Grappy's Soap Box

Saturday, 28 June 2025

Has Bill Maher Already Left The Democrat Party?

Earlier this week, I was speculating about Bill Maher's allegiance to the Democrats following his Trump dinner (see Maher telling it straight).

Obviously, I was either prophetic or already too late, as I came across this video where he claims he was "never a Democrat". Go figure. He certainly sounded like one for a very long time. Admittedly, many people who claimed to be Democrats a decade ago do not recognise what has become of the party. I often reflect on how organisations and individuals can transform gradually into something so unrelated to their former selves. They seem to have intense and passionate views both before and after their transformation, yet these views are now the opposite. If you think I am talking only about Democrats, you would be wrong. I find Tucker Carlson has undergone a significant transformation from his Fox News days into a bloviating isolationist. And don't get me started on Candace Owens. But I digress....

Here is the latest Maher video.

https://youtu.be/ToRsSdpBpuo?si=nTk918TWo40WL3JT

Thursday, 26 June 2025

Did the US destroy Iran’s nuclear sites?

Spoiler alert, it is still too early to tell. While that may be the short version, here is more detail.

Following the massive attack on key nuclear sites using the biggest bunker busters ever, all the pundits have been voicing their opinions. President Trump has announced it an unqualified success with total destruction of the sites and Iran's nuclear ambitions eliminated forever. Ok, I am exaggerating, but that is the spirit of his commentary. The left-leaning newspapers have doused these claims as being too optimistic and cited various 'leaked' security services' assessments as questioning the success of the mission. The bombing has not destroyed all the sites, and some 40kg of 60% enriched Uranium was transported from the sites and hidden elsewhere.

Clearly, we have Trump and his team with a strong interest in owning a successful mission. At the same time, the anti-Trump brigade, including most Democrats, the left-leaning media and some isolationist Republicans, want to prove it a failure.

As always, it is challenging to glean truth from the cacophony of claims. But there is one party that has a strong interest in the truth. That is Israel. Israel, under an existential threat from a nuclear-armed Iran, certainly wants to know whether Iran's nuclear ambitions have been thwarted for keeps.

So what does Israel say? Israel Defence Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin said

"It is too early to fully assess the operation's achievements, which will be discussed for years to come. Even at this moment, we maintain high alertness. Our missions are not complete, and we will continue to act for our future."

He stressed that Iran's nuclear program, according to Israeli assessments, "has been set back for years."

So there you have it, 'too early to tell the details, but successfully put back for years. That is good news.

You can read more about the assessment in Israel Hayom's article "Did Trump's Iran strike do its job? New information sparks controversy"

I guess time will tell.

https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/06/25/did-trumps-iran-strike-do-its-job-new-information-sparks-controversy/

Wednesday, 25 June 2025

Premature Ceasefire?

It has been messy. After widespread acclaim for the US operation to end Iran's nuclear program through intensive strikes by the US, including the deep penetration MOPs, Trump has been speedy in announcing a ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

It was not a fully negotiated affair, with Iran denying, then accepting, Israel accepting, then accusing Iran of breaking, and with missiles killing Israeli civilians. It also had a rather truculent Trump denouncing both Israel and Iran as if they were equally guilty of the violations. Bibi complied but was most probably smarting. It was another unedifying Trump performance. But, so far, the ceasefire is holding.

That seems to have been Trump's objective, but is it wise?

Israel had total control of the air and was systematically disarming the IRGC. The ceasefire stopped their momentum. Had they continued for a few more days, the regime may have suffered terminal damage and allowed for a popular uprising to replace the regime that has terrorized its people for over four decades. Now, that may not happen. The IRGC has already been out rounding up anyone who showed support for the Israelis and could pose a threat to their rule.

Equally significantly, there have been reports that the IRGC relocated enriched Uranium before the attacks on the known nuclear sites and even claims that the level of destruction of the sites was not as extensive as has been reported. If there is truth to such claims, it would make all that Israel and the US have invested into this battle be for naught.

Given the bombing occurred quite recently , it is too early to evaluate the veracity of such claims, but they are important. Once a ceasefire is in operation it becomes far more difficult to assess the truth, and more difficult to react if further bombing is required.

I am generally a Trump supporter, but I really cannot see the urgency in pushing a ceasefire before assessing the status of the nuclear program after the bombing. Also, Trump has made it clear that he forced Israel to accept this ceasefire. Given Israel had taken all the risks of attacking Iran, executed the battle over 12 days, and had suffered 1000 missiles raining on her civilians, Israel should have had the choice of whether it wanted a ceasefire and when it should have been called.

Not good, Mr Trump!

Tuesday, 24 June 2025

The Doctor Who Spoke Out — And Paid the Price

I recently came across a compelling interview with Dr. Aseem Malhotra titled “The Doctor That Got Banned For Speaking Out: ‘We've Been Lied To About Medication!’” and felt it deserved a wider audience, not for sensationalism, but because it raises questions we’re too often told not to ask.

Malhotra is no crank. He’s a respected British cardiologist who once enthusiastically promoted pharmaceutical interventions, including the COVID-19 vaccines. But as he tells it, experience — and personal tragedy — led him down a very different path.

Here are the key takeaways:

Big Pharma's Influence
Malhotra paints a disturbing picture of an industry with far too much sway over medical research, publication, and guidelines. The result? Not only overmedication and an ignorant public, but poorer health outcomes.
COVID Vaccine Concerns
Initially supportive, Malhotra changed course after his father’s sudden death — a cardiac event he now believes was linked to vaccination. He points to multiple studies that show that the COVID mRNA vaccines carried a greater risk of serious harm than benefits, and believes that vaccination should not never have been mandated and that no one should continue to be vaccinated.
Lifestyle Over Medication
A longtime advocate of healthy living, Malhotra argues that we’ve become too reliant on drugs — particularly statins — when the better solution is staring us in the mirror: diet, exercise, and stress control. He argues that if patients are properly advised about the risks and benefits of a medications such as statins, they would be able to make an informed consent to their treatment.
Speaking Out Comes at a Cost
Unsurprisingly, his public stance has made him a target. He’s faced professional backlash, regulatory scrutiny, and the full force of the modern "consensus machine."
A Call for Transparency
At heart, his message is simple: stop censoring debate. Let people hear the whole story, even if it makes us uncomfortable.

Now, you don’t have to agree with everything Malhotra says, but in an era where dissent is often treated as heresy, voices like his deserve to be heard, questioned, and debated — not silenced.

You can watch the interview below.