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THIS DAY IN HISTORY July 12 1984 Geraldine Ferraro named vice presidential candidate Walter Mondale, the leading Democratic presidential candidate, announces that he has chosen Representative Geraldine Ferraro of New York as his running mate. Ferraro became the first female vice presidential candidate to represent a major political party. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1861 Wild Bill Hickok’s first gunfight Arts & Entertainment 1979 Disco is dealt death blow by fans of the Chicago White Sox 1389 Geoffrey Chaucer is named chief clerk by Richard II Civil War 1861 Confederacy signs treaties with Choctaw and Chickasaw nations Cold War 1990 Boris Yeltsin resigns from Communist Party Crime 1963 The Moors Murderers begin their killing spree Inventions & Science 1933 First Dymaxion car produced U.S. Government and Politics 1862 Medal of Honor created U.S. Presidents 1957 Eisenhower takes first presidential ride in a helicopter Vietnam War 1965 First Marine to receive posthumous Medal of Honor for action in Vietnam is killed World War II 1943 Russians halt German advance in a decisive battle at Kursk

Alvarez’s 112th-minute goal helps lift Argentina past Switzerland 3-1 and into World Cup semifinals KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Perhaps it is in Argentina’s character that the reigning World Cup champion always finds a way to win. https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-argentina-switzerland-score-d47ccb4ac5b3af67eca1f82228155174?

I Asked Microsoft About Windows 12. Here's What It Would (and Wouldn't) Say Microsoft wouldn't confirm Windows 12, but what it did say reveals when the next version may arrive, what it will include, and why it could look a lot like Windows 11. https://www.pcmag.com/news/i-asked-microsoft-about-windows-12-heres-what-it-would-and-wouldnt-say?

🌳 1 for the road: VP eyes country escape The rolling hills of Middleburg, Va. Photo: Jumping Rocks/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Vice President Vance is eyeing a grand farmhouse in Middleburg, Va., as a getaway from Washington, sources tell Axios D.C.'s Cuneyt Dil and Mimi Montgomery. The 496-acre property, known as Wolver Hill Farm, is about an hour's drive from D.C. It includes a large stone house and abuts the upscale Salamander Resort. The Secret Service has talked with Middleburg police to coordinate security for the veep, a source told Axios. It's uncertain whether the family has signed a lease. NBC News first reported the family's interest in a Middleburg residence. Locals have spotted black SUVs and a Marine helicopter landing on the property. Over the July Fourth weekend, a neighbor saw the FAA post a no-fly drone zone on the site.

Apple sues OpenAI Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios Apple is suing OpenAI for trade secret theft, alleging the AI giant deliberately and systematically solicited and stole confidential information from the iPhone-maker's current and former employees, Axios' Megan Morrone writes. Why it matters: Apple has lost significant talent to OpenAI as the AI lab prepares to unveil its first hardware device this year. Apple says over 400 former employees are now employed by OpenAI. 👀 The lawsuit alleges that Chang Liu, a former senior electrical engineer at Apple, kept a work-issued Apple laptop and discovered a bug that allowed him to access Apple's cloud file storage after leaving and while employed by OpenAI. The suit claims that while Liu was developing hardware for OpenAI, he accessed and downloaded dozens of confidential files from Apple's network, many labeled as confidential. Tang Tan, also mentioned in the complaint, is an Apple veteran who worked on iPhone and Apple Watch and now serves as OpenAI's chief hardware officer. He allegedly circulated a "Need to Know" Apple offboarding doc that he either retained or obtained to teach new OpenAI hires to dodge Apple's exit security checks, according to the filing. Jony Ive, Apple's former chief design officer who began collaborating with OpenAI in 2023, isn't named in the suit. Apple said in a statement: "Recently, significant evidence has emerged suggesting individuals employed by OpenAI wrongfully took Apple's secret and confidential information regarding our unreleased technologies, processes, and products." An OpenAI spokesperson tells Axios: "We have no interest in other companies' trade secrets. We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere." 41-page complaint ...

