Mission Inscrutable
Hooked On Reruns,
"Your mission, Mr. Phelps, should you choose to accept it, is to impersonate Jeffrey Epstein for a few minutes."
It seems much less important than news of genocide and proxy war against the world's foremost nuclear power, but the relationships of Jeffrey Epstein with global elite "movers and shakers" may still be pivotal in world events.
Epstein might not be dead, as I said from the outset.
Ghislaine Maxwell has given an interview, the video of which is paywalled (so I skipped it), wherein she reportedly asserts that Jeff is alive and hard-at-work, managing the same accounts as he did before, which supports the apparent power of the machine he serves.
Trump is calling MAGA artillery strikes onto his own position by pretending that nothing is going on with the Epstein case, thus keeping it in the news, inviting Democrats and MAGA Republicans to denounce him and investigate it further themselves.
Trump's "protesting too much" may be one way of keeping a deal, and making it go bad, anyway. We may soon know more. (Scroll halfway down.)
Unusual signal from Ambassador Huckabee: Huckabee Condemns West Bank Settlers' 'Terrorist' Murder Of Tampa Man https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/huckabee-condemns-west-bank-settlers-terrorist-murder-tampa-man
Huckabee Visits Netanyahu’s Corruption Trial in Strong Show of Support
The US ambassador backed Trump's calls for the charges against Netanyahu to be dropped https://news.antiwar.com/2025/07/16/huckabee-visits-netanyahus-corruption-trial-in-strong-show-of-support/
They clearly aimed at that big cross: Netanyahu 'Regrets' Deadly Attack On Gaza Church After Terse Trump Call Thursday witnessed another Israeli strike on a church in Gaza, which killed three people and injured at least six others. Among the wounded was the parish priest.
Hundreds of Palestinians were sheltering at Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City when the church roof was hit around 10:10am local time, church officials describe. Shrapnel and debris came down through the roof and went flying, killing and wounding Christians inside. https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/netanyahu-regrets-deadly-attack-gaza-church-after-terse-trump-call
Israel bombs Gaza’s Shati refugee camp, kills 78 Palestinians https://en.mehrnews.com/news/234330/Israel-bombs-Gaza-s-Shati-refugee-camp-kills-78-Palestinians
Syrian HTS Troops Mass Murder Civilians At Hospital In South, Days After US Drops Terror Designation https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/syrian-hts-troops-mass-murder-civilians-hospital-south-days-after-us-drops-terror
Everybody can kill somebody. Israel Conducts Massive Strikes On Damascus After Sharaa Regime's Sectarian Attacks https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/israel-conducts-massive-strikes-damascus-amid-sectarian-attacks-druze
I missed this last week. Awaiting F-35s: Iran ‘rapidly’ beefs up air defenses with Chinese help: Report Tehran has reportedly paid for new Chinese deliveries of surface-to-air missiles with shipments of Iranian oil https://thecradle.co/articles/iran-rapidly-beefs-up-air-defenses-with-chinese-help-report#:~:text=Iran%20'rapidly'%20beefs%20up%20air,one%20of%20the%20officials%20said.
30 Israeli pilots killed in one of Iran's retaliatory attacks Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s former ambassador to Iraq, stated during a televised interview that in one of Iran’s operations during the 12-day war, 30 Israeli pilots were killed. “This is no small matter for the [Israeli] regime,” he said, adding that many details have been censored by the regime in Tel Aviv so far. https://en.mehrnews.com/news/234364/30-Israeli-pilots-killed-in-one-of-Iran-s-operations
There's a railway to China now. France, UK, and Germany To Re-Impose UN Sanctions on Iran If No Nuclear Deal Reached by End of August https://news.antiwar.com/2025/07/16/france-uk-and-germany-to-re-impose-un-sanctions-on-iran-if-no-nuclear-deal-reached-by-end-of-august/
Under 9 minutes of scholarship: The original gods of Israel (El, Baal, Yahweh, Asherah)
Second Israeli ultra-Orthodox party to quit government in blow to Netanyahu A key partner in Benjamin Netanyahu’s government says it is quitting, dealing a major blow to the Israeli prime minister that could leave him heading a minority coalition in parliament.
