DIY: Insect Repellent Jars

DIY 1 Minute

I found this idea on thecountrychiccottage.net!

DIY Mosquito Repellent Candles

Did you know that you probably already have most of the ingredients for these mosquito repellent candles in your home? They are not only super easy to make, but the supplies and ingredients are also quite simple.

Supplies Needed for DIY Mosquito Repellent Candles

Pint mason jars

Floating candles

Lemons

Limes

Basil

Lemongrass essential oil

Water

Step 1: Slice Lemon And Lime

Slice one lemon and one lime (this will be enough for two candles).

Step 2: Add Lemon And Lime To Jar

Add a couple of slices of lemon and lime to the jar.

Step 3: Add Basil

Add a couple of sprigs of basil on top of your lemon and lime slices.

Step 4: Fill Jar With Water

Fill the jar with water up to the threads.

Step 5: Add Lemongrass Oil

Add 10 – 15 drops of lemongrass oil to your jar.

Step 6: Stir

Stir everything together.

Step 7: Add Floating Candle

Add a floating candle to your jar.

Step 8: Light Candle

Light the candle and enjoy a pest-free summer!

SOURCE: THECOUNTRYCHICCOTTAGE.NET

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Published by pat frederick

Published

92 thoughts on “DIY: Insect Repellent Jars”

  1. Good Morning All!
    I have yet to try this DIY idea. But I passed it along to my daughter and family who love to sit outside at night especially.
    same old weather report here…about 60* gray/white sky hazy sun…sigh.
    we need some rain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Good morning! Nipply here this morning – only 63 but super humid – literally dripping! I wish I could send you some of our rain – then again, I don’t have to worry about watering! I never had to worry about mosquitoes here since my patio is screened in….one section is torn loose now, tho, from one of the feral cats that got scared when I tried to get it to go back out thru the doggie door. I don’t sit outside much anyway, tho.

      Liked by 1 person

        1. Great, actually! Not sore at all! Well, except for my left index finger – got a prong from one of those damned stickers in it and it’s so tiny, it will just have to work itself out eventually. Not too bad pain-wise, tho.

          Liked by 1 person

            1. Never heard of that! IDK if I even have any duct tape at the moment. But it doesn’t hurt very bad – just an annoyance. It would be nice if I could use gloves but there is a little knot at the bottom of the plant that you have to get if you want to pull it out by the roots instead of just breaking it. It’s half-buried and small enough that I wouldn’t be able to feel it wearing gloves.

              Liked by 1 person

              1. any good tape should work. I’ve also heard (and this i have tried too and it works as well) apply a little elmers glue to the area and let it dry. then peel it off. i’ve used that on wood splinters many times.

                Liked by 1 person

              2. Huh….interesting. I probably won’t mess with it – it’s just the slightest feeling, not even really pain. And no doubt I’ll have more soon enough! LOL

                Like

    1. Well, that was weird! All WP sites were off-line for a little while – none of their sites were working…..

      IRC, I seem to remember a LOT of black folks who were protesting, too….just sayin.’

      Liked by 1 person

  7. TheseTruths

    TheseTruths(@thesetruths)

    Offline

    Wolf

    August 11, 2025 00:41

    Donald J. Trump:

    China is worried about its shortage of soybeans. Our great farmers produce the most robust soybeans. I hope China will quickly quadruple its soybean orders. This is also a way of substantially reducing China’s Trade Deficit with the USA. Rapid service will be provided. Thank you President XI.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. TheseTruths
    TheseTruths(@thesetruths)Offline
    Wolf
    August 11, 2025 01:01

    DOJ Launches Grand Jury Investigation into Letitia James’ Prosecution Of Trump

    The U.S. attorney in Albany, Daniel Hanlon, issued two subpoenas to James, the first one related to her office’s civil fraud case against President Trump, the New York Times reported.

    The Justice Department reportedly believes her prosecution of Trump violated his Constitutional rights.

    The second subpoena is related to her office’s long-running effort to dissolve the National Rifle Association (NRA), according to the Times.

    Attorney General Pam Bondi has signed off on the probes, and a there is a grand jury underway in New York’s state capital Albany, Fox News reported Friday.

    “The DOJ Is going after James because she took then former president Donald Trump to court ‘simply because she didn’t like him and campaigned on getting him,’” Fox reported. The Justice Department reportedly believes James violated Trump’s First Amendment rights dealing with free speech.

    James had accused Trump of inflating his net worth to get a good deal on loans and other financial benefits.

    Trump-hating Judge Engoron ruled in her favor and ordered the Trump Organization to pay a $454 million bond, prompting George Washington University law Professor Jonathan Turley to call it “absurdly out of line with not just the purpose of the law but the facts of the case.”

    A New York Appeals Court later reduced Trump’s bond to $175 million, which he paid on March 31, 2024.

    Trump fumed against Engoron and James on Truth Social after he paid the bond.

    “He is a whacked out nut job who just made up a number out of thin air, just like he did on the value of Mar-a-Lago,” Trump said.

    “Businesses won’t enter New York because of this decision, and many are fleeing. Think of it – I had to pay an enormous sum for the right to Appeal the ridiculous decision of a CROOKED Judge and A.G. This is Election Interference, and it all comes directly from Joe Biden and the White House. An attack, along with ALL OF THE OTHERS, on his political opponent, ME!”

    After the 2024 election, James refused to drop the case, reasoning that presidents are not protected by immunity in civil cases.

    Trump-connected GOP lawyer Mike Davis warned James back in November that if she continued her lawfare against Trump, “we will put your fat ass in prison.”

    Davis made the stunning remarks during an appearance on conservative commentator Benny Johnson’s “Benny Show.”

    “Let me just say this to big Tish James, the New York Attorney General,” Davis began. “I dare you—I dare you to try to continue the lawfare against President Trump in his second term because, listen here sweetheart, we’re not messing around this time and we will put your fat ass in prison for conspiracy against rights. I promise you that.”

    I had seen the “fat a__” quote but didn’t know if it was made up by a memester. Nope. 😂

    “Think long and hard before you want to violate President Trump’s constitutional rights or any other American’s constitutional rights, sweetie. It’s not going to happen again, ” Davis added.

    As of August 8, 2025, the civil case remained on appeal.

    In March, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard formally revoked security clearances for James and dozens of other Democrat officials who weaponized the government to help Joe Biden or punish the regime’s political enemies.