🇮🇷 Iran's supreme leader vows revenge Mourners touch the coffin of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during this week's funeral procession in Karbala, Iraq. Photo: Elke Scholiers/Getty Images Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei announced today that revenge for his father's assassination "will most certainly be carried out," Axios' Barak Ravid reports. Why it matters: The statement was published after the burial ceremony for his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Throughout the weeklong funeral procession, there were massive public calls for the death of President Trump. Mojtaba Khamenei, who didn't appear in public during the funeral ceremonies, didn't specifically mention Trump. But earlier this week, Israel gave the U.S. information that suggested Iranian officials recently discussed the idea of assassinating Trump, U.S. and Israeli officials said. On his way back from Turkey on Wednesday, Trump traveled in the old Air Force One plane rather than the new plane that the U.S. received from Qatar. The New York Times reported that security concerns prompted the mid-trip switch in planes. What they're saying: Mojtaba Khamenei — who was seriously wounded in the attack that killed his father, and hasn't appeared in public since — pledged on his Telegram channel to "avenge your pure blood and the blood of all those martyred in these two wars by bringing the criminal and dishonorable killers to justice." Khamenei added that whether he is alive or dead, the revenge for his father's death "will be accomplished," and stressed that "soon, freedom-loving people throughout the world will each carry out part of this divine mission." Screenshot: Truth Social Shortly before midnight, Trump published a post on his Truth Social account referring to the Iranian threats against him. Trump said he has already given orders to the U.S. military "for a one year period of time, subject to extension, to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran." He ended his post with: "PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!"

🗞️ NYT reporters subpoenaed The New York Times' front-page headlines yesterday and today. The New York Times reports that the Trump administration issued subpoenas yesterday to several of the paper's journalists after they reported on security fears about President Trump's new Qatari-donated Air Force One. The subpoenas order the reporters — including Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt — to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday. "In some cases, the subpoenas were delivered by federal agents who showed up at reporters' homes," The Times said. The subpoenas were issued by Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan. Clayton was nominated by Trump to serve as director of national intelligence, although the confirmation process has been delayed. David McCraw, The Times' lead newsroom lawyer, said in a statement provided to Axios: "The appearance of Federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience. ... This brazen act should be seen as nothing more than an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in their country by intimidating journalists from doing their jobs." Read on (NYT gift link).

🚀 Society-wide AI moonshot Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios Axios CEO Jim VandeHei writes: In an essay in today's Wall Street Journal, I make the case for a society-wide mobilization to win the AI race and spread the benefits broadly. Give it a read and share your ideas with me. Why it matters to YOU: Leaders of all kinds — in every town, every organization, every campus — will be huge players in any solution. Like after World War II or 9/11, we need to mobilize on a shared national project with a clearly defined goal and a clear competitor to beat — this time, China. Read the essay, with seven society-level ideas to shape AI to benefit all (gift link).

Market mindset unravels Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Stock: Getty Images American political leaders on the left and right are rebelling against the market-first consensus that dominated Washington for four decades. Why it matters: The result is one of the biggest shifts in U.S. economic policy since the Reagan revolution, overturning decades of orthodoxy on trade, manufacturing, housing, health care and corporate power, Axios' Courtenay Brown and Neil Irwin write. Between the lines: The shared skepticism of the old economic consensus masks vastly different visions for what comes next. 🐘 On the right: "American economic policy on the right is now much more Alexander Hamilton than it is Milton Friedman," Vice President Vance told right-wing political commentator Michael Knowles last month. Translation: Vance believes the GOP's intellectual center of gravity is shifting away from free markets to a more interventionist government that promotes domestic industry. He joked that President Trump threatened to seize an AI company's equity and "no one protested." In practice, the pivot means that Trump has embraced tariffs and taken stakes in individual companies, among other policies. This week, the president celebrated Walmart's decision to lower prices and urged other retailers to follow suit. 🫏 On the left: Democratic socialists, including New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, argue that government, not markets, should guarantee affordable housing, health care and other basic necessities. The movement is showing fresh political muscle following Mamdani's rise in New York, and a wave of DSA-backed victories in New York and Colorado that have establishment Democrats increasingly on edge. The new socialist candidates oppose the idea that markets should decide who gets health care, housing, child care or power at work — a close left-wing mirror image of Vance's belief that markets should serve broader social goals, not dictate them. The big picture: No single economic event explains the unraveling of the market-first consensus. Consider how slow-moving economic forces have built on each other: The China shock, the 2008 financial crisis, decades of soaring housing and health care costs, the pandemic and the inflation surge — all eroded confidence in the economic status quo. Social media amplified those shocks, giving Americans a window into how other people live, making wealth disparities, housing inequities and economic frustration feel more immediate and personal. 👀 Reality check: The shift is far from universal. Trump paired tariffs and industrial policy with traditional Republican priorities — including corporate tax cuts, deregulation and a generally business-friendly agenda. Even some democratic socialists have embraced supply-side ideas in housing, arguing that government should both build more homes and lower barriers to construction.

