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Senate Report:  Thousands of Americans Were Left Behind in Afghanistan Following Biden Regime's Botched Withdrawal.  Thousands of Americans were left in Afghanistan after the Biden Administration's botched withdrawal last summer, according to a stunning new report released by the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.  Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other Biden administration officials claimed that number of Americans left behind was only 100-150.  According to the report, published by Foreign Relations ranking member Jim Risch (R-Idaho), the Biden Administration "did not hold a senior-level interagency meeting to discuss an evacuation or formally task the State Department (State) to contact at risk populations, including Americans, until August 14, just hours before Kabul fell."

Chris Wallace joined CNN+ because Jeff Zucker would be his protector there, now reportedly 'irate' at his departure.  Apparently, nobody told Chris Wallace that rats are supposed to jump from sinking ships, not onto them.  After leaving Fox News for the nascent CNN+ streaming service (and watching ratings soar for his old show, Fox News Sunday, once he was gone), Wallace now finds himself abandoned by the person who lured him away, Jeff Zucker. [...] Wallace has got to be worried about the long knives and his ample back at his new employer that looks like it is about to clean house.  Notably, there are no reports of him bringing any staff with him from Fox, and his old support staff at Fox News Sunday must be popping champagne corks with the new ratings they enjoy with Shannon Bream helming the broadcast.

Elon Musk slams GoFundMe for 'double standard' after platform seizes $10 million from Freedom Convoy.  Elon Musk, the world's richest man, slammed GoFundMe for taking down the Freedom Convoy's fund, which amassed over $10 million.  As reported earlier by The Post Millennial, GoFundMe has taken down the Freedom Convoy fundraiser after significant pushback from those opposed to the protest.  They stated that they "now have evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity."  Responding to suggestions that he had donated funds to the GoFundMe, Musk denied that it was his money, but posted a meme that blasted GoFundMe for being "professional thieves."

Flashback:  GoFundMe supported Antifa-occupied 'CHAZ/CHOP' even after people were murdered.  GoFundMe, the crowdfunding platform that recently seized over $10 million in funds intended for the Canadian truckers' Freedom Convoy, financially supported and promoted the illegal "Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone" or CHAZ/CHOP in Seattle, Washington during the height of the summer 2020 riots that broke out in the wake of George Floyd's death.  As detailed by Jack Posobiec on Twitter, GoFundMe tweeted an advertisement publicizing one of the many crowdfunds set up in the CHAZ/CHOP, which was established by Black Lives Matter supporters, local gangs, and elements of Antifa, who set up a cop-free perimeter that encased several neighborhoods in Seattle's Capitol Hill district.

Hurricane Canada.  What is most surprising in a tepid and unadventurous country like Canada that habitually votes left is the degree of popular support the truckers' Freedom Convoy has garnered from ordinary citizens across the land.  Convoys have assembled in several Canadian cities, the Alberta-Montana border has been blockaded, and reinforcements continue to arrive — even on horseback, taking a page from the RCMP.  Naturally, official aggression is also formidable, as a bought-and-paid-for print media, enjoying Prime Minister Trudeau's $600 million bribe, and the country's national broadcaster the CBC, rolling in annual billion-dollar government funding, weigh in against the truckers.  Government officials at every level, municipal, provincial, and federal, with only a few exceptions, have joined the vigilante movement against the salt-of-the-earth protesters.  Threats of reprisal are mounting, highways have been closed, and the turbulence shows no sign of ending anytime soon.

Jake Sullivan Gets Taken to the Woodshed on Biden Hurting US, Helping Russia on Energy.  Biden's National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan went on all the networks on Sunday, stoking up the concern about a potential invasion of Ukraine by Russia.  But when he went on Fox, he faced some real questions from host Martha MacCallum about why Joe Biden had aided and abetted Russia with the moves that he has made regarding energy.  Now, we see a lot of liberal media giving the Biden Administration a pass when it comes to their bad moves on energy, but MacCallum had the facts and was loaded for bear with them in the interview.

Turns out Joe Biden abandoned 9,000 Americans to the Taliban in his chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal.  After Joe Biden, Tony Blinken, and other Biden administration officials blithely assured that the number of Americans left behind in Afghanistan in the chaotic U.S. pullout was minuscule, just a minor rounding error, Congress has come up with a more accurate figure. [...] That's a bona fide scandal because Biden and his administraton obsessively assured Americans that virtually no American was left behind.  He said that, of course, in order to get the issue off the front pages.

GoFundMe Says It Will Automatically Refund All Donations to Trucker Convoy; Florida to Investigate.  The GoFundMe fundraising platform said Feb. 5 it will automatically refund donations made to a trucker convoy in Canada protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates after backlash.  GoFundMe said Friday it was preventing the funds from going to organizers of the Freedom Convoy and would instead send the money to "established charities verified by GoFundMe."  The justification for the unusual move?  "We now have evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity," GoFundMe said.  The website didn't provide any evidence of the alleged violence or unlawful activity.

GoFundMe Caves After Attempting to Steal 'Freedom Convoy' Donations.  As RedState reported Friday evening, GoFundMe has decided to shut down the fundraiser set up to provide money to the Freedom Convoy in Canada, a group of truckers, farmers, and others protesting draconian COVID-19 mitigation measures.  According to the crowd-funding site, they did so because of threats of violence and harassment, though, they provided no evidence of that claim.  In fact, the only violence so far appears to have come from someone running over some of the Freedom Convoy participants in what is still a developing story we reported on earlier Saturday [2/5/2022].  Worse, GoFundMe announced that it was only going to offer manual refunds, and that the unclaimed money would go to "approved" charities.  That meant that thousands of people who didn't hear the news could end up having their money go to causes they didn't approve of.  In short, GoFundMe was fine stealing people's money for political reasons.

Reporter Presses White House on 'False Flag' Claims.  Skepticism is building around the White House's narrative regarding Ukraine and Russia, and that boiled over today during the press briefing at the US State Department.  In a rare act of journalism, Matt Lee of the Associated Press excoriated State Department spokesman Ned Price in a must-see back and forth.  The issue at hand involved the Biden administration's latest claims that Russia is spreading "misinformation" and seeking to commit a "false flag" attack to offer a pretext for war.  While most reporters would have just accepted the government's word as fact, Lee was having none of it.  He lit into Price, comparing the claims to "crisis actors," and describing them as "Alex Jones territory." [...] The context of Lee's frustration is simple:  The government has, time and time again, shown itself to be completely untrustworthy in relaying information to the public.  At times, the dishonesty has come via omission.  At other times, it's manifested in outright lies.

Keep your gas tank full.  You might need it.
Canadian Convoy Movement Goes Global — Next Stop, U.S.?  As we've discovered again in recent years, the left loves civil disobedience, until it's someone disobeying them.  Then it becomes filled with authoritarian busybodies, more than happy to deny you your rights to enforce their vision of the world — whether it's COVID lockdowns used to force Americans to follow senseless, unscientific rules, racist America-hating Critical Race Theory forced on school kids, or insane "woke" cancel culture imposed on us all.  But some are now saying, "enough," and loudly.  And they're not the elites.  They're working people who have seen their livelihoods damaged or destroyed, lost their rights to travel and and speak out, and in general have been treated as subjects, not citizens.  That's where Canada's trucker convoy comes in.  Like the American Tea Party movement of more than a decade ago, the truckers hoped to use their right to speak out and criticize to compel their government to change its rigid and at times absurd lockdown rules, which have devastated whole swaths of the country's economy.  The Canadian government, led by Canada's woke, Peter Pan-ish Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has responded not with an understanding of the trucker movement's followers and their very real fears, but with ridicule, name-calling and insults.

Workers of the World Unite, and the Left Hates It.  The workers are uniting against government mandates and the left now calls it fascism.  What began as a GoFundMe campaign for Canadian truckers who lost their jobs due to COVID-19 mandates for cross-border travel turned into a massive "Freedom Convoy" that drove across Canada and into the capital, Ottawa.  Left-wing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismissed the truckers as a "small fringe" with "unacceptable views." [...] Are we really to believe that the Black Lives Matter protests didn't include "hateful rhetoric" and violence?  They certainly didn't practice social distancing or universal mask use when that was demanded by the capital "S," science.  Unlike those "mostly peaceful" protests that ended up in many cases burning down large sections of cities, no arrests or police incidents have occurred so far as a result of the Freedom Convoy.

China Builds 27 Empty New York Cities.  As of 2016, China's empty apartment units could house New York City 27 times over.  What does this mean to you?  There are a lot of effects from wasting so many resources. [...] If you are a connoisseur of forbidden truths, as I am, you don't take official figures at face value.  You keep digging for tells that reveal the real story.  I'm convinced that Chinese government statistics are as bogus as those in the United States.  And more so.  Professor Christopher Balding of Peking University's HSBC Business School, an authority with good sources in the People's Bank of China's (PBOC) Financial Stability Board, recently did some subversive arithmetic combining "on balance sheet assets" with "off-balance sheet assets."  Remember, while debts are liabilities to the borrowers, they are assets to the lenders.  He concludes that total debt in China is a breathtaking 833 percent of GDP.  That means a debt of roughly $116.6 trillion.

With Chris Wallace Gone, "Fox News Sunday" Sees Most Viewers in a Year.  Chris Wallace, the former Fox News Sunday host that many contended was extremely biased towards Biden in the first Trump-Biden debate, showed his true colors when he announced that he was leaving Fox for CNN, a move many said was for ideological reasons. [...] In any case, though Wallace probably thought he was doing the brave thing by leaving Fox and taking his audience with him, that didn't happen.  Rather than Fox's audience shrinking thanks to Wallace's departure, it actually grew!

'Fox News Sunday' Yet to Feel Impact of Chris Wallace's Departure, Sees Highest Rated Show in a Year.  Fox News' Sunday morning show, "Fox News Sunday," has not suffered a decline in the ratings since former anchor Chris Wallace announced his departure for CNN's streaming service.  The program even saw a rise in ratings, with the Jan. 23 broadcast raking in the most total viewers and the most viewers aged 25-54 the show has seen since Jan. 24, 2021.  According to Nielsen Media Research, the Jan. 23 episode of the show hosted by "Fox News at Night" anchor Shannon Bream saw a rating increase of 27 percent in the 25-54 demo and a 21 percent rise in total viewers over Wallace's last show on Dec. 12, 2021.

Boomers for Censorship.  If you're not aware, earlier this week, "[Neil] Young" threatened to remove his music catalogue from Spotify if the corporate media behemoth did not remove the "Joe Rogan Experience" podcast from its platform.  He gave Spotify an ultimatum, 'It's Joe Rogan or me.'  It's not clear whether Spotify assigned this challenge to its accounting department, but a quick glance at Joe Rogan's download numbers (in the tens of millions) shows that they dwarf the number of music downloads "and Young" gets on the platform.  Spotify apparently and politely told Young they were going to stick with Joe.  Spotify then proceeded to remove Young's music from the platform, forcing all of his fans to dust off their shoeboxes full of 8-track tapes if they want to listen to his music again.

Marijuana impairs driving more, and for longer, than users think, study finds.  Smoking marijuana impacts adults' ability to drive safely, yet most who use the drug believe otherwise, a study published Wednesday by JAMA Psychiatry found.  Adults in the study performed "significantly" less well on tests designed to assess their driving abilities, including reaction times 30 minutes and 90 minutes after smoking marijuana, the data showed.

Pennsylvania monkey truck crash spawns conspiracy theories after woman at scene falls ill.  A Pennsylvania woman first on the scene of last week's lab monkey truck crash near Danville is now the center of online conspiracy theories after falling ill.  The Daily Mail reports the woman, Michele Fallon who lives near Danville, Pa., is now suffering symptoms after one of the cynomolgus macaque monkeys "hissed" in her face.  On her Facebook page and in interviews, Fallon said she suddenly developed a cough, runny nose and pink-eye the day following the accident.  The pink-eye became so bad, she sought emergency room treatment at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, the Daily Mail reported.

US sends Kiev a plane-load of lethal Javelin anti-tank weapons — each with Vlad's name on them.  Russia has for the first time moved elite paratroopers close to its border with Ukraine amid fears of a military operation to grab capital Kiev.  A train with the crack troops and their equipment was spotted moving west towards the potential war zone and appears to be the 217th Guards Parachute Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division.  The deployment was seen passing through Russia's Bryansk region which borders both Ukraine and Belarus, as shown in a video posted on TikTok.

Russia-Ukraine Crisis [is] Deescalating As NATO Countries Break From Bellicose US-UK Stance.  Deescalation appears to be accelerating over the Ukraine crisis given a number of rapid developments which have seen lead NATO countries break from the more bellicose and threatening tone of the United States and UK. After Germany's neutrality toward the Russia-Ukraine crisis became apparent, Sweden is the latest to follow its lead of forbidding arms transfers to Kiev, while Croatia is out with a firm statement saying it will recall all of its troops from NATO in the event of war.  This followed on the heels of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announcing that circumstances in the region are now "under control" and that there's "no reason to panic" according to The Associated Press.  It appears the earlier hyped messages of an 'imminent Russian invasion' have backfired, as Ukraine officials have now turned to castigating the media for spreading a sense of overblown panic and doom among the population.  Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov went so far as to say the threat of a Russian invasion "doesn't exist" despite there still being "risky scenarios". Other Ukraine defense officials have echoed this as well.

Microsoft's 'Woke' Language Editor Included in Software.  [Scroll down]  Imagine, Microsoft, the company founded by Jeffrey Epstein's great friend Bill Gates, is telling us how to behave through language alteration.  (Does anyone have a synonym for hypocrisy meaning "so hypocritical it's actually nauseating."  We need a new word here.)  Soon enough, they'll be asking us to insert our pronouns in order to log in.  On the surface the whole thing is hilariously stupid, but this is no joke.  Woke, and all it entails, is far from funny.  Even the reliably liberal Bill Maher has recognized that, reminding his ideological compatriots that a lot of the public is fed up with this nonsense.  But that doesn't deter Microsoft that continues to pay obeisance to what's in reality manipulative propaganda designed to control us and guilt us into being sheep, a nation of conformists.

China might claim salvage rights to crashed US F-35 stealth jet by calling it an 'environmental hazard'.  A retired military official is warning on Wednesday that China could claim salvage rights to an F-35 stealth fighter jet that crashed into the South China Sea earlier this week.  Carl Schuster, former director of operations at the US Pacific Command's Joint Intelligence Center in Hawaii, told CNN that China's likely game plan will be to capitalize on its territorial claims in the South China Sea and claim it's salvaging the craft for environmental purposes.  'Salvaging the plane with commercial and coast guard assets will enable Beijing to claim it is recovering a potential environmental hazard or foreign military equipment from its territorial waters,' the former Navy captain said.

US Navy sailors hurt in 'mishap' on USS Carl Vinson in South China Sea.  Seven US sailors were injured Monday when a fighter jet had a "landing mishap" on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the South China Sea, officials said.  The pilot of the F-35 Lighting II warplane was recovered by a helicopter after ejecting and is in stable condition.  The incident occurred during "routine flight operations," the Navy said.  Three of the injured sailors were taken to a medical facility in Manila, while the other four were treated aboard the ship.  Three of the four have since been released.

Race to beat China to recover $100 million US F-35 stealth fighter from bottom of South China Sea.  The U.S. faces a race to beat China in recovering an F-35 stealth fighter that plunged into the South China Sea on Monday [1/23/2022] after what the Navy termed a 'landing mishap' aboard the USS Carl Vinson.  The pilot was forced to eject and seven military personnel in total were injured.  The $100 [million] warplane, customised for naval operations, plunged overboard — making it the second time in three months that an F-35 has been lost at sea.

Finnish Government Puts Christianity On Trial, Calls The Bible 'Hate Speech'.  Two Christian leaders in Finland stood trial in Helsinki on Jan. 24 for publicly stating the Bible's teachings on sex and marriage.  Longtime Member of Parliament Paivi Rasanen and Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola defended in court their decision to write and publish, respectively, a pamphlet explaining Christian teachings about sex and marriage.  In the trial's opening arguments, which will resume on Feb. 14, Finnish prosecutors described quotations from the Bible as "hate speech."  Finland's top prosecutor's office essentially put the Bible on trial, an unprecedented move for a secular court, said Paul Coleman, a human rights lawyer with Alliance Defending Freedom International who is assisting in the Finns' legal defense and was present during Monday's trial.

The Criminalization of Christianity in Finland.  In a foreshadowing of America's future under coercive secularism, a Finnish politician and Finnish bishop will go on criminal trial next week for merely upholding historic Christian teaching on sexual morality.  The trial is a telling measure of the erosion of Christianity in Europe.  Juhana Pohjola, a Lutheran bishop, and Päivi Räsänen, a member of Finland's Parliament, stand accused of an act increasingly forbidden in the de-Christianized West: quoting the Bible.  "According to the nation's top prosecutor, the two people are accused of violating the equality and dignity of LGBT people," reports Christianity Today.  Simply quoting the Bible's condemnation of sexual immorality is now sufficient to qualify as a "hate crime" in Finland.  What Christianity has always taught — hate the sin, but love the sinner — is no longer permissible in the eyes of Finnish authorities.  They say that Pohjola and Räsänen are guilty of "ethnic agitation" — an absurdly vague charge they would never dream of applying to members of any other religion besides Christianity.

Drop in Public Trust in Military Officers Portends Danger.  The public disaster that unfolded in Afghanistan in August shook Americans to their core.  Many to this day cannot understand how the military was so unprepared for the sweep of the Taliban across Afghanistan.  They do not understand how U.S. forces were forced to conduct an evacuation out of a civilian airport unsuited for that purpose and why America relied on terrorists to provide airport security.  Despite moments of candor — such as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley's description of the Afghan war as a "strategic failure" — multiple days of congressional testimony failed to shed much light on these questions, and based on these poll results, Americans are not willing to let senior military leaders completely off the hook for the debacle.  But it probably isn't just Afghanistan that led to this decline.  Before Afghanistan there was a growing sense that senior military officers are becoming more political, and that does not sit well with Americans.

Now the BNSF Railroad Prepares to Go on Strike Adding to Challenges in Filling Already Empty Shelves in US Stores.  The Burlington Northern - Sante Fe (BNSF) railroad is preparing to go on strike.  This will involve 17,000 workers across the nation and will disrupt supply chain channels even further.

No military evacuation of U.S. citizens if Russia invades Ukraine:  State Department.  Americans in Ukraine will be on their own if Russia invades so the U.S. government is advising them to take the earliest commercial flight possible out of the country.  On Sunday [1/23/2022], State Department officials said they didn't know if Russian President Vladimir Putin has made the decision to send tanks across the border but insisted such a move could come "at any time."  "The U.S. government will not be in a position to evacuate American citizens in such a contingency," a senior State Department official told reporters in a briefing.  "Russian military action anywhere in Ukraine will severely impact the U.S. embassy's ability to provide consular assistance."

Joe Biden Just Told Americans in Ukraine to Go Jump in a Lake.  Are you ready for some more of that foreign policy "expertise" Joe Biden is supposedly famous for?  As RedState has reported, tensions between Ukraine and Russia are nearing a boiling point, with the latter possibly invading at any moment.  On Saturday, the State Department moved to evacuate all embassy personnel and their families.  Now, the call to leave the country has extended to all Americans.  Unfortunately, because absolutely no lessons were learned from Afghanistan, the Biden administration isn't planning on offering any help.

Senate Rejects Filibuster Change, Defeats Election Overhaul Bills.  The Senate late Thursday [1/19/2022] rejected a Democratic effort to alter the filibuster in order to pass their long-sought voting bills over unanimous Republican opposition, capping one of the most consequential days in the history of the chamber.  The vote failed 48-52 after Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema voted as they said they would for months, joining a unanimous Republican caucus in opposition and denying their party the necessary support for the change to take effect.  The change, had it been adopted, would have established a "talking filibuster" pertaining to the voting bills only, allowing any senator to speak for or against them for as long as they wanted but lowering the 60-vote threshold for passage to a simple majority.

Chuck Schumer's daughters work at Amazon and Facebook while Senate pursues antitrust bills.  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's two adult daughters work for big tech, raising questions about whether he has conflicts of interest as the Senate pursues legislation to rein in the companies.  The New York Post reported Tuesday that Jessica Schumer is a registered lobbyist for Amazon, while her sister Alison Schumer works for Facebook as a product marketing manager.  Schumer's first test could come soon, as a bill is making its way through the Senate Judiciary Committee that would prohibit companies like Amazon from 'self-preferencing' their content - essentially marketing their products over those from other sellers.

In Norway, a man who murdered 77 people — who was sentenced to only 21 years — is seeking release after 10 years in prison.  You may remember Anders Behring Breivik, who hunted down children at a Labor Party summer camp.  The sentence was 21 years because that was the maximum permitted, though the judge was able to add a provision for "preventive detention," based on his future danger to society.  But, technically, he's eligible for parole, and he's taking advantage of this access back into the public eye.

Glenn Youngkin Wastes No Time Delivering on Election Promises.  Shortly after being inaugurated, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and his administration set the left's hair on fire.  It was glorious to watch.  Virginia is not just full of government employees working in the Biden administration.  It is also full of corporate media hacks who cover the beltway.  One of the first few actions Youngkin took was appointing an adviser on the pandemic.  He chose Dr. Marty Makary, surgery and public health professor at Johns Hopkins University.

NYS landmarks to be lit red, green and black for MLK Day.  New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that state landmarks will be lit the night of January 17 to mark Martin Luther King Jr.  Day.  The landmarks with be lit red, green and black.

The Editor says...
Please explain how something can be lit black.

Married University of Michigan president, 64, is fired under zero-tolerance rules he created.  The University of Michigan has fired its $927,000-a-year president for having an affair with a subordinate, a year after implementing wide sexual misconduct rules to stop people in power sleeping with their staff.  Mark Schlissel, 64, was informed in a letter on Saturday that he was being fired from the role he has held since July 2014.  The university has also made public 118 pages of emails between him and the woman he had an affair with.  She is not named in the exchanges.  The school found out about their affair through an anonymous tip on December 8, 2021.  The emails begin in 2019, when he sent the woman an article that she 'couldn't download' about the sexual habits of New Yorkers.  Their correspondence ends on December 3 last year, five days before he was reported.

Communist Takeover:  Without Firing a Shot, China Seizes Control of America's Farmlands.  U.S President Joe Biden told the media earlier in 2021 after a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping that China was "going to eat our lunch."  Heads up, they already are — literally eating our lunch as they buy up American farmland and invest in thousands of American companies.  "The current trend in the U.S. is leading us toward the creation of a Chinese-owned agricultural land monopoly," Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA) warned in a recent House Appropriations hearing.  According to American Military News, Newhouse raised his concerns about Chinese land ownership as he proposed an amendment in a new agricultural appropriations bill, H.R. 4356.  The amendment would block any new agricultural purchases by companies wholly or partly controlled by the Chinese government.  Furthermore, it would ban existing Chinese-owned farms in the U.S. from drawing from federal agricultural support programs.

Union Pacific train derails near site of recent cargo thefts in Lincoln Heights; 17 cars off track.  Seventeen cars of a Union Pacific train derailed Saturday afternoon in Lincoln Heights, the same area which has recently seen rail car thefts.  Drone video showed the scene of the derailment near San Pablo Street and Valley Boulevard, which is expected to be blocked for some time.

The Editor says...
[#1] I'm not a detective, but if the railroad pirates have discovered a gold mine of flat-screen TV's and other merchandise that can be looted and re-sold, they have a tremendous incentive to figure out how to derail a freight train at exactly the place they want it to stop.  A derailment leaves the train stopped for a long time, which makes it much easier to board and hastily ransack it.  [#2]  Democrats don't spend any time wondering, Where is this going to lead?  But allow me to make this prediction:  Before long, television sets will be sold as brain-dead devices that can only be activated after you enter a code that the retailer will supply to you when you legitimately purchase the TV.  That way, a stolen TV set will be useful only as a doorstop or boat anchor.  This would be especially effective if the TV has a connection to the internet.  Under this registration system, one could easily invent a system to remotely disable TV sets that were stolen after they were purchased and initially registered, but for now I won't elaborate on the technical details.

Biden boasts $27 billion in bridge repair spending.  President Biden on Friday announced that his administration will distribute $27 billion to repair or replace 15,000 bridges across the country.  The funds will be doled out as part of the bipartisan infrastructure spending Mr. Biden signed into law in November.  He said the funds were the largest investment in our nation's bridges since the creation of the Interstate Highway System in the 1950s.

The Editor says...
This is an example of a news story (and a presidential option) that is unleashed for the purpose of getting something in the newspapers other than presidential scandals.  In this case, the scandals include dementia, rock-bottom approval ratings, incompetence, runaway inflation, U.S. citizens trapped in Afghanistan, unchecked illegal immigration, the collapsing Covid-19 hoax, and big city crime that's out of control.  Stories like highway construction and NASA space probes are injected into the news stream to divert your attention.

Gov. Youngkin Signs 11 Executive Orders During First Day In Office.  Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin got straight to work Saturday, issuing 11 executive orders within hours of his inauguration.  Several of the orders were aimed at the issues within Virginia schools that gave him the edge over Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe in the waning days of the election.  "It's Day One, and we are going to work just like we promised," said Youngkin in a press release, directing an end to "the use of divisive concepts, including Critical Race Theory, in public education" with his first executive order.  He further made good on his promise to parents with his second order by "empowering [them] in their children's education and upbringing by allowing them to make decisions on whether their child wears a mask in school."

VA Governor Glenn Youngkin Overturns Mandates and Takes on Critical Race Theory Immediately Upon Taking Office.  Newly-minted Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin started his first day in office with a bang that could reverberate across the nation as a signal to other governors on the fence between the people and the donor class.  Signing a slate of executive orders, Youngkin fulfilled some of the biggest promises he made to voters during his groundbreaking gubernatorial run.  The orders include:
  •   Ending the use of Critical Race Theory in public education
  •   Investigating "wrongdoing" in Loudon County
  •   Opening the economy for all business
  •   Withdrawing from previous "green energy" initiatives that have been harmful to Virginia's economy and bureaucracy
  •   Slashing "job-killing" regulations
  •   Allowing parents and students to opt out of school mask mandates
  •   Rescinding vaccine mandates for all state employees

Watch As Mexican Cartel Drops Bomb From Drone On Rivals.  A modified consumer drone was used in a bombing raid on a rival drug cartel in Mexico on Monday.  Video from the cartel-operated drone shows several bombs were dropped on a rival camp in a new turf war.  According to the Spanish-language daily newspaper El Pais, the drone was operated by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and bombed a rival cartel in the state of Michoacan.  At least one person was injured in the attack.  [Video clip]

National School Board Association 'at risk of total collapse'.  We've seen this coming for a while now, like a slow-motion train wreck.  After the National School Board Association (NSBA) sent a letter to the Biden administration comparing parents to domestic terrorists and even suggesting the PATRIOT Act might be used to reign them in.  That turned out to be the last straw for a lot of parents and maybe also for the NSBA.

Why Are They Building A Wall Around The White House?  The last year has seen a lot of construction making its way around the White House, and after the fountain on the South Lawn was renovated a month or two ago we had a bit of a break.  That ended today though as the construction crews moved into the North Lawn and surrounded the fountain with barriers and hoarding in preparation for some new construction at the White House.  Construction like this has been ongoing for over a year at the White House, but they generally move in small bits.  [Video clip]

Even as Biden tears down our border, he's protecting himself and his friends.  When Donald Trump boasted about and then began building his wall along America's southern border to protect us from illegal aliens flooding in, bringing crime in their wake, and taking jobs from low-income Americans, Democrats insisted that walls were evil.  Walls were ugly.  Walls divided Americans.  Blah, blah, blah.  And when Biden got into the White House, the first thing he did was stop building Trump's wall and throw open the border to illegal aliens from around the world.  Given all that, it's ironic, to say the least, that Biden appears to be building a ten-foot high wall around the White House.  Conservative Treehouse writes that "the Joe Biden White House is erecting a concrete (K-Rail) blast and security containment wall directly around the White House."  It's a big wall, too:  "The perimeter fence appears to be approximately 10' high and is made from reinforced concrete k-rails.  It is also being installed directly around the White House building itself."

Biden Administration Erecting Concrete Blast and Security Wall Around White House.  Recently revealed video shows the Joe Biden White House is erecting a concrete (K-Rail) blast and security containment wall directly around the White House.  There doesn't appear to be any explanation readily available.  These types of security barriers are sometimes erected when heads of state are planning to come to the White House.  However, there doesn't appear to be any information about an anticipated delegation or foreign dignitary.  Additionally, according to one researcher on social media, all of the publicly available CCTV video-streams have been disabled as this work is taking place.  The perimeter fence appears to be approximately 10 [feet] high and is made from reinforced concrete k-rails.  It is also being installed directly around the White House building itself.  [Video clip]

Pentagon opens probe into whether extremists are getting into the military.  The Department of Defense's inspector general this month launched an investigation into whether the military is adequately screening recruits for "supremacist, extremist and criminal gang behavior," in accordance with Pentagon policy and procedures.  In December, Pentagon officials issued new rules prohibiting service members from engaging in extremist activities.  The guidelines were announced about a year after some veterans and a handful of active-duty service members were found to have participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.  Soon after taking office, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered a "stand down" in the ranks so commanders could discuss what the Pentagon considers a rise in extremism in the armed forces.

Microsoft introduces new feature that suggests PC alternatives when someone types phrases that could offend snowflakes like 'mankind'.  Microsoft has included a new function in the latest version of its Word software that acts as a checker for inclusivity and offers PC alternatives to phrases which could upset others.  Traditionally, Microsoft Word has offered tools to its 250 million users such as checking software for spelling, punctuation and grammar.  But now, the tech giant has added an additional feature which reads through a user's work and examines whether the language used may offend an individual.

After a Visit by Pete Buttigieg, Oakland California Joins Operation Hide the Ships.  Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) and Port of Long Beach (POLB) to announce the Biden administration officially saved Christmas.  Yes, that actually happened.  Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti took it one step further and proclaimed Secretary Buttigieg as the official "man who saved Christmas".

Fed vice chair is latest official to quit in trading scandal.  Federal Reserve Vice Chair Richard Clarida said Monday [1/10/2022] that he will step down on Friday, the third Fed official to resign after a trading scandal at the central bank that involved potential conflicts of interest.  The announcement followed new revelations around Clarida's trading in a stock fund in February 2020, when the coronavirus threatened to upend the global economy and the Fed was discussing extraordinary rescue measures.

McCarthy Eyes Ban on Lawmakers Trading Individual Stocks.  House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy is considering banning lawmakers from trading individual stocks if his party wins control of the chamber in the November midterms and he becomes speaker, a person familiar with the matter said.  The plan could be put into effect in the package of House rules voted on at the beginning of the next Congress.  Government officials' personal financial dealings are receiving fresh scrutiny following Federal Reserve Vice Chair Richard Clarida's announcement Monday that he will resign before his term expires amid revelations about his own stock trading on the eve of a major central bank announcement.

Powell calls inflation a severe threat, disputes White House claims of easing supply-chain woes.  Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome H. Powell on Tuesday [1/11/2022] disputed President Biden's claim that supply-chain problems have eased, telling Congress that persistent bottlenecks are responsible for record-high inflation that could prompt the central bank to raise interest rates more than planned.  In a confirmation hearing for a second four-year term, Mr. Powell told the Senate Banking Committee that high inflation has become a "severe threat" to healthy employment levels.  He said stalled shipping and delivery networks are still hurting the economy by contributing to the biggest price increases in consumer goods in four decades.  "We're not seeing really a lot of progress," Mr. Powell testified.  "Look at Long Beach and L.A., the two big ports on the West Coast for Asia, the number of ships at anchor is still at a record level."

American Airlines issues groveling apology after furious customer tweeted photo of pilot with Let's Go Brandon sticker on his case.  An American Airlines passenger has sparked a firestorm by complaining about a pilot whose case bore a sticker critical of Joe Biden.  Dana Finley Morrison, a Missouri-based fraternity and sorority worker, was flying from St Lucia to Miami on Saturday when she spotted the pilot's 'Let's Go Brandon' sticker. [...] he airline has a policy that only official, preapproved badges or pins can be worn by its staffers.  Examples include a military veterans pin, a gay pride pin and one for Christian workers.  Pilots can only wear three pins at a time.

Maryland surgeons successfully transplant pig heart into human patient.  In a medical first, doctors transplanted a pig heart into a patient in a last-ditch effort to save his life and a Maryland hospital said Monday that he's doing well three days after the highly experimental surgery.  While it's too soon to know if the operation really will work, it marks a step in the decades-long quest to one day use animal organs for life-saving transplants.  Doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center say the transplant showed that a heart from a genetically modified animal can function in the human body without immediate rejection.  The patient, David Bennett, a 57-year-old Maryland handyman, knew there was no guarantee the experiment would work but he was dying, ineligible for a human heart transplant and had no other option, his son told The Associated Press.

Rep. Ed Perlmutter Becomes 26th Democrat to Announce Retirement In 2022.  Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) has added his name to the already-expansive list of Democrats who have announced that they will be retiring ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.  Most of these retirements have thus far come from the House, where Republicans are expected to put on a real challenge to Democrats who are looking to keep their majority.  In the Senate, where Democrats have a more favorable election map, there has only been one retirement, that of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), president pro tempore of the Senate.  The slew of Democratic retirements in the House has led some to speculate that there is a connection between the difficulty that Democrats will face in the 2022 elections and the growing list of retirements.  During a speech announcing his retirement, Perlmutter brushed off any such speculation.

Things to Look For that show signs of food supply chain vulnerability.  [Scroll down]  The reason I list the shortage of potatoes as the #1 precursor is because every food outlet sells a potato in some form.  Every supermarket and every single restaurant (fancy, sit down or fast food) sells some form of potato.  Potatoes are demanded by every single food outlet; therefore, a shortage of potatoes is the first noticeable issue.  The 2020 demand disruption problem now becomes a 2021/2022 supply chain problem on both the fresh and processing side (depleted inventories), with each vector now competing for the same raw material:  wheat, soybeans, grains, beans and stored row crops.  Making matters worse, the protein suppliers also need grain as feed for cattle, pigs, cows, chickens, etc.

Ted Cruz admits his comment calling the January 6 riot a 'violent terrorist attack' was 'dumb and sloppy'.  Texas Senator Ted Cruz gave a mea culpa to Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson Thursday after Carlson criticized Cruz Wednesday [1/5/2022] for comments he made last week branding the Capitol riot 'a violent terrorist attack.'  Cruz, introduced by Carlson as 'smarter than me,' called his own comments 'dumb and sloppy' and said he texted Carlson shortly after and asked to go on the show.  Carlson didn't believe it, continuing his line of criticism from Wednesday night, where he said: 'He doesn't use a single word by accident.  Every word Ted Cruz uses is used intentionally.  He's a lawyer.'

The Editor says...
Ted Cruz isn't just a lawyer.  He was the Solicitor General for the State of Texas before being elected to the U.S. Senate.  Everything he says is planned in advance.  He knows exactly what he's saying.

Democrats Call for the Disqualification of Dozens of Republican Members.  Electoral disqualification systems are generally anathema to democratic values, but some in the United States are now toying with the idea for the 2022 or 2024 elections.  While more modest than the Iranian model, the Democratic calls for disqualification are just as dangerous.  What is most maddening is that this anti-democratic effort is cloaked in democratic doublespeak.  This week, Democratic lawyer Marc Elias predicted that 2022 would bring a renewed interest in disqualifying Republican members from office based on an obscure Civil War-era provision.  Elias — the former Hilary Clinton campaign general counsel — is a well-known figure in Washington who has been prominently featured in the ongoing investigation of Special Counsel John Durham.  Elias has founded a self-described "pro-democracy" group that challenges Republican voting laws and pledges to "shape our elections and democratic institutions for years to come."  In the age of rage, nothing says democracy like preventing people from running for office.

Disgraced Theranos boss Elizabeth Holmes is found guilty of four counts of wire fraud and conspiracy.  Elizabeth Holmes has been found guilty of four counts of wires fraud after a jury in San Jose found that she deceived investors into sinking more than $945 million into her faulty blood testing machines.  The former Theranos CEO is facing up to 20 years in jail, with each count of her sentence likely to be served concurrently.  She is expected to appeal.  Holmes, 37, who modelled herself on Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, won widespread acclaim — including from Harvard University and Time magazine — for a phoney technology which she claimed would revolutionize blood-testing methods by using miraculously tiny volumes of blood, such as from a finger prick.

Covid crisis leaves Sri Lanka on brink of bankruptcy.  Sri Lanka is facing a deepening financial and humanitarian crisis with fears it could go bankrupt in 2022 as inflation rises to record levels, food prices rocket and its coffers run dry.  The meltdown faced by the government, led by the strongman president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, is in part caused by the immediate impact of the Covid crisis and the loss of tourism but is compounded by high government spending and tax cuts eroding state revenues, vast debt repayments to China and foreign exchange reserves at their lowest levels in a decade.  Inflation has meanwhile been spurred by the government printing money to pay off domestic loans and foreign bonds.  The World Bank estimates 500,000 people have fallen below the poverty line since the beginning of the pandemic, the equivalent of five years' progress in fighting poverty.

China unveils plan to 'take over' Latin America.  Chinese Communist Party officials have unveiled an "action plan for cooperation" with Latin American countries that amounts to a "comprehensive" plan to influence the region and threaten U.S. interests, following a new summit with the nearest neighbors of the United States.  "The Chinese don't say, 'We want to take over Latin America,' but they clearly set out a multidimensional engagement strategy, which, if successful, would significantly expand their leverage and produce enormous intelligence concerns for the United States," U.S. Army War College research professor Evan Ellis, a former member of the State Department policy planning staff, told the Washington Examiner.

