly from Trump about his plans to bring an end to the regulatory uncertainty that crimped the industry’s expansion under Biden.

    “You don’t get to meet the president easily,” Vincent Liu, chief investment officer at trading firm Kronos Research, told WIRED a few days before the dinner. “To be able to hear his message on crypto directly—I’m definitely looking forward to that.”

    Woodblock print from Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s series One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (1885-1892)

    No one got to meet the president, but I Wired says they also wanted to network with each other. On the general presentation and the food, served at circular tables

    …each seating 10 people arrayed beneath a set of crystal chandeliers. Waiting on the chairs were gift bags containing Fight Fight Fight-themed hats and posters, and a collectible plastic card (some allege that they didn’t receive merch at their seats.) The four largest coin holders—along with two other attendees selected by raffle, sources say—received a gem-encrusted Trump gold watch.

    Between mouthfuls, the attendees discussed trading and investment strategies—and Trump’s speech. “To feel his personal charisma to me was very inspiring,” says Liu. But others complained about the brevity of Trump’s appearance: After his speech, Trump had departed immediately in a golf cart bound for his helicopter. “Trump could have at least given the top people their watches himself,” says Pinto. “He didn’t.”

    The food itself had left a bitter taste in the mouth, too. “It was the worst food I’ve ever had at a Trump golf course,” says Pinto, who added he left hungry. “The only good thing was bread and butter.” Another attendee described the meal as “OK, but not top-class.”

    From Penn Live: Trump’s controversial crypto dinner ripped by attendee: ‘Trash.’

    Donald Trump’s controversial memecoin dinner Thursday night was shrouded in secrecy, and while it still isn’t clear who all attended — the White House did not make the list public — we do have a report of how good the food was….

    According to Fortune, 25-year-old Nicholas Pinto was one of those who attended. The site said he invested “more than $360,000 in Trump’s memecoin.

    And for that, he told the site, the dinner that was served was “trash.”

    “Walmart steak, man,” he texted Fortune.

    The site said the menu for the included a “Trump organic field green salad” and an “entrée duet” of filet mignon and pan-seared halibut.

    “Everybody at my table was saying the food was so of the worst they ever had,” Pinto said.

    “I was hoping for Big Macs or pizza,” Pinto told Fortune. “That would have been better than the food that we were served.”

    Trump is just raking in the dough as quickly as he can with the minimum effort.

    The New York Times got the guest list: Who Won a Seat at Trump’s Crypto Dinner?

    The invitees for President Trump’s private dinner for customers of his cryptocurrency business on Thursday included a Chinese billionaire fighting a lawsuit from U.S. regulators, a lawyer for Justice Clarence Thomas and a former basketball star, according to a guest list obtained by The New York Times and social media posts.

    The dinner, at which Mr. Trump gave remarks, was an extraordinary moment in which the president leveraged his position to make money — for his crypto business and for his Virginia golf club, which hosted the event.

    The event’s invited guests were not known publicly beforehand, even to each other. They were identified only by the pseudonyms they used on the electronic wallets where they kept their $TRUMP memecoins. Most had gained an invitation by becoming one of the top 220 holders of that memecoin over a certain period of time. The top 25 of those were given V.I.P. status and afforded a more intimate gathering before the dinner and an unofficial tour of the White House on Friday.

    When they arrived at Mr. Trump’s club outside Washington Thursday evening, the digital world had become physical. The invitees’ names and contact information were delineated on paper lists, checked by staffers at the door. A Times reporter reviewed one of those lists, and used it to identify people who were present. Some other invitees self-identified on social media. A reporter and photographer from The Times also saw some $TRUMP crypto buyers enter and exit the White House on Friday.

    Merchant’s Daughter by Mizuno Toshikata

    Some top invitees:

    Justin Sun, a Chinese crypto billionaire who was sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission under President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for allegedly inflating the value of a cryptocurrency. Mr. Sun is a major investor in a separate crypto venture largely owned by a company tied to Mr. Trump, World Liberty Financial. After Mr. Trump took office, the S.E.C. asked a judge to put Mr. Sun’s case on hold….

    Elliot Berke, a Washington attorney who has worked for congressional Republicans and Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court. The Times identified him because the invitee list included his email address at his law firm, Berke Farah. He was honored as “Republican Lawyer of the Year” in 2021 by the Republican National Lawyers Association….

    Evgeny Gaevoy, the founder and chief executive of a digital-asset firm, Wintermute. The Times identified him because the list of invitees included his Wintermute email….

    Anil Lulla and Yan Liberman, two co-founders of Delphi Digital, a Miami Beach firm that offers market intelligence for crypto investors. Their corporate emails were included in the list of invitees….

    Cheng Lu, 32, a crypto investor from Shanghai, was observed by a Times reporter entering the White House on Friday. He said he did not have a chance to speak with Mr. Trump during the dinner on Thursday or at the Friday tour. “I just want to see President Trump,” he said.

    Several more are listed at the NYT link.

    Another big story today is Trump’s terrifying persecution of Harvard University. Here’s the latest:

    From The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board: Is Trump Trying to Destroy Harvard? The order against foreign students turns away the world’s brightest.

    The Trump Administration has frozen billions in federal grants to Harvard University, threatened its tax-exempt status, and sought to dictate its curriculum and hiring. Now the government seems bent on destroying the school for the offense of fighting back. And for what purpose?

    That’s how we read the Department of Homeland Security’s move Thursday to bar foreign students from attending the world-renowned institution. That’s 6,800 students, or a quarter of Harvard’s student body, whose futures are suddenly in disarray. It’s also a short-sighted attack on one of America’s great competitive strengths: Its ability to attract the world’s best and brightest.

    The latest assault began when DHS demanded that Harvard turn over sundry records on its foreign students, including whether any had participated in illegal activity or left the university owing to “dangerous or violent activity or deprivation of rights.”

    Some of its record requests are reasonable, but some overreached by requiring private student information. DHS also gave Harvard all of two weeks to respond. If it failed to do so, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said she would “automatically withdraw” the school’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. “The withdrawal will not be subject to appeal.”

    The SEVP program lets non-citizens enroll at universities on student visas. DHS can bar universities from the program if they fail to comply with “recordkeeping, retention, reporting and other requirements” on foreign students. Harvard says it responded with “information required by law” within two weeks and handed over more records on May 14.

    Twin Guardians, by Hawse Sumi

    That didn’t satisfy Noem and she banned Harvard from enrolling international students. Harvard soon got a restraining order from a federal court.

    Most of Harvard’s foreign students are enrolled in graduate programs. Many assist with scientific research and teaching undergraduate courses. Driving them out of Harvard will disrupt research projects and might cause some professors in the sciences to leave for other universities. This seems to be a goal of freezing Harvard’s research grants.

    Harvard sued on Friday, and a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against the student ban. The university rightly says the Administration’s actions are “clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the ‘ideology’ of its faculty and students.”

    The university seems likely to prevail on the law, but until courts settle the merits, thousands of students who have done nothing wrong will be in legal limbo. Some of them no doubt opposed the anti-Israel protests and may even hail from Israel. Why punish them? [….]

    This will be terribly damaging to America’s ability to attract talented young people who bring their enterprise and intellectual capital to the U.S. Non-citizens accounted for more than half of doctoral degrees in AI-related fields in 2022. Many have gone to work at U.S. companies like Nvidia or started their own.

    Clearly Trump hates Harvard, higher education, and education generally. But I’m coming to the conclusion that Trump’s goal is to destroy the U.S. in every possible way and at the same time enrich himself and his wealthy friends. He doesn’t even appear to care about the economy anymore. He wants Americans to be poor, ignorant, and isolated from the rest of the world.

    The New York Times: Universities See Trump’s Harvard Move as a Threat to Them, Too.

    The Trump administration’s surprising bid to end Harvard’s international enrollment put the higher education world on edge this week, looming as a larger threat against academic autonomy.

    Well beyond the halls of Harvard this week, college leaders were shocked that one swift move by the federal government could eliminate their ability to serve students from abroad, a growing population that has infused their campuses with cachet and wealth.

    “This is a grave moment,” Sally Kornbluth, the president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote in a message to her campus.

    More than 5,000 miles away, Wendy Hensel, the president of the University of Hawaii, said that it was “reverberating across higher education.”

    President Trump has already unnerved universities this year by launching investigations, freezing grants, demanding changes in campus practices and attempting to deport international students. He has justified his punitive approach as a means to combat what he considers antisemitism. But he and his allies also have long resented a perceived liberal bias and racial diversity efforts at prestigious colleges.

    The Trump administration said Thursday that it revoked Harvard’s international student certification because the university had failed to meet its demands, including a request for records of student protest activity dating back five years.

    To many academics, that was a clear signal that Mr. Trump was prepared to use any federal mechanism as leverage if he did not get what he wants.

    “While Harvard is the victim of the moment, it’s a warning and unprecedented attempt of a hostile federal government to erode the autonomy of all major universities in the U.S.,” said John Aubrey Douglass, a senior research fellow at the Center for Studies in Higher Education at the University of California, Berkeley.

    Yesterday, Trump and Marco Rubio began dismantling the National Security Council.

    CNN: More than 100 National Security Council staffers put on administrative leave.

    The Trump administration has put more than 100 officials at the National Security Council at the White House on administrative leave on Friday as part of a restructuring under interim national security adviser and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to two US officials and another source familiar with the matter.

    Woman and cat, by Toyohara Kunichika

    CNN previously reported that a significant overhaul of the body in charge of coordinating the president’s foreign policy agenda was expected in the coming days, including a staff reduction and a reinforced top-down approach with decision-making concentrated at the highest levels.

    An email from NSC chief of staff Brian McCormack went out around 4:20 p.m. informing those being dismissed they’d have 30 minutes to clean out their desks, according to an administration official. If they weren’t on campus, the email read, they could email an address and arrange a time to retrieve their stuff later and turn in devices.

    The email subject line read: “Your return to home agency,” indicating that most of those affected were detailed to the NSC from other departments and agencies….

    With this happening on a Friday afternoon before a long holiday weekend, the official called it “as unprofessional and reckless as could possibly be.”

    Those put on leave include career officials, as well as political hires made during the Trump administration….

    Staffed by foreign policy experts from across the US government, the NSC typically serves as a critical body for coordinating the president’s foreign policy agenda.

    But under President Donald Trump, the NSC’s role has been diminished, with the overhaul expected to further reduce its importance in the White House.

    Axios says they are trying to purge the “deep state.”

    President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have orchestrated a vast restructuring of the National Security Council, reducing its size and transferring many of its powers to the State and Defense departments.

    Why it matters: Trump’s White House sees the NSC as notoriously bureaucratic and filled with longtime officials who don’t share the president’s vision.

    • A White House official involved in the planning characterized the reorganization as Trump and Rubio’s latest move against what they see as Washington’s “Deep State.”
    • “The NSC is the ultimate Deep State. It’s Marco vs. the Deep State. We’re gutting the Deep State,” the official said of the move, which will cut the NSC staff to about half of its current 350 members. Those cut from the NSC will be moved to other positions in government, officials said.
    • “The right-sizing of the NSC is in line with its original purpose and the president’s vision,” Rubio told Axios in a statement. “The NSC will now be better positioned to collaborate with agencies.”

    Zoom in: White House officials point to an NSC structure that’s filled with committees and meetings that they say slow down decision-making and produce lots of jargon and acronyms.

    There’s a lot more a the link, but I think Trump is just trying to bring every part of the government under his personal control.

    Finally, I want to look at what Trump and RFK Jr. are doing with Covid-19 and Covid vaccines.

    ABC News: Why are more than 300 people in the US still dying from COVID every week? Experts say there is low vaccine uptake and people are not accessing treatments.

    More than five years after the first cases of COVID-19 were detected in the United States, hundreds of people are still dying every week.

    By Utagawa Hiroshige, 1797-1858

    Last month, an average of about 350 people died each week from COVID, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

    While high, the number of deaths is decreasing and is lower than the peak of 25,974 deaths recorded the week ending Jan. 9, 2021, as well as weekly deaths seen in previous spring months, CDC data shows.

    Public health experts told ABC News that although the U.S. is in a much better place than it was a few years ago, COVID is still a threat to high-risk groups.

    “The fact that we’re still seeing deaths just means it’s still circulating, and people are still catching it,” Dr. Tony Moody, a professor in the department of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Duke University Medical Center, told ABC News.

    The experts said there are a few reasons why people might still be dying from the virus, including low vaccination uptake, waning immunity and not enough people accessing treatments.

    Read more details at the ABC link.

    So why is the government limiting access to Covid Vaccines?

    Scientific American: What FDA’s Planned Limits on COVID Vaccinations Mean for Health.

    Larry Saltzman has blood cancer. He’s also a retired doctor, so he knows getting covid-19 could be dangerous for him — his underlying illness puts him at high risk of serious complications and death. To avoid getting sick, he stays away from large gatherings, and he’s comforted knowing healthy people who get boosters protect him by reducing his exposure to the virus.

    Until now, that is.

    Vaccine opponents and skeptics in charge of federal health agencies — starting at the top with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — are restricting access to covid shots that were a signature accomplishment of President Donald Trump’s first term and cost taxpayers about $13 billion to develop, produce, and distribute. The agencies are narrowing vaccination recommendations, pushing drugmakers to perform costly clinical studies, and taking other steps that will result in fewer people getting protection from a virus that still kills hundreds each week in the U.S.

    “There are hundreds of thousands of people who rely on these vaccines,” said Saltzman, 71, of Sacramento, California. “For people who are immunocompromised, if there aren’t enough people vaccinated, we lose the ring that’s protecting us. We’re totally vulnerable.”