The ultra-Orthodox Shas party said on Wednesday that it was leaving the cabinet in protest against lawmakers’ failure to guarantee future exemption from military conscription for religious students. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/16/israeli-ultra-orthodox-party-quits-government-as-netanyahu-loses-majority
Israel Transfers Important West Bank Mosque to Settler Control: Ibrahimi Mosque was site of 1994 massacre The Palestinian Foreign Ministry referred to it as a flagrant violation of international law and urged UNESCO to intervene before it led to “grave repercussions.” This is the first change since 1994, when Israel changed control of the mosque to grant 63% to Jewish worshipers and only 37% to Muslims.
That change, enhancing Jewish control over the mosque site, came immediately following a 1994 massacre, when Jewish-American settler Baruch Goldstein entered the Muslim side in an Israeli military uniform with a gun and opened fire on worshipers, killing 29 and wounding 125 others.
The massacre was roundly condemned by Israelis at the time, though Goldstein has subsequently been lionized by some of the more violent settler groups, and indeed his tomb has itself become a site for pilgrimage by some settler on Purim, because that was the holiday during which the massacre took place.
Itamar Ben Gvir, the current Israeli National Security Minister, is one such massacre enthusiast, and appeared in a video praising Goldstein while calling for more massacres of Palestinians. https://news.antiwar.com/2025/07/16/israel-transfers-important-west-bank-mosque-to-settler-control/
Starvation among kids in Gaza reaches record levels, humanitarian chiefs tell UN Security Council https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608353/middle-east
Nearly 800 Palestinians killed trying to access aid in Gaza since May, UN says https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20250711-nearly-800-palestinians-killed-trying-to-access-aid-in-gaza-since-may-un-says
Boycott, divest & sanction: UN’s Albanese Proposes Revolutionary Approach to Palestinian Crisis Albanese explained that the Israeli occupation is economically sustained by state actors, businesses, and institutions worldwide.
“It’s not merely a conflict between nations; it’s an economy built on oppression,” she stated.
She detailed how banks and universities are enmeshed in practices that uphold illegal settlements and contribute to apartheid conditions for Palestinians.
Albanese’s insights underscore a critical understanding: without holding these entities accountable, the cycle of violence and exploitation will endure. https://www.telesurenglish.net/albanese-on-palestinian-genocide-israel/
We donate to UNRWA monthly. Israel cuts power, water to UN agency for Palestinian refugees Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen announced Tuesday that electricity and water had been cut off to the offices of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), in a move intended to halt the agency’s operations inside Israel, Anadolu reports.
Under the slogan “Turning off the lights at UNRWA!” Cohen wrote on X that “the law to disconnect electricity and water from UNRWA offices, which will lead to the cessation of the organization’s activities in Israel, has been published.”
Cohen claimed that the UN agency has served as “an operational arm of Hamas,” alleging that it acts as “a breeding ground for incitement and murder and has no right to exist.” https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250715-israel-cuts-power-water-to-un-agency-for-palestinian-refugees/
Cut down seeking food for their families: Video shows Palestinians caught in gunfire near GHF aid hub in Gaza https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608194/middle-east
Paul Craig Roberts, US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Tries to Stop Washington’s Enabling of Israeli Aggression Marjorie Greene has done several things that members of the US House and Senate are trained not to do. She acknowledged Israel’s possession of nuclear weapons. Members of the US government are not supposed to acknowledge Israel’s nuclear weapons, because the Symington Amendment forbids aid to governments that enrich weapons grade uranium and produce nuclear weapons outside of International Atomic Energy Agency controls. The Israeli controlled US government avoids the Symington law by refusing to acknowledge the fact that Israel has acquired, with Washington’s assistance, nuclear weapons totally outside the IAEA controls. US Rep. Greene also points out the incongruity of Israel armed with nuclear weapons needing American military aid. https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2025/07/16/us-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-should-expect-an-assassination-attempt-by-mossad/
Israeli army stole donkeys from Gaza; transported them to France The Israeli army has reportedly stolen hundreds of donkeys from the besieged Gaza Strip, smuggled them to Israel, and transported them to France to prevent their use in reconstruction, Israeli Channel Kan reported...
