WORK-LIFE BALANCE THAT IS CONSTANTLY TOUTED, WILL MAKE YOU MEDIOCRE!!! SURPRISED???

‘Work-Life Balance’ Will Keep You Mediocre

For financial freedom by age 30, optimize ruthlessly during your peak physical and cognitive years.

Emil Barr

What if I told you that the notion of work-life balance is keeping a generation from reshaping the global economy?

I’m 22 and I’ve built two companies that together are valued at more than $20 million. I’ve signed up my alma mater as a client, connected with billionaire mentors and secured deferred admission to Stanford’s M.B.A. program. When people ask how I did it, the answer isn’t what they expect—or want—to hear. I eliminated work-life balance entirely and just worked. When you front-load success early, you buy the luxury of choice for the rest of your life.

In 2020 when I entered Miami University in Ohio, I calculated that I had roughly 1,460 days to build something meaningful before the “real world” demanded that I conform to a traditional career after graduation. That works out to 35,040 hours. Most students subtract sleep (8 hours a day), classes (6 hours), and basic necessities (2 hours), leaving them with 8 hours a day to spend on “life”—entertainment, clubs, dating, hanging out with friends and other activities that rarely move the needle on long-term goals.

I took a different approach and spent my time building a social-media company from my dorm room. That business, Step Up Social, helped companies grow on TikTok and Instagram Reels. It hit $1 million a year in revenue in less than two years. During my first year working on Step Up Social, I averaged 3½ hours of sleep a night and had about 12½ hours every day to focus on business. The physical and mental toll was brutal: I gained 80 pounds, lived on Red Bull and struggled with anxiety. But this level of intensity was the only way to build a multimillion-dollar company.

My approach reflects a broader shift among successful young entrepreneurs. The traditional path—college, corporate career, 401(k), retirement—delivers diminishing returns. People barely older than we are have disrupted entire industries. We understand that the window for building something meaningful is narrow, and the tools to do it often are already in our hands.

Older generations call this pace unsustainable, but I call it front-loading success. My peers who have made similar choices also are taking advantage of unlimited access to information, global markets and productivity tools with the goals of making money and, crucially, creating options for ourselves.

The median starting salary for U.S. college graduates is $55,000, which means earning your first million takes years. But if you optimize ruthlessly during your peak physical and cognitive years, you could achieve financial freedom by 30 and buy yourself choices for the rest of your life.

Building wealth this way requires sacrifices most people aren’t willing to make. Here’s what that looked like for me:

Outsource everything nonessential. I hired a cleaning lady, subscribed to meal delivery services, and cut out every task that could be done by someone else for less than what my time was worth according to our business’s hourly rates. When your company is generating thousands of dollars a day, spending $100 to skip grocery shopping is a no-brainer.
Prune social networks. I filtered every social commitment through three questions: Would I rather be building my company or spending time on this? Will this relationship survive if I skip this event? And if not, is this someone I really need in my life? The isolation was painful, and some friendships didn’t survive. This approach may sound harsh, but it’s about giving priority to the kind of relationships that can weather your ambitions, rather than those that require constant maintenance through surface-level social events.
Optimize academic life. From the start, I treated college like a business decision. I gave priority to classes graded purely on exams rather than attendance, and did my best to attend only if the subject matter was related to my business ventures or business interests. I steered clear of courses that banned laptops in the classroom, because I couldn’t be offline for three or more hours a day when my team (and clients) needed me. Plus, it isn’t 1999, and that kind of thinking won’t get us anywhere.
Adopt a zero-base calendar. Every commitment had to justify its place on my calendar, with social events, casual hangouts and even family gatherings weighed against business priorities. I constantly felt guilty about missing important moments with loved ones, but, ironically, the relationships that mattered most grew stronger, because the time I did spend with them was deeply intentional.
Optimize transportation. This one is unconventional, I’ll admit, but I’ve used helicopters to cut travel time between meetings. It may sound excessive until you calculate the opportunity cost: A three-hour drive vs. a 20-minute flight frees up extra hours for closing deals, reviewing strategy or working with and mentoring my team.