    The Trump administration on May 20 rolled out tougher approval requirements for covid shots, described as a covid-19 “vaccination regulatory framework,” that could leave millions of Americans who want boosters unable to get them.

    Vaccine opponents and skeptics in charge of federal health agencies — starting at the top with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — are restricting access to covid shots that were a signature accomplishment of President Donald Trump’s first term and cost taxpayers about $13 billion to develop, produce, and distribute. The agencies are narrowing vaccination recommendations, pushing drugmakers to perform costly clinical studies, and taking other steps that will result in fewer people getting protection from a virus that still kills hundreds each week in the U.S.

    “There are hundreds of thousands of people who rely on these vaccines,” said Saltzman, 71, of Sacramento, California. “For people who are immunocompromised, if there aren’t enough people vaccinated, we lose the ring that’s protecting us. We’re totally vulnerable.”

    The Trump administration on May 20 rolled out tougher approval requirements for covid shots, described as a covid-19 “vaccination regulatory framework,” that could leave millions of Americans who want boosters unable to get them.

    Read the rest at the link. You can also check out this article at Technology Review: The FDA plans to limit access to covid vaccines. Here’s why that’s not all bad.

    Trump simply doesn’t care if Americans die. That’s obvious based on the way he dealt with Covid during his first term. He seems willing to let RFK Jr. do whatever he wants. So who can Americans turn to for guidance and access to vaccines and treatments?

    That’s it for me today. What’s on your mind?

    #CovidVaccines #Covid19Deaths #CryptoCurrency #FDA #HarvardUniversity #internationalUniversityStudents #KristiNoem #NationalSecurityCouncil #NSC #RobertFKennedyJr_ #TrumpCorruption

    #covidvaccines #covid19deaths #cryptocurrency #fda #harvarduniversity #internationaluniversitystudents
16. 

    Sky Dancing @[email protected] · 2025-05-24 · 17:48 UTC

    Lazy Caturday Reads

    Woman and Cat, by Koji Fukiya, 1936.

    Good Afternoon!!

    Yesterday, Dakinikat wrote about Trump’s crypto dinner, where he briefly spoke to the people who had spent the most on his personal memecoin. The “gala dinner” was held at Trump’s Virginia golf club. The attendees–mostly from foreign countries–had spent their money hoping to gain “access” to Trump, but that didn’t happen, at least at this event. Trump showed up on a “military helicopter,” spoke for less than half and hour and then did his YMCA dance. Then he left again without speaking to anyone personally. And the food was terrible.

    Wired: A Helicopter, Halibut, and ‘Y.M.C.A’: Inside Donald Trump’s Memecoin Dinner.

    Donald Trump left the stage at his golf club near Washington, DC, on Thursday night, he pointed to the crowd, brought his index finger to his temple—as if to say: You know what’s coming—then began to dance. To the beat of “Y.M.C.A” by The Village People, Trump shimmied, gyrated, and pumped his arms above his head.

    Looking on were more than 200 people who had been invited to the Trump National Golf Club for a private gala dinner. They had won their seats by purchasing large quantities of Trump’s own crypto coin—TRUMP—some holding millions of dollars’ worth….

    By late afternoon, the dinner guests had started to filter through the gates of the golf club. By comparison to Trump’s previous banquets, thronging with DC insiders and members of the Silicon Valley elite, the crypto dinner attracted a mismatched collection of oddballs: independent traders rubbed shoulders with crypto executives, die-hard Trump fans, and even professional sports stars—former NBA player Lamar Odom towered overhead. A handful wore bowties in Bitcoin orange; others sported gold Trump sneakers.

    Just after 7 pm, the dinner guests gathered at the window to watch Trump descend in Marine One, his presidential helicopter. A short while later, he appeared from behind a blue velvet curtain to whoops and applause from the crowd. Had they seen the helicopter, Trump asked. “Yeah, super cool!” somebody yelled….

    From behind a lectern at one end of the dining room, backdropped by four US flags, Trump delivered a characteristically winding and digressive speech that sources say lasted around 25 minutes. At some point, he got round to crypto.

    “We’ve got some of the smartest minds anywhere in the world right here in this room,” said Trump. “You believe in the whole crypto thing. A lot of people are starting to believe in it … This is really something that may be special—who knows, right? Who knows—but it may be special.”

    For some, the dinner represented a chance to network with other deep-pocketed crypto figures, and to hear directly from Trump about his plans to bring an end to the regulatory uncertainty that crimped the industry’s expansion under Biden.

    “You don’t get to meet the president easily,” Vincent Liu, chief investment officer at trading firm Kronos Research, told WIRED a few days before the dinner. “To be able to hear his message on crypto directly—I’m definitely looking forward to that.”

    Woodblock print from Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s series One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (1885-1892)

    No one got to meet the president, but I Wired says they also wanted to network with each other. On the general presentation and the food, served at circular tables

    …each seating 10 people arrayed beneath a set of crystal chandeliers. Waiting on the chairs were gift bags containing Fight Fight Fight-themed hats and posters, and a collectible plastic card (some allege that they didn’t receive merch at their seats.) The four largest coin holders—along with two other attendees selected by raffle, sources say—received a gem-encrusted Trump gold watch.

    Between mouthfuls, the attendees discussed trading and investment strategies—and Trump’s speech. “To feel his personal charisma to me was very inspiring,” says Liu. But others complained about the brevity of Trump’s appearance: After his speech, Trump had departed immediately in a golf cart bound for his helicopter. “Trump could have at least given the top people their watches himself,” says Pinto. “He didn’t.”

    The food itself had left a bitter taste in the mouth, too. “It was the worst food I’ve ever had at a Trump golf course,” says Pinto, who added he left hungry. “The only good thing was bread and butter.” Another attendee described the meal as “OK, but not top-class.”

    From Penn Live: Trump’s controversial crypto dinner ripped by attendee: ‘Trash.’

    Donald Trump’s controversial memecoin dinner Thursday night was shrouded in secrecy, and while it still isn’t clear who all attended — the White House did not make the list public — we do have a report of how good the food was….

    According to Fortune, 25-year-old Nicholas Pinto was one of those who attended. The site said he invested “more than $360,000 in Trump’s memecoin.

    And for that, he told the site, the dinner that was served was “trash.”

    “Walmart steak, man,” he texted Fortune.

    The site said the menu for the included a “Trump organic field green salad” and an “entrée duet” of filet mignon and pan-seared halibut.

    “Everybody at my table was saying the food was so of the worst they ever had,” Pinto said.

    “I was hoping for Big Macs or pizza,” Pinto told Fortune. “That would have been better than the food that we were served.”

    Trump is just raking in the dough as quickly as he can with the minimum effort.

    The New York Times got the guest list: Who Won a Seat at Trump’s Crypto Dinner?

    The invitees for President Trump’s private dinner for customers of his cryptocurrency business on Thursday included a Chinese billionaire fighting a lawsuit from U.S. regulators, a lawyer for Justice Clarence Thomas and a former basketball star, according to a guest list obtained by The New York Times and social media posts.

    The dinner, at which Mr. Trump gave remarks, was an extraordinary moment in which the president leveraged his position to make money — for his crypto business and for his Virginia golf club, which hosted the event.

    The event’s invited guests were not known publicly beforehand, even to each other. They were identified only by the pseudonyms they used on the electronic wallets where they kept their $TRUMP memecoins. Most had gained an invitation by becoming one of the top 220 holders of that memecoin over a certain period of time. The top 25 of those were given V.I.P. status and afforded a more intimate gathering before the dinner and an unofficial tour of the White House on Friday.

    When they arrived at Mr. Trump’s club outside Washington Thursday evening, the digital world had become physical. The invitees’ names and contact information were delineated on paper lists, checked by staffers at the door. A Times reporter reviewed one of those lists, and used it to identify people who were present. Some other invitees self-identified on social media. A reporter and photographer from The Times also saw some $TRUMP crypto buyers enter and exit the White House on Friday.

    Merchant’s Daughter by Mizuno Toshikata

    Some top invitees:

    Justin Sun, a Chinese crypto billionaire who was sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission under President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for allegedly inflating the value of a cryptocurrency. Mr. Sun is a major investor in a separate crypto venture largely owned by a company tied to Mr. Trump, World Liberty Financial. After Mr. Trump took office, the S.E.C. asked a judge to put Mr. Sun’s case on hold….

    Elliot Berke, a Washington attorney who has worked for congressional Republicans and Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court. The Times identified him because the invitee list included his email address at his law firm, Berke Farah. He was honored as “Republican Lawyer of the Year” in 2021 by the Republican National Lawyers Association….

    Evgeny Gaevoy, the founder and chief executive of a digital-asset firm, Wintermute. The Times identified him because the list of invitees included his Wintermute email….

    Anil Lulla and Yan Liberman, two co-founders of Delphi Digital, a Miami Beach firm that offers market intelligence for crypto investors. Their corporate emails were included in the list of invitees….

    Cheng Lu, 32, a crypto investor from Shanghai, was observed by a Times reporter entering the White House on Friday. He said he did not have a chance to speak with Mr. Trump during the dinner on Thursday or at the Friday tour. “I just want to see President Trump,” he said.

    Several more are listed at the NYT link.

    Another big story today is Trump’s terrifying persecution of Harvard University. Here’s the latest:

    From The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board: Is Trump Trying to Destroy Harvard? The order against foreign students turns away the world’s brightest.

    The Trump Administration has frozen billions in federal grants to Harvard University, threatened its tax-exempt status, and sought to dictate its curriculum and hiring. Now the government seems bent on destroying the school for the offense of fighting back. And for what purpose?

    That’s how we read the Department of Homeland Security’s move Thursday to bar foreign students from attending the world-renowned institution. That’s 6,800 students, or a quarter of Harvard’s student body, whose futures are suddenly in disarray. It’s also a short-sighted attack on one of America’s great competitive strengths: Its ability to attract the world’s best and brightest.

    The latest assault began when DHS demanded that Harvard turn over sundry records on its foreign students, including whether any had participated in illegal activity or left the university owing to “dangerous or violent activity or deprivation of rights.”

    Some of its record requests are reasonable, but some overreached by requiring private student information. DHS also gave Harvard all of two weeks to respond. If it failed to do so, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said she would “automatically withdraw” the school’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. “The withdrawal will not be subject to appeal.”

    The SEVP program lets non-citizens enroll at universities on student visas. DHS can bar universities from the program if they fail to comply with “recordkeeping, retention, reporting and other requirements” on foreign students. Harvard says it responded with “information required by law” within two weeks and handed over more records on May 14.

    Twin Guardians, by Hawse Sumi

    That didn’t satisfy Noem and she banned Harvard from enrolling international students. Harvard soon got a restraining order from a federal court.

    Most of Harvard’s foreign students are enrolled in graduate programs. Many assist with scientific research and teaching undergraduate courses. Driving them out of Harvard will disrupt research projects and might cause some professors in the sciences to leave for other universities. This seems to be a goal of freezing Harvard’s research grants.

    Harvard sued on Friday, and a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against the student ban. The university rightly says the Administration’s actions are “clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the ‘ideology’ of its faculty and students.”

    The university seems likely to prevail on the law, but until courts settle the merits, thousands of students who have done nothing wrong will be in legal limbo. Some of them no doubt opposed the anti-Israel protests and may even hail from Israel. Why punish them? [….]

    This will be terribly damaging to America’s ability to attract talented young people who bring their enterprise and intellectual capital to the U.S. Non-citizens accounted for more than half of doctoral degrees in AI-related fields in 2022. Many have gone to work at U.S. companies like Nvidia or started their own.

    Clearly Trump hates Harvard, higher education, and education generally. But I’m coming to the conclusion that Trump’s goal is to destroy the U.S. in every possible way and at the same time enrich himself and his wealthy friends. He doesn’t even appear to care about the economy anymore. He wants Americans to be poor, ignorant, and isolated from the rest of the world.

    The New York Times: Universities See Trump’s Harvard Move as a Threat to Them, Too.

    The Trump administration’s surprising bid to end Harvard’s international enrollment put the higher education world on edge this week, looming as a larger threat against academic autonomy.

    Well beyond the halls of Harvard this week, college leaders were shocked that one swift move by the federal government could eliminate their ability to serve students from abroad, a growing population that has infused their campuses with cachet and wealth.

    “This is a grave moment,” Sally Kornbluth, the president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote in a message to her campus.

    More than 5,000 miles away, Wendy Hensel, the president of the University of Hawaii, said that it was “reverberating across higher education.”

    President Trump has already unnerved universities this year by launching investigations, freezing grants, demanding changes in campus practices and attempting to deport international students. He has justified his punitive approach as a means to combat what he considers antisemitism. But he and his allies also have long resented a perceived liberal bias and racial diversity efforts at prestigious colleges.

    The Trump administration said Thursday that it revoked Harvard’s international student certification because the university had failed to meet its demands, including a request for records of student protest activity dating back five years.

    To many academics, that was a clear signal that Mr. Trump was prepared to use any federal mechanism as leverage if he did not get what he wants.

    “While Harvard is the victim of the moment, it’s a warning and unprecedented attempt of a hostile federal government to erode the autonomy of all major universities in the U.S.,” said John Aubrey Douglass, a senior research fellow at the Center for Studies in Higher Education at the University of California, Berkeley.

    Yesterday, Trump and Marco Rubio began dismantling the National Security Council.

    CNN: More than 100 National Security Council staffers put on administrative leave.

    The Trump administration has put more than 100 officials at the National Security Council at the White House on administrative leave on Friday as part of a restructuring under interim national security adviser and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to two US officials and another source familiar with the matter.