    In May, the Department of Justice launched a formal criminal investigation into James over mortgage fraud allegations involving her properties in Norfolk, Virginia and Brooklyn, New York.

    AG Bondi has reportedly appointed Associate Deputy Attorney General Ed Martin as Special prosecutor to investigate that case, as well as similar allegations against Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). A grand jury in Virginia will investigate the mortgage fraud claims against James, and a grand jury in Maryland will investigate the allegations against Schiff, Fox News reported.

    And now, the Justice Department has launched a separate investigation into James over her political targeting of Trump…

    Now for some cold water…

    Professor Turley, meanwhile, opined on X that he was “skeptical that such a prosecution could be sustained absent bombshell evidence uncovered by the grand jury.”

    He added: “While the court was dead wrong, James prevailed in the case and that would be weighed in the balance.”

    Liked by 1 person

  10. EXCERPT: “A top Justice Department lawyer is warning that federal agents and intelligence officers who weaponized their government powers for political purposes could face criminal charges under civil rights laws created to fight injustices during the Jim Crow era more than a half-century ago.

    Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon cautioned in an interview with Just the News that she could not discuss any specific investigations or potential suspect.

    But she said recent reports that one or more grand juries were probing the weaponization of government powers against President Trump and his associates or followers might have given good reason for current and former FBI and CIA officials to hire lawyers.

    “This, again, goes back to those Reconstruction Era statutes that sought to remedy the vestiges of racism, and we had some terrible incidents in our country’s history of law enforcement officials conspiring to deprive African Americans of their civil rights,“ she said in a wide-ranging interview with the “Just the News, No Noise” television show. “And that is where some of these laws stem from.”

    Dhillon: Government officials wrongly think they are immune from civil rights laws

    “But they’re broader than that, and so it can be a crime for government officials, either together or in conspiring with non-government officials, to violate people’s civil rights,” she explained. “That’s also a civil violation. I’ve actually sued over that in California for pro-life activists. And you know, we have long-standing cases involving these issues, and so I think, you know, government officials may think, because nobody ever bothers to enforce these statutes, that they’re immune, and they can do whatever they want.”

    “Not so, and I think that’s why you’re seeing some people tongue-in-cheek saying that in DC, every lawyer is being retained …. as these investigations have begun to hit the newswires,” she added.

    Dhillon’s comments come as FBI Director Kash Patel has opened at least one criminal conspiracy case looking at whether DOJ, FBI, and intelligence community officers were engaged in a long-running conspiracy to violate the rights of Donald Trump and his followers from the Russiagate scandal to the raid on Mar-a-Lago.

    In addition, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard have referred current and former officials to the Justice Department for possible prosecution for alleged abuses.

    Last week, the Justice Department issued subpoenas to New York Attorney General Leticia James seeking any evidence of whether she sought to violate the civil rights of President Trump when she filed a civil lawsuit against his company for alleged fraud.

    Section 241 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code makes it “unlawful for two or more persons to conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person of any state, territory or district in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him/her by the Constitution or the laws of the United States.”

    Such conspiracy statutes are derived from the Civil Rights Acts of 1960 and 1964, which were enacted to protect black citizens from police abuses in the South and from prohibitions in public places. Those laws were complemented by a series of voting rights laws as well.

    Recent implementation of the civil rights laws

    The laws were seldom successfully used against police officers during the 1960’s, but have been more commonly used against police misconduct over the last three decades, starting most notably with the infamous 1993 Rodney King case where four LAPD officers involved were captured on videotape beating King…..”

    https://justthenews.com/accountability/political-ethics/montop-doj-lawyer-warns-feds-could-face-criminal-civil-rights

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Just The News: “The leader of a transnational terrorist group known as Terrorgram Collective recently pleaded guilty to all charges related to numerous terror-related plots, including the solicitation of hit men to murder federal officials and others to carry out terror plots on U.S. infrastructure.

    The Justice Department said Friday the leader, Dallas Humber, of Elk Grove, Calif., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, but that the acceptance of the plea agreement with federal prosecutors has been deferred until a December 5 sentencing. The 35-year-old Humber faces a penalty of 25 to 30 years in prison.

    “Hate and terror have no place in this country or abroad,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, of the department’s Civil Rights Division. “By securing this conviction, my office makes clear that purveyors of these heinous crimes will be brought to justice.” The group reportedly ran its operation through an instant message service.

    Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said Terrorgram Collective promotes white supremacy, hate crimes and violence “including soliciting the murder of U.S. government officials.” He also said Humber’s actions posed a “direct threat to national security.”

    In her plea, Humber admitted to having served as the leader of the group from July 2022 until her arrest in September 2024 and that she and other members also solicited individuals to commit hate crimes and provided “technical, inspirational and operational guidance” to help others plan, prepare for and successfully carry out the attacks.

    The department said the individuals inspired and guided by Humber and the Terrorgram Collective committed or at least plotted to commit attacks in the U.S. and abroad – including plots to attack a New Jersey and a Tennessee energy facility, murdering two people in Wisconsin as part of a larger plot to assassinate a federal official and an attempt to assassinate an Australian official.

    Crimes committed abroad by those recruited and led by Humber and the Terrorgram Collective include the fatal shooting of two people at an LGBT bar in Bratislava, Slovakia, and the stabbing of five people outside of a mosque in Eskişehir, Turkey, the department also said.

    When Humber was arrested, federal authorities found in her possession domestic terrorist patches, Nazi paraphernalia, 3D-printed firearms, 3D printers, ammunition, trigger extenders, SIM cards and flash drives, according to The Sacramento Bee.” 

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Just The News: “President Trump announced on Sunday that his news conference on Monday will deal with the “beautification” of the nation’s capital, adding that Washington, D.C. Mayor Murial Bowser has had “many chances” to fix the crime problem.

    “The Press Conference on Crime and ‘Beautification’ will be held tomorrow, at 10:00 A.M. EST, in the Press Briefing Room, and it will not only involve ending the Crime, Murder, and Death in our Nation’s Capital, but will also be about Cleanliness and the General Physical Renovation and Condition of our once beautiful and well maintained Capital,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

    “The Mayor of D.C., Muriel Bowser, is a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances, and the Crime Numbers get worse, and the City only gets dirtier and less attractive. The American Public is not going to put up with it any longer,” he added.