I’m not suggesting that everyone eliminate work-life balance, but rather arguing that for ambitious young people who want to build wealth, traditional balance is a trap that will keep you comfortably mediocre. The path I chose was painful. There’s no sugarcoating the mental-health struggles, the physical deterioration or the social isolation that came with this intensity. But in a winner-takes-all economy, extreme efficiency during your peak physical and mental years becomes a baseline for building wealth that lasts a lifetime.

I plan to become a billionaire by age 30. Then I will have the time and resources to tackle problems close to my heart like climate change, species extinction and economic inequality. The formula is simple: Sacrifices I make now are an investment in decades of choice later.

Mr. Barr is founder of Step Up Social, managing partner of Candid Network and a co-founder of Flashpass.

ALASKA SUMMIT MEETING NOTES “ACCIDENTALLY” LEFT BEHIND ON A PUBLIC PRINTER AT THE HOTEL BY STATE DEPARTMENT DUMMY!

Government papers found in an Alaskan hotel reveal new details of Trump-Putin summit

President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin arrive for a joint press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025.

President Donald Trump, right, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin arrive for a joint press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Papers with U.S. State Department markings, found Friday morning in the business center of an Alaskan hotel, revealed previously undisclosed and potentially sensitive details about the Aug. 15 meetings between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir V. Putin in Anchorage.

Eight pages, that appear to have been produced by U.S. staff and left behind accidentally, shared precise locations and meeting times of the summit and phone numbers of U.S. government employees.

At around 9 a.m. on Friday, three guests at Hotel Captain Cook, a four-star hotel located 20 minutes from the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage where leaders from the U.S. and Russia convened, found the documents left behind in one of the hotel’s public printers. NPR reviewed photos of the documents taken by one of the guests, who NPR agreed not to identify because the guest said they feared retaliation.

The White House and the U.S. Department of State did not respond to requests for comment about the documents.

Pictures of two documents about the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska that were found in a public hotel printer in Anchorage.

The first page in the printed packet disclosed the sequence of meetings for August 15, including the specific names of the rooms inside the base in Anchorage where they would take place. It also revealed that Trump intended to give Putin a ceremonial present.

“POTUS to President Putin,” the document states, “American Bald Eagle Desk Statue.”

Pages 2 through 5 listed the names and phone numbers of three U.S. staff members as well as the names of 13 U.S. and Russian state leaders. The list provided phonetic pronouncers for all the Russian men expected at the summit, including “Mr. President POO-tihn.”

Pages 6 and 7 in the packet described how lunch at the summit would be served, and for whom. A menu included in the documents indicated that the luncheon was to be held “in honor of his excellency Vladimir Putin.”

A seating chart shows that Putin and Trump were supposed to sit across from each other during the luncheon. Trump would be flanked by six officials: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to his right, and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff to his left. Putin would be seated immediately next to his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, and his Aide to the President for Foreign Policy, Yuri Ushakov.

During the summit Friday, lunch was apparently cancelled. But it was intended to be a simple, three-course meal, the documents showed. After a green salad, the world leaders would dine on filet mignon and halibut olympia. Crème brûlée would be served for dessert.

THE VATICAN’S BANKING HAD ALWAYS BEEN SHADY, AND LIKELY WILL CONTINUE SINCE NOBODY WANTS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT! WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?

The Vatican accused of money laundering scheme using ‘skeleton key’

The Vatican City

One of Pope Leo’s primary missions is to clean up the reputation of the Catholic Church after years and years of scandal and overall bad PR, but the latest headlines are definitely not helping in that regard.

According to Politico, the Vatican is under fire, having been accused of using a “skeleton key for money laundering” by allegedly illegally manipulating bank transfers.

A former top financial official for the Vatican, who was forced out of his position in 2017, claimed “that its payroll agency was able to alter the names and account numbers on transactions after they were made, masking the identity of recipients and senders.”

The scheme is potentially huge as it would have allowed top Vatican officials to wire funds to private clients without identifying them, which is a violation of textbook anti-fraud rules.

What’s going on?

The situation is unfolding and is certainly not a great look for the new pope, who has vowed to help restore the Vatican’s reputation to its former glory, a reputation tarnished by years of financial scandal and budget shortfalls.