    Woman and cat, by Toyohara Kunichika

    CNN previously reported that a significant overhaul of the body in charge of coordinating the president’s foreign policy agenda was expected in the coming days, including a staff reduction and a reinforced top-down approach with decision-making concentrated at the highest levels.

    An email from NSC chief of staff Brian McCormack went out around 4:20 p.m. informing those being dismissed they’d have 30 minutes to clean out their desks, according to an administration official. If they weren’t on campus, the email read, they could email an address and arrange a time to retrieve their stuff later and turn in devices.

    The email subject line read: “Your return to home agency,” indicating that most of those affected were detailed to the NSC from other departments and agencies….

    With this happening on a Friday afternoon before a long holiday weekend, the official called it “as unprofessional and reckless as could possibly be.”

    Those put on leave include career officials, as well as political hires made during the Trump administration….

    Staffed by foreign policy experts from across the US government, the NSC typically serves as a critical body for coordinating the president’s foreign policy agenda.

    But under President Donald Trump, the NSC’s role has been diminished, with the overhaul expected to further reduce its importance in the White House.

    Axios says they are trying to purge the “deep state.”

    President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have orchestrated a vast restructuring of the National Security Council, reducing its size and transferring many of its powers to the State and Defense departments.

    Why it matters: Trump’s White House sees the NSC as notoriously bureaucratic and filled with longtime officials who don’t share the president’s vision.

    • A White House official involved in the planning characterized the reorganization as Trump and Rubio’s latest move against what they see as Washington’s “Deep State.”
    • “The NSC is the ultimate Deep State. It’s Marco vs. the Deep State. We’re gutting the Deep State,” the official said of the move, which will cut the NSC staff to about half of its current 350 members. Those cut from the NSC will be moved to other positions in government, officials said.
    • “The right-sizing of the NSC is in line with its original purpose and the president’s vision,” Rubio told Axios in a statement. “The NSC will now be better positioned to collaborate with agencies.”

    Zoom in: White House officials point to an NSC structure that’s filled with committees and meetings that they say slow down decision-making and produce lots of jargon and acronyms.

    There’s a lot more a the link, but I think Trump is just trying to bring every part of the government under his personal control.

    Finally, I want to look at what Trump and RFK Jr. are doing with Covid-19 and Covid vaccines.

    ABC News: Why are more than 300 people in the US still dying from COVID every week? Experts say there is low vaccine uptake and people are not accessing treatments.

    More than five years after the first cases of COVID-19 were detected in the United States, hundreds of people are still dying every week.

    By Utagawa Hiroshige, 1797-1858

    Last month, an average of about 350 people died each week from COVID, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

    While high, the number of deaths is decreasing and is lower than the peak of 25,974 deaths recorded the week ending Jan. 9, 2021, as well as weekly deaths seen in previous spring months, CDC data shows.

    Public health experts told ABC News that although the U.S. is in a much better place than it was a few years ago, COVID is still a threat to high-risk groups.

    “The fact that we’re still seeing deaths just means it’s still circulating, and people are still catching it,” Dr. Tony Moody, a professor in the department of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Duke University Medical Center, told ABC News.

    The experts said there are a few reasons why people might still be dying from the virus, including low vaccination uptake, waning immunity and not enough people accessing treatments.

    Read more details at the ABC link.

    So why is the government limiting access to Covid Vaccines?

    Scientific American: What FDA’s Planned Limits on COVID Vaccinations Mean for Health.

    Larry Saltzman has blood cancer. He’s also a retired doctor, so he knows getting covid-19 could be dangerous for him — his underlying illness puts him at high risk of serious complications and death. To avoid getting sick, he stays away from large gatherings, and he’s comforted knowing healthy people who get boosters protect him by reducing his exposure to the virus.

    Until now, that is.

    Vaccine opponents and skeptics in charge of federal health agencies — starting at the top with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — are restricting access to covid shots that were a signature accomplishment of President Donald Trump’s first term and cost taxpayers about $13 billion to develop, produce, and distribute. The agencies are narrowing vaccination recommendations, pushing drugmakers to perform costly clinical studies, and taking other steps that will result in fewer people getting protection from a virus that still kills hundreds each week in the U.S.

    “There are hundreds of thousands of people who rely on these vaccines,” said Saltzman, 71, of Sacramento, California. “For people who are immunocompromised, if there aren’t enough people vaccinated, we lose the ring that’s protecting us. We’re totally vulnerable.”

    The Trump administration on May 20 rolled out tougher approval requirements for covid shots, described as a covid-19 “vaccination regulatory framework,” that could leave millions of Americans who want boosters unable to get them.

    Vaccine opponents and skeptics in charge of federal health agencies — starting at the top with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — are restricting access to covid shots that were a signature accomplishment of President Donald Trump’s first term and cost taxpayers about $13 billion to develop, produce, and distribute. The agencies are narrowing vaccination recommendations, pushing drugmakers to perform costly clinical studies, and taking other steps that will result in fewer people getting protection from a virus that still kills hundreds each week in the U.S.

    “There are hundreds of thousands of people who rely on these vaccines,” said Saltzman, 71, of Sacramento, California. “For people who are immunocompromised, if there aren’t enough people vaccinated, we lose the ring that’s protecting us. We’re totally vulnerable.”

    The Trump administration on May 20 rolled out tougher approval requirements for covid shots, described as a covid-19 “vaccination regulatory framework,” that could leave millions of Americans who want boosters unable to get them.

    Read the rest at the link. You can also check out this article at Technology Review: The FDA plans to limit access to covid vaccines. Here’s why that’s not all bad.

    Trump simply doesn’t care if Americans die. That’s obvious based on the way he dealt with Covid during his first term. He seems willing to let RFK Jr. do whatever he wants. So who can Americans turn to for guidance and access to vaccines and treatments?

    That’s it for me today. What’s on your mind?

    #CovidVaccines #Covid19Deaths #CryptoCurrency #FDA #HarvardUniversity #internationalUniversityStudents #KristiNoem #NationalSecurityCouncil #NSC #RobertFKennedyJr_ #TrumpCorruption

    #trumpcorruption #robertfkennedyjr_ #nsc #nationalsecuritycouncil #kristinoem #internationaluniversitystudents
17. 

    Sky Dancing @[email protected] · 2025-05-24 · 17:48 UTC

    Lazy Caturday Reads

    Woman and Cat, by Koji Fukiya, 1936.

    Good Afternoon!!

    Yesterday, Dakinikat wrote about Trump’s crypto dinner, where he briefly spoke to the people who had spent the most on his personal memecoin. The “gala dinner” was held at Trump’s Virginia golf club. The attendees–mostly from foreign countries–had spent their money hoping to gain “access” to Trump, but that didn’t happen, at least at this event. Trump showed up on a “military helicopter,” spoke for less than half and hour and then did his YMCA dance. Then he left again without speaking to anyone personally. And the food was terrible.

    Wired: A Helicopter, Halibut, and ‘Y.M.C.A’: Inside Donald Trump’s Memecoin Dinner.

    Donald Trump left the stage at his golf club near Washington, DC, on Thursday night, he pointed to the crowd, brought his index finger to his temple—as if to say: You know what’s coming—then began to dance. To the beat of “Y.M.C.A” by The Village People, Trump shimmied, gyrated, and pumped his arms above his head.

    Looking on were more than 200 people who had been invited to the Trump National Golf Club for a private gala dinner. They had won their seats by purchasing large quantities of Trump’s own crypto coin—TRUMP—some holding millions of dollars’ worth….

    By late afternoon, the dinner guests had started to filter through the gates of the golf club. By comparison to Trump’s previous banquets, thronging with DC insiders and members of the Silicon Valley elite, the crypto dinner attracted a mismatched collection of oddballs: independent traders rubbed shoulders with crypto executives, die-hard Trump fans, and even professional sports stars—former NBA player Lamar Odom towered overhead. A handful wore bowties in Bitcoin orange; others sported gold Trump sneakers.

    Just after 7 pm, the dinner guests gathered at the window to watch Trump descend in Marine One, his presidential helicopter. A short while later, he appeared from behind a blue velvet curtain to whoops and applause from the crowd. Had they seen the helicopter, Trump asked. “Yeah, super cool!” somebody yelled….

    From behind a lectern at one end of the dining room, backdropped by four US flags, Trump delivered a characteristically winding and digressive speech that sources say lasted around 25 minutes. At some point, he got round to crypto.

    “We’ve got some of the smartest minds anywhere in the world right here in this room,” said Trump. “You believe in the whole crypto thing. A lot of people are starting to believe in it … This is really something that may be special—who knows, right? Who knows—but it may be special.”

    For some, the dinner represented a chance to network with other deep-pocketed crypto figures, and to hear directly from Trump about his plans to bring an end to the regulatory uncertainty that crimped the industry’s expansion under Biden.

    “You don’t get to meet the president easily,” Vincent Liu, chief investment officer at trading firm Kronos Research, told WIRED a few days before the dinner. “To be able to hear his message on crypto directly—I’m definitely looking forward to that.”

    Woodblock print from Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s series One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (1885-1892)

    No one got to meet the president, but I Wired says they also wanted to network with each other. On the general presentation and the food, served at circular tables

    …each seating 10 people arrayed beneath a set of crystal chandeliers. Waiting on the chairs were gift bags containing Fight Fight Fight-themed hats and posters, and a collectible plastic card (some allege that they didn’t receive merch at their seats.) The four largest coin holders—along with two other attendees selected by raffle, sources say—received a gem-encrusted Trump gold watch.

    Between mouthfuls, the attendees discussed trading and investment strategies—and Trump’s speech. “To feel his personal charisma to me was very inspiring,” says Liu. But others complained about the brevity of Trump’s appearance: After his speech, Trump had departed immediately in a golf cart bound for his helicopter. “Trump could have at least given the top people their watches himself,” says Pinto. “He didn’t.”

    The food itself had left a bitter taste in the mouth, too. “It was the worst food I’ve ever had at a Trump golf course,” says Pinto, who added he left hungry. “The only good thing was bread and butter.” Another attendee described the meal as “OK, but not top-class.”

    From Penn Live: Trump’s controversial crypto dinner ripped by attendee: ‘Trash.’

    Donald Trump’s controversial memecoin dinner Thursday night was shrouded in secrecy, and while it still isn’t clear who all attended — the White House did not make the list public — we do have a report of how good the food was….

    According to Fortune, 25-year-old Nicholas Pinto was one of those who attended. The site said he invested “more than $360,000 in Trump’s memecoin.

    And for that, he told the site, the dinner that was served was “trash.”

    “Walmart steak, man,” he texted Fortune.

    The site said the menu for the included a “Trump organic field green salad” and an “entrée duet” of filet mignon and pan-seared halibut.

    “Everybody at my table was saying the food was so of the worst they ever had,” Pinto said.

    “I was hoping for Big Macs or pizza,” Pinto told Fortune. “That would have been better than the food that we were served.”

    Trump is just raking in the dough as quickly as he can with the minimum effort.

    The New York Times got the guest list: Who Won a Seat at Trump’s Crypto Dinner?

    The invitees for President Trump’s private dinner for customers of his cryptocurrency business on Thursday included a Chinese billionaire fighting a lawsuit from U.S. regulators, a lawyer for Justice Clarence Thomas and a former basketball star, according to a guest list obtained by The New York Times and social media posts.

    The dinner, at which Mr. Trump gave remarks, was an extraordinary moment in which the president leveraged his position to make money — for his crypto business and for his Virginia golf club, which hosted the event.

    The event’s invited guests were not known publicly beforehand, even to each other. They were identified only by the pseudonyms they used on the electronic wallets where they kept their $TRUMP memecoins. Most had gained an invitation by becoming one of the top 220 holders of that memecoin over a certain period of time. The top 25 of those were given V.I.P. status and afforded a more intimate gathering before the dinner and an unofficial tour of the White House on Friday.

    When they arrived at Mr. Trump’s club outside Washington Thursday evening, the digital world had become physical. The invitees’ names and contact information were delineated on paper lists, checked by staffers at the door. A Times reporter reviewed one of those lists, and used it to identify people who were present. Some other invitees self-identified on social media. A reporter and photographer from The Times also saw some $TRUMP crypto buyers enter and exit the White House on Friday.

    Merchant’s Daughter by Mizuno Toshikata

    Some top invitees:

    Justin Sun, a Chinese crypto billionaire who was sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission under President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for allegedly inflating the value of a cryptocurrency. Mr. Sun is a major investor in a separate crypto venture largely owned by a company tied to Mr. Trump, World Liberty Financial. After Mr. Trump took office, the S.E.C. asked a judge to put Mr. Sun’s case on hold….

    Elliot Berke, a Washington attorney who has worked for congressional Republicans and Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court. The Times identified him because the invitee list included his email address at his law firm, Berke Farah. He was honored as “Republican Lawyer of the Year” in 2021 by the Republican National Lawyers Association….

    Evgeny Gaevoy, the founder and chief executive of a digital-asset firm, Wintermute. The Times identified him because the list of invitees included his Wintermute email….

    Anil Lulla and Yan Liberman, two co-founders of Delphi Digital, a Miami Beach firm that offers market intelligence for crypto investors. Their corporate emails were included in the list of invitees….

    Cheng Lu, 32, a crypto investor from Shanghai, was observed by a Times reporter entering the White House on Friday. He said he did not have a chance to speak with Mr. Trump during the dinner on Thursday or at the Friday tour. “I just want to see President Trump,” he said.

    Several more are listed at the NYT link.