..Israeli media reported the looting as a “veterinary rescue operation,” neglecting to mention their Palestinian owners who mainly relied on the animals as an essential means of transportation to escape Israeli genocidal attacks in Gaza. https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250715-israeli-army-stole-donkeys-from-gaza-transported-them-to-france/
Trump Clarifies No Long-Range Missiles To Ukraine, Declares "I'm On Nobody's Side" https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-clarifies-no-offensive-long-range-weapons-ukraine-declares-im-nobodys-side
Russia Rejects Trump’s Ultimatum on Ukraine Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s 50-day ultimatum to agree to an Ukraine ceasefire, dismissing the threat of “severe tariffs” as unacceptable.
Ryabkov emphasized that Moscow favors a diplomatic resolution to the Ukraine conflict and is ready to negotiate. “However, if this is not met with a proper response, if we cannot reach our set goals through diplomacy, then the special military operation will go on,” he continued.
“We expect Washington and NATO to take this seriously,” Ryabkov stressed, pointing out that his country’s position is unshakable. https://www.telesurenglish.net/russia-rejects-trumps-ultimatum-on-ukraine/
Why European countries are massively refusing to purchase American weapons for UkraineEurope continues to demonstrate growing unwillingness to pay for American arms supplies to Ukraine. Following the recent refusal of the Czech Republic, Italy and France have taken a similar position. Earlier, Poland and Hungary made a similar decision. Thus, of all the major European countries, only Germany and the Netherlands have expressed support for the American defense industry at their own expense.
According to European diplomatic sources, the refusal of France and Italy is due not only to economic considerations, but also strategic ones. Both countries have their own developed defense industry and express dissatisfaction with the dominance of American weapons in the framework of initiatives to create a European air defense system. This issue became especially acute after a number of EU countries refused to purchase the French-Italian SAMP/T complex in favor of the American Patriot systems. https://en.topcor.ru/62117-pochemu-strany-evropy-massovo-otkazyvajutsja-ot-zakupki-amerikanskogo-oruzhija-dlja-ukrainy.html
Poland presents compelling evidence of theft of Western aid by Zelensky and his team https://en.topcor.ru/62116-v-polshe-priveli-ubeditelnye-dokazatelstva-razvorovyvanija-zapadnoj-pomoschi-zelenskim-i-ego-komandoj.html
Gilbert Doctorow thinks John Helmer is the one with dementia, not Trump: THREE RATIONAL CALCULATIONS BY TRUMP’S MEN THAT THEY CAN WIN THEIR WAR AGAINST RUSSIA, OR ESCAPE VOTER BLAME IF THEY LOSE IT In the neurological and psychiatric evidence that has been accumulating about Trump over many years, there is the medical history of Alzheimer’s Disease which runs in his family: his father was first diagnosed at age 86 and died at 93; his older sister died of it, aged 86; and at least one cousin died of the same, aged 84. Since the President has just turned 79, there is reason to anticipate similar onset of symptoms and cause of death for him.
