Weds Blogcast: Epstein wrecking GOP; US-Japan deal; Ozzy; No Denver bridge

Ozzy Osbourne RIP

Just a couple of weeks after a farewell concern in his home town of Birmingham (UK, not Alabama), Ozzy Osbourne has passed away. Some argue that he and his fellow member of Black Sabbath invented heavy metal music.

Ozzy Osbourne dies at the age of 76, family announces

Ozzy Osbourne dies, weeks after farewell show

Black Sabbath bandmates and stars of music world pay tribute to rock legend Ozzy Osbourne

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Gov Polis: "I'll chain myself to the Capitol Plaza" to stop the new bridge

Gov Polis said he hoped the poll would not be a close call. And I urged you to help him with that by voting "no". I imagine there was a rare convergence of my listeners and Kyle Clark's listeners, not a group that oven has significant agreement, I suspect, plus thousands of others that achieved this result:

Governor Polis Announces Results of Statewide Survey for Walkway | Colorado Governor Jared Polis

Jared Polis vows to chain himself to Colorado Capitol plaza to stop $28 million pedestrian bridge that he proposed - The Colorado Sun

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Today's Guests

Jake Rademacher is director of film Brothers at War (2009) and Brothers After War (2025) speaking at the University of Colorado special event, “Elevating Veteran Voices: Advocacy & Innovation”

Jake's new movie is Brothers After War. From the website: "In Brothers After War, Jake Rademacher reconnects with his brothers, elite Soldiers and Marines he embedded with during the Iraq War. Intercutting footage past and present, he leads us on an insightful, humorous, and moving journey as we watch twelve men and women explore loss, meaning, and hope on their path from warfighter to veteran."

Brothers at War is a 2009 documentary film directed by Jake Rademacher and produced by Rademacher and Norman S. Powell. The film follows several US soldiers in the Iraq War. The film's executive producers are Gary Sinise and David Scantling. Brothers at War won the Best Documentary Feature Award at the 2008 GI Film Festival.[1] The film features an original score by Lee Holdridge and an original song--"Brothers in Arms"—by John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting

More info about the conference

You can learn more and register for the conference here: PVMH Conference | CU Nursing

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Willie B, the morning host on our iHeart "active rock" (aka hard rock) station KBPI (107.9 FM) and a guy who knows more about cars (esp vintage American cars) than anyone I know joins me in studio to talk about the passing of Ozzy Osbourne.

Willie B Foundation | Refurbishing and giving away cars to people in need

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Other Stuff

This is a very big deal if it happens: EPA drafts plan to strike down ‘endangerment finding’ on greenhouse gases - The Washington Post

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I get why he's mad...but $40 million a year is a LOT: Stephen Colbert Addresses ‘The Late Show’s Financial Losses

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Japan News: trade and elections

First, Trump announced a US-Japan trade deal:

Trump says US has struck trade deal with Japan

Trump strikes tariff deal with Japan, auto stocks surge | Reuters

A problem with the deal is that it has lower tariffs on Japanese auto imports into the US than US auto parts imports on products made by US companies in Canada and Mexico, so the US auto industry is not happy.

Summary from Grok:

Market Access: Japan has agreed to open its market to US cars and trucks, addressing long-standing concerns about non-tariff barriers. This includes removing additional safety tests previously imposed on US-made vehicles, which had been a significant hurdle for American automakers.

Tariff Reductions: The deal lowers US tariffs on Japanese automobiles and auto parts from 25% to 15%, making Japanese vehicles more competitive in the US market. However, it does not directly alter tariffs on US cars exported to Japan, as Japan has had no tariffs on imported cars since 1978.

Non-Tariff Barriers: Japan has committed to regulatory changes, such as recognizing US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, to ease the entry of US vehicles into the Japanese market. This addresses issues like the need for compact cars suited to Japan's narrow streets and pedestrian-focused safety regulations.

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I don't have much to add to this because I don't know much about Japanese politics but mentioning because it's a continuation of the global trend of right-wing populist/nationalist electoral gains:

Japan’s Sanseito party: How did a group that began on YouTube win big in the upper house election? | CNN

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The Darwin Awards entry for last week: Nassau County woman recalls harrowing experience of her husband being pulled into MRI machine

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It just seems like such a wasted opportunity: NATIONAL VANILLA ICE CREAM DAY | July 23 - National Day Calendar

But this is fantastic...Thomas Jefferson's ice cream recipe: Ice Cream | Monticello

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Not sure if this is funny...you tell me: Hunter Biden Warns That Without Illegal Immigrants, The Price Of Prostitutes And Crack Will Skyrocket | Babylon Bee

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Seems like a fine name to me: Why the women’s soccer team went with Denver Summit over Colorado Summit | Denver Metro News | denvergazette.com

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Sanity is coming back: U.S. Olympic Committee Quietly Bans Men from Women’s Sports in Compliance with Trump Executive Order | National Review

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I agree: Trump won’t let it go to trial: Trump’s WSJ Lawsuit Raises a New Constitutional Question - POLITICO

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The Epstein story is spinning out of control for the GOP and it's their own fault.

Trump and his people are like the dog that caught the car: Democrats fan Epstein flames - POLITICO

4 key questions about DOJ’s move to interview Ghislaine Maxwell - POLITICO

House GOP Will Recess Early to Avoid Floor Action on Epstein Resolution | National Review

House ending session early as Republicans clash over Epstein vote | AP News

I agree with Chris Rufo: Jeffrey Epstein, Dead Man’s Switch - Christopher F. Rufo

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Trump is trying to change the subject.

MAGA clamors for arrests as Trump accuses Obama of "treason"

Obama releases rare statement on ‘Russia-gate’ after Trump accuses him of ‘treason’

And DNI Tulsi Gabbard is helping to try to change the subject. That's not to say there's no legit complaint here about the Obama team's abuse of the intelligence community, the Russia collusion hoax, etc. This is an interesting situation because, again, there are things to say but Gabbard will probably go too far, make claims that are unsubstantiated and likely wrong, and thus allow the media to pretend that all of her claims are purely political (even though just some of them will be):

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CNN reported this as if it was important but it's not: Newly discovered photos and video shed fresh light on Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein | CNN Politics

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It’s just a snapshot of a moment in time but it’s still concerning if you’re a Republican: Trump is losing by winning

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I believe (and hope) they figure out a way, whether with donations from locals or wealth foundations, or by selling ads:

Trump’s cuts to public broadcasting leave 52 local Colorado stations staring at massive budget holes - The Colorado Sun

From Coast To Coast, Public Media Scrambles To Stay Afloat As Federal Support Vanishes. | Story | insideradio.com

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Yes, we know: "Hidden" home ownership costs Coloradans thousands - Axios Denver

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The bond package gets even bigger: Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's bond package now has a $935M price tag - Axios Denver

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Today's Video

I'd like Jack Corrigan and Jerry Schemmel to announce this play