    Another big story today is Trump’s terrifying persecution of Harvard University. Here’s the latest:

    From The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board: Is Trump Trying to Destroy Harvard? The order against foreign students turns away the world’s brightest.

    The Trump Administration has frozen billions in federal grants to Harvard University, threatened its tax-exempt status, and sought to dictate its curriculum and hiring. Now the government seems bent on destroying the school for the offense of fighting back. And for what purpose?

    That’s how we read the Department of Homeland Security’s move Thursday to bar foreign students from attending the world-renowned institution. That’s 6,800 students, or a quarter of Harvard’s student body, whose futures are suddenly in disarray. It’s also a short-sighted attack on one of America’s great competitive strengths: Its ability to attract the world’s best and brightest.

    The latest assault began when DHS demanded that Harvard turn over sundry records on its foreign students, including whether any had participated in illegal activity or left the university owing to “dangerous or violent activity or deprivation of rights.”

    Some of its record requests are reasonable, but some overreached by requiring private student information. DHS also gave Harvard all of two weeks to respond. If it failed to do so, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said she would “automatically withdraw” the school’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. “The withdrawal will not be subject to appeal.”

    The SEVP program lets non-citizens enroll at universities on student visas. DHS can bar universities from the program if they fail to comply with “recordkeeping, retention, reporting and other requirements” on foreign students. Harvard says it responded with “information required by law” within two weeks and handed over more records on May 14.

    Twin Guardians, by Hawse Sumi

    That didn’t satisfy Noem and she banned Harvard from enrolling international students. Harvard soon got a restraining order from a federal court.

    Most of Harvard’s foreign students are enrolled in graduate programs. Many assist with scientific research and teaching undergraduate courses. Driving them out of Harvard will disrupt research projects and might cause some professors in the sciences to leave for other universities. This seems to be a goal of freezing Harvard’s research grants.

    Harvard sued on Friday, and a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against the student ban. The university rightly says the Administration’s actions are “clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the ‘ideology’ of its faculty and students.”

    The university seems likely to prevail on the law, but until courts settle the merits, thousands of students who have done nothing wrong will be in legal limbo. Some of them no doubt opposed the anti-Israel protests and may even hail from Israel. Why punish them? [….]

    This will be terribly damaging to America’s ability to attract talented young people who bring their enterprise and intellectual capital to the U.S. Non-citizens accounted for more than half of doctoral degrees in AI-related fields in 2022. Many have gone to work at U.S. companies like Nvidia or started their own.

    Clearly Trump hates Harvard, higher education, and education generally. But I’m coming to the conclusion that Trump’s goal is to destroy the U.S. in every possible way and at the same time enrich himself and his wealthy friends. He doesn’t even appear to care about the economy anymore. He wants Americans to be poor, ignorant, and isolated from the rest of the world.

    The New York Times: Universities See Trump’s Harvard Move as a Threat to Them, Too.

    The Trump administration’s surprising bid to end Harvard’s international enrollment put the higher education world on edge this week, looming as a larger threat against academic autonomy.

    Well beyond the halls of Harvard this week, college leaders were shocked that one swift move by the federal government could eliminate their ability to serve students from abroad, a growing population that has infused their campuses with cachet and wealth.

    “This is a grave moment,” Sally Kornbluth, the president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote in a message to her campus.

    More than 5,000 miles away, Wendy Hensel, the president of the University of Hawaii, said that it was “reverberating across higher education.”

    President Trump has already unnerved universities this year by launching investigations, freezing grants, demanding changes in campus practices and attempting to deport international students. He has justified his punitive approach as a means to combat what he considers antisemitism. But he and his allies also have long resented a perceived liberal bias and racial diversity efforts at prestigious colleges.

    The Trump administration said Thursday that it revoked Harvard’s international student certification because the university had failed to meet its demands, including a request for records of student protest activity dating back five years.

    To many academics, that was a clear signal that Mr. Trump was prepared to use any federal mechanism as leverage if he did not get what he wants.

    “While Harvard is the victim of the moment, it’s a warning and unprecedented attempt of a hostile federal government to erode the autonomy of all major universities in the U.S.,” said John Aubrey Douglass, a senior research fellow at the Center for Studies in Higher Education at the University of California, Berkeley.

    Yesterday, Trump and Marco Rubio began dismantling the National Security Council.

    CNN: More than 100 National Security Council staffers put on administrative leave.

    The Trump administration has put more than 100 officials at the National Security Council at the White House on administrative leave on Friday as part of a restructuring under interim national security adviser and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to two US officials and another source familiar with the matter.

    Woman and cat, by Toyohara Kunichika

    CNN previously reported that a significant overhaul of the body in charge of coordinating the president’s foreign policy agenda was expected in the coming days, including a staff reduction and a reinforced top-down approach with decision-making concentrated at the highest levels.

    An email from NSC chief of staff Brian McCormack went out around 4:20 p.m. informing those being dismissed they’d have 30 minutes to clean out their desks, according to an administration official. If they weren’t on campus, the email read, they could email an address and arrange a time to retrieve their stuff later and turn in devices.

    The email subject line read: “Your return to home agency,” indicating that most of those affected were detailed to the NSC from other departments and agencies….

    With this happening on a Friday afternoon before a long holiday weekend, the official called it “as unprofessional and reckless as could possibly be.”

    Those put on leave include career officials, as well as political hires made during the Trump administration….

    Staffed by foreign policy experts from across the US government, the NSC typically serves as a critical body for coordinating the president’s foreign policy agenda.

    But under President Donald Trump, the NSC’s role has been diminished, with the overhaul expected to further reduce its importance in the White House.

    Axios says they are trying to purge the “deep state.”

    President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have orchestrated a vast restructuring of the National Security Council, reducing its size and transferring many of its powers to the State and Defense departments.

    Why it matters: Trump’s White House sees the NSC as notoriously bureaucratic and filled with longtime officials who don’t share the president’s vision.

    • A White House official involved in the planning characterized the reorganization as Trump and Rubio’s latest move against what they see as Washington’s “Deep State.”
    • “The NSC is the ultimate Deep State. It’s Marco vs. the Deep State. We’re gutting the Deep State,” the official said of the move, which will cut the NSC staff to about half of its current 350 members. Those cut from the NSC will be moved to other positions in government, officials said.
    • “The right-sizing of the NSC is in line with its original purpose and the president’s vision,” Rubio told Axios in a statement. “The NSC will now be better positioned to collaborate with agencies.”

    Zoom in: White House officials point to an NSC structure that’s filled with committees and meetings that they say slow down decision-making and produce lots of jargon and acronyms.

    There’s a lot more a the link, but I think Trump is just trying to bring every part of the government under his personal control.

    Finally, I want to look at what Trump and RFK Jr. are doing with Covid-19 and Covid vaccines.

    ABC News: Why are more than 300 people in the US still dying from COVID every week? Experts say there is low vaccine uptake and people are not accessing treatments.

    More than five years after the first cases of COVID-19 were detected in the United States, hundreds of people are still dying every week.

    By Utagawa Hiroshige, 1797-1858

    Last month, an average of about 350 people died each week from COVID, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

    While high, the number of deaths is decreasing and is lower than the peak of 25,974 deaths recorded the week ending Jan. 9, 2021, as well as weekly deaths seen in previous spring months, CDC data shows.

    Public health experts told ABC News that although the U.S. is in a much better place than it was a few years ago, COVID is still a threat to high-risk groups.

    “The fact that we’re still seeing deaths just means it’s still circulating, and people are still catching it,” Dr. Tony Moody, a professor in the department of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Duke University Medical Center, told ABC News.

    The experts said there are a few reasons why people might still be dying from the virus, including low vaccination uptake, waning immunity and not enough people accessing treatments.

    Read more details at the ABC link.

    So why is the government limiting access to Covid Vaccines?

    Scientific American: What FDA’s Planned Limits on COVID Vaccinations Mean for Health.

    Larry Saltzman has blood cancer. He’s also a retired doctor, so he knows getting covid-19 could be dangerous for him — his underlying illness puts him at high risk of serious complications and death. To avoid getting sick, he stays away from large gatherings, and he’s comforted knowing healthy people who get boosters protect him by reducing his exposure to the virus.

    Until now, that is.

    Vaccine opponents and skeptics in charge of federal health agencies — starting at the top with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — are restricting access to covid shots that were a signature accomplishment of President Donald Trump’s first term and cost taxpayers about $13 billion to develop, produce, and distribute. The agencies are narrowing vaccination recommendations, pushing drugmakers to perform costly clinical studies, and taking other steps that will result in fewer people getting protection from a virus that still kills hundreds each week in the U.S.

    “There are hundreds of thousands of people who rely on these vaccines,” said Saltzman, 71, of Sacramento, California. “For people who are immunocompromised, if there aren’t enough people vaccinated, we lose the ring that’s protecting us. We’re totally vulnerable.”

    The Trump administration on May 20 rolled out tougher approval requirements for covid shots, described as a covid-19 “vaccination regulatory framework,” that could leave millions of Americans who want boosters unable to get them.

    Vaccine opponents and skeptics in charge of federal health agencies — starting at the top with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — are restricting access to covid shots that were a signature accomplishment of President Donald Trump’s first term and cost taxpayers about $13 billion to develop, produce, and distribute. The agencies are narrowing vaccination recommendations, pushing drugmakers to perform costly clinical studies, and taking other steps that will result in fewer people getting protection from a virus that still kills hundreds each week in the U.S.

    “There are hundreds of thousands of people who rely on these vaccines,” said Saltzman, 71, of Sacramento, California. “For people who are immunocompromised, if there aren’t enough people vaccinated, we lose the ring that’s protecting us. We’re totally vulnerable.”

    The Trump administration on May 20 rolled out tougher approval requirements for covid shots, described as a covid-19 “vaccination regulatory framework,” that could leave millions of Americans who want boosters unable to get them.

    Read the rest at the link. You can also check out this article at Technology Review: The FDA plans to limit access to covid vaccines. Here’s why that’s not all bad.

    Trump simply doesn’t care if Americans die. That’s obvious based on the way he dealt with Covid during his first term. He seems willing to let RFK Jr. do whatever he wants. So who can Americans turn to for guidance and access to vaccines and treatments?

    That’s it for me today. What’s on your mind?

    #CovidVaccines #Covid19Deaths #CryptoCurrency #FDA #HarvardUniversity #internationalUniversityStudents #KristiNoem #NationalSecurityCouncil #NSC #RobertFKennedyJr_ #TrumpCorruption

    #covidvaccines #covid19deaths #cryptocurrency #fda #harvarduniversity #internationaluniversitystudents
18. 

    Soatok @[email protected] · 2025-01-06 · 05:43 UTC

    Collatzeral Damage: Bitwise and Proof Foolish

    Let’s talk about the Collatz Conjecture, which is like mathematicians’ original version of this programmer joke:

    Except the number of mathematician hours wasted is much larger, possibly too large for uint32_t to hold it.

    The Collatz conjecture is an infamous trap for the young and ambitious. Despite its simple construction, it has evaded proofs and general solutions for nearly a century. Veritasium made a video about this conjecture, which I recommend:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=094y1Z2wpJg

    The Collatz conjecture involves a recursive function that contains one branch: If a number is odd, multiply it by 3 then add 1. If it is even, divide it by 2.

    The conjecture states that repeating this operation will eventually reach 1 for all positive integers.

    Quick observation:

    • Even numbers take you closer to your goal of reaching your goal (reaching 0).
    • Odd numbers take you further away from your goal.

    You can write recursive code that implements the Collatz function like so:

    function collatz(num) {  console.log(num);  if (num === 1) {    return;  }  return (num % 2 === 1)     ? collatz((3 * num) + 1)    : collatz(num >> 1);}

    If the Collatz conjecture is false, there is some integer for which the return statement will never be reached.

    We don’t know if the conjecture is true or not.

    We do know that it has held up for a hell of a lot of positive integers (from a human perspective), and have yet to find a counterexample, but we don’t know if it’s necessarily true for all positive integers.

    What if there’s actually a cycle somewhere (similar to what I discussed in the context of hash functions)?

    That mathematicians don’t know the answer isn’t really interesting for the readers of this blog, but why the answer is so elusive (despite the intuitive simple construction of the function central to the Collatz conjecture) is something I think we can say something interesting about.

    AJ

    But first, let’s talk about a class of cryptographic algorithm that serves as the building block for several types of hash functions and stream ciphers used across the Internet today.

    Important

    I am taking a lot of liberties in this blog post, and I am prioritizing clarity over technical precision.

    Readers will be better served by cross-referencing this entertainment-focused blog post with the work of actual mathematicians.

    And for the pedants in the audience: if something seems imprecise, it’s probably because I made a trade-off to help a wider audience gain a basic intuition.

    Add, Rotate, XOR (ARX)

    ARX is a category of cryptography algorithms that is used to build various cryptography building blocks. The SHA-2 family of hash functions and the ChaCha stream cipher both an ARX construction (and both are used in a lot of Internet traffic).

