Come clean: Israel-paid influencers in US are foreign agents

Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Nick Cleveland-Stout

“In late September, RS reported that Israel is paying a cohort of 14-18 social media influencers an estimated $7,000 per post through a firm called Bridges Partners. The filing, disclosed under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, indicated that Israel began paying these influencers in June as part of a campaign called the ‘Esther Project.’ Yet, despite this cohort posting on social media for the past five months, not a single influencer working for Israel appears to have publicly acknowledged their work for Israel. Today, the Quincy Institute (the parent organization of RS) and Public Citizen sent a joint letter to the Department of Justice in an effort to change that.” (11/13/25)

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/israel-paid-influencers/

Thomas L. Knapp

Fix-It Man Pardoned

Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob

“Troy Lake, the mechanic who helped truckers and bus drivers keep their vehicles going by removing crippling emissions systems, paid the price — jailed for this ‘crime,’ and also fined $52,000.
Prosecutors made an example out of the Wyoming fix-it man for following a practice that had become mandatory to keep rigs — in his case, at least 344 heavy-duty diesel trucks — on the road. I’ve discussed his case, saying that President Trump should pardon him for this non-crime. Though Troy Lake served about seven months in a federal prison, and he’s been out for a while, the conviction was still hanging over his head. Now President Trump has indeed pardoned Mr. Lake.” (11/13/25)

https://thisiscommonsense.org/2025/11/13/fix-it-man-pardoned/

Thomas L. Knapp

Adolf Hitler may have had a micropenis — and just one ball, DNA analysis shows

Source: New York Post

“Adolf Hitler has long been rumored to have had just one ball — but also possibly had a micropenis, according to a new DNA analysis. The Nazi dictator is believed to have had a hidden genetic disorder known as Kallmann syndrome, which can thwart the development of sexual organs, according to a stunning new documentary analyzing his biological makeup. The condition, which can also inhibit the normal progression of puberty, means Hitler had a 1-in-10 chance of having a micropenis, the Times reported. … The findings have been laid bare in a Channel 4 documentary — ‘Hitler’s DNA: Blueprint of a Dictator’ — that will air on Saturday, and will be later published in a scientific journal. The research zeroed in on a DNA profile created from a sample of a bloodstained piece of fabric that a US army colonel cut from the sofa where Hitler killed himself in a Berlin bunker in 1945.” (11/13/25)

https://nypost.com/2025/11/13/world-news/adolf-hitler-likely-had-a-micropenis-and-just-one-ball-study/

Thomas L. Knapp

Palestine: Squatters Torch a Mosque and Scrawl Hateful Messages After Condemnation From Military Leaders

Source: US News & World Report

“Israeli [squatters] torched and defaced a mosque in a Palestinian village in the central West Bank overnight, scribbling hateful messages in a show of defiance a day after some Israeli leaders condemned a recent attack by [squatters] against Palestinians. One wall and at least three copies of the Quran and some of the carpeting at the mosque in the Palestinian town of Deir Istiya had been torched when an AP reporter visited Thursday. … Soldiers from Israel’s military, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment, were present at the scene.” (111/13/25)

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2025-11-13/israeli-settlers-torch-a-mosque-and-scrawl-hateful-messages-after-condemnation-from-military-leaders

Thomas L. Knapp

How on Earth Are We Just Now Hearing About Trump’s “Hours” With an Epstein Victim?

Source: The American Prospect
by Ryan Cooper

“Well, now we have it. On Wednesday, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released another batch of documents related to notorious pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Among them were several emails about Donald Trump. One was from Epstein to his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell back in 2011. He wrote: ‘i want you to realize that that dog that hasn’t barked is trump.. [victim] spent hours at my house with him ,, he has never once been mentioned. police chief. etc. im 75 % there[.]’ (Excuse the spelling and grammar errors, that’s all Jeffrey.) By now, we’re all familiar with what ‘spent hours’ meant in the context of rich, powerful men and Epstein’s victims—particularly given the reference to ‘barking,’ which has to mean going to prosecutors or the media.” (11/13/25)

https://prospect.org/2025/11/13/how-are-we-just-now-hearing-about-trumps-hours-with-epstein-victim/

Steve Trinward

US faith levels plummet to lowest on record

Source: Axios

“Fewer than half of Americans now say religion is an important part of their daily lives, a 17 percentage point drop since 2015, which ranks among the largest declines in the world, according to a new Gallup poll. The U.S. was once exceptional for its high religiosity among wealthy nations. The shift reflects profound cultural changes that could reshape politics, social ties and even national identity. In the latest Gallup Poll released Thursday, only 49% of U.S. adults say religion is essential to their daily life, down from 66% in 2015.” (11/13/25)

https://archive.is/fuBlP

Thomas L. Knapp