    Trump also mentioned the Federal Reserve building renovation that is taking place. “We are not going to allow people to spend $3.1 Billion Dollars on fixing up a building, like the Federal Reserve, which could have been done in a far more elegant and time sensitive manner for $50 to $100 Million Dollars,” he wrote on social media. 

    “The Renovation would have actually been better, and we would have saved $3 Billion Dollars, Traffic Jams, and never-ending Construction,” he added.

    Trump compared his forthcoming plan for D.C. safety to his handling of the border. “Just like I took care of the Border, where you had ZERO Illegals coming across last month, from millions the year before, I will take care of our cherished Capital, and we will make it, truly, GREAT AGAIN! Before the tents, squalor, filth, and Crime, it was the most beautiful Capital in the World. It will soon be that again,” he wrote.

    Trump issued a warning to the homeless population in Washington, D.C.

    “The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital. The Criminals, you don’t have to move out. We’re going to put you in jail where you belong. It’s all going to happen very fast, just like the Border. We went from millions pouring in, to ZERO in the last few months,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This will be easier — Be prepared! There will be no ‘MR. NICE GUY.’ We want our Capital BACK.”

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Just The News: “President Donald Trump has announced a new $200 million expansion of the White House, with construction to be handled by Clark Construction, a national firm with offices across Virginia.

    The project will add a new State Ballroom to the White House grounds with approximately 90,000 square feet of event space. The White House said the expansion will allow for official gatherings and state functions to be held without setting up large outdoor tents. The ballroom will have seating for up to 650 people, more than triple the capacity of the East Room.

    Construction is scheduled to begin in September 2025 and be completed before the end of Trump’s current term. The White House said the project will be privately funded through donations from Trump and other supporters. The U.S. Secret Service and National Park Service will be involved in design planning and security requirements.

    Clark Construction will serve as the construction lead on the project. The Center Square contacted the company to confirm its role. Clark Construction confirmed its involvement in the project by phone, but had not provided a public comment at the time of publication. Clark is based in Bethesda, Md., and operates multiple offices across the country, including four in Virginia: McLean, Richmond, Lorton and Sterling.

    McCrery Architects will lead the design, and AECOM will handle engineering. The White House said the ballroom will be constructed where the current East Wing stands and will maintain the classical style of the original structure.

    According to the White House, the East Wing was originally built in 1902, with a second story added in 1942. The last major structural overhaul of the White House occurred under President Harry Truman.

    The administration said it will continue to provide updates on the project.”

    Liked by 1 person

  14. EXCERPT: “…….From the outset, Makary set the tone. The WHI had, in his view, cast a dark shadow, discouraging doctors from prescribing HRT and leaving women confused or untreated. Speaker after speaker echoed this sentiment. The WHI was described as a catastrophic misstep that had misled millions—“the day the music died,” as one expert put it.

    Panelists portrayed the study as a rupture in women’s health education. They argued the WHI had studied the “wrong women”—too old, too far past menopause, unrepresentative of those typically seeking relief—and used the “wrong type of oestrogen.” Its findings, they said, were overstated, misleading, and plain wrong. The result? Millions of women flushing their HRT down the toilet.

    Some panellists made extraordinary claims. One doctor said a patient on testosterone therapy had experienced improved mathematical abilities, and described another who was able to recall a foreign language learned in childhood.

    Oestrogen was described in near-miraculous terms—preserving bone density, boosting cognition, enhancing mood and sexual function, staving off ageing, and protecting the heart. Declining levels of oestrogen were framed as a medical emergency. One that, if left untreated, would rob women of vitality, resilience, and longevity. 

    Several speakers advocated for starting HRT “at least 10 years” before menopause—even in women without hot flushes, mood changes, or sleep disturbances. 

    What Was Missing?

    Absent from this enthusiasm was meaningful engagement with the potential harms. The WHI, published in 2002, remains one of the most rigorous, publicly funded randomised trials ever conducted on hormone therapy. Involving more than 160,000 postmenopausal women, it was funded by the National Institutes of Health to examine whether hormone therapy could prevent chronic disease.

    At the time, it linked oestrogen-progestin therapy to increased risks of breast cancer, stroke, and cardiovascular events. These findings weren’t outliers. The Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study (HERS), published several years earlier, also found that hormone therapy failed to reduce cardiovascular events—and increased the risk in the first year of use.

    Then came the UK’s Million Women Study—a prospective cohort involving more than a million participants—which found that combined oestrogen-progestin therapy significantly increased the risk of breast cancer.

    Despite their size and scientific weight, these studies were scarcely mentioned. Instead, panellists leaned on industry-sponsored studies that cast hormone therapy in a more favourable light. 

    Conflicts of Interest and Lack of Balance

    Many of the panellists had ties to pharmaceutical companies that manufacture hormone products. Some declared these conflicts. Others said they had “no disclosures” despite having authored books promoting hormone therapy, spoken at pharma events, or built entire careers advocating oestrogen use.

    This doesn’t invalidate their expertise. But it demands scrutiny—particularly when no dissenting voices were invited. At times, the event resembled an echo chamber.

    Risks such as breast cancer, stroke, and blood clots were minimised or dismissed. Meanwhile, the central message was hammered home: menopause is a condition of “oestrogen deficiency,” and HRT is the only answer.

    Selling Menopause As a ‘Disease’

    An unsettling aspect of the roundtable was its repeated framing of menopause as a pathological condition—a deficiency state requiring pharmaceutical correction. Without oestrogen, women were told, they were vulnerable to everything from dementia and osteoporosis to heart attacks, sexual dysfunction, and premature death. 

    This idea—that women are broken and in need of fixing—is not new. It’s long been a central theme of pharmaceutical marketing. And it sits at the heart of how menopause has been over-medicalised: recast as a clinical problem in need of lifelong pharmaceutical correction.

    To be clear, the symptoms of menopause are real…….”

    https://brownstone.org/articles/are-we-over-medicalising-menopause/

    Liked by 1 person

  15. A Doctor’s Call to Action: Why the Pesticide Liability Protection Act Threatens Our Food Supply and the Health of a Nation

    A physician, rancher and advocate examines the dangerous precedent of corporate immunity in agriculture

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “As stewards of the land and providers of our nation’s food supply, farmers and ranchers carry a profound moral obligation—to produce the safest, healthiest, and most nutritious food on the planet. It is not just our livelihood; it is our responsibility to future generations.