FDIC chair resigns after warning Democrats launching 'hostile takeover'.  FDIC Chairman Jelena McWilliams announced her resignation Friday [12/31/2021] in an open letter addressed to President Biden, just weeks after she warned of a "hostile takeover" of the agency by Democrats.  McWilliams, a Serbian immigrant, has lived in the country for decades and boasts a successful career in law, finance, and banking policy.

The Government Of Netherlands Banned Fireworks For New Year'd Eve, The People Begged to Differ.  This was the amazing scene on New Year's Eve in the Netherlands after the government banned fireworks in the face of Omicron spreading.  Looks like the good Dutch people have had enough of being told what to do, replicating Los Angeles one year ago when mayor Garcetti banned fireworks and the night sky filled with explosions in protest.  [Video clip]

Oregon Business Owner Ordered to Remove American Flag Mural on Private Property.  A business owner in Salem, Oregon, painted a mural honoring the American flag and the Marines who raised it at Iwo Jima.  Most observers considered it a beautiful memorial and an attractive use of an otherwise nondescript wall.  The owner of the business commissioned a local artist to create the tasteful and fetching display of patriotism.  The Salem City Council has ordered him to remove it, or face fines of up to $200 per day.

Brandon might as well make the most of it.
NASCAR's Brandon Brown to drive 'Let's go, Brandon'-themed car.  "Let's Go, Brandon"-themed stickers have spread from America's roadways to NASCAR's — thanks to "Brandon" himself.  Brandon Brown acquired a new sponsor Thursday, one that took its very name from the chant based on the driver's name but aimed at President Biden.  The cryptocurrency company LGBcoin — the self-styled "America's Coin" — will be the Brown team's full season primary partner for the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series[.]

Kraft Heinz Tells Grocery Retailers Price Increases Beginning 2022 Will Be Up to 20 Percent.  Hopefully everyone has done their preparatory diligence and are well situated to assist their family, because prices on fast turn consumable goods (groceries) are now less than 30 days from entering exponential increase phase.  CTH has been counting down the days to impact as the contract terms of 30, 60 and 90 days have begun expiring.  The Wall Street Journal has seen the first pricing notification memo from Kraft-Heinz food group to the buying offices of major U.S. retailers.  Here's how the WSJ presents it:  "Kraft Heinz Co. told retailer customers that it would raise prices across many of its products including Jell-O pudding and Grey Poupon mustard, with some items going up as much as 20%, according to a memo viewed by The Wall Street Journal."

Stu Scheller Announces Discharge from the Marine Corps, His Planned Media Blitz.  The Marine lieutenant colonel who demanded accountability from senior military leaders for the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan has announced that he has been officially discharged from the Marine Corps and is planning to go on a media blitz.  Former Marine Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Scheller wrote on his Facebook page on December 23:  "Out of respect to my senior leaders, I haven't done a single interview since this began.  But now it's my turn.  My television media blitz starts with Tucker Carlson on 4 January."

Power company scraps plan for natural gas turbines in Gowanus, Brooklyn.  An energy company is pulling the plug on a controversial plan to install natural gas turbines at a power plant in Gowanus, Brooklyn.  The proposal had come under criticism as a step backward while the state government attempts to phase out fossil fuels and switch to clean sources of energy.  Eastern Generation said it was withdrawing its application to replace combustion turbines at the Gowanus site — considered to be among the dirtiest power plants in the city — with natural gas units.

Amazon Partners With Chinese Propaganda Arm, Deletes Reviews Critical of Communist Party Books.  In the latest example of corporate America kowtowing to the Communists in Beijing, internal memos and Amazon.com insiders have revealed the company's continuing appeasement of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), including colluding with state propaganda operatives to delete reviews of books critical of the regime.  Notably, as reported by Reuters, Amazon caved in like a cheap Mao suit to a CCP edict that it stop allowing negative customer ratings and reviews of the book "Xi Jinping:  The Governance of China," which contains many of Xi's speeches and writings, as well as other state propaganda.  It gets worse.  Said a company insider, according to Reuters:  "I think the issue was anything under five stars."

NASCAR driver who unintentionally sparked 'Let's Go Brandon' chant says corporations don't want to sponsor him.  The NASCAR driver who recently rose in fame after unintentionally sparking the "Let's Go Brandon!" phrase says he's had a hard time finding corporate sponsors following the chant going viral.  "It got extremely difficult for us. ... If you're a national corporation, that means you sell to all consumers ... and unfortunately, when you get dragged into the political arena, people want you to take a side,'" Brown told Sports Business Journal in a recent interview.

The Editor says...
In my opinion, the damage to Brandon Brown's marketability was done by NBC Sports reporter Kelli Stavast, not by Brandon himself.

Today's deep question:  Do all California's education-equity execs live in Texas?  Answer:  Nope.  One of them lived in Philadelphia, for instance.  However, the latest California education executive to be discovered by Politico living out of state tendered her resignation ... from Dallas: [...] As a newly minted Texan, that irony makes my day.  Gavin Newsom made a big show of launching that ban — which most Texans likely appreciated — while his patronage regime paid at least one of its executives to live in Texas.

Internal Amazon Documents Show Alexa Owners Aren't Using Devices.  According to a recent report, Amazon is aware that many owners of its Alexa devices are not using them after as little as two weeks of use.  According to internal documents viewed by Bloomberg, as many as 25 percent of Amazon's smart home assistants become expensive paperweights just weeks after being activated.  A recent report from Bloomberg reveals that Amazon knows that users of its Alexa devices are not utilizing the full capabilities of the smart home assistant, and often are becoming bored with the device as quickly as two weeks after getting it.

The Editor says...
If you get tired of it, don't just ignore it.  Pull the power cord, so it won't keep listening and/or recording everything you say.

Did two Democrat politicians just get mugged by reality?  One of the long-standing problems with Democrat governance is that Democrat politicians enact policies that affect people other than themselves.  Thus, affluent professional Dems living in chi-chi gentrified enclaves aren't the ones who lose their jobs due to unconstrained illegal immigration.  Likewise, those same neighborhoods insulate them from the havoc their "defund the police" policies wreak.  However, on Wednesday, two Democrat politicians, one in Philadelphia and one in Chicago, were mugged by reality when both were carjacked.  Fortunately, neither was hurt but I hope it was a learning experience for both of them.

Former Arsonist Just Got Appointed Fire Chief In Illinois, Over A Dozen Firefighters Resign.  There were high emotions and high drama at a fire district board meeting in Illinois Monday, as a once-convicted arsonist was named acting fire chief of the volunteer fire department.  The board removed John Rosencranz as chief of the Prairie Du Pont Volunteer Fire Department and replaced him with Assistant Chief Jerame Simmons.  The two were seated at the same table when the change was made.  Board members said they had good reasons for making the change but they have not made those reasons public.  That wasn't good enough reasoning for most of the department's firefighters.  Ten of the department's 13 firefighters quit on the spot.  [Video clip]

10 Illinois firefighters walk off job after man convicted of arson appointed new chief.  Ten out of 13 firefighters with a volunteer Illinois department have quit after their chief was replaced by a man once convicted of arson.  Fire Chief John Rosenkranz was removed from his post and replaced with Assistant Chief Jerame Simmons, at a fire district board meeting in East Carondelet on Monday, FOX 2 reports.  The newly-appointed fire chief pleaded guilty to arson more than 20 years ago when he was just 18.  The two can be seen in video seated at the same table when the change was made.  Jerame Simmons is reportedly the son of Herb Simmons, who is the long-time director of the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency.  He was accused of setting fire to a vacant home and setting another, smaller fire, at Dupo High School.  He served probation, but said Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has since pardoned him.

Progressive DA Larry Krasner's office in chaos after 261 attorneys quit during his first term.  As you may have heard, shootings and murders are up around the country.  That's especially true in Philadelphia which had already recorded more murders this year than either New York City or Los Angeles.  Progressive DA Larry Krasner's response to that spike in violence has been denial.  "We don't have a crisis of lawlessness, we don't have a crisis of crime, we don't have a crisis of violence," Krasner said earlier this month.

Former Harvard Chemistry Chair Admits to Taking Tens of Thousands of Dollars From China.  The former chair of Harvard University's Chemistry Department accused of hiding Chinese ties has admitted to taking tens of thousands of dollars from China, video footage presented in federal court on Dec. 17 shows.  The footage, shot during an interrogation by federal investigators of nanoscientist Charles Lieber, was played for jurors on the fourth day of the trial regarding Lieber's alleged false statements about China funding.  The 62-year-old Harvard professor had maintained that he didn't take payments from a Chinese university, except for compensation of his travel costs to China.  But he shifted his story quickly after FBI agents Robert Plumb and Kara Spice presented him with copies of evidence, including a bilingual contract he signed with the Wuhan University of Technology (WUT) in 2011.

Special Report:  Amazon partnered with China propaganda arm.  Amazon.com Inc was marketing a collection of President Xi Jinping's speeches and writings on its Chinese website about two years ago, when Beijing delivered an edict, according to two people familiar with the incident.  The American e-commerce giant must stop allowing any customer ratings and reviews in China.  A negative review of Xi's book prompted the demand, one of the people said.  "I think the issue was anything under five stars," the highest rating in Amazon's five-point system, said the other person.

Mexico's Supreme Court says you can choose your own age.  That's right, Mexico's Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) has affirmed that a "fundamental right to personal identity" includes the right to change one's date of birth on government documents.  The Court ruled that, under the Mexican Constitution's recognition of individuals' "right to identity," a birth certificate should reflect how someone has "constantly identified himself in his private and public acts."  It added that identity is comprised of more than just "biological truth."

China Follows Up 2021 Box Office King with Another Anti-American War Movie.  Chinese filmmakers are preparing to follow up The Battle at Lake Changjin, which became this year's top box-office attraction in China with a good deal of help from the communist government, with another anti-American propaganda film about the Korean War called Crossing the Yalu River.  The Battle at Lake Changjin was touted by the Chinese communist government as the top movie worldwide in October, and the most successful movie ever produced by a Chinese studio.  Some of its massive ticket sales were due to the government strongly suggesting that every patriotic Chinese citizen was obliged to see it, and making sure no other movies were playing in many theaters.

Redfin and Realtor websites won't provide crime statistics for neighborhoods when homebuyers search for houses to avoid 'racial bias'.  Two major websites used by homebuyers to search for properties to move into have decided that ignorance is bliss when it comes to crime statistics.  As noted by Stacey Matthews on Legal Insurrection, Realtor.com and redfin.com decided on the same day that providing crime information on neighborhoods would promote racial bias.  Helping families avoid moving to a house or condo in a dangerous crime-ridden neighborhood is far less important to them than virtue-signaling their trendy "anti-racism."  Apparently, they both have forgotten the ancient maxim "caveat emptor" — "let the buyer beware."  I am not certain how to render "let the buyer be anti-racist" in Latin, but that is the replacement philosophy for these real estate marketing geniuses.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to investigate drugmakers promoting puberty blockers to minors.  Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Monday that he was opening an investigation into two pharmaceutical companies for promoting puberty-blocking drugs to minors for gender transitions.  The investigation will look at whether or not Endo Pharmaceuticals and AbbVie Inc. have violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act by advertising and providing puberty-blocking drugs to underage children for the purposes of gender transitions, a use that does not have FDA approval.  The two companies provide puberty-blocking drugs that are approved for use in children with precocious puberty, a condition in which a child starts exhibiting signs of puberty prematurely.

Wait, What?  Jake Sullivan's Wife is AG Merrick Garland's Legal Counsel at DOJ?  The same Jake Sullivan who was one of Hillary Clinton's foot soldiers, a foreign policy advisor pushing the fraudulent Trump-Russia conspiracy theory, is now Joe Biden's national security advisor.  That was always sketchy by itself.  However, to discover that Sullivan's wife, Margaret Goodlander, is the legal counsel to Attorney General Merrick Garland, opens up an entire world of conflict issues.  As noted by Chuck Ross, Attorney General Merrick Garland is being advised by Jake Sullivan's wife and overseeing the John Durham criminal probe, which is looking into the role of Jake Sullivan in the construct of the fabricated Trump-Russia conspiracy, the use of the FBI as a political tool, and Sullivan's lies in testimony to congress.

North Koreans are banned from laughing or drinking for 11 days to mark tenth anniversary of former leader Kim Jong Il's death.  North Koreans have been banned from laughing or drinking for 11 days to mark the tenth anniversary of former leader Kim Jong Il's death.  Government authorities have ordered the public to not show any signs of happiness while North Korea commemorates his death.  Kim Jong Il ruled North Korea from 1994 until his death in 2011, and was then succeeded by his third and youngest son, current leader Kim Jong Un. 

The Editor says...
An eleven-day ban on laughing is appropriate, because there's no laughing or drinking where Kim Jong Il is now.

'Woke' retailers who asked Congress for help amid smash-and-grabs supported left-wing police reforms.  Retail CEOs are calling on Congress for help amid the smash-and-grab lootings that are leaving them grappling with hundreds of thousands of dollars of lost or stolen merchandise.  Some of those same companies, however, supported organizations last year that have called to defund or overhaul policing in the United States.  "Many corporate leaders jumped on the woke bandwagon and wrote big checks to organizations that still continue to advocate to defund the police.  They did not think of anything beyond not being labeled a racist," Sean Pritchard, president of the San Jose Police Officers Association, told Fox News Digital Tuesday [12/14/2021].  Nearly two dozen CEOs signed the letter to Congress asking for support as theft crimes rage, including the chiefs of Target, Nordstrom, Levi Strauss, Ulta Beauty and Home Depot.

Lee Harvey Oswald was in contact with member of KGB two months before shooting and anonymous phone calls said Russia was behind it, documents reveal.  More than 1,500 previously classified JFK assassination files have today been made public, including documents about killer Lee Harvey Oswald's contact with a KGB agent two months before the shooting.  The files were released at noon on Wednesday by the National Archives, after months of delays by Biden who had promised to make them public but then stalled, claiming COVID backlogs was the reason.  Not all of them are now public — some are still being held back for further review by the NSA until next December, a move that has been slammed by members of Kennedy's family.

The Editor says...
If inflation gets worse, and it will, or if Ghislaine Maxwell spills the beans about someone really important, or if a Democrat politician is struck by lightning while telling the latest in a series of obvious lies, a few more of these documents will be released, to get the bad news off the front page of the newspaper.  Anybody who has looked into the Kennedy assassination for a few years will learn nothing from the documents most recently declassified.  (Really, this is news?  Oswald had "contact with a KGB agent two months before the shooting?"  That it?  Did anybody not know that already?  The only difference is that it was a conspiracy theory last week, and now it's a fact.)  The really interesting stuff is still under wraps, and will be for years, no matter who is president.

Governor of Texas Exceeded Constitutional Authority.  Allen West says that recent edicts issued by the Governor of Texas exceeded the governor's constitutional authority.  West specifically mentioned such decisions as deciding which businesses were essential and which were not as being blatantly unconstitutional.  Part of the discussion included references to American and Texas history as both the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and Texas' break from Mexico in 1836 included opposition to similar autocratic decrees by the King of England and by General Santa Anna respectively.  West also mentioned the lack of enforcement of border security as well as gubernatorial edicts that changed Texas' election schedule in 2020 in a manner that all but killed any attempts to accomplish voter registration clean-up in Texas.

Key Inflation Metric Grows at Fastest Pace Ever Recorded.  The producer price index jumped 9.6 percent in November compared to the same month last year, the highest year-over-year increase since record-keeping began in 2010.  The PPI increased by 0.8 percent during the month of November 2021.  Prices still climbed 6.9 percent when excluding food and energy costs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  The PPI tracks changes in the sale price of domestically produced goods, and is a key gauge of inflation.

Leaked SoCal hospital records reveal huge, automated markups for healthcare.  Ridiculous, seemingly arbitrary price markups are a defining characteristic of the $4-trillion U.S. healthcare system — and a key reason Americans pay more for treatment than anyone else in the world.  But to see price hikes of as much as 675% being imposed in real time, automatically, by a hospital's computer system still takes your breath away.  I got to view this for myself after a former operating-room nurse at Scripps Memorial Hospital in Encinitas shared with me screenshots of the facility's electronic health record system.  The nurse asked that I not use her name because she's now working at a different Southern California medical facility and worries that her job could be endangered.

Pentagon Pledges to 'Do Better,' But Won't Discipline Anyone for Botched Kabul Drone Strike.  Remember back in August when the Biden administration, through its Pentagon brass, announced a "righteous" drone strike in Kabul that supposedly stopped an imminent suicide bombing amid President Biden's disastrous and deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan?  The one that turned out to have been a complete miss and killed ten innocent civilians including seven children?  Well, no one's getting punished, as Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby announced Monday [12/13/2021].  According to The Associated Press, U.S. defense officials reported that "No U.S. troops involved in the August drone strike that killed innocent Kabul civilians and children will face disciplinary action."

Pentagon confirms NO military personnel will be punished for botched Kabul drone strike that killed 10 civilians instead of ISIS-K suicide bombers.  The Pentagon said Monday [12/13/2021] that no action would be taken against military personnel involved in the botched drone strike that killed 10 civilians in Kabul as American forces withdrew in August.  Seven children were among the dead when a Hellfire missile hit a saloon car mistakenly identified as being packed with explosives in the Afghan capital.  U.S. nerves were on edge three days after an ISIS-K suicide bomber killed 170 Afghans and 13 American service members at Hamid Karzai International Airport.

Project Veritas Case Appointed a Special Master in Court Win Over DOJ.  Project Veritas is in court again, this time because they claimed to have received an abandoned diary that once belonged to Ashley Biden, daughter of the current President of the United States.  James O'Keefe, founder of the group that is devoted to conducting sting operations against Democrats and their various organizations, insisted the diary came into their hands around September 3rd, 2020 because it had been abandoned, not stolen.

Amazon's cloud outage left millions who use 'smart' technology locked out of their homes, fridges, vacuum cleaners and house lighting systems!.  Amazon's cloud outage saw Alexa's, Roomba robot vacuum cleaners and Ring doorbells go down — leaving some users trapped outside their own 'smart' homes.  Some Ring customers said that they spent time rebooting or reinstalling their apps and devices before finding out about the outage on social media.  Many rely on a phone app to enter their homes, rather than a code that can also be used, with those that had forgotten the latter stuck outside their own homes as Ring doorbells went down.

The Editor says...
If you put all your eggs in one basket, you're in for great disappointment.  The internet just isn't all that reliable.  Neither is the power grid.  Neither is the government.

GOP moves to stop 'zombie votes' at Democratic FTC.  Republican senators are aiming to stop the Federal Trade Commission's Democratic chairwoman, Lina Khan, from using the votes of departed commissioners to move her agenda forward.  Six Republican senators, led by Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas, introduced legislation last week that would invalidate dozens of email votes left behind by Democrat Rohit Chopra when he left the agency in October.  The trade commission's current rules allow Chopra's votes to be used for up to 60 days after his departure, thereby allowing Democrats at the agency, led by Khan, to use his critical vote to maintain a majority regarding votes on policy statements, investigations, and rule-makings.

Leftist radicals enjoy unequivocal freedom of speech.  Conservatives do not.
Virginia: 'Let's Go Brandon' Boat Wins Boat Parade Contest, Is Then Disqualified Because of Liberal Tears.  Yorktown, Virginia held its annual Yorktown Lighted Boat Parade on Saturday night, and one 50-foot vessel won the coveted "Best in Show" title with a colorful and artfully designed display of lights, plus people dressed as Santa Claus and Old Joe Biden yelling "Merry Christmas" to the crowd, topped off with a pair of American flags at the bow.  A splendid time was had by all, but there was one fly in the festive ointment:  the winning entry was also bedecked with a sign reading "FJB Let's Go Brandon" in white lights.  Within hours, the Yorktown Foundation, which sponsors the event, had abjectly apologized and stripped the offending boat of its title.  An "overt political message," you see, is not allowed, or at least isn't allowed now that this has happened.

'Amazon Bought Twitch for $1 Billion for a Reason': Why Defense Experts Are Watching Video Game Industry.  From Call of Duty to Minecraft, virtual spaces are where more and more people are spending a good amount of their lives.  Facebook's plan to create a metaverse — a sort of next-generation internet that promises to blur the line between the actual and virtual worlds even further — raises valid concerns.  And yet, the demand for virtual environment is only growing.  In fact, Investopedia reports that the video game industry is larger than both the movie and music industries combined.  It has become an incubator for technology that is changing how people socialize, communicate, and even wage war.

Apple Signed Secret $275 Billion Deal With Chinese Government.  [Scroll down]  And just as the SEC prepares to boot dozens of Chinese companies off of US stock exchanges for refusing to comply with US audit standards (something the CCP has expressly forbidden under the auspices of data privacy), reporters with the Information have just published a bombshell:  At some point in the not-too-distant past, Cook struck a $275 billion deal with the Chinese government while facing pressure from the CCP.

Alleged $275 billion secret deal between Apple and China raises awkward questions.  A paywalled IT industry publication called The Information has published a blockbuster report titled, "Inside Tim Cook's Secret $275 Billion Deal with Chinese Authorities."  Only 2 paragraphs are visible to non-subscribers, Hartley Charlton of MacRumors has published a summary of it that is available to all.

New Bombshell Report Reveals CIA Is Full Of Pedophiles, Agency Refuses To Clean It Up.  The CIA covered up evidence of a Deep State pedophile ring operating within its own agency, according to newly released documents.  The bombshell revelation was reported, surprisingly, by BuzzFeed News, which obtained hundreds of internal CIA reports through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits.  According to the documents, one of the 10 CIA staffers raped a two year old girl and admitted to raping a six-year-old on two occasions.  The employee was fired but never criminally charged.  [Video clip]

Stash of money and checks discovered in walls of Joel Osteen church.  A stash of money and checks was discovered behind a bathroom wall by a plumber working at the megachurch of televangelist Joel Osteen in Houston, Texas.  The revelation was reported Thursday with Morning Show radio host George Lindsey being told about the Nov. 10 find during repair work at the Lakewood Church, according to KPRC 2.  "There was a loose toilet in the wall, and we removed the tile," a caller said.  "We went to go remove the toilet ... I moved some insulation away, and about 500 envelopes fell out of the wall, and I was like, 'Oh wow!'"  The caller explained to Lindsey that, upon discovering the stash of envelopes filled with cash and checks, he immediately "contacted the maintenance supervisor" and had the money turned in.  Lindsey said he was in disbelief upon hearing that the plumber had turned in the money.  "We were like, 'What are you talking about?'"  Lindsey said the caller explained that "in 2014 there was a big story about money being stolen from Lakewood church that they never recovered."

Alabama School Board Association votes to leave the National School Boards Association.  The parent movement scored another victory, as confirmed last night, with a vote taken by the Alabama School Board Association.  That association voted to leave the National School Boards Association which brings the number to 26 states that have distanced themselves from or terminated their membership with the national organization, as noted by Christopher Rufo on Twitter.

Supply chain issues impacting pharmacies.  The Federal Reserve reported Wednesday that many parts of the country were hit by supply chain disruptions and labor shortages in November.  While these problems have continued into December — with price increases reported to be widespread across the U.S. economy — empty shelves aren't the only issue for Americans.  Pharmacies are reportedly running out of important prescription medications, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shows there are about 111 drugs on backorder — including heart medications, antibiotics and cancer drugs.

U.S. Space Academies Prioritize 'Diversity' And 'Inclusion' As China Prepares To Eclipse U.S. In Space.  The United States may soon lose its status as a truly global superpower, both on Earth and in the heavens of low orbit.  "The threats are really growing and expanding every single day," Space Force Vice Chief of Operations Gen. David Thompson warned in an interview with the Washington Post published Tuesday.  As the Chinese and Russians continue to enhance their capabilities beyond Earth-bound gravity, the United States finds itself in the midst of a new 21st-century space race, competing with world powers developing new weapons to target satellites.  "We're really at a point now where there's a whole host of ways that our space systems can be threatened," Thompson said, adding U.S. satellites already face attacks "every single day" whether it be by laser, cyber, or frequency jammers.

DeSantis Moves to Reinstate the Long Disbanded Florida State Guard.  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Dec. 2 that he will be reinstating the Florida State Guard and will be seeking $3.5 million in the budget to do it.  The state guard was formed in 1941 and filled in for the Florida National Guard troops when they were deployed during World War II.  In the late 1940s, the unit was disbanded.  The governor said he wanted "to make sure we have the flexibility — and the ability needed — to respond to events in our state in the most effective way possible."  He added that will require Florida to have access to, and use of, support in ways that don't require the federal government.  The state guard would answer to the governor with no federal deployment, or missions, and would receive no federal dollars.

Biden sending 1,000 Nat'l Guard troops to Africa.  President Joe Biden is sending 1,000 Virginia and Kentucky National Guard troops to the horn of Africa, the services announced on Saturday.  The deployment marks the largest single-unit mobilization of Virginia's National Guard since World War II.  According to the Virginia National Guard Public Affairs Office, 800 Virginia and 200 Kentucky Guardsmen were transported to Fort Bliss, Texas, for roughly one month of pre-deployment training, marking the start of their federal active duty status.  The troops will be deployed to "unspecified countries" in Africa early next year.

The Editor says...
The article goes on and on after that, but never addresses the obvious question, "Why are U.S. National Guard troops needed in Africa?  One might also reasonably wonder if U.S. troops are supposed to be a generic manpower pool for every country on earth.  One might also wonder why those same soldiers aren't stationed on the Mexican border to defend the international boundary.

18 Democrats Will Abandon the House — More than Triple GOP Needs to Win Back Majority.  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) ambitions of keeping the Democrat majority in the House of Representatives past the midterm elections next year are dwindling as droves of vulnerable Democrats have announced they are leaving their current seats to either retire or seek a different office instead of fighting in a brutal reelection.  Republicans only need to net five seats to pick up the House majority after the midterms.  So far, more than triple the amount of Democrats (18 total) have decided to officially call it quits on the House and have left their seats open for a fight, giving Republicans a chance to gain another seat since House Republicans only need to net five seats to gain the majority and retire Pelosi as Speaker.

Xi's plan to punish Australia for insisting on investigating the origins of Covid backfires.  For almost a year and a half, China has been trying to bully Australia for that nation's insistence on getting to the bottom of the spread of COVID from the Middle Kingdom.  From the standpoint of Chairman Xi, Australia must have looked like an excellent target to use as a means of establishing China's power over lesser nations that are part of the world's club of advanced nations.  Xi's ambition for China to be the world's hegemon requires that other nations fear its power. [...] China's GDP of 14.72 trillion dollars is more than 11 times Australia's 1.33 trillion.  China targeted Australian wines for trade restrictions, a shrewd move because of the visibility in Australia of this small but very proud industry.  However, Xi made a big boo-boo in targeting Australian coal.  That's a strategic item, and world energy markets can be volatile.

The trucker shortage is fueled by a misconception that the job is only for low-skilled people, who endure poor working conditions, says expert.  A false perception of truck drivers' experiences and working conditions is fueling the ongoing truck-driver shortage, according to an expert.  Tra Williams, CEO of FleetForce, a Florida-based truck-driving school, told Insider:  "The problem is the perception that trucking is for people of low skill, low education, who are OK with low wages.  All three are factually incorrect."  In the US, there is a shortage of around 80,000 truck drivers, Chris Spear, president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations, recently told CNN.

Disney's Faltering Brand Takes Another Hit with 'Encanto' Box Office Nosedive.  Despite rave reviews, Disney's Encanto, an animated musical with songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda, took a nosedive at the holiday box office.  As of Thursday, this tale of a magic castle in Colombia (or something) is expected to gross just $26 million over three days and an anemic $38.6 million over the full five-day holiday.  First off, no one can blame streaming.  This is a theatrical-only release.  Secondly, no one can blame the pandemic.  Plenty of movies are opening just fine.  How bad is this?  Oh, it's bad.  By comparison, one of Disney's biggest bombs, The Good Dinosaur, grossed $55.4 million over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend.  This is also the second time Hollywood's precious Lin-Manuel Miranda has failed to juice the box office this year.

This holiday season the Salvation Army wants a donation — and a 'sincere apology' for white racism.  As Americans head out on Black Friday to make a dent in their holiday shopping lists, some are sure to come across Salvation Army volunteers ringing bells as part of the annual Red Kettle campaign.  But this year, the global charitable organization wants more from its donors than a donation to the needy during the holidays.  With the dissemination of a recent Salvation Army guide titled "Let's Talk About ... Racism," the Christian organization is attempting to elicit "sincere" apologies from white people for being racist.  The guide, which was compiled and approved earlier this year by the International Social Justice Commission of the Salvation Army, aligns the organization with the ideology of the Black Lives Matter, antiracism, and critical race theory movements.

The Editor says...
This story sounds very difficult to believe, but I've heard it from multiple sources.  The others are immediately below.

Salvation Army's Donors Withdraw Support in Response to Racial 'Wokeness' Initiative.  As The Salvation Army launches its Red Kettle Campaign this holiday season, some of its long-time donors are withdrawing their support from the 156-year old charitable organization citing its newly embraced "woke" ideology as the reason.  Of great concern to loyal supporters and faithful Salvationists is the initiative dubbed "Let's Talk About Racism."  In a nutshell, its curriculum outlines the Christian church's alleged racial collusion and provides action steps to analyze and combat racism through an "anti-racist" lens while incorporating Critical Race Theory.  Definitions of institutional and systemic racism are included while real or perceived differences in life outcomes ("inequities") are attributable not to individual effort and other circumstances, but to discrimination.

Get woke and go broke.
Did donations dry up?  Salvation Army pulls U-turn on 'guidance' for whites.  Just as the famous red kettles of the Salvation Army are appearing nationwide for the international charitable organization's major fundraising effort, the organization abruptly has withdrawn a controversial "guidance" that warned white Americans racism is "systemic" and Christians would "evaluate" their racist practices.  Fox Business reported over the weekend that the guidance apparently was intended to ask "white Americans" to "stop trying to be 'colorblind.'"

Happy Holidays, White Donors:  Salvation Army Wants You to Offer a 'Sincere Apology' for 'Systemic Racism'.  The ubiquitous "red kettle."  Cheerful bell ringers, beckoning holiday shoppers to toss in a few bucks for the less fortunate among us.  My how times have changed since the first red kettle was set up on an Oakland street corner in 1891 — particularly for white donors.  Along with your holiday donations this year, white people, the Salvation Army beseeches you to offer a "sincere apology" to Black people.  For "systemic racism," of course.  Needless to say, the "Christian" organization has strayed a bit from its previously chosen non-judgemental path — particularly in its embrace of Marxist-derived Critical Race Theory.  Put simply, if you're white, you're guilty.

Disgusting: Salvation Army Wants White Donors To Offer A "Sincere Apology" For "Systemic" Racism.  What was founded in 1865 in London, England, as both a protestant Christian church and an international charitable organization, the Salvation Army has now embraced Critical Race Theory.  Its first "red kettle" was set up in Oakland, California in 1891 and since then millions of people have dropped coins and bills into their kettles while a smiling person repeating " Merry Christmas" rings a handheld bell perpetually.  Unfortunately, this Christian organization, like many others who have drifted away from the sole purpose of advancing the Gospel, is now embracing racist ideology peddled by anti-white activists including Ibram Kendi.  The organization is embracing the ideas of Black Lives Matter, an activist group, deemed as domestic terrorists by some, who are working to "dismantle white privilege" and "disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure."

Salvation Army defends guide telling white people to apologize for racism.  The Salvation Army recently defended an internal racism guide that discouraged "colorblindness" and encouraged staff members to "apologize for being white" after the guide faced backlash.  The Salvation Army argued the new guide was meant to encourage discussion about racism among members of the Salvation Army.  The organization denied attempting to indoctrinate or tell its donors what to think, reminding people that the guide was meant for internal use.  "The Salvation Army has occasionally published study guides on various complex topics, including race, to help foster positive conversations and reflection among Salvationists," the Thursday statement said.  "The hope is that by openly discussing these issues, we can encourage a more thoughtful organization that is better positioned to serve those in need.  These guides are solely designed for internal use.  No one is being told how to think.  Period."

The Salvation Army says white donors should 'repent for their racist ideologies'.  A Salvation Army released a guide, "Let's Talk About Racism," in April that is meant to provide "internal dialogue" on racism within the charity's organization.  The guide was created by the Salvation Army International Social Justice Commission.  According to the guide, "White culture" has challenges it needs to overcome, including "denial of racism," "defensiveness about race," and suggests for "White Americans" to "stop trying to be 'colorblind.'"

Update:
Salvation Army pulls anti-racism document after donor blowback.  The Salvation Army said Monday it has withdrawn a discussion guide on racism that was intended for its church members but that an advocacy group claimed was given to donors as a call to "repent" for being White.  "If that document is getting in the way of the fulfillment of our mission, The Salvation Army is going to remove it," Commissioner Kenneth Hodder, the group's U.S. national commander, told The Washington Times.  "Because nothing can be allowed to affect the fulfillment of that critical mission."  The church group has been flooded by email complaints about repentance requests over its guide "Let's Talk About Racism," one critic said.  An online petition has garnered more than 14,000 signatures asking the organization to denounce critical race theory.

Analysis:
Woke Salvation Army surrendered without a fight.  Over the years, I've embraced the opportunity to volunteer for the Salvation Army by serving meals to the poor and needy and by gleefully ringing the Christmas bell for Red Kettle donations.  I loved the many acts of broad and nonstop charity and goodwill the Salvation Army extended to all of humanity, as it was a reminder of the Gospel mission.  The Salvation Army had honorable principles and stood reliably strong as an institution in my mind.  Until now.  Salvation Army documents reveal that the organization has gone woke.  Instead of appreciating all people groups and continuing on an unbiased and uncompromising mission to serve all people compassionately, the Salvation Army now thinks it's somehow okay to view people through the lens of "race."  Somewhere deep in its leadership, the Army saw the enemy and embraced it.  Race consideration and connotations are an obvious outcome of Critical Race Theory (CRT), or adjunct theology (Liberation Theology, for instance).  Viewing people by race or class is wholly antithetical to any organization committed to providing compassionate and unbiased services to any and all people or groups in need.  Woke schemes see everything about human culture in one paradigm: "oppressors vs. oppressed" or "victimizers vs. victims."  Without exception, the oppressors and victimizers are "White" by definition.

Another update:
The Salvation Army takes an even deeper dive into wokedom.  The Salvation Army, despite having faced a massive backlash because of November's "Let's Talk About Racism" guide, doesn't seem to have learned its lesson.  It's now announced that, in January, it will be offering a two-day racial justice forum in Illinois.  This turn to the left does not bode well for an organization that has already seen a significant drop in charitable donations since it decided to embrace leftist politics.

Joe Biden Claims Shelves Are Well Stocked as Grocers Ration Food.  President Joe Biden tweeted Wednesday [11/24/2021] that supermarket shelves are well stocked across the country while grocers ration food.  "For all those concerns a few weeks ago that there would not be ample food available for Thanksgiving, families can rest easy today," Biden claimed. [...] Meanwhile, Publix Supermarkets, a Florida-based grocer, warned customers this week to expect food shortages in all 1,280 stores across the southeast.  According to the Orlando Sentinel, the list of rationed foods include the following:
  •   Canned cranberry sauce
  •   Jarred gravy
  •   Canned pie filling
  •   Canola and vegetable oil
  •   Cream cheese
  •   Bacon
  •   Rolled breakfast sausage
  •   Paper napkins
  •   Disposable plates, cups and cutlery
  •   Bath tissue
  •   Refrigerated snacks (Lunchables-type items)
  •   Sports drinks
  •   Aseptic-type juices (Capri Sun) [...]

Federal Reserve Should Fight Inflation, Not Climate Change.  [Scroll down]  Per the Fed's statement, "Climate change poses significant challenges for the global economy and financial system, with implications for the structure of economic activity, the safety and soundness of financial institutions and the stability of the financial sector more broadly.  A sustained global response by national authorities, the international community, and the private sector can address the financial and economic implications of climate change."  So, instead of declaring war on inflation and all the other problems facing the U.S. economy, the Fed is more inclined to use its bandwidth and resources to counter so-called climate change.  Just in case the Fed's recent statement on its quest to fight climate change was not enough to placate radical leftists, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell made it clear that the Fed, under his leadership, will prioritize climate change above all else.

Stunning good news from Chile — and not just for them, but for us.  In Chile, the presidential election was straightforward: communism or liberty.  Pick one or the other.  No soggy middle.  So guess which one got the most votes!  Yep, liberty, and I'm not talking about some namby-pamby nice-guy RINO kind of liberty, respectable at Santiago cocktail parties.  It was 100-proof hard stuff liberty, prompting shudders from the press. [...] José Antonio Kast is a solid free-market candidate who ran against Gabriel Boric, a self-described communist, and wound up with the most votes on an unapologetic advocacy and defense of free markets.  That was what Chile needed.

What to Watch For if Russia Invades Ukraine.  News reports from Europe indicate two potentially dangerous events occurring on the borders of NATO.  The most glaring is the report of Russian large scale troop deployments near the Ukrainian border indicating a possible invasion in the next few months.  The other report is on the smaller yet volatile migration movements along the Belarussian-Polish border.  These two circumstances coincide with Europe's weak energy situation and the global perception of American weakness created by the mismanaged withdrawal in Afghanistan.  Although the risk of war in this region remains low, the possibility of a regional war during a time of European energy shortages would threaten the world with a global depression next year.  How could Ukraine spark a depression?  The biggest impact on global markets would of course be related to oil and gas prices.  Three of the primary pipelines that feed the European Union go through Ukraine and any invasion would likely stop hydrocarbon delivery for weeks in the best-case scenario.