    Let’s focus on ChaCha for the moment, focusing on the reference implementation that ships with libsodium:

    #define U32C(v) (v##U)#define U32V(v) ((uint32_t)(v) &U32C(0xFFFFFFFF))#define ROTATE(v, c) (ROTL32(v, c))#define XOR(v, w) ((v) ^ (w))#define PLUS(v, w) (U32V((v) + (w)))#define PLUSONE(v) (PLUS((v), 1))#define QUARTERROUND(a, b, c, d) \    a = PLUS(a, b);              \    d = ROTATE(XOR(d, a), 16);   \    c = PLUS(c, d);              \    b = ROTATE(XOR(b, c), 12);   \    a = PLUS(a, b);              \    d = ROTATE(XOR(d, a), 8);    \    c = PLUS(c, d);              \    b = ROTATE(XOR(b, c), 7);

    At the core of ChaCha is the quarter round function. This is applied on alternating columns and diagonals of the input state until the desired number of rounds has been completed.

    for (i = 20; i > 0; i -= 2) {    QUARTERROUND(x0, x4, x8, x12)    QUARTERROUND(x1, x5, x9, x13)    QUARTERROUND(x2, x6, x10, x14)    QUARTERROUND(x3, x7, x11, x15)    QUARTERROUND(x0, x5, x10, x15)    QUARTERROUND(x1, x6, x11, x12)    QUARTERROUND(x2, x7, x8, x13)    QUARTERROUND(x3, x4, x9, x14)}

    After all rounds are complete, the initial state is added to the output. This 512-bit state includes the key (which consists of up to 256 bits), nonce, and some constant values. Because half of the input bytes are your secret key, an attacker without knowledge of the key cannot invert the calculation.

    ChaCha is an improvement of another stream cipher from the same family as the eSTREAM finalist, Salsa20. ChaCha improved the diffusion per round and performance. This makes ChaCha less susceptible to cryptanalysis, even in extremely reduced-round variants (e.g., ChaCha8 vs ChaCha20).

    As interesting as all that is, the important bits to know is that the ChaCha update emphasized improving diffusion.

    What does that mean, exactly?

    Art: Harubaki

    What is Diffusion?

    Diffusion is a measurement of how much the output state changes when each bit differs in the input state.

    This is important for making it difficult to statistically analyze the relationship between the input and outputs of a cryptographic function.

    ARX Diffusion

    ARX consists of three operations: Rotation (sliding bits around like a flywheel), addition, and eXclusive OR (also known as XOR).

    Comparing Salsa20 and ChaCha’s quarter round, using the notation from the source code on Wikipedia, you see:

    Salsa20 Quarter Round

    b ^= (a + d) <<<  7;c ^= (b + a) <<<  9;d ^= (c + b) <<< 13;a ^= (d + c) <<< 18;

    Addition then rotation then XOR.

    ChaCha Quarter Round

    a += b; d ^= a; d <<<= 16;c += d; b ^= c; b <<<= 12;a += b; d ^= a; d <<<=  8;c += d; b ^= c; b <<<=  7;

    Addition then XOR then rotation.

    Each step of the quarter round function still involves addition, rotation, and XOR, but their usage is different. (Also, they just update values directly rather than involving an extra temporary value to implicitly occupy a stack register.)

    And it’s subtle, but if you play with these different quarter rounds with slightly different inputs, you can see how the diffusion is improved with the second construction in fewer numbers of rounds.

    “Why does diffusion matter?”

    Bit diffusion in ARX constructions is one of the ways that ciphers ensure their output remains indistinguishable from a random oracle.

    If you’ve ever looked at a cryptographic hash function before, or heard about the “avalanche effect“, that’s precisely what we want out of these ARX constructions.

    “So what?”

    As some of you might remember from your studies, XOR is just addition without carry (mod 2).

    If you repeat your same experimentation but only use one operation (AR or RX), you’ll find that your diffusion is poor.

    This is because addition is an abstraction that hides a very important feature that’s often taken for granted.

    CMYKat

    Carry Propagation

    Let’s say, for a learning exercise, you wanted to build integer addition entirely out of bitwise operators: AND, OR, NOT, XOR, and the left and right bit shift operators.

    As already mentioned above, XOR is just addition without carry. So that part’s easy:

    def add_bits_no_carry(x, y):    return x ^ y

    How about carrying values to the next place? Well, consider the following table:

    XYCalculated Carry Value000100010111

    That third column sure looks like an “AND” operator, does it not?

    Great, but what if you had a carry value from the previous step?

    Well, now you have to implement two half-adders: One to handle the input carry value with one input, and the other to handle the other input and produce the next output carry value.

    def half_adder(x, y):    return [x ^ y, x & y]def add_bits(x, y, c_in):    [a, b] = half_adder(x, y)    [d, e] = half_adder(a, c_in)    return [d, b ^ e]

    If you feel lost, this hardware tutorial explains it with diagrams.

    The main thing I want you to take away is that addition is much more complicated than XOR because of carry propagation.

    Original sticker made by CMYKat
    (Poor edits made my me)

    On Computation and Information Theory

    We use XOR to mix data (which could be plaintext, or could be all zeroes) with pseudo-random bytes, since it’s perfectly hiding so long as the bytes we’re mixing them with is unknown. This is the intuition underlying one-time pads and modern stream ciphers (including the ones we’re discussing).

    In the context of ARX, because some operations (addition) propagate carries and others don’t (XOR), when you combine these steps with rotating the bits in-place, it becomes very easy to mix the output bits in a short number of rounds of operations. Cryptographers measure how well bits are mixed across a large number of inputs and reject designs that don’t perform well (generally speaking).

    But a direct consequence of the hidden complexity of addition with carry is that the state you’re operating within is larger than the output. This means that some information is used (carried over from previous bits or limbs) that is not revealed directly in the output bit(s).

    It’s easy to add two numbers together, but if you don’t know either of the numbers, it’s impossible to know the other (unless, of course, a side-channel leaks enough information to deduce one of them).

    “That’s neat and all, but what does it imply?”

    Don’t worry, I’m going somewhere with this.

    CMYKat

    Turing the Page

    Let’s briefly talk about Turing machines.

    The relevant Wikipedia article covers them adequately well. For everyone else, another Veritasium video:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeQX2HjkcNo

    A Turing machine is a mathematical model for computation.

    The basic idea is that you have a tape of symbols, a head that reads from the tape, and an internal state that determines the next move.

    We don’t need too formal of a treatment here. I’m not exactly trying to prove the halting problem is undecidable.

    A dumb joke I like to tell my computer science friends:

    I’ve solved the Halting problem! It’s called: “the heat death of the universe,” at which point the program fucking halts!

    But do put a pin in this, because it will come up towards the end.

    CMYKat

    Bitwise Collatz Functions

    Above, I wrote a bit of code that implements the Collatz function, but I was a bit lazy about it.

    In truth, you don’t need multiplication or the modulo operator. You can, instead, use bitwise operations and one addition.

    • The modulo 2 check can be replaced by a bitwise AND mask with 1. Odd values will return 1, even will return 0.
    • When the least significant bit is 0:
      Dividing by 2 is the same as right-shifting by 1.
    • When the least significant bit is 1:
      Multiplying by 3 then adding 1 can be rewritten as the following steps:
      • Left shift by 1 (2n)
      • Set the lower bit to 1 (+1), using bitwise OR
      • Add the original number (+n)

    Thus, our function instead looks like:

    function collatz(num) {  console.log(num);  if (num === 1) {    return;  }  return (num & 1)    ? collatz(((num << 1) | 1) + num)    : collatz(num >> 1);}

    That is to say, you can implement most of the Collatz function with bitwise operators, and only need one addition (with carries) in the end.

    Suddenly, the discussion above about carry propagation might seem a lot more relevant!

    Art by AJ

    Small Example

    Imagine you encode a number as a binary string. For example, 257.

    When you work through the algorithm sketched out above, you end up doing this:

           n == 0001_0000_0001     2*n == 0010_0000_0010 # left shift by 1 2*n + 1 == 0010_0000_0011 # bitwise OR with 1       add: 0001_0000_0001 # n            0010_0000_0011 # 2n + 1            # This is where carry propagation comes in!    result: 0011_0000_0100

    When you perform the 3n+1 branch of the Collatz function the way I constructed it, that last addition of n will propagate carries.

    And that carry propagation is where the trouble starts.

    Since the (3n+1) branch is only ever invoked with odd values for n, you can guarantee that the next step will be followed by at least one division by 2 (since 3n+1 is even for any odd n).

    This allows you look ahead two steps at a time, but there is no easy way to predict how many back-to-back (3n+1)/2 two-steps you will encounter from a given value. Instead, you have to actually perform the calculation and see what happens.

    AJ

    Collatz Machines

    The input and output of the Collatz function is an integer of arbitrary size. The behavior branches depending on the least significant bit of the input.

    You can think of the least significant bit as the “head” of a machine similar to a Turing machine.

    However, instead of moving the head along a tape, the Collatz function does one of two things:

    1. Moves the symbols on the tape one space to the right (somewhat familiar territory for Turing Machines).
    2. Rewrites all of the symbols on the tape to the left of the head, according to some algorithm. This algorithm makes the tape longer.

    As we observed previously, the carry propagation implicit to addition makes the bits diffuse in a way that’s hard to generalize faster than simply performing the addition and seeing what results from it.

    Proving that this Collatz machine halts for all positive inputs would also prove the Collatz Conjecture. But as we saw with proper Turing Machines, this might not be possible.

    Pedants on the /r/math subreddit were quick to point out that this isn’t necessarily true, but the goal of this blog post was not to state a technically precise truth, but to explore the Collatz conjecture from a different angle.

    The important disclaimer at the top isn’t some cop-out boilerplate I slap on everything I write to absolve me of any retribution for my mistakes. It’s actually important for everyone to read and understand it.

    The entire point of this blog is “hey, here’s a neat idea to think about” not “here’s a universal truth about mathematics I discovered”. For that, I would have written an actual paper, not a furry blog. Unfortunately, I have no new insights to offer on anything, nor will I probably ever.

    I recommend reading the comment I linked at the start of this quoted section, as it’s grounded in a more formal mathematics understanding than this blog post.

    Is It Unsolvable?

    With all this in mind, in the general case, the Collatz Conjecture may very well one day prove to be as undecidable as the Halting Problem.

    Or, maybe someone will find a cycle within the integer space that fails to ever reach 1.

    Art: CMYKat

    As it stands right now, there have been a lot of interesting approaches to try to solve it. The first Veritasium video linked above talked about some of these ideas.

    Maybe we need new mathematic tools first. Or perhaps the Langlands project will uncover a relationship between unrelated areas of mathematical research that already exist today that will yield an answer to this nearly century-old conjecture.

    Either way, I hope you find this topic… mildly interesting. Enough to appreciate the problem, not so much that you think you can solve it yourself.

    Art: AJ

    Stay safe, don’t drink and derive, and happy hacking.

    Header art: AJ and CMYKat.

    #CollatzConjecture #define #HaltingProblem #mathematics #TuringMachines

    #collatzconjecture #define #haltingproblem #mathematics #turingmachines
19. 

    Soatok @[email protected] · 2025-01-06 · 05:43 UTC

    Collatzeral Damage: Bitwise and Proof Foolish

    Let’s talk about the Collatz Conjecture, which is like mathematicians’ original version of this programmer joke:

    Except the number of mathematician hours wasted is much larger, possibly too large for uint32_t to hold it.

    The Collatz conjecture is an infamous trap for the young and ambitious. Despite its simple construction, it has evaded proofs and general solutions for nearly a century. Veritasium made a video about this conjecture, which I recommend:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=094y1Z2wpJg

    The Collatz conjecture involves a recursive function that contains one branch: If a number is odd, multiply it by 3 then add 1. If it is even, divide it by 2.

    The conjecture states that repeating this operation will eventually reach 1 for all positive integers.

    Quick observation:

    • Even numbers take you closer to your goal of reaching your goal (reaching 0).
    • Odd numbers take you further away from your goal.

    You can write recursive code that implements the Collatz function like so:

    function collatz(num) {  console.log(num);  if (num === 1) {    return;  }  return (num % 2 === 1)     ? collatz((3 * num) + 1)    : collatz(num >> 1);}

    If the Collatz conjecture is false, there is some integer for which the return statement will never be reached.

    We don’t know if the conjecture is true or not.

    We do know that it has held up for a hell of a lot of positive integers (from a human perspective), and have yet to find a counterexample, but we don’t know if it’s necessarily true for all positive integers.

    What if there’s actually a cycle somewhere (similar to what I discussed in the context of hash functions)?

    That mathematicians don’t know the answer isn’t really interesting for the readers of this blog, but why the answer is so elusive (despite the intuitive simple construction of the function central to the Collatz conjecture) is something I think we can say something interesting about.

    AJ

    But first, let’s talk about a class of cryptographic algorithm that serves as the building block for several types of hash functions and stream ciphers used across the Internet today.

    Important

    I am taking a lot of liberties in this blog post, and I am prioritizing clarity over technical precision.

    Readers will be better served by cross-referencing this entertainment-focused blog post with the work of actual mathematicians.

    And for the pedants in the audience: if something seems imprecise, it’s probably because I made a trade-off to help a wider audience gain a basic intuition.

    Add, Rotate, XOR (ARX)

    ARX is a category of cryptography algorithms that is used to build various cryptography building blocks. The SHA-2 family of hash functions and the ChaCha stream cipher both an ARX construction (and both are used in a lot of Internet traffic).

