Obama Birthday Party: Who's Still Invited?  —  The former president scaled back the guest list for his party on Martha's Vineyard.  Who's in and who's out?  —  Jay-Z and Beyoncé were still in, as of Friday.  —  David Axelrod and Larry David were out.

Former Republican congressman to join staff of January 6 committee  —  (CNN)Former Rep. Denver Riggleman is joining the staff of the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, the third Republican that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has added to the panel …

A Black Army vet toured a house with his real estate agent and teen.  Police surrounded the home and handcuffed them.  —  As a police officer turned Roy Thorne around to cuff his hands behind his back, the 45-year-old father saw the same happening to his 15-year-old son.

How a Trump environmental lawyer tried to weaponize the Justice Department to help the President  —  Jeffrey Clark, a Donald Trump-appointed environment law chief at the Justice Department at the center of the former President's efforts to overturn the election, received a high-level intelligence …

Protesters object to Buncombe County Schools' mask mandate, attempt to ‘overthrow’ board  —  After an unruly audience forced the Buncombe County Board of Education to call a recess during its Aug. 5 meeting, a group of parents opposing the district's mask mandate “overthrew” the current board and instated themselves into the positions.

Why Ron DeSantis is more dangerous than Trump  —  There should be a special place in hell — or potentially in prison — for politicians who put their political goals ahead of the health and safety of our children.  That is exactly what Gov. Ron DeSantis is doing in Florida with the executive order …

Arizona state Sen. Tony Navarrete accused of 7 felony charges involving sexual conduct with 2 teens  —  State Sen. Otoniel “Tony” Navarrete is facing seven felony counts involving allegations of sexual conduct with two teenagers, which would add up to a minimum of 49 years in prison if he were convicted.

Hometown hospital cuts ties with Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins over vaccine comments  —  EAGAN, Minn. — A day after Kirk Cousins doubled down on his stance regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, a hospital Cousins partners with in his hometown of Holland, Michigan, cut ties with the Minnesota Vikings quarterback.

Baby girl with Covid-19 airlifted 150 miles because of Houston hospital bed shortage  —  (CNN)An 11-month-old girl with Covid-19 is stable and no longer intubated one day she was airlifted to a Texas hospital 150 miles away because of a shortage of pediatric beds in the Houston area.

7 Out Of 10 New York State Voters Say Cuomo Should Resign, Quinnipiac University New York State Poll Finds; 55% Think Cuomo Should Be Charged With A Crime  — mail_outline  —  Just days after the New York Attorney General released a report detailing allegations of sexual harassment …

The new COVID hysteria contagious among conservatives  —  Many on the right are ignoring these facts  —  A healthcare worker administers a COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination event at the FTX Arena in Miami (Getty)  —  Until recently, progressive elites had cornered the market in COVID irrationality.

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally revs up, drawing thousands and heightening delta superspreader fears  —  For the 700,000 people expected to descend on South Dakota's Black Hills for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the slogan for this year's event after a year of pandemic restrictions and lockdowns is: “We're spreading our wings.”

9/11 families to President Biden: Don't come to our memorial events  —  Nearly 1,800 Americans directly affected by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks are opposing President Joe Biden's participation in any memorial events this year unless he upholds his pledge to declassify U.S. government evidence …

Vocal anti-vaccine broadcaster dies from COVID-19 complications  —  Friends say Dick Farrel encouraged them to get the vaccine after he was infected  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Former South Florida talk show host Dick Farrel, known and beloved by fans for his over-the-top right-wing opinions …

Lawyer for Ashli Babbitt's family slammed after claiming officer ‘ambushed’ her during Capitol riot  —  The family of Ashli Babbitt, the woman who participated in the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and whose shooting death by a Capitol police officer was caught on video …

Cryptocurrency brawl bogs down infrastructure bill, as Yellen and White House fight changes  —  Senators are at odds over how to handle taxation related to cryptocurrencies, setting off a fierce lobbying war  —  The Biden administration is pushing back against a last-minute effort …

DeJoy maintains financial ties to former company as USPS awards it new $120 million contract  —  XPO Logistics pays DeJoy and family businesses at least $2.1 million annually to lease four office buildings in North Carolina  —  The U.S. Postal Service will pay $120 million over the next five years …

Reduced Risk of Reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 After COVID-19 Vaccination — Kentucky, May-June 2021  —  Alyson M. Cavanaugh, DPT, PhD1,2; Kevin B. Spicer, MD, PhD2,3; Douglas Thoroughman, PhD2,4; Connor Glick, MS2; Kathleen Winter, PhD2,5 (View author affiliations)  —  What is already known about this topic?

Tucker Carlson's fawning new Orban interview shows the right's dream future  —  The first segment of Tucker Carlson's long-anticipated Fox News interview with Viktor Orban has now aired, and it did not disappoint: It provides a deeply unsettling glimpse into the true nature …

JP Morgan Wins Permission for Full Control of a Securities Business in China  —  Wall Street giant gets more market access; can offer a full range of investment and corporate banking, securities services, asset management  —  JP Morgan Chase & Co. said Friday it was granted permission …

China's nanny state: why Xi is cracking down on gaming and private tutors … The additional lessons Wang Gang bought to help his only child prepare for China's rigorous university exam, or gaokao, were not cheap.  In addition to group courses from a private education company, he also paid Rmb6,000 …

Don't Be Fooled By Mitch McConnell's Sudden Bout of Bipartisanship  —  Mr. Ornstein has written more than 10 books about American politics.  He convened the bipartisan group of scholars and thinkers who laid out the framework for the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002.

Off the Wall  —  Mike - I read several months ago that you got the vaccine.  I'm glad.  But I'm also curious.  You have a lot of people on this page who respect your opinion - many of whom I'd wager are unvaccinated.  Have you encouraged them to follow your example?  If not, what are you waiting for?

An Ohio Factory's Test: Will Higher Wages Help More Than They Hurt?  —  A rubber parts factory was struggling with the labor shortage.  Then it got a chance to raise workers' pay.  —  CLEVELAND— Charlie Braun long wondered whether paying higher wages would ease staffing shortages …

Two Myanmar Citizens Arrested In Plot To Injure Or Kill Myanmar's Ambassador To The United Nations  —  Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jacqueline Maguire, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau …

Facebook Killed Research Into Capitol Riot to Protect Itself—Not Users  —  The FTC fired back (sort of) but plans to take no further action.  —  Alerts  —  When the Federal Trade Commission fined Facebook $5 billion for deceiving its users on privacy, it celebrated the fine as “record-breaking and history-making.”

How Georgia Could Take Over Atlanta's Elections  —  There have already been several recounts and investigations into the November 2020 election results in Fulton County, Georgia, but none have surfaced any ballot fraud.  Now, Georgia lawmakers are starting another investigation into rumored mishaps …

This scientist says cleaning indoor air could make us healthier—and smarter  —  Joseph Allen runs a major public health research project at Harvard University, probing how indoor air quality affects human health and cognition.  He consults with companies on ventilation and air filtration …

Homeland Security warns of ‘increasing but moderate’ threat of violence from Trump conspiracy  —  DHS said it has no specific evidence of an imminent plot.  —  The Department of Homeland Security said Friday they have observed “an increasing but modest level of activity online” …