Not surprisingly, the Vatican has denied the allegations, and people who are familiar with the institution that oversees and facilitates international money transfers claim the scheme would be impossible.

However, the accusations are reportedly being taken seriously given the credibility of the person who brought them to light, marking yet another likely bad round of press for the Vatican and the new pope.

Politico noted:

What adds to the intrigue is how closely the allegations mesh with internal Vatican politics.

They come from Libero Milone, former auditor at Deloitte, a top accountancy firm, who was appointed by the late Pope Francis in 2015 to fix the Vatican’s finances after years of scandal and neglect.

Notably, Milone was forced out of his position just two years later after officials accused him of being a spy.

Milone insists he was forced out “because he had identified financial wrongdoing connected to the city state’s former police chief and cardinal, Giovanni Angelo Becciu.”

Surprise, surprise – Becciu was convicted of embezzlement in 2023 for misusing the city-state’s funds.

Convincing case

Milone, according to The Pillar, a Catholic website, is reportedly sitting on a trove of potentially explosive information that would look really bad for the Vatican.

The website said if Milone’s claim that a ‘skeleton key’ exists that could alter the transfers, that “the Vatican would likely end up on an international financial black list of the darkest kind, frozen out of the international banking system, meaning no money could come in or out of the city state except in literal, physical cash.”

There have been scandal after scandal with the Vatican banking over the years, and all just swept aside due to being a political “hot potato” nobody wants to touch.

There will be no consequences as the scandal goes off the front pages.

DON’T MAKE D.C. A STATE-IT MAKES NO SENSE FOR THAT DANGEROUS SLUM TO BE A STATE!

DC was established by Congress under the Residence Act of 1790, allowing President George Washington to select a site for the federal capital along the Potomac River, not exceeding 10 miles square (100 square miles).

Land was ceded by both Maryland (about 69 square miles) and Virginia (about 31 square miles) to form this diamond-shaped district that we now call D.C..

The cessions were formalized; Virginia transferred its portion in 1790, and Maryland followed in 1791.

This included areas like Georgetown (from MD) and Alexandria (from VA).

By the 1840s, many residents in the Virginia portion of DC felt neglected by Congress, faced economic stagnation, and believed slavery would soon be abolished in D.C.

In 1846, Congress passed legislation retroceding the Virginia portion—now Arlington County and the City of Alexandria—back to Virginia.

President James K. Polk signed it into law

That law reduced D.C. from 100 square miles to about 68, establishing retrocession as a viable, constitutional path.

Virginia’s land was returned without issue, and it thrives today as part of Virginia, not D.C..

In spite of that precedent, some argue that D.C. should now become a state.

But D.C. alone (rather than as part of Maryland) doesn’t meet the criteria we’ve historically applied to statehood.

Although the Constitution doesn’t specify minimum population or geographic size, our states have been admitted as territories with balanced economies—agriculture, industry, and diverse resources.

We have “never” admitted a state that consists of just a single, geographically compact, urban enclave—whether heavily dependent on the federal government (as D.C. is) or otherwise.

D.C. lacks anything close to the industries, natural resources, opportunities for growth, and amenities found in literally every other state.

It’s just a city—one city—and therefore can’t be accorded the status of a sovereign state using the time-honored criteria.

More importantly, the Founders quite intentionally created D.C. as a “neutral” federal district to serve as the seat of the U.S. government under Article I, Section 8.

They did so specifically to prevent any one state from wielding undue influence over the national government.

Making DC a state would subject the seat of the U.S. government to a state, entangling the capital city in that state’s politics.

It’s not about partisanship. It’s about preserving the constitutional design and preventing our nation’s capital from becoming subject to one state.

To give D.C. residents representation in Congress, we could instead follow the Virginia precedent. Retrocede most of D.C. to Maryland, excepting a small corridor—just a few blocks stretching from the White House to the Capitol and the Supreme Court.

This small federal enclave would remain under congressional control—allowing the centers of power in Washington to remain under exclusively federal control—while the rest of D.C.’s residents would gain full voting rights and representation as Marylanders.

This solution would give D.C. residents what they deserve—state-level representation—without upending the Constitution or creating an anomalous micro-state.

This approach would be practical, historical, and fair.