Gates Germ-Game Warning Motivates Smallpox Vaccine Discussions.  Policy Exchange recently hosted Mr. Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Chair of the Health Select Committee, who discussed the potential of future pandemics.  In a wide-ranging discussion on November 4, 2021, Gates called for a new international Pandemic Task Force, with a budget of about $1 billion per year.  According to Microsoft's founder, governments must invest billions in research and development to prepare for future pandemics and smallpox terror strikes.

Just Days After Bill Gates Warned Of A Coming Smallpox Bioterror Attack, 15 Vials Labeled 'Smallpox' Are Found In Research Lab In Pennsylvania.  A scenario ripe for a zombie-horror movie has just happened.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed Tuesday that vials labeled 'smallpox' — an extremely deadly virus that was eradicated in the 1970s — were found at a vaccine research facility in Pennsylvania.  Just days after Bill Gates in an interview said that the next thing we need to prepare for is a smallpox bioterror attack, vials of... wait for it... smallpox dried vaccine were randomly 'discovered' in a research lab in Pennsylvania.  What an amazing coincidence, wouldn't you say?

The Editor says...
The "discovery" of smallpox, or at least, "vials labeled 'smallpox'" in a lab sounds really fishy.  The FBI is notorious for busting its own sting operations and a cynical onlooker might easily infer that this case is one of them.  The government wants to keep us all in a state of constant alarm, and this is just the latest angle.

Biden Admin Quietly Authorizes Largest Oil Lease Sale In US History Despite Campaign Promise.  The Biden administration auctioned off over 80 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico for oil drilling Wednesday [11/17/2021] despite a campaign promise to ban new oil and gas leasing, the Boston Globe reported.  The auction is the largest offshore oil and gas lease sale in the United States, according to the Boston Globe.  The new leases will produce 1.1 billion barrels of oil and 4.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, according to a Department of the Interior estimate, the Globe reported.  [Tweet]  "This morning was met with extreme disappointment, depleted hope, and shattered trust," Legal Director for Friends of the Earth Hallie Templeton said, the Globe reported.  Just four days before the sale, the Biden administration signed the COP26 pact, which requires countries to eliminate subsidies for the fossil fuel industry.  Biden previously pledged to ban new oil and gas leasing on public land and water.

FDA Approves New Drug Against Weaponized Smallpox.  The FDA has approved a new drug to treat smallpox.  Fearful of a possible bioweapon attack, the United States has been steadily preparing a defense through BARDA, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.  Tecovirimat was the first drug for smallpox, approved in 2018.  The FDA granted the new drug, brincidofovir, or BCV, fast track status and orphan drug designations in 2018.  The new approval came under the FDA's Animal Rule.  Drug testing usually goes through several phases prior to approval.  First, there is preclinical testing in test tubes and animal models.  Phase I is the "first in human" testing, looking primarily for safety and toxicity.  Phase II is where researchers look for the best dose to treat a specific condition.  The drug being tested is generally given to people who are relatively healthy otherwise.

FBI demands motorists return money they grabbed in frenzy after armored truck spewed cash over San Diego freeway.  An armored truck spewed cash all over a San Diego freeway this week after one of its doors burst open, and now the FBI and the California Highway Patrol are looking for those who ran off with the money.  'If anyone picked up cash, we ask you to bring it to the office in Vista immediately,' a CHP spokesperson told Fox 5.  'I just want to give everyone a head's up that there is a lot of video evidence.'  They are giving people 48 hours to return the money or face 'potential criminal charges.'  Two people have already been arrested, officials said.  Drivers stopped what they were doing Monday and scrambled to pick up 'free' money on the northbound side of Interstate 5 near Carlsbad, California.  The trunk was on its way to the Federal Reserve to make the deposit when the back doors burst open around 10 a.m., authorities said.

The Editor says...
There are a number of ethical issues involved here.  [#1] Maybe you should lock the doors on the armored car next time.  The money is all over the highway because of negligence.  [#2] It would be a lot easier to convince people to return the money except that we all know what would happen if the shoe was on the other foot:  The government eagerly confiscates large amounts of cash from innocent people travelling on Interstate highways, but now throws a fit when the roles are reversed.  [#3] It's the taxpayer's money.  Just go print some more.  That's what Joe Biden is doing anyway, and the inevitable inflation is well underway.  [#4] It's not your money, and you really should give it back, minus a customary ten percent finder's fee.  But the kind of people who scooped it up are more likely to buy marijuana with it, than to stimulate the economy by buying durable goods.

Royal Navy submarines and special forces [are trying] to recover crashed £100m F-35 fighter jet from the bottom of the Mediterranean.  Royal Navy submarines are racing against the Russians to recover a crashed £100million jet with top secret technology from the bottom of the Mediterranean.  An RAF pilot was forced to eject from his F-35B Lightning as it ditched into the sea soon after taking off on 'routine exercise' from the Navy's flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth.  The aircraft was one of eight UK fast-jets onboard, along with 10 US aircraft.  By plunging into international waters, the crash triggered a scramble to find the next-generation jet from the sea bed before it could be reached by Russia.  It s thought to be the first time an F35-B has crashed in such an area.  The technology aboard the US-designed aircraft, including top secret radar and sensors, is hugely sensitive as it allows the F-35 to fly 'unseen' in hostile territory at supersonic speeds.  However, it is likely that China already knows all there is to know about the jet due to spying.

China is destroying the world's fishing ecosystem.  Not content with overfishing its own coastline in a non-sustainable way, China has now turned to unethical pirate fishing in the territorial waters of less powerful nations around the world.  Chinese fishermen turn off their GPS transponders that can be traced electronically, send out false electronic signals, violate U.N. maritime law, enter the sovereign fishing territory of foreign nations, illegally fish with slave-like labor, and then escape to international waters with their catch.  Some fishing fleets are so large that they can be seen from space.  For China, world fishing is now like the wild west, with a value in billions of dollars annually.  The Chinese have an insatiable appetite for seafood, and their population is about 1.4 billion people.  They are even risking entering the territorial waters of the U.S. in Hawaii.  Guam and American Samoa may be next.  Fishing in pristine North Western Australia is done not only by China, but by Indonesia as well, and Australia recently sank fifteen Chinese fishing vessels and chased off many others.

Plane Stalls and Nearly Kills the People Skydiving.  A Plane stalled seconds after a group of skydivers took flight from the plane itself.  Seconds later the pilot eems to regain control and pulls up, coming just feet from the skydivers who just moments prior jumped out of the plane.  [Video clip]

US Marines Go All-In On Diversity-Equity-Inclusion Training.  Last week, the US Marine Corps marked its 246th birthday.  And while there are many reasons to celebrate this milestone, last we also saw a group Iran-backed of Houthi rebels stormed the U.S. Embassy compound in Yemen's capital San'a. [...] Also during the week, Chinese military forces held exercises near Taiwan in response to a visit by a US congressional delegation to the island. [...] Given these developments, sensible planners would consider making military preparedness, defense preparation, and troop recruitment and training top priorities.  Instead, the Biden administration's priorities have nothing to do with actual military readiness.  It intends to force march the US Marines toward diversity, equity and inclusion as the solution to make the Marine's "reflect America".

Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson will split into 2 companies.  Johnson & Johnson, the New Jersey-based pharmaceutical giant, will separate into two publicly traded companies, creating an entirely new, rebranded consumer health business, the company announced Friday [11/12/2021].  It's a major change for the 135-year-old institution based in New Brunswick.  Johnson & Johnson, which has more than 136,000 employees, will split its consumer products arm — responsible for Band-Aids, Tylenol, Listerine and Neutrogena — from its pharmaceutical and medical device branches within 18 to 24 months, the company said.  The decision was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

China blew up one of its satellites with a missile 14 years ago and this week a piece of the satellite nearly hit the International Space Station.  Little-known fact:  Astronauts in the International Space Station have to work with the constant possibility that, at some point, a piece of hypersonic space junk might potentially obliterate the station.  The space station just dodged debris from a 2007 Chinese weapons test.  The object was expected to make a close pass with the outpost in orbit on Thursday night [11/11/2021].

Yale's Administrators Outnumber Its Entire Undergraduate Enrollment.  If you're wondering about the state of bureaucratic bloat in America — and, particularly, in education — look no further than Yale University. [...] From teaching to schooling, we appear to have jumped the shark where practical application is concerned.  Contemporarily, people go to college to absorb ideas that have no discernible real-world value.  We're living in an age of symbolism.  Of empty acts.  Take a look across the culture — entertainment elites endorse socialism while living indulgent capitalist lives.  Those who rail against energy abuse charter private jets.  The recent planetary environmental summit was held in person — everyone in that room posturing against fuel-consuming travel... traveled needlessly.

Los Angeles Potentially Exposed to Radioactive Dust After Explosive Demolition at Old Nuclear Test Site.  Residents of some parts of Los Angeles are expressing concern that they may have been exposed to radioactive dust particles after the U.S. Department of Energy demolished a building last month at a former nuclear testing site by using explosives.  [Video clip]

Pope Francis Says The Great Reset Must Include A 'Green Spirituality' Where The Earth Is Worshipped.  Pope Francis says the the pre-pandemic world must be done away with, all militaries around the world dismantled, and that the earth is our mother who needs to be protected.

Biden's naivete about Russian cyber warfare puts America in danger.  In September, the Biden Administration released back to Russia the world's most dangerous cybercriminal, Alexei Burkov, after Trump's Justice Department had taken great pains to extradite him from Israel.  From early 2009 till August 2013, 31-year old Burkov operated a website called "Cardplanet," which sold stolen numbers of credit and debit cards, many of which belonged to US citizens.  Fraudulent purchases in the amount of $20 million were made on US credit cards, as a result of stolen data traded on Burkov's website.  He also ran another website where elite hackers advertised stolen personal information, hacking tools and money laundering services.  Instead of serving a maximum sentence of 15 years in US prison, the cyber criminal was deported to his native Russia.  Russian cyber criminals like Burkov have extorted millions of dollars in ransom from US businesses in return for unlocking infected computer networks.  But the main value of highly-skilled cyber criminals like Burkov for Russian President Putin is not how much ransom he can gain, but rather, what these hackers can do for their country.

Black Americans Sue U.S. Farms for Replacing Them with Foreign Workers.  Black Americans who spent most of their lives working on Mississippi farms are suing their former employer after they were replaced by foreign workers on the H-2A visa program.  The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, accuses Pitts Farms of laying off a number of black Americans, only to replace them with foreign visa workers from South Africa.  The H-2A visa program allows U.S. farms to annually outsource an unlimited number of American jobs to foreign workers who can extend their stay for up to three years.  The foreign families of H-2A visa workers can also come to the U.S. on H-4 visas.

Tucker Burst Out Laughing at What Edward Durr Told Stephen Sweeney, the NJ Senate President He Ousted.  New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney was ousted by Edward Durr, a little known Republican candidate who spent next to nothing on his campaign.  For a bit, Sweeney held out hope that once all the legal votes were counted, he'd beat the commercial truck driver, but that didn't pan out and he conceded this week.  During an interview with Durr, Fox News's Tucker Carlson asked if he has actually spoken to Sweeney since the election results came out.  "Have you talked to Sweeney since you dethroned him?  I mean, how baffled is he?" Carlson wondered.  "Yes, we had a phone conversation yesterday after he had given his press conference to the media and he congratulated me and just wished me luck to do well for South Jersey."  Durr said he was a "gentleman" about it.

The Editor says...
I suspect Mr. Sweeney wants to duck down the Media Memory Hole for a while, so nobody will ask about the 12,000 ballots that he allegedly "found" after the polls closed.

Norwegian undersea surveillance network capable of detecting submarines has cables mysteriously cut.  A Norwegian undersea surveillance network that is capable of detecting submarines has had its cables mysteriously cut.  Police were called in to investigate amid suspicion Russia could have 'sabotaged' the undersea sensors, which predominantly monitor fish but can pick up the movement of submarines.  The cables were cut and then disappeared, with the Institute of Marine Research describing 'extensive damage' to the outer area of the Lofoten-Vesterålen (LoVe) Ocean Observatory.

Tree DNA sends leader of poaching ring to prison after 2018 Olympic National Forest fire.  In the spring and summer of 2018, a crew of poachers had been chopping down trees by night in the Olympic National Forest in Washington state, federal prosecutors said.  On Aug. 3, they came upon the wasp's nest.  It was at the base of a bigleaf maple, a species of hardwood tree with a shimmering grain that is prized for its use in violins, guitars and other musical instruments.  The crew was selling bigleaf maples to a mill in Tumwater, Thurston County, using forged permits, prosecutors said.  The timber poachers sprayed insecticide and most likely gasoline on the nest and burned it, authorities said.  But they were unable to douse the fire with water bottles, so they fled, prosecutors said.  The fire spread out from the forest's Elk Lake area, near Hood Canal, burning 3,300 acres and costing about $4.2 million to contain, prosecutors said.

Rittenhouse Trial Judge's 'Asian Food' Comments Sparks Cries of Racism.  Leftist internet trolls have been crying racism in response to Kyle Rittenhouse trial Judge Bruce Schroeder's reference to "Asian food" on Thursday [11/11/2021] as the court went into recess.  The alleged "faux pas" happened as Judge Schroeder dismissed the court for lunch on Thursday afternoon, during which he mocked President Joe Biden's supply chain crisis at Asian food's expense.  "Let's hope for one o'clock, I don't know, the uh, hope the Asian food isn't coming — it isn't on one of those boats in Long Beach Harbor," he said.

The Editor says...
If that's all you've got against Judge Schoeder, you've got nothing.

Judge in Kyle Rittenhouse trial makes inappropriate joke about Asian food.  The judge presiding over the homicide trial of Kyle Rittenhouse confused observers after making a strange and off-color joke inside the courtroom on Thursday.  "I hope the Asian food isn't coming... isn't on one of those boats from Long Beach Harbor," said Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Schroeder as the court was preparing to take a lunch break.  Schroeder, the longest-serving active judge in Wisconsin's trial courts, appeared to be referring to the supply chain backlogs caused by congestion problems in California ports.

The Editor says...
Oh, yeah.  That's a dog whistle, at least.

LA Ports Break Records During Supply Chain Crisis.  The waters off the coast of Southern California continued to see record-breaking numbers of cargo ships this week as one city opened its harbor to help with the overflow.  The ports broke a new record on Nov. 9, with 168 ships waiting to unload goods.  That included 55 ships drifting at sea, 48 at anchor, and 65 ships docked.  Another record fell the same day when 49 container ships were forced to drift off the coast, unable to anchor or dock at the overloaded twin ports.  "This is record-setting levels at anchor and record-setting levels at loitering," Kip Louttit, head of the Marine Exchange of Southern California, told The Epoch Times.

The Editor says...
About 45 years ago, I thought I might get a job as a radio operator on a ship.  For that job, one needed a Second-Class FCC Radiotelegraph License (which I had!), Coast Guard certification (which I didn't have), and about a year of jumping through hoops with the labor union in charge of such things.  I heard stories about how radio officers made good money, had no place to spend it, and racked up overtime when stuck in the Suez Canal, for example.  I'm not sure how much of that work has been automated out of existence, but each of these ships has a crew that can't go ashore, and a finite supply of groceries.  I would not want to be there.

3 Nigerian Men Are Flogged Mercilessly In Public For Bringing Meth Into The Neighborhood.  A viral video of a group of young men being beaten to stupor for taking hard drugs in Ekwe Isu, LGA of Imo state has surfaced on social media.  In the video making rounds, some group of boys were tied to a pillar and beaten by the community youths after they were reportedly caught taking a hard drug known as Methamphetamine Hydrochloride.  Sharing the video, a Facebook user simply named Uche disclosed that Mkpuru mmiri as it is called in the southeast is an addictive drug that has driven many young men to their early graves.  [Video clip]

Supply chain stalled by 72,000 truckers who failed strict drug tests.  A dire truck driver shortage that's wreaking havoc on the US economy is getting worse — and it's being fueled partly by tough federal drug-testing restrictions that were imposed nationwide last year, industry officials told The [New York] Post.  More than 72,000 truck drivers have been taken off US roads since January 2020 because they have failed drug tests that are now required by the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse, a 22-month-old registry established to increase safety on US highways, according to government data.  That's a big number, considering that the American Trucking Association — which also blames the pandemic and a lack of younger drivers, among other factors — recently pegged the industry's overall driver shortfall at 80,000, up from 60,800 in 2018 and 50,700 in 2017.  "It's a staggering number of drivers we have lost" because of the new drug-testing rules, Jeremy Reymer, chief executive of industry recruiter DriverReach, told The Post.

CCP Media Says Large Number of Officials 'Lack Confidence in the CCP,' Could Flee at Any Time.  Eight years ago, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping criticized party officials for letting their confidence waver and sending their families and money abroad.  These people were trying to "leave themselves a way out and prepared to 'jump ship' anytime."  Study Times, a newspaper run by the CCP's Central Party School for training Chinese officials, recently reiterated these words, saying some party officials were being physically in China, but mentally abroad.  "This shows a loss of ideal and a lack of confidence toward the Party and the nation," the article said, adding that such officials are more prone to "losing their direction" and "walking further away on the wrong path."  Such officials have become known as "naked officials," a figurative term suggesting that they are not leaving anything but themselves back home.  Naked officials might not be corrupt, but they have a higher chance to become corrupt," the Study Times article stated, naming three such officials to illustrate the point.

A Truck Driver With a Few Thousand Bucks and an iPhone Just Toppled New Jersey's Most Powerful Lawmaker.  It is not hyperbole to say that Edward Durr, a 58-year-old truck driver from New Jersey, just pulled off one of the biggest political upsets in American history.  With a bare-bones campaign that reportedly cost less than $6,000 (some earlier reports claimed that Durr spent just $153 on the race, but Durr later clarified that was not a full accounting), Durr ousted New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) in Tuesday's election.  After previously calling the race for Sweeney and then withdrawing that call, the Associated Press called the race for Durr on Thursday morning.  He has a lead of over 2,000 votes with 99 percent of precincts reporting.  Sweeney, who was seeking a seventh term in the Senate, is widely regarded as a kingpin in New Jersey politics and one of the most powerful men in the state.  He has been president of the state Senate since 2010, the longest tenure in state history.

The mystery of the missing millions is the only blemish on a strong U.S. jobs report.  The U.S. jobs report for October hit all the right notes — except for one.  The number of people in the labor force barely grew, leaving the rate of participation at the lowest level since the early 1970s.  Put another way, millions of people who had jobs before the pandemic still haven't returned to work.  And that doesn't even take into account a few million more who likely would entered the labor force had there been no pandemic at all.

Murder By Any Other Name.  Scott Ritter explains how the murder of Zemari Ahmadi and nine family members by a U.S. drone attack in August was whitewashed by the Pentagon.

Josh Hawley:  Milley, Austin Need To Prepare US Troops For Real Wars, Not Culture Wars.  U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, reacted Thursday night [11/4/2021] on "The Ingraham Angle" to news that U.S. troops had been badly beaten by their British counterparts while both groups underwent a training exercise in California.  Hawley suggested the incident exemplified misplaced priorities in the U.S. military under the Biden administration — and worried that China might draw some conclusions about U.S. war readiness.

Epic Fail:  L.A. Ports Are More Clogged Now Than Before Biden's Supply Chain 'Fix'.  President Joe Biden says he's been addressing supply chain problems "since Day One," but that's consisted mainly of appointing task forces and holding summits.  His latest bold "action" was to beg G-20 leaders to "help address global supply chain issues."  The one concrete step Biden has taken was, he said, to get the Los Angeles ports to stay open 24/7, which he announced on Oct. 13.  Biden said this has the "potential to be a gamechanger."  A White House fact sheet declared that it "will speed up shipments of goods throughout the country."  Except, that's not what's happened.  In fact, things have gotten worse at those ports, not better, since Biden's "game changer."  On Oct. 10, three days before the president's announcement, there were 60 container ships waiting offshore to get into the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and 27 were at berths unloading or loading cargo, according to the Marine Exchange of Southern California.  This Tuesday [11/2/2021], there were 77 container ships waiting, while 25 were berthed.

How Glenn Youngkin beat the Democrats in Virginia.  When a Republican wins in a reliably Democratic state, it's big news.  That's exactly what happened in Virginia, where newcomer Glenn Youngkin defeated former governor Terry McAuliffe.  The Republican won even though McAuliffe had a well-oiled political machine and high name recognition, and was campaigning in a state Joe Biden won by ten points only a year ago.  All those advantages were for nought.  The Commonwealth will have a Republican governor for the first time in over a decade.  It is likely Republicans will win the other two state-wide races for the lieutenant governor and attorney general and could win the House of Delegates, which had been under firm Democratic control.

The Red-Pilling of Loudoun County, Virginia.  The drama that played out in upscale Loudoun County, Virginia over the last year or so, and cost Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe the governorship last night, is a book waiting to be written.  In fact, if companies like HBO or Netflix have any sense, it will soon be a movie as well, because almost every hot-button issue in American national politics was rolled up somewhere in this sprawling, preposterous, rage-filled suburban drama.  I have a longer piece on this coming, and have to return to the area at least once to follow up, so I can't get into it in depth yet.  But [...] a few things are already clear.  McAuliffe's collapse, and the corresponding underdog win by private equity titan Glenn Youngkin, is already being caricatured nationally using the language of 1980s politics.  We're meant to understand that the Loudoun County story — which is too complex to summarize easily but involves furious disputes between local parents and the school board over a variety of issues, including a pair of sexual assaults — was cooked up by Republicans as a cynical dog-whistle campaign.

CDC advisory committee recommends all US adults younger than age 60 get vaccinated against hepatitis B.  Advisors to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended on Wednesday that all U.S. adults younger than age 60 get vaccinated against hepatitis B.  Under the new policy, tens of millions of adults in the 30-to-59 age range could get their shots, protecting them against this potentially chronic liver disease.  The new recommendation aims to prevent infection among middle-aged adults with hepatitis B increasingly impacting people in their 40s and 50s in recent years.

Another Shocking Victory Happened in Texas Last Night and Suggests 2022 Doom for Democrats.  While all eyes were on Virginia last night, where Republican Glenn Youngkin pulled a massive upset, other elections were going on across the country.  Candidates for local offices and state districts along with referendums on things like defunding the police occurred in places like Texas, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and there's a big upset in Texas that suggests doom is coming for Democrats in 2022.  That occurred in San Antonio where the race of HD118 took place.  Republican John Lujan came out victorious in the majority-Hispanic district that Democrats carried by double-digits the last time around.

Georgia woman was billed almost $700 for trip to ER; says she did not see a doctor and left after waiting seven hours.  A Georgia woman says she received an emergency room bill for nearly $700- despite not receiving treatment and leaving the hospital after seven hours without ever getting to see a doctor.  Taylor Davis told a local media outlet that she checked into Emory Decatur Hospital for treatment of a head injury in July — but after waiting to be seen for seven hours, left the facility.  'I sat there for seven hours,' she told Fox 5.  'There's no way I should be sitting in an emergency room — an emergency room — for seven hours.'  Weeks later, Davis said she was shocked to receive a hospital bill for $688.35.  "I didn't get my vitals taken, nobody called my name,' Davis told the outlet.  'I wasn't seen at all.'

Isn't that what sonar is for?
Navy investigation reveals sub hit uncharted underwater mountain.  A U.S. Navy investigation has determined that the nuclear attack submarine damaged in a collision in the South China Sea in early October struck an uncharted underwater mountain, defense officials said Monday [11/1/2021].  The Navy's U.S. 7th Fleet commander Vice Adm. Karl Thomas is now conducting a review of the findings to determine whether any additional accountability measures will be taken, U.S. Naval Institute News reported.  "The investigation determined USS Connecticut grounded on an uncharted seamount while operating in international waters in the Indo-Pacific region," 7th Fleet spokesperson Cmdr.  Hayley Sims said in a statement.  Vice Adm. Thomas "will determine whether follow-on actions, including accountability, are appropriate."

Staggering $1.5 billion lithium deposit discovered near Newry; excavating it poses a challenge.  The richest known hard rock lithium deposit in the world lies a few miles northeast of the ski slopes of Sunday River and not far from Step Falls, where swimmers can wade in shallow pools formed by hundreds of feet of cascading granite ledge.  Smaller deposits have been known in Maine for decades, but this recent discovery, just north of Plumbago Mountain in Newry, is the first to have a major resource potential.  And that potential is staggering:  At current market prices, the deposit, thought to contain 11 million tons of ore, is valued at roughly $1.5 billion.  Measuring up to 36 feet in length, some of the lithium-bearing crystals are among the largest ever found.

The Royal Marines defeat the U.S. Marines at the 'Battle of the Mojave Desert'.  The Marines occupy an almost mythic place in many Americans' minds as an invincible force that runs to the guns and fights no matter what.  That's why it was so shocking to learn that, during a joint training exercise in the Mojave Desert, Britain's Royal Marines inflicted such a shellacking on the Americans that the latter had to surrender halfway through the exercise.  This is a direct result of the Pentagon having gone woke under Obama — something that Trump failed to undo — followed by Biden doubling down on Obama's policies.  Marines used to be synonymous with dogged determination. [...] But the Marines have been in war nonstop since 2001, and that's a long time for a fighting force. [...] The American military has had another force bearing down on it that may be an even greater enemy than Islamists the world over.  That force has been wokeism.  Beginning with Obama, the American left has been using the military as a social justice experiment.

Special inspector general for Afghanistan warns the Pentagon is classifying documents to cover up failures.  A U.S. government watchdog on Friday accused the State Department and Pentagon of suppressing information that lawmakers and the public need to understand the collapse of Afghanistan's former government and military and the chaotic U.S. troop pullout.  John Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction (SIGAR), spoke out on Friday after it emerged that many of the routine documents had now been marked as classified.  'The full picture of what happened in August — and all the warning signs that could have predicted the outcome — will only be revealed if the information that the departments of Defense and State have already restricted from public release is made available,' said Sopko.

12 dock workers reveal the 'never-ending' chaos at shipping ports: 'We can't keep this pace up forever'.  Dock workers have long been working day and night to keep the supply chain running.  But, since the pandemic started, COVID-19 shutdowns and surging demand have cast the ports into chaos — and workers say there's no end in sight.  Insider spoke with 12 dock workers from across the US, including seven that work at ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach — locations responsible for over 40% of the nation's imports.  The workers asked to remain anonymous to speak freely about their jobs, but their identities have been verified by Insider.  Four longshoremen with more than 20 years of experience at the major California ports said they've never seen anything like the near-record backlogs.  The issues are spilling over to ports in cities like Seattle and Houston, as well, workers said.

North American Missionaries Going on Second Week as Hostages in Lawless Haiti.  Thursday [10/28/2021] marked 13 days that one Canadian and 16 U.S. citizen missionaries have been held by Haitian kidnappers for $17 million.  The kidnappers threaten to kill the hostages unless they get $1 million per person.  The hostages are in Haiti to do work for the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries and were abducted on Oct. 16, while on a trip to visit an orphanage supported by the organization.  The group includes six men and six women ranging in age from 18 to 48, and five children ages 8 months, 3 years, 6 years, 13 years, and 15 years.  Before the kidnapping, their work throughout Haiti included supporting thousands of needy school children, distributing Bibles and Christian literature, supplying medicines for numerous clinics, teaching Haitian pastors, and providing food for the elderly and vulnerable.

Top Florida Official Pleads With In-N-Out to Move After Vaccine Mandate Closures.  Florida's Chief Financial Officer, Jimmy Patronis, suggested that In-N-Out Burger should move to the Sunshine State after several In-N-Out locations were shut down by California officials.  Patronis appealed to In-N-Out CEO Lynsi Snyder to move to the state, arguing that Florida has a superior business climate — noting the state has no personal income tax, low corporate taxes, and no mandates.  "I'm writing you today not only as Florida's Chief Financial Officer, but as a small business owner who grew up in a family-owned restaurant and worked there for more than 30 years," his letter reads.  "I know how hard it is to turn a profit and make payroll on a good day, let alone when your own government is working to crush your business with absurd mandates.  Once I heard the news of your shutdown for refusing to act as 'vaccine police,' I knew I had to reach out immediately."  It came as health officials in Contra Costa County, Calfornia, shut down another In-N-Out Burger location for allowing indoor dining without checking customers for proof of vaccination, coming after a location was closed in nearby San Francisco for a similar reason.

Facebook changes company name to Meta.  Facebook on Thursday [10/28/2021] announced that it has changed its company name to Meta.  The name change was announced at the Facebook Connect augmented and virtual reality conference.  The new name reflects the company's growing ambitions beyond social media.  Facebook, now known as Meta, has adopted the new moniker, based on the sci-fi term metaverse, to describe its vision for working and playing in a virtual world.  "Today we are seen as a social media company, but in our DNA we are a company that builds technology to connect people, and the metaverse is the next frontier just like social networking was when we got started," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.

DeSantis Blasts Republican 'Boneless Wonders,' Totally Destroys 'Fake News' Media.  Yes, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is a man on a mission.  Moreover, the popular Florida governor doesn't suffer fools gladly — be those fools his fellow Republicans, left-wing loons, or anywhere in between.  A fired-up DeSantis went full metal attack mode at a Washington, D.C., Republican dinner on Tuesday night, effectively telling spineless Republican politicians to get hop aboard the train — or get [...] out of the way.  "We don't have time for boneless wonders," he said.  Even better, DeSantis blistered the "fake news" media, beginning with the never-ending "Russian collusion" nonsense in the 2016 presidential election win of Donald Trump, as transcribed by BizPac Review.

Florida Has The Fastest Job Growth Rate In The Nation, Significantly Faster Than National Average.  Florida's job market is recovering significantly faster than the national average, according to new figures.  The United States economy gained 194,000 jobs in the month of September, severely missing economists' expectations.  However, Florida alone gained 84,500 jobs during the same period — leading the nation in terms of the largest percentage increase. [...] [Governor] DeSantis was one of the first governors to pull his state from enhanced federal unemployment checks funded by President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan.  A recent report from the Foundation for Government Accountability — a Florida-based think tank seeking to reform welfare initiatives — confirms that DeSantis' decision to end the handouts paid significant dividends for the state's job market.

Air War College professor admits tie to Chinese official, pleads guilty to lying to federal agent.  Xiaoming Zhang, a civilian professor at the Air War College, headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, pleaded guilty to making false statements to a federal agent.  He faces a maximum of five years in prison for lying about his relationship with a Chinese official to a federal agent.  Zhang is a naturalized U.S. citizen of Chinese descent.  His tenure as a professor at the Air War College began in 2003.  He traveled to China on a regular basis for both work-related reasons and to visit family living there.  He was as an associate professor in the college's Department of Leadership and Strategy.  He taught strategy and classes in China and East Asia.  Zheng held a secret security clearance as part of his employment.  He attended annual security training during which he was informed of reporting requirements about suspicious foreign contacts and relationships with foreign government officials.

Florida tries to lure ships waiting at backlogged California ports.  Florida is encouraging ships to ditch backed-up ports on the West Coast and head its way.  While dozens of ships remain moored off the coast of Los Angeles waiting to be unloaded in a historic supply chain snarl, ports in Florida are humming along with little or no delays and are standing by if shipping companies decide to reroute freighters to the East Coast.  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, considered a possible contender for the 2024 Republican presidential ticket, recently invited ships to reroute and offload their shipments in Florida, which has several ports.

As Expected, Joe Biden Pledge To Speed Up California Ports Amounts to Absolutely Nothing.  In a rare act of journalism, NBC actually followed up on the October 13th grand proclamation of Joe Biden to speed up California ports.  What they found is exactly what everyone suspected, the grand prose from the White House was a political pantomime — absolutely nothing has changed.  [Video clip]  As noted, and as previously outlined, the issues with the backlog of the California ports have absolutely nothing to do with rapid unloading of ships and container vessels.  The issue is the inability of California truckers to move those containers.  The problem is a shortage of CA emission compliant internal transportation trucks to move the containers out of the port and into the U.S. mainland.

AG Garland Gaffes:  Missed Leftist 'Insurrection', Admits Unions Steer Policy, Shrugs Off CRT Conflicts.  For starters, while the Biden administration, Congressional Democrats and their media support complex have branded January 6th rioters as domestic terrorists — Garland had no clue about leftist Demonstrators who forced their way into the Department of the Interior just one week ago — to protest Biden's approval of fossil fuel energy projects.  "They forced their way into the Department of the Interior.  They fought with security and police officers, sending some of those officers to the hospital.  The extremists violently pushed their way into a restricted government building in an attempt to thwart the work of the department," Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) told Garland.  "Police arrested at least 55 protestors on sight, but others got away.  Mr. Garland, do you believe these environmental extremists who forced their way into Interior are also domestic terrorists?"  Garland appeared to have no clue what Steube was talking about.

Biden delays release of JFK assassination records, blaming COVID-19 pandemic.  The US will "unfortunately" continue to delay the public release of records related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and officials say the COVID-19 pandemic is to blame.  The move was announced in a memo signed by President Joe Biden and released by the White House Friday [10/22/2021].  "Temporary continued postponement is necessary to protect against identifiable harm to the military defense, intelligence operations, law enforcement, or the conduct of foreign relations that is of such gravity that it outweighs the public interest in immediate disclosure," Biden wrote.  In 1992, Congress ruled that "all Government records concerning the assassination of President John F. Kennedy ... should be eventually disclosed to enable the public to become fully informed about the history surrounding the assassination," the missive said.

White House further postpones disclosure of JFK assassination documents, citing Covid.  The White House announced late Friday that it would further postpone the release of more documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, pointing to the "significant impact" of the Covid-19 pandemic.  President Joe Biden issued a memo that said the national archivist recommended he "'direct two public releases of the information that has ultimately 'been determined to be appropriate for release to the public.'"  The first will be an "interim release" later this year, with a second, "more comprehensive release in late 2022," the memo said.  The memo said that the Covid-19 pandemic has slowed down the process of reviewing whether redactions continue to meet the "statutory standard."

The Editor says...
Pardon my perpetual skepticism:  Joe Biden — or whoever is running the Executive Branch — has decided to keep these documents up his or her sleeve until the next major Biden scandal.  Only then will they be released, for the purpose of pushing that scandal off the front pages of America's few remaining newspapers.  And if that doesn't work, a few days later, NASA will announce they're discovered life on Jupiter — which none of us can disprove.  But if no need arises for this future JFK document dump, and Covid is long gone, there will be a "computer glitch" or "Russian hacker" someday, and all the documents will conveniently disappear.  Think for a moment:  What decision cannot be made due to Covid?  The Kennedy assassination happened in 1963.  There has been plenty of time to review what is in the documents, and to come up with excuses to keep them secret.  Covid has nothing to do with it.

Release of JFK assassination records delayed *again*.  There was an obscure deadline for the federal government coming up on Tuesday that is now being pushed back for the umpteenth time.  According to the latest interpretations of the Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (also known as the JFK Records Act or simply the JFK Act), the final trove of federal records related to the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 and the subsequent findings of the Warren Commission had to be reviewed by this coming Tuesday, October 26, 2021, "to determine whether continued withholding from disclosure is necessary."  Last night, President Joe Biden signed and released a memo stating that the release of the remaining records from the National Archives & Records Administration (NARA), would "unfortunately" be delayed yet again.  The unreleased records contain more than 440,000 pages of documents.

Biden admin doubles estimate of Americans left behind in Afghanistan.  Nearly 200 Americans left behind in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan following the August U.S. military withdrawal may still be trying to get out, the State Department said Friday [10/22/2021], doubling its previous public count.  Spokesman Ned Price said the U.S. airlifted out several dozen people in the past couple days, but even more people have come forward in recent weeks saying they also want to leave, which has sent the number soaring.  He listed the current total still left behind and interested in getting out as somewhere between 100 and 200, and cautioned that the numbers are just "a momentary snapshot in time."

Trucking companies offer $100,000 salaries and $15,000 bonuses to lure 80,000 truckers and ease supply crisis.  Haulage companies are offering six-figure salaries and $15,000 sign-on bonuses while struggling to attract 80,000 new drivers who are needed to relieve the nation's supply crisis.  But industry experts said more drivers won't alleviate the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach backlog, where an empty shipping container fiasco is preventing trucks from moving product to consumers.  Facing an exodus of 600,000 retiring truckers by 2028, the transportation industry is desperate to recruit more people and estimates that 80,000 new hires are needed this year to offset attrition and clear a backed-up supply chain.

Taliban Official Can't Even Find Afghanistan On The Globe.  Watch as an Afghani reporter asks a Taliban official to find his own country on a globe and fail miserably.  [Video clip]

Ron DeSantis Addresses Supply Chain Crisis:  Florida's Ports Are Open.  Florida can play a key role in alleviating the nation's supply chain crisis, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Tuesday [10/19/2021], as Florida's ports remain open, ready, and, in some cases, are offering incentives for businesses to move their cargo through Sunshine State ports.  Speaking from Jacksonville, Florida's JAXPORT, DeSantis laid out the situation the nation faces, as Americans witness "major disruptions" in the supply chain, citing images of ships docked off the coast of various cities and log jams, which are directly "impacting what we see in terms of our store shelves."  Americans are seeing shortages of products, increased costs of items, and rising gas prices, directly affecting commuters.

The Editor says...
There are also ports at Houston, Beaumont, and Corpus Christi, if you really want to unload a ship.  That's what the Panama Canal is for.