    Let’s focus on ChaCha for the moment, focusing on the reference implementation that ships with libsodium:

    #define U32C(v) (v##U)#define U32V(v) ((uint32_t)(v) &U32C(0xFFFFFFFF))#define ROTATE(v, c) (ROTL32(v, c))#define XOR(v, w) ((v) ^ (w))#define PLUS(v, w) (U32V((v) + (w)))#define PLUSONE(v) (PLUS((v), 1))#define QUARTERROUND(a, b, c, d) \    a = PLUS(a, b);              \    d = ROTATE(XOR(d, a), 16);   \    c = PLUS(c, d);              \    b = ROTATE(XOR(b, c), 12);   \    a = PLUS(a, b);              \    d = ROTATE(XOR(d, a), 8);    \    c = PLUS(c, d);              \    b = ROTATE(XOR(b, c), 7);

    At the core of ChaCha is the quarter round function. This is applied on alternating columns and diagonals of the input state until the desired number of rounds has been completed.

    for (i = 20; i > 0; i -= 2) {    QUARTERROUND(x0, x4, x8, x12)    QUARTERROUND(x1, x5, x9, x13)    QUARTERROUND(x2, x6, x10, x14)    QUARTERROUND(x3, x7, x11, x15)    QUARTERROUND(x0, x5, x10, x15)    QUARTERROUND(x1, x6, x11, x12)    QUARTERROUND(x2, x7, x8, x13)    QUARTERROUND(x3, x4, x9, x14)}

    After all rounds are complete, the initial state is added to the output. This 512-bit state includes the key (which consists of up to 256 bits), nonce, and some constant values. Because half of the input bytes are your secret key, an attacker without knowledge of the key cannot invert the calculation.

    ChaCha is an improvement of another stream cipher from the same family as the eSTREAM finalist, Salsa20. ChaCha improved the diffusion per round and performance. This makes ChaCha less susceptible to cryptanalysis, even in extremely reduced-round variants (e.g., ChaCha8 vs ChaCha20).

    As interesting as all that is, the important bits to know is that the ChaCha update emphasized improving diffusion.

    What does that mean, exactly?

    Art: Harubaki

    What is Diffusion?

    Diffusion is a measurement of how much the output state changes when each bit differs in the input state.

    This is important for making it difficult to statistically analyze the relationship between the input and outputs of a cryptographic function.

    ARX Diffusion

    ARX consists of three operations: Rotation (sliding bits around like a flywheel), addition, and eXclusive OR (also known as XOR).

    Comparing Salsa20 and ChaCha’s quarter round, using the notation from the source code on Wikipedia, you see:

    Salsa20 Quarter Round

    b ^= (a + d) <<<  7;c ^= (b + a) <<<  9;d ^= (c + b) <<< 13;a ^= (d + c) <<< 18;

    Addition then rotation then XOR.

    ChaCha Quarter Round

    a += b; d ^= a; d <<<= 16;c += d; b ^= c; b <<<= 12;a += b; d ^= a; d <<<=  8;c += d; b ^= c; b <<<=  7;

    Addition then XOR then rotation.

    Each step of the quarter round function still involves addition, rotation, and XOR, but their usage is different. (Also, they just update values directly rather than involving an extra temporary value to implicitly occupy a stack register.)

    And it’s subtle, but if you play with these different quarter rounds with slightly different inputs, you can see how the diffusion is improved with the second construction in fewer numbers of rounds.

    “Why does diffusion matter?”

    Bit diffusion in ARX constructions is one of the ways that ciphers ensure their output remains indistinguishable from a random oracle.

    If you’ve ever looked at a cryptographic hash function before, or heard about the “avalanche effect“, that’s precisely what we want out of these ARX constructions.

    “So what?”

    As some of you might remember from your studies, XOR is just addition without carry (mod 2).

    If you repeat your same experimentation but only use one operation (AR or RX), you’ll find that your diffusion is poor.

    This is because addition is an abstraction that hides a very important feature that’s often taken for granted.

    CMYKat

    Carry Propagation

    Let’s say, for a learning exercise, you wanted to build integer addition entirely out of bitwise operators: AND, OR, NOT, XOR, and the left and right bit shift operators.

    As already mentioned above, XOR is just addition without carry. So that part’s easy:

    def add_bits_no_carry(x, y):    return x ^ y

    How about carrying values to the next place? Well, consider the following table:

    XYCalculated Carry Value000100010111

    That third column sure looks like an “AND” operator, does it not?

    Great, but what if you had a carry value from the previous step?

    Well, now you have to implement two half-adders: One to handle the input carry value with one input, and the other to handle the other input and produce the next output carry value.

    def half_adder(x, y):    return [x ^ y, x & y]def add_bits(x, y, c_in):    [a, b] = half_adder(x, y)    [d, e] = half_adder(a, c_in)    return [d, b ^ e]

    If you feel lost, this hardware tutorial explains it with diagrams.

    The main thing I want you to take away is that addition is much more complicated than XOR because of carry propagation.

    Original sticker made by CMYKat
    (Poor edits made my me)

    On Computation and Information Theory

    We use XOR to mix data (which could be plaintext, or could be all zeroes) with pseudo-random bytes, since it’s perfectly hiding so long as the bytes we’re mixing them with is unknown. This is the intuition underlying one-time pads and modern stream ciphers (including the ones we’re discussing).

    In the context of ARX, because some operations (addition) propagate carries and others don’t (XOR), when you combine these steps with rotating the bits in-place, it becomes very easy to mix the output bits in a short number of rounds of operations. Cryptographers measure how well bits are mixed across a large number of inputs and reject designs that don’t perform well (generally speaking).

    But a direct consequence of the hidden complexity of addition with carry is that the state you’re operating within is larger than the output. This means that some information is used (carried over from previous bits or limbs) that is not revealed directly in the output bit(s).

    It’s easy to add two numbers together, but if you don’t know either of the numbers, it’s impossible to know the other (unless, of course, a side-channel leaks enough information to deduce one of them).

    “That’s neat and all, but what does it imply?”

    Don’t worry, I’m going somewhere with this.

    CMYKat

    Turing the Page

    Let’s briefly talk about Turing machines.

    The relevant Wikipedia article covers them adequately well. For everyone else, another Veritasium video:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeQX2HjkcNo

    A Turing machine is a mathematical model for computation.

    The basic idea is that you have a tape of symbols, a head that reads from the tape, and an internal state that determines the next move.

    We don’t need too formal of a treatment here. I’m not exactly trying to prove the halting problem is undecidable.

    A dumb joke I like to tell my computer science friends:

    I’ve solved the Halting problem! It’s called: “the heat death of the universe,” at which point the program fucking halts!

    But do put a pin in this, because it will come up towards the end.

    CMYKat

    Bitwise Collatz Functions

    Above, I wrote a bit of code that implements the Collatz function, but I was a bit lazy about it.

    In truth, you don’t need multiplication or the modulo operator. You can, instead, use bitwise operations and one addition.

    • The modulo 2 check can be replaced by a bitwise AND mask with 1. Odd values will return 1, even will return 0.
    • When the least significant bit is 0:
      Dividing by 2 is the same as right-shifting by 1.
    • When the least significant bit is 1:
      Multiplying by 3 then adding 1 can be rewritten as the following steps:
      • Left shift by 1 (2n)
      • Set the lower bit to 1 (+1), using bitwise OR
      • Add the original number (+n)

    Thus, our function instead looks like:

    function collatz(num) {  console.log(num);  if (num === 1) {    return;  }  return (num & 1)    ? collatz(((num << 1) | 1) + num)    : collatz(num >> 1);}

    That is to say, you can implement most of the Collatz function with bitwise operators, and only need one addition (with carries) in the end.

    Suddenly, the discussion above about carry propagation might seem a lot more relevant!

    Art by AJ

    Small Example

    Imagine you encode a number as a binary string. For example, 257.

    When you work through the algorithm sketched out above, you end up doing this:

           n == 0001_0000_0001     2*n == 0010_0000_0010 # left shift by 1 2*n + 1 == 0010_0000_0011 # bitwise OR with 1       add: 0001_0000_0001 # n            0010_0000_0011 # 2n + 1            # This is where carry propagation comes in!    result: 0011_0000_0100

    When you perform the 3n+1 branch of the Collatz function the way I constructed it, that last addition of n will propagate carries.

    And that carry propagation is where the trouble starts.

    Since the (3n+1) branch is only ever invoked with odd values for n, you can guarantee that the next step will be followed by at least one division by 2 (since 3n+1 is even for any odd n).

    This allows you look ahead two steps at a time, but there is no easy way to predict how many back-to-back (3n+1)/2 two-steps you will encounter from a given value. Instead, you have to actually perform the calculation and see what happens.

    AJ

    Collatz Machines

    The input and output of the Collatz function is an integer of arbitrary size. The behavior branches depending on the least significant bit of the input.

    You can think of the least significant bit as the “head” of a machine similar to a Turing machine.

    However, instead of moving the head along a tape, the Collatz function does one of two things:

    1. Moves the symbols on the tape one space to the right (somewhat familiar territory for Turing Machines).
    2. Rewrites all of the symbols on the tape to the left of the head, according to some algorithm. This algorithm makes the tape longer.

    As we observed previously, the carry propagation implicit to addition makes the bits diffuse in a way that’s hard to generalize faster than simply performing the addition and seeing what results from it.

    Proving that this Collatz machine halts for all positive inputs would also prove the Collatz Conjecture. But as we saw with proper Turing Machines, this might not be possible.

    Pedants on the /r/math subreddit were quick to point out that this isn’t necessarily true, but the goal of this blog post was not to state a technically precise truth, but to explore the Collatz conjecture from a different angle.

    The important disclaimer at the top isn’t some cop-out boilerplate I slap on everything I write to absolve me of any retribution for my mistakes. It’s actually important for everyone to read and understand it.

    The entire point of this blog is “hey, here’s a neat idea to think about” not “here’s a universal truth about mathematics I discovered”. For that, I would have written an actual paper, not a furry blog. Unfortunately, I have no new insights to offer on anything, nor will I probably ever.

    I recommend reading the comment I linked at the start of this quoted section, as it’s grounded in a more formal mathematics understanding than this blog post.

    Is It Unsolvable?

    With all this in mind, in the general case, the Collatz Conjecture may very well one day prove to be as undecidable as the Halting Problem.

    Or, maybe someone will find a cycle within the integer space that fails to ever reach 1.

    Art: CMYKat

    As it stands right now, there have been a lot of interesting approaches to try to solve it. The first Veritasium video linked above talked about some of these ideas.

    Maybe we need new mathematic tools first. Or perhaps the Langlands project will uncover a relationship between unrelated areas of mathematical research that already exist today that will yield an answer to this nearly century-old conjecture.

    Either way, I hope you find this topic… mildly interesting. Enough to appreciate the problem, not so much that you think you can solve it yourself.

    Art: AJ

    Stay safe, don’t drink and derive, and happy hacking.

    Header art: AJ and CMYKat.

    #CollatzConjecture #define #HaltingProblem #mathematics #TuringMachines

    #turingmachines #mathematics #haltingproblem #define #collatzconjecture
20. 

    neuronerd @[email protected] · 2025-04-29 · 12:28 UTC

    Building a virtual neuron – part 2

    Image credit: Ionut Stefan

    It’s been a tad longer than I intended since our intro on differential equations came out, but hopefully that means you had some extra time for memory consolidation. Otherwise, you can refresh your memory here. Today it’s finally time to tackle the long-awaited virtual neuron. But before we jump in, we need to have a quick housekeeping chat. As you can already glimpse from the list below, we mean business this time, so I strongly recommend that you read this article in chunks. Then again, I’m just a disembodied voice on the Internet and I can’t tell you what to do.

    1. Defining the goal
    2. The plurality of virtual neurons
    3. The foundation model
    4. From cats to neurons
       1. Small detour # 1: hypothesized, but not modeled
       2. Small detour # 2: positive, yet negative?
    5. From neurons to circuits
    6. From measurements to interventions
    7. Virtual neuron 1 – linear, boring, and instructive
    8. Virtual neuron 2 – to the moon and beyond
       1. Small detour # 3: that Nernst guy
       2. Back to virtual neuron 2
    9. Virtual neuron 3 – other ions have joined the party
    10. The full model – everybody gets a function
    11. Still alive?

    Defining the goal

    First, we need to understand what we want to do. “Building a virtual neuron” sounds cool (well, about as cool as math can ever sound), but it tells us surprisingly little about the task. We need to define the level at which we build this neuron. Do we want to simulate every protein and ion, and all their interactions? I mean, maybe. I admit that does sound pretty cool, but would we be able to interpret the results? My computational neuroscience professor used to say: “If you build a simulation as complex as the system you’re studying, you now have two systems you don’t understand.” And leaving that aside, could we even construct such a simulation right now? Well, no, not really. So instead we need to define three things:

    1. what we want to do;
    2. what we can and want to get out of it;
    3. what we can realistically accomplish.

    For today, we want to build a model capable of producing action potentials, just like real neurons (1). We want to use this model to understand how neurons produce these potentials and how they are affected by both external stimuli and ion channel properties (2). And we can realistically accomplish this with a run-of-the-mill laptop and our own brains (3).

    The plurality of virtual neurons

    There isn’t just one single way to simulate a neuron. In fact, there are a lot of options. If you don’t believe me, have a look here. Choosing a computational model is an act of balance between complexity and efficiency. On the one hand, we want something complex enough to capture what we’re interested in: for example, if we want to know what happens to a neuron when we mess with its calcium channels, we need a model that includes them. On the other hand, this model needs to run on the available hardware and we should be able to make some sense of its results. So if we only care about calcium channels, it’s not such a good idea to include 300 other types of ion channels.

    The foundation model

    For today, I’ve chosen the Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) model. As some of you might already know, this is kind of the bedrock of modern computational modeling, and often the first boss you will encounter if you ever attend such a course.

    While arguably not the first computational model, the HH was pioneering as a quantitative, dynamic, biologically grounded one, and it remains remarkably elegant to this day. Of course, now it’s quite easy to look at it and think “well, big whoop, we already know how action potentials work”. But given the limited amount of information Hodgkin and Huxley had available at the time, it’s nothing short of fascinating how well the model reproduced empirical data and what predictions they were able to derive from it.

