“A novel pill helped people with advanced pancreatic cancer live longer, researchers report, raising hopes of long-needed better treatments for one of the deadliest types of cancer. ‘While not curing the cancer, it is a very large step forward,’ says Dr. Zev Wainberg, of the University of California, Los Angeles, who helped lead the study. The drug is called daraxonrasib and it blocks a mutated protein that fuels tumor growth in more than 90% of pancreatic cancer cases — a target that had eluded treatment for decades. The daily pills nearly doubled survival time, with fewer severe side effects, in a study that randomly assigned the experimental drug or more chemotherapy to 500 patients whose metastatic, or spreading, cancer had quit responding to prior treatment. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Society for Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago.” (05/31/26)
“Those with long memories will recall the campaign to have a Financial Transactions Tax. Something we were vehemently opposed to no doubt because we’re neoliberals or something. The idea was to have a miserly — say, 0.1%, or 0.05%, that sort of amount — tax on every financial transaction. The claim was that this would not affect ‘real’ trade and would only reduce the amount of speculative froth in the marketplace. Which would, according to the proposers, be good. Because, well, speculative froth and all that. Just capitalists playing with money, see? Except speculative froth does have a point …” (05/31/26)
“Many of the those pushing for war over the last few decades were politicians, news editors and pundits thousands of miles from the battlefield. These ‘hawks’ continued their lives of luxury and safety within their bubbles of entitlement while young American troops became the disposable pawns to be moved about the surface of a macabre board game. … as President Trump seeks to find a lasting solution to end the war with Iran, their harsh voices can be heard screeching out their disapproval. Just the very thought of an extended ceasefire is enough to trigger some of the hawks. When is enough enough for the Iran war hawks? Naturally, they will say when Iran is no longer a threat to the U.S. or Israel. But what does ‘no longer a threat’ really mean? And what does the now ubiquitous phrase ‘finish the job’ really mean with respect to Iran?” (05/30/26)
“Israeli forces have captured a strategic site in Lebanon across the Litani River, marking Israel’s deepest incursion into the country in 26 years. The capture of Beaufort Ridge, the site of a medieval castle, comes after days of intense fighting in southern Lebanon, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying Sunday the seizure marks a ‘dramatic change’ in Israeli strategy. … ‘My instruction is to deepen and expand our grip on the places that were under Hezbollah’s control,’ he added. ‘The occupation of Beaufort is a dramatic stage and a dramatic change in the policy that we are leading.'” (05/31/26)
“Five patients have recovered from a rare type of Ebola, the head of the World Health Organization said Sunday during a visit to eastern Congo’s Bunia, a city at the heart of an outbreak. ‘Four people will be discharged today and there was one that was discharged the day before yesterday,’ WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during the opening of a new Ebola treatment center in Bunia, the provinical capital of Ituri. ‘Of course, we’re still working on vaccines and treatments but that doesn’t mean that people cannot recover from Ebola,’ he added. … The health organization said latest official figures showed 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths. Neighboring Uganda has confirmed nine cases and one death, the Ugandan Health Ministry said Friday.” (05/31/26)
“Does AI deserve Personhood? :: Libertarian Socialism? What’s that??? :: Should politics come with a dress code? :: What is YOUR pet freedom? :: Compelling people into your beliefs is bad, guys. :: Should the libertarian party exist? :: Public schools aren’t teaching anyone anything. :: Bonnies LNC highlights and lowlights :: Libertarian on Libertarian violence :: How big of a society can you really have? :: Free city of Orania, South Africa :: 2026-05-30 Hosts: Lori, Bonnie, Riley.” (05/30/26)
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Laurence M Vance
“There is one main problem with President Trump’s call to nationalize elections: the Constitution, which decentralizes the election process with a minor role for Congress. Article I, Section 4, of the Constitution states that ‘the Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.’ There is no provision for the president to have anything to do with elections through executive action. … Another problem with President Trump’s call to nationalize elections is that it is based on something that is largely imaginary.” (05/29/26)
“U.S. President Donald Trump will headline an event commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary on the National Mall next month, organizers said on Saturday, after several musical performers scheduled to appear in the celebration canceled, citing concerns about its association with him. The concerts were planned as the opening ceremony of the Great American State Fair, a 16-day event running from June 25 to July 10, 2026. … the musical lineup has been hit by a series of cancellations. On Friday, Bret Michaels, the lead singer of the rock band Poison, became the fifth performer to withdraw from the concerts, saying that the event was not the nonpartisan celebration that he thought it would be. … ‘The fact is that I am, according to many, the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World,’ Trump wrote.” (05/30/26)
