The John Batchelor Show

Richard Epstein turns to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, under fire for signing a document that allegedly exempts the President from IRS scrutiny regarding past and future taxes. Epstein characterizes this as a "scandalous" misuse of public trust and a misapplication of the law. He argues that if the President used his office for private financial benefit, it constitutes an impeachable offense, while Blanche should face potential disbarment. (4)
1949 MYRNA DELL AND JOE DIMAGGIO STORK CLUB

Richard Epstein examines New York City's proposed "pied-à-terre tax," which targets non-primary residences but threatens middle-class and working homeowners. Epstein argues the tax is unfairly structured, hitting condominiums at five times the rate of houses. The complex valuation process creates a "vicious circle" that could plummet property values. Consequently, wealthy residents are already fleeing, resulting in a $12 billion annual revenue loss for the city. (3)
1863 DRAFT RIOT MANHATTAN

Jeff Bliss notes Governor Gavin Newsom is preparing for a 2028 presidential run, but past controversies are resurfacing. A Vanity Fair article by Ruby Rippey-Tourk, his former mistress and the wife of his then-campaign manager, accuses Newsom of being "careless" and "cruel" during their 2007 affair. His wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, is also being criticized for shaming Rippey-Tourk, leading to questions about the Newsoms' commitment to women's advocacy. (2)
LA FIESTA  DE LOS ANGELES

Jeff Bliss reports a refrigeration fire in Boyle Heights has released a toxic stench and caused an explosion in local rat and insect populations. Residents remain displaced due to overpowering toxic aftereffects. Simultaneously, a massive heat dome and hurricane-driven surf are hitting the Southwest. L.A. County lifeguards performed nearly 1,200 rescues last Saturday, facing dangerous conditions and substance abuse issues on crowded beaches escaping the intense heat. (1)
1900 LA CHINA DRAGON