    At the same time, coming from the biology side, I always had a bunch of questions about action potentials that remained largely unanswered until I made my way through the math jungle. For example, why do sodium (Na+) channels open slowly at first, then all at once? Why does the threshold for spike generation have that value and not another one? Why do potassium (K+) channels take so long to open? And why is it that we don’t always get one spike after another?

    As we work our way through the model, we will be answering these questions and more. But similar to the previous article, we’ll start with a series of small, made-up examples (the code to follow along is here) and work our way up to the main beast. I hope that these examples bring clarity, but if they have the opposite effect, please let me know in the comments. That way, I can improve this guide (and future ones).

    Throughout, I’ll try to highlight the underlying biology, as well as what Hodgkin and Huxley actually knew at the time. If you’d like a refresher on neuron structure and function, we do have this older post covering the basics, but I’ll try to weave those concepts in as we go.

    From cats to neurons

    Abstracting the movements of a cat to math is somewhat straightforward. If we get stuck in the equation, we have something tangible to go back to. So before we start with the math, let’s try to build the same kind of concreteness for neurons and action potentials.

    We can begin from the same information Hodgkin and Huxley had available at the time. Neurons are enclosed by membranes, which usually block the movement of ions. Since the membrane is typically sealed, we can have different concentrations of ions on both sides: more Na+ outside, more K+ inside. While they didn’t yet know how these concentration gradients were maintained, HH recognized their importance.

    They also observed that, if one were to place an electrode outside of the neuron and stick another one inside, a potential difference in voltage of about -65 mV could be measured (by the way, these days it’s also known the exact voltage difference varies by neuron type). In other words, the inside of the cell is more negative compared to the outside. Importantly, the value and its sign don’t matter that much, at least not for understanding the general principles. What matters is that there is a measurable difference and that sometimes there is a change in this difference.

    If the membrane were forever sealed to the passage of any and all ions, then that would be the end of the story. We’d have no action potential to talk about (and we couldn’t anyway, because no intelligence, language, movement, nothing). But sometimes, the membrane allows ions to flow through it. You can imagine the ion concentrations we mentioned above as water stored in a tank. There’s much more Na+ outside the neuron than inside, so when the Na+ “tap” (i.e., ion channels) opens, Na+ rushes into the neuron, like water gushing into an empty chamber. This happens very fast and leads to a temporary reversal of the voltage difference sign: the inside becomes more positive than the outside. Then the Na⁺ tap closes and the K+ tap opens, allowing K+ to flow out and bring things back to normal.

    This information is pretty much all we need for the HH model, although I’m sure you still have some questions.

    Small detour # 1: hypothesized, but not modeled

    We mentioned above that Hodgkin and Huxley didn’t know how the Na+ and K+ gradients were maintained. However, they hypothesized there must be some active mechanism that pushes Na+ out and brings K+ into the neuron, thus working to maintain the concentration gradients. Otherwise, each neuron would only have a few action potentials to fire before the ion concentration on both sides of the membrane equalizes.

    And they were right. Years later, we found out that there are proteins embedded in the membrane, called ion pumps, that are open only on one side of the neuron at a time. They act kind of like a shuttle bus that only allows Na+ to board from the inside going out and K+ from the outside going in.

    Small detour # 2: positive, yet negative?

    I’m sure it’s not lost on any of you that: 1) both Na+ and K+ are positive ions, and 2) cells, including neurons, aren’t electrically charged. So how can we talk about a voltage difference?

    There are a few key points here:

    1. overall, the amount of positive and negative charges is equal both inside and outside the membrane, but it’s the distribution of these charges close to the membrane that makes a difference;
    2. inside the neuron, there are also large negatively charged proteins which can’t leave the cell and tend to cluster close to the membrane;
    3. even though both Na+ and K+ each carry a +1 charge, the concentration of Na+ outside the cell is larger than that of K+ inside the cell (around 150 mM for Na+ vs 100 mM for K+, depending on neuron type). Additionally, the pump we mentioned earlier throws out 3 Na+ ions for every 2 K+ brought in, thus maintaining the imbalance;
    4. there are also some K+ channels that remain open at rest. Due to the K+ concentration gradient, some of it flows out of the neuron, which means that some positive charge trickles outward, leaving the inside slightly more negative relative to the outside.

    The combination of these factors generates the voltage difference measured by Hodgkin and Huxley.

    From neurons to circuits

    Coming back to our neuron model, now that we have the biology basics, we can begin to abstract. But instead of inventing an entirely new mathematical framework to describe how neurons behave, Hodgkin and Huxley realized that it was easier to repurpose what was already in the physics of electric circuits.

    All the elements we described above have an equivalent in a circuit:

    • since the membrane stores charge, it behaves like something called a capacitor, i.e. a device which stores charge by accumulating it on two closely spaced surfaces insulated from each other;
    • the only way for ions to passively go through the membrane is through ion channels, which are typically closed. In other words, the channels provide resistance to the flow of ions, so we can represent them through resistors;
    • we also explained that there are differences in the concentration of ions between the inside and the outside of the neuron and that these differences drive the ion flow, so the ion concentration differences are our voltage sources or batteries;
    • and finally, although not explicitly included in the HH model, the ion pumps which restore the concentration gradients represent the current sources in our circuit, pushing ions in a specific direction to keep the system going.

    As I said, even at the time, there was already a lot of math for how to work with electrical circuits. And that’s the key for cracking our simulations.

    From measurements to interventions

    In the circuit above, we could measure the voltage difference of the inside compared to the outside of the membrane. In fact, that’s what Hodgkin and Huxley did at first. They used giant axons from squids and silver electrodes to measure the so-called membrane or resting potential, which we said sits at around -65 mV.

    But measurements alone aren’t enough. And by itself, the neuron and its membrane potential at rest aren’t that exciting. We want action…potentials. Those happen when neurons receive stimuli or input. One could try to do these measurements in vivo, that is when the one neuron we measure receives input naturally, either from other neurons or from the environment. But in this particular situation, Hodgkin and Huxley wanted to have precise control over the neuron’s input and they wanted to use the circuit framework from above. So instead, they used another set of electrodes to directly inject current into the axon of an isolated neuron.

    Now, looking at the circuit diagram, physics tells us that if we inject some external current (we’ll call it ) into this system before the point where the individual elements (capacitor and resistors) are branching out, this current will split to flow through each available path. So we’ll have a capacitive current and, for each type of channel, ionic currents, which for now we’ll lump under a generic . As nothing is lost in this idealized circuit, our original will be the sum of the currents flowing through the individual elements, so: .

    Cool, but we actually care about voltage, right? That’s what the action potential is, a change in voltage difference between the inside and the outside of the neuron over time. Yes, and here’s how physics helps us again: it tells us that – our capacitive or membrane current, can be expressed in terms of the rate of change of the voltage, i.e. our old friend . Since we’re talking about membrane voltage, we’ll just rename x to . And the full formula is , where represents something called the membrane capacitance, and it’s just a constant, a number that we normally determine experimentally or read from a paper that already measured it. In this case, Hodgkin and Huxley measured and found it equal to 1 (, but don’t stress about the units yet; by the way, what you’ve just heard is the collective shudder of all the world’s physicists at the idea of not stressing about units).

    With that, we can rewrite , and shifting the terms, we get . Since is a constant, you will often see it written on the same side as (basically, constant = we don’t care much about it), but to make it clearer, we can also isolate . This will be our stepping stone for the full model. The lefthand side of the equation won’t change anymore. That’s the potential we’ve been wanting to simulate for a while now. The righthand side will gradually expand in complexity until it allows us to get something looking like the image below:

    Virtual neuron 1 – linear, boring, and instructive

    In the equation , we already know that is a constant equal to 1 . is what we pump into the system and we have full control over it. For now, we will try out three values: 0, 1, and 2 mA/. tells us about how ions, like Na+ and K+, behave, but for now, we will completely ignore it by setting it to zero. So our equation reduces to or 0, 1 or 2 (mV), depending on which we pick. This is very similar to the first cat example from last time, except that our starting point, , is -65 mV.

    But just because this example is so simple, it doesn’t mean we can’t extract any information from it. We observe that the higher the input current is, the faster our membrane voltage increases. And of course, if there is no input whatsoever, nothing happens.

    We can also check what happens if we start from different values at (in this case, -100 mV, -65 mV, and 10 mV). And we’ll look at just one external input value, = 1 mA/. As you see below, not much. The line looks exactly the same, except that it starts from different values of . We’ll check this again in the more complex model and see if it holds.

    Virtual neuron 2 – to the moon and beyond

    Now it’s time to tackle . Instead of zero, we could give it another random value, like 3. But no matter what fixed value we give it, the only thing that would change in our equation would be how fast the membrane voltage increases. More importantly, we know this is unrealistic in neurons because when Na+ and K+ channels open and the ions travel from one side of the membrane to the other, the ionic currents also change.

    That means needs to be not a constant, but a function. More specifically, a function which changes over time (and later, over voltage too). One such example would be – at every time step, our ionic current would be equal to the negative value of that time step. Our base equation would then transform into . For mA/, we would get the following:

    We see that the membrane voltage now rises much faster, up to very unrealistic values (in practice, if we actually injected the current necessary for reaching such voltages, we’d fry the neuron long before getting there). And if we were to slightly vary either or as we did above, there would be barely any noticeable difference in the result.

    But remember how we represented our ion channels through resistors? Similar to capacitors, there is also a formula that relates current and voltage for these elements: . is our membrane voltage, the one we’ve been plotting so far. So our base equation now expands into (I’ve moved to the lefthand side to avoid using too many brackets). is the conductance for that ion. Conductance is a measure of how easily electric current flows through a material. In our case, this means how easily the ions pass through their respective channels. For now, we will pretend that is a constant, like 0.1 (mS/).

    And is our battery from the circuit above. It represents the equilibrium potential of each ion, what they aspire to, and the voltage at which the membrane would settle if there were no other ions around and if the membrane were permeable all the time. In this case, we don’t need to pretend: is always constant for a given ion type. For example, for Na+, is about +45 mV. If the membrane potential, , were equal to +45 mV, we would say that Na+ is at equilibrium and there would be no movement of Na+ ions across the membrane. In real neurons, this is never reached, since other ions have different equilibrium potentials (for example, K+ sits at around -82 mV), but we’ll learn more about that later.

    Small detour # 3: that Nernst guy

    But hold up: what does ion concentration have to do with voltage? And where do ion equilibrium potentials actually come from? Well, in practice, from neat little tables.

    But conceptually, we need to make something clear, using Na+ as an example: we said that there are more Na+ ions outside than inside the neuron, so there is a higher concentration of Na+ on the outside of the membrane. If we open the tap, this concentration difference will push Na+ inside. But when does the pushing stop? Is it when the Na+ concentration is exactly equal on both sides of the membrane? It would be, if only Na+ were the only one around and there were no voltage difference between the two sides of the membrane.

    But let’s imagine that we also have those negatively charged proteins from earlier. This changes the game, because even though the concentration of Na+ ions might equalize at some point, there would be another force pulling it in: the negative charge of the proteins, or the electrical gradient. Because these two forces compete, the actual voltage at which no Na+ moves around anymore is the one given above.

    We can calculate this number from yet another equation that some guy named Nernst came up with: . R, T, z, and F are constants, so we again ignore them. What matters is that this formula allows us to relate the ion concentrations (outside) and (inside) the neuron to voltage, thus giving us the equilibrium potential of each ion.

    Bonus: this nifty formula tells us why sudden influxes of K+ can kill you. When the concentration of K+ outside the neuron increases a lot, the equilibrium potential of K+ ends up being much higher than -82 mV. In turn, this messes with the generation of action potentials, thus impairing communication between neurons. Once we have the full HH model, we’ll be able to check exactly how this happens.

    Back to virtual neuron 2

    For now, we see that if we were to model just Na+ currents and assume a constant conductance (in this example, mS/), the membrane potential would eventually settle to the equilibrium potential of Na+.

    This time, if we change our starting point , we observe a different behavior compared to the first virtual neuron: here, the membrane potential always settles at the Na+ equilibrium, regardless of whether we start from a value above or below that.

    But what happens if we keep the resting state voltage the same and change the conductance ? A higher conductance means that Na+ ions barrel through channels quicker (because more channels are open, not because the ions move any faster). That translates into the equilibrium potential being reached sooner.

    I want to stress here that conductance isn’t just an abstract thing that makes the graph sharper. In real life, alterations in Na+ channel conductance can have devastating effects. For example, tetrodotoxin, a powerful toxin derived from pufferfish, effectively decreases Na+ conductance to zero by blocking Na+ channels and preventing its influx into the cell. This is deadly. And in different types of epilepsy, Na+ conductance is again affected: either too high or too low, depending on the type of epilepsy. As we’ll see later, changes in conductance affect the properties of action potentials, such as shape and timing. At the level of the whole brain, this results in abnormal communication between neurons and can lead to the symptoms observed in epilepsy.

    Moving on to varying the external input current , we see that the membrane potential no longer settles at the ion’s equilibrium potential, but at another value that changes with the strength of the external input . Looking again at our equation , we see that when is zero, the membrane voltage is only governed by . But once we inject a steady flow of current into this system, the balance point shifts higher or lower, depending on the sign of . This will be important for action potential generation later on.

    Virtual neuron 3 – other ions have joined the party

    Alright, but we know Na+ doesn’t act alone. There is at least a K+ current. There are other ions as well, but Hodgkin and Huxley lumped everything else that might act in a neuron under a so-called “leak” current that is modeled as an additional resistor.

    Once we add the K+ and leak currents in our model ( and ), we now have a slightly longer differential equation for the membrane voltage:

    .