Why don't they call it 'wokebook'? Users mock Facebook's plans to change their name to shake off multiple scandals.  Facebook has been mocked after it emerged the firm plans to rebrand its parent company with a new name next week in a bid to distance itself from a series of embarrassing scandals.  The firm's original, flagship social media site and app — Facebook — is expected to keep its moniker, but Facebook Inc., the parent company which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, will be given rebrand.  Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg is set to reveal the parent company's new name at its annual Connect conference on October 28, but it could be unveiled sooner, the Verge reported.

Shipping Containers That Spent Weeks Aboard Ships Stuck At Ports Now Being Dumped In Nearby Neighborhoods.  With the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach now running 24/7 operations, a new problem has occurred.  Many of the shipping containers that spent weeks onboard ships waiting to be unloaded are now being dumped in nearby neighborhoods once they're emptied.  Sonia Cervantes lives along Anaheim Street, where UCTI Trucking Company is located.  The company's lot only has a capacity for 65 containers so the additional containers now line up along Anaheim Street in front of some people's homes.  "It's a bunch of neighbors that are very upset because it's a non-stop situation," said Cervantes.

Fully-vaccinated former Secretary of State Colin Powell, 84, dies of COVID complications while battling Parkinson's and blood cancer.  Colin Powell, the first black Secretary of State who formulated foreign policy under several presidents, died Monday morning at the age of 84 of complications from COVID.  The Pentagon powerhouse who served as a soldier in Vietnam and went on to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was fully vaccinated and battling blood cancer and Parkinson's when he passed away at Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland, according to his family.  Retired Four-Star General Powell, who was also suffering from Parkinson's, is survived by his wife of 59 years, Alma, and three children, and has a celebrated career that saw him rise up the military ranks after growing up in a Jamaican immigrant family in Harlem.

Colin Powell, military leader and first Black US secretary of state, dies after complications from Covid-19.  A source familiar with the matter said Powell had multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells that suppresses the body's immune response.  Even if fully vaccinated against Covid-19, those who are immunocompromised are at greater risk from the virus.  "We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," the family said.  Powell was a distinguished and trailblazing professional soldier whose career took him from combat duty in Vietnam to becoming the first Black national security adviser during the end of Ronald Reagan's presidency and the youngest and first African American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush.  His national popularity soared in the aftermath of the US-led coalition victory during the Gulf War, and for a time in the mid-90s, he was considered a leading contender to become the first Black President of the United States.

China Tests New Hypersonic Nuclear-Capable Missile That Circled Entire Globe at Low-Orbit.  China launched a new hypersonic nuclear-capable missile that circled the entire globe at low-orbit in August, the Financial Times reported.  US Intelligence and US Military officials were left stunned.  "We have no idea how they did this," a source told the Financial Times.  According to the report, the missile missed its target by about 24 miles and caught US intel by surprise.

Chinese Military Operation Leaves US Officials Dumbfounded.  The US military, specifically its leadership, has not had a good year.  While the bungled, deadly evacuation from Afghanistan was the clearest sign of incompetence yet, that disaster followed decades of failure and corruption.  Instead of admitting there's a problem and improving, the US military has been busy prosecuting soldiers for speaking out.  By contrast, the Chinese communists are eating our lunch by building the world's largest navy, advancing next-generation technologies, and promoting unity and strength among their rank and file.  The latest example of their advancement has left US officials dumbfounded, after the Chinese military launched a nuclear-capable hypersonic glider that orbited the earth and then descended into its target area.

As Expected Containergeddon is Getting Worse — Biden's Political Solution to Clear The Ships From Los Angeles Ports Only Making Things Worse.  This is a follow-up to the original explanation of the epicenter of the supply chain backlog issue, ie "The Clog".  You need to review the years-long and building background issue to understand the [mess] that Joe Biden has just made worse.  From the White House perspective, the problem at the California ports, specifically the Port of Los Angeles (POLA) and the Port of Long Beach (POLB), was visible due to hundreds of container ships sitting in a queue off the coast of Los Angeles awaiting their opportunity to offload their cargo.  The media was reporting on the backlog of ships and Joe Biden was under fire.  The team behind Joe Biden wanted the optics removed asap.  Hence, the White House meeting with the heads of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Gene Seroka and Mario Cordero, respectively.  The continuing supply chain crisis of empty store shelves, missing parts and component goods that are backlogged at the California ports may be politically represented by the optic of those floating vessels.  However, that's not the problem.

Australia Is Planning To Pass Law Banning Biker Gangs From Showing Gang Tattoos In Public.  An outlaw bikie gang member has slammed a new Western Australian law which could lead to him and his fellow tattooed associates being forced to wear make-up.  Chris 'Ballistic' Orchard, whose motto is the implied threat that 'I shake hands to negotiate ... I throw hands to renegotiate' compared a tough new law banning the public display of gang insignia to 'Nazi Germany'.  [Video clip]

Keywords: Unnecessary travel, junket, carbon footprint, jet fuel, money down the drain.
Buttigieg and 12 Other Biden Cabinet Officials to Attend U.N. Climate Summit as Supply Chain Crisis Continues.  Thirteen members of President Joe Biden's cabinet are heading to Glasgow, Scotland, for the United Nation's climate summit later this month, while the nation remains in the midst of a migrant crisis at the southern border and a supply chain crisis at U.S. ports.  The climate summit attendees will include Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg who has been on parental leave for weeks after adopting two infants.

Ethics watchdog files a complaint against Jen Psaki because she 'violated the Hatch Act by endorsing' Democrat Terry McAuliffe for Virginia Gov. at the White House.  A prominent outside government ethics watchdog has filed an ethics complaint claiming White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki violated the Hatch Act when she talked up former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe from the White House podium.  Citizens for Responsible Ethics in Washington, an ethics group that regularly hounded the Trump administration when multiple officials talked politics or promoted merchandise from the White House grounds, announced the complaint a day after Psaki's comments.  She had been asked whether the tight Virginia governor's race, just a few weeks out, would be a bellwether for Biden.

While Joe takes a nap...
Jill Biden out to flex political muscle in governors' races.  First lady Jill Biden is set to campaign Friday for Democrats in governors' races in Virginia and New Jersey, her most overt foray into politics since arriving at the White House nine months ago.  Her involvement is the latest sign that Democrats are pulling out the stops in the upcoming elections, particularly in Virginia, where Democrat Terry McAuliffe appears to be in a tighter race than expected.

The Editor says...
The Associated Press certainly has a way with words.  The phrase, "appears to be in a tighter race than expected," is a polite way of saying Mr. McAuliffe is likely to lose.  Here's some free advice for Mr. McAuliffe:  Don't ask Barack H. Obama for help.  He has the Reverse Midas Touch.

Scheller, Marine who criticized Afghanistan withdrawal, sentenced to reprimand, forfeiture of $5K in pay.  The U.S. Marine who posted videos on social media criticizing military leadership and the Biden administration's withdrawal of military assets from Afghanistan was issued a letter of reprimand and a forfeiture of $5,000 worth of pay for one month, after pleading guilty to all charges during his court-martial hearing this week.  Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller Jr. pled guilty to all six misdemeanor-level charges Thursday [10/14/2021], including willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer, dereliction in the performance of duties and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.

Boeing deals with new defect on troubled 787 Dreamliner:  Admits titanium parts on new planes are too weak.  Boeing is dealing with an alarming new defect on its problem-plagued 787 Dreamliner, which involves certain titanium parts that are weaker than they should be, according to a new report.  The defect is on 787s built over the past three years, and is among the Dreamliner issues that has led to $25 billion in jet inventory piling up on Boeing's hands, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.  In a statement to DailyMail.com, a Boeing spokesman confirmed that the company had received a notice from a supplier about 'certain 787 parts that were improperly manufactured.'

Amazon India reportedly copied sellers' products and rigged search results.  Amazon's India division engaged in a systematic campaign of copying items sold by third-party sellers and then manipulated search results to favor its own products, according to a Reuters report Wednesday [10/13/2021] that cites internal documents.  In a 2016 document, titled "India Private Brands Program," Amazon's private label team in India detailed how it would review sales and customer review data to identify "reference brands" to replicate, according to the article.

Marine who criticized military over Afghan withdrawal to plead guilty at court martial, lawyer says.  The Marine officer whose online video criticizing senior military leaders over the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan went viral is expected to plead guilty at his court-martial this week, his lawyer said.  Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Scheller is facing several charges ahead of the court-martial set for Thursday at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.  They include disrespect toward superior commissioned officers, willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.  One of Scheller's attorneys, Timothy Parlatore, confirmed to CBS News that his client would be pleading guilty, but would not say which charges Scheller would plead guilty to, since details are still being finalized.

Marine top brass claims Lt. Colonel Stuart Scheller 'incited a revolution' by criticizing Afghanistan withdrawal on Facebook.  Marine top brass has claimed in charges against Lt. Colonel Stuart Scheller that he was trying to 'incite a revolution' by repeatedly criticizing the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal and calling for a change in military leadership, leaked documents have revealed.  The viral Marine posted that 'It's time for a new generation to assume American power.  We are ready, and we reject the current system... Follow me, and we will bring the whole [...] system down... in a constitutional manner with one loud voice.'  That September 2 post is referred to in a charge sheet that was first obtained by Task and Purpose, a military news site, and made public on Friday [10/8/2021].

Clint Eastwood Wins $6.1M Lawsuit Against CBD Scammers Using His Name.  Famed actor and director Clint Eastwood has won a $6.1 million lawsuit against a Lithuanian company that used his face and name without permission to sell CBD products.  The 91-year-old Dirty Harry star was thrilled that he came out on top in the lawsuit to stop the "scammers" from illegally using him — and other stars — to sell their products.

No cases of influenza A or RSV detected in Ohio during 2020-21 season - and just two cases of B flu strain.  Cases of influenza and other respiratory viruses plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study suggests.  Researchers from Akron Children's Hospital, in Ohio, looked at data from children treated during the 2018-19, 2019-20 and the 2020-21 flu seasons.  They found that flu infections among kids were reduced by 99 percent and there were no cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) detected in northern Ohio.

New Zealand Central Bank Raises Interest Rates For First Time in Seven Years.  New Zealand's central bank raised interest rates for the first time in more than seven years on Wednesday, removing some of the support it put in place when the coronavirus pandemic began.  The Reserve Bank raised the benchmark rate to 0.5% from a record low 0.25%.

Lt. Col. Scheller [has been] Freed, but Charges Loom.  Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller has been freed from pretrial detention, but could still face charges for criticizing senior military officials over the U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan, The Epoch Times has learned.  Scheller was scheduled for a pretrial confinement initial review hearing Tuesday.  Military officials planned to conduct the hearing in secret, sparking anger from some media outlets and members of the public.  But prior to the hearing, the Marine Corps agreed to free Scheller, cancelling the pretrial review as a result, according to a source familiar with the matter.  Meanwhile, Scheller has submitted a request for resignation of his commission in lieu of trial to the Secretary of the Navy, the source said, speaking under the condition of anonymity to avoid backlash from the military.?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=akdart

Lt Colonel Stuart Scheller is being released from military brig.  Lt. Colonel Stuart Scheller Jr. is being released from military brig today after winning a landslide of public support for his condemnation of the withdrawal from Afghanistan.  Scheller Jr. was jailed last Monday at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina for repeatedly criticizing the military's chaotic withdrawal from Kabul.  He was three days from retirement when he was stripped of his post and thrown in the grim confinement quarters to await military trial for contempt.  He had said in videos that he was resigning and giving up his $2 million pension because he was so appalled with how the situation in Afghanistan had unfolded.

Natural gas price spikes 25% on soaring demand.  European and UK gas prices surged on Wednesday by more than 25 percent, energised by soaring demand before the northern hemisphere winter.  Europe's reference Dutch TTF gas price jumped to 145.19 euros per megawatt hour and UK prices soared to 347.27 pence per therm.

General Mark Milley's Sketchy October 2020 Intelligence on China Fears Likely Came From Twitter and New York Times, Congressman Mike Turner Will Confirm.  CTH has discovered what we believe will turn out to be the currently classified "intelligence product" that Joint Chief's Chairman Mark Milley has been claiming as justification for his unilateral phone call with the Chinese military to discuss their concerns.  I am 80% certain we have located that intelligence product, and you ain't gonna believe where it was from.  Yesterday [9/29/2021], congressman Mike Turner of Ohio noted that no one in the entire system of intelligence and oversight had any idea what intelligence product Mark Milley was describing in his two days of testimony.  Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said Wednesday, in response to the claims of Milley, that no such intelligence product ever existed.  Congressman Turner, who sits on the House Intel Committee (HPSCI) and the House Armed Services Committee, confirmed the same.  Congressman Turner has demanded that General Milley turn over this mysterious, secret, oddly untraceable intelligence product that Milley alone has seen.

Facebook Whistleblower Is Leftist Activist Repped By Lawyer For 'Whistleblower' Behind Trump Impeachment.  The Facebook whistleblower, Frances Haugen, has a record of donations to far-left Democrats and a history of raising issues about purported bias while at previous employers, a Daily Wire review found.  She is working with Democrat operatives to roll out her complaint and has the same lawyers as the anonymous Ukraine "whistleblower" whose allegations led to Donald Trump's impeachment, but who reportedly turned out to be then-Vice President Joe Biden's top advisor on the country.  In a previous role at Pinterest, Frances Haugen was behind a "recent change to give users the option to filter searches to specific skin tones."  At Gigster, she gave a talk on how "if we don't build with an eye towards inclusion, we can end up enshrining bias." [...] According to public records, Haugen co-owns a house with Molly Tombley-McCann, a computer coder who made a "gamification tool to be a better ally."  Haugen has made more than twenty federal campaign contributions since 2016, all of which have gone to Democrats, according to Federal Election Commission data.

A simple guide to the Pandora Papers leak.  The Pandora Papers is a leak of almost 12 million documents that reveals hidden wealth, tax avoidance and, in some cases, money laundering by some of the world's rich and powerful.  More than 600 journalists in 117 countries have been trawling through the files from 14 sources for months, finding stories that are being published this week.  The data was obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) in Washington DC, which has been working with more than 140 media organisations on its biggest ever global investigation.  BBC Panorama and the Guardian have led the investigation in the UK.

Maj Gen Ordered 50+ Evacuees off One of Last Flights out of Kabul to Make Room for Taliban Souvenir.  [Scroll down]  During the last hours of the evacuation, according to troops under his command and as documented by photographs and witness statements, [Maj. Gen. Christopher] Donahue ordered all of the passengers aboard a C-17 transport plane to disembark so he could have a souvenir loaded onto the plane.  That souvenir, or "war trophy," was an inoperable Taliban-owned Toyota Hilux with a fully operational Russian ZU-23 anti-aircraft autocannon mounted in the bed.  Once the Hilux was loaded passengers were allowed back on the plane, but, of course, there wasn't room for all of them.  According to troops on the scene, at least 50 people and perhaps as many as 100 people were left at Kabul to make room for the Hilux.

Related story:  Nobody ran a red light for four straight hours.
Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp go down in major internet outage.  Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, three of the most-popular websites and apps in the world, were knocked offline Monday in a major internet outage.  The outage that affected the products, which are all owned and operated by Facebook, occurred around noon EST. Several other products that are owned and run by Facebook were also affected.  On Facebook, a simple error message read "Sorry, something went wrong.  We're working on it and we'll get it fixed as soon as we can."

Kabul faces blackout as Taliban fails to pay the bills.  Afghanistan's capital could be plunged into darkness as the winter sets in because the country's new Taliban rulers haven't paid Central Asian electricity suppliers or resumed collecting money from consumers.  Unless addressed, the situation could cause a humanitarian disaster, warned Daud Noorzai, who resigned as chief executive of the country's state power monopoly, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat, nearly two weeks after the Taliban's takeover on Aug. 15.

Louie Gohmert shares reassuring update on jailed Marine after visit.  Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas said the Marine who was jailed after criticizing top military officials over the Afghanistan withdrawal "looks" and "sounds good" after the two met on Thursday [9/30/2021].  The congressman traveled to North Carolina's Camp Lejeune, where Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller is being held, for a visit and later provided a status update to his parents on Sean Hannity's Fox News program.  "There are people in that brig that like Stu, and so please know that," Gohmert told Scheller's parents, who say they have not talked to their son since he was thrown in the brig on Monday, on Hannity.  Scheller garnered attention in August when he posted a video on social media calling for accountability from military leaders over the United States's pullout from Afghanistan.  He later said he was "relieved from duty" after his comments went viral and that he expected to be jailed over it.  Scheller Jr. is currently in pretrial confinement as he awaits a hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.

$2 million raised for Marine in the brig for speaking out against Afghan chaos.  Individuals raised nearly $2 million on behalf of the Marine facing possible charges for his public criticism of military leadership amid the Afghanistan withdrawal.  Supporters have raised more than $1.85 million from over 23,000 donations for Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller Jr., who awaits a hearing for his viral videos in which he called for accountability for the military's top brass.  He is in pretrial confinement in the Regional Brig for Marine Corps Installations East abroad Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.  However, the time, date, and location of the Article 32 proceeding has not been scheduled.

GOP Lawmakers:  Incarceration Of Lt. Col. Scheller Is Political.  Republican lawmakers are coming to the defense of a U.S. Marine who was jailed after criticizing Joe Biden's Afghan pullout.  In a statement on Thursday, Reps.  James Comer (R-Ky.) and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) said Biden officials put a U.S. Marine in solitary confinement for demanding accountability from top brass for the Afghan disaster.  The lawmakers went on to ask why our troops receive punishment for questioning the failures of Biden and his administration.  Back in August, Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller posted a video on Facebook asking why the Afghanistan crisis even happened and blasting military leaders for the exit.  He was placed in pre-trial confinement shortly after.

36 members of Congress sign letter calling for Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller's immediate release from grim military brig.  Dozens of congressmembers have demanded the immediate release of Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller after he was jailed for defying orders to stop publicly criticizing the nation's Afghanistan withdrawal.  Scheller, 40, was arrested and jailed at the Camp Lejeune brig Monday [9/27/2021] for allegedly breaking four military laws by refusing orders to stop posting critical videos on social media.  He was scheduled to make his first court appearance in North Carolina today, but the public — including elected officials and the media — are prohibited from attending.

The Scheller Case is America's Dreyfus Affair.  A US Marine officer, Lt. Colonel Stuart Scheller, publicly criticized the Biden Administration's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan which left 13 servicemen and women dead at Kabul Airport.  He particularly targeted the top brass of the military, a military to which he devoted his energy and his life to serve, for their abysmal performance in the closing days of the Afghan withdrawal.  Scheller was relieved of his command shortly after he posted a video on Facebook demanding senior officers be held to account for their actions.  In the video, Scheller said that he intended to resign his commission. [...] On September 27, Lt. Colonel Sheller was suddenly arrested and placed in solitary confinement in the military jail at Camp Lejeune, N.C., according to Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Sam Stephenson.  He is held incommunicado, under a gag order, unable even to speak with his parents.  Throwing people into solitary confinement has become, it seems, a repeatable tactic to the current Democrat enforcers.

Workers Who Maintain Supply Chains Warn of Worldwide 'System Collapse'.  Several industry groups have warned world leaders of a worldwide supply-chain "system collapse" due to pandemic restrictions, coming as Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell suggested that the current period of higher inflation will last until 2022.  The International Chamber of Shipping, a coalition of truck drivers, seafarers, and airline workers, has warned in a letter to heads of state attending the United Nations General Assembly that governments need to restore freedom of movement to transportation workers amid persistent COVID-19 restrictions and quarantines.  If nothing is done, they warned of a "global transport system collapse" and suggested that "global supply chains are beginning to buckle as two years' worth of strain on transport workers take their toll," according to the letter.  It was signed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Road Transport Union (IRU), and the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), which represent some 65 million transport workers around the world.

Coal For Christmas.  In mid-April 2021, I began receiving reports from sources in China and the United States that certain regions in China had begun to experience ongoing power disruptions at their warehouses and manufacturing facilities.  Most notable of these was in south China's Guangdong megaregion, where in June operations at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant had become disrupted by a small number of faulty claddings for the fuel rods, ultimately forcing state-owned General Nuclear Power Group to shut down Unit 1 (there are two units) for maintenance and repair.  Concurrently, available power imported to the Guangdong region from Yunnan province's considerable hydroelectric capacity was reduced due to drier-than-expected weather throughout the spring.  Taken together, some estimates are that total power available to the region fell by as much as 15% by June.  In response, officials began quietly rationing power to factories, cutting business operation days by 1 or 2 days depending on the facilities' power requirements.  In recent weeks, however, officials have begun a much more aggressive rationing program, with factories in much of Guangdong now seeing only 1-2 days per week of power use allowed.

Millions Of Chinese Residents Lose Power After Widespread, "Unexpected" Blackouts; Power Company Warns This Is "New Normal".  Just yesterday [9/26/2021] we warned that a "Power Supply Shock Looms" as the energy crisis gripping Europe — and especially the UK — was set to hammer China, and just a few hours later we see this in practice as residents in three north-east Chinese provinces experienced unannounced power cuts as the electricity shortage which initially hit factories spreads to homes.  People living in Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces complained on social media about the lack of heating, and lifts and traffic lights not working.  Local media in China — which is highly dependent on coal for power — said the cause was a surge in coal prices leading to short supply. [...] Then there is Beijing's pursuit of curbing carbon emissions — Xi Jinping wants to ensure blue skies at the Winter Olympics in Beijing next February, showing the international community that he's serious about de-carbonizing the economy — that has led to artificial bottlenecks in the coal supply chain. [...] Whatever the reason, it's just getting started:  as BBC reported, one power company said it expected the power cuts to last until spring next year, and that unexpected outages would become "the new normal."  Its post, however, was later deleted.

Why are the Chinese eating by flashlight?  Some [Chinese] homeowners and businesses are firing up generators to keep the power going during prime demand hours.  So what's going on?  Have they run out of fuel? [...] Nope.  As it turns out, there's plenty of power to go around but the government simply shut it off for their own policy reasons. [...] China's rapid expansion has more than doubled their power consumption over the past couple of decades.  Because they use a lot of "dirty" energy, that leads to more emissions.  Why would they care?  Because China is hosting a U.N. environmental conference next month where emissions will be a topic of discussion.  They are anxious to show that they are actually curbing emissions when they never actually do that.  To not produce some good numbers to show the UN would be a political embarrassment.

Alternative viewpoint:
Power shortages in China may cause world food and commodities prices to surge.  China is looking at a difficult harvest season as a severe energy crunch hurts the outlook for production — a development that can trigger another surge in food prices.  The autumn harvest in China is underway, but with power shortages in industrial hubs, authorities see slow processing growth.  This is especially true in the northeastern provinces of Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang, where half of the country's corn and soybeans are grown.  This crisis is pushing concerns that China will have a tough time handling crops this year, as some plants were asked to cut their output to conserve electricity.  Over the past year, China already imported record lows of agricultural products due to domestic shortages, which drove prices and global food costs to record highs.  Power shortages in the country have forced soybean processors in northern regions to shut down, affecting operations of larger companies.

Parents of jailed Marine hail his courage calling out generals over Afghan disaster.  A Marine Corps officer jailed after releasing a series of Facebook videos criticizing military leadership for the botched withdrawal of Afghanistan, as well as a series of scathing posts lambasting "hypocrite" former presidents and generals, now sits in a type of solitary confinement with no phone, visitors, books, or even paper, his parents told the Washington Examiner.  "I anticipated it.  I ran the gamut of rage to tears," said Cathy Scheller upon learning that her son Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller was arrested Monday.  "I have taken up his cause.  I will do everything I can to make sure this doesn't disappear.  I am very proud of him for standing for the service members and asking for accountability."

The Marine Who Called for Afghanistan Accountability Has Been Thrown in Prison.  Back in August, Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller called for accountability for military leadership on the disastrous and catastrophic exit from Afghanistan.  He did so knowing he was risking his career and would likely face punishment for doing so.  "The reason people are so upset on social media right now is not because the Marine on the battlefield let someone down," Scheller said.  "People are upset because their senior leaders let them down and none of them are raising their hands and accepting accountability or saying, 'We messed this up.'"  "I'm not saying we've got to be in Afghanistan forever, but I am saying:  Did any of you throw your rank on the table and say, 'Hey, it's a bad idea to evacuate Bagram Airfield, a strategic airbase, before we evacuate everyone.'  Did anyone do that?  And when you didn't think to do that, did anyone raise their hand and say, 'We completely messed this up.'"

The Wrong Man Is In The Brig — Put Biden On Trial.  U.S. Marine Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart Scheller is in the brig — a military jail at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.  More specifically, Scheller is in pre-trial confinement.  That means he is being held behind bars pending a military court-martial.  Scheller was up until recently a Marine battalion commander.  He was relieved of his command following a series of public statements he made chastising military leadership for the manifest incompetence shown during the Afghan withdrawal that led directly to the deaths of 13 Marines.  After his relief Scheller announced he would resign from the service and continued to speak out — in apparent violation of direct orders to stop discussing his concerns publicly.  In one video, posted on September 16th, Scheller stated his intention to charge Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr., head of U.S. Central Command, with dereliction of duty.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Makes the Case for His Own Resignation.  Joe Biden's generals are up on Capitol Hill today defending their incompetent, politically driven decision-making that led to the collapse of Afghanistan.  That collapse included the deaths of 13 Americans in a suicide bombing attack while we imported tens of thousands of "refugees" who weren't qualified.  In short, the entire thing was a massive catastrophe, led by people like Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley.  In fact, while speaking today, Austin didn't even really hide the fact that the Afghanistan withdrawal and subsequent evacuation were a total cluster.

Save it for the jury.
Mark Milley defends his secret China calls, insists he wasn't trying to undermine Trump.  Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley denied any wrongdoing in making two phone calls to China during Trump's presidency and insisted he spoke with his counterpart there to 'de-escalate' Beijing's fears over an imminent attack.  Speaking before a Senate panel on Tuesday, Milley also denied accusations that he told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi he agreed with her Trump is 'crazy,' telling lawmakers today that he instead told her he is 'not qualified to determine the mental health of the president.'  Milley and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are testifying before the Senate Armed Service Committee Tuesday, marking their first public testimony since the U.S. completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Outspoken Marine officer who went viral blasting military leaders over Afghanistan is jailed: report.  Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, the officer who went viral for blasting the military's leadership amid the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, has been sent to the brig, according to a report.  "All our son did is ask the questions that everybody was asking themselves, but they were too scared to speak out loud," Scheller's father, Stu Scheller Sr., told Task & Purpose.  "He was asking for accountability.  In fact, I think he even asked for an apology that we made mistakes, but they couldn't do that, which is mind-blowing."  Scheller first rose to internet stardom by posting a video to Facebook blasting military leaders for the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, questioning their command decisions on the events leading up to and during the final evacuation effort.

John Hinckley, Who Shot President Reagan, to Be Granted Unconditional Release.  A federal judge has approved the unconditional release of John Hinckley Jr., the man who tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan outside a Washington, D.C., hotel in 1981.  Hinckley, now 66, has been living outside a mental health facility for several years under court-imposed restrictions, including the oversight of his medical care and tracking of his computer passwords.  The new agreement will result in his full release from supervision in June 2022.  The Justice Department agreed to a settlement but will monitor Hinckley for nine months to ensure he remains mentally stable, as he will be living on his own for the first time in about 40 years and because one of his primary doctors is set to retire and dissolve Hinckley's therapy group.

The Editor says...
Doctors retire all the time.  That's no reason to let crazy people out of the mental hospitals.

Pentagon loosens access rules to secret programs, raising security leak fears.  Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks issued a memorandum to senior Pentagon officials on Sept. 20 stating that filling out a counterintelligence questionnaire is no longer required to gain access to special access programs.  Known as SAPs, these are the most secret activities and programs within the department.  The eased rules specifically allow Senate-confirmed political appointees, members of the House and Senate, the professional staff of the congressional defense and intelligence oversight committees and senior White House officials access to the programs without filling out a prescreening questionnaire as required for all other officials in the Pentagon's Special Access Security Manual:  Personnel Security.

Headline corrections provided by The Editor.
Biden admin purges Lee Greenwood from [the] [N]ational [A]rts [C]ouncil; [because the] singer's 'God Bless the USA' [is] played at Trump rallies.  The Biden administration's purge of appointees to various government advisory boards by prior presidents — mostly Republicans — is continuing with the dismissal of country music great Lee Greenwood from the National Council on the Arts.  During an interview last week with "Fox & Friends," Greenwood explained that he was initially appointed to the board by President George W. Bush then served throughout President Barack Obama's two terms and President Donald Trump's single term, adding he was shocked to get the letter advising him he was being replaced.  Greenwood, who wrote the country anthem "God Bless the USA," which was a favorite of the late President Ronald Reagan and has become a fixture at Trump's rallies, suspects that politics may be behind the decision to remove him from the arts council.

Democrats in Congress Try to Abolish Space Force.  Some Democrats in Congress are trying to abolish the Space Force at a time when China and Russia have been doubling down on expanding their military capabilities in space.  On Wednesday [9/22/2021], Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) introduced a bill named No Militarization of Space Act, trying to abolish the Space Force, a new military service branch created under former President Donald Trump.  "The long-standing neutrality of space has fostered a competitive, non-militarized age of exploration every nation and generation has valued since the first days of space travel," Huffman said in a statement.  "But since its creation under the former Trump administration, the Space Force has threatened longstanding peace and flagrantly wasted billions of taxpayer dollars."  The Space Force was established in December 2019 and has been deemed by some to be one of Trump's signature achievements.  But its origin can be traced back to the beginning of the Cold War.

The Editor says...
I'm opposed to the creation of a Space Force, simply because NASA already exists, and NASA isn't doing anything useful at the moment.  Create a Space Force if you must, but if you do, what is the purpose of NASA?

Costco Limits Purchases of Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, and Bottled Water amid Inflation, Supply-Chain Issues.  Costco is implementing new consumer limitations on purchases of household essentials including toilet paper, paper towels, and Kirkland bottled water as the company has seen an increase in demand due to a surge in the delta variant and supply-chain complications.  Costco has been dealing with significant issues centered around supply-chain complications and inflation according to the company's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Richard A. Galanti.

The Editor says...
Mrs. Editor and I were turned away from Costco a couple of weeks ago when we refused to put on face masks before entering the store.  Costco headquarters is in Seattle.  The customers on the west coast may put up with that kind of treatment, but I'm done with Costco.

Pentagon names ISIS-K 'planner' who was killed in successful August drone strike.  The Pentagon has named an ISIS-K planner killed in a drone strike and said he was 'directly connected' to the suicide attack that killed 13 Americans.  The man, Kabir Aidi, was killed in an American drone strike on August 27 one day after the troops were blown up outside Kabul's airport.  It comes a week after the Pentagon admitted the US accidentally killed ten innocent people — including seven children — in a drone strike two days later on August 29 in Kabul.

South Korean President Travels to Hawaii to Repatriate US Servicemembers' Remains — Biden Admin Skips Event, Sends No One.  Biden leaves Americans stranded in Afghanistan.  And on Wednesday [9/22/2021] he didn't bother to send a single representative to honor our Korean war heroes or greet the South Korean leader in Hawaii.  South Korean President Moon Jae-in traveled to Hawaii on Wednesday to repatriate the remains of American service members.  Not a single representative from the Biden Administration showed up.  They hate this country, its heroes, its values and traditions and want it destroyed.

Is This Facebook's 'Big Tobacco' Moment?  Facebook Inc. executives have long boasted that its platforms are safe, even as they invested in ways to keep teenagers hooked and hid what they knew about the side effects.  Sound familiar?  Critics say Big Tobacco once used the same playbook, and it's fueling a whole new level of outrage against the social media giant.  Facebook consistently played down its own research that showed how photo-sharing app Instagram can harm the mental well-being of its youngest users, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.  Almost a third of young teen girls told Facebook they feel worse about their bodies after scrolling through the site, documents reviewed by the newspaper showed.  Despite that knowledge, Facebook is dedicating more resources to reaching even younger consumers, including developing a children's version of Instagram.

S. Korean President Returns U.S. MIA Troop Remains in Person.  Biden Sends No Rep.  Many of us remember the big stink that Joe Biden made last year when he bothered to campaign about how the Democrat would treat America's allies so much better than that loudmouth Donald Trump who was always talking about America First.  The allies seemed excited at the prospect of an American president treating them with the deference, respect, and obedience they've come to expect from American leaders until, well, you-know-who.  Biden can't seem to remember a lot of things these days, including the name of his Secretary of Defense and that five-sided building in Virginia where the military hangs out.

It is Trump's party.  Get over it.  Never Trump Congressman Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio announced he won't seek a third term because of Donald Trump.  Gonzalez won't be missed, He voted to impeach Trump.  I do not get the congressman's problem.  Water is wet, the media is biased, and Trump is the leader of the Republican Party.  It is no contest.  McLaughlin and Associates polled Republicans nationally and asked if Trump won the nomination in 2024, would you vote for him in the general election?  86% of Republicans said they would.  There are your Republican values and principles.  Donald Trump proved his worthiness as a Republican, as a conservative, and as an American in his 4 years as president.  He has nothing to be ashamed of.  Gonzalez, well, that's a different story.

Ohio Republican Who Voted to Impeach President Trump Announces He Will Not Seek Re-Election.  Anthony Gonzalez (OH-16) was one of the ten House republicans (pictured above) who voted to impeach President Trump.  As President Trump announced his support for Gonzalez's challenger, Max Miller, former House Speaker John Boehner went to Ohio to support Gonzalez.  Apparently the support of Paul Ryan and John Boehner was not enough to help.  Max Miller was in position to primary Gonzalez.

The DOJ Moves To Block The Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Deal That Shields The Sacklers.  A division of the Justice Department that serves as a watchdog over the federal bankruptcy system filed an appeal late Wednesday seeking to block the controversial Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan.  William Harrington, who serves as U.S. trustee for the Justice Department, also filed documents requesting an "expedited stay" to prevent implementation of the settlement.  The deal, which Judge Robert Drain approved Sept. 1, granted sweeping immunity from opioid lawsuits to members of the Sackler family who own the drug company.  The Sacklers, who are not bankrupt, were granted releases from liability after agreeing to contribute roughly $4.3 billion of their private wealth to the deal.

Centcom Commander General McKenzie Calls Drone Strike Killing 10 Innocents in Kabul, a Tragic Mistake — The Signals Intelligence Was Wrong.  Earlier today [9/17/2021], General Kenneth Franklin McKenzie Jr. admitted a claimed U.S. drone strike against the ever evolving and mysterious ISIS-K, actually killed 7 children and three innocent adult civilians.  General McKenzie calls it a "tragic mistake."  Four days after the August 29th strike Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called the strike "righteous."  General McKenzi says he takes "full responsibility", yet he retains his position.  No one is being held to account.  No one at the Pentagon is facing discipline.  Both McKenzie and Milley claim it was solid intelligence that led them to watch, follow, and eventually target and kill Zemari Ahmadi, an Afghan relief worker who arrived home.  The missile struck his vehicle as his children ran out to welcome daddy home from work, killing all occupants in the car and those in the vicinity.

Oops: Biden's 'Righteous Strike' in Kabul Now a 'Tragic Mistake'.  In August, the Biden administration conducted a drone strike in Kabul that Gen. Mark Milley described as a "righteous strike" against the Islamic State.  On Friday [9/17/2021], CENTCOM commander Frank McKenzie acknowledged the strike was actually a "tragic mistake" that killed 10 civilians, and no ISIS targets were killed.

The Pentagon confesses that it lied about killing ISIS operatives.  For many years, the American military was the most respected institution in America.  In the seven months of the Biden administration, we've learned that the upper reaches of the Pentagon are partisan, corrupt, possibly treasonous, and totally incompetent.  The latest evidence of this is General McKenzie's confession that the military didn't really kill an "ISIS-K fighter" after Islamists slaughtered 13 American troops.  Instead, our military drone attack killed an aide worker, seven children, and two other adults.

Biden Vacations in Delaware as Generals Admit Drone Strike 'Mistake' in Kabul.  President Biden continued his vacation in Delaware Friday [9/17/2021] as the country's top generals confirmed a "tragic mistake" in Afghanistan that left three adults and seven children dead in a drone strike aimed at ISIS terrorists.  "We now assess that it is unlikely that the vehicle and those who died were associated with ISIS-K or a direct threat to US forces," McKenzie said of the airstrike at a briefing, following an investigation by the Military.  "This strike was taken in the earnest belief that it would prevent an imminent threat to our forces and the evacuees at the airport, but it was a mistake and I offer my sincere apology," Mckenzie added, claiming that he is "fully responsible for this strike and this tragic outcome."

US military admits drone strike intended to kill ISIS-K fighters in Kabul actually killed civilians, including 7 children.  An investigation by the US military has determined that an airstrike last month in Kabul believed to have eliminated a terrorist threat actually killed civilians, a top US general said Friday [9/17/2021].  "This strike was taken in the earnest belief that it would prevent an imminent threat to our forces and the evacuees at the airport, but it was a mistake and I offer my sincere apology," Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the head of US Central Command, told reporters at the Pentagon.  "I am now convinced that as many as 10 civilians, including up to 7 children, were tragically killed in that strike," he said.

US military admits it killed 10 civilians and targeted wrong vehicle in Kabul airstrike.  A United States military investigation into a deadly Kabul drone strike on a vehicle in August has found it killed 10 civilians and the driver and that the vehicle targeted was likely not a threat associated with ISIS-K, announced Gen. Frank McKenzie, the top general of US Central Command, at the Pentagon on Friday [9/17/2021].  McKenzie told reporters that the strike — which he said killed seven children — was a "mistake" and offered an apology.  "This strike was taken in the earnest belief that it would prevent an imminent threat to our forces and the evacuees at the airport, but it was a mistake and I offer my sincere apology," he said.  McKenzie added that he is "fully responsible for this strike and this tragic outcome."

