California Supreme Court orders seized ballots returned in Riverside County case - POLITICO

The California Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a Southern California sheriff to return hundreds of thousands of ballots he had seized in a probe of alleged voting improprieties, siding with Democrats in a case that highlighted larger concerns about election interference. 

In a unanimous decision, the high court said Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco had unlawfully taken custody of some 650,000 ballots cast in a 2025 special election. A second unanimous ruling affirmed Attorney General Rob Bonta’s authority to wield oversight over county sheriffs after Bonta sued to halt Bianco’s probe…

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/24/california-supreme-court-orders-seized-ballots-returned-riverside-county-01092045

Amid soaring living costs, America’s biggest convenience-store chains quietly overcharge consumers

Guardian investigation: 7-Eleven and Circle K stores often fail to honor advertised prices – charging more at pump and register for gas, snacks, and other items…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/sep/24/7-eleven-circle-k-convenience-stores-overcharge

Thomas Massie rips Mike Johnson for canceling House votes.

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6-SpSpLYh8M

 

GAO finds ICE ‘wasted’ millions of dollars in deportation push - POLITICO

GAO said it found wasteful spending in six ICE initiatives the agency began last year. In one instance, the agency spent nearly $3 million to assemble tents that were never used at the naval base in Guantanamo Bay. ICE also spent more than $20 million on “non-recoverable costs such as zoning assessments and security” for warehouses it purchased last year to house deportees but now intends to sell…

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/24/gao-trump-deportation-push-costs

 

US citizen injured after ICE agents reportedly mistook him for fugitive

Man left bloodied and hurt after immigration enforcement agents tried to arrest him in Evanston, a Chicago suburb…

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/24/citizen-injured-ice-mistaken-fugitive-arrest

How are we missing the lesson? #immigration #economy

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HzmJqxZJhp4 

 

Diesel export fight strains GOP ties with Big Oil - POLITICO

Farm-state Republicans and MAGA populists are backing a diesel export ban, putting them at odds with an industry that has long been a GOP ally…

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/24/diesel-export-fight-gop-big-oil-01090581

 

'Let's push prices down': Wright asks oil industry to curb exports

ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania — Energy Secretary Chris Wright is calling on the oil industry to voluntarily reduce diesel fuel exports in a bid to bring down prices domestically ahead of midterm elections. 

The former oil industry executive’s pitch in Pennsylvania comes a day after POLITICO reported the White House was preparing plans to impose a 90-day halt on exports of the fuel, which triggered an outcry in the U.S. oil industry and showed the pressure President Donald Trump’s administration is under from voters to address affordability issues…

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/24/wright-seeking-voluntary-fuel-export-cuts-01092137

 

Democrats demand answers after DoJ drops bribery case against Indian billionaire

The Trump administration is facing growing questions over its decision to abandon a fraud and bribery case against the Indian billionaire Gautam Adani after he promised to invest $10bn in the US…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/24/democrats-doj-gautam-adani

 

At Trump meeting, Xi Jinping lays out terms to avoid US-China military conflict

“We should coexist in peace. China and the United States, as two major countries, stand to gain from cooperation and will both lose in confrontation. Our two militaries should maintain regular dialog and improve mechanisms for crisis communication and prevention.”

 With such conditions in place, Xi said, “the Thucydides trap can be overcome”, refering to the phenomenon, defined by the Greek historian, of tensions that arise when an emerging power challenges the dominance of an established power. 

Xi invoked the phrase in his meeting with Trump in Beijing in May, asking the US president how he planned to avoid it. 

His proposals for lessening tensions – which also included the invitation of 100,000 young Americans to visit China on student exchanges – come amid a period of intense competition between the two powers over artificial intelligence and trade, with each side imposing tariffs on the other…

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/24/xi-jinping-trump-china-cooperation-thucydides-trap

 

Cyber agency unveils national election security plan weeks before the midterms - POLITICO

It’s unclear how state and local election officials will respond to CISA’s plan. Many have pointed to last year’s rollbacks as evidence that they are on their own to secure elections and told POLITICO they are increasingly concerned about moves by the Trump administration that they say could interfere with the midterms, such as FBI raids on state election offices and the Justice Department’s demands for states to turn over their voter rolls…

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/24/cisa-election-security-plan-midterms-01091843

US and Poland near deal for American base with 10,000 troops - POLITICO

U.S. and Polish officials are working to set up an American base in Poland that would house 10,000 troops, a significant shift in deployments across Europe and a direct warning to Russia…

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/24/poland-us-base-troops-01091905

 