    That is why I am writing today with deep concern regarding the Pesticide Liability Protection Act currently under consideration in Congress. If enacted, this legislation could cause irreparable harm—not just to the health of farmers and ranchers who work directly with these chemicals, but to the broader public who unknowingly consume their residues.

    The Dangerous Path of Corporate Immunity

    This bill threatens to open the floodgates for a new wave of pesticides and herbicides engineered by agrochemical giants—products that may be even more toxic than those currently on the market. By shielding these corporations from legal accountability, it removes their last remaining incentive to ensure their chemicals are safe.

    We have seen this story before. In 1986, Congress passed the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, granting pharmaceutical companies immunity from liability for vaccine-related injuries. The consequences were swift and staggering: a surge in new products, rushed to market without proper safeguards, and a dramatic rise in chronic health conditions in children and adults alike. It was a public health turning point, and not for the better.

    The parallels to our current situation are striking. Consider the case of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup. Bayer (which acquired Monsanto in 2018) has faced more than 177,000 lawsuits involving the weedkiller and set aside $16 billion to settle cases. Over $11 billion has been paid out in Roundup lawsuit settlements, with individual jury awards reaching as high as $2.1 billion in recent cases.

    These staggering financial settlements reflect the real human cost of inadequate chemical safety oversight. Even more alarming is the widespread exposure we’re seeing in our most vulnerable population: children. About 87 percent of 650 children tested had detectable levels of glyphosate in their urine, according to CDC analysis. Research shows that children exhibit higher levels of glyphosate in biofluids than adults, and recent studies indicate that higher levels of glyphosate residue in urine in childhood and adolescence were associated with higher risk of liver inflammation and metabolic disorders in young adulthood.

    To repeat that same mistake with our nation’s food supply would be unconscionable.

    Why the Pesticide Liability Protection Act Is Unconstitutional

    The Pesticide Liability Protection Act fundamentally violates several core constitutional principles that form the bedrock of American jurisprudence:

    Due Process Violations (5th and 14th Amendments): The Act deprives citizens of their fundamental right to seek redress in courts for injuries caused by defective or dangerous products. This violates substantive due process by eliminating a basic property right—the right to compensation for harm—without adequate justification or alternative remedies.

    Equal Protection Concerns: The legislation creates an arbitrary distinction between victims of chemical company negligence and all other tort victims. There is no rational basis for why those harmed by pesticides should have fewer legal rights than those harmed by other dangerous products.

    Separation of Powers: By preemptively shielding an entire industry from judicial review, Congress unconstitutionally interferes with the judiciary’s role in adjudicating disputes and determining liability. This represents legislative overreach into the judicial branch’s constitutional domain.

    Takings Clause Violations: The Act effectively takes private property—the right to legal recourse—without just compensation, violating the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause.

    The Supreme Court has consistently held that access to courts is a fundamental right, and any legislation that bars entire categories of claims must meet strict constitutional scrutiny. The Pesticide Liability Protection Act fails this test.

    A Call for Leadership

    Therefore, I strongly urge all agricultural organizations—from cattlemen’s associations to farm bureaus, from organic growers to commodity groups—to go on record opposing the Pesticide Liability Protection Act. We must issue public statements and press releases declaring our stance against corporate immunity for chemical manufacturers. This is not just a matter of agricultural policy—it is a matter of public health, environmental integrity, and moral leadership.

    In addition, I ask that agricultural organizations support Senator Cory Booker’s proposed legislation, which seeks to hold chemical producers accountable and prioritize the safety of both producers and consumers. This is a rare opportunity to lead on an issue that will define the future of American agriculture.

    The Choice Before Us

    The agricultural community stands at a crossroads. We can choose to prioritize short-term convenience and corporate profits, or we can choose to protect the long-term health of our land, our communities, and our food supply.

    The history of corporate liability shields teaches us a clear lesson: when companies are freed from accountability, public safety inevitably suffers. We cannot allow the same corporate immunity that transformed the pharmaceutical industry to be replicated in agriculture.

    Let us be remembered not as the generation that turned a blind eye, but as the one that stood firm to protect our land, our people, and our food.

    Dr. Brooke Miller is a physician, rancher, past president of the United States Cattlemen’s Association, and advocate for agricultural safety and public health.

    https://brookemillermd.substack.com/p/a-doctors-call-to-action-why-the

    Liked by 1 person

  18. “The U.S. Interstate Highway System was significantly influenced by President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s experiences during World War II. Eisenhower observed Germany’s Autobahn system during the war, recognizing the strategic importance of a robust national highway network for military defense and transportation.

    Upon becoming President, he advocated for the creation of a similar system in the United States, emphasizing its benefits for national defense and economic growth. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, signed by Eisenhower, authorized the construction of the Interstate Highway System.

    This system revolutionized transportation in the U.S., facilitating faster travel, promoting economic development, and enhancing national security.”

    Liked by 1 person

  21. “Report: 3 In 5 Veterans Treated For PTSD Are On At Least Two Psych Meds — Portions of the VA medical staff seem to have settled upon powerful narcotics as a way to keep suffering patients churning through the pipeline.”

    The federalist, By: Christopher Jacobs, August 11, 2025

    person in military uniform sitting on the floor with his head in his hands

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “For all the flaws of the media — and they are legion — journalism can still shine a powerful and valuable spotlight on issues of importance. When it comes to the treatment of veterans, a recent Wall Street Journal investigation did just that.

    The in-depth feature, “Combat Cocktail: How America Overmedicates Veterans,” put in sharp focus how physicians within the Department of Veterans Affairs have made multiple prescriptions de rigueur for veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. Both harrowing and infuriating, the investigation revealed how patients struggling with mental burdens from their time in service saw their government not help to heal their wounds, but compound them — in ways that have sometimes proved fatal.

    ‘Make You Numb and Like a Zombie’

    The quantitative numbers from the Journal investigation reveal the extent of the problem. As of 2019, the most recent year with publicly available data, more than half a million VA patients with PTSD “were taking two or more central nervous system drugs at the same time.” 

    In percentage terms, almost 60 percent of PTSD patients — that’s 3 in 5 — were receiving at least two drugs simultaneously. That fact remained even though “the VA’s own guidelines say no data support drug combinations to treat PTSD,” and a 2016 study concluded that “Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans taking five or more central nervous system drugs faced higher risks of overdose and suicidal behaviors.”