Senator Bob Menendez Threatens Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and All Further Pentagon Nominations.  Protecting the interests of the Fourth Branch of Government is not a partisan issue. [...] In this example, Democrat Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez targets the Pentagon Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for not appearing to answer questions about Afghanistan.  Showcasing the out of balance power of the Senate, Menendez threatens to block defense department nominations as a consequence to Austin for defying the Fourth Branch of Government.  [Video clip]

Blinken Just Told Us How Many Biden Really Left Behind in Afghanistan.  I've been skeptical of the Biden administration's official number of Americans still left in Afghanistan.  They've said about 100-200 Americans were left behind (still a tragedy) but one U.S. official said that over 5,000 Americans were likely to end up stranded in the country by the time U.S. forces left.  As of yesterday, they are saying there are about 100 Americans still there — which likely means nothing has changed since the withdrawal concluded on August 30.

DOJ Allows Three U.S. Intelligence Contractors To Pay Their Way Out of Criminal Charges.  This thread might be well worth pulling for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the DOJ National Security Division allowing three former Intelligence Community Contractors to pay their way out of criminal charges.  It appears that criminal operatives that come from within the Fourth Branch of government are allowed to get a "first-of-its-kind resolution."  Apparently it looks like three men Marc Baier, 49, Ryan Adams, 34, and a former U.S. citizen, Daniel Gericke, 40, all former employees of the U.S. Intelligence Community (USIC) or the U.S. military, left the contractor employment of the USIC in 2016 and went to work for the United Arab Emirates.  It appears the three were experts in computer intrusion; meaning they were hackers for the U.S. government working inside the intelligence system.  When they went to work for the UAE, they helped develop hacking tools that were later used to hack into U.S. cell phone networks and operating systems.  They were supposed to register as free-lance hackers, they didn't; and they were not allowed to help foreign governments hack into U.S. systems, which they did.

China Installs Cameras Inside People's Homes, Expanding Its Surveillance Network.  The world depicted in George Orwell's "1984" and "Animal Farm" is often used as an analogy for totalitarian states, such as China.  Recently, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is taking the "big brother" tactic of surveillance and control of citizens to a new level, building internet grids to watch and implicate the "whole clan" by association, sneakily monitoring private cellphones and even installing cameras inside people's homes.  As shown in the internal CCP documents obtained exclusively by The Epoch Times, under the name of COVID-19 containment, the regime has been systematically expanding its already massive surveillance network, spending hundreds of millions of yuan, hiring a large number of personnel, and incorporating more governmental departments.  The measures involved have become increasingly invasive, directly violating China's own constitution.

Pentagon defends drone strike in Kabul that reportedly killed civilians.  The Pentagon defended a deadly August drone strike in Kabul on Monday — despite a report that the attack actually killed an innocent man and his family.  The second of a pair of drone airstrikes in the waning days of the Afghanistan war is now being investigated by Central Command, but details are scarce and there remains a question of how much information will be shared once the probe is completed.  "I would say that the assessment by Central Command is ongoing and I'm not gonna get ahead of that," Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said during a news briefing on Monday.  "The strike was taken to prevent an imminent attack on the airport."

'Thousands' of lawful US residents left in Afghanistan, Blinken says in testimony.  President Joe Biden's administration assessed "thousands" of lawful permanent residents of the United States remain in Afghanistan following the tumultuous evacuation of Kabul, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.  "I think the best estimates are that there's several thousand green card holders in Afghanistan," Blinken told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday [9/13/2021].  That figure hints at the scale of the diplomatic and humanitarian challenge confronting State Department officials in the absence of U.S. military personnel.  Blinken's team is developing new plans for securing the departure of the remaining American citizens, green card holders, and Afghan allies expected to face retaliation from the Taliban for their past work with the U.S. government — but the number of Afghans eligible for Special Immigrant Visas remains unclear.

Media Matters' Electioneering Against Larry Elder Broke IRS Rules, Complaint Says.  The Iowa-based conservative watchdog group Patriots Foundation filed a new complaint with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Monday against Media Matters for America (MMFA) arguing the tax-exempt group has violated its agency agreement with illegal electioneering.  Founded in 2004, the leftist non-profit was given 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status under IRS code which prohibits explicit campaign activity on behalf of any candidate or candidate's party.  In a supplemental complaint added to an existing referral over last year's election, however, the Patriots Foundation argues the group's interference in the California recall race violates IRS terms for tax exemption.  "MMFA has, from inception, operated as a thinly veiled partisan political organization supporting Democratic candidates for office and engaging in other improper activities," the group wrote, outlining four parameters groups must follow in order to maintain their 501(c)(3) status with the IRS. [...] In a Media Matters article headlined, "Larry Elder is running to be California governor.  Here's just some of his toxic record as a radio host and right-wing pundit," the Patriots Foundation explained, "each of these assurances have been abandoned."

House GOP Leader Asks Supreme Court to End Proxy Voting.  House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is taking his fight against what he calls the "patently unconstitutional practice" of proxy voting in the U.S. House of Representatives to the Supreme Court.  In the early days of the pandemic in May 2020, the House approved a resolution allowing members to cast votes on the House floor by proxy on the theory that it was advisable to limit attendance in Congress to combat the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.  Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said at the time the new absentee voting protocol was needed because the virus posed a "mortal danger."  House Democratic leadership said when the policy began that it would be temporary but it is still in effect today.  This "unprecedented" proxy voting resolution permits a single member to vote on behalf of up to 10 absent members, according to the petition for certiorari, or review, from McCarthy.

I&I/TIPP Poll:  The Distrust Of Scientists Is Widespread — Including On COVID Vaccines.  rom coronavirus vaccines and the virus' origin to climate change, a substantial portion of the country distrusts scientists to do their jobs honestly and capably.  The latest data from the September Issues & Insights/TIPP Poll also found significant differences among Americans of different political views, reflecting a growing politicization of science in America.  The I&I/TIPP poll asked Americans "how much trust do you place in scientists" in three areas of science prominent in today's headlines:  "vaccine safety," "climate change," and "coronavirus origin."  Overall, among the three, vaccine safety was tops in scientist trust, at 61%.  Perhaps not surprisingly, that almost perfectly matches the share of the U.S. population currently vaccinated:  63%.

Last Missile Fired By U.S. Military in Afghanistan Killed Only Innocent Family — Not [an] ISIS 'Facilitator' as Gen. Milley Claimed.  The last missile fired by the United States Military in the 20-year war in Afghanistan struck only an innocent Afghan man and his family in Kabul — not ISIS militants, the New York Times reported on Friday [9/10/2021].  [Tweet]  The blast killed ten members of the extended family of a civilian aid worker, Zemari Ahmadi, and three of his children, Zamir, 20, Faisal, 16, and Farzad, 10; Mr. Ahmadi's cousin Naser, 30; three of Romal's children, Arwin, 7, Benyamin, 6, and Hayat, 2; and two 3-year-old girls, Malika and Somaya.  [Tweet]  While the Pentagon initially conceded there was some "collateral damage" in the aftermath of the Aug. 29 drone attack, military leaders called a "righteous strike" that eliminated an imminent threat to troops and civilians at the Kabul airport.

US drone strike that Pentagon said killed a suicide bomber in Kabul actually killed an aid worker and seven children who ran to greet him.  The drone strike that the Pentagon claimed killed an ISIS-K suicide bomber in Kabul actually targeted an aid worker who had filled his car with water jugs, rather than explosives, according to a shocking new report.  Zemari Ahmadi, 43, was driving the 1996 Toyota Corolla that was destroyed in the August 29 drone strike, killing him and nine family members, including seven children, according to a New York Times investigation.  The Pentagon still maintains that only three civilians died, despite the family now detailing in the new report how their 10 relatives were killed in the blast.

Report: Evidence suggests car hit by U.S. drone strike in Kabul wasn't carrying bombs.  The car that U.S. military officials believed was packed with explosives and destined for a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport on Aug. 29 may actually have been driven by an innocent man transporting canisters of water, a new report claims.  A New York Times story published Friday afternoon [9/10/2021] identified the driver of the car as Zemari Ahmadi, 43, who worked as an electrical engineer for an American aid and lobbying group doing business in Afghanistan.  The Times cited numerous interviews with family members, relatives and others with knowledge of the Aug. 29 incident, and the new report seems to cast serious doubt on the official version of events laid out by the Pentagon.

The Editor says...
Ordinarily, when someone dares to "cast serious doubt on the official version of events," he's called a "conspiracy theorist" or a "truther," or tin-foil-hat nut case.  We are supposed to believe whatever the government tells us.  In this case, the New York Times examined the facts and came up with the embarrassing truth.  Hardly anyone has the resources to examine an incident like this, and even fewer people would be able to report a blatant government lie and stay in business.  It may be a thousand years from now, but some day we'll know how many other lies we were told.

About That Drone Strike.  The New York Times has just posted this intensely interesting investigative scoop by Matthieu Aikins based on reporting by him as well as Christoph Koettl, Evan Hill, and Eric Schmitt:  "In U.S. Drone Strike, Evidence Suggests No ISIS Bomb."  Subhead:  "U.S. officials said a Reaper drone followed a car for hours and then fired based on evidence it was carrying explosives.  But in-depth video analysis and interviews at the site cast doubt on that account."

CNN Poll: 2% Think America Is Doing 'Very Well' Under Joe Biden.  Two percent of Americans participating in a CNN poll think the United States is doing "very well" under President Joe Biden, results revealed Friday [9/10/2021].  "How well are things going in the country today?" CNN asked respondents.  Two percent said "very well," 29 percent said "fairly well," 45 percent said "pretty bad," and 24 percent said "very badly."

Where are All the Americans Returning Home from Afghanistan?  President Joe Biden and his team of military, intelligence, and diplomatic advisors oversaw America's most epic surrender, on the world stage, under the lights and cameras of international media recording it for posterity, spinning the news to mitigate American failure.  One of many failures was the abrupt departure of American military and security forces, necessary to evacuate thousands of Americans and Afghan allies who placed themselves and their families at great risk by helping the Great Satan against the Taliban, the latter being the new boss, replacing the old boss.  How many Americans were left behind?  Official government numbers are all over the map.

30 Headless Goats Found In Georgia River, Ties To African Sacrifice Rituals Suspected.  Channel 2 Action News is investigating headless goats found floating in the Chattahoochee River.  Someone has dumped hundreds of decapitated goats over the past few years.  As they approached the Interstate 20 bridge near the Fulton County and Cobb County border, "There's a goat," Ulselth said.  "These goats have to be coming from somewhere, but we haven't been able to determine who's buying the goats, who's providing the goats or actually how they are making their way here in the river," Ulseth said.  It turns out it was part of a religious ceremony for the followers of Santeria, a religion that mixes West African culture with Cuban Catholicism.

State Department obstruction of private rescue flights from Afghanistan revealed in leaked email.  The State Department refused to grant official approval for private evacuation flights from Afghanistan to land in third countries, even though the department conceded that official authorization would likely be needed for planes to land in those nations, an email reviewed by Fox News shows.  Furthermore, the State Department explicitly stated that charter flights, even those containing American citizens, would not be allowed to land at Defense Department (DOD) airbases.  U.S. officials have pointed to possible security threats from landing charter planes at military bases, saying that they lack the resources on the ground to fully verify flight manifests.

The political time bomb for Biden inside the latest jobless numbers.  While the unemployment rate for Americans dropped in August, there is a political time bomb buried in the statistics for President Joe Biden and a Democratic Party increasingly focused on equity: black joblessness shot up significantly.  In other words, the president who fondly boasts of a domestic policy promising to leave nobody behind has an economic recovery that is leaving a key Democratic constituency in worse shape.  "The rise in black unemployment in August is certainly troubling, considering their unemployment rates were already much higher than any other group," Elise Gould, a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, said on Twitter.  Adding to the complications is the fact that before the pandemic, African-Americans enjoyed historic economic gains under President Trump, including record-low unemployment and falling poverty.

US in talks with Taliban over additional Kabul evacuations.  Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday [9/7/2021] the United States is coordinating with the Taliban to secure additional charter flights from Kabul for people seeking to leave the country.  With the U.S. having concluded all military operations in the country following the Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal, the State Department has been working closely with Taliban leaders to facilitate additional evacuations for an estimated 100 U.S. citizens who still want to exit Afghanistan.

Report: At Least 500 Americans [are] Stranded in Afghanistan, Contradicting Joe Biden's Estimates.  At least 500 Americans are reportedly stranded in Afghanistan, contradicting President Joe Biden's estimate of between 100 and 200, according to the Associated Press (AP) on Sunday [9/5/2021].  Among those who believe Biden has miscalculated how many Americans remain trapped behind enemy lines includes Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), who told the AP, "the number of U.S. citizens still there and wanting to leave is closer to 500."  And if the family members of those trapped Americans are included, Issa believes the overall "number of people could be as high as 1,000."

Pre-trial hearings for five 9/11 suspects delayed for 18 months by COVID resume at Guantanamo Bay.  Five of the suspects accused of being involved in the September 11 attacks will see their cases resume on Tuesday in Guantanamo Bay, after an 18-month hiatus caused by the COVID pandemic.  The five — Khalid Sheikh Mohammed; Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin 'Attash; Ramzi Bin al-Shibh; Ali Abdul Aziz Ali; and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi — were initially arraigned in May 2012.  Since then, there have been more than 40 rounds of pre-trial hearings, with the latest set to begin just four days before the 20th anniversary of the attacks.

Nihilism Is Not a Good Look for the USA.  Biden has given the West's enemies enormous resources that strengthen their geopolitical positions.  Does any sane military strategist believe the vast military resources left behind would be left to rust or merely used as scrap?  Any knowledgeable strategist would know that the military hardware would be confiscated and utilized by powers greater than the Taliban — global powers with a vested interest in undermining America and her allies.  Any strategist would be watching nations such as China and Iran waiting to take advantage of such a treasure trove.  As reports from Asaad Hanna and others surface indicating that much of the weaponry left behind in Afghanistan is being transferred to Iran, observers of recent history will recall that Iran's leaders still proclaim themselves to be the deadly enemies of the "Great Satan," America, and the "Little Satan," Israel.

Australian Supermarket Shelves Are Empty After Truckers Go On Strike, Protesting COVID Tyranny.  Videos of empty shelves in Australia have gone viral on TikTok and Twitter after truckers went on strike this past week over the country's heavy-handed COVID tactics.  The video shows meat, fruit, and vegetables running out as the fight between the government and citizens heats up.  [Video clip]

Second Thoughts:  Dems Have A Few.  The man who as a candidate promised to repair our international alliances has dealt NATO a significant if not fatal blow.  The rush to bug out of Afghanistan left hundreds, probably thousands of persons who were citizens, green card holders, and allies behind.  And our NATO allies have not been able to extract all their people either.  Worse, for reasons that seem impossible to justify, we gave the Taliban the names of the people we wanted to extract and turned down their offer to guard the airport ourselves instead of turning that task over to them.  Credible reports and videos at the site show how the Taliban refused entry to those entitled to leave. [...] We left behind on estimated $63 billion worth of military equipment, some of which the Taliban is reportedly selling off to Iran to use against us and Israel and to undo the peace in the Middle East which President Trump so adroitly brought about in the Abraham Accords.  China is the likely real victor, having worked out agreements with the Taliban allowing them to mine valuable mineral resources there.  If any of the abandoned military equipment is state of the art, expect it to fall into Chinese hands one way or another to be reverse engineered for their own use.

Taliban Refusing To Allow Planes Of Americans To Leave, Effectively A 'Hostage' Situation, Report Says.  The Taliban is reportedly not allowing flights carrying American citizens and green card holders to leave Afghanistan.  CBS News reported that, according to congressional and NGO sources, "multiple planes that are ready to take American citizens and green card holders out of the country are being denied permission to leave by the Taliban."  A State Department email viewed by CBS News said that the flights out of Afghanistan have permission to land in Qatar "if and when the Taliban agrees to takeoff."  A senior congressional source told CBS News, "The Taliban is basically holding them hostage to get more out of the Americans."

McCaul: Afghanistan Is 'Worse' than Pre-9/11 because Taliban Has U.S. Weapons.  Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX), the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, said on this week's broadcast of "Fox News Sunday" that the situation in Afghanistan is "worse" than before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks because the Taliban was now in possession of U.S. weapons.  McCaul said, "This over the horizon capability is greatly exaggerated because we don't have anything near Afghanistan.  It's a landlocked country surrounded by our enemies, Russia, China, Iran, who have now been emboldened by this foreign policy, you know, blunder.  So, you know, how do we — how do we go forward?  I think we have to establish that ISR.  You know, somewhere over the horizon capability means flying from a gulf, probably countries like Qatar, which would be, you know, anywhere from six to eight hours, having to fly, you know, around Iran, over Pakistan, get refueling.  This is not — when I talk to anybody in the military, they tell me this is not adequate for us to have ISR capability. [...]"

Private Afghanistan Evacuation Team Criticizes Biden Administration Officials Who 'Did Absolutely Nothing' To Help Girls Escape Taliban.  The Biden administration ignored several pleas for help from an American evacuation team in the waning days of the Afghanistan withdrawal, emails reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation show.  The team had contacted senior officials in the administration to help evacuate people from Afghanistan before the U.S. withdrawal, according to emails obtained by the DCNF.  They were working to get Americans and vulnerable Afghans out of the country, but it was a difficult task to do alone, according to the team.  Robert Stryk, who earlier spoke with the DCNF about his frustrations with the administration before Aug. 31, said Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer failed to act on his team's desperate pleas for help in getting hundreds of girls out of Afghanistan as the U.S. withdrawal deadline approached.

Biden signs executive order demanding the DOJ declassify FBI's 9/11 investigation documents.  President Joe Biden signed an executive order Friday [9/3/2021] that ordered a review of the classified documents related to the 9/11 terror attacks — with the promise of releasing more information to the public.  Biden had been told by nearly 1,800 Americans impacted by the terror attacks last month — including victims' family members, first responders and survivors — not to come to any of the 20th anniversary events unless he declassified documents that potentially show Saudi government links to the September 11, 2001 hijackers.  The order makes no mention of Saudi Arabia.

Marine who spoke out about Afghanistan withdrawal says he expects to be jailed.  A Marine who claimed he was "relieved from duty" after going viral for criticizing military leadership over the withdrawal from Afghanistan now speculates he might be court-martialed and "will probably do some jail time."  Stuart Scheller, who claims now to be a former lieutenant colonel, has been posting regular updates about his dissenting stance that led to his alleged removal from the military, saying in a Wednesday update to a video he uploaded to social media on Aug. 27, "The Marine Corps will assign an investigating officer.  Most likely a Colonel."

Afghan Journalist:  Family Blown Up by Joe Biden's Missile Strike Had Special Visas and Were About to Leave Afghanistan.  Afghan reporter Ali Latafi joined Yalda Hakim at the BBC to discuss the recent missile attack by Joe Biden that killed an Afghan family including several children in Kabul.  According to Latafi the family killed on Sunday by a US drone strike had Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) to leave for the US and were about to leave Afghanistan.

DoD had Foreknowledge of Kabul Airport Bomber — Denied Permission to Fire Predator Drone that had Lock on Him — 13 US Heroes Dead.  Roger Pardo-Maurer, the former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs (2001-2006), joined Jorge Ramos on Univision Noticias on Monday to discuss the unfolding disastrous withdrawal of US forces in Afghanistan.  During their conversation, Pardo-Maurer told Ramos the Department of Defense had foreknowledge of the Kabul Airport suicide bomber but denied permission to fire a Predator Drone missile once they had a lock on him. [...] The US Department of Defense allowed the bomber to murder 13 Americans.

Report: US Knew About Kabul Bomber, Had Drone Lock but Didn't Take the Shot.  Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Roger Pardo-Maurer dropped some incredible information during an interview and it's huge, if true.  Director of MRC Latino, Jorge Bonilla, posted an interview of Pardo-Maurer.  Pardo-Maurer, who was in the State Department for years, since at least 2001, said he was being told that the Department of Defense already knew who the bomber was ahead of time, before the bombing and when the Kabul attack would occur.

White House announces plan to build 100K affordable homes.  The White House said Wednesday it will use existing federal funds to build and provide 100,000 homes to low- and middle-income buyers and nonprofits over the next three years to bolster supply that is often snapped up by deep-pocketed investors.  President Biden believes Congress can bolster affordable housing by approving his mammoth spending plan for families, but the White House said it "can't wait to take action," as economically battered Americans sought space during the coronavirus pandemic only to find tight supply and runaway home prices and rents.  "The large and long-standing gap between the supply and demand of affordable homes for both renters and homeowners makes it harder for families to buy their first home and drives up the cost of rent," a White House fact sheet said.  "Higher housing costs also crowd out other investments families can and should make to improve their lives, such as investments in education."

The Editor says...
[#1] This is not the proper role of government at any level.  [#2] The story is a red herring, pulled out of a hat to get Afghanistan out of the headlines.  When Joe Biden is impeached, watch for a story the next day about NASA finding life on Mars, or some other sensational click-bait diversion.

In secret texts, U.S. military officials lamented leaving Americans behind in Kabul.  President Biden declared to a puzzled country on Tuesday that the U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan was an "extraordinary success," while his Pentagon portrayed a prosaic, workaday process to repatriate Americans still stranded in the war-torn country.  But text messages between U.S. military commanders and private citizens mounting last-minute rescues tell a far different story, one in which pleading American citizens were frantically left behind at the Kabul airport gate this past weekend to face an uncertain fate under Taliban rule while U.S. officials sought to spread the blame between high-ranking generals and the State Department[.]  "We are [...] abandoning American citizens," an Army colonel assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division wrote Sunday in frustration in a series of encrypted messages that detailed the failed effort to extricate a group of American citizens, hours before the last U.S. soldiers departed Afghanistan.

Biden Administration Erased Afghan Weapons Reports From Federal Websites.  The War in Afghanistan has always been a black box, but the Biden administration just made matters worse.  According to an admission obtained from the State Department, Biden officials recently directed federal agencies to scrub their websites of official reports detailing the $82.9 billion in military equipment and training provided to the Afghan security forces since 2001.  The scrubbed audits and reports included detailed accounting of what the U.S. had provided to Afghan forces, down to the number of night vision devices, hand grenades, Black Hawk helicopters, and armored vehicles.  Reports further quantified 208 aircraft and helicopters; 75,000 war vehicles — including 22 Humvees, 50,000 tactical vehicles and nearly 1,000 mine resistant vehicles; and 600,000 weapons — including 350,000 M4 and M16 rifles, 60,000 machine guns, and 25,000 grenade launchers.

Group of 87 retired generals call on Austin and Milley to resign following botched Afghan withdrawal.  Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley have been called upon to resign by a group of 87 retired generals.  In an open letter from the group "Flag Officers 4 America," the retired generals argue Austin and Milley showed "negligence in performing their duties" during the botched exit from Afghanistan.  Members of the group, who describe themselves as "retired U.S. generals and admirals defending the Constitution," also wrote Austin and Milley must be held accountable for their actions that have stranded hundreds of Americans and Afghan allies in hostile territory as "de facto hostages of the Taliban."  The generals also argued Austin and Milley should have counseled President Biden against the swift exit from the region and resigned in protest if he did not abide by their recommendation.

Rapist Evacuated From Kabul to US Reveals Bigger Problem With People the Biden Team Evacuated.  [Scroll down]  Unfortunately, because it's the Biden Administration, lying and incompetence go hand in hand with each other so it raises the real question of whether people on the planes were adequately vetted or just packed onto the planes to bump the numbers.  I put nothing past the Biden team at this point.  This latest story confirms that not everyone was vetted sufficiently[.]  According to the Washington Times, a convicted rapist who had previously been deported from the United States was one of the people who made it on an evacuation flight all the way to the U.S., until he was flagged by border officials when he arrived at Dulles Airport.  He's now being held at a detention facility in Virginia.

Ron Johnson Demands Answers After U.S. Commander Allegedly Turned Away American Citizens In Kabul.  Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken demanding answers on why a U.S. military official allegedly stopped Americans and Afghan allies from evacuating Afghanistan at the Kabul airport.  Johnson said he has heard reports indicating "a group of over 400 individuals including U.S. citizens were turned away from the airport" by "the commander of the 82nd Airborne Brigade ... who told them to get back on their buses and turn around because 'the rescue was over.'"  "It is not clear what happened to the Americans and the other individuals after they left the airport," Johnson wrote.  "It's hard to believe that any U.S. military official would deny Americans the ability to evacuate Afghanistan.  What generalized or specific order was given to the commander that caused him to take this alleged action?  Where did this order originate?"

Biden Officials at Kabul Airport Warned American Rescue Plane To Turn Back or Be Shot Down.  A private airplane that was flying into Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) in Kabul, Afghanistan to rescue stranded American citizens and Afghan allies allegedly was told to turn back or they would be shot down.  In the past 24 hours, American officials in charge of giving clearance at the airport told fellow Americans they would be fired upon if they didn't leave, Mary Beth Long, a former Department of Defense official, told American Greatness in an exclusive interview.  The plane ended up landing elsewhere in Afghanistan, she said.  Now Americans are reportedly being advised to leave Kabul completely as the Taliban is expected to start rounding people up after the last of the U.S. military leaves.

Fox News' Jen Griffin Shocked at Blinken's Videotaped Afghanistan Withdrawal Speech.  As the last United States planes departed Afghanistan Monday, myriad questions remained.  Many Americans were unable to get to Kabul airport, making Joe Biden the first U.S. president in memory to leave American citizens behind enemy lines, despite saying it would not happen.  Embattled Secretary of State Antony Blinken took the stage for an early evening address and said he could not determine how many Americans remain in Afghanistan.  It was unclear whether the speech was pre-taped, but his mannerisms and eye contact were awkward.  Fox News national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin said Blinken appeared to be in a hostage video.  "I thought that the secretary of state's statement, which was videotaped and he was looking slightly off-camera, I mean it looked like a hostage video.  It was not the kind of production values that you would expect for such a moment in time," Griffin said.

Almost 90 Retired Flag Officers Demand Mark Milley, Lloyd Austin Resign After Afghanistan Debacle.  Nearly 90 retired U.S. generals and admirals penned an open letter asking Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley to resign from their positions following their "negligence in performing their duties primarily involving events surrounding the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan."  "As principal military advisors to the CINC [Commander-in-Chief]/President, the SECDEF and CJCS should have recommended against this dangerous withdrawal in the strongest possible terms," the letter states.  "If they did not do everything within their authority to stop the hasty withdrawal, they should resign.  Conversely, if they did do everything within their ability to persuade the CINC/President to not hastily exit the country without ensuring the safety of our citizens and Afghans loyal to America, then they should have resigned in protest as a matter of conscience and public statement."

Taliban seeks pallets of cash in exchange for extending US Aug. 31 evacuation deadline.  In a briefing last week, Joe Biden told inquisitive reporters that every American who wants to get out of Afghanistan would get out of Afghanistan, and he was counting on the Taliban's "self-interest" in letting the Americans leave.  Toss that one into the bin of lies and errors coming from this Biden Afghanistan fiasco.  Turns out the Taliban has its own ideas about what its self-interest is. [...] What we are seeing here is an emerging hostage situation in that country as Biden insists on pulling out by his Aug. 31 deadline, which the Taliban is holding him to, under penalty of "consequences."  The State Department has claimed that 300 Americans are awaiting evacuation and have not made it to the Kabul airport yet.  According to this disturbing collection of reports from AT deputy editor Andrea Widburg, it's likely more.

Afghan TV Show Host Surrounded By Taliban With Guns Tells Public Not To Be Afraid And Cooperate.  The presenter of Afghan TV's Peace Studio appears on video informing the Afghan public to "cooperate with it and should not be afraid" while members of the Taliban stand behind him at gunpoint.  [Tweet]  The host of the Peace Studio TV show which airs on Kabul TV can be seen being held at gunpoint while Taliban members clad in tactical gear appear to be holding rifles and surrounding the host.  The host can be seen telling his audience to "cooperate with it."  This occurs just over one week after the Taliban seized power over Afghanistan before the U.S. was set to complete its withdrawal of troops from the area, according to The Associated Press.

Finally, we have some good news.  The news is so depressing lately that it takes nerves of steel to open the newspaper, turn on the TV, or visit an internet news site.  However, there is good news out there if you know where to look.  First Item:  Taiwan has been jolted awake by the Afghanistan debacle!  For months, the Republic of China (Taiwan) has been nervously watching The People's Republic of China (China) amass and marshal its land and naval assets in a continuing threat to try to conquer the island through military force.

Dan Crenshaw, Lara Logan Bring the Most Disturbing Reports Out of the Kabul Airport Yet.  Rep. Dan Crenshaw is a retired Navy SEAL who served and was wounded in Afghanistan's Helmand province during his third deployment, in 2012.  He lost his right eye and his left eye was badly damaged in an IED attack.  Crenshaw is held in extremely high regard in the veteran and active-duty communities.  Lara Logan is a long-time award-winning journalist now working for Fox News who has spent much of her career covering war zones including Iraq and Afghanistan.  Between the two of them, Logan and Crenshaw have spent years in and around Afghanistan.  Due to their experience there, both are likely to have credible sources on the ground at the Kabul airport.  Both Logan and Crenshaw are independently reporting that Americans have been turned away from safety at that airport over the past couple of days.

Lawmakers: State Department No Longer Allowing American Citizens to Enter Kabul Airport.  Members of Congress said Sunday evening that the Biden administration was not allowing Americans to enter the Kabul airport and leave Afghanistan, as the evacuation mission nears its end by August 31.  Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) tweeted Sunday night [8/29/2021] that the State Department was not helping American citizens trying to evacuate.  "I am furious!!  My team has been on the phone all day trying to get AMERICAN CITIZENS out.  They have been just outside the airport numerous times, but the State Department WILL NOT help them," he tweeted.

USMC Take[s a] Troubling Step Against Marine Commander Who Demanded Accountability on Afghanistan.  So what happens when you call out the powers that be and demand accountability, saying that you are going to get it, as Marine LTC Stuart Scheller has done?  Now, after his last video, the leadership is clearly not going to take it and they are moving against him because he's gotten far too much attention.  As we previously reported, they had already relieved him of his command.  Now the USMC is going to paint him as having mental health problems and being a "threat" because he spoke about bringing the "system down."  [Tweet]  There's nothing in his video that indicates that he's a threat to anyone, he's a bringer of truth that explodes the narrative that they want to pitch so they're going to paint him as a nut and try to do him in.

Marine Lt. Col. Who Got Fired From Position For Criticizing Command Resigns, Promises To 'Bring The Whole [...] System Down'.  Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller on Sunday announced in a video that he was resigning his commission as a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps, following being fired as a battalion commander for asking for accountability from his senior leadership on the botched Afghanistan withdrawal.  [Video clip]

Marine Lt. Col. Is Fired For Angry Video Ranting Against Biden And The Military Leadership Over Afghanistan Mess.  Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller was relieved for cause after demanding that senior U.S. leaders hold themselves accountable for actions made during the U.S. military's withdrawal from Afghanistan that led to the deaths of 13 service members.  Officials confirmed to Fox News on Thursday [8/26/2021] that 11 Marines, an Army soldier and a Navy corpsman were killed in explosions near Kabul's airport Thursday.  Another 169 Afghans were killed, according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.  [Video clip]

Marine battalion commander resigns after he was relieved of his duties for slamming his superiors over botched Afghanistan exit.  The Marine battalion commander who was relieved of his duties for blasting his superiors over the Afghanistan exit strategy says he has resigned from the military.  Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller published a new video online on Sunday addressing his resignation just days after he went viral for calling out his superiors for not "raising their hands and accepting accountability or saying, 'We messed this up.'"  Scheller's original video criticized Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley for leaving the Bagram Air Base before all Americans and their allies had the chance to be evacuated.

Naval Intel reminds active duty, retired members they cannot 'disrespect' Biden, Harris.  Active duty and retired members of the Office of Naval Intelligence were reminded last week they are barred by the Uniform Code of Military Justice and other Department of Defense regulations from criticizing President Joe Biden and other ranking members of his Cabinet and the Pentagon.  The memo, sent via email and first reported by The Daily Wire, was sent out by the ONI's chief of staff following deadly suicide bombing attacks outside the international airport in Kabul which left 11 Marines, two Army soldiers, a U.S. Navy corpsman, and 169 Afghan civilians dead.  In addition to Biden, members were instructed they also could not publicly criticize or be contemptuous of Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, members of Congress, and others.

CCP's Grand Strategy Is to Displace US: China Expert.  China has had three grand strategies to counter the United States since 1989, culminating in the latest phase, beginning in 2016, of wanting to displace the United States, China expert Rush Doshi said during an Aug. 26 webinar to talk about his new book.  Doshi wrote the book "The Long Game:  China's Grand Strategy to Displace American Order" while working at the Brookings Institution, which hosted the online event.  Now he's the Biden administration's newly appointed director for China on the White House National Security Council.  Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials "seek to restore China to its due place and roll back the historical aberration of the West's overwhelming global influence" with its grand strategy, according to Doshi's book.  The grand strategy is now in its third phase, he said, after he examined years of CCP documents such as memoirs, speeches, and biographies.  Today China sees its competition with the United States as global, regional, and functional in many domains, according to Doshi.

Congressmen and Others Accuse Biden of Blocking US Citizens from Kabul Airport.  Reports trickled in throughout Saturday [8/28/2021] that American citizens in Afghanistan were being blocked by U.S. military and government officials from entering Kabul airport so they could escape the (thanks to Biden) terrorist controlled nation.  Several reports also said Americans are being beaten by Taliban terrorists at the airport.  The reports reached a crescendo Saturday night with two Texas Republican Congressmen and military veterans, Dan Crenshaw and Ronny Jackson angrily calling out Joe Biden.  Crenshaw, "America, you need to know this:  Biden is not letting US citizens through the airport gates.  It has been impossible to get anyone through for the last 24 hours.  This administration has been lying about their intent to save Americans.  Unforgivable."

The Brits somehow seem to be getting their people out of Afghanistan.  While the United States has been warning all of its people to stay away from the airport in Kabul and is basically ready to shut down the evacuation, Great Britain has still been bringing people out of the country.  In fact, they expect to have all of their citizens out today, even though there are only a few flights expected to leave in the next 24 hours.  The troops they airlifted out were part of a group of more than 1,000 who stayed behind to help the United States secure the airport during the initial days of the bugout.  They won't hit 100% of their goals, however, admitting that as many as a thousand Afghans who had been assisting them will wind up being left behind.  But they do seem to have accounted for all of their own citizens in the country, so how did they manage to pull this off?

Afghanistan is not going down well with the U.S. military's ranks.  The perfumed princes of the Pentagon with their wokester focus, operate as if they have little to fear in making a hash of Afghanistan.  After all, Joe Biden has made it clear that nobody's getting fired.  And with all their consulting contracts and revolving board seats, it probably wouldn't matter if they did.  Why does General Mark Milley still have a job?  Biden's actually out gaslighting the public about how great he's doing.  One problem, though, is emerging from that phoniness:  Growing anger in the ranks.  These cossetted leaders no longer have the respect of the troops. [...] It seems so much of this is going down that someone high up in the ranks felt compelled to issue this reminder, recognizing probably quite accurately that the military's decadent leadership is actually losing control.  So not only can they not win wars, but they also are losing the respect of the troops.

Republicans file impeachment articles against Blinken over Afghan disaster.  House Republicans on Friday introduced articles of impeachment against Secretary of State Antony Blinken for "high crimes and misdemeanors" leading up to the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.  Republican Reps.  Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Andy Harris of Maryland co-sponsored the resolution.  They said "inexcusable failures" on behalf of Mr. Blinken led to the lives lost in Thursday's terrorist attack in Kabul and "set a horrible precedent on the international stage."  "Secretary Blinken's complete and utter failure of managing this avoidable catastrophe makes him unfit for leadership, and I hope my colleagues will join me in pushing for his removal," Mr. Harris said.

Taliban kill squad hunting down Afghans — using US biometric data.  The Taliban has mobilized a special unit, called Al Isha, to hunt down Afghans who helped US and allied forces — and it's using US equipment and data to do it.  Nawazuddin Haqqani, one of the brigade commanders over the Al Isha unit, bragged in an interview with Zenger News that his unit is using US-made hand-held scanners to tap into a massive US-built biometric database and positively identify any person who helped the NATO allies or worked with Indian intelligence.  Afghans who try to deny or minimize their role will find themselves contradicted by the detailed computer records that the US left behind in its frenzied withdrawal.  The existence of the Al Isha unit has not been previously confirmed by the Taliban; until now the Haqqani Network, a terror group aligned with the Taliban, has not admitted its role in targeting Afghans or its use of America's vast biometric database.

U.S. Used a Nasty New Hellfire Missile In Retaliatory Drone Strike on ISIS-K.  The United States used a relatively new gruesome, but effective kind of missile for its first retaliatory strike after the suicide bombings at the Kabul airport. [...] The article goes on to say that the military nickname for the missile is the "flying Ginsu."  It's not known exactly how many times the R9X has been used because the Pentagon doesn't exactly hit Instagram for everything it accomplishes.

So we blew up an ISIS-K "planner" with a drone last night.  After an ISIS-K suicide bomber attacked one of the gates at the Kabul airport, President Biden promised that we were going to strike back.  I'm assuming that this was what he was talking about.  NBC News is reporting that we took out an ISIS-K "planner" last night and he was allegedly engaged in plotting additional attacks in Kabul.  We didn't have to deploy any troops to do it, however.  The suspect was driving in a car with another person when he was taken out by one of our drones.  Oh, and he wasn't anywhere near Kabul at the time.