Maryland ceded the land that’s now D.C. at the dawn of our constitutional republic. It can absorb it back again, just as Virginia absorbed its previously ceded territory in the 1940s.

Let’s prioritize the Founders’ vision over political power grabs.

D.C. should either remain a federal district or revert back to Maryland. But it’s not a state, and shouldn’t be considered for statehood (unless it’s to be part of Maryland again).

LONDON IS NOW LITTLE QATAR?? YES IT CERTAINLY IS!

Pro-Jihad Qatari Royals Own More of London Than British King

The Al-Thani royal family of Qatar has a vast real estate empire in England, and significant financial influence in American universities. Since the Muslim royals also have spent years sheltering, shielding, assisting, and encouraging Hamas terrorists, this should be a matter of grave concern.

Of course, King Charles is a pro-Islamist, radical leftist, globalist authoritarian, so unfortunately, it appears that the people of Britain are caught between Scylla and Charybdis.

The Al-Thani royal family is reportedly worth $335 million, but the family’s holdings equal a much greater $150 billion, plus the government money controlled by the royals, such as the Qatar Investment Authority’s $450 billion in assets as of last year. The British royal family is worth $28 billion, based on Forbes’s estimate, which is impressive, but doesn’t compare to the Al-Thani holdings.

Al-Thani family’s growing land ownership in Britain’s capital city. London is, according to some estimates, already a majority Muslim city. The Islamic conquest of England is occurring before our very eyes, and without any wars. From GB News:

All in all, the Al Thani family is believed to own a staggering 1.8 million square feet of real estate in the capital.

Northwestern Mayfair was dubbed Little Doha, in reference to Qatar’s capital city, due to the high concentration of properties owned by the Al-Thani family.

Their empire encompasses as much as a quarter of the area, including what may be Britain’s most valuable private home.

The home is a luxurious 44,000 square feet and as of 2015 was valued at £400 million, meaning it’s almost certainly worth much more now a decade later. Vanity Fair reported that the late Queen Elizabeth II of Britain jokingly said the home, now in Qatari hands, made Buckingham Palace “look rather dull” in comparison.

Incidentally, the Qatari holdings in London are considered as owned by the ruler on behalf of the nation. So this isn’t just a hostile foreign Muslim dictator massing up private English homes for himself; this is quite literally a terror-sponsoring country taking over another country’s capital city.

Qatari money is all over London and the rest of England, GB News explained, from the substantial stake in Heathrow Airport to majority ownership of the Shard to full ownership of Harrods.

Yet Qatar funded Hamas, and for many years hosted Hamas leaders in opulent splendor while their jihadi soldiers in Gaza killed Israelis. While Hamas leaders left Qatar’s capital Doha last year, the government there stressed Hamas’s office was not closed. Qatar not only supported Hamas through the Oct. 7 massacre, but continues to do so.

And again, this is not just a UK problem. Qatar is the biggest foreign funds source for American universities. Literally billions of dollars are poured into our educational institutions by Qatar. Suddenly the campus riots in favor of Hamas and jihad make a lot more sense, don’t they?

The Emir of Qatar and his lackeys might have made over Donald Trump and gifted him a pricey airplane, but the royal family are still ideologically pro-jihad. After all, the Muslim religion commands conversion, subjugation, or killing of non-Muslims. The UK and U.S. need to wake up to the threat of Qatari money and influence before it’s too late — if it isn’t already.

TRUMP TRAITOR BILL BARR IS UNVEILED IN HOW HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP TRUMP’S COMEBACK WITH DIRTY TRICKS

Former Attorney General Bill Barr Bill Barr Held Secret Meetings to Plot Prosecutions of Trump Block His Political Comeback

Key Quotes: Patrícia Lélis, Whistleblower, Former Journalist at Howard Stirk Holdings:

“Bill Barr was like, ‘We should bring RICO because it’s a very difficult type of charge to defend.’”
“I have notes of every single meeting. One meeting can be about visa for someone, or another meeting can be about January 6th, or RICO case [against Trump].”