    Thus far, the VA has not taken steps that could help solve the problem. It has not added warnings to doctors in medical records about the dangers of psychiatric drug interactions, or required informed consent from patients before administering psychiatric drugs that come with a risk of suicide. Instead, drugs remain the prime option, if not the only “solution,” to veterans’ psychiatric symptoms.

    The Journal cited a 2019 study finding that, in part due to a shortage of therapists, “only 15% of veterans diagnosed with depression, PTSD, or anxiety are offered psychotherapy in lieu of medication” — one-fourth the percentage of PTSD patients receiving multiple nervous system pharmaceuticals. The investigation also referenced disgraceful examples of using extortion to achieve compliance: “Some veterans who have resisted taking cocktails of drugs say they were warned by VA and military doctors that refusing them could jeopardize their eligibility for disability benefits, which can reach $4,500 a month.”

    Harmed by the ‘Helpers’

    As damning as the statistics and reports are, the most haunting elements of the Journal investigation come via the firsthand accounts of veterans trying to navigate a medicate-first culture that turned them into glorified “zombies.” 

    Consider Iraq veteran and PTSD patient Doug Gresenz, who said he was “‘guilt-tripped’” by physicians when a suicide attempt raised his concern about the number and volume of psychotropic drugs he was administered. “VA doctors questioned his commitment to recovery and told him he needed the pills to lead a normal life.”

    What he got was anything but normal. Frustrated after receiving two dozen central nervous system medications over a decade, he tried to wean himself off the pharmaceuticals. “Within a couple of weeks, he collapsed, unable to use his legs. He developed a stutter and extreme light sensitivity. Violent spasms led to another fall, which caused complications that resulted in a severe foot injury and, eventually, an amputation last year.” So much for being able to “lead a normal life.”

    Similar stories echo throughout the investigation: a VA doctor who told a veteran “‘under no circumstances are you ever going to be a person who is going to operate without meds’”; a retired Army sergeant who recounted that “‘they give out these giant paper bags filled with medicine after your first psychiatrist appointment’”; a Navy veteran prescribed a “powerful antipsychotic in a five-minute appointment,” who texted his father afterwards that “‘they did not even listen to anything I said — just prescribed stuff. Unreal.’”

    The story of the Navy veteran got much worse from there: “Six days later, [he] returned, stepped off a shuttle bus, and fatally shot himself in the head.” His father called it a last, desperate attempt to speak to an insular bureaucracy on behalf of “all the veterans who have no voice.”

    Problems of Government-Run Health Care

    I won’t pretend to have anything approaching the level of medical training to speak to how the VA should solve this problem — both coming up with effective protocols for treating patients and finding safe ways to wean veterans now addicted to pills as a result of the VA’s existing practices.

    But, like the appointment waiting time scandal at the Phoenix veterans clinic under the Obama administration, the problem appears based in culture as much as anything. Facing a shortage of personnel that could deliver nonpharmaceutical solutions, portions of the VA’s medical staff seem to have settled upon powerful narcotics as a way to keep patients suffering from mental illnesses churning through the pipeline.

    But veterans in particular deserve the dignity that comes with being treated as a person, not a number. This latest VA scandal reminds us that our health care system, which has become defined by bureaucracy and large government programs, needs to regain its focus. To paraphrase James Carville, the behavior of every doctor, nurse, or medical professional must once again become about the patients, stupid.”

    Liked by 1 person

  22. EXCERPT: “On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that will finally put an end to banks’ discrimination against conservatives, Christian groups, and other organizations.

    The order requires that federal banking regulators eliminate references to reputational risk and similar concepts in their guidance and examination procedures. Additionally, it directs the Small Business Administration to compel financial institutions to take steps to restore access to services for current or prospective clients who were previously denied services due to an illegal debanking policy.

    The Trump administration has said previously that under the Biden administration, regulators used reputational risk to coerce banks to take aggressive actions against disfavored businesses and conservative organizations.

    Regulators will also examine whether financial institutions have implemented politically driven debanking policies, and, if so, pursue appropriate enforcement steps, including financial penalties.

    The executive order further directs federal banking agencies to analyze supervisory records and consumer complaint data to uncover any unlawful denial of financial services tied to religious affiliation. When such violations are identified, they must be referred to the attorney general for further action.

    Most importantly, Trump’s order requires the Treasury Department to craft a plan to permanently stop debanking practices. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will be responsible for outlining potential legislative proposals and regulatory reforms aimed at preventing this form of discrimination in the future.

    A Huge Win for Freedom

    Although more regulations will still need to be issued by the White House, what we have seen so far suggests Trump’s order is a gigantic victory for liberty.

    Under previous administrations, banks were allowed to discriminate against many nonprofit groups, lawful businesses, and even individuals they did not like, making it difficult for those organizations and people to survive. In many cases, banks were pressured by large investors, activist groups, and political leaders to use their financial might to shove America further to the left.

    Numerous examples of alleged discrimination and discriminatory policies imposed by financial institutions exist…..”

    https://thefederalist.com/2025/08/11/finally-a-president-is-standing-up-to-woke-banks/

    Liked by 1 person

  23. SMH – I guess another of the changes with our PO is a later delivery…..in the past, my mail was delivered in the 8-9 am timeframe. Now it appears it will be later every day…..still waiting. OK – called the PO – yep, this is the last portion of his route and it will be closer to noon from now on.

    Liked by 1 person

            1. there must have been a Mom Manual at one time…LOL
              it was out of print when i became a mom –so i made stuff up…LOL
              you know the father from Calvin & Hobbs–who makes things up when Calvin asks a question. that would be ME! lol

              Liked by 1 person

  24. “Education Dept. Demands Receipts From Universities That Do Affirmative Action Under The Table: Data collection will allow the federal government to keep tabs on universities trying to hide their racial discrimination.”

    The Federalist, By: Breccan F. Thies, August 08, 2025

    trump admissions

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “It is about to become much more difficult for American universities to hide their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and race-based admissions schemes. That is because the Department of Education will now start requiring universities that receive federal funding to submit race and sex data from applicants, admissions, and enrollments for undergraduates, as well as certain graduate and other programs.