Experts question decision not to name ISIS terrorists killed in Afghanistan drone strike.  The failure of the Biden administration to name the two Islamic State terrorists killed in a US drone strike in Afghanistan on Friday [8/27/2021] has led some experts to conclude they were not high-value targets.  In a press conference Saturday, Major Gen. William Taylor only referred to the dead targets as a "planner" and "facilitator," and would not say if they played specific roles in the airport suicide attack Thursday that killed 13 American soldiers and 169 Afghans.  Islamic State Khorasan, or ISIS-K, was behind the attack.  "Normally if they get a high-profile guy they like to name him," retired US Army Lt. Col Brian F. Sullivan told The [New York] Post.  "They keep talking BS about 'eyes over the horizon' but I think a lot of this is the administration blowing more smoke," Sullivan added.  "They're throwing this up as if the US is reacting with strength and power.  So that makes the score something like ISIS 200-US two.  Who are they kidding?"

Biden's Pentagon Won't Tell Anyone Who Was Killed In That Drone Strike They Say Happened.  At this point, the Pentagon is best known for publicly downplaying the threat the Taliban posed for taking over all of Afghanistan, and for greenlighting closing its largest operational base in Central Asia.  It's still purging competent minds but retaining and encouraging its woke drones.  Gen. Mark Milley, the 21st-century version of Gen. Custer, still has a job.  Biden has lied, or remains unaware, about the fact that our allies are livid at him and questioning whether working with the United States is in their interests anymore.  The Biden government hasn't been straight about anything, from the number of stranded Americans to who is on the planes getting out to the inflation it has unleashed on the country.  This regime still thinks white supremacy is a greater threat than the monsters they've unleashed and armed in Afghanistan.

Color Me Extremely Skeptical About Joe Biden's Retaliation Strike Against ISIS.  Yesterday, as RedState reported, the US Military executed a drone strike that reportedly blew up an ISIS "planner" in the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan.  This was touted as a retaliation strike for the dual suicide bombings that occurred in Kabul, which tragically took the lives of at least 13 US servicemembers with over a dozen others still hospitalized.  The terrorist attack also killed at least 170 Afghans with countless others wounded.  [Tweet]  I know this is the point where I'm supposed to give a fist-pump and praise Joe Biden for greenlighting a response that never should have been necessary in the first place, but color me extremely skeptical of how this is being framed.  If Jen Psaki herself had written that press release, what would be different about it?  No, I'm not suggesting a strike didn't take place.  I'm sure some terrorist-supporting goat herder in a hut was blown to bits.  But what I am suggesting is that there's some serious gaslighting going on about what the strike actually means and amounts to.

Pentagon Briefing on ISIS-K 'Retaliatory Strike' Prompts More Questions Than Answers.  My colleagues Bonchie and Streiff expressed important concerns about the drone strike retaliation attack on ISIS-K that the Biden Administration is claiming happened last night.  [Tweet]  Unfortunately, because they have told us so many lies at this point of the Afghanistan debacle, it's really hard to accept what they say without proof.  Indeed, assuming this report is true, there's a real question of proportionality of response here, as Streiff noted.  Not to mention, holding the Taliban accountable for this, as well.  The Pentagon briefing this morning didn't help provide any more assurances, although they did try to use Joe Biden's "over the horizon" phrase a lot.  [Tweet]

Pictures Of Where The Drone Strike On ISIS-K Occurred In Afghanistan — No Human Remains Can Be Seen.  The United States launched an airstrike following a suicide bombing at Kabul airport earlier this week.  The target of the drone strike, believed to have been killed with no known civilian causalities, was an ISIS-K fighter believed to be involved in the planning future attacks, according to two U.S. defense officials.  The US military says it has killed an ISIS-K planner in the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan.  According to the US officials, the target was planning to attack US officials in Kabul airport.  A UAV took off from an unnamed base in the Middle East and reportedly hit the target while he was in a car with another associate.  It's reportedly the first UAV strike launched by the United States from outside Afghanistan.  "U.S. military forces conducted an over-the-horizon counterterrorism operation today against an ISIS-K planner," Captain Bill Urban, spokesman for U.S. Central Command, confirmed Friday night.  "The unmanned airstrike occurred in the Nangahar Province of Afghanistan.  Initial indications are that we killed the target.  We know of no civilian casualties."  The statement did not identify the target of the attack, or what role a "planner" has in the group.  It is unclear whether the planner was involved in Thursday's attack.

Joe Biden's Afghanistan Drone Strike Against ISIS-K Is a Joke, and We Are the Punchline.  Two days ago, a suicide bomber attacked a security checkpoint at the Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) in Kabul, Afghanistan.  That airport is the main point of egress for any seeking to leave that sad simulacrum of a country, before US forces comply with the August 31 withdrawal deadline set for them by the Taliban.  Re-read that last sentence a couple of times to grasp the scope of our national shame.  Thirteen Americans were killed: eleven Marines, one Navy corpsman, and one Army special forces soldier.  Twenty more Americans were sufficiently wounded to require medical evacuation.

Rogue Team of Retired US Vets Rescue Afghan Allies During Secret Missions Conducted Behind Biden's Back.  A group of highly trained US military veterans have been conducting secret rescue missions behind the Biden State Department's back, rescuing hundreds of Afghan allies from Afghanistan with their heroic efforts.  Furious over the terrible situation in they had already sacrificed so much to prevent when they served, the team of retired specialists, including Green Berets and Navy SEALS, risked their lives.  They volunteered to travel to Kabul because they were afraid that Joe Biden was abandoning at-risk Afghan elite forces, leaving them to die at the hands of terrorists.  They felt it was necessary for someone to step up and were baffled "that our own government didn't do this," former Navy SEAL Jason Redman told ABC.

Marine LTC Fired After Demanding Accountability On Afghanistan.  Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller announced Friday [8/27/2021] that he had been "relieved for cause" after he posted a video demanding accountability on Afghanistan.  Scheller shared a Facebook post saying that, as of 14:30 on Friday, he had been relieved of duty — and he noted that he would have taken the same action if he were in the position of his superior officers.

Marine Officer Who Questioned Generals over Afghanistan Is Relieved of Duty.  Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller of the United States Marine Corps revealed Friday afternoon that he has been relieved of duty for posting a video criticizing military leaders for failing to take responsibility for the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.  In the video, Scheller, a 17-year Marine Corps officer, said that he knew he was risking his career by speaking out, but that he wanted to explain why so many service members were frustrated, in the wake of the terror attack on U.S. forces in Kabul on Thursday.

A Cry From The Heart.  Addressing "the American leadership," Marine Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Scheller has posted the video below to his Facebook page.  Making a point I have made repeatedly in my comments on our withdrawal from Afghanistan, Lieutenant Colonel Scheller seeks accountability from senior leaders.  Obviously made at substantial risk to himself, it is a powerful statement that is likely to be suppressed before long.  Perhaps he himself should have resigned from the Corps before he made it.  I don't know.  A reader writes to point out that "Marine leadership is as of yet unaware of it — but they will figure it out shortly."  Watch it while you can.  [Video clip]

This Marine Battalion Commander Probably Burned Down His Career to Demand Accountability for Chain-of-Command Failures in Afghanistan.  If you are a commissioned officer, going public with your concerns about how the military or your particular service is going is an activity nearly guaranteed to provide you all the fun and entertainment you can reasonably handle.  However, where integrity and forthrightness are given a place of honor in lesson plans and speeches, the reality is that at senior levels, you are expected to shut up and toe the command's line.  You deviate from that norm at your peril.

The Report on U.S. Officials Giving Taliban a List of American and Allied Afghans Makes Sense.  There are two puzzle pieces that help to make sense of the Politico report about "U.S. Officials" giving the Taliban a list of American and U.S. Afghan names to allow through the checkpoints.  However, if you don't understand the two dueling power teams, each attempting to position, it doesn't make sense.  Remember, the State Dept (DoS) and CIA are one team.  The White House and Pentagon are another team. [...] Both teams are highly political.  However, the State Dept/CIA team consider themselves above political changes; essentially the deeper Deep State.  With the DoS/CIA aligned with CNN/WaPo, when the Pentagon needs to defend their specific interests in crisis management, they must go elsewhere, hence Politico.

Biden admits admin may have given Taliban 'kill list' of Afghans who aided US.  A potentially deadly blunder by President Biden's administration effectively handed the Taliban a "kill list" to target Afghans who aided the US, according to a report Thursday — and he admitted it may have happened when asked later at a White House briefing.  Following the Taliban takeover of Kabul, US officials there gave the Islamic extremist group the names of American citizens, green card holders and Afghan allies so they could be allowed to enter the Taliban-controlled perimeter around Hamid Karzai International Airport, according to Politico.  The decision reportedly was made despite the Taliban's notorious reputation for brutally executing Afghans who helped the US military and other Western forces during the war and occupation that followed the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

U.S. Officials Handed Taliban a List of Names of Americans and Afghan Allies.  In a move no one can grasp, U.S. officials in Kabul gave the Taliban a list of names of American citizens, green card holders, and Afghan allies, believing the Taliban would allow them to enter the militant-controlled outer perimeter of the city's airport.  Lawmakers and military officials are outraged.  The insane move was designed to expedite the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from Kabul by the August 31 deadline.  It also came as the Biden administration began relying on the Taliban for security outside the airport.  ISIS-K has since set up forces around the soon-to-be-renamed Hamid Karzai International Airport.

CENTCOM Commander Reveals U.S. Intelligence-Sharing Operation with Taliban.  General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of the United States Central Command, revealed an intelligence-sharing operation between the U.S. and Taliban on Thursday at a Department of Defense briefing, just hours after attacks at Hamid Karzai International Airport killed at least twelve U.S. service members and 60 Afghan civilians.  According to McKenzie, the Taliban and U.S. share a "common purpose" of finishing the ongoing evacuation mission by August 31.

Trump slams Biden over 'Kill List': US officials naively gave Taliban list of Afghan allies and citizens to be evacuated.  Donald Trump has slammed Joe Biden for handing over a list of approved Afghan evacuees to the Taliban amid fears it will now be used by the extremist group to kill those named on it.  Calls for Biden's resignation and impeachment have mounted after at least 103 people, including 13 U.S. service personnel, were killed by ISIS terrorists in a double suicide attack on Kabul airport on Thursday.  In an emotional address to the nation, Biden vowed to 'hunt down' and 'make the terrorists pay' as he mourned the 'selfless heroes' who died helping vulnerable people flee the country.

Adam Schiff leaves classified briefing, says Afghanistan disaster was NOT the fault of intel agencies.  I know, I know.  This is Adam 'Pencil Neck' Schiff, one of the biggest liars on Capitol Hill.  But what he's saying right now, after having left a classified briefing, concurs with much of what we've learned in the media regarding Biden's Afghanistan disaster and it is NOT favorable to Biden.

The Kabul Mission Begins to Unravel and We Can Expect to See Much Worse.  Earlier today, some organization carried out a complex suicide bomb attack on the perimeter of Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) in Kabul.  The explosions took place at an ingress point called the Abbey Gate and at the Baron Hotel, which is just a short distance from the Abbey Gate. [...] The US government negotiated an agreement with the Taliban to allow the use of HKIA for evacuation until the August 31 deadline laid down by the Taliban for all US forces to be removed from their country.  However, if you have followed the day-in-day-out reporting, it is obvious that the people making the deal don't necessarily have the juice to make the deals work.  For instance, Taliban forces harassed and beat US passport holders on the way to the airport despite everyone agreeing that this would not happen.  Earlier this week, Taliban fighters started turning back Afghans, no matter their US visa status.  This was followed by an "official" announcement by the Taliban government that Afghans would no longer be allowed to leave.

Naturalized Americans could have their citizenship revoked if secret DHS program hosted by Amazon flags their social media or other personal data as a threat.  Naturalized Americans could have their citizenship revoked thanks to a computer program that searches for concerning activity — with broad categories including anything deemed 'derogatory'.  The program, called ATLAS, is used by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and is hosted on servers owned by web e-commerce giant Amazon.  DHS stated on their website in a November update that ATLAS was created 'to automate, streamline, and support accurate exchange of data' among immigration authorities and the DHS, and 'to support biometric and biographic-based screening and vetting of immigration requests.'

Canadian Minister for Women and Gender Equality Refers To Taliban Thugs As 'Our Brothers'.  Canada's minister of women and gender equality says her mention of the Taliban as "our brothers" during a press conference Wednesday is a "cultural reference," after receiving criticism for her choice of language.  Maryam Monsef — who was born in Iran and raised in Afghanistan — had a direct message for the terrorist group, which has swiftly taken control of most of Afghanistan since the U.S. began withdrawing its troops following a 20-year mission.  [Video clip]

Taliban Secures World's Largest Lithium Deposits After US Withdrawal From Afghanistan.  It's been more than a decade since we penned "The US "Discovers" Nearly $1 Trillion In Mineral Deposits In Afghanistan" in which we highlighted the colossal untapped mineral deposits that reside in Afghanistan. [...] Readers have known for a while Afghanistan was never about the opium trade or the war on terror but rather the massive deposit of minerals essential for renewable energies.  So in the Economic Hit Man context, why would the Biden administration suddenly pull out of Afghanistan after 20 years if the play all along was about securing rare earth metals?  We don't want to speculate the Biden administration's intentions, nor do we have any idea.  Still, one thing is sure is that the Taliban now control the world's largest lithium deposits is becoming friendly with China.

No Americans Have Been Rescued Outside of Kabul:  Pentagon.  U.S. troops have not rescued any Americans in Afghanistan outside of Kabul, though they have the capability to do so, the Pentagon said Wednesday [8/25/2021].  Only three rescue missions have been conducted by American soldiers since the Taliban took over the country, according to military officials.  But all three took place within Kabul, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters in Washington.  "Could it be done outside Kabul, if needed?  We have the capability," he said.  "I'm not suggesting that it would be well outside of Kabul.  I'm not suggesting that it would be throughout the whole countryside," he added later.

No One Will Call It A Coup.  The report doesn't call it an attempted political coup.  But buried in the antiseptic language of an investigative report issued yesterday, it appears several former top employees of Attorney General Ken Paxton were more concerned with furthering their own political career than getting at the truth — and, ironically, at least two were willing to break the law to do it.  Texas' political world was rocked a year ago when seven top employees of the Office of the Attorney General filed a criminal complaint.  They alleged Paxton had received a bribe to aid a campaign donor, Texas businessman Nate Paul.  An internal investigation, however, finds the complaint had no substance and that Paxton himself took actions that were "proper pursuant to his legal obligations."  Meanwhile, "[t]here is no evidence that Nate Paul attempted to bribe [Ken Paxton]."  What emerges from the report is picture of an agency's senior staff who had decided to take out their boss — a statewide elected official — and were unconcerned with whatever facts needed to be ignored or concocted to make it happen.

Leaked Cable Showing Number of Americans Rescued From Afghanistan Produces Shock and Horror.  I'd like to say I have good news to share this morning, but that's not the reality we are living in.  Instead, a leaked State Department cable has finally revealed the number of Americans rescued from Afghanistan over the last 10 days.  Unfortunately, the number is so bad that it's producing shock and horror.  While the Pentagon and White House insisted yesterday that they didn't have this data, in the least shocking development of the week, we now know they were lying.  A running tally of Americans who have gotten out has been kept, and the numbers as of last night are that only 4,407 American citizens have made it onto flights.

Pleading With Terrorists?  CIA Director Meets With Taliban as Evacuation Fears Grow.  It just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?  That is if you're the Taliban, al Qaeda, ISIS — now resurfacing in Afghanistan — and the rest of the toxic stew of Islmastist [sic] extremism hellbent on forcing — by any barbaric means necessary — the planet back to the 7th-century world of the Kharijites.  However, if you're hapless Joe Biden or a member of his equally hapless administration, you're anywhere from dangerously delusional to afraid to tell "the big guy" he's been catastrophically wrong about the debacle he and he alone created — from his no-plan "plan" to jerk American forces out of Afghanistan, inexplicably abandon Bagram Air Base and its multiple runways (which would have been easily defendable, not to mention come in [very] handy right how as "Evacuation HQ") — to the disaster at the Hamid Karzai airport out the outskirts of Kabul.

Negotiating with Terrorists:  Taliban Gives 'No Extensions' to Evacuation Timeline.  The Taliban gave "no" evacuation deadline extensions on Tuesday to the Biden and Harris administration after the CIA negotiated with a Taliban leader.  Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the terrorists will accept "no extensions" to the August 31 deadline.  Mujahid also suggests he was "not aware" the CIA met with the Taliban, "but he did not deny that such a meeting took place," the Associated Press reported.

Taliban may have biometric data of US military aides.  In 2007, the United States military began using a small, handheld device to collect and match the iris, fingerprint and facial scans of more than 1.5 million Afghans against a database of biometric data.  The device, known as Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment (HIIDE), was initially developed by the US government as a means to locate insurgents and other wanted individuals.  Over time, for the sake of efficiency, the system came to include the data of Afghans assisting the US during the war.  Today, HIIDE provides access to a database of biometric and biographic data, including of those who aided coalition forces.  Military equipment and devices — including the collected data — are speculated to have been captured by the Taliban, who have taken over Afghanistan.

Food And Supply Shortages Hit Retailers, Walmart Shelves Empty.  Grocery-store chains are still battling supply challenges that some executives said are as bad as what they saw in spring 2020, when hoarding left holes in stocks of some staples.  Industry executives say new problems are arising weekly, driven by shortages of labor and raw materials.  Groceries including frozen waffles and beverages remain scarce as some food companies anticipate disruptions lasting into 2022.  A wider range of products is running short and logistical challenges are compounding for many retailers.  Donny Rouse, chief executive of Louisiana-based Rouses Markets, said he is struggling to fill shelves as his company runs low on everything from pet food to canned goods.  [Video clip]

Taliban transformed by haul of advanced U.S.-made weapons; lawmakers demand answers.  The Taliban were transformed from an insurgent rabble armed with cast-off Soviet-era weapons into one of the most well-equipped forces in the region in the space of a few days during their lightning-fast advance across Afghanistan.  Following the complete collapse of the U.S.-equipped Afghan army, the Taliban were able to scoop up a trove of advanced military hardware:  thousands of rifles, machine guns, grenade launchers, artillery pieces and night-vision goggles.  The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANSDF) also left behind thousands of military vehicles from U.S. taxpayers, everything from Humvees to heavily armored Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) trucks.

Kamala Harris' flight from Singapore delayed by three hours because of Havana Syndrome.  Vice President Kamala Harris' departure from Singapore on Monday was delayed by more than three hours because of an 'anomalous health incident in Hanoi,' which was the next stop in her Asia trip.  Anomalous health incident is what the U.S. government calls Havana Syndrome, the mysterious condition that causes headaches, brain injury and other issues.  Officials said the decision was made to continue to the trip but did not offer many details.  'Earlier this evening, the Vice President's traveling delegation was delayed from departing Singapore because the Vice President's office was made aware of a report of a recent possible anomalous health incident in Hanoi, Vietnam.  After careful assessment, the decision was made to continue with the Vice President's trip,' the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi said in a statement.

The last sane man down under?  Aussie parliamentarian denounces totalitarian lockdown abuses.  I've been watching in sadness and wonder at the abuse that Australia's government elites — many of them purported conservatives — have heaped on their citizens, using military force to keep people imprisoned in their own homes, warning people against private conversations, vaccinating children without their parents' permission.  All over a handful of deaths in a continent-sized nation of 25 million.  There has been savage repression of demonstrations.  Finally, an Aussie Member of Parliament has stood up and denounced the madness.  [Video clip]  George Christensen is what passes for a maverick in Australia, outspoken, nationalist, anti-jihad, pro-life.

CBS Gets Blinken to Admit Biden Is Asking Taliban for 'Permission' to Save Americans.  The Biden administration was having an extremely rough time spinning their Afghanistan failure as they made the rounds on the Sunday shows.  Secretary of State Antony Blinken made things exponentially worse on CBS's Face the Nation after fill-in moderator Major Garrett got him to admit the administration was asking the Taliban for "permission" to get Americans out of the country.  Blinken's fumble began when Garrett asking him about President Biden's comments regarding "an agreement with the Taliban," because "that implies we're negotiating with them." "Does that not confer upon them already legitimacy," Garrett fretted.  In defense of Biden, Blinken suggested that negotiating with the terrorist organization was needed to foster "a working relationship in order to deconflict, in order to work through any problems with people getting to the airport."  Garret cut right to point and asserted that, to some, it sounded like he and the rest of the administration were asking "permission" to save Americans.  Blinken didn't disagree or show any discomfort at the notion:  [Video clip]

Psaki Bristles at Suggestion Americans Are 'Stranded' in Afghanistan: 'Irresponsible'.  White House press secretary Jen Psaki labeled it "irresponsible" to say that Americans currently attempting to leave Afghanistan are "stranded" in the country, in response to a question from Fox News reporter Peter Doocy at a press briefing on Monday [8/23/2021].  "First of all, I think it's irresponsible to say Americans are stranded.  They are not," Psaki said.  "We are committed to bringing Americans who want to come home, home," adding that the U.S. is in touch with Americans in Afghanistan by phone, email, and other communications.  "'There are no Americans stranded' is the White House's official position on what's happening in Afghanistan right now?" Doocy countered.  "I'm just calling you out for saying that we are stranding Americans in Afghanistan when we have been very clear that we are not leaving Americans who want to return home.  We are going to bring them home," Psaki said.

Reporter: British troops say the scene at Kabul airport now is the worst thing they've seen in their careers.  In case the new alert from the embassy didn't make it clear, the situation appears to be getting worse, not better.  Frankly, it's hard to fault the embassy for telling Americans to stay away at this stage.  Behold this scene.  What would be the point of trying to make it to the airport gate?  [Tweets]  One journalist there says he's personally witnessed four women towards the front of the crowd crushed to death.  Some have passed out from the heat and fatigue.  Others have been killed, presumably by the Taliban goons charged with keeping "order":  [Tweet]  The perimeter around the airport has become a refugee camp policed by one of the worst regimes on earth.  Meanwhile, greater Kabul is being policed by, essentially, Al Qaeda.

US considers ordering commercial airlines to help in Afghan evacuation.  The Biden administration is planning a dramatic ramp-up of its airlift from Kabul by making preparations to compel major U.S. airlines to help with the transportation of tens of thousands of evacuees from Afghanistan, while expanding the number of U.S. military bases that could house Afghans.  The White House is expected to consider activating the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, or CRAF, created in 1952 in the wake of the post-World War II Berlin Airlift, to provide nearly 20 commercial jets from up to five airlines to augment U.S. military efforts to transport Afghan evacuees from bases in the region, according to U.S. officials.

Serious Cyberattack on the State Department.  The hits keep on coming under Joe Biden.  Remember when Joe Biden allegedly asked Vladimir Putin and the Chinese not to conduct cyber attacks against us, but then he didn't sanction China and he gave Putin a list of the targets that were important to us?  How'd that work out?  Well, the cyberattacks have continued.  Great job, Joe!  Now, we're hearing about a serious breach, a new attack that hit the State Department.  It's not clear who is behind it yet.

Taliban Seized 75,000 Vehicles, 600,000 Weapons and 200 Aircraft in Afghanistan Leftover by Biden Admin.  Earlier in the week, it was reported the Taliban now controls approximately 174 humvees, 10,000 rockets and 6 light attack aircraft.  But it is much worse than that.  A report from Fox News on Saturday [8/21/2021] highlighted the scope of the crisis unfolding in Afghanistan as the network claims the Taliban now control 75,000 vehicles, 200 aircraft, 600,000 weapons, and $85 billion in funding.

No biggie, but ISIS appears to be in Kabul.  Earlier today [8/21/2021] we described how some British troops are describing the situation around the airport in Kabul as "the worst they've ever seen."  Well, they may need to expand their horizons a bit in terms of extremes.  CNN is reporting that the Pentagon is working on an "alternate route" for Americans, allies and our helpers to get to the airport and it's not just because of the massive crowds blocking the roads or the Taliban checkpoints turning people away. (Which we were assured wasn't happening.) No, this is an entirely new wrinkle in the picture.  There appears to be solid intelligence indicating that ISIS-K (which is just a rebranded ISIS offshoot that's taken root in Afghanistan) is on the prowl and looking to perpetrate attacks in or around the airport.  But that can't be right, can it?  Apparently, it can.

Americans Stopped, Beaten on Way to Kabul Airport as Biden Claims They're Having No Problems.  Joe Biden just gave more remarks on Afghanistan that were just delusional and devoid of reality.  He is now claiming that they've secured the airport and that the U.S. military is "standing guard around the airport" and that there's no problem for Americans or allies to get to the airport.  We have no information that Americans are having difficulty getting to the airport, Biden said.  Where there have been challenges for Americans, we resolved them, he claimed.  Completely ignoring the question about the safety of the allies, where there have been innumerable reports about them not being able to get through to the airport.  But as Sasha Ingber of Newsy explained, it's not even reality as to the Americans.  She explained that the situation was deteriorating rapidly and Americans are being stopped and beaten.

China Admits Taliban Ties Aimed at Getting Afghanistan's $3 Trillion in Rare Earths.  In the course of hectoring the United States for its "bungled and embarrassing withdraw from Afghanistan" on Thursday, China's state-run Global Times admitted Beijing has a rapacious interest in Afghanistan's vast rare-earths mineral resources and snarled it was none of America's business if China makes deals with the Taliban to get what it wants.  The Global Times accused the U.S. of profiteering from Afghanistan for the past twenty years, without offering any theories on where all the plunder might have gone, and claimed America is only worried about China going after those mineral resources because the U.S. is jealous.

Quick — What can we do to get Afghanistan off the front page?
Biden cancels $5.8 billion in student loan debt for the disabled.  President Joe Biden will cancel more than $5.8 billion in federal student loan debt for over 323,000 borrowers with permanent disabilities in the single largest cancellation of debt in his presidency the Department of Education announced on Thursday [8/19/2021].  For a second day in a row, the Biden administration announced an initiative with no connection to the ongoing Afghanistan crisis, where an unknown number of American civilians remain.  On Wednesday, the president pushed for COVID-19 vaccines and rallied against anti-maskers while refusing to answer questions about the situation in Afghanistan.  The debt cancellation is for those with total or permanent disabilities, or TPD.

French and Brits Are Rescuing Their Citizens in Kabul, but Here's What Americans Were Hearing.  Americans were left in the lurch by Joe Biden, stuck behind enemy lines in Afghanistan, despite the fact that the Biden team was warned about the impending collapse of Afghanistan and Kabul.  They were then told that if they were outside of Kabul, there was no plan to get them out.  Even the people in Kabul were told:  Figure out your own way to the airport through the Taliban because we're not going to help get you there.  Now, just in perspective, understand that the French and the British are actually going out and extracting their citizens in Kabul and bringing them back.  The French.  But the Biden folks aren't letting the military do that because of the "deal" with the Taliban about "safe passage" to the airport, according to reports.  Meanwhile, many can't get through despite that claim of "safe passage."  It's madness.  Biden is acceding to the Taliban, yet again.

British Paratroopers Bravely Entering Kabul to Save UK Citizens While Biden Does Nothing.  British paratroopers are risking their lives in Afghanistan to save UK citizens from the deadly Taliban after President Joe Biden's disastrous withdraw from the region.  While the British government is telling its citizens that "help is on the way," Biden is telling American citizens that they are on their own.  The UK is sending paratroopers to Kabul to rescue the 4,000 stranded Brits and Afghan allies in Kabul.  The paratroopers were told to "prepare for face-to-face combat."

Biden Admin Tells Americans Stranded In Afghanistan To Pay For Their Own Flights Home.  President Joe Biden's administration is telling Americans who are stranded in Afghanistan to pay for their own passage back to the U.S. "Repatriation flights are not free, and passengers will be required to sign a promissory loan agreement and may not be eligible to renew their U.S. passports until the loan is repaid," the Overseas Security Advisory Council noted in its security alert for Afghanistan.  "The cost may be $2,000 USD or more per person."  [Tweet]

A few hours later...
Under pressure, State Dept. scraps plan to bill Kabul evacuees $2K for flights.  The State Department was forced to scrap a widely excoriated plan to bill US citizens $2,000 or more for their evacuation flights from Kabul.  The hefty price tag drew social media outrage Thursday [8/19/2021] after it gained public notice.  "In these unique circumstances, we have no intention of seeking any reimbursement from those fleeing Afghanistan," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement provided to The [New York] Post.  The cost was publicly posted to a State Department website on Saturday but went largely unnoticed before it was highlighted by Politico's military-focused newsletter Thursday.  An unnamed State Department spokesman initially stood by the charge, telling Politico that "U.S. law requires that evacuation assistance to private U.S. citizens or third country nationals be provided 'on a reimbursable basis to the maximum extent practicable.'"

Teddy Daniels Gives Forceful Speech at Pennsylvania Audit The Vote Rally, The Time is Now.  Teddy Daniels is a Republican congressional candidate for Pennsylvania CD-08, Scranton, Pennsylvania.  Teddy Daniels is challenging Democrat incumbent Matt Cartwright in the 2022 mid-terms.  Daniels [...] recently spoke at the Pennsylvania Audit The Vote rally.  [Video clip]

Teddy Daniels:  Pro-Trump America First Combat Veteran Who Won't Back Down.  Decorated combat veteran.  Retired police officer.  Business entrepreneur.  Teddy Daniels has spent his career serving community and country, and now he's running to be your voice in the halls of Congress.

China Threatens to 'Crush' U.S. Troops in Taiwan.  Exuberant after President Joe Biden's spectacular defeat in Afghanistan, China's state-run Global Times on Tuesday [8/17/2021] warned that if any American troops are present in Taiwan when Beijing decides to invade it by force, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will "crush them by force."  The Global Times was responding indignantly to a tweet from Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in which he listed U.S. troop deployments around the world.  Cornyn incorrectly stated in this tweet that 30,000 American soldiers are stationed in Taiwan, roughly the same amount stationed in South Korea.

Exclusive: Space Force Officer, Punished After Denouncing Marxism, to Leave Military.  The Space Force officer who was removed from his command post for condemning Marxism and critical race theory is leaving the military.  Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier told The Epoch Times' "American Thought Leaders" that his last day in the service will be Sept. 1.  "I wrote a letter to then-Acting Secretary of the Air Force explaining certain circumstances, which I don't plan to make public, but also requesting an early retirement, and a separation honorably from the service," he said.  "And they've denied me an early retirement, but agreed that they would separate me.  And so my family and I have decided that that's the best course of action for us right now, given the circumstances."  "I believe I'm able to continue serving my country outside of the service and out of uniform, perhaps in a better way than I was able to, given the circumstances, in uniform at the moment."

Afghan President Surfaces in the United Arab Emirates.  Ashraf Ghani, the Afghan president who fled his country as the Taliban gained the upper hand in the civil war against his government has surfaced in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  "The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation can confirm that the UAE has welcomed President Ashraf Ghani and his family into the country on humanitarian grounds," announced the small Middle Eastern nation in a statement.  In an address on Monday [8/16/2021], President Joe Biden lambasted Afghanistan's political leaders for having given up.  The proximate cause of the Taliban's victory has been the United States' withdrawal and decision to stop providing air support for the Afghan military.  According to the Wall Street Journal, the Afghans had relied upon American air power to "resupply outposts, strike targets, ferry the wounded, and collect reconnaissance and intelligence" among other tasks.  U.S. forces have not been leading the fight against the Taliban for years, instead taking on a support role.

Republican Flips State Senate Seat Where Biden Won By 25%.  A Republican candidate for state senate in Connecticut flipped a seat where then-candidate Joe Biden won by just over 25% during the 2020 presidential election.  Ryan Fazio, a member of Greenwich, Connecticut's Representative Town Meeting, defeated Alexis Gevanter, a gun control advocate who had never before held public office on Tuesday by less than three percentage points in the wealthy, suburban 36th State Senate District.  Republicans are hailing the victory as a preview of the 2022 congressional midterms, and are hoping that it will signal their continued viability with suburban voters.

Taliban Warning:  US Must Fully Withdraw American Troops by Sept. 11.  A spokesman for the Taliban warned that U.S. troops in Afghanistan have to leave by Sept. 11 — the anniversary of the terrorist attacks that launched the United States into the war — after troops were re-deployed to the Kabul airport to oversee an evacuation.  Suhail Shaheen, a member of the Taliban's political office, told Sky News on Tuesday [8/17/2021] that "we are committed not to attack them," but he stressed they have to leave by that date.  It's not clear what will happen if American forces remain in Afghanistan after Sept. 11.  The United States had previously planned to withdraw all its troops by the end of August, but the Pentagon was forced to send thousands of soldiers to the beleaguered country to facilitate evacuations from Kabul, which was quickly captured by the Taliban — considered a terrorist group by many countries — on Sunday.

That Story of Afghans Falling off Fleeing Transport Planes Just Got So Much Worse.  Yesterday, a disturbing video emerged from Kabul airport showing thousands of Afghans storming a C-17 transport aircraft.  AH-64 Apache helicopters were being used to swoop down and clear a path so the plane could take off.  That's how ill-prepared the evacuation was.  Other videos showed the scene after the plane rotated and began climbing, with at least two individuals falling to their deaths. [...] This is an inexplicable situation, not because the pilots did anything wrong, but because they were put in this position in the first place.  They had to make the no-win decision to remain on the ground and possibly be overrun or to take off knowing that people would die as a result.

Report: Taliban Seizing Personal Weapons Because Afghans 'Can Now Feel Safe'.  Taliban jihadists reportedly began seizing personal weapons from Afghans in Kabul on Sunday, claiming civilians "can now feel safe" and no longer need the firearms because the terrorists had taken over the country.  Taliban officials declared victory and the restoration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan after occupying the presidential palace in Kabul on Sunday [8/15/2021].

Kabul Has Fallen, Afghan President Ghani Flees, U.S. Embassy Being Evacuated, Airport Under Siege, Biden on Vacation.  Throughout the night and today U.S. personnel were evacuated from the embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan.  The U.S. flag has been removed.  The airport in Kabul is no longer safe and flights have been suspended.  Afghanistan President Ghani has fled the country.  The Taliban are on the streets of Kabul as fighting around the airport continues.

Taliban seizes $6,000,000 US Blackhawk helicopters.  All of this was preventable, but the U.S. military was too busy making sure all its troops were woke and reliably Leftist.

Taliban Seizes Presidential Palace, to Soon Declare Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.  The Taliban has entered the presidential palace in the capital city Kabul and is now in control of the entire country, according to a highly placed source.  The group is soon expected to declare the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.  An anonymous source in a position to know confirmed the high-ranking source's report of the seizure of the presidential palace, which The Times of India has also reported.  President Ashraf Ghani left Kabul after stepping down from power on Sunday [8/15/2021].  Rumors of his resignation had been circulating since Friday, while fears of the Taliban attacking the capital were also high that night.  However, in a video message released on Saturday afternoon, Ghani didn't announce his resignation but said negotiations were ongoing.  The anonymous source told The Epoch Times that Ghani's announcement meant he will not step down until the whole country surrenders or falls to the Taliban.

Jen Psaki [is] Taking Next Week Off Amid Afghanistan Fiasco.  White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is taking the next week off work amid the crisis in Afghanistan.  Joe Biden, who is on vacation, has still not addressed the public about the foreign policy nightmare underway in Kabul.  Questions sent to Psaki are being met with an autoreply saying that she will be out of the office through August 22.

Biden's Saigon:  Videos Reveal Utter Chaos at Kabul Airport as Taliban Conquers Afghanistan.  Videos uploaded from Kabul on Sunday [8/15/2021] showed chaos at the international airport as panicked people rushed to board aircraft ahead of the Taliban's advance.  Gunfire was audible in the distance as refugees packed into transport aircraft.  Operations at the airport were reportedly suspended for a time due to shooting nearby.

Helicopters Rescue U.S. Personnel from Embassy in Afghanistan, After Biden Said 'No Circumstance' That Would Happen.  Helicopters busily rescued personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sunday, just weeks after President Joe Biden promised that there was "no circumstance" in which that spectacle, remembered from Vietnam, would recur.  Images of the evacuation of the U.S. embassy in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) are seared into the American imagination as a memory of humiliating defeat, as U.S. promises of security for South Vietnam collapsed with the North Vietnamese advance.

This may be the biggest event ever pushed down the Memory Hole:
9/11 museum's decision to scrap special 20th anniversary tribute is a disgrace.  As the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack looms, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum is crying poverty for the second year in a row.  This time, it says it can't afford to mount special exhibitions planned to mark the two-decade milestone.  In 2020, the twin-beam "Tribute in Light" was canceled only to win a last-minute reprieve after soon-to-be-ex Gov. Cuomo pitched in state resources.  But no such bailout appears in the offing this time.  In fact, this year, the museum is shamefully restricting the reading-of-the-names ceremony exclusively to the families of 9/11 victims.  No hero firefighters, cops, first responders or emergency workers, who were normally welcome until the pandemic eliminated last year's event, are invited.

Number of white people declines for first time — and other census data takeaways.  Detailed census data released Thursday [8/12/2021] revealed a more diverse country with the first recorded decline in the white population, as well as the slowest population growth in the country overall since the 1930s.  States will use the population information to redraw congressional and state legislative district lines, potentially giving Republicans an edge in House districts that favor them ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.  Democrats, too, hope to use the data to their advantage.

Texas Lawmakers Thwart Chinese Communist's Plan To Connect To State's Electricity Grid.  Lawmakers in Texas have blocked a Chinese billionaire's push to build a 15,000-acre wind farm on a large swath of land he purchased after news of his plans drew the attention of a conservancy group.  It warned first about the environmental impact and then noted Sun Guangxin's ties to the Chinese Communist Party and how the project could give him access to the state's electricity grid.  And the 140,000 acres that Sun snapped up in recent years is near Laughlin Air Force Base[,] raising national security concerns.

