Laura B
@brawlingback.bsky.social
Stop the Coup | Critical Thinker + Data Wonk | Pro Democracy + Human Rights Activist | World Traveler + Culture Junky | Bots, donation requests and the like will be blocked
China’s A.I. Is Surging Across Africa. That Should Worry Silicon Valley. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/05/t...
How China’s A.I. Is Surging Across Africa (Gift Article)
In African tech hubs, developers are picking China’s cheap, freely available artificial intelligence models over more powerful U.S. ones.
nytimes.com
Iran Says It Is Nearing Final Agreement With Oman on Strait of Hormuz www.nytimes.com/2026/08/05/w...
Iran Says It Is Nearing Final Agreement With Oman on Strait of Hormuz (Gift Article)
The agreement on an acceptable route for ships to pass through the strait would effectively ratify Tehran’s control over the crucial waterway.
nytimes.com
Trump Seeks a Boost for Hemp That Would Benefit a Top Aide’s Family www.nytimes.com/2026/08/05/u...
Trump Seeks a Boost for Hemp That Would Benefit a Top Aide’s Family (Gift Article)
At the White House’s request, senators tucked a change sought by the hemp industry into a crucial spending bill. It would benefit the son-in-law of Susie Wiles, the president’s chief of staff.
nytimes.com
NEW: Pro-voters asked the Texas Supreme Court to block Galveston County from moving some local candidates to new districts under a revised map drafted after the primary elections. They warned that, if not stopped, the move could be replicated across the state to undermine the will of voters.
A Texas county is quietly planning to swap voting maps between its primary and November election
If allowed to proceed, it would likely be the first time Texas voting maps are changed between the primary and general elections.
democracydocket.com
Blanche Defends Pirro but Says Trump Can Fire Her at Any Time www.nytimes.com/2026/08/05/u...
Blanche Defends Pirro but Says Trump Can Fire Her at Any Time (Gift Article)
The head of the Justice Department praised the U.S. attorney in Washington after her tense meeting with the president.
nytimes.com
Hacks on U.S. Water Supply Follow Years of Warnings and Neglect www.nytimes.com/2026/08/05/u...
Suspected Iran Cyberattacks on U.S. Water Supply Follow Years of Warnings and Neglect (Gift Article)
Federal and state officials are racing to address an assault on the nation’s water supply that they believe is the work of Iranian hackers.
nytimes.com
Spotlight on Fauci Said to Boost Book Sales for Kennedy and His Publisher www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/u...
Spotlight on Fauci Said to Boost Book Sales for Kennedy and His Publisher (Gift Article)
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his son, and Senator Rand Paul have all written books criticizing Dr. Anthony S. Fauci. All were published by a company led by a close Kennedy adviser.
nytimes.com
Think You Inherited Grandma’s House? Check the Deed First www.nytimes.com/2026/08/01/b...
Think You Inherited Grandma’s House? Check the Deed First (Gift Article)
Real estate passed down without a clear title of ownership can prevent families from creating generational wealth.
nytimes.com
3 more people have their Reflecting Pool charges dropped - NPR apple.news/Avkk4SYZZSaW...
Ripple effects: After Hearn, three others have their Reflecting Pool charges dropped — NPR
Prosecutors dropped their case against David Hearn on Friday, blaming Reflecting Pool damage on a "botched installation" rather than vandalism. That has implications for other people who were charged.
apple.news
Almost two dozen Democratic-led states asked the U.S. Supreme Court Monday to uphold a block on President Donald Trump’s sweeping attack on mail voting, saying it poses “extraordinary threats to our democracy.” www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Blue states urge Supreme Court to uphold block on Trump’s anti-mail voting order
The states and D.C. said Trump's order poses “extraordinary threats to our democracy.”
democracydocket.com
Even the Internet’s favorite pool guy has no clue how to fix the reflecting pool.
