Source: CounterPunch
by L Michael Hager
“The U.S. lost its war of choice against Iran. Trump and Netanyahu failed to eliminate the perceived Iranian nuclear threat, despite relentless bombing that killed thousands and destroyed both military assets and civilian infrastructure. The desired ‘regime change’ left a more hawkish leader in charge. Iranian forces then deployed missiles and drones to carry out devastating attacks on American bases in the Gulf. Thirteen U.S. soldiers lost their lives. Most significantly, Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz sparked global panic in energy, fertilizer, and other vital markets. … If the just-signed MOU maintains the 60-day ceasefire and becomes a full-fledged agreement, America’s benefits could ultimately outweigh what it loses. The possible gains are three: an end to a costly war, a downscaling of U.S. relations with Israel, and a modest retreat from American imperialism.” (06/29/26)
https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/06/29/a-lost-war-a-bad-agreement-and-a-possible-good-outcome/
Source: SFGate
“With the window for finding survivors shrinking fast, Venezuelans combed Monday through more ruins of buildings toppled by last week’s powerful back-to-back earthquakes, and a 4.6 magnitude aftershock rumbled through the disaster zone in the northern state of La Guaira. Relief organizations say the first 72 hours after a natural disaster is the most crucial time period for rescues, though survival can be extended if people have access to food and water. Five days after the twin quakes struck northern Venezuela, attention turned to the humanitarian crisis that was taking shape in devastated regions. The death toll stood at more than 1,700 people, according to the government. Major questions loomed about whether the cash-strapped government under acting President Delcy Rodríguez — who came to power in January after the Trump administration seized former President Nicolás Maduro — will be able to coordinate the effort needed to care for thousands of people who have been left homeless.” (06/29/26)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/a-strong-aftershock-rattles-venezuela-as-rescue-22324868.php
Source: The American Conservative
by W James Antle III
“The voters who put Trump over the top and gave Republicans control of the Senate in 2024 were not casting their ballots for higher inflation and more foreign wars. Nor was that what Trump delivered in his first term, despite taking a hard line against the ayatollahs, shredding Barack Obama’s version of an Iran nuclear deal, applying maximum pressure, and striking Qasem Soleimani. Trump left office with inflation at 1.4 percent, below the Fed’s long-term target, and leaving no new wars to his successor in Iran or elsewhere. … Vance’s intraparty detractors should realize that if voters are still talking about the war in Iran rather than domestic issues in November, much less 2028, Democrats are going to have to nominate the world’s most crazed Marxists for Republicans to have a chance.” (06/29/26)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/will-the-gop-let-trump-get-back-on-track/
Source: Independent Institute
by K Lloyd Billingsley
“Gavin Newsom likes to boast that California has the world’s fourth-largest economy. So why can’t it build high-speed rail, while Morocco—which ranks 57th—has had it for years? … The total cost of California’s vaunted ‘bullet train’ has surged from the original $33 billion in 2008, when voters approved Proposition 1A, to a staggering $231 billion, all before any track was laid.” (06/29/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/06/29/this-african-country-already-has-high-speed-rail-before-california/
Source: France 24 [French state media]
“Turkish police on Sunday detained at least 50 people, including a journalist, during a Gay Pride event in Istanbul that went ahead despite a ban by local authorities and the lockdown of the city’s main gathering point, organisers said. Police stepped up security around Istanbul’s iconic Taksim Square, erecting iron barriers, while local officials banned demonstrations in key rallying areas, including the Asian-side district of Kadikoy. The governor’s office also restricted subway transport in several central locations. … LGBT+ protesters, who gathered in several neighbourhoods across the city, vowed to continue their demonstrations.” (06/28/26)
https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20260628-turkey-police-detain-dozens-at-lgbt-pride-event-in-istanbul
Source: Pink Flame of Liberty
“Case for Christian Nationalism Discussion: Wolfe Projects His Kinks.” (06/28/26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxmEhtZEhjc
Source: Reason
by JD Tuccille
“Everybody loves local control when they run towns and counties and their opponents hold federal or state offices. It works in reverse, too, with presidents and governors denouncing rebellious officials who won’t follow dictates from the state or federal capital. So it is in Virginia, where Democrats who dominate the state government are upset that local prosecutors and police decline to enforce new restrictive gun laws they justifiably view as unconstitutional and dangerous to their constituents’ liberty. … Unsurprisingly, the politicians who pushed for the restrictive new laws that are set to take effect next month are unhappy that so many local officials disdain their legislative efforts.” (06/29/26)
https://reason.com/2026/06/29/local-officials-vow-to-shield-the-public-from-virginias-authoritarian-new-gun-laws/
Source: New York Post
by Ken Burns
“There’s a moment in our film ‘The American Revolution’ when the historian Jane Kamensky, now president of Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello, reflects on the lasting meaning of the war: ‘Everybody, on every side, including people denied even the ownership of themselves, had the sense of possibility worth fighting for.’ That line captures something essential about the Revolution that can get lost beneath the familiar portraits and marble monuments. The Revolution was not only a war for independence but also an argument about possibility — who counted, who belonged, and whether so-called ordinary people could claim ownership over their own lives and their own future. In 1776, citizenship itself was a radical idea. Most human beings in history had been subjects.” (06/29/26)
https://nypost.com/2026/06/29/us-news/founding-fathers-expected-we-would-continue-their-argument/
Source: BBC News [UK State Media]
“Ford says it has hired back some human engineers after AI failed to match their skills and experience. In a bid to reap the benefits of the tech, which developers claim can cut costs and boost productivity, the US carmaker adopted it across some parts of its operations including for quality checks. But, according to Bloomberg, its executives said the firm has rehired more than 300 “veteran” quality inspectors in recent years to make up for the pitfalls of automated systems. ‘Artificial intelligence is a fantastic tool, but it’s only as good as the information you use to train it,’ Charles Poon, vice president of vehicle hardware engineering, told reporters. ‘Over prior years, we didn’t pay as much attention as we should have to the experience of our most knowledgeable engineers that have been with us through many product cycles,’ he added.” (06/29/26)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgrkd41n2v9o
Source: Notablog
by Chris Matthew Sciabarra
“On this date in 1969, a rebellion began that unfolded over six days, a landmark in the battle for human freedom and personal autonomy & authenticity. In the wee hours of June 28, 1969, the Stonewall Inn, a Mafia-owned gay bar in the heart of New York City’s Greenwich Village, was raided by police for the umpteenth time. One might say that the mob had a keen business sense in catering to a marginalized population, while paying off the police to turn a blind eye. But on this night, the illegal collusions didn’t seem to matter. The patrons had had enough with routine police brutality. And they fought back.” (06/28/26)
https://notablog.net/2026/06/28/stonewall-pride-in-voice-and-song/