Biden Admin Decision to Hide Info About Palestinian Terrorism From Congress Broke Law, Watchdog Says.  Biden administration officials may have broken the law when they erased information about the Palestinian government's terror incitement from a mandatory compliance report submitted to Congress in July, according to a legal watchdog group.  The America First Legal Foundation (AFLF) in a letter sent Wednesday is asking the State Department inspector general to investigate the Biden administration's decision to omit references to the Palestinian government's calls for violence, as well as its support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement — issues that are being closely monitored by Congress as the Biden administration restarts millions of dollars in U.S. aid to the Palestinians.  Information about Palestinian terror incitement and support for the BDS movement were included in the outgoing Trump administration's October 2020 version of the report, but removed by the Biden administration when it came into office, as the [Washington] Free Beacon first reported.

Hospital Bill From 1955 Sparks Outrage Over Childbirth Costs In The US Today.  A 1955 hospital bill that revealed it cost less than $60 for a three-night stay to deliver a baby has shocked Americans who have become accustomed to being charged exorbitant amounts for childbirth.  Last month, a Reddit user who goes by the username @BinaryPeach uploaded a photo of the hospital bill to the platform, where they revealed that the invoice was from the December 1955 birth of their medical school professor in a Kansas hospital.  "My medical school professor showed me this bill from his birth in 1955 (in the United States)," the caption reads.  In the photo, the $59.95 bill, which one Reddit user estimated would be equivalent to $600 today, details the costs for services such as room and board and nursing service, which totalled $27, with the delivery room costing the new parents just $15.

Joe Biden approves Justice Department's move to conduct a 'fresh review' of documents pertaining to Saudi Arabia's role in Sept. 11 attacks.  President Joe Biden approved of a move by the Justice Department Monday to conduct a 'fresh review' of documents pertaining to Saudi Arabia's role in 9/11.  Biden was told Friday by nearly 1,800 Americans impacted by the terror attacks — including victims' family members, first responders and survivors — not to come to any of the 20th anniversary events unless he declassified documents that potentially show Saudi government links to the September 11, 2001 hijackers.

Senate Fails To Wrap Up Infrastructure Bill After Talks To Expedite Process Collapse.  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer set up a critical vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill Saturday after talks to expedite the process fell apart late Thursday [8/5/2021].  Both Republicans and Democrats engaged in marathon talks Thursday in a bid to vote on a package of amendments and to advance the sweeping public works package.  Doing so, however, required approval from all 100 senators, and Tennessee Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty refused to go along even as his Republican colleagues urged him to do so.  In a statement, Hagerty attributed his objection to the Congressional Budget Office's estimation that the bill would add $256 billion to the national debt over 10 years.

Now there are chipmunks in Lake Tahoe with the bubonic plague.  Okay, don't worry everyone.  Just some chipmunks over here in Lake Tahoe which have tested positive for the plague.  [Tweet]

Hagerty Holds Up the Senate — For Good Reason.  An article in the Washington Times this morning [8/6/2021] — "GOP Sen. Hagerty blocks Democrats from expediting $1.2T infrastructure bill in late-night session" — made this bald guy's hair stand on end this morning.  "Sen. Bill Hagerty blocked Democrats from ramming through President Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill late Thursday, only hours after the package was found to be not fully paid for as promised.  "Mr. Hagerty, a first-term Republican from Tennessee, refused to sign off on a deal between Democratic and GOP lawmakers to expedite passage of the legislation.  Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer had worked out an agreement with Republicans to pass a series of amendments to the infrastructure package en masse.  "If successful, the tactic would have all but ended debate on the bill, setting up a final vote for Saturday.  To succeed, however, all 100 members of the Senate had to acquiesce, something Mr. Hagerty refused."

Could pandemic unemployment be extended beyond Labor Day?  Lawmakers, economists and advocates are working to extend a handful of key federal aid programs established at the beginning of the pandemic, many of which are scheduled to end just as the delta variant has caused Covid caseloads to rise across the U.S. yet again.  Already this week, following pressure from House Democrats, the CDC extended the federal eviction moratorium through October 3 after it lapsed over the weekend.  Now, other Congressional Democrats are calling on the White House to extend the pause on federal student loan payments scheduled to expire at the end of September, the Washington Post reports.  Meanwhile, advocacy groups are also dialing up attention to extend pandemic-era unemployment benefits programs that are set to expire on Labor Day, September 6.

Have an older Kindle? It will lose access to the internet soon.  Amazon's Kindle eBook reader has been a huge success since its launch.  No longer having to carry hefty books with you on vacation, you can cram thousands of electronic versions onto a small device.  When they first launched, the Kindle connected to the internet through mobile networks.  This allows you to purchase and download more books from the Kindle repository.  As newer and more technologically advanced mobile networks emerged, so too did the Kindle.  The latest models connect to mobile networks through super-fast 4G and 5G availability.  But that also presents older Kindles with a problem.  Mobile networks in the country are rapidly replacing legacy technology like 2G and 3G with a better standard.

Former Papal Nuncio Brands Pope Francis 'Liquidator of the Catholic Church'.  The former papal nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, has issued a scathing indictment of Pope Francis, calling him "the head of the most extremist faction of progressivism."  In an hour-long video message posted to YouTube earlier this week, Archbishop Viganò attacks the pope's July 16 letter restricting the use of the Traditional Latin Mass, which Viganò calls the "highest and most sacred expression of prayer." [...] In his strongly-worded condemnation of the pope's decision to roll back accommodations to priests who want to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass, Archbishop Viganò joins a growing list of high-ranking prelates who have expressed their anger and consternation over the "harsh" measure.

Sailor who 'hated the Navy' accused of destroying $1 billion naval assault ship.  The 2020 destruction of the Bonhomme Richard, if you can recall it, was a monster loss for the Navy.  I'm here in San Diego and have relatives who were stationed on that ship, and they said it was bad.  It happened at a particularly vulnerable time, during a holiday where there were few people around.  Once it got started, it was impossible to put out, and the whole ship had to be taken out of service and possibly scrapped, leaving a huge hole in U.S. naval capabilities, which can't be replaced for at least three years.  And it will cost $3 billion to restore the ship.  Two things spring to mind, aside from the fact that they didn't have adequate security over a long holiday:  One, why they weren't able to get rid of this guy, or at least get him off the ship? [...] Who needs the Red Chinese when the Navy harbors people like this?

ASPCA spending may not be what donors expect, investigation finds.  The heartbreaking commercials are almost impossible to ignore:  Sarah McLachlan singing to images of suffering animals and making an urgent appeal for donations to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or ASPCA.  After those iconic commercials debuted more than a decade ago, the ASPCA's revenues tripled — going from $85 million in 2007 to nearly $280 million in 2019 — making the ASPCA one of the nation's leading animal welfare charities. [...] The ASPCA says the vast majority of donor dollars go directly toward its mission, but a CBS News investigation found there are questions about whether the money is going where donors expect. [...] Since 2008, the ASPCA has raised more than $2 billion for animal welfare.  In that time, it has spent $146 million, or about 7% of the total money raised, in grants to local animal welfare groups.  But during that same time period it spent nearly three times that, at least $421 million, on fundraising.  Over $150 million of that went to Eagle-Com Inc, a Canadian media production company, to produce and place ASPCA's ads.

The Editor says...
There is an old adage about charity organizations, which goes something like this:  If you pay me a million dollars per year to solve a problem, I will guarantee that no solution will ever be found.

Mike Lindell Says He's Losing $1M a Week Because Fox News Refused to Air Voter Fraud Ad.  MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has said that is losing "about a million dollars a week" since he pulled his ads from the Fox News network.  "They're disgusting, what they've done to our country," Lindell said of the network while speaking on War Room, a show on Real America's Voice, a right-leaning media network.  The host is hosted by Steve Bannon, former White House Chief Strategist under Republican President Donald Trump.  "I mean, it's terrible," Lindell continued.  "I can't make this up.  This is about a million dollars a week MyPillow is going to lose again... I want nothing to do with them if they're going to ruin our country and decide on events you have.  'Oh, I don't want it.  You can't advertise that concert because we don't like who's playing.'"  Lindell was referring to his recent decision to pull his company's ads from the network after the network refused to air an advertisement for his upcoming "cyber-symposium."

Coming Soon:  A 'No Buy List' for Conservatives and Other 'Hate Groups'.  Suppose you're doing a little online shopping and see a nice pair of shoes you want to buy.  But when it comes to the payment part of the transaction, you are rejected.  Your PayPal account is frozen.  Your credit cards may be canceled.  And forget to try a crowdfunding site like GoFundMe as an alternative.  You haven't been hacked.  Your personal finances have been de-platformed.  You have become a non-person in the international financial community because somewhere someone determined that you were spouting "hate speech."  Perhaps you're pro-life?  That's an anti-woman point of view and will not be tolerated.  Do you support a traditional view of marriage?  Begone from Amazon, hateful one!

US Marines made rare move to deploy elite security teams to protect two American embassies in two months.  The U.S. Marine Corps deployed its Security Augmentation Unit (MSAU) twice in the past 30 days to help defend embassies in Africa and the Caribbean.  A team was sent to Haiti on July 16 in wake of the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, Fox News reported.  This mission was said to be 'out of an abundance of caution'.  Moïse was gunned down in his home in Port-au-Prince before dawn on July 7, setting off a new political crisis in the Caribbean country that has struggled with poverty, lawlessness and instability.

Generac recalls portable generators after 7 finger amputations.  A popular portable generator brand has recalled several models after multiple reports of fingers being injured in the machines.  Generac Power Systems recalled the gas-powered generators this week, advising consumers to stop using them immediately.  An unlocked handle can pinch fingers against the generator's frame when it's moved.  The Waukesha, Wisconsin-based company has received eight reports of injuries related to the generators, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

'Inflation Storm' Looms as Expectations Hit 13-Year High, Consumer Sentiment Sinks.  Americans expect more inflaton this year and remain uneasy about the direction of the economy, the University of Michigan's survey of consumers showed Friday [7/30/2021].  Expected inflation over the next year rose to 4.7 percent from 4.2 percent in June.  That's the highest level in over a decade.  At least for now, however, Americans still believe that inflation will remain tame over the long term.  Expected inflation over the next five years is just 2.8 percent, down from 3 percent in May.

The Editor says...
Forecasts and expectations touted by the news media are meaningless, because when a Democrat occupies the White House, monthly economic reports are always unexpectedly bad. (When a Republican is in the White House, economic news is always unexpectedly good.)

Alcohol-infused ice cream:  Dessert's hottest trend.  Multiple startup companies across the United States have been infusing alcohol into classic frozen desserts, sparking a wave of boozy desserts just in time for summer.  [Video clip]

The Editor says...
Just in time for summer.  Right.  Summer started a month ago.  The announcement of a new product "just in time for summer" would take place in April or May.

The US is rapidly lowering its military profile and backing away from commitments to allies.  Why would the US Department of Justice drop five cases against Chinese researchers including Dr Juan Tang, a cancer researcher who allegedly lied on her visa application after photos of her were found wearing a Chinese military uniform?  Part of the answer is that Tang's case was dropped to facilitate Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman's high-level visit this week to China, where she was treated hostilely by her Chinese hosts.  The five cases are just part of a bigger picture which can best be termed as "The Great Retreat."  In many areas, the US is lowering its profile and backing away from its commitments.  For example, the US has pulled its only aircraft carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, from the Pacific ostensibly to cover the retreat from Afghanistan.  But whether the Ronald Reagan carrier will return to Japan in the future isn't altogether clear.

Sailor charged in massive blaze that destroyed U.S. Navy warship.  The Navy has filed criminal charges against a sailor in connection with the July 12, 2020 fire aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard, which raged for several days in San Diego and forced the Navy to scrap the ship.  The sailor, who has not been identified, was a member of the crew at the time and is accused of starting the fire, said Commander Sean Robertson, a spokesman for the Navy's 3rd Fleet.  "Evidence collected during the investigation is sufficient to direct a preliminary hearing in accordance with due process under the military justice system," Commander Robertson said in a statement.

Pitchman and innovator Ron Popeil dead at 86.  Salesman, marketing visionary and inventor Ron Popeil wrapped up a colorful life Wednesday morning [7/28/2021], according to TMZ, which reports the 86-year-old Ronco founder died in a Los Angeles hospital following an unspecified medical emergency.  Known as well for his creative spirit as his ability to sell the items he sometimes made, Popeil is credited for introducing the world to the Pocket Fisherman, Mr. Microphone, Hair in a Can and Showtime Rotisserie & BBQ.  He made famous phrases like "But wait, there's more" and "Set it, and forget it."

Former Matt Drudge deputy starts rival to Drudge Report.  The former editor of the Drudge Report, Joseph Curl, announced Tuesday [7/27/2021] the launch of Off The Press, a conservative-oriented aggregator that he says will have a "fearless attitude" toward covering "everything for those who devour news all day."  Curl says the marketplace is ripe for a premier, 24/7 news aggregator that consumers can trust, with the Drudge Report having become just another echo chamber for the mainstream media.  "Now more than ever, keeping up with the most important stories is a battle," Curl says.  "With social media deluging everyone with endless posts on their news feeds, the internet needs an editor to cull the very best stories and present them on a single site.  That will be the sole mission of Off The Press."  Joining Curl as co-editor is veteran journalist Paul Bedard, "Washington Secrets" columnist for The Washington Examiner.

Goldman Sees Sharp Deceleration In US Economic Growth In 2022.  It was good while it lasted, but the party is finally ending.  One day after we reported that unemployed households which no longer receive emergency benefits are suddenly spending far less, and on the same day we read about an "unprecedented spike" in evictions as foreclosure moratoriums end, the only thing missing was a sellside downgrade to the US economy.  Well, we got just that early this morning, when Goldman — which last year was the first bank to unveil materially above consensus GDP projections — cut its 2021 second half consumption growth forecast, resulting in 1% downgrade to its GDP growth forecasts for Q3 and Q4 to +8.5% and +5.0%, respectively, "as it is becoming apparent that the service sector recovery in the US is unlikely to be as robust as the bank had expected.["]  Which is odd considering the trillions in monetary and fiscal stimulus that have entered into the economy.  One wonder how many more trillions would be needed for Goldman to be happy.

A loony leftist hunts Tucker Carlson down in a bait shop.  In 2008, before he was president, Obama told his followers that, if they were in the company of independents or Republicans, "I want you to argue with them and get in their face." A decade later, Rep. Maxine Waters (D. Stupidity), in defense of keeping an open border, exhorted her supporters that, if they saw someone from the Trump administration, "you get out and you create a crowd, and you push back on them, and you tell them they're not welcome anymore, anywhere." This is what leftists do — and it's what some guy in a bait shop did when he caught sight of Tucker Carlson.  Carlson responded with aplomb, but it must have been unnerving.

The man who accosted Tucker Carlson has an interesting background.  It's already old news that an obnoxious leftist verbally assaulted Tucker Carlson, who was in a fly fishing shop in Montana.  Leftists celebrated one of their own throwing mindless insults in Tucker's direction.  Conservatives appreciated how Tucker kept his calm and his sense of humor.  Now, though, some interesting information is emerging about the leftist yahoo, a guy named Dan Bailey, thanks to his having outed himself on his Instagram account.  It turns out that Dan Bailey worked for an organization that was closely associated with the CIA.

Navy warns it's running out of capabilities to cut, budget moves threaten readiness.  The Navy warned Congress today [7/21/2021] that it is quickly reaching the end of the line on divestments before cutting into capabilities needed for deterrence and war fighting.  Lawmakers from the Senate Appropriations Defense subcommittee questioned both the Navy and the Air Force on their divestment decisions at a hearing as Congress continues to parse the proposed budget for 2022.  "The challenge that we're facing now is that the good ideas, the things that we don't think we need to bring to the future fight, we're starting to run out of that," said Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Integration of Capabilities and Resources Vice Adm. Randy Crites.

Girl, 10, dies from the plague as cases confirmed in six Colorado counties.  Colorado health authorities are investigating a possible outbreak of the plague after a 10-year-old died from the ancient disease earlier this month for the first time since 2015.  The plague, a disease caused by bacteria most often spread by fleas, has been confirmed in six different counties, according to lab results from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.  The deceased child lived in La Plata County in southwestern Colorado.

23-year-old GOP candidate running for Congress [is] a promising antithesis of AOC.  Could 23-year-old college graduate Karoline Leavitt be the Republican version of AOC?  U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., was the youngest member of Congress when first elected to Congress in 2018, having defeated a top-ranked Democrat in the primary before winning in the general.  Leavitt is running against two-term U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., and should she prevail, she would be 25 when she takes office — the Constitution requires members to be at least 25.  Her plan to defeat Pappas is to run against President Biden's policies and what she calls the "tyrannical ... corruption" of New York's Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the New York Post reported.

TikTok's Parent Company is a Strategic Partner of Chinese State Police.  ByteDance, the owner of the explosive social media app TikTok, is in direct collaboration with the Chinese State Police.  According to Chinese media outlet Sohu, on April 25, 2019, the Press and Propaganda Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security and ByteDance signed a strategic cooperation agreement.

'Verified ID': Meghan McCain, Sunny Hostin push rule to strip anonymity from social media.  Sunny Hostin and Meghan McCain want new rules for social media that would strip all users of anonymity.  The co-hosts of ABC's "The View" made the comments Wednesday [7/21/2021] after colleague Whoopi Goldberg discussed racist posts directed at Black athletes competing in the Euro Cup.  "I think this is a terrific, terrific idea," Ms. Hostin said of the idea while seconding actor Idris Elba's support.  "I mean, I am subjected daily to racist attacks on social media.  I'm talking daily.  Sometimes in the hundreds, sometimes in the thousands, and it's — it's painful, it's hurtful, and it's always from someone who has a cat icon, a flag icon, a frog icon, you know?  All sorts — an eagle icon, and they are, I believe.  Just Twitter thugs, social media thugs, hiding in their mama's basements."

American language gets new words: 'Zaddy' and 'oof' among 300 words added to Dictionary.com.  Dictionary.com is adding more than 300 words and definitions to its latest lexicon update to reflect changes in the culture, along with what appears to be, in part, a dollop or more of corporate political correctness.  New additions, abbreviations, and expanded explanations include 5G, content warning, cultural appropriation, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), deplatform, JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion), long COVID, side hustle, TW (trigger warning), yeet, and zaddy.

Taco Bell is hit with nationwide ingredient shortages a week after Popeyes announced it's been hoarding chicken.  Taco Bell customers may be left hungry if they visit the chain any time soon amid a nationwide ingredient shortage.  The pandemic, which forced many factories to close, limited temporary visas for workers on farms and slowed transportation, has resulted in food shortages across the US as the food industry struggles to keep up with newly reopened restaurants, sports arenas and food halls.  At Taco Bell, a message posted atop the company's website the company apologized for its slimmed down menu.

Animatronic Biden joining Hall of Presidents at Disney World.  Forget an inauguration ceremony.  The true indicator of having made it as president is being added to the Hall of Presidents at Walt Disney World in Florida, an honor President Joe Biden will soon receive.  Disney World officials said Monday [7/19/2021] that they were putting the finishing touches on the animatronic Biden replica ahead of its debut next month at the Magic Kingdom attraction that features a tableau of the nation's presidents.

The Editor says...
Please select one of these incisive and witty retorts:
  [#1] How will anyone know it isn't Joe himself?
  [#2] If the robot spontaneously reboots once in a while, that will make it more realistic!
  [#3] In the event of a power failure, nobody will notice.
  [#4] Please don't let your young daughter stand too close to this display.
  [#5] Everything Animatronic Joe will say is being written at this moment by Doctor Jill Biden.
  [#6] Animatronic Joe will automatically call a lid at 11:00 a.m., and won't work at all on weekends.

Dow drops more than 700 points on Monday heads for worst decline of 2021.  U.S. stocks fell aggressively Monday [7/19/2021] on concern a rebound in Covid cases would slow global economic growth.  The selling picked up as the session went on, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average had its worst day since last October.  The Dow dropped 725.81 points, or 2.1%, to 33,962.04 in a broad-based rout that sent all 30 members lower.  At one point during the session, the Dow was down 946 points before recovering some ground into the close.  The S&P 500 fell 1.6% to 4,258.49.  Energy, financials and industrials were the worst-performing sectors.  The tech-dominated Nasdaq Composite slid 1.1% to 14,274.98, posting its fifth-straight day of losses and worst losing streak since October.

Aluminum Factor[y] Explosion In Henan Province China Looked Like A Mini Nuke!.  An explosion occurred at an aluminum alloy plant on Tuesday morning in Dengfeng, Central China's Henan Province.  No casualties were reported as of press time, said local authorities.  [Video clip]

US kosher supermarkets to stop stocking Ben & Jerry's in protest.  Some kosher supermarkets in the US won't stock Ben & Jerry's ice cream, after the company announces it will end sales in the "Occupied Palestinian Territories."  Glatt Express Supermarket, a kosher grocery store in Teaneck, New Jersey, announced via Facebook that it would no longer carry Ben & Jerry's products following the company's announcement.  "Due to the recent actions by Ben & Jerry's, Glatt Express will no longer be carrying Ben and Jerry's products.  Am Yisroel Chai," the store wrote in a post.  Aron's Kissena Farms, a kosher market in Queens, made the same decision.  The market "has removed all of the Ben & Jerry's products in the Freezers, and will no longer sell any and all Ben & Jerry products effective immediately," the store writes on Facebook.

EPA squeeze on aftermarket car part sellers hurts classic car industry, Lankford says.  Raids on aftermarket auto part vendors by the Environmental Protection Agency for evidence of emissions violations standards are harming the classic car industry, says Sen. Jim Lankford.  Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican and a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, told the Washington Examiner he recently took an interest in bipartisan legislation reintroduced in the House by Rep. Patrick McHenry, a North Carolina Republican, and Rep. Raul Ruiz, a California Democrat, known as the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act.  The legislation, which has 61 Republican and 21 Democratic co-sponsors, aims to make clear that converting a street vehicle by emissions-related changes for exclusively competition purposes is legal.  Additionally, it would affirm that manufacturing, selling, and installing racing parts into a vehicle is a legal act.

Wha-a-a-at?  There's a flaw in Microsoft's software?
U.S. says Chinese intelligence behind global cyberattack [is] using [a] Microsoft software flaw.  China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) intelligence service was behind a major international cyberattack earlier this year involving tens of thousands of computers penetrated through security flaws in Microsoft software, the White House charged Monday [7/19/2021] in coordination with a group of major U.S. allies.  Beijing also is employing contract Chinese hackers to carry out ransomware attacks in financial crime schemes, according to a statement kicking off a major publicity campaign targeting what U.S. officials say are extensive Chinese state-linked hacking operations around the globe.  "Today, the United States and our allies and partners are exposing further details of the PRC's pattern of malicious cyber activity and taking further action to counter it, as it poses a major threat to U.S. and allies' economic and national security," the statement said, referring to the People's Republic of China.

Judge hit for ordering Trump supporter to remove [Anti-] Biden sign from yard.  A municipal judge in New Jersey's Roselle Park borough is facing condemnation and scorn for effectively violating a Trump supporter's First Amendment rights because of a complaint reportedly made by the borough's Democrat Party mayor.  That Trump supporter, Andrea Dick, has been displaying a slew of pro-Trump and profanely anti-Biden signs on the fence outside her mother's home.  Or rather, she had been, up until Roselle Park Municipal Court Judge Gary Bundy issued a ruling last Thursday [7/15/2021] ordering her mother, Patricia Dilascio, to remove the signs containing profanity within a week or face a $250/day fine.

Researchers follow trail of sex trafficking to Minnesota massage program.  Something seemed very wrong at the American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.  There was a locked closet with student files the registrar could not access.  There were students arriving for a Chinese-language-only massage therapy program, siloed off from the rest of the classes at the Roseville campus.  Students who were sent off to "internships" at local massage parlors where some of their supervisors were unlicensed, some had prostitution arrests on their record, and few bothered to fill out all the paperwork the students needed for legitimate degrees, according to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.  When state office investigators took a closer look in 2019, they found that seven of nine recent graduates of the Chinese Tuina Massage program had already had their massage therapist licenses revoked or deactivated for "ties to prostitution/trafficking."

California court strikes down law against "misgendering" speech.  There was a decision rendered on Friday [7/16/2021] in the California Court of Appeal that will impact some portions of the ongoing debates over transgender rights and free speech.  The catch here is that the state law in question, California Health & Safety Code §1439.51, applies only to employees of long-term healthcare facilities such as nursing homes and hospitals.  But even in that limited scope, it provides another bit of precedent that may wind up applying to the large backlog of similar cases currently making their way through the system.  In the case of Taking Offense v.  California, the plaintiffs were challenging the constitutionality of the portion of the law that makes it a criminal offense to repeatedly "misgender" a patient in the facility by referring to them using the pronoun appropriate for their biological gender and not the gender they "identify" as.

Pepper the robot discontinued after being repeatedly fired from jobs.  Good help is hard to find, particularly in the post-pandemic world.  You can add one more job opening to the list this week, though it doesn't appear to be an employment situation directly driven by COVID.  Pepper the artificial intelligence robot produced by Japan's Softbank Group is being discontinued after having been widely distributed around the globe for the past seven years.  And the reason is that Pepper turned out to be almost entirely unemployable.  Despite having been "hired" by multiple businesses and schools to perform a variety of jobs, the employers almost always wound up returning the robots for a variety of job performance-related issues.

Michigan Senate Repeals Emergency Powers Law, Whitmer Unable to Veto.  Michigan's Senate on Thursday [7/15/2021] approved a petition that repeals Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's emergency powers, with another approval expected by the state's lower chamber.  Whitmer, a Democrat, cannot veto the petition.  The Michigan Senate's 20-15 vote came two days after the Board of State Canvassers certified the petition, which was started by a group called Unlock Michigan that gathered over 340,000 signatures.  The board deadlocked 2-2 in April but voted 3-0 this time around.  The petition took aim at the 1945 Emergency Powers Act that enabled Whitmer to impose harsh restrictions on state residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Republicans on the Senate floor before the vote praised the petition and said it was needed to curb Whitmer's power.

Americans facing massive passport processing delays, lawmakers urging State Dept. to act.  A crush of Americans are seeking to travel overseas again as vaccination rates climb in the U.S., and foreign governments loosen their restrictions.  But many of them are running into a critical problem:  Their passport is expired.  That's led to another crush — of passport applications — one that has overwhelmed the State Department's 26 passport agencies across the country and created an enormous backlog of applications.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is straight out of Dr. Strangelove.  In Stanley Kubrick's 1964 black comedy, Dr. Strangelove or:  How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, the engine for the plot is Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper, a United States Air Force general, who goes completely off his rocker and launches a nuclear weapon at the Soviet Union.  We may have our own, real-life General Ripper in the form of General Mark Milley, a product of the Ivy League and now Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  However, unlike General Ripper, who had the Russkies in his sights, General Milley is pretty sure that you are the enemy. [...] For many of us, Milley entered our consciousness on June 23, when he insisted that West Pointers should study Critical Race Theory and that he, especially, wanted to understand "White rage."  At that moment, when he openly embraced CRT, complete with its claims about White Supremacy, systemic racism, and White privilege, Milley imposed upon himself an obligation immediately to resign from his position and to insist that someone Black — anyone Black — take his place.  Until Milley walks away from his White privileged position, he's just a very dangerous, virtue-signaling windbag.

Rep. Crenshaw says military leaders 'prioritizing woke training over actual war fighting' after Navy report.  Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said Thursday that U.S. military leaders are "prioritizing woke training over actual war fighting" following lawmakers' investigation into the Navy's culture.  Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark. — along with Crenshaw, a retired Navy SEAL, and fellow Republican Reps.  Jim Banks of Indiana and Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin — directed an investigation into Navy culture, following three major incidents between 2016 and 2017 that resulted in the death of 17 sailors.  They found that 94% of the sailors interviewed thought the military branch is facing a leadership and culture crisis.  "Unfortunately, the findings of our report aren't surprising," Crenshaw tweeted.  "We've known military leaders are prioritizing woke training over actual war fighting.  It's what we constantly hear from service members.  It doesn't make this any less concerning.  It's a threat to national security."

New Revelations Show How Absolutely Dangerous Our Military Leadership Has Become.  The descent into leftism of our current military brass has been a much-discussed topic lately.  As RedState reported previously, the woke ad campaigns belittle the mission and make a mockery of the readiness of our military.  While China grows a more capable Navy and prioritizes physical ability, the US Army and other branches are out there plugging for people with anxiety disorder and gay parents.  But just in case you thought our military leadership was delusional enough, a new book reveals just how insane they were and continue to be.  [Tweet]

Trump Responds to Military Coup Accusation.  In remarks reported in a forthcoming book, Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, compared President Donald Trump to the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler and his supporters to Nazi brownshirts.  Milley said he feared a military coup from Trump, who had decided to contest the results of the 2020 election.  Trump responded to the accusation in a blistering statement on Thursday [7/15/2021].  "Despite massive Voter Fraud and Irregularities during the 2020 Presidential Election Scam, that we are now seeing play out in very big and important States, I never threatened, or spoke about, to anyone, a coup of our Government.  So ridiculous!" the former president wrote.  Trump insisted that the only way he would want to gain or hold on to power would be through an election.  He also went on the offensive against Milley.

The Left's Fear Is Palpable After Republicans Overperform in a Georgia Election.  Last night, several special elections happened in various legislative districts in the states of Georgia, Alabama, and Wisconsin.  After the results came in, a common theme was apparent:  Republicans had overperformed compared to the 2020 election.  Yet, it was the Georgia election that raised the most eyebrows.  In a suburban Atlanta district that saw its Republican vote share hit an all-time low just under a year ago, voters swung 22 points further toward the GOP yesterday.

Scathing official report finds US Navy is too woke for war because of risk averse, politically correct, control-freak top brass.  A scathing new report commissioned by members of Congress has claimed that the Navy's surface warfare forces have systemic training and leadership issues, including a focus on diversity that overshadows basic readiness skills.  The report prepared by Marine Lt. Gen. Robert Schmidle and Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, both retired, came in response to recent Naval disasters, including the burning of the USS Bonhomme Richard in San Diego, two collisions involving Navy ships in the Pacific and the surrender of two small craft to Iran.  The authors conducted hour-long interviews with 77 current and retired Navy officers, offering them anonymity to identify issues they wouldn't feel comfortable raising in the chain of command.

Michigan Legislature Is About to Limit Gretchen Whitmer's Power as Governor.  Michigan might soon have some checks and balances restored to its legislature over a year after the current governor of the state overstepped her authority.  The really awesome part of this is that the law she abused will be taken off the books for good without a veto threat and no governor in the future will be able to use it.  That is a good thing, no matter if it is a Democrat or a Republican in the governor's mansion, and will prevent the people of Michigan from getting abused.

Mural Honoring George Floyd in Toledo, Ohio Destroyed by Lightning Strike.  A George Floyd mural in Toledo, Ohio was destroyed by a lightning strike Tuesday afternoon [7/13/2021], according to witnesses.  WTVG reported their Doppler Radar did show a lightning strike on the same block as the George Floyd mural at 4:30 this afternoon.  The lightning strike, which hit directly on George Floyd's face, reduced the mural to a pile of bricks.

Lightning strikes George Floyd memorial mural, collapses its brick wall; hilarity ensues.  For those who see the Hand of God in extraordinary natural phenomena, a lightning strike in Toledo, Ohio is being seen as divine retribution.  Others call it karma.  Witnesses reported that lightning struck a George Floyd memorial mural, not only burning the artistic expression, but collapsing the brick wall on which it was painted.

Lightning Strike Destroys George Floyd Mural in Toledo.  A lightning strike has completely destroyed a mural of George Floyd that was erected in Toledo.  Oh no, how awful.  After the mural collapsed, people were initially unaware of the cause, with one city inspector commenting it was "just age — it just came away," noting that the mural had been bowing.  [Tweet]  Witnesses later confirmed that it had been destroyed by what the insurance industry used to refer to as an "act of God."

Possible signs of life found on Saturn's moon.  Scientists find possible signs of life on Saturn's moon Enceladus.  In a recent interview Dr. Brad Tucker, said NASA's space probe Cassini found methane, a biproduct of life, emerging from a large sheet of ice.  Dr. Tucker, a cosmologist from Australia National University, said the space probe Cassini was able to collect data from the cracks in the ice that shoot out gases like a geyser.  "When the probes went through these plumes of gas, imagine like geysers shooting out of the cracks," he explained.  "Not only did they detect hydrogen, they detected methane, which is shown to be in the latest study a potential strong by-product of life.  You know, think cows, think methane."

The Editor says...
[#1] How convenient!  This is a shiny object to displace unpleasant headlines; for example, the threat of forced vaccinations, runaway inflation, rapidly rising gas and food prices, the wide-open Mexican border, anti-white racism in schools, riots in South Africa, revolution in Cuba, China is prepping for nuclear war, Chicago is a war zone, San Francisco is an asylum with an open sewer, much of the federal government is openly corrupt, and the 2020 election really was stolen.  Stories from NASA (which nobody else can verify or disprove) sit on the shelf until the government needs a red herring on the front page.  [#2] Escaping methane gas is not proof of life on or near Saturn.  There is no life in a climate that's as cold as liquid nitrogen.  [#3] It's difficult to believe that methane exists as a gas on Enceladus, since methane freezes at 90°K., and no place on Enceladus is that warm.  The news media confidently presume that you don't know that.  [#4] Combine points 1, 2, and 3, and the sum is fake news!

Experts Send Dire Warning About Biden's Economy.  Remember how the Biden regime and the Federal Reserve chair keep telling Americans how "inflation is transitory" and that we shouldn't worry much about it because it'll pass?  Yes, well, so much for that; another lie debunked.  "Americans should brace themselves for several years of higher inflation than they've seen in decades, according to economists who expect the robust post-pandemic economic recovery to fuel brisk price increases for a while," The Wall Street Journal reported.

Is this really our problem?
WH: Multi-agency delegation helping Haiti maintain security, schedule elections.  The White House said Monday [7/12/2021] a delegation from multiple U.S. agencies is helping Haiti maintain security and pave the way to "free and fair" elections in the wake of the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.  Officials from the National Security Council and departments of Homeland Security, Justice and State traveled to Haiti on Sunday at the Haitian government's request.  "The delegation reviewed the security of critical infrastructure with Haitian government officials and met with the Haitian National Police, who are leading the investigation into the assassination," security council spokeswoman Emily Horne said.

The Editor says...
Joe Biden should make a bold step and appoint former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to lead the investigation into President Jovenel Moïse's death.  After all, she knows a lot about Haiti.  More than you might suppose.

Hotel Maid Prevents Potential 'Las Vegas Style' Mass Shooting Ahead of All-Star Game — FBI Says No Link to Terrorism.  A Denver hotel maid prevented a potential 'Vegas style' mass shooting ahead the MLB All-Star game over the weekend.  The maid discovered more than a dozen weapons, a thousand rounds of ammo and body armor in a room at the Maven Hotel near Coors Field.  According to Denver police, authorities confiscated narcotics, 16 firearms, ammo and body armor from two hotel rooms that had balconies overlooking downtown Denver.  Three men and one woman were arrested and being held on suspicion of weapons charges and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, according to Denver police.

More about the still-unexplained Las Vegas shooting in October 2017.

Vatican Insider:  Pope Francis 'Will Never Be the Same' After Colon Operation.  Luis Badilla, editor of the semi-official Vatican news aggregator Il Sismografo, said Wednesday [7/7/2021] that Pope Francis' health situation is "severe" and when he returns from hospital he "will never be the same again."  In his sobering blog post, Badilla declares that journalists and commentators are not doing the pope any favors when they downplay the seriousness of his illness.

The Editor says...
The Pope encourages crowds of ordinary Catholics to worship him.  Read Acts 12:23.

How Much Scientific Research Is Actually Fraudulent?  As I earlier reported, a 2015 editorial in The Lancet observed that "much of the scientific literature, perhaps half, may simply be untrue."  A 2015 British Academy of Medical Sciences report suggested that the false discovery rate in some areas of biomedicine could be as high as 69 percent.  In an email exchange with me, [Stanford University biostatistician John] Ioannidis estimated that the nonreplication rates in biomedical observational and preclinical studies could be as high as 90 percent.  The possibility that fraud may well be responsible for a significant proportion of the false positives reported in the scientific literature is suggested by a couple of new Dutch studies.  Both studies are preprints that report the results of surveys of thousands of scientists in the Netherlands aiming to probe the prevalence of questionable research practices and scientific misconduct.

What's in it for us?
Haitian Officials Request U.S. Troops to Protect Infrastructure amid Political Turmoil.  Haitian government officials said they've asked the United States to deploy troops in an auxiliary effort to help shield Haiti's infrastructure from attack amid the political turbulence the country is experiencing after President Jovenel Moïse's sudden assassination Wednesday [7/7/2021].  They requested U.S. forces to help protect Haiti's port, airport, gasoline reserves, and other facilities.  There are concerns that the leader's murder could exacerbate the already fraught situation in the country, which is afflicted by civil unrest, economic instability, gang violence, and a COVID public health crisis, among other woes.

The Editor says...
Assassinations are always sudden, aren't they?