    Simulating this allows us to see that, like before, the membrane voltage settles at an equilibrium point. But this point is no longer equal to the equilibrium voltage of any single ion. Instead, it sits somewhere in-between. This in-between value is nothing more than the weighted average of the contributions of all ions to the membrane potential. The contribution of an ion is given by the product between its equilibrium potential and its conductance, so the full equation reads like this: .

    We saw above that changing the Na+ conductance when only Na+ is present allows us to manipulate how fast we reach the equilibrium potential. But the equilibrium potential itself remains unchanged. But now we have more than one ion, each with their own conductance, and we see in the equation above that the membrane equilibrium potential takes into account conductances as well. So what happens if we change each ionic conductance individually?

    We should be able to deduce this from the equation, but we’ll check it against the simulation results below. The blue line represents our original case from above. Since the K+ equilibrium potential is more negative than our original resting state potential , increasing the K+ conductance while keeping the Na+ conductance the same means that the membrane will settle at a new, more negative potential (orange line). In contrast, since the Na+ equilibrium potential is positive, increasing the ionic conductance while keeping the same means that our neuron’s equilibrium potential goes up and we also reach it faster (green line). Now, if we increase while maintaining this higher , our membrane resting potential comes down, closer to that of K+. But we still get there fast, since the Na+ conductance is so high (red line).

    In principle, we could also play around with the leak conductance . However, as we will see later, in the HH model, the leak conductance is always assumed to be static, whereas and do change under certain conditions.

    The full model – everybody gets a function

    We’ve already added quite a few details to our model, but there’s still a bit to go on. So far, we have a simulation of the membrane potential which includes multiple ion channels. This model is capable of settling at an equilibrium point, the resting state potential, but it still doesn’t produce spikes yet. So let’s fix that. Fair warning, this next part is the trickiest (I know! As if the novel before was soooo easy!), so go slowly, pause often, and don’t worry if things take a few reads to click.

    Key takeaway # 1: conductances are voltage-dependent
    Let’s bridge biology and math now: we said that when the Na+ conductance increases (i.e. Na+ channels open), the membrane voltage also increases. But we also know from experiments that when the membrane voltage increases, K+ channels open. In other words, the K+ conductance increases. In math terms, that suggests conductance (for both Na+ and K+) is voltage-dependent.

    Key takeaway # 2: there is a maximum conductance
    Imagine all Na+ channels are open. Even then, there is still a limit to how much Na+ can pass through the membrane at every time step, because the ions need to wait for their turn to go through the channels, just like cars have to wait to pass through a crowded tunnel. That means conductance has a maximum value, which we can call . When all channels are open, for Na+ and similarly, for K+.

    Key takeaway # 3: we can work directly with proportions of open channels
    But what if only 50% of the channels were open? Well, the limit would be half of the maximum: . Why is it this relevant? Because instead of directly relating conductance to voltage, we can relate proportion of open (or closed) channels to voltage. The math is easier and it’s a bit more intuitive.

    Putting it all together
    First of all, since conductances are voltage-dependent and the membrane voltage changes over time, we actually have voltage- and time-dependent conductances. Important to note, only for Na+ and K+; we assume the leak conductance to be fixed.

    Secondly, we work with the proportion of open channels, not with conductances directly. Let’s pause for a moment and think about what we want to model. We basically want a sort of push-pull mechanism, such that when the voltage goes up, the proportion of open Na+ channels goes up, and when the voltage decreases, the proportion of closed channels increases. And the same way for K+.

    Let’s start with K+. We can denote the proportion of open K+ channels with n. The proportion of closed channels will be simply 1 – n (total minus how many are open). Since we’re interested in how this evolves over time, we need to bring back our differential equation friend, in this case . The push-pull mechanism we want can be written in the following form: or following the Hodgkin-Huxley convention: . There are two parts that matter here:

    1. the two functions A and B act like weights for the proportion of closed, respectively open, channels. A controls how fast closed channels open and B controls how fast open channels close;
    2. the above is not enough. A and B are voltage-dependent functions themselves and they need to be chosen in such a way that, when the voltage goes up, A goes up and B goes down, and vice-versa when the voltage goes down.

    But how to choose them? Well, the equation above is called a first-order differential equation and has a known solution. Without going further into mathematical detail, Hodgkin and Huxley used that solution together with experimental measurements of K+ currents to derive specific formulas for and . I am including them here for completeness and because you will see them in the code, but there is no reason to stress over them. In practice, unless you use them on a daily basis, you’re just going to look them up when needed (and by the way, depending on the neuron type, the actual numerical values in these formulas will change): and .

    (Side note: the sign convention. One thing to notice above is that we use both and V. That’s not a typo. Normally, we define the membrane voltage , so the membrane voltage is negative at rest. In the HH model, however, V is defined as . That means the voltage is shifted such that at rest, mV. And because all s and s were fitted to these shifted values, we need to take that into account when working with the original HH model.)

    For Na+, they modeled the Na+ channel activation in a similar manner, except they called the proportion of activated channels m. Again, for completeness, the respective equations were and .

    Now we almost have the full functioning HH model, but there are just a couple of minor tweaks left. Because Hodgkin and Huxley fitted their model to experimental data, they observed two interesting tidbits:

    1. the model fit better when the variable n was raised to the power of 4 and when m was raised to the power of 3. At the time, they didn’t know why that was the case, but in the meantime, we’ve found out that the K+ ion channel is made up of 4 subunits, each of which needs to be activated for the channel to allow the passage of K+. In that case, you can think of n as the proportion of channels where subunit 1 is activated (or the probability for this subunit to be activated). The proportion of channels where 2 subunits are activated is , and so on. Similarly, Na+ channels have 3 activation domains that need to be opened for Na+ to pass through the channel;
    2. when the membrane voltage was held constant at a high value, K+ kept flowing out of the cell until the voltage was allowed to return to normal. But for Na+, Hodgkin and Huxley observed a different behavior: Na+ flowed into the cell at first, then it stopped. The Na+ current sharply decreased and regardless of how long the voltage was kept high, the Na+ current didn’t increase anymore. To model this behavior, they introduced a second variable for Na+, called h, which they used to model the proportion of inactivated Na+ channels. This needed the same and functions, with and . Again, nowadays, we know that Na+ has an inactivation domain that rapidly blocks Na+ channels at high voltages and only unlocks them when the voltage goes down again. That’s also why action potentials cannot spread backwards from where they came from.

    And that’s it, we now have a full HH model. Put all together, it looks like this:
    ,
    ,
    ,
    .

    Importantly, by itself, the model doesn’t really do anything. If the external input is zero and we start the model from an initial membrane voltage below a certain threshold (in this case, -60 mV), it quickly decays back to the resting state potential (which you can calculate yourself using the formula given above and the maximum conductances and ionic equilibrium potentials given in the code here.)

    If we start the model above a certain threshold (for example, -50 mV), it will fire a single spike before going silent forever.

    To get more than one spike, we need to drive it with external input current. So far, we’ve used constant current, and we’ll stick with that for today (in the next part, we’ll also try out time-varying currents). For a high enough current, we see that the model fires one action potential after the next. You can try it out for yourself to see what happens for different values of , and next time we’ll try a more systematic analysis as well.

    Finally, we can inspect our gating variables m, h, and n, to see how they evolve over time. In the plot below, you see that the Na+ channel activation variable m (in blue), goes up really quickly – Na+ channels open fast; but it goes down just as quickly – they also close fast. The Na+ inactivation variable, h, quickly decreases during the spike – Na+ channels are blocked and cannot open again for some time. In the meantime, the K+ activation variable n goes up, lagging a bit behind m – K+ channels open more slowly and the membrane voltage goes back down.

    Still alive?

    I don’t know about you, but I’m tired. The good news is that now we have a functional HH model. Also good news is that we can do a lot of things with it, but unfortunately, that requires additional explanations, and I think we could all use a break. So I’ll see you for the next part. Until then, feel free to toy with the model parameters.

    P.S.: If someone knows a better solution for displaying LaTeX equations in WordPress, do let me know. The current method is hurting my soul.

    What did you think about this post? Let us know in the comments below. And if you’d like to support our work, feel free to share it with your friends, buy us a coffee here, or even both.

    You might also like:

    References
    Goaillard, J.-M., & Marder, E. (2021). Ion Channel Degeneracy, Variability, and Covariation in Neuron and Circuit Resilience. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 44(1), 335–357. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-neuro-092920-121538

    Hodgkin, A. L., Huxley, A. F., & Katz, B. (1952). Measurement of current‐voltage relations in the membrane of the giant axon of Loligo. The Journal of Physiology, 116(4), 424–448. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.1952.sp004716

    Hodgkin, A. L., & Huxley, A. F. (1952). A quantitative description of membrane current and its application to conduction and excitation in nerve. The Journal of Physiology, 117(4), 500–544. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.1952.sp004764

    #computationalModeling #computationalNeuroscience #hodgkinHuxleyModel #math

    #computationalmodeling #computationalneuroscience #hodgkinhuxleymodel #math
21. 

    cnx-software.com [Unofficial] @[email protected] · 2026-03-12 · 10:40 UTC

    Qualcomm X105 6G-ready 5G modem to deliver 14.8 Gbps download and 4.2 Gbps upload peak data speeds

    https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/03/12/qualcomm-x105-6g-ready-5g-modem-to-deliver-14-8-gbps-download-and-4-2-gbps-upload-peak-data-speeds/

    #hardware #processors #5g #6g #automotive #extendedreality
22. 

    Data Rescue Project #DataRescue @[email protected] · 2025-08-11 · 14:13 UTC

    Massive shout out to TripleShrimp (one of our volunteers) and @quetzal1234.bsky.social (one of our Steering Committee members) for working on rescuing the #NCES DataLab tables. These have been tricky to tackle, but they've made some excellent progress
    
    NCES Tables: Rescues in Progre...

    #nces
23. 

    Data Rescue Project #DataRescue @[email protected] · 2025-08-11 · 14:13 UTC

    Massive shout out to TripleShrimp (one of our volunteers) and @quetzal1234.bsky.social (one of our Steering Committee members) for working on rescuing the #NCES DataLab tables. These have been tricky to tackle, but they've made some excellent progress
    
    NCES Tables: Rescues in Progre...

    #nces
24. 

    Data Rescue Project #DataRescue @[email protected] · 2025-08-11 · 14:13 UTC

    Massive shout out to TripleShrimp (one of our volunteers) and @quetzal1234.bsky.social (one of our Steering Committee members) for working on rescuing the #NCES DataLab tables. These have been tricky to tackle, but they've made some excellent progress
    
    NCES Tables: Rescues in Progre...

    #nces
25. 

    Data Rescue Project #DataRescue @[email protected] · 2025-08-11 · 14:13 UTC

    Massive shout out to TripleShrimp (one of our volunteers) and @quetzal1234.bsky.social (one of our Steering Committee members) for working on rescuing the #NCES DataLab tables. These have been tricky to tackle, but they've made some excellent progress
    
    NCES Tables: Rescues in Progre...

    #nces
26. 

    Data Rescue Project #DataRescue @[email protected] · 2025-08-11 · 14:13 UTC

    Massive shout out to TripleShrimp (one of our volunteers) and @quetzal1234.bsky.social (one of our Steering Committee members) for working on rescuing the #NCES DataLab tables. These have been tricky to tackle, but they've made some excellent progress
    
    NCES Tables: Rescues in Progre...

    #nces
27. 

    R Tyler Croy 🦀 @[email protected] · 2023-12-30 · 23:41 UTC

    Building high-throughput append-only Delta tables from cloud-native services with #oxbow, a tool I deployed to consume S3 Event Notifications, with improvements suggested by @ironiridis

    Running in production with AWS Aurora exports, Kinesis Data Firehose, cross-cloud syncs, and more!

    If you've got Apache Parquet, you can easily have @deltalakeoss tables!

    https://www.buoyantdata.com/blog/2023-12-30-serialized-s3-notifications.html

    #oxbow
28. 

    Jan R. Boehnke @[email protected] · 2024-04-28 · 11:10 UTC

    Just my usual #NightshiftEditor reminder that when you are currently working on the (secondary) analysis of a data set and thinking of applying some regression modelling, here are some good resources:

    #STROBE for reporting
    https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.0040297

    Thinking about confounders
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6447501/

    Prediction vs causation
    https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/49/6/2074/5831974

    And avoiding the #Table2Fallacy
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3626058/

    #HRQL

    #nightshifteditor #strobe #table2fallacy #hrql
29. 

    Jan R. Boehnke @[email protected] · 2023-08-06 · 11:17 UTC

    Reflections on this week's #NightshiftEditor sessions:

    1) Suggestions to limit potential misunderstandings when presenting multiple effect estimates
    https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/177/4/292/147738
    #Table2Fallacy

    2) From the instant classic "on the 12th day of Christmas, a statistician sent to me":
    (i) "Do not dichotomise continuous variables"
    (ii) "Carefully account for missing data" #STROBE
    https://www.bmj.com/content/379/bmj-2022-072883
    
    3) We all can work on asking better research questions
    https://rdcu.be/diEEb

    #HRQL #ScienceEditing

    #nightshifteditor #table2fallacy #strobe #hrql #scienceediting
30. 

    Joe Chou @[email protected] · 2025-04-08 · 10:42 UTC

    Evolution of converting data into #studentpilot understanding: Short-field takeoff POH performance tables --> #dataviz plots of the tables --> interactive #rstats #Shiny App for "What if?" analysis Also fetches weather and runway info (Needs runway refactor for small fields with no weather)

    #studentpilot #dataviz #rstats #shiny