Even the internet’s favorite pool guy has no clue how to fix the reflecting pool
A host of fixes has made it hard to diagnose the problem—let alone clean up the mess.
motherjones.com
This is how much of a fraud RFK, Jr is Prior to endorsing Trump, he approached Kamala Harris to see if it was possible to join her team. She declined Trump, on the other hand, paid $100,000 to secure RFK’s allegiance A fraud-and a cheap date
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 3d agoRFK Jr yelling at Dana Bash sounds like a rabid dog barking
Great to be with you, Congressman - and it was inspiring to see the young people you've mobilized. With this level of organization, I think we'll see powerful results in November and beyond!
Maxwell Frost@maxwellfrost.bsky.social · last wk.Thank you, @petebuttigieg.bsky.social for making time to speak with our Democracy Summer fellows who spend every weekend knocking doors and making phone calls to voters. We were proud to welcome you to Central Florida!
Former President Barack Obama privately derided President Donald Trump and his son Donald Trump Jr. in response to their mismanagement and rhetoric while America was dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, according to diary entries written by Dr. Anthony Fauci in November 2021.
😆😆😆 Furious Trump is considering removing Pirro over Reflecting Pool https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/03/politics/jeanine-pirro-removal-reflecting-pool
Furious Trump is considering removing Pirro over Reflecting Pool filing, sources say | CNN Politics
President Donald Trump is considering removing Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, over a Justice Department filing on the Reflecting Pool, two people familiar with his thinking told CNN.
cnn.com
Then why would a Trump-corrupted DOJ say no vandals? TRUMP: "We have photographs or tapes -- like moving cameras, right? -- where people are on the side cutting it with a box knife." SHOW US 😆😆😆
Democratic-led states sue to block Trump's Section 301 tariffs
Democratic-led states sue to block Trump's Section 301 tariffs
Monday’s complaint is the latest in a series of new legal challenges to President Donald Trump's forced labor tariffs.
dlvr.it
The Secret Handshake moved its 10-foot-tall gold “Iran War Participation Trophy” to Foley Square in Manhattan. The satirical protest piece features a giant #1 and a plaque awarding Trump a participation trophy for his “enthusiastic involvement in the Iran War.”
The agreement notes it can only be modified if both Trump and his government agree to it.
Todd Blanche Wins Key Confirmation Holdouts—But Questions Over Trump’s $1.8 Billion Fund Linger
The agreement notes it can only be modified if both Trump and his government agree to it.
forbes.com
BREAKING: 56 bipartisan former judges urge SCOTUS to leave Trump's mail in voting EO blocked The EO is anti-voter & anti-constitutional. POTUS is attempting to seize power he does not have @democracydefendersfund.org @campaignlegal.org & Platkin LLP are proud to rep the judges
- www.reuters.com/world/us/dem...
Voters prefer Democrats over Republicans on economy for first time in a decade, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds
Americans picked Democrats over Republicans as better stewards of the economy for the first time in nearly a decade in a Reuters/Ipsos poll, which also found their approval of President Donald Trump...
reuters.com
The American people have made clear they want big money out of politics, but the Supreme Court just took a hammer to what few guardrails remain. Corruption must end in both politics and our courts.
Todd Blanche failed his performance review, and he should not be confirmed as Attorney General.
We’re down to the wire on the Todd Blanche nomination — and I’m leading the fight to hold him accountable. I will continue to fight for justice every step of the way. Tune in.
House Panel Finds Lawmaker Likely Violated Rules on Sexual Harassment www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/u...
House Ethics Panel Finds Rep. Chuck Edwards Likely Violated Sexual Harassment Rules (Gift Article)
The Ethics Committee called for the censure of Representative Chuck Edwards, Republican of North Carolina, who showered two female staffers with lavish gifts and affection.
nytimes.com
I Helped Run Lululemon. Companies Need to Stop Kidding Themselves About A.I. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/o...
Opinion | I Helped Run Lululemon. The A.I. Revolution Is a Hot Mess. (Gift Article)
The A.I. revolution is stalling because companies don’t want to admit that integrating the technology is expensive and slow and requires human effort.
nytimes.com
Trump Is Trying to Force Americans to Unlearn What We Know www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/o...
Opinion | Trump's Smithsonian Attacks Are Attacks on America’s Future (Gift Article)
This is how we decide who we are and who we want to be.
nytimes.com