DSA candidates are winning Democratic primaries — can they do it in Florida? The recent electoral successes by Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidates in New York, Pennsylvania, and Colorado has sparked vituperative responses from Republicans and establishment Democrats around the country. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/07/10/dsa-candidates-are-winning-democratic-primaries-can-they-do-it-in-florida/? 11th Circuit crushes Florida’s ‘Stop WOKE Act’ at state universities Instead of the state determining what will be taught in university classrooms, students must be free to hear and consider even officially disfavored ideas presented to them by professors, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/07/07/eleventh-circuit-crushes-floridas-stop-woke-act-at-state-universities/? Florida suit against college accreditation process dismissed again A federal appeals court affirmed Monday dismissal of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ 2023 challenge to the college accrediting process, which he believes enforces diversity and related interests he considers “woke.” https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/07/06/florida-suit-against-college-accreditation-process-dismissed-again/?

Trump Lays Out His Own Assassination Revenge Fantasy The president explained the “instructions” to be acted upon should he fall victim to an Iranian plot. President Donald Trump delved into the “instructions” he has left behind in case Iran assassinates him, and they sound like one of his furious Truth Social posts. Trump, 80, spoke about his plans for posthumous revenge in an interview with The New York Post, as his war with Iran stretches into its fifth month and after he called a tenuous peace agreement “over” due to the resumption of hostilities. “I’ve been on their list for a long time. That’s what we’re dealing with,” Trump said, echoing comments he made this week in Ankara, Turkey, at a NATO summit. “…The only thing is, I’ve left instructions—if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before,” he continued. There have been Iran-linked threats to Trump dating back to at least 2020, when a U.S. drone strike killed one of the country’s top generals, Qasem Soleimani. When Trump was in Turkey this week, according to CNN, Israeli intelligence informed U.S. officials of an Iranian plot to assassinate him. Trump hurriedly left the country on a different plane than the one he flew in on, telling reporters later that they were still on a “dangerous” flight “because of the sleazebags that we have to deal with.” At least one version of Trump’s instructions to hit back in the event of his death in an Iranian attack has been around since shortly after he took office for a second time in January 2025.“If they did that, they would be obliterated,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office then. “That would be the end. I’ve left instructions.” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether any details in Trump’s instructions have changed since the war began. Some of Trump’s social media posts about an elusive peace deal have been just as dramatic as his instructions to his successor. In early April, he warned that a “whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again”—unless a deal was reached. Chief negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, have been criticized for failing to bring an end to the conflict. “They’re business guys. They have not been effective in Ukraine, not been effective in Gaza. They have not been effective in this,” Fox News host Brian Kilmeade said this week. “They can’t have three portfolios to begin with. We have a State Department for a reason.” The duo could continue trying to negotiate with Iran, Trump said, but it’s “just a waste of time dealing with them.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-lays-out-his-own-assassination-revenge-fantasy/?

New York Yankees team up with a national nonprofit to provide lawn care to neighbors in need. (More) Eight-year-old girl fights through tears to complete the final stage of her black belt test. (More, w/video) Fisherman rescues 220-pound sea turtle tangled in thick ropes. (More, w/video) England fan who spent his life savings to take his grandfather to the World Cup gets a surprising deposit in his bank account. (More) Man dives into the Maldives waters to retrieve an engagement ring for his now-fiancée. (More, w/video) Today, we're sharing a story from reader Matt K. in Maine. "My neighbor and I disagree vehemently about almost everything: religion, politics, sexuality, etc. But when I had a water leak, he came over and helped me replace all the damaged flooring. (More accurately, he did most of the work and I helped!) That's what real community is."

Meta ditches Muse Image AI feature because it ‘misses the mark’ on users’ privacy Meta was criticised for feature launched on Tuesday that automatically lets users generate images using content from public Instagram accounts https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/11/meta-ditches-muse-image-ai-feature-instagram-privacy?

Man arrested on suspicion of Ann Widdecombe’s murder is released Devon and Cornwall police say 26-year-old man no longer part of investigation after former MP found dead at home in Haytor https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jul/11/man-arrested-on-suspicion-of-ann-widdecombes-is-released-not-part-of-investigation? Shooting near Toronto street festival kills 2 people and wounds 4, police say TORONTO (AP) — A shooting near a Toronto street festival killed two men and wounded four other people Saturday evening, police said, adding that what initially prompted an active-shooter warning was an exchange of gunfire between two people targeting each other. https://apnews.com/article/canada-toronto-shooting-festival-94ef91015425036903764641b79407e4?