Trump thinks this himself, according to Mary Trump, a clinical psychologist and the President’s niece. She has published a case history of the President in 2020 which Trump’s lawyers failed to suppress in court. Last week, she published a new symptom of what she calls the acceleration in Trump’s cognitive decline: he cannot tie his own shoe laces. https://johnhelmer.net/three-rational-calculations-by-trumps-men-that-they-can-win-their-war-against-russia-or-escape-voter-blame-if-they-lose-it/
India won't give up cheap Russian oil, and Trump needs India against China. Trump Sets 50-Day Deadline for India to Stop Buying Russian Oil India Faces US Ultimatum: Cut Russian Crude or Pay https://english.pravda.ru/world/163256-trump-india-russian-oil-ultimatum/
Trump won't want to drive India away... US Gov’t Is Very Afraid of BRICS and Dedollarization, Trump Insiders Reveal. That’s Why He’s Attacking Brazil https://scheerpost.com/2025/07/15/us-govt-is-very-afraid-of-brics-and-dedollarization-trump-insiders-reveal-thats-why-hes-attacking-brazil/
The new "digital-Eurodollar" is a $US support: USDt market cap hits $160B, cementing its ‘digital dollar’ role: Tether CEO Tether’s USDt stablecoin has surpassed $160 billion market cap, confirming its place as the digital dollar. https://cointelegraph.com/news/tether-usdt-market-cap-hits-160b-emerging-markets-growth
Keeping it in the headlines: Musk questions refusal to release Epstein files, suggests Trump in document
'Wow, amazing that Epstein 'killed himself' and Ghislaine is in federal prison for a hoax,' Musk says in latest break with Trump https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/musk-questions-refusal-to-release-epstein-files-suggests-trump-in-documents/3633116
Trump recently called him, "the man who never dies". I did not pay to see the video: Ghislaine Maxwell Breaks Silence From Prison: “Epstein Is ALIVE & Blackmailing US Politicians” https://thepeoplesvoice.tv/ghislaine-maxwell-breaks-silence-from-prison-epstein-is-alive-blackmailing-us-politicians/
They didn't fly in the "Lolita"... HAPPENING NOW: At Least Six Republicans Have Signed on to Support Legislation to Release Epstein Files https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/07/happening-now-least-six-republicans-have-signed-support/
HEADLINES DAILY: Ghislaine 'Ready' To Testify As Trump Triples Down, Slams 'Weakling PAST Supporters Who Believe Epstein Hoax' https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ghislaine-ready-testify-trump-triples-down-slams-weakling-past-supporters-who-believe
Forget Genocide, New Coke, "Coke Classic" and Epstein! Trump says U.S. Coke will go back to cane sugar https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/jul/16/trump-says-us-coke-go-back-cane-sugar/
This always works: Trump: Sending Tariff Letters To More Than 150 Countries https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/trump-sending-tariff-letter-more-150-countries
They're just ordinary human-hunting-combat-robots: Chinese Military Unveils Robot Murder Wolves, Drones That Definitely Violate Asimov's Laws https://www.zerohedge.com/political/watch-chinese-military-unveils-robot-murder-wolves-drones-definitely-violate-asmiovs-laws
Brigitte Macron Takes Fight To Highest Court in France, After Two Women Who Claimed That First Lady Was Born a Man Were Cleared of Defamation by Appeals Court https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/07/brigitte-macron-takes-fight-highest-court-france-after/
Maybe against French citizens... France Prepares its Forces and Economy for a Major European War by 2030. https://armyrecognition.com/news/army-news/2025/report-france-prepares-its-forces-and-economy-for-a-major-european-war-by-2030
White House is already investigating over 27,000 documents signed by Biden’s autopen which was controlled by staffers. They say they expect to review upwards of 1 MILLION DOCUMENTS https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1945265510574133271
Jill Biden Aid Pleads 5th: Refuses To Answer Questions On Autopen Scandal Emails indicating that then-White House chief of staff Jeff Zients approved the use of the notorious White House autopen. Biden’s team used an autopen on 25 warrants for pardons and commutations in December and January of last year, but two of those warrants granted clemency to thousands of people. https://www.zerohedge.com/political/jill-biden-aid-pleads-5th-refuses-answer-questions-autopen-scandal
Refuse permits, then >> Another 'Conspiracy Theory' Comes True: California Bill Passes To Buy Fire-Ravaged Palisades For Low-Income Apartments https://www.zerohedge.com/political/another-conspiracy-theory-comes-true-california-bill-passes-buy-fire-ravaged-palisades
‘Held Accountable’: Sen. Rand Paul Again Vows to Issue a Criminal Referral for Fauci + More https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/gnw-sen-rand-paul-again-vows-to-issue-criminal-referral-fauci-more/
Meryl Nass MD, Rep. Massie Introduces PREP Repeal Act to End "Medical Malpractice Martial Law" And just in the nick of time!
