Ben Spackman

Map showing Cambodia v Armenia battleground

From Rasmus Jarlov, chair of Denmark’s Defence Committee:

We are fast becoming a banana republic, with two standards of justice. If you oppose the leader, you go to jail just for speech. If you're a loyalist, you get immunity for your crimes.

That's what happens in Iran - not the United States. This is a decision moment for America.

Their waists and hands were tied together, forcing them to bend down and lick water to drink. The unscreened bathrooms contained only a single sheet to cover their lower bodies. Sunlight barely penetrated through a fist-sized hole, and they were only allowed access to the small yard for two hours. Detained by US immigration authorities for eight days, the workers and their families expressed shock, describing human rights violations and absurdities they could not have imagined as ordinary Koreans living in 2025.

korean reporting is nightmarish on the conditions Korean workers were contained in

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but nobody goes to the park to be chased and almost attacked by your off-leash dog. I’m so so tired of this. It’s out of control in SLC

The Real Reason Trump Is a Threat to the Economy It’s not just the agenda. It’s also the shambolic, vibes-based way he’s pursuing it.

“Trump’s decision on the Rhode Island wind farm…undermines what he claims to be his most important goals: making America strong and energy-independent while lowering the cost of living and helping the forgotten working class.”

www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-econ...

If he can do the first three things without me having broken the law, he already took away my freedom.

I think the disconnect we’re seeing online is between pundits who are imagining a Charlie Kirk in their heads and professors who have lived for a decade with the (often literal) targets he and his anti-free speech organization placed on their backs.

“.. I can’t remember anyone ever telling me we can’t say anything critical about a civilian like this. He was not in our chain of command or anything,” the officer said.

@nbcnews.com
www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...

Well said.

Apple's Secret New Custom Workout Builder in iOS26/WatchOS26: Hands-on  Apple has secretly included a nice feature for endurance athletes in iOS 26: The ability to create full structured workouts. Now what’s interesting about this is the fact that it wasn’t mentioned an...

If you're a runner/cyclist, this is nice. Make your workout on your iPhone, not your Apple Watch.
www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/09/appl...

Some pockets near Boston: KTonic Demon Hunters

JUST IN: All job sectors except healthcare are down. We are in a “no hire” economy. And unemployment for young people just hit 10%. - Bureau of Labor Statistics

Nicely done, America

Decrying violence against political opponents rings a bit hollow when you pull Secret Service protection from your political opponents.

GOOD NEWS: Despite RFK Jr saying he would cancel $500 million in mRNA research, the House Committee on Appropriations has passed a spending package, that includes $1.1 billion for “advanced research and development” at BARDA, which includes research on mRNA vaccines.

It is weird that the assassination of essentially a celebrity influencer is a bigger deal than the shooting of two top state legislators + their spouses

I’d say 100+ in attendance

Meanwhile a few miles away from the Charlie Kirk shooting, byu is hosting a peacemakers conference. Patrick Mason is speaking.

Political violence is antithetical to the precious, fragile blessing of American democracy. If we do not already understand this from our history, we risk being forced to learn it again from experience.

I am deeply disturbed by the shooting in Utah. Doug and I send our prayers to Charlie Kirk and his family.

Let me be clear: Political violence has no place in America. I condemn this act, and we all must work together to ensure this does not lead to more violence.

Political violence from any party or any ideology is a direct assault on the foundations of democracy and the rule of law; it seeks not to persuade but to intimidate, not to debate but to destroy.

The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible.

In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form.

The White House Press Secretary, the official spokesperson for the Trump administration, told reporters in an official briefing that the president wants to invade "every Democrat-run city" with troops.

Any media still pretending that this is about "crime" is making a conscious choice to lie to you.

Again, mercy and winks and loopholes for the super-rich and white-collar crime.

If these allegations are true, the FBI is being weaponized for political retribution, exactly as we warned.

Agents must be able to do their jobs without fear of retaliation, or Americans will pay the price with our security and safety.

Breaking news: Former acting FBI director Brian Driscoll and two other former senior FBI officials are suing Director Kash Patel, alleging they were ultimately fired for unlawful and politically-motivated reasons.

Lincoln Project Not Afraid Of Trump Threats Threat proves Trump’s scared his MAGA base will bail on him

Trump is threatening to sue Lincoln Project, again – this time because we’re telling the world about Trump’s close & personal relationship w/ the pedophile & convicted sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Find LP's response here: https://lincolnproject.us/lincoln-project-not-afraid-of-trump-threats/

Every House Rules Republican just voted to block the Epstein Files Transparency Act from advancing.

Postal traffic to U.S. drops over 80% after trade exemption rule ends, U.N. agency says The de minimis rule that allowed small packages worth less than $800 to be exempt from tariffs ended on Aug. 29.

Holy crap. Postal traffic to U.S. drops over 80% after trade exemption rule ends, U.N. agency says www.npr.org/2025/09/07/n...