Europe considering proposals to allow navigation fees in strait of Hormuz Plans specify tolls must not be compulsory as US officials urge Iran to make public guarantee of safe passage for shipping https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/11/europe-considers-proposals-navigational-fees-strait-of-hormuz-iran-us? US military says it is striking Iran in response to attack on civilian vessel in Strait of Hormuz DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran said the Strait of Hormuz was closed once again after a warning shot fired by its military struck a vessel using an unauthorized route in the critical waterway, further jeopardizing the already tenuous ceasefire agreement with the United States. https://apnews.com/article/iran-united-states-trump-khamenei-funeral-533b52cf249314ba1d9b5f9a30b1ca43?

The first movie ever to put out a motion-picture soundtrack was Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. James

Trump is enabling Musk and DOGE to flout conflicts of interest What is the potential cost to U.S. families? https://www.epi.org/publication/trump-is-enabling-musk-and-doge-to-flout-conflicts-of-interest-what-is-the-potential-cost-to-u-s-families/? The right wing has always had an asymmetric power to destroy—DOGE makes it much worse In parliamentary systems, winning an election gives one party control of both legislative and executive powers. This means there are big policy swings after elections when parties switch. In the United States presidential system, the separation of powers combined with legislative chokepoints—like the Senate filibuster—means that opportunities for very large policy swings are much less common. https://www.epi.org/blog/doge-power-to-destroy/? At least 26 states have launched their own version of DOGE The Trump administration’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has wrought havoc on the federal government, diminishing its ability to perform essential work—like administering Social Security benefits for retirees, weather forecasting to predict tornadoes, and environmental pollution cleanup—while creating new inefficiencies and increased public costs. Now, many Republican governors and state lawmakers are demonstrating their loyalty to the Trump administration by setting up state-level versions of DOGE. https://www.epi.org/blog/at-least-26-states-have-launched-their-own-version-of-doge-these-states-are-simply-rebranding-longstanding-efforts-to-undermine-government-in-service-of-the-wealthy/? What is DOGE doing to Social Security? Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) attacks on Social Security aren’t about efficiency. The word “efficiency” may be in the name of his initiative to reduce the size of the federal government, but a more accurate description of what President Trump’s advisor is doing to Social Security is sabotage. https://www.epi.org/blog/what-is-doge-doing-to-social-security/? ps:These are a little more than a year ago, but still relevant!!

I was fortunate to learn from Jewish teachers who treasured the word of God, especially torah and tehillim, [Psalms]. The torah teacher employed a sort of call and response. He would translate English verses recited back into Hebrew to locate the verse, then respond. If prayers for the dead did any good, he would be way up on my list. The other gentleman who was kind of a tzaddik taught me enough Hebrew that we could read the Bible together. I would read the verse in Hebrew, then he would free translate it into English and we would discuss it. Another great soul I hope to see in heaven. Learning Hebrew from him was a real spiritual experience, not an academic one. As a young man, he learned Yiddish so he could talk with his Polish grandfather.

Kinship's current president, on the Spectrum blog, recently boasted about having sex with another man. Kinship is no longer simply a "safe place" for GLBTQ people. It has become a marketing platform for homosexuality: Sex is great… but attractions are ultimately about love and then whatever results from that love. Floyd Poenitz comment on Spectrum article “An Adventist physician examines same-sex attraction.” April 29, 2026. When Floyd refers to "whatever happens from there" it reminded me of a guy who hit on me in the laundry room at Andrews University. He invited me to his home to listen to music, hug, and "see where it goes from there." There was an implied threat of violence in my response. Now some people will lament the unChristian attitude of an implied threat of violence. They are ok with a guy looking to get sodomized and perform oral sex on another [young] man? Violence is generally eschewed by Christians but so is homosexuality. I'm not advocating violence against the gay community. The less sanctified, however, might experience that as a gut level response. Hiking around the high desert, I immediately killed rattlesnakes when I saw them, It was a gut level reaction, like swatting at a mosquito buzzing in my ear or killing cockroaches. Real brotherly love leads to prayer, praise, and God's word, not homoeroticism. On another occasion, I was fooling around in W. Hollywood one evening. I happened into a shop which sold products for gay sex. These included special lubricants and might have included devices to mitigate the physical damage caused by homosexual activity. I said to the proprietor that I understood brotherly love but thought the gay community was taking it too far. He responded "~This isn't about love, its pure lust."

I figured that! What I've notice from pretty much all Jewish Rabbis, or those that consider themselves Bible experts pretty much quote and/or use there own writings instead of what the Bible says or the first 5 books in the Bible!!