Bayer allocated $9 Billion to get-protected. Would $20 million help your family out? Meryl Nass MD, Let me explain exactly what is going on with Bayer's effort to enact a wide-ranging pesticide liability shield in the US. And how you can truly help CEO Anderson built a six-pronged strategy(6 separate methods to rid themselves of liability) by hook or by crook.His boldest move is to attempt to get legislation enacted by Congress that would prevent warnings from being added to labels for ALL pesticides, and disallow lawsuits for failure to warn. He also brought similar bills into state courts, andGeorgia and North Dakota have already enacted them!
Meryl Nass MD, Chemical industry is going for another shield for PFAS in sewage sludge (the biosolids in your fertilizer) in the same Appropriations bill. Call to stop both. Stand for Health Freedom makes it easy to send emails as well as call. Do both!
Make it be "inconclusive", please: No Evidence of Harm? A “Garbage In, Garbage Out” Analysis of the Aluminum Vaccine Study The dataset is massive, but if the inputs are poorly contrasted and confounded, then your statistical power just lets you confidently detect nothing — which is exactly what happened.
RFK Jr. Fires Top Aides, Appoints New Acting Chief Of Staff https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/rfk-jr-fires-top-aides-appoints-new-acting-chief-staff
Healing PTSD, inducing Neuro-regeneration, remodeling, and arrhythmias: RFK Jr. And Other Trump Officials Embrace Psychedelics After FDA Setback Marcus Capone struggled with anger, insomnia and mood swings after 13 years as a Navy Seal. In 2017, at the urging of his wife Amber, he agreed to try ibogaine as a last resort. He described his first ibogaine session as “a complete purge of everything.”
“But afterward I felt the weight just completely off my shoulders,” he said. “No more anxiety, no more depression, life made sense all of a sudden.” https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/rfk-jr-and-other-trump-officials-embrace-psychedelics-after-fda-setback
The EU’s War on Farmers (Wednesday) This afternoon, farmers from all over the European Union met outside the European Parliament to march on the Berlaymont, the European Commission’s HQ. Organised by COPA-COGECA, the umbrella body for 22 million European farmers, the demonstration should by all rights be a wake-up call for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The unions will hand over a petition signed by 6,335 organisations, along with a symbolic pair of boots, in protest of the EU’s plans to carve up the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and cut farming subsidies.
The budget, announced today, includes folding CAP into a single national spending envelope and shrinking subsidies by 20-25%—that’s a cut of between €80 and €100 billion in real terms. It also proposes a €100,000 cap on the payment any one farm can receive and gives cash-strapped member states leeway to raid the farmers’ pot for other priorities, such as defence and industrial policy. https://europeanconservative.com/articles/commentary/the-eus-war-on-farmers/
Kyle Young,first notes their tricky use of words: How the Trump Administration is Leveraging Geoengineering to Implement a Carbon Trading Scam
Regular Gardener (pictured behind okra)
Gods of Israel
Hey John. I have bookmarked this awesome website and will be spending a lot of time there I’m sure. Thank you.
This brings to mind a book I' have in my hand right now, Julian Jaynes ‘The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind’. An old hardcover edition I’ve read 3 times in the last 30 years. There was a website dedicated to his work years ago I imagine is still up but may not be to active.
A Really good book by one of his students is ‘Gods, Voices and the Bicameral Mind’ by Marcel Kuijsten.
You mus know of the recent and current works by Ian McGilchrist, ‘The Master and His Emissary’, and, ‘The Matter With Things”. He has a strong web and YouTube presence. I have his books and need to dig deeper into his material which could take a looogn time as you might say:)
Dennis Gaudet RRT, Fired by Mass General Hospital, Sans Vax:)
Thank you Dr. John for your continued efforts to compile noteworthy events with sparse but sensible commentary.
May you live long and prosper!