    “Following the revelations of rampant racial preferencing in college admissions exposed by SFFA v. Harvard, the Trump Administration is now standardizing reporting from colleges and universities to provide full transparency into their admissions practices,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. “It should not take years of legal proceedings, and millions of dollars in litigation fees, to elicit data from taxpayer-funded institutions that identifies whether they are discriminating against hard working American applicants.”

    “We will not allow institutions to blight the dreams of students by presuming that their skin color matters more than their hard work and accomplishments,” she added. “The Trump Administration will ensure that meritocracy and excellence once again characterize American higher education.” 

    In addition to race and sex data, other indicators like academic achievements, standardized test scores, and grade point averages (GPA) will accompany the profiles in order to keep track of potential systematic discrimination against students who would otherwise likely be admitted, were it not for them being white, Asian, or male, for example.

    Ever since the backlash against DEI and racial admissions schemes, sometimes known as affirmative action, universities (which in large part invented these ideologies) have been looking for ways to find loopholes or bypass federal civil rights law.

    As The Federalist reported, within hours of the Supreme Court deciding affirmative action to be unconstitutional, Harvard University sought loopholes to allow students to identify their race without checking a box (e.g. by encouraging they mention it in application essays).

    Earlier this week, a federal complaint was filed against Harvard Medical School for doing this, but the move from the Trump administration to collect the data will put sunlight on the tangible data suggesting these schools have certain racial preferences.

    Kurt Miceli, MD, medical director of Do No Harm, an organization that has been fighting racial preferences in medical school admissions, told The Federalist that the Trump administration’s move was “much needed oversight and is an important step towards ensuring colleges and universities follow the law,” adding that the data collection will “put an end to higher education skirting the Supreme Courts’ decision.”

    President Donald Trump signed a memorandum Thursday directing McMahon to initiate reforms to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), which is run by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) — a subagency within the Education Department.

    “Although the Supreme Court of the United States has definitively held that consideration of race in higher education admissions violates students’ civil rights, the persistent lack of available data — paired with the rampant use of ‘diversity statements’ and other overt and hidden racial proxies — continues to raise concerns about whether race is actually used in practice,” the memorandum stats. “Greater transparency is essential to exposing unlawful practices and ultimately ridding society of shameful, dangerous racial hierarchies.”

    McMahon then sent a directive to NCES Acting Commissioner Matthew Soldner noting that “the current survey neglects to collect important information that could reveal whether universities are discriminating against applicants based on race,” adding that the “collection and reporting of data on race/ethnicity and sex for students is mandatory for all institutions that receive, are applicants for, or expect to be applicants for Federal financial assistance as defined in the Department’s regulations implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, or defined in any Department regulation implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.”

    NCES will also need to “develop a rigorous audit process to ensure the data being collected is accurate and reported consistently across institutions.”

    The Trump administration has been taking the American education establishment to task since Inauguration Day. It has sought to end the “transgender” obsession both within sports and in school districts grooming children into thinking they are a different gender. It has likewise gone after schools instituting racial preferences, and ended taxpayer subsidies to illegals. One of the major focuses of the Department of Education has been to pare down its own bureaucracy and return most education decision making to the states.

    “Race-based admissions practices are not only unfair, but also threaten our national security and well-being,” Trump’s memorandum states. “American students and taxpayers deserve confidence in the fairness and integrity of our Nation’s institutions of higher education, including confidence that they are recruiting and training capable future doctors, engineers, scientists, and other critical workers vital to the next generations of American prosperity.”

    The reforms required by the memorandum will need to be ready in 120 days and will be initiated for the 2025-2026 school year.”

    Liked by 1 person

  25. Just The News: “A federal judge on Monday rejected the Department of Justice’s request to unseal grand jury materials in Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking case.

    The DOJ had requested the release of grand jury testimony and exhibits from cases involving deceased financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in New York, CNN reported. Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking, was Epstein’s associate.”

    Liked by 1 person

  26. Just The News: “President Donald Trump on Monday announced that he would act to crack down on crime in Washington, D.C., including by deploying the National Guard. “I’m announcing a historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor, and worse. This is Liberation Day in D.C. and we’re going to take our capital back,” he said.

    “Under the authorities vested in me as the President of the United States, I’m officially invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act,” he added. “And placing the DC Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control.” Attorney General Pam Bondi will assume control of the police department, he added.

    Trump went on to lament a long-term rise in crime in the city, highlighting that D.C.’s crime rates had surpassed the capital’s of many other nations, including Mexico City.

    “The murder rate in Washington today is higher than that of Bogota, Colombia, Mexico City, some of the places that you hear about as being the worst places on Earth, much higher,” he added.

    Trump went on to list major criminal incidents in the city, including the recent assault on former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer Edward “big balls” Coristine and the carjacking of Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, in the Navy Yard neighborhood. He also referenced the recent shooting of a congressional intern, an assault on one of Sen. Rand Paul’s, R-Ky., staffers, and the murder of a former Trump administration official.

    He further pointed to the city’s implementation of no cash bail and vowed to eliminate the statute through Congress.”

    Liked by 1 person

  27. “History books leave out the best parts—like the fact that some military ranks were earned by fur, feathers, and pure weirdness. Yes, these are actual real war stories…”

    Strange Sounds, Aug 11, 2025

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “In 1944, a U.S. Navy crew member rescued a kitten named George who was in danger of drowning. After being saved, George became a sort of mascot for the crew and was even photographed and officially given a liberty card along with a detailed health record, just like a sailor.

    There is actually quite a staggering amount of cases where in the US military (and in others) that animals were “enlisted” during various wars. And not just in the way of them needing a horse to help carry shells for field guns, but they were brought into the military as though they had actually enlisted, and plenty were given paperwork and ranks.

    A short list that I could think of from prior knowledge includes:

    Staff Sergeant Reckless, a horse that served with the US marines during the Korean War by doing basically the exact example I gave above.

    Sergeant Siwash, a duck who served with the US marines during WW2 in the pacific theatre, and fought an enemy rooster during a beach landing.

    Cher Ami, a carrier pigeon who served with the US Army signal corps during WW1, and delivered a message despite being wounded, aiding in saving the lives of the 200 soldiers of the “Lost Battalion”

    CPL Wojtek, a bear that served with the Polish army during WW2, carrying artillery shells, drinking beer, and all in all being just one of the boys.

    There are many more, but animals have always been part of the military, and many are accidental in how they become part of it, such as Wojtek and Reckless, but nevertheless they are just as much part of the units that adopted them as any of the brave soldiers who gave them a loving family to be part of.”