The “Poisoned Breakfast” Legend of Medieval France A popular historical anecdote claims that in a certain French city during the Middle Ages, married women would slip a small dose of poison into the breakfast they prepared for their husbands each morning. Later, in the evening, when the men returned home, the wives would serve them an antidote, ensuring they remained healthy. How the Practice Was Supposed to Work Morning: Wives added a harmless (or very mild) poison to the husband’s food. Evening: Upon return, the wife would give the antidote, neutralizing the poison. If the husband stayed away too long: The antidote would be missed, and the poison’s effects would appear — symptoms like nausea, headaches, depression, vomiting, pain, or shortness of breath. When he finally returned: The wife would unknowingly “cure” him, and he would feel better within minutes. Purpose and Effect The idea was to create the impression that being away from home caused illness and despair, while home and the wife restored health. This was meant to encourage husbands to return promptly, strengthening marital loyalty and domestic order mysuperliving.wordpress.com+1.Historical Context and SkepticismWhile the story is widely told in folktales and popular history, there is no solid historical evidence that this was a widespread or documented practice in medieval France Skeptics Stack Exchange. The Affair of the Poisons (1679–1680) did reveal that poison use was common among French society, but it involved criminal and occult activities, not marital control Britannica. The “poisoned breakfast” tale is more likely a folkloric or apocryphal story than a verified historical fact.SummaryThe “French omen” you refer to is a legendary tale about medieval wives using poison and antidote to keep husbands close. It’s a clever, dramatic story about control and love, but historians generally treat it as a folk tradition rather than a confirmed historical practice.

There is not a problem with respecting the leader of the country and being patriotic. Americans may prefer various immigrants, legal and illegal, marching around with flags of the nation they renounced when they became citizens or guests in America, or just criminals. Citizens of countries such as Thailand and China respect their leaders. Try marching around with a foreign flag, fighting the police, denouncing the country's leader, find out what it is like to be arrested and deported. In a place like China, where the Taiping rebellion took place, authorities have good reason to be wary of Christianity. The leader of the Taiping was reputedly a Sabbath keeper, claimed to be the brother of Jesus. Later, Adventists, in particular, were hated by the communist administration when Mao came to power. Had the SDA preached Christ instead of denouncing Mao as an antiChrist, the history of SDAs in China might be different. Emphasizing with the political implications of Daniel, instead of the purging of the conscience by the blood of Christ has consequences.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/07/report-10000-christians-arrested-china-as-xi-jinpings/ Christians across Communist China are being arrested, detained and effectively “disappeared” for worshipping outside state-controlled churches, according to a major investigation by The Telegraph. The report details accounts from underground Christians who say police have raided homes in the middle of the night, separated families and imprisoned pastors as the regime intesifies its campaign against independent religious groups. One Christian identified only as “TJ” recalled police smashing into his home before dragging away his wife. “They grabbed my clothes and grabbed my hands so I couldn’t move. I could hear my daughter crying so much in the room next door but I couldn’t go to her, I couldn’t hug my wife.” His wife remains in custody, according to The Telegraph. China officially permits Christianity only through churches controlled by the Communist Party, where congregations are expected to display portraits of Xi Jinping and demonstrate loyalty to the regime. X trackers and content blocked Your Firefox settings blocked this content from tracking you across sites or being used for ads. Content from blocked embed Police have arrested thousands across China in a drive to shut down underground churches. The Telegraph spoke to six Chinese Christians who have either been targeted by the CCP or have incarcerated relatives. These are their stories ⬇️https://t.co/qCQwBUJZ5p pic.twitter.com/1G9M63RYMZ — The Telegraph (@Telegraph) July 12, 2026 Millions instead worship in underground churches, placing them at risk of arrest. According to The Telegraph, ChinaAid founder Bob Fu estimates more than 10,000 Christians have been arrested during Xi’s rule. Recent raids reportedly targeted Beijing’s Zion Church and the Early Rain Covenant Church, with dozens detained. Pastor Jun Yang told the newspaper authorities spent months attempting to build cases against church leaders before arresting members. “They were trying to look for excuses to see if they could set a trap for me.” Yang escaped only because he was overseas when police raided his home. His wife was arrested instead. China’s embassy rejected allegations of persecution, insisting it “manages religious affairs in accordance with the law” and accusing “anti-China forces” of spreading disinformation. But Christians see little hope while Xi remains in power. “Once Xi Jinping is still the chairman in China, I don’t think anything will be better and if the persecution is not better, that means we cannot have our church and we are in danger anytime,” he added.