A whistleblower, currently under indictment by the U.S. Department of Justice and granted political asylum in an undisclosed foreign country, has provided Project Veritas with explosive evidence alleging secret meetings orchestrated by former U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr, media figure Armstrong Williams, and other prominent Washington, D.C., insiders to plan the prosecution of President Donald Trump, his allies, and January 6 defendants.

Patrícia Lélis, hired in 2021 by Armstrong Williams’ media company, Howard Stirk Holdings, claims she attended dozens of meetings where Barr and others devised legal strategies to target Trump supporters and block his political comeback. She provided Project Veritas with extensive handwritten notes and photos documenting these secret discussions which took place from 2021-2023.

Lélis detailed a September 13, 2021, meeting involving herself, Armstrong Williams, CNN Commentator Shermichael Singleton, and former Attorney General William P. Barr, which focused on strategizing for the newly formed January 6th Committee. “The investigation will be focused on people close to Trump and make efforts to formally prosecute these people,” Lélis wrote.

September 13, 2021 Meeting Discussion about January 6 Prosecutions. Attendees: Between Former AG Bill Barr, HSH CEO Armstrong Williams, CNN Commentator Shermichael Singleton

Her notes reveal that Barr provided a list of targets, including Steve Bannon, Rudy Giuliani, Stewart Rhodes, Enrique Tarrio, Jeffrey Clark, Oath Keepers, and Proud Boys. Following this meeting, many of these individuals were subsequently subpoenaed to testify before the January 6 Committee or faced charges related to January 6th or the 2020 election, demonstrating Barr’s apparent influence in driving the legal actions against them.

Project Veritas examined photos dated March 15, 2022, of Armstrong Williams and Bill Barr, alongside Lélis’ corresponding notes from a meeting at Sinclair Broadcast Group. The notes detail discussions revealing Barr was in talks with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and special prosecutor Jack Smith about planning prosecutions in Florida, Georgia, and New York. Lélis recorded that Barr predicted an FBI raid on Trump’s home would occur “soon.” Five months later, the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago.

“RICO.” March 15, 2022 Meeting with Former Attorney General Bill Barr and Armstrong Williams

Project Veritas also verified a January 19, 2023, text from Williams to Lélis confirming a planned meeting between Bill Barr and Fani Willis. Notes from February 27, 2023, confirm the meeting took place, with Barr advising Willis to pursue RICO charges against Donald Trump. Lelis stated, “Bill Barr was like, we should bring RICO because it’s a very difficult type of charge to defend,” noting Barr described the charge as broad and challenging to counter under U.S. law.

A January 19, 2023 text from Armstrong Williams to Patrícia Lélis confirms the date of the next meeting with Bill Barr and Fani Willis. Notes from February 27, 2023, confirm the meeting took place, with Barr advising Willis to pursue RICO charges against Donald Trump.

Lélis claims the overarching goal in all the meetings was to block Trump’s return to power. “One thing that I understood very well is like Bill Barr and Armstrong and all the politicians too, they’re very focused like in how they go to stop Trump,” she said.

February 27, 2023 Meeting between Former AG Bill Barr, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, NY Assemblyman Clyde Vanel. Project Veritas confirmed the address listed is the personal address of Willis.

In their efforts to oppose Trump’s reelection efforts, Williams’ team began talks with Facebook to develop “anti-Trump” social media content. December 2021 meeting notes and texts from Danielle Kersey, the Government and Politics Manager, indicate Meta was creating content focusing on claims that “Trump destroyed democracy.” The strategy, as outlined in the notes taken by Lélis, was to “alter the algorithm” to persuade Republicans to reject Trump and show he does not represent the Republican Party.

A December 2021 meeting with Danielle Kersey, the Government and Politics Manager at Facebook, strategize on how to alter the social media algorithm to persuade Republicans to reject Trump

Texts from Danielle Kersey, Facebook’s Government and Politics Manager, appear to indicate Meta was creating “anti-Trump” content for Armstrong Williams.

Lélis reported Armstrong Williams and Bill Barr to the FBI in June 2023 for their secret meetings and the visa fraud scheme exposed in Project Veritas’ Part 1. Text messages reveal panic from Williams and his associates upon learning of the FBI report. Lélis faced a barrage of threats and demands to return meeting notes and other documents she recorded during her employment, suggesting their authenticity and a frantic effort to conceal these covert meetings.