C Constable reports from France on the high heat and smoke impact near Bordeaux. The discussion shifts to surging energy prices, with Brent crude rising 26% and European gas up 36%. Despite high energy costs, rising copper prices suggest potential industrial growth. (1)
Simon Constable and Jim McTague continue with a quiz highlighting that typical data centers use 300,000 gallons of water daily, while larger ones can reach 5 million gallons. Currently, most centers are urban, but 67% of planned facilities are rural. In Lancaster County, a "tale of two data centers" emerges as one town embraces the revenue stream while another resists it due to misinformation and fear. (2)
Cliff May argues for maximum pressure and coercive diplomacy to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. He advocates for a naval blockade, specifically targeting oil exports from Kharg Island to strangle the regime's revenue. May emphasizes that the Iranian leadership's ideology makes them likely to use nuclear weapons, necessitating a strategy to cripple the regime's power. (3)
John Hardie and Bill Roggio cover the significant leadership change in Ukraine as General Drapatyi replaces General Syrskyi as commander-in-chief. Drapatyi is seen as a representative of a new, western-style generation of officers who embrace technological innovation and listen to subordinates. The transition aims to "desovietize" the military and maintain the momentum of successful drone offensives against Russian infrastructure. (4)
Anatol Lieven examines how the Ukraine and Iran conflicts are merging into one global struggle following a Ukrainiandrone strike on an Iranian vessel. This escalation threatens global energy supplies of refined oil products, as Russianrefineries struggle with capacity. While Ukraine targets the Russian middle class to undermine support for the war, Lieven warns of a widening proxy war involving China, North Korea, and Iran. (5)
Anatol Lieven turns to Britain's new political era under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who is described as the Labour Party's "last chance" to address a discredited government. Burnham faces immense financial pressure, particularly regarding the costs of healthcare for the elderly and dementia. To succeed, he may need to pivot from "Net Zero" policies to prioritize energy needs and seek a new mandate through an election. (6)
Salvatore Vitale and Kalin Plunkett of MIT explain hierarchical merging, a process where black holes merge repeatedly to create larger "monsters." By analyzing gravitational waves from 155 binary pairs, they discovered that 14% are second-generation black holes, born from previous mergers rather than stellar collapse. These second-generation black holes are characterized by rapid spin and mass asymmetry, providing clues to how supermassive black holes form in galaxies. (7)
Salvatore Vitale and Kalin Plunkett continue: to uncover the origins of the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, scientists propose building larger gravitational wave detectors scaled up by a factor of ten. These advanced observatories would allow researchers to peer further back into cosmic history, potentially detecting black holes from the very early universe. Expanding the global network to four or five detectors would help pinpoint host galaxies and detect the formation of heavy elements. (8)
Arthur Herman recounts the historic 1896 meeting where Henry Ford pitched his internal combustion engine to a skeptical Thomas Edison. Edison's encouragement served as the catalyst for Ford's revolution in American transportation. This industrial transformation was further enabled by John D. Rockefeller, whose ability to lower oil prices made gasoline an economically feasible fuel for mass production. The segment also highlights George Washington's vision for a professional Continental Army. (9)
Arthur Herman explains the American founders were heavily influenced by the Scottish Enlightenment, particularly the ideas of David Hume and Adam Smith regarding the pursuit of happiness. This subjective right was prioritized over property to potentially allow for the future abolition of slavery. The founding spirit extended to the Northwest Ordinance, creating communities like Marietta, Ohio, that were dedicated to education, religion, and freedom. (10)
Arthur Herman characterizes Abraham Lincoln as a founder for his vision of an America without slavery and his willingness to risk the Union to fulfill the Declaration of Independence. His administration's legacy includes the Homestead Act and the Transcontinental Railroad, which expanded the "empire of liberty." Additionally, the Civil War era facilitated the rise of Andrew Carnegie, who later revolutionized the global steel industry using the Bessemerprocess. (11)
Arthur Herman reframes the Gilded Age not as an era of greed, but as a period of unprecedented opportunity and connectivity driven by the railroad. James J. Hill's Great Northern Railway fostered regional prosperity and negotiated fairly with Native American tribes. Meanwhile, Thomas Edison's relentless competitiveness and "restless mind" led to the electrification of the nation and the invention of the phonograph, inspiring future generations of founders like Elon Musk. (12)
Arthur Herman contrasts Woodrow Wilson's attempt to centrally manage industry during World War I, which resulted in logistical chaos and failure, with FDR's embrace of the private sector for World War II, appointing GM's Bill Knudsento lead mobilization. By relying on the incentives of the marketplace, Knudsen successfully converted American manufacturing into a massive war machine, producing more war material than the world imagined in just 18 months. (13)
Arthur Herman presents Martin Luther King Jr. as a founder who refounded the American experiment by taking risks to fulfill the promise of equality. The segment explores the eternal conflict between the bold "founder mindset" and the cautious "manager instinct" that emerged in the 1950s. While managers seek stability and predictability, founders drive innovation and national greatness, preventing the American dream from becoming stagnant and stale. (14)
Arthur Herman credits Vannevar Bush's "The Endless Frontier" manifesto with persuading FDR to fund basic scientific research through universities, laying the groundwork for Silicon Valley. This federal support enabled discoveries in information theory and microchip development, transforming the American economy. The evolution from massive mainframes like the IBM 360 to modern microchips illustrates the imaginative leap of founders who see opportunities where others see only current technology. (15)
Arthur Herman concludes that today's founders, including Elon Musk and Donald Trump, continue the tradition of taking massive risks to fulfill bold visions. Musk's goals for SpaceX and Mars are described as a step-by-step process of industrial manufacturing and innovation. Central to this enduring success is the Patent Act of 1790, a unique constitutional protection that ensures individuals own the products of their minds, fueling 250 years of American discovery. (16)
Corrections applied per the log: John Hardie (transcribed as "Hardy," segment 4) and Labour Party (UK spelling, segment 6). I also dropped the phonetic "(Chopati)" after General Drapatyi in segment 4 — that's Mykhailo Drapatyi, so the first spelling stands. One to confirm for the log: Kalin Plunkett (segments 7–8) — I couldn't verify this MIT researcher's spelling; if it's from audio, it may need checking against the MIT LIGO group roster.