    Liked by 1 person

  29. Liked by 1 person

  30. “Western Europe wants war in Ukraine to continue, even without the Americans — Western Europe will stand in the way of any peace deal because they want a common EU defense policy not under American control”

    Remix News Staff, August 11, 2025

    A Ukrainian National Guard serviceman of 3rd brigade «Spartan» takes his position during a training not far from the frontline on Pokrovsk direction, Ukraine, on Friday, August 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “A Polish political scientist and journalist, Prof. Adam Wielomski, has taken to social media to claim Western European leaders do not seek a ceasefire in Ukraine at all, while the U.S. and Russia have their terms set and ready to go. 

    According to Wielomski, Trump and Putin have already made an agreement and will simply use their Aug. 15 meeting in Alaska to announce it “with great pomp and circumstance.”

    Meanwhile, talk of Zelensky being present at the meeting is in no way related to Zelensky having any say on the negotiated terms, he continues, but to show that Zelensky is on board and to have him sign the pre-arranged agreement. 

    The issue, however, is that “Zelensky does not want to sign because he is afraid of being held responsible for losing the war.” And Western Europe stands behind him “because it wants the war to continue despite the withdrawal of the Americans, as this will give it fuel and an excuse to eliminate American control over it in the form of NATO and give it a reason to create either a European Defense Union or to federalize the EU with a common foreign and defense policy.”

    Wielomski then asks the “intelligentsia” who will benefit the most, Kyiv or Moscow, from the Americans withdrawing, leaving Zelensky only with the U.K. and the EU to support it. 

    News portal Do Rzeczy reported on a document signed over the weekend by European leaders, committing to continued support of Ukraine and financing its ongoing needs. President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, Chancellor Merz, Prime Minister Tusk, Prime Minister Starmer, President von der Leyen, and President Stubb all signed the statement regarding “peace for Ukraine in connection with the planned meeting between President Trump and President Putin.”

    Included in the document was their concern that serious negotiations can only take place under conditions of a ceasefire or a reduction in military operations and that Ukraine’s participation in any talks was critical to any peace being achieved.

    Both the White House and the Kremlin accepted President Zelensky’s request to join the talks, although no formal invitation was issued. Meanwhile, a senior member of Putin’s inner circle, Investment Envoy Kirill Dmitriev, has said that many countries are making “titanic efforts” to hinder an agreement between Russia and Trump.

    Dmitriev did not name specific countries but indicated that critics of the upcoming talks may attempt to sabotage the summit through diplomatic maneuvers and disinformation via the media.”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. so no Americans? does that mean they can PAY for their own defenses? shit, they can’t even pay their fair share in the UN…how they gonna do it without US? oh that’s right. we should pay for it, but have no say or part of it. DREAM ON!

      Liked by 1 person

  31. “People criticized this meteorologist for texting his wife to check on the baby during severe weather. He had some words for the critics.”

    Not The Bee, Harriet Rigby, August 10, 2025

    Image for article: People criticized this meteorologist for texting his wife to check on the baby during severe weather. He had some words for the critics.

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “Minnesota’s KTTC News Chief Meteorologist Nick Jansen recently received some backlash from viewers after he was caught texting his wife during a live broadcast on July 28.

    A reporter offscreen was finishing up a segment when the camera moved back to Jansen, and when it came time for him to take over the broadcast, he quickly explained that he was just finishing up a text to his wife to make sure she and their 6-month-old baby were awake and in their safe place before he continued on with the report.

    Afterwards, Jansen received a negative email criticizing the moment as unprofessional, but the weatherman defended his actions in a Facebook post that has since gone viral.

    Jansen later told TODAY that this isn’t the first time he’s received this type of backlash. Just a few years ago, he texted his wife to check on her safety during a tornado outbreak that impacted their home. He went on to explain:

    So when I received this latest email, I was like, you know what? I don’t think it’s acceptable that I can’t take a second to make sure my loved ones are OK. I’m sure a lot of viewers were texting their families. And we always say on-air, ‘If you know someone in such-and-such a town, make sure to let them know this is coming.’ So I was kind of taking my own advice.

    Thankfully, in this case, Jansen’s home and family made it through the storm safely, and the positive feedback has far outweighed the criticism.

    And come on, who could look at this sweet face and stay mad about a dad checking on his baby girl!

    KTTC vice president Stephanie Hendrick also released a statement in support of the meteorologist, saying:

    KTTC knows that when our meteorologists, anchors and reporters are delivering the news, they are also talking to their own families- informing them and helping to keep them safe. In this case, viewers saw that happen live — Nick being a good husband and dad by taking a moment and making sure they were safe.

    Consider this a win for Chief Meteorologist Nick Jansen!”

    Liked by 1 person

  32. “Witness “Project Rebirth,” which could save you from your next plane crash”

    Not The Bee, Edward Teach, Aug 10, 2025

    Image for article: Witness "Project Rebirth," which could save you from your next plane crash

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “A plane crash: Nobody wants one. It’s pretty much universally reviled. Everyone wants to avoid it.

    With something so hated and opposed, it’s unsurprising that we’ll go to great lengths to get around it.Enter “Project Rebirth:”

    This is no joke, folks. This is the future of airplane safety (maybe):

    Project REBIRTH is an AI-powered crash survival system using airbags, smart fluids, and reverse thrust to reduce impact and save lives when all else fails. Born from tragedy, built with purpose.

    The project is being spearheaded by researchers and engineers from Dubai. It has been submitted to the James Dyson Awards, an “international design award that celebrates, encourages and inspires the next generation of design engineers.”

    The project was apparently born after the brutal India Air crash from this past June.

    The designers said the “emotional storm” after the crash “became hours of research and design” searching for something to prevent a similar crash in the future. The project uses “five smart technologies” to predict crashes and make them less deadly:

    • AI Detection: An AI system “monitors altitude, speed, engine status, direction, fire, and pilot response.” It will activate automatically if it detects an unavoidable crash below 3,000 feet.
    • Airbags: “High-speed airbags deploy from the nose, belly, and tail” in under two seconds. Made of “layered fabric,” they absorb the plane’s impact.
    • Reverse Thrust: Thrusters will work to reduce speeds up to 20%. .
    • Smart Fluids: “Non-Newtonian fluids” within walls and seats “stay soft but harden on impact.”
    • Rescue Aids: A “bright orange shell, GPS, infrared beacons, and exit lights” will guide rescuers to the crash site.