“You had a chance to be part of my team, to build something big, make money…and you threw it all away. You took my documents and phones and never returned them. Now you think you can move against me? Let me be clear, your time is running out… Letting you live was one of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made. If I could, I’d have my hands around your throat right now.” – Armstrong Williams, CEO, HSH

It’s critical to highlight that Project Veritas was first tipped off to this story by Department of Justice officials troubled by an apparent DOJ cover-up to pin Barr’s actions on Lélis. A Trump DOJ official stated, “Barr has put the entire FBI after this woman to get the documents she has.”

Charged in January 2024, Lélis faces accusations of masterminding the visa scheme at Howard Stirk Holdings, while no charges have been filed against Williams or his employees.

In forthcoming series, Project Veritas will expose further irregularities in the government’s case against Lélis, including threats from government prosecutors, as well as additional corruption she observed at Howard Stirk Holdings, such as covert messages sent to government officials via burner phones and cash and bribes exchanged for favors through illegal lobbying with foreign governments. Stay tuned.

PUTIN (VLAD) IS DESTROYING RUSSIA’S AND UKRAINE’S MEN NEEDLESSLY!

The epically blundering Putin is alienating even Trump

The invasion of Ukraine has been a disaster.

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a military parade in St. Petersburg in 2021. (Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump has announced himself “disappointed.” He had such high hopes for Vladimir Putin.

Putin’s response to Trump’s 50-day ultimatum — to agree to “a deal” by Sept. 3 or face severe economic consequences — was intensified attacks on Ukraine’s population centers. Trump’s subsequent 10-day ultimatum, expiring Friday, seems to have been equally unavailing. Putin aims to get not to negotiations but to Kyiv, because only extinguishing Ukraine’s nationhood can redeem his epochal blunder.

Although Putin has been certified a “genius” (by Trump; Putin has not reciprocated), not since Adolf Hitler invaded the Soviet Union 84 summers ago has a military undertaking been as comprehensively counterproductive for its initiator as Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The results so far:NATO, the bane of Putin’s existence, has been enlarged, with the addition of Sweden and Finland making the alliance contiguous with an additional 800 miles of Russia’s border. NATO members, awakened from their slumbers, have committed to spending 3.5 percent of gross domestic product on defense. Lord Hastings Lionel Ismay, NATO’s first secretary general, famously said the alliance was created in 1949 to “keep the Soviet Union out, the Americans in, and the Germans down.” The Soviet Union is gone, American forces are still in Europe, and Germany is rising militarily. With the European Union’s largest economy and a GDP more than twice as large as Russia’s, Germany now has a defense budget larger than Britain’s, and it soon could be twice as large. One small expenditure underscores Putin’s big miscalculation: A German brigade (4,800 troops by the end of 2027) is stationed in Lithuania, on Putin’s border.

Opinions on Vladimir Putin

Opinion

George F. Will

Putin is an open book. U.S. leaders have refused to read it.

June 6, 2025

Opinion

George F. Will

Behold, the artful dealmaker Trump working his magic on Putin

May 7, 2025

A study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates that Russia has suffered nearly 1 million troops killed or wounded as the price of seizing about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory. (Ukraine’s dead and wounded are estimated to be 400,000.) Putin instructed his invading troops, who were given only five days’ provisions, to pack their dress uniforms for a victory parade in Kyiv. Three years later, Russia has resorted to its first conscription since World War II, and has enlisted felons and debtors.

A recent Wall Street Journal article told of a Russian soldier who joined the army when the enlistment bonus reached 2 million rubles, 22 times his monthly salary. Three weeks later, after two weeks of shooting practice and basic first-aid instruction, he was on the front lines in Ukraine, fighting Europe’s — actually, the world’s — most combat-seasoned army. Five months ago, a report from the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence declared that Russia had the “upper hand” in Ukraine. Remember, however, that when the war began, U.S. intelligence was as pessimistic as Putin was optimistic. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, had to spurn a U.S. offer to fly him to safety. He reportedly said, “I need ammunition, not a ride.”