Eight USS Lincoln personnel have attempted suicide, US navy confirms

“Since the beginning of Lincoln’s deployment, there have been a total of eight suicide attempts across the strike group,” Cao wrote, responding on behalf of US defense secretary Pete Hegseth to Gillibrand’s inquiry about the quality of life aboard the fleet. “This number includes the Lincoln crew and sailors from the carrier airwing, strike group and destroyer squadron staff, escorting destroyers and all embarked aviation squadrons.”…

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/23/uss-lincoln-suicide-attempts

Dr. Oz makes inaccurate claims about healthcare. #healthcare #doctor

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7BPkyHJ8mB8

 

America’s AI push in Southeast Asia faces a China problem - POLITICO

“China has always been desperate to get our AI chips. They’ve set up elaborate ways to smuggle them,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a co-sponsor of the Chip Security Act, said at a press conference Wednesday. “We can and must both maintain our lead on AI by restricting China’s access to our technology. 

Vivek Chilukuri, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security and a former Capitol Hill staffer, said there’s “strong bipartisan consensus in Congress that we should not be allowing Chinese companies or entities to buy American chips or access American chips.”…

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/24/america-southeast-asia-china-ai-chips-01088982

 

Peter Thiel slams pope’s AI encyclical as gift to Chinese Communist Party - POLITICO

“I’m not saying he was an agent of the communists, but he was at least acting as a useful idiot for the CCP,” Thiel added…

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/24/peter-thiel-slams-popes-ai-encyclical-as-gift-to-chinese-communist-party-01091850

 

Iran awaiting response from Trump on proposal to open strait of Hormuz in six days

Iran said it has told Donald Trump it is willing to open the strait of Hormuz in six days, and to start talks on its nuclear program the day after, so long as the US lifts sanctions on Iran’s oil exports in return, ends the war on all fronts – including in Lebanon – and releases some of Iran’s frozen assets…

 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/24/ed-miliband-meets-iran-foreign-minister-us-ultimatum-strait-hormuz

 

Trump’s FDA Pick Refuses to Say IUDs Don’t Cause Abortions – Mother Jones

“As mifepristone is under scrutiny at the state and federal levels, Dr. Overton leverages her status as a physician to deceive the public about medications we know are safe.”…

 https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/09/trumps-fda-pick-refuses-to-say-iuds-dont-cause-abortions-birth-control-extremist-reproductive-rights-senate-hearings/

 

Judge orders Trump White House to restore access to CNN, MS Now and Politico

US district judge orders temporary lifting of Trump’s ban on the three media outlets, saying it was likely unconstitutional…

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/24/judge-orders-trump-restore-white-house-access-cnn-ms-now-politico-media-ban

 

Taking phone calls from angry Trump' supporters. MAGA is dead!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0PXtgARxZ8

 

Conservative Man Returns From a Desert Island (Starring Me) #traecrowder

 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tk_UW8MbsSc

 

Why Is a Historical Jesus an Obsolete Paradigm? • Richard Carrier Blogs

…We need to stop assuming a Jesus existed and start asking what the origins of Christianity looked like without one. That paradigm shift is the only way to move forward in understanding early Christianity. And I don’t just assert this. I prove it. I present detailed examples of how real progress can be made when we abandon the old paradigm, and how the old paradigm is forcing scholars into convoluted knots and embarrassing errors …

 https://www.richardcarrier.info/archives/44170

Atheism Cannot Be Wrong - July 7 (Jon Cohen, Unconvinced on YouTube)

It can't be morally wrong to fail to be convinced by a claim.
Come and discuss this one!

Timsstamps 

0:00:00 Intro and introduction of 5×5×5 bingo board.

0:03:26 - Lloyd - Muslim caller that Claims the earth was created with humans for the sole purpose of worshipping God

0:18:11 - JDV2022 - Argues for the non physical nature of God. Claims God is abstract and NOUMENAL (he didn't use that term but that's what he implied) like math.

0:35:25 - Superchats

0:36:21 - Bingo

0:37:08 - The Artist 6 - clarifies the nature of atheism and what it means and if it exists on a spectrum. Good faith christian caller that has humane views and respects choice in choosing religion or atheism. Supports his children to make a choice for themselves. Prepared to fight jesus for his children if they become non believers. Rare christian caller.

0:50:29 - Superchats

0:53:11 - Ap Spencor - claims Science and facts are discoveries? Gets educated on Evidence vs proof by jon. Bad audio cuts the debate short.

0:58:50 - Fellonious punk - Claims Belief is not a choice and argues information diet & epistemic discipline/choices for it which Jonn and Sean agree are actions/environmental nurtures

1:18:11 - Bingo and superchats

1:20:51 - Nacho - Asks to define atheism and debates what it means

1:32:10 - Dillon - Admits he is Anti science and finds meaning in theism. Argues for the utility in theistic beliefs for individuals.

1:43:43 - Bingo

1:44:58 - Adam - Clarifies definition of atheism and uses life, abiogenesis, DNA, code, information, emergent intelligence, etc for lroof of God. Guest appearance by Dr.digg and Ella(Scientific Snitch) demolish

2:21:02 - Bingo & superchats

2:24:23 - Blake - Claims God exists, clarifies what atheists believe and holds a softer view of theology

2:57:13 - Bingo & Superchats

3:02:30 - God's favourite/Chris - Argues theism is not wrong and that we don't have the definition of atheism.

3:20:33 - Superchats

3:24:17 - Brenda debates - Claims theism is a propositional attitude like atheism. Uses a personal esoteric definition of theism & atheism.

3:40:33 - Bingo

3:45:32 - Saviworld - Claims the hosts are misreading the biblical text that talks about the punishments God inflicts upon non-believers.

4:08:52 - Bingo & Superchats

4:13:51 - Brad - Parks his vehicle for the debate after being told he can't participate whilst driving. Tries to defend the atrocities in the bible by God as being epistemically beyond human understanding. Claims that slaves were treated well in the bible.

4:32:05 - Bingo & Superchats

4:34:30 - Chopped inquisitor - Debates the definition of agnosticism, atheism & theism. Tries to argue/gaslight that involuntary disbelief is not punishable in christianity. Tries to defend the misogyny & atrocious acts in the bible.

4:57:21 - Superchat

4:58:16 - Alex - Clarifies definition of atheism & debates topic of morality and the punishing of involuntary non-belief. Tries to debate christianity being a cult.

5:03:17 - Superchats & Bingo

5:06:11 - Uses a german shepherd analogy to say there is evidence for God and Atheists are "choosing not to believe". Uses other analogies to argue the same.

5:31:46 - Superchats

5:34:36 - JE - Questions what standard Jon uses to label God as evil and debates against the subjective nature of morality. Proceeds to defend stoning women to death as morally sound and subjective.

5:54:00 - Bingo & superchats

5:58:12 - Doc Pepper - Asks if Atheism is inherently nihilistic, debates the fact how our emotional, cognitive & mental attributes are tied to our brains. Conversation moves to defending biblical genesis

6:12:49 - Superchats

6:15:01 - ISI777 - Tries to argue that Atheism is wrong because of christian scripture. Tries to defend the bible fundamentally.

6:51:12 - Superchats

6:54:21 - Church of James - muslim calle that claims there is evidence for God in nature and debates against the epistemic stance of atheism. Conversation moves towards debating the atrocious acts in the quran.

7:12:46 - Superchats

7:14:31 - OHheyman - Debates Jon's stance that God did not provide evidence for his own existence because he does not exist. Claims jon and Sean are misreading the hell punishment.

7:43:13 - Superchats

7:47:28 - Mr.B - Ex Muslim Agnostic that gives tips on how to critique the quran.

7:50:16 - Elijah - Possible Poe's law that defends human slavery and treating humans as objects.

8:02:26 - Superchats

8:04:14 - DMS online school - Tries to argue that people need to revere God for their own existence. Holds non-normative christian beliefs.

8:25:12 - Inner circle credits and continuation of DMS call.

8:27:07 - Superchats

8:30:31 - Cathleen - Non religious theist caller that tries to argue that there is a God and atheism cannot be valid. Uses consciousness & emergence of intelligence life as defence for God's existence.

8:35:32 - Superchats

8:36:36 - Chronicler - Clarifies the prompt. Asks if there can be possibility for a non omnipotent God to exist.

8:41:06 - Josh - Clarifies definition for atheism & humanism

8:42:43 - Home with Debbie - Asks if Jon and Sean believe in jesus and agrees with the hosts on historical accuracy of jesus.

8:46:38 - Superchats

8:47:42 - 5×5×5 Bingo winner (le me - yippee🤘🎊🎉)

8:50:04 - Member questions

8:53:02 - John Stone - Supports hiroshima attacks and israel attacks on palestine and in the bible. Tries to argue and defend the infanticide in the bible as collateral. Possible troll that talks about emf frequencies.

9:05:04 - Superchats

9:06:11 - Note on pseudoscience and Conclusion
Interview: 

https://www.youtube.com/live/w0n70ZrL4NM?si=v1RmjF1i_J0G1vx9