The Trump Presidency, Season 2

[Jopsy Pendragon]

I think a lot of anti-vax sentiment is an unintended consequence of living under constant high-pressure marketing.

People are beset from all sides by 'experts' insisting they urgently “need” some preventative product or service, much of which turns out to be the human equivalent of automobile undercoating.

Eventually they become inoculated against the upsell itself, and reject even the rare preventative measure they genuinely do need.

 

[Noodles]

I think a lot of anti-vax sentiment is an unintended consequence of living under constant high-pressure marketing.

People are beset from all sides by 'experts' insisting they urgently “need” some preventative product or service, much of which turns out to be the human equivalent of automobile undercoating.

Eventually they become inoculated against the upsell itself, and reject even the rare preventative measure they genuinely do need.

I want to second this so much.

I am terrible and do not do regular vaccines. Its not that I think they are evil, its just what you said in part. Soooo much marketing. Like, I am convinced Shingles may not even be a common thing but those shots must rake in the money as much as they advertise.

If there was no advertising and the doc was just like "yearly visit, yearly vaccine", I probably wouod not think anything of it.

The other part is the shit US heath system. Because god knows what it will end up costing that I can't afford.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

I teach a lot of students from all over the US and the world. Mrs Quandry is in elder care. We get all the vaccines.

 

[Casey Pelous]

I want to second this so much.

I am terrible and do not do regular vaccines. Its not that I think they are evil, its just what you said in part. Soooo much marketing. Like, I am convinced Shingles may not even be a common thing but those shots must rake in the money as much as they advertise.

If there was no advertising and the doc was just like "yearly visit, yearly vaccine", I probably wouod not think anything of it.

The other part is the shit US heath system. Because god knows what it will end up costing that I can't afford.

Most plans cover at least most vaccines 100% and many pharmacies handle all the billing. I show up at Walmart, get the shot, and go merrily on my way. If they don't cover shingles, it is about $100 retail.

You really would prefer not to experience shingles. If you had chickenpox, your odds of getting it are about 1 in 3, lifetime.

 

[Beebo Brink]

I personally know enough people with shingles (including my wife) that I'm all in favor of getting that vaccine whenever my healthcare provider prompts me. It's not a fun ailment.

 

[Free]

 

[Jopsy Pendragon]

I am convinced Shingles may not even be a common thing but those shots must rake in the money as much as they advertise.

I may procrastinate and I definitely push back on my dentist. I don't want upsell when it comes to my teeth. Profit motive makes me not trust dentists, especially when they pussyfoot ever so carefully around actually saying the word "need".

I used to faff around with vaccines, skipping the flu shot once in a while. Not since I lost a good friend to covid (before the vaccines were available). I've stayed current since.

My sister had shingles, and it permanently messed up the vision in one eye. "Shingrex" (-grix?) was still new when I became eligible to get it... I did not hesitate. I don't recall actually paying for it.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

DOJ admits Reflecting Pool renovation was botched; drops vandalism charges

The Justice Department is admitting that President Donald Trump’s $14 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was “hasty and botched,” and it is dropping the criminal case against former Olympian David Hearn that accused him of damaging the pool.

DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office wrote in a new court filing Friday, “It was not until after the return of the indictment [of Hearn], that the [Department of Interior] provided additional documents to the [US Attorney’s Office in DC] indicating that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in June 2026 was the result of flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, and the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026.”

 

[Innula Zenovka]

DOJ admits Reflecting Pool renovation was botched; drops vandalism charges

What a surprise!

It's always been obvious to anyone who has the first idea about the burden of proof in criminal cases that the case was a non-starter. At least they can tell the boss"we tried," I suppose.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Way too much of what our government is doing right now is theater with an audience of one.

 

[Beebo Brink]

Three speeches on a single day signaled a dying American democracy | Robert B Shpiner | The Guardian

 

[Ellie]

Three speeches on a single day signaled a dying American democracy | Robert B Shpiner | The Guardian

Be white, look straight, Don't flinch or protest. Got it.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Be white, look straight, Don't flinch or protest. Got it.

 

[Govi]

Measles Is Becoming So Common That Treatments May Soon Be Needed

As the US sees its highest number of measles cases in decades and vaccination rates fall, researchers are developing drugs to help those who contract the virus or who are particularly vulnerable.

www.wired.com

Evernote Link

It's ironic that the MAGA crowd, the anti-vax crowd who love what they think are our "traditions" should be so averse to the notion that "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," something I think was inherited from our grandmothers which makes it at least 150 years old.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

It's ironic that the MAGA crowd, the anti-vax crowd who love what they think are our "traditions" should be so averse to the notion that "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," something I think was inherited from our grandmothers which makes it at least 150 years old.

You've giving them WAY too much credit and really underestimating how far gone they are.

A growing number of anti-vaxxors have totally abandoned all scientific reality. They are confident science is totally fake. Many think viruses aren't real. All germ theory is wrong. Even the ones who aren't that insane, are choosing to believe your natural immune system with healthy living should be good enough!

You also got to realize these people only think in soundbites. If you need a lot of text and education to explain why they are wrong, you lost them.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

He Wanted a Headline. He Got Discovery Instead. Now Trump Is Begging A Judge To Make It Stop

Trump sued the BBC for $10 billion. Now he’s frantically rewriting his own lawsuit to keep the BBC’s lawyers out of his books. Pour yourself something nice.

deanblundell.substack.com

Why Trump’s lawsuit against the BBC is not going well for him

4th August 2026 How he has fallen into a discovery trap of his own making One point which was emphasised in the litigation department of where I was a junior litigator was to always prepare for tri…

theemptycity.com

 

[Cristiano]

 

[Free]

Ha ha?

UFC parent company lost $30M on White House fight

An executive from TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of the UFC, said Monday the firm lost roughly $30 million from its June event at the White House.

“With regards to UFC Freedom 250, we incurred significantly higher-than-normal costs, which we partially offset with sold-out global partnerships inventory,” Andrew Schleimer, the chief financial officer of TKO, told investors during a Monday earnings call.

While [UFC CEO Dana] White called the event “an amazing experience” at the time, he said his company will not stage a repeat due to its price tag.

Yes, it does sound like it was an amazing experience.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

“We Are Not Tenants”: Trump Loses His Ballroom, Invents a DronePort, and Melts Down in Real Time

In a stunning ruling, a judge demands Trump stop building his billion-dollar ballroom.

deanblundell.substack.com

 

[Sid]

“We Are Not Tenants”: Trump Loses His Ballroom, Invents a DronePort, and Melts Down in Real Time

In a stunning ruling, a judge demands Trump stop building his billion-dollar ballroom.

deanblundell.substack.com

Looks like he will not be the one who will do the first dance in that room, timewhise. Even if he should get the building process afloat again.