The most important consequence of Putin’s war has been to awaken the United States to how unprepared its defense industrial base is to produce the munitions, from artillery shells to missiles, required for protracted, high-intensity combat. Hence the limited relevance to U.S. overall security of the B-2 bombers’ impressive power projection against Iran.

“The history of failure in war,” said Gen. Douglas MacArthur, “can almost always be summed up in two words: ‘Too late.’ Too late in comprehending the deadly purpose of a potential enemy. Too late in realizing the mortal danger. Too late in preparedness. Too late in uniting all possible forces for resistance.” Because of the European and U.S. blowback against Putin’s blunder, it is not too late to win the war by preserving Ukraine. Defeat is not an inevitability; it would be a choice.

In February, as Russia’s aggression entered its fourth year, Trump, who has said Ukraine “started” the war, resisted including in a Group of Seven statement the fact that Russia was the aggressor. He has compared Europe’s largest war since 1945 to “two young children fighting like crazy,” and to a hockey game in which the referees allow the players to brawl for a while.

But, having slight ballast of convictions, he moves where winds, whims and whisperers take him. Putin’s culminating blunder — he has disappointed the president — might drive Trump to Ukraine’s side. This will unleash fury in MAGAdom’s MAGABMIMLH faction (Make America Great Again By Making It More Like Hungary). But to govern is to choose, which always makes some factions unhappy.

In this instance, it might be good that Trump takes everything personally. This is the importance of his being disappointed.

THE OBAMAS SELL ONE OF THEIR MANSIONS!

Barack and Michelle Obama’s Former Martha’s Vineyard Hideaway Sells to Victoria’s Secret Billionaire Les Wexner for $37 Million

By Charlie Lankston

August 4, 2025

Barack and Michelle Obama's Former Martha's Vineyard Hideaway Sells to Victoria's Secret Billionaire Les Wexner for $37 Million

Instagram/Michelle Obama; Evan Joseph

The sprawling Martha’s Vineyard estate where Barack and Michelle Obama used to spend their summers has sold for a staggering $37 million—having reportedly been snapped up by billionaire businessman Les Wexner.

Known as Blue Heron Farm, the sprawling Massachusetts property played host to the Obamas for three consecutive summers starting in 2009, with reports at the time suggesting that the family paid a staggering $50,000 a week to rent the abode.

But the family was forced to find an alternative summer sanctuary when the Chilmark home was sold to new owners—who carried out extensive renovations on the 28.5-acre property, while also taking it off the rental market, instead using it as a full-time dwelling.

In May, those owners, Norman Foster and his third wife, Elena Ochoa Foster, decided to part ways with their waterfront playground, listing it for $39 million. The property went under contract just a few weeks later.

Now, the sale price of the opulent dwelling has been revealed, with records showing that it was sold for $2 million below the initial list price. The deal officially closed on July 10, just over two months after the listing went live.

Barack and Michelle Obama's Former Martha's Vineyard Hideaway Lists for $39 Million as Couple Spark Furious Divorce Rumors — A stunning Martha’s Vineyard estate that once served as Barack and Michelle Obama’s summer escape has sold for $37 million, having reportedly been snapped up by Victoria’s Secret mogul Les Wexner. Evan Joseph

EXCLUSIVE: Barack and Michelle Obama's Former Martha's Vineyard Hideaway Sells for Jaw-Dropping $37 Million — Known as Blue Heron Farm, the property last traded hands in 2011, when it was purchased for $22.4 million by architect Norman Foster. Evan Joseph

As first reported by The Real Deal, the property was purchased via a trust with close ties to Wexner, 87, who founded L Brands, the parent company of major brands such as Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, and Lane Bryant.

Wexner is also known for having a long-term personal and professional relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, who served as the L Brands founder’s financial adviser for 20 years, until 2007.

Records indicate that the trust is managed by Matthew Zieger, Wexner’s longtime attorney, who is based in Ohio, where many of Wexner’s business interests are located.

In addition to Blue Heron Farm, Wexner and his wife, Abigail, reportedly own properties in New Albany, OH, which serves as their main residence, and Jupiter, FL.

Realtor.com® has contacted Wexner’s spokesperson for comment.

The property—which was listed by Brian Dougherty and Maggie Gold Seelig with Corcoran—was last sold in 2011, when the Fosters bought it from Mollie and William Van Devender for $22.4 million.

Since then, Norman—who founded architecture firm Foster + Partners and has since been involved in the design of several iconic U.K. structures, including The Gherkin and Wembley Stadium—has made several significant updates to the property, which features a main residence and a guesthouse.

In total, there are 13 bedrooms, a design studio, gym, tennis court, equestrian riding rings, and paddocks.

A 150-year-old barn that was originally built in Pennsylvania before being relocated to the Martha’s Vineyard site is the first structure to greet guests as they make their way up the lengthy drive to the main residence, which offers 7,000 square feet of living space and a beautiful wraparound porch.

During his ownership of the abode, Foster added an expansive—and very modern-looking—pool house, which complements the waterfront boathouse that was already located on the property.

OAK BLUFFS, MA - AUGUST 25: (AFP OUT) U.S. President Barack Obama (C) and first lady Michelle Obama shake hands with people before going to lunch at Nancy's Restaurant while vacationing on Martha's Vineyard with his family August 25, 2010 in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. The Obama's are heading into their last weekend on the island before returning to Washington on Sunday. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images) — The Obamas vacationed at the property for several years, reportedly paying $50,000 a week to use the estate. Darren McCollester/Getty Images

“This historic estate with notable farming roots has been meticulously updated and modernized over the years, with significant investments made in timeless renovations, extensive foliage planting, and build-out for new amenities across the property,” a statement about the listing reads.

The home’s many amenities are rounded out by a private dock and a private stretch of beach, allowing guests and residents to enjoy all manner of outdoor activities—while still maintaining a sense of privacy and seclusion.

It was that feeling of safety that first drew the Obamas to the home, according to Gold Seelig and Dougherty, who said in a statement that the then-president and his family picked the property “for its incredible privacy, serenity, and significance.”

Indeed, the Obamas were so fond of the home that—according to Foster—Barack tried to persuade him to continue leasing it to them as a summer rental.

In an interview with the New Yorker in February, Foster revealed that the former president had approached him about renting the home again after they met at a gathering at a neighbor’s house.

Foster noted that Barack had applied “jokey pressure” to encourage him to continue the arrangement that the Obamas had with the former owners, but said that he ultimately had to turn the father of two down.

“[He] was quite amusing about it,” Foster said, but noted that Barack’s humorous plea had done little to change his mind about leasing the property, recalling that he told the former president: “Sadly, no.”

The change in ownership of the Martha’s Vineyard abode did not deter the Obamas from continuing to summer in the tony neighborhood—with the family pivoting to renting another nearby dwelling in 2013.

In 2019, the couple opted to invest in their own home in the area, snapping up an $11.65 million dwelling that they still own to this day.

That property is one of several in the couple’s portfolio, which also includes a dwelling in the Kalorama Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC, where Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were based during Donald Trump‘s first presidency. That home still serves as the couple’s main residence, more than seven years after they purchased it in an off-market deal.

The couple is understood to have paid $8.1 million for the nine-bedroom, 8.5-bathroom residence, which was previously the home of Joe Lockhart, former press secretary to President Bill Clinton.

In 2018, Michelle opened up about their move into the property from the White House, joking to TV host Ellen DeGeneres that her husband had been “shortchanged” by getting the “smallest room” as his office space.

“He still talks about this,” she told DeGeneres. “He got so shortchanged on this whole deal. He doesn’t have enough closet space—sorry! He’s got the smallest room for his office.”

Should Barack require a bit more space, however, he need only venture to one of their other homes, including their $1.65 million property in the tony Chicago neighborhood of Kenwood. The Obamas snapped up that property in 2005, before Barack entered the White House for his first term, and they are thought to still own it.

The Obamas are also understood to have recently invested in a property in Hawaii, having spent years using the same vacation rental for their island getaways.

Reports began emerging in 2020 that the pair were lining up their own property on the island of Oahu—a stunning beachfront home that is part of a trio of residences being developed by their close friend Marty Nesbitt.

Nesbitt purchased a prime plot of waterfront land for the eye-watering sum of $8.1 million in 2015 and began building a luxury compound of homes, one of which is rumored to have been earmarked for the Obamas.

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