• Donald Trump’s appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists was predictably bombastic and explosive, but he accomplished what he wanted:  he needed to show his base he was still a racist, no matter how much he tacks in the next few months.
• ETTD:  Project 2025 edition.  It’s not dead, though.  It’s just mothballed until the next Republican dictator comes to power.
• Fox commentators called Trump “brave” for sitting for questions at the NABJ.  It wasn’t because he took questions he never answered; conservatives think you have to be “brave” to walk into a room of Black people.  
• Kamala Harris set a new record for fundraising by raising $310 million in July, and that’s still not enough to cover her opponent’s legal liabilities.
• When I’ve given notice at jobs in the past, I’ve wrapped it up by completing paperwork, submitting expenses, maybe transitioning clients to new contacts.  Joe Biden set the bar high, freeing hostages in a multinational deal after announcing his retirement.  
• For you Wordle addicts, the WordleBot analysis available after the solution is an insightful and somewhat worrisome study of your choices.  
• Overall, I’m not concerned about the slowing job market; it was inevitable and it’s not reversing, just slowing.  It could lead to some good news in the form of lower interest rates, but a negative jobs report in October and November could be politically disastrous.
• Randy Newmann never met the US women’s gymnastics team.  
• Our county government solicited designs for a new flag, and the range chosen as finalists go from elementary school art project to obvious AI creation.  There were some, er, creative designs included, and very little fealty to vexillology.
• MAGA exposed Kyle Rittenhouse for the coward he really is:  he took an unpopular stand and then immediately retreated.  Standing up for yourself is much more difficult when you’re not pointing a gun at someone.
• Babies and nearly every other culture in the world might be on to something here with siestas in the afternoon.  Set work aside, close your eyes for 10 or 20 minutes, and recharge.  Just don’t do it during your New York fraud trial.
• Trump’s upcoming appearance to the Jewish Journalists Association:  “And that Doug Emhoff, he’s not a Jew.  He’s NOT a Jew!  He married a Shiksa, and a Schvartze at that.  Maybe not a Schvartze today. Is she a Schvartze or is she an Indian?  Who knows?   Who knows with Karmelo, right?  But that Doug Emhoff is definitely not Jewish.  He’s a Democrat.  There are no Democrat Jews.  None.  I don’t know any.”
• Holy crap.  If the Trump camp wanted to find someone who would make Trump look more relatable to women, they didn’t miss with their choice of JD Vance.
• We Americans are somewhat jaded with Olympics participation:  we expect our competitors to do well in most events.  But the joy of the Games comes from the athlete from the small country or the Third World nation breaking out on the international stage with an unexpected performance.  Unfortunately, our network coverage only highlights US triumphs and everyone else’s goofs. 
• The tomatoes started coming off the vine this week, and we remember why we went through the trouble of seeding, transplanting, watering and trimming the plants over the last months.  It was well worth it.  
• No worse feeling than watching your dog limp on three legs:  the vet say Doggo tore his ACL, but he’ll be a trooper until we can schedule surgery. 
• Simone Biles gets a seventh gold in The Clap Back.

I love my black job 🖤 https://t.co/c5wPc6xOY3

— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) August 2, 2024