Read this First 08/18/2026

The “60 Day Truce” is winding down in Iran/Hormuz

The “pundits” and prognosticators are all wringing their hands and clutching their pearls and all I can think is:

Does it matter?

Does it matter at all? .. The IRGC is going to do what they want .. No matter what the other two “heads of government” say … The “Peace Wanting” Iranians have no means of stopping the warmongers and IRGC .. The “leaders” can make all the deals they want.. The IRGC and rebels aren’t gonna stop.

So.. What happens?

A US (and hopefully other nation) Naval presence in the Straits and the gulf, in general. .. “Pirate Like” attacks from Iranian speedboats .. and mines .. and commerce continues to seep through at a slower rate than it could…

The US will continue to bomb and try to disable Iran’s military..(hopefully from the air with no US soldiers in harms way)… and that will further p*ss off the IRGC and rebels.. and all this will continue for years and years and years..

and…

ENGLAND: A few thousand showed up at a rally in London for deceased “Cambridge Professor” Jason Arday. The crowd included many of the groups and people who “rejected the questions about his record” for years as “racist lies and bullying”…

Chants about racism… signs saying, “Racism Kills” … The crowd was mostly white liberals from the pics I saw…

A petition addressed to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, posted by activist group “Good Law Project” claimed Arday's death was "the direct, foreseeable and foreseen result of press harassment…” The petition said Arday's death came after "two weeks of relentless harassment," stressing that "racism lay at the heart of this story."

Uhh.. NO.. The “getting called out for lying about everything” part of Arday’s story has nothing to do with Racism… People getting “cancelled” or having to resign their positions due to lying have been ALL OVER the place in the past few years..

George Santos.. Boris Johnson, Amber Rudd, Eric Swalwell, Matt Gaetz, Andrew Cuomo … ALL OUTTA WORK.. and white.. (Santos can claim mixed race, I guess)…

So, give it up guys.. ( I would have already.. But, Tuesdays are slow news days.. )

and..

RUSSIA: In the OTHER war/conflict …

Ukrainian forces fired hundreds of drones (reports of nearly 800) targeting Russian military/energy sites and a major warehouse near Moscow in one of their largest attacks. In response or parallel action, Russian missiles killed at least 10 in a Ukrainian village (Kharkiv region area).

I think the way outta this one is vote Zelenskyy out and the “new guy” negotiates a deal with Russia where they cede a little land and promise not to join NATO..

But, that’s just me guessing..

and..

PENNSYLVANIA: “We just needed a bump to study for finals!!!” .. “Uhhh..But, school just started…. and that’s 2,000 ‘bumps’”

Pennsylvania authorities charged 14 people—mostly current or former Penn State University students—in connection with a cocaine trafficking ring linked to two fraternities.

Thirteen defendants were Penn State students (or recent alumni) around 2023–2024; the 14th is the father of one student, accused of evidence tampering. The operation centered on Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon fraternity houses in State College. Primary suppliers Agostino Abbatiello (24, of Westbury, NY, Sigma Chi) and Thomas Robinson (23, of Pittsburgh, Delta Upsilon) allegedly made regular trips to New York and Philadelphia for large quantities of cocaine.

The drugs were cut and packaged mainly at the off-campus fraternity houses—sometimes by pledges as part of “indoctrination”—then sold primarily to other Penn State students via friend-to-friend networks, parties, and social events

Hmmm.. “Princeton could use a guy like Joel”???

and…

FLORIDA:

Governor (open; term-limited Republican Ron DeSantis): Republican primary features Trump-endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds as the clear frontrunner against Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, James Fishback, former House Speaker Paul Renner, and others. Democratic primary has former Republican-turned-Democrat David Jolly as the favorite.

U.S. Senate (special election to finish Marco Rubio’s term): Republican incumbent Ashley Moody (appointed by DeSantis) faces minor challengers. Democratic primary is between retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman (memba him?) and state Rep. Angie Nixon.

U.S. House: Multiple districts under a new map (favoring Republicans in several seats); some crowded or reshuffled fields (e.g., involving incumbents like Debbie Wasserman Schultz in redrawn areas).