    Images of this proposed system look, to put it bluntly, very corny and ridiculous. (But of course it doesn’t matter how it looks if it saves lives!)

    Project Rebirth

    Project Rebirth

    REBIRTH “can be added to existing planes or built into new ones,” the engineers say. They are aiming to have the system “tested, approved, and used in real flights” within five years.

    Good luck, engineers, and don’t let anyone make fun of those airbags!”

    Liked by 1 person

  33. Finally, my mail arrived! So I guess I won’t look for it until noon every day from now on! What a pretty lilac envelope was delivered!!! Someone really cares about me and has a HUGE heart! So now I will head out to Norfolk…..BBL!

    Liked by 1 person

  34. Chief Steven Sund
    @ChiefSund
    Ma’am, it is long past time to be honest with the American people. On January 3, I requested National Guard assistance, but your Sergeant at Arms denied it. Under federal law (2 U.S.C. §1970), I was prohibited from calling them in without specific approval. That same day, Carol Corbin at the Pentagon offered National Guard support, but I was forced to decline because I lacked the legal authority.

    On January 6, while the Capitol was under attack and despite my repeated calls, your Sergeant at Arms again denied my urgent requests for over 70 agonizing minutes, “running it up the chain” for your approval.

    When I needed assistance, it was denied. Yet when it suited you, you ordered fencing topped with concertina wire and surrounded the Capitol with thousands of armed National Guard troops.
    @realDonaldTrump
    @SpeakerPelosi
    @AGPamBondi
    @attorneypirro
    @SecDef
    @GOPoversight
    @RepLoudermilk

    Liked by 1 person

  35. Phew! Hot out there w/no a/c in my truck, especially when I got to fiddling with my CD player and trying to switch out the CDs. It’s been so long, I forgot how to do it!!! It was hot sitting in my garage! LOL

    What cantalope plants that came up are doing great but I’m afraid they won’t have enough time to get any size on ’em before cold weather sets in. A LOT of fruit on the 3 plants!!!

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Really growing well since the weather leveled out. Maybe they’ll be edible even if they are small….it sure would be a waste but nothing to be done….🤷‍♀️

        Liked by 1 person

  36. Just The News: “At least three people were killed on Monday during a shooting at a Target in Austin, Texas, according to the local police department. The suspect has been apprehended.

    Austin Police told residents to stay clear of the area while the investigation into the shooting continues. At least four people were involved in the incident, the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services has confirmed.

    Police officials also said in a press briefing that between three and five people were shot, including a child. It is not clear if the deceased are included in that count, and the status of the injured was not immediately released.

    The suspect has been identified as a 32-year-old white man who carjacked a vehicle in the Target parking lot. He fled the scene but was quickly tracked down and arrested. The identity of the suspect has not yet been released.

    This story is breaking. Please check back for updates.”

    Liked by 1 person

  37. “The water quality in Warsaw, the capital city of Poland, is monitored by 8 clams… If the water gets too toxic, they close, and this triggers analyses that can immediately shut off the city’s water supply, if at least 4 are closed…

    When the molluscs encounter heavy metals, pesticides or other pollutants, they close their shells, explains Piotr Domek of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, who has worked on the project for three decades. To create a natural early-warning system, Mr Domek and his colleagues collect the clams from rivers or reservoirs, and attach a coil and a magnet to their shells. Computers register whether their shells are open or closed by detecting changes in the magnetic field.

    There are drawbacks. Clams, as the idiom goes, cannot talk. So they never reveal which toxin is causing them to clam up. Also, it seems that they may be less good at detecting dangerous pharmaceuticals. Still, Piotr Klimaszyk, who leads the team that developed the system, thinks it ought to be used everywhere. It is cheap: all you need is clams and computers. “It allows you to check the water quality hour by hour, minute by minute, so why not?”

    Yep, the clams are used in a supplementary way, they are basically just one more test for the water to pass in addition to all the other tests that are being done…And when the clams retire, they are delicious… Maybe…”

    Liked by 1 person

  39. “Top Vaccine Regulator Returns to FDA Two Weeks After He Was Fired — Dr. Vinay Prasad will lead the FDA’s vaccine and biologics division after resigning amid pressure from critics less than two weeks ago, HHS confirmed. “Neither the White House nor HHS will allow the fake news media to distract from the critical work the FDA is carrying out under the Trump administration,” HHS said.”

    by Brenda Baletti, Ph.D., August 11, 2025

    Vinay Prasad on the left and FDA under magnifying glass on the right

    EXCERPT: “Dr. Vinay Prasad is returning to his job as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) top vaccine regulator, less than two weeks after stepping down amid pressure from vocal critics. Prasad will lead the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) at the FDA’s request, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed Saturday.

    “Neither the White House nor HHS will allow the fake news media to distract from the critical work the FDA is carrying out under the Trump administration,” HHS Communications Director Andrew Nixon said in a statement to The Defender.

    Prasad’s rehiring in the face of stark criticism suggests that U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary remain influential in the White House, The New York Times reported. Kennedy and Makary defended Prasad against mounting attacks in the days before his resignation.

    Makary told reporters Aug. 4 that he was working to persuade Prasad to return to the agency. Prasad did not comment publicly on his resignation, but a spokesperson said, “Prasad did not want to be a distraction” to the FDA or the Trump administration.

    Prasad resigned on July 29, amid controversy over his decision to pull Elevidys, a profitable gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, from the market following the deaths of three clinical trial participants. The drug is made by Sarepta Therapeutics.

    On July 18, FDA leadership met with Sarepta, instructed the company to halt all clinical trials and asked it to voluntarily stop all shipments. The company initially refused to halt shipments, according to the FDA, but eventually stopped shipping Elevidys on July 22.

    The move provoked editorials from Allysia Finley at The Wall Street Journal, Bob Goldberg at Real Clear Health and STAT News, which all denounced Prasad for pausing distribution of the drug. The STAT News piece was authored by two mothers — Jennifer Handt, who founded Charlie’s Cure, and Kelly Maynard, who started the Little Hercules Foundation — investigative journalist Paul D. Thacker reported…..”

    https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/top-vaccine-regulator-vinay-prasad-returns-fda-two-weeks-after-fired/

    Liked by 1 person

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