The FBI raided John Bolton's home and office this morning, "to determine whether he illegally shared or possessed classified information." Bolton is a former Trump advisor and a current Trump critic. The NYT (Gift Article) puts things mildly in its headline: Search of Bolton’s Home Shows Uneasy Mix of Retribution and Law Enforcement. "It is not clear what evidence the authorities have that John Bolton mishandled classified information, but President Trump’s efforts to punish rivals immediately stoked questions about the investigation." Of course, those questions would a lot more difficult to answer if Bolton's name didn't appear on Kash Patel's enemies list and the raid didn't follow a very clear pattern of retribution — one we were repeatedly warned about during the election. TNR: Trump’s FBI Raid of John Bolton’s Home Looks Like a Five-Alarm Fire. "Whatever we end up learning about the rationale for the FBI’s early-morning raid on former national security adviser John Bolton’s Bethesda, Maryland, home on Friday, there’s plainly a major escalation underway in President Donald Trump’s use of law enforcement to persecute his perceived enemies and entrench his authoritarian power."
"California leaders on Thursday approved a sweeping plan to elect more Democrats by redrawing congressional districts, delivering an immediate counterpunch to the gerrymandered map that Republicans in Texas are passing at the request of President Trump." But to actually make the plan a reality, California will require voter approval. And that means the 20 unsolicited fundraising texts I get every day are about to increase dramatically. Maybe there's no better metaphor for this era than the fact that we spend much of our day typing and sending the word STOP.
+ Newsom's campaign against Trump isn't just happening in the legislature. It's happening on social media where it's become an all caps free for all. Tom Nichols in The Atlantic (Gift Article): "Newsom has taken to trolling Trump on social media by imitating his bizarre rants, odd capitalizations, and affection for exclamation points."
+ As the WSJ (Gift Article) reports, the GOP’s redistricting effort depends on Hispanic support. But can they depend on it? Hispanic Voters in Texas Are Starting to Turn on Trump. "An April poll by Unidos US, a nonpartisan Hispanic advocacy organization, measured the support of Trump’s first 100 days among Hispanic voters and found 61% of respondents in Texas and 59% nationally disapproved of his performance. The group overwhelmingly ranked cost of living and the economy as the most important issues, and a majority of Texas respondents said they believe current policies will make them worse off next year."
"For decades, American presidents have relied on the expertise of foreign policy professionals to help guide them through tricky negotiations in high-stakes conflicts around the globe. President Trump has taken a different approach toward such experts: He’s fired them." This is one of the reasons Putin gained a lot from last week's negotiations and America gained nothing. NYT (Gift Article): ‘Flying Blind’: Trump Strips Government of Expertise at a High-Stakes Moment. (When you get rid of expertise, every moment becomes a high-stakes moment.)
+ And the beat goes on (and on and on). WaPo (Gift Article): Hegseth fires head of Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse. This is the agency that reported "that Iran’s nuclear capabilities had been set back only a matter of months."
+ NYT (Gift Article): F.B.I. Plans to Lower Recruiting Standards, Alarming Agents. "The new plan, current and former agents say, seems to be part of a larger effort by Mr. Patel to have the bureau focus more on street crime, rather than on complicated cases touching on financial fraud, public corruption and national security. Doing so, they added, will erode the bureau’s reputation as an elite law enforcement agency, known for its selectiveness about its recruits."
+ The National Guard on D.C. streets will soon be armed.
+ Trump suggests Chicago is next for federal crime crackdown, followed by New York City.
What to Doc: Sunday Best on Netflix provides an entertaining and very timely look back at the rise of Ed Sullivan. Despite criticisms and threats, Sullivan broke barriers by booking Black artists on his massive show, and the audience loved it. It's a reminder of what courage in media can look like.
+ What Else to Doc: Steven Spielberg and others share the story behind the making of Jaws. It wasn't easy. The experience still haunts Spielberg. The fact that it's already been 50 years since Jaws came out haunts all of us. Jaws at 50: The Definitive Inside Story. We're gonna need a bigger lifespan...
+ What Also to Doc: Let's just keep the documentary vibe going this week. I loved Billy Joel: And So It Goes on HBO Max. These artist produced docs never hit too hard, but this two-parter gives great insight into the origin of many of Joel's almost unbelievable list of hits.
Fed Talks: "Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signaled a possible cut in interest rates in the near future, sending stocks soaring on Friday." The market continues to react normally to financial news as if the rest of the news weren't so abnormal. Can that trend hold? I touched on this issue earlier this week: The Burger and the King. Sometimes, the abnormal news crosses the chasm: Intel stock rises as Trump says chipmaker has agreed to sell stake to government.
+ The Circular Files: Justice Department issues transcripts of interviews with Epstein ex-girlfriend Maxwell. (Pretty sure she was more than a girlfriend. And pretty sure this meager offering won't quiet the controversy.)
+ Wait for It... "Seats many schools had assumed would be filled by now are still in doubt, at least partly because international students have struggled to secure visas or are opting to go elsewhere. Foreign students usually pay full tuition, so a big drop in their numbers leaves universities in a financial bind. Some schools also face a pullback in federal funding." Bloomberg (Gift Article): Stanford, Duke Tap Waitlists to Fill Spots Before Classes Begin. (Like, right before classes begin.)
+ Cutting a Fine Figure: "The world’s leading authority on food crises said Friday the Gaza Strip’s largest city is gripped by famine, and that it’s likely to spread across the territory without a ceasefire and an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid."
+ Biggie Small: "Yes, there are those still predicting rapid intelligence takeoff, along both quasi-utopian and quasi-dystopian paths. But as A.I. has begun to settle like sediment into the corners of our lives, A.I. hype has evolved, too, passing out of its prophetic phase into something more quotidian — a pattern familiar from our experience with nuclear proliferation, climate change and pandemic risk, among other charismatic megatraumas." David Wallace-Wells in the NYT (GIft Article): A.I. May Be Just Kind of Ordinary. (Well, maybe a little extra ordinary...) And an interesting look at how young people are reacting to new market dynamics: California teens are ditching office jobs — and making $100K before they turn 21.
+ Wheels of Fortune: "Across the country, major college football parking lots might as well be outside the Chateau Marmont." How car dealers became college football's power brokers.
+ Garcia Released: Kilmar Abrego Garcia has been released from federal prison in Tennessee. That's a lot of time served for someone else's clerical error. He's now awaiting a trial.
+ Hair to the Throne: "President Nayib Bukele defended the “disciplinary measures” which come as he tries to reshape every facet of life in El Salvador." El Salvador’s Bukele polices school haircuts.
+ Getting Snippy at Clippy: It Took Many Years And Billions Of Dollars, But Microsoft Finally Invented A Calculator That Is Wrong Sometimes.
We may be addicted to our devices, but at least we're taking them outside once in a while. And then some. Outdoor Recreation Is Booming, According to a New Report.
+ Once feuding people can work together after all. Well, at least animals can. Cat gets job helping to train hearing dogs.
+ One person's hurricane is another person's swell. For Two or Three Days, a Surfer’s Paradise in and Around New York City.
+ "I gave all my Apple wealth away because wealth and power are not what I live for. I have a lot of fun and happiness." Steve Wozniak at 75. I am the happiest person ever.
+ Colin Cummings, the greatest air hockey player of all time.
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