A mass grave, covered by the brick structure on bottom right, was found near Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan.

JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW

Co-host: John Avlon, CNN and Newsweek International

​James E. Holmes, with his public defender, made his first court appearance on Monday.

Monday 905P Eastern Time (605P Pacific Time):   .Henry Miller, Hoover, in re:  psychiatric disturbances leading to the capacity to commit murder, especially mass murder, with no affect.  Schizophrenia, et al. [No discussion of psychopathy or Cluster B]

Monday 920P Eastern Time (620P Pacific Time):   .David Drucker, Roll Call, in re: Axelrod restarts campaign; gun control nowhere; Bloomberg speaking to no one in White House.

Monday 935P Eastern Time (635P Pacific Time):   .Lara Brown, Villanova, and Salena Zito, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, in re:   Mr Romney's business experience seen as a positive by the electorate? By 2 to 1, those surveyed in a poll say his background in business, incl Bain Capital, would cause him to make good decisions for the nation.   Not to confuse likability with competence.  Economy continues to stall out.

Monday 950P Eastern Time (650P Pacific Time):   .Bill Roggio, Long War Journal, and Arif Rafiq, Express Tribune, Middle East Institute, Pakistan Policy blog, Foreign Policy Magazine, in re: Green-on-blue attacks: an Afghan soldier attacks an ISAF member.  On the rise this year: 39 deaths; unprecedented, nothing like this happened in Iraq. Some are Taliban infiltrators, sometimes just cultural differences, "average murders."  US won't stay if Afghans are going to butcher our troops.   See: "Conflict Mapping in Pakistan since 2008."  I don't see Gov Romney surging forces back in to Afghanistan, which is what's needed.

 

Monday 1005P (705P Pacific Time):   .Taegan Goddard, PoliticalWire, and John Fund, American Spectator, in re:   The Obama campaign "actually outraised the Romney campaign in the apples-to-apples comparison for the month of June, $45.9 million to $33 million. And it has more campaign money in the bank as of June 30, $97 million to $22.5 million, as well as a higher burn rate, 126% to 83%. But where Team Romney outpaced Team Obama was with the RNC vs. DNC fundraising ($39.8 million to $20.5 million) and the victory fund money. Why these distinctions matter, as we've said before: While the campaigns control the party/victory fund money, there are limitations in how they're able to use it. For example, coordinated party expenditures are limited to $21.7 million in this presidential contest." '   Dinner for Pres Obama: $35,000 a plate. All the donations to all the candidates per annum come to less than Americans send annually on yoghurt.  Note 501(c)4s attached to the SuperPACs.  Dem SuperPACs being significantly outraised by Republicans.  Obama campaign is crying poverty but is doing extremely well in fundraising for the general election. 

Monday 1020P (720P Pacific Time):   .continued. Likability, honesty, trustworthiness, attack ads. How executive approaches translate from business to government. 

Monday 1035P (735P Pacific Time):   .Malcolm Hoenlein, Conference of Presidents, in re:  Syrian Conflict Draws in Christians: Syria's conflict, increasingly characterized as a Muslim sectarian war, is now also threatening to engulf the country's estimated 2 million Christians.  Because of defection of a key Syrian general, more info now coming on Syrian chem/bio, incl two primary locations.   Warehouse 417 and 419 in Damascus, have hundreds of soldiers at each location. Syria has used pesticides in Rastan, people are ill.  Signs that some stores have been moved in the last hours. US, Jordan, Israel: Syria has huge amts of Sarin, cyanide, gases; everyone fears that these may be distributed worldwide (for pay).  Weapons systems, some mobile, some with SCUD missiles – or better.  Last September, Assad agent said: if anyone interferes with us we'll empty our stockpiles on Tel Aviv.  Islamic Jihad moves into Teheran. Arab League gave Assad an out that he rejected. Assets: 600 missiles, many long-range.  Iran intends to hold Assad by provoking an attack by Israel.  Iran is trying to raise the stakes, thinks that Israel will not respond.  Pew poll in the Middle East: in spring survey, ask people opinions of US: Hugely unfavorable in Turkey and across the Middle East. However, an anti-Iran and anti-Hezbollah wave – backlash vs Iran and its minions.  Mombasa, Cyprus, Bulgaria – all serious attempts by Iran to create death and chaos. Meanwhile, more talk of hunger and economic ruin in Iran, and its exports way down this quarter.   Russia has important treaty with Syria, while US will not honor the treaty if Assad falls.  MH: I think Russia has gone too far to retrieve; can now merely prove that it stands by its allies, but as Assad falls, Russia will be counted as a big loser.

U.S. Mounts Quiet Effort to Weaken Assad's Rule.

Monday 1050P (750P Pacific Time):   .Gordon Chang, Forbes.com and The Daily, in re: China's third-quarter growth may slow to 7.4%.  Chinese general's editorial in the Global Times, mouthpiece of the Communist Party, calls for Chinese invasion and possession of Okinawa. It's been Japanese since the end of WWII. Last time we saw this dynamic was Saddam Hussein; before that, in the 1930s.  Editorial is a signal that China intends to destabilize its neighbors; important for the US to step in.  Japan may realize that it needs more aircraft and materiel than it thought.

Monday 1105P (805P Pacific Time):   .Kiron Skinner, Hoover, in re: what's to be done in Syria: the Cap Weinberger 6 rules for US involvement overseas.

Monday 1120P (820P Pacific Time):   . John Bussey, WSJ, in re: why burn the US Olympic uniforms - do we buy that much from China?   

Monday 1135P (835P Pacific Time):   . Heaven Cracks, Earth Shakes: The Tangshan Earthquake and the Death of Mao's China by James Palmer

Monday 1150P (850P Pacific Time):   . Heaven Cracks, Earth Shakes: The Tangshan Earthquake and the Death of Mao's China by James Palmer

 

Monday/Tues 1205A (905 Pacific Time):   .Kate Galbraith, Texas Tribune, in re: Oil boom in Midland, Texas.   

Monday/Tues  1220A (920 Pacific Time):   .Ashlee Vance, Bloomberg, in re: test riving new Tesla Model S 843   

Monday/Tues  1235A (935P Pacific Time):   .Lara Brown, Villanova, and Salena Zito, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, in re:   Mr Romney's business experience seen as a positive by the electorate? By 2 to 1, those surveyed in a poll say his background in business, incl Bain Capital, would cause him to make good decisions for the nation.   Not to confuse likability with competence.  Economy continues to stall out 

The Pyramid of Khafre. No demolition crew is on the horizon.

Monday/Tues  1250A  (950P Pacific Time): Exeunt.  David Weidner WSJ, in re: Are Proposition 30 taxes driving rich people out of California?    

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