‘This Is Actually Happening’  —  President Joe Biden and his inner circle were in an ebullient mood.  —  It was Wednesday morning, Aug. 11, and they were basking in the glow of back-to-back legislative wins.  The day before, the Senate had passed a bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill.

EXCLUSIVE FBI finds scant evidence U.S. Capitol attack was coordinated-sources  —  The FBI has found scant evidence that the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was the result of an organized plot to overturn the presidential election result, according to four current and former law enforcement officials.

The new ‘Jeopardy!’ host, Mike Richards, quits.  —  Mike Richards, who was named the new host of “Jeopardy!” last week, is abruptly leaving the role as the beloved game show confronts a roiling controversy over offensive and sexist comments he made on a podcast several years ago.

The Quiet Rage of the Responsible  —  Let's talk for a minute about Lollapalooza.  After canceling in-person events last year, a few weeks ago Chicago once again hosted the long-running music festival, drawing more than 385,000 people.  Many feared that the huge, raucous crowds could produce a coronavirus superspreader event.

Cutting off jobless benefits early may have hurt state economies.  —  When states began cutting off federal unemployment benefits this summer, their governors argued that the move would push people to return to work.  —  New research suggests that ending the benefits did indeed lead some people to get jobs …

Minnesota GOP chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan forced out amid scandal  —  She casts deciding vote to give herself $38K in severance  —  Minnesota Republican leaders forced Jennifer Carnahan out as head of the state party on Thursday, turning a page on a scandal that threatened to consume GOP politics ahead of a pivotal election year.

Liberal Democracy Is Worth a Fight  —  Of all the empty, pointless statements that are periodically repeated by Western politicians, none is more empty and pointless than this one: “There can be no military solution to this conflict.”  That was what Ban Ki-moon, then the UN secretary-general …

Appeals court orders Arizona Senate audit records released  —  PHOENIX (AP) — An appeals court on Thursday rejected an effort by the Arizona Senate to keep secret records of its ongoing review of the 2020 election in Maricopa County that are in the possession of the contractors conducting the recount.

Josh Mandel Lets the Mask Slip, a Little  —  He doesn't believe what he's saying, at least not all of it.  And that's sad.  —  When I watched this interview with Josh Mandel by Josh Rultenberg, a local reporter for Spectrum News 1 in Ohio, it made me a little sad.  Here's the clip:

EXCLUSIVE: Logically Identifies GhostEzra, Florida Man Behind World's ‘Largest Antisemitic Internet Forum’  —  Logically, as part of our mission to understand and counter harmful online misinformation, conducts continuous research into the networks, channels, and actors that play an outsized role …

Roanoke College Poll: McAuliffe Holds Lead in Race for Governor: Economy / COVID Most Important Issues  —  Former Democrat Governor Terry McAuliffe holds an 8-percentage point lead over Republican Glenn Youngkin (46%-38%) with 13% undecided in race for Virginia governor, according to The Roanoke College Poll.

‘Locate us a ring’: Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins challenges Facebook user to a fight  —  Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins has once again threatened someone on Facebook with violence.  —  The Lafayette Republican, who has a long history of bizarre social media antics …

The Credibility Trap  —  It's not hard to find downsides to the American withdrawal from Afghanistan.  The Taliban's treatment of women, journalists and minorities.  The danger to civilians who worked with the U.S.-backed government.  The loss of American influence in a remote corner of the world.

As Cullman prepares for Trump rally, city declares COVID state of emergency  —  With Cullman Regional experiencing overcrowding due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Cullman will be providing more first responders to this weekend's Alabama GOP rally.  —  The Cullman City Council passed …