There are other Primaries in Alaska and Wyoming .. and California District 14 to replace disgraced Rep Eric Swalwell.. .. Speaking of him..

CALIFORNIA: The FBI released files on Swalwell and his relationship with Chinese spy Fang Fang .. In the investigation, Swalwell admitted sleeping with Fang Fang on a number of occassions.. and… Get this.. The FBI caught them because the FBI WAS TRYING TO GET FANG FANG TO BE A SPY FOR THE USA !!!

There was allegations online that Fang Fang BRIBED Swalwell .. But.. it appears she made donations to his political campaign at the same time they were having sex.. so.. Not sure how you characterize that but it’s not a direct bribe, I guess..

CALIFORNIA: The House Ethics Committee is investigating a sitting Democratic lawmaker over allegations of sexual misconduct.

The committee,yesterday that it is investigating Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., over allegations including “inappropriate sexual contact with a House staffer.” …

Gomez issued a statement, “C’mon MAN .. This is one of the perks of gettin elected..I can get savage with the babes” ..

OK OK OK… Fine.. He didn’t say that… He issued no comment. So, I made one up for him..

and…

TODAY IN HISTORY:

NOT SURE if this was the inspiration for the great Lyle Lovett tune, “It could be all downhill from here” … But..

On this day in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified after Tennessee—by just one vote—became the 36th state to approve it, capping the 72-year fight to win women the right to vote in the United States.

Some interesting facts about that 66th US Congress .. There was not ONE woman in it ..Jeannette Rankin of Montana who was elected in 1916 was a big supporter of women’s voting.. but she served 1917-1919 and was not there for the 1920 vote… Also…. that was the LAST Congress that had no women..

(YA SEE… SOMETIMES you learn stuff in the RANT !!!)

GOLF: PGA TOUR: BMW CLASSIC from Bellerieve Country Club right outside of St Louis … Top 50 in the Fedex Cup get to play.. Only Top 30 move on to next week.

Scottie Scheffler is the favorite, of course… Rory is second despite playing badly last week.. Who is 50th in betting line? Sepp Straka .. +33000 to win ..

Also Golf:

The DP Euros are in Scotland for the NEXO Championship at Trump International in Aberdeenshire.. Patrick Reed your favorite there..

and..

NCAA: Let the Jawing Begin !! .. The AP top 25 Pre-Season Rankings are out .. and I am SURE there will be arguments .. #1 Ohio State, #2 Oregon, #3 Georgia …Then.. Notre Dame, Texas and Indiana…

HAVE AT IT..

and..

WNBA: The Indiana Fever played the Atlanta Dream Sunday… Georgia locals, Kasey Thomason, and her daughter, Annie, bought tickets. They each wore an XX-XY Athletics T-shirt to support Sophie Cunningham and the ongoing fight to keep women’s sports and spaces female. Kasey wore an XX-XY shirt with the letters in stars and stripes, while Annie wore a Riley Gaines collaborative piece with "XX" on the front and "For the Girls" on the back.

When the game went to overtime a security guard told them to cover up the shirts or he would eject them. … Because a fan said the shirts were offensive.. Jeez Louise …

Not a good policy, Atlanta .. and by that I mean .. Not a good policy to “back up” the whiners .. and also.. Not a good idea to kick out 2 of the 100 paying fans ..

and..

The internet/social media is nothing but Hayden Panettierre .. and her “close friends” posting old pics and saying how great she was.. .. and I can’t help think.. She died alone in a new apartment of a drug overdose .. Where were ANY of you?

She is suffering with addiction and depression issues.. and she is alone… and now she is dead …. But, make sure to post a “LOOK AT ME” … or a “Don’t forget about me.. and how sads I am” (That’s a Jeselnik bit)

and..

François Pinault Jr., and his wife, Lara Cosima Henckel von Donnersmarck, welcomed their first child .. Ya know what that means??? Salma Hayek is a GRANDMA!!! … HERE… ABUELA ….HERE .. GRAND-MÈRE .. HERE.. .. Congrats!!!