Barry Diller Headed 2 Hollywood Studios.  He Now Says The Movie Business Is Dead.  Barry Diller made his name in the film industry as the chairman and CEO of two Hollywood studios, Paramount Pictures and what was then 20th Century Fox.  Now, he is declaring the industry dead.  "The movie business is over," Diller said in an exclusive interview with NPR on the sidelines of the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, a media and technology conference in Idaho.  "The movie business as before is finished and will never come back."  Yes, that has to do with a substantial decline in ticket sales and the closure of movie theaters during the coronavirus pandemic.  But Diller, the chairman and senior executive of IAC, a company that owns Internet properties, said, "It is much more than that."

FDA seeks probe into communications between its staff and Biogen after controversial approval of Alzheimer's drug.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had asked for a federal investigation into its approval of a controversial Alzheimer's drug.  Dr Janet Woodcock, acting commissioner of the FDA, announced she sent a letter to the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services for a probe into communications between FDA staff and Biogen Inc representatives in the lead up to the approval of Aduhelm, the company's Alzheimer's drug.  'Given the ongoing interest and questions, today I requested that [The Office of the Inspector General] conduct an independent review and assessment of interactions between representatives of Biogen and FDA during the process that led to the approval of Aduhelm,' she wrote on Twitter on Friday [7/9/2021].

Toyota halting contributions to U.S. lawmakers who opposed Biden certification.  Toyota Motor Corp's political action committee will halt donations to U.S. members of Congress who voted against President Joe Biden's election certification in January, the company said on Thursday [7/8/2021].  The largest Japanese automaker has faced harsh criticism for donations to some lawmakers — members of then-President Donald Trump's Republican Party — who voted against certification of Biden's win in some U.S. states.  "We are actively listening to our stakeholders and, at this time, have decided to stop contributing to those members of Congress who contested the certification of certain states in the 2020 election," the company said.

If you'll make it a thousand, I'll think about it.
Tennessee to use taxpayer funds to pay tourists $250 to visit the state.  Tennessee will pay for tourists to travel to its largest cities this year — but some are questioning if the gift is the best use of taxpayer dollars.  Gov. Bill Lee (R) was joined by country music star Brad Paisley in a video promoting the "Tennessee on Me" initiative, although some top lawmakers said they were blindsided by the announcement, a report said.  "The state's buying all these airline tickets and giving 'em away to anybody who books two nights in a hotel room to come to Tennessee, so it's 'Tennessee on Me,'" Lee said in the spot, posted by Paisley to his Twitter on July 4.

Venezuela to Cut Six Zeroes Off Bolivar to Simplify Transactions.  Venezuela is preparing to once again lop off zeroes from the national currency in an attempt to simplify daily transactions which sometimes barely fit on a calculator or require swiping cards multiple times to complete a purchase.  The central bank is planning to slash six zeroes from the bolivar as early as August after previous attempts to issue larger-denomination bills failed to resolve problems created by endemic inflation, according to three people with direct knowledge of the matter who aren't authorized to speak publicly about the plans.  That means one dollar would fetch 3.2 bolivars instead of 3,219,000 at present.

Wikipedia has become a one-sided 'thought police' for liberals, cofounder warns.  Larry Sanger, the co-founder of Wikipedia, is warning that the online encyclopedia has become too one-sided and overloaded with liberal sources in a way that harms democracy.  "In short, and with few exceptions, only globalist, progressive mainstream sources — and sources friendly to globalist progressivism — are permitted," Sanger wrote on his website in an article last week headlined "Wikipedia is more one-sided than ever."  "It is not too far to say that Wikipedia, like many other deeply biased institutions of our brave new digital world, has made itself into a kind of thought police that has de facto shackled conservative viewpoints with which they disagree," he added.  "Democracy cannot thrive under such conditions:  I maintain that Wikipedia has become an opponent of vigorous democracy."

Allen West to challenge Greg Abbott in Republican primary for Texas governor.  Republican Allen West, the former Florida congressman and firebrand who rode into office on the tea party wave a decade ago, said Sunday that he will run for governor of Texas in a bid to again seize on restless anger from the right.  His odds are far longer this time around:  Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who is up for a third term and may also be eyeing a 2024 presidential bid, has already locked up the endorsement of Donald Trump — whose voters West would need to have any shot at winning a GOP primary in Texas.

The Editor says...
Politically, Allen West is well to the right of Greg Abbott.  That's a good position from which to start a campaign.  If Governor Abbott had made any effort to fight county-level Covid-19 restrictions, and had removed all face mask requirements statewide about three months before he did, he would have no trouble getting re-elected and might have a slight chance at the White House.  But he didn't.  The state of Texas is run by Republicans, but you'd never know it.  The Republican Party platform and the Party's long list of "legislative priorities" were all completely ignored by Governor Abbott.

Vatican Indicts Cardinal And 9 Other Suspects On Embezzlement, Fraud.  A Vatican judge indicted a cardinal and 9 other suspects on charges of money laundering, fraud, and abuse of office Saturday, according to the Independent.  The suspects are accused of withholding millions of euros from the Holy See and investing money that was donated to the pope for charity work, the Independent reported.  Italian broker Gianluigi Torzi is accused of using 15 million euros that he withheld from the Vatican to invest in a London building in 2018.  Former Holy See official Cardinal Angelo Becciu was indicted for helping organize the investment when he was the Secretariat of State's chief of staff, according to Independent.

Stunning Fire in the Gulf of Mexico Burns Anti-Capitalists With Their Own Narrative.  [Tweets blaming the Pemex fire on capitalism]  Except there's a small problem with that argument, kids.  You just got burned with your own narrative.  The company behind this is Pemex, a Mexican-state controlled company that formed by nationalizing private companies in 1938.  Literally the opposite of "capitalism."  It's the state seizing the means of production.  Pemex also has a long history of "major industrial accidents at its facilities," according to Reuters.  Not to mention it also has a bad record of pollution, being named one of the top polluters in the world.  When the government seizes control, they run things the way government often runs anything — badly.  When there's no incentive to do things better (you know, that whole capitalism thing), you tend to get shoddy work.  So, these folks who wanted to gore capitalism just pointed out a great example of why socialism is bad.

Nine people are taken into custody after heavily-armed Moorish-Americans fled during traffic stop.  Massachusetts police have taken eleven 'armed and dangerous' men into custody after they fled from police during a traffic stop overnight.  A state trooper spotted the group — who claimed to be members of 'Rise of The Moors' — at the side of the Interstate-95 between Wakefield and Reading around 1.30 am Saturday [7/3/2021].  The men, who were dressed in tactical-style gear and armed with both pistols and rifles, refused to comply with orders to drop their weapons and ran into woodland by the side of the road.

Texas Soldier Who Shot BLM Protester Indicted On Murder Charge.  A Travis County grand jury has indicted an active-duty former Fort Hood Army sergeant on charges of murder, deadly conduct and aggravated assault in the 2020 shooting death of an armed Austin protester.  Perry, who was stationed at Fort Hood, was working for a ride-sharing company and just dropped off a customer when he turned onto a street filled with people protesting police brutality.  He stopped his car, honked, and seconds later, police said Perry drove his car into the crowd, The Texas Tribune reported.  But videos show that he was under attack contradictory to the police reports!  The man who defended himself against BLM rioters was indicted today a year after the incident is yet another example of how illegitimate our justice system is.  Army Sgt Daniel Perry was driving Uber when rioters mobbed his car and pointed a gun towards him[.]

Biden's America:  Ransomware Attack Paralyzes Networks of Hundreds of US Companies.  A ransomware attack paralyzed networks of more than 200 US companies on Friday [7/2/2021].  Hackers targeted software supplier Kaseya and penetrated cloud-service providers by going through its network management system.  Surprise, surprise, Russians are being blamed for this latest ransomware attack.

CBO sees supercharged recovery as pandemic dissipates, predicts severe inflation in coming months.  The U.S. economy will roar to life for the rest of this year and remain supercharged through 2022, the Congressional Budget Office said Thursday, though the analysts also warned Americans to expect inflation to rise "sharply" for several months.  The unemployment rate will fall to 4.6% at the end of this year and be back to pre-pandemic levels at some point next year, said CBO, delivering a glowing picture on the most politically important yardstick.  Americans who saved up during the pandemic are looking to spend, creating strong demand for goods and services.  Inventories aren't ready to handle that demand right now, thus the spike in inflation.  The analysts said supply and demand will even out quickly and inflation pressures will dissipate by the end of the year.

The new Air Force fitness test will feature walking instead of running and modified push-ups.  The Air Force raised some eyebrows on Monday when it announced upcoming changes to its physical training test that would allow airmen to choose their own adventure for demonstrating physical prowess.  The new test, which the service will begin to experiment with in January 2022, will allow airmen to choose between running, shuttle run sprints, and walking for the aerobic portion of the test.  Shuttle run sprints involve sprinting back and forth between two markers about 25 meters apart.  They could then choose between planks and sit-ups for the core strength measure.  And for the final portion of the test airmen would be allowed to choose between push-ups and raised-hand push-ups.

Executive Agency Defies [Texas] Legislature, Creates 'Equity' Office.  The Texas Department of State Health Services is using close to $45 million to create the Office of Health Equity Policy and Performance.  Purportedly, the office will work with state and local public health entities to address disparities in health outcomes in various demographics.  If this sounds familiar, it is because Democrat State Rep. Garnet Coleman (Houston) authored a bill during the 87th Legislative Session that would have created the Office of Health Equity within the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, which is an entity of the Texas Department of State Health Services.  The bill was included in the healthcare legislative priorities of Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan as a part of his "Healthy Families, Healthy Texas" legislative package announced in early April.

While Congress Dithers on Confederate Statues, China Builds 119 New ICBM Silos.  While House Democrats consider crucial decisions on such weighty issues as which statues of Southerners get removed from the Capitol, word emerged Thursday that the People's Republic of China has undertaken a massive construction project to dig and fortify more than 100 new silos to house ICBMs. Newly-released photos from the private commercial satellite company Planet appear to show upwards of 120 silos under construction spread over a vast swath of desert in northwestern China.  Experts at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies said the excavations appear capable of housing China's DF-41 ICBM, which can contain multiple warheads and be delivered to targets in excess of 9,000 miles distant.  Not to draw too fine a point here but, hello, a 9,000-plus mile range would cover the United States.

Satellite images show China building what appears to be over 100 new silos for its nuclear missiles, analysts say.  China appears to be building more than 100 new missile silos in the desert, according to an analysis of satellite imagery first reported by the Washington Post Wednesday.  Analyzing satellite images from Planet Labs, Jeffrey Lewis and Decker Eveleth, researchers at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, identified 119 apparent intercontinental ballistic missile silos under construction near Yumen in Gansu province.

Controversial crypto billionaire — dubbed 'the father of bitcoin toxicity' — drowns off Costa Rica aged 41 leaving a $2bn fortune.  The sudden death of 41-year-old Mircea Popescu, an early adopter of Bitcoin, has left cryptocurrency experts speculating on what will happen to the estimated $2 billion worth that he owned.  There has so far been no word on who has access to his digital assets, believed to be some of the largest in the world, fueling unconfirmed rumors that the fortune could be gone.  Popescu drowned Monday morning [6/29/2021] off the coast of Costa Rica near Playa Hermosa, according to local news reports.

Seventeen people injured as 'controlled' detonation of illegal fireworks by police in middle of Los Angeles neighborhood goes horrifically wrong.  Seventeen people have been injured in Los Angeles after a cache of homemade fireworks exploded as it was being destroyed by a bomb squad, damaging cars and smashing windows in homes.  Police called in a bomb squad on Wednesday evening [6/30/2021] after a tip led them to seize some 5,000 pounds of illegal home-made and China-manufactured pyrotechnics at about noon, police said.  LAPD Chief Michel Moore said three box trucks and a 53-foot trailer were brought in to load up the fireworks and move them to a safe location.  However, 'improvised explosives' also were found that were too dangerous to move.

Bomb Squad Truck Carrying Illegal Fireowrks Explodes In Los Angeles, Injuring 17.  A bomb squad truck carrying confiscated illegal fireworks exploded unexpectedly, blowing out windows and destroying nearby cars in a South Los Angeles neighborhood Wednesday night [6/30/2021].  According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the explosion happened in the 700 block of East 27th Street a little after 7:30 p.m.  The explosion left a total of 17 people hurt, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.  Of the 17 people hurt, 16 were taken to the hospital with one declining the option of being transported.  [Video clip]

HK media erase their archives amid rising arrests.  Several online media outlets in Hong Kong took down opinion articles and videos from their websites or said they would move out of the city after one more columnist of the Apple Daily was arrested at the airport on Sunday [6/27/2021].  Stand News, a pro-democracy news outlet, said in a statement that it had temporarily removed commentaries written by its bloggers and readers from May this year and before until it had decided whether it was appropriate to publish them again.  It said it had decided to stop accepting monthly sponsorship from readers and to shelve older commentaries.  It added that it had enough money to run for another nine to 12 months and maintain its current editorial guidelines.

Ed Henry, Former Fox Anchor, Strikes Back at Fox News.  Do you recall the aphorism, "revenge is a dish best-served cold?" Former Fox News show host, Ed Henry, delivered a frosty plate filled with offal today — courtesy of his attorney, Ty Clevenger — to the senior executives running Fox News.  Henry is suing for defamation and the text of the complaint contains some stunning allegations:  [Details omitted for brevity, among other reasons.]  Ed Henry kept his mouth shut since his shameful firing and gathered a mountain of evidence.  The allegations presented in this complaint are, I am told by a source with direct knowledge of the case, just the tip of the iceberg.  There is a lot more damaging dirt that will emerge if this goes to court.  This lawsuit comes on the heels of Fox News shelling out $1 million dollars this week in a settlement with the New York City Commission on Human Rights.

New Yorkers [are being] Asked to Turn Off Electricity to Avoid Power Outages Amid Blistering Heat.  New York City residents were asked on Wednesday to limit their electricity usage to avoid power outages during the blistering heat wave.  "We're now experiencing a heat emergency, and we need people to take immediate action," Mayor Bill de Blasio said.  "Our electric system is dealing with real strains right now because of the severity of heat that we are experiencing today."  De Blasio continued, "We have a real challenge on our hands.  So here's the message to all New Yorkers: immediately reduce the use of electricity in your home or in your business.  This is very serious stuff.["]

The Editor says...
Conservation is not an energy source.  The solution to excessive demand is increased production capacity.

Leftists Outraged After Popular British Influencer Comes Out As 'Transracial' Korean.  A British-born influencer announced this week that he is coming out as "transracial" and is now Korean.  In a series of videos he began sharing on June 26, Oli London, who boasts more than 300,000 followers on Instagram, revealed that he has had more than 18 plastic surgeries in order to become Korean and look like BTS singer, Park Ji-min.  "Hey guys!  I'm finally Korean.  I've transitioned," London said in a video posted Monday [6/28/2021] to Twitter.  "I identify as Korean — that's just my culture, that's my home country, that's exactly how I look now," he added.  London also claimed he's been "trapped in the wrong body for eight years."

The Editor says...
I have a few questions:  Is Korea really his home country?  North or South?  Has he ever lived there?  Was he born there?  Was anything other than his face altered through surgery?  How is this any less offensive than applying black face paint and claiming to be African?

After 18 plastic surgeries this British dude is "coming out as Korean" and we live in a bad sitcom.  This British bloke has had 18 (!!!) plastic surgeries so he can "finally be himself."  He is now a "transracial" "Korean" and if you say otherwise you are a HORRIBLE BIGOT!  [Video clip]

The Editor says...
Free advice for the delusional freak with too much money:  Move to Korea (South or North) and see how well your new look is received.

Jamaal Bowman requested special police protection for his Yonkers home.  Freshman U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman — a champion of defunding cops who claims policing is rife with "white supremacy" — asked for and received a special police detail to guard his Yonkers home in the days following the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill insurrection, The Post has learned.  "About a week after the Jan. 6th incident at the Capitol, we received a request from the Congressman's office for increased police presence at his residence," Yonkers Police Department Detective Lt. Dean Politopoulos told The [New York] Post.  "In response, our Intelligence Unit was notified of the request and the local precinct instituted what is called a directed patrol at the Congressman's home for the next two weeks," Politopoulos said.  Politopoulos said police have not detected anything unusual in Bowman's area for the last several years.

How Putin uses gas to win allies and punish enemies.  The recent US-Russia summit between Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin suggests that a controversial Russian natural gas pipeline, Nord Stream 2, is a done deal.  If completed as planned by the end of this year, Nord Stream 2 will convey 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea and thence to the rest of Europe.  It is expected to bring US$3.2 billion to Russia annually.  Construction had been halted for over a year by US sanctions passed in 2019 on the pipeline's construction and financing.  Sanctions were later expanded in 2020.

Outgoing US envoy to Syria says he hid true number of troops from Trump team.  Veteran diplomat James Jeffrey, the outgoing US special representative in Syria, reportedly said he and his team were deliberately ambiguous in communications with senior Trump administration officials about the number of American troops in Syria.  President Donald Trump ordered withdrawals of US troops from northeast Syria, where they partnered with Kurdish forces to oppose the Islamic State, in 2018 and in October 2019, saying that the terror group had been defeated.  The withdrawal of the American soldiers was seen as a major shift in US policy, and a betrayal of the Kurds — longtime, close allies to the US whose territory was invaded by Turkey shortly after the US withdrawal.

Israel's High-Powered Laser System A 'Breakthrough'.  Israel has just completed tests of its new high-power laser system that, installed on a civilian aircraft, can shoot down drones.  It promises to be what is called a game-changer. [...] The lasers can cover a much wider area and lock onto, and then destroy, unmanned vehicles passing through that area.  The cost of firing a laser beam for an interception will cost around $2000.  Meanwhile, the price of launching an Iron Dome interception missile is between $40,000 and $60,000.  Consider how may tens of millions of dollars the IDF spent on Iron Dome missiles in the recent war against Hamas; Hamas aimed 4300 not-very-expensive rockets at Israel; about 600 fell short, leaving 3700 that entered Israeli airspace; Iron Dome missiles managed to intercept 90%.

BofA Crashes The "Transitory" Party:  Sees Up To 4 Years Of "Hyperinflation".  BofA chief equity strategist Savita Subramanian summarized the current state of affairs as follows:  "On an absolute basis, [inflation] mentions skyrocketed to near record highs from 2011, pointing to at the very least, "transitory" hyper-inflation ahead."  [Video clip] [...] While the Fed has bet what little credibility it has left on the benign meaning of "transitory" in setting its monetary policy (no rate hikes until 2023 by which point inflation will be in the double digits) and today's UMichigan commentary echoed the Fed's cheerful sentiment, predicting that soaring inflation won't last long, with Consumer Survey economist Richard Curtin writing that "year-ahead inflation expectations fall slightly to 4.2% in June from May's decade peak of 4.6%, [as] consumers believed that the price surges will mostly be temporary", one of the most respected Bank of America strategists just crashed the "transitory" party, and in a note published today, BofA Chief Investment Strategist Michael Hartnett wrote that, far from transitory, soaring US prices may last up to 4 years.

Groundbreaking decision:  Texas Supreme Court rules against Facebook in teen sex trafficking lawsuits.  The Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday [6/26/2021] that Facebook can be held liable for sex traffickers who use the social media platform to recruit and prey on children.  The court ruled in favor of three Houston civil actions involving teenage sex trafficking victims.  All three victims said they met their traffickers through Facebook's messaging functions.

Trump-appointed judges obstruct Biden 'pen and phone' policies just months into term.  Judges appointed by former President Trump have stymied President Biden's policies on multiple fronts in the early months of the new administration, taking what experts say is a less "deferential" approach to executive power as judges appointed by past presidents.  "What you're seeing is that 'pen and phone' initiatives are running into legal trouble right off the bat," Ilya Shapiro, the vice president and director of the libertarian Cato Institute's Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, told Fox News.  "Trump appointed a lot of judges — more than anyone in one term than Jimmy Carter, for whom Congress created 152 new judgeships to fill — and these folks aren't as deferential to executive power as past Republican-appointed judges might have been."

Report finds UFOs may be security risk, have no 'single explanation'.  A long-awaited US government report on UFO sightings released Friday was largely inconclusive, describing the more than 140 strange objects seen by military personnel across the nation as a threat to flight safety and possibly national security, but adding that there was no "single explanation" for their appearance.  The nine-page public report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) said the lack of "high-quality reporting ... hampers our ability to draw firm conclusions about the nature or intent" of the unidentified objects, but concluded they were likely physical in nature since they were picked up on radar and other sensors.

The Editor says...
The more you hear about UFOs in the news, the closer you need to look for important developments that the news media is covering up.  The UFO stories are just a diversion.

Pentagon: The UFOs are real and they're spectacular.  After six months of anticipation, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released its unclassified report on the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force's assessment of UFOs seen in and around restricted airspace and military facilities.  (You can download and read the report here.  It's only nine pages, some of which is just boilerplate.)  A second, classified report which is believed to be much longer and containing far "juicier" material was also delivered to Congress.  The White House has also been briefed on the report. [...] So, assuming you're convinced that the government is telling the truth about all of this (a big assumption, I know), we've learned that the UFOs are real.  They're not ours and they're almost certainly not the property of one of our adversaries.  And some of them do things that they just shouldn't be able to do based on our understanding of the laws of physics.

UFO report:  US 'has no explanation' for sightings.  The US government has said it has no explanation for dozens of unidentified flying objects seen by military pilots.  A Pentagon report released on Friday says of 144 reports made about the phenomena since 2004, all but one remain unexplained.  It does not rule out the possibility that the objects are extra-terrestrial.  Congress demanded the report after the US military reported numerous instance of objects seen moving erratically in the sky.  The Pentagon then established the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force last August to look into the reports.

FAA group urges move to gender-neutral terms, no more 'airman' or 'cockpit'.  A Federal Aviation Administration advisory group is urging the agency to replace words like "airman" and "cockpit" with gender-neutral terms like "aviator" and "flight deck."  The FAA's Drone Advisory Committee put forth the recommendations in a report released Wednesday [6/23/2021], part of a broader push for equity in the agency and aviation industry.  "Research shows that the utilization of gender-neutral language can lead to a more inclusive environment that draws more people to the industry and helps keep them there," the report states.  The committee offered several alternatives for terms commonly used in the industry, such as using "manufactured" or "fabricated" instead of "man-made."

Technocrats Want Us to Pray to Machines.  Last April, as Covid restrictions were being lifted, Robert Jones at PRRI discovered Facebook had quietly rolled out a "prayer posting" feature for its religious users.  As Gizmodo reported on June 3, the platform now provides a "pray" button to click whenever a prayer request is posted to a faith-based group.  It's analogous to the vapid "like" icon, except the "pray" button is supposedly directed heavenward. [...] A Facebook spokesperson explained, "During the COVID-19 pandemic we've seen many faith and spirituality communities using our services to connect, so we're starting to explore new tools to support them."  A more accurate statement would be "We're exploring new tools to probe and manipulate our users."

How the Mormon Church Beat Bill Gates in a Battle Over Farmland.  On Friday [6/18/2021], a showdown between two of the largest agricultural landowners in the United States — the Church of Latter-Day Saints and Bill Gates' wealth management firm — came to a head when the Mormons beat out the mogul on a bid for 12,000 acres of Eastern Washington farmland that was once at the center of a $244 million "ghost cattle" fraud locals have dubbed "Cattlegate."  The land in question lies on the mighty Columbia River, the fourth-largest river in the United States and one central to the region's culture and economy for thousands of years:  fishing, transportation, and power generation are essential uses to this day.  The Columbia also provides agricultural landowners an important and dwindling asset:  water rights, and for those with anxiety over the coming climate crisis, access to a seemingly infinite supply of fresh water is worth fighting for.

New Polling Shows Majority of Americans Know Exactly Why Inflation Is Rising.  Inflation is on the run at rates the United States hasn't seen since 1992, and consumer prices in May 2021 were up five percent over May 2020.  Americans are paying attention as they experience price surges on basic and essential goods.  [Tweets]  Now, new polling from Echelon Insights shows the federal government is being held responsible for the problem as politicians in Washington, D.C., keep printing money for excessive spending.  [More tweets]

Collapsed Florida condo was sinking for decades, researcher says.  The Florida apartment building that partially collapsed on Thursday had been reportedly sinking for decades — and was undergoing a structural inspection, according to officials and a research study.  The 12-story beachfront condo in Miami-Dade County was built in 1981 — and had been sinking into the ground since the 1990s, according to a 2020 study conducted by Shimon Wdowinski, a professor at Florida International University. [...] Wdowinski's research focused on which parts of Miami were sinking, in an effort to determine what areas could be most impacted by sea-level rise and coastal flooding.

New York Supreme Court Suspends Rudy Giuliani's Law License.  [Scroll down]  Giuliani, who was admitted to the New York state bar in 1969, previously had a prominent legal career, having worked in the Department of Justice during the 1980s.  He was named as U.S. Attorney in Manhattan in 1983.  Years later, he was elected mayor of New York and served in that capacity for eight years.  Giuliani rose to national prominence for his leadership during and after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks targeting the World Trade Center in Manhattan.  Aside from the state Supreme Court's ruling, Giuliani also could face a potential criminal investigation, after a federal judge appointed a special watchdog to review material that was recently seized from him.  The watchdog, former federal Judge Barbara Jones, will determine what electronic files can be seen by prosecutors and what material should be exempt.

Florida Makes Sure Schools Teach Evils of Communism, Totalitarianism.  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, recently signed legislation prohibiting critical race theory from being taught in the state's schools.  DeSantis followed Tuesday by signing into law three bills that further address education.  One of the new laws will create a survey to provide a look at viewpoint diversity on Florida's college campuses, as well as add protections for students' free speech.  Another requires that applicants pass a civics test to enter Florida's public universities.  The third bill will require public K-12 schools to teach students about communism, totalitarianism, and other political systems that "conflict with the principles of freedom and democracy essential to the founding principles of the United States."  At a press conference Tuesday [6/22/2021] after signing the bills, DeSantis explained why it's so important that citizens not only learn about civics but also the evils of truly oppressive regimes.

Satanists, Planned Parenthood and More: 216 Crazy AmazonSmile Charities.  From Planned Parenthood to Satanism, AmazonSmile encourages shoppers to donate to some extreme charities — at least 216 different groups.  But multiple prominent conservative groups aren't even allowed to participate.  Amazon, which is on track to be America's largest retailer next year, launched its charity program AmazonSmile in 2013.  The company has banned multiple conservative organizations since then, because it relies on the anti-conservative Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) to decide what groups qualify for the program.  WORLD News Group reported in 2020 that "Liberty Counsel, Family Research Council (FRC) and the American College of Pediatricians" are not allowed on Amazon Smile.  Alliance Defending Freedom was reportedly removed from the site as well.  Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood, Black Lives Matter, and The Satanic Temple are all free to collect donations from the program.

DeSantis Signs Bill Requiring High School Students Learn 'Evils Of Communism And Totalitarian Ideologies'.  Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Tuesday requiring high school students to learn about the evils of communist ideologies.  During a press conference at Three Oaks Middle School in Fort Myers, Florida, DeSantis signed three education bills designed to foster civic literacy in schools.  "It's crucial to ensure that we teach our students how to be responsible citizens," DeSantis said during the press conference.  "They need to have a good working knowledge of American history, American government and the principles that underline our Constitution and Bill of Rights."

Curtis Sliwa cruises to easy win over Mateo in Republican primary for NYC mayor.  Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa cruised to a big victory as the Republican nominee for mayor, handily defeating rival Fernando Mateo following a feisty and entertaining primary fight, according to Board of Election returns released Tuesday night [6/22/2021].  "Curtis won and we want to unite the Republican Party and we hope Fernando Mateo will join us," Sliwa senior campaign adviser Rob Cole told the [New York] Post.  It was a rout.  Sliwa captured 68.8 percent or 34,758 of the Republican votes to 27 percent or 13,655 votes for Mateo, a restaurateur who advocates for bodega owners and taxi drivers.  More than 95 percent of the precincts were reporting.

It's Beginning to Look Like Enemy Action.  Dong Jingwei is a Chinese defector working with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).  He served as Vice Minister of State Security in the Chinese Ministry of Defense.  Before defecting, he was responsible for the counterintelligence efforts in China.  He was in a position to know about all things "espionage" in China and is perhaps the highest-level Chinese defector the U.S. has ever had.  Even though the legacy media is playing it down, this is a big deal.  It speaks volumes that the man who knows the identity of all the Chinese spies in our country chose to defect to the DIA and only the DIA.  Further, it's reported that the DIA is not sharing the information it's receiving with the FBI or CIA.  Now why would that be?

Video Allegedly Shows That There Are Currently No Flags Flying At The Pentagon.  At the beginning of the month, the Pentagon confirmed that they will not allow rainbow pride flags to fly at military facilities in celebration of Pride Month.  That fell in line with the Pentagon's 2020 decision to permit only certain flags at Department of Defense installations.  Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby told reporters the DOD chose not to make an exception to the existing flag policy after careful consideration.  Along with the American flag, the current policy implemented under the Trump administration authorizes flags representing states and U.S. territories, military services, prisoners of war and missing in action, national flags of U.S. allies and a handful of others.  But a video that surfaced on Telegram this morning shows that there are no U.S. flags either.

eBay Bans Dr. Seuss, Allows Hezbollah.  Words and images that offend someone are just like violence.  At least that's the modern safetyism argument.  But the symbols of an Islamic terrorist organization are the symbol of someone else's freedom fighter.  eBay is very careful to keep the marketplace safe from things that might offend crybullies. [...] There's no room for And To Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street on eBay.  Hezbollah though is another matter, [...]

Biden Breaks the Record on Wealth Transfers: $4.9 Trillion.  The Democrats' new favorite term is "human infrastructure," which pretty much means anything they want to spend money on.  That raises the question:  Just how much does the government spend on "human infrastructure" today?  Turns out, it's an eye-popping $4.9 trillion this year alone — a new record.  Buried in President Joe Biden's 2022 budget is a document called Historical Tables, which breaks down annual federal revenues and spending in a variety of ways.  One of the tables in this document tracks what the government calls "direct payments to individuals."  These payments, mind you, don't count salaries paid to federal employees or the cost of buying equipment.  It's just what the name states — direct money transfers.

The Editor says...
This is the kind of information that was once published in the Statistical Abstract of the United States, before Barack H. Obama terminated the collection of this data in 2011, because it was starting to make him look bad.

US Navy Releases INSANE Footage Of The Detonation Of A 40k Pound Bomb That Caused A 3.4 Mag Earthquake In Florida.  The US Navy has released a jaw-dropping video that shows the moment a bomb exploded in the middle of the ocean, triggering an earthquake 100 miles away.  The footage shows the 40,000 lb bomb exploding in "full ship shock trials" where they are testing the effects such a device has on Navy ships.  The explosion caused a 3.9 magnitude earthquake roughly 100 miles away in Daytona Beach, Florida, a phenomenon that is not unusual during such trials.  [Video clip]

Abbott defunds the entire Texas state legislature.  Governor Abbott threatened to defund the Texas Legislature after Texas Democrats walked out of the legislative session rather than take a vote on election reform laws.  When they broke quorum and shut down the session, Abbott said that if legislators weren't going to do their jobs, they shouldn't be paid.  Friday [6/18/2021] Abbott made good on that threat.

A star is born:
Guy does a Perfect impression of a "Trump GPS".  [Video clip]  I would pay to have this impression installed on my GPS or Google/Apple Maps.  At the very least, I need this guy to make more of these vids to save the internet.

Outrage Erupts After Israeli Food Truck Uninvited from Philadelphia Event.  A food truck festival planned for Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood was cancelled Sunday [6/20/2021] after outrage when a Israeli food truck was uninvited to the event.  The Israeli food truck, Moshava Philly, said in an Instagram post that they were asked not to come to Sunday's "The Taste of Home" event after organizers, Eat Up the Borders and Sunflower Philly, heard there could be protests over its inclusion.  "We were really hoping that the organizers ... would step up to the plate and defend local, small and immigrant based businesses, no matter where they are from ... but by the looks of it fear, violence, and intimidation got the best of them," one Instagram post read.

The Editor says...
[#1] If an meeting, a gathering, or a ceremony is planned, certain parties may be invited.  When someone was invited originally, but the invitation is subsequently withdrawn, that person is said to be disinvited.  If they show up anyway, or they were never welcome in the first place, they arrive uninvited.  [#2] The event had to be canceled because the organizers couldn't bear the presence of one particular vendor.  One might easily presume that these organizers are some of the same people who constantly tout diversity and inclusion.

That high level Chinese defector's 'embarrassing and damaging information about our intelligence community'.  The defector's name is Dong Jingwei and he's the vice minister of State Security.  He knows where all the bodies are buried, both in China and, I'm sorry to say, in America.  According to Spy Talk, Dong "was responsible for the Ministry's counterintelligence efforts in China, i.e., spy-catching, since being promoted to vice minister in April 2018."  Spy Talk also reports that China demanded Dong's return, but Blinken said no.  Interestingly, the weak, woke Blinken didn't say "no" as a matter of principle.  Instead, he took a stand only because the DIA hadn't told the administration about Dong's existence.  That tells you about how little the DIA trusts the Biden administration.

8 Million Face Foreclosure or Eviction Beginning July 1 — Economic Recovery Is About to Crash.  This issue has been lurking in the background for months.  Where I live, there are almost no homes on the market for rent.  The inventory of the number of homes for sale is at record lows, and when combined with historically low home mortgage rates, the prices at which homes are selling have gone through the roof.  There are no homes for rent because landlords have been unable to evict tenants for non-payment of rent for a year or more, depending on where you live.  The federal government — based on dubious legal authority — imposed an eviction "moratorium" during the pandemic, allowing renters to stop paying their rent safe in the knowledge that their landlords couldn't do anything about it.

NYC prosecutor working remote from Oklahoma refuses to come back.  A veteran Brooklyn prosecutor has been working remotely in Oklahoma amid the court system's coronavirus closure — and was told to resign because she refuses to return to New York, The [New York] Post has learned.  Senior Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Nasar relocated to the Sooner State after her husband, former Manhattan prosecutor David Nasar, landed a job with the US Attorney's Office in Tulsa last year.  In late October, the couple bought a newly built, $413,000 house in suburban Jenks, official online property records show.

Many Companies Want Remote Workers — Except From Colorado.  Big companies are hiring for remote positions that can be performed in any state across the U.S. except one:  Colorado.  At issue is a new Colorado law that requires companies with even a few employees in the state to disclose the expected salary or pay range for each open role they advertise, including remote positions.  The rule's aim is to narrow gender wage gaps and provide greater pay transparency for employees.  To avoid having to disclose that information, though, some employers seeking remote workers nationwide are saying that those living in Colorado need not apply.

Petition to Remove Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.  No institution in America — from government offices to schoolrooms to corporate boardrooms and beyond — is safe today from the divisive racism of Critical Race Theory and the "1619 Project," both of which posit that United States history is rooted in slavery and white supremacy, and that "whiteness" is an incurable disease.  The institution whose subversion poses the greatest threat to our national security is the U.S. military, whose head is Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.  General Austin is a determined advocate of these repulsive anti-American views.  As Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin has incorporated both Critical Race Theory and the 1619 Project as core elements of the Pentagon's military training programs, under the guise of "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion."  He has further ordered a purging of the military ranks of what he calls "extremists," defined as opponents of these noxious views and supporters of former president Donald Trump.  The consequence of dividing our troops by race and gender, and regarding one community of Americans as oppressors and beneficiaries of race and gender-based privileges is a direct threat to unit cohesion and military morale, the core elements of an effective military force.

Most of them weren't going to accomplish anything on Friday anyway.  Might as well pay them to stay home.
Federal workers get surprise Friday off thanks to new Juneteenth holiday.  The White House announced Thursday [6/17/2021] that most federal workers will have Friday off due to the new Juneteenth federal holiday, which President Biden will sign into law Thursday afternoon.  White House chief of staff Ron Klain announced the surprise three-day weekend on Twitter.  "Today [Biden] will sign the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, establishing June 19th as a federal holiday.  As the 19th falls on a Saturday, most federal employees will observe the holiday tomorrow, June 18th," Klain tweeted.

Major Australian Banks, US Airlines Hit by Widespread Internet Outages.  Websites of dozens of financial institutions and airlines in Australia and the United States were briefly hit by an internet outage on Thursday, after a second major blackout in little more than a week.  The Australian outage, which also affected the country's central bank, was caused by glitches on the servers of Akamai, an operator of content delivery network (CDN) services used in speeding up the delivery of data-heavy content, videos and games to web pages.  The impacted platform is now up and running, an Akamai spokesperson said, adding that the company was "continuing to validate services".  Akamai, one of the largest providers of CDN services, competes with Fastly, Cloudera and Amazon's AWS.

"Omission of any rational basis": Federal judge strikes down Biden oil-lease ban.  It's "a blow to climate change activists," CBS News helpfully explains in its headline.  According to federal judge Terry Doughty, it's a blow for the rule of law.  Doughty issued a restraining order blocking Joe Biden's executive order suspending the issuance of gas and oil leases, an order that applies nationwide, ruling that Biden failed to follow the law in imposing this policy.  The problem is not just the rule of law, Doughty ruled, but also the lack of any rational basis for the decision: [...] Twelve states had joined Louisiana in challenging Biden's EO.  Doughty ruled that they had "reliance interests" on federal law that could run into billions of dollars of lost revenue for their economies.  Presidents can't just arbitrarily upend legal access to public lands, regardless of the purpose, especially given the stakes involved, Doughty ruled.

Louisiana federal judge rules that Biden ban on new oil leases must be lifted.  A Louisiana federal judge ruled the ban on new oil leases on U.S. lands and waters put in place by President Joe Biden's administration must be lifted nationwide.  Judge Terry Doughty of the Western District Court of Louisiana on Tuesday sided with 13 conservative states