But first:  The U.S. and Iran gave conflicting informatio n about whether the Strait of Hormuz is open, as strikes escalated over the weekend.  Could be worse.   The USA has not yet invaded Kharg Island . Brent crude oil climbed nearly 10% to $83.30/barrel. WTI petroleum jumped slightly more. According to the official site, the Strait of Hormuz is CLOSED . No FIFA World Cup match today. The only really interesting event of this Major League Baseball All-Star week ( regular season games return on Thursday ) is the Home Run Derby, which will only stream on Netflix from 8PM EDT. So on to my posting of today.  The FIFA World Cup seemed to be full of players faking injuries, something tolerated in the game.   Shouldn't this be morally reprehensible, and deserving of a penalty? Well, volleyball players lie all the time.  They almost never voluntarily admit fault, like in touching balls that go out of bounds. Volleyball players literally have to lie ...

  These President Trump actions were reported the past few days by the   New York Times .  The Interior Department says the Gulf of Mexico is now, officially, the   “Gulf of America.”    Is this legal?  Apparently yes .  Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum  earlier this month, JOKINGLY, suggested North America be renamed Mexican America, a name used in early maps. Trump’s retreat from clean energy makes the U.S. an outlier in the world and   risks ceding a global market to China . House Republicans are considering   tariffs and Medicaid cuts   to pay for Trump’s tax cuts and immigration bill. About mass deportation. I've long wondered how people can support Trump when he almost always lies or exaggerates.   For example,  during his presidential campaign, he made it clear that his campaign had little to do with  Project 2025 , the controversial conservative policy blueprint created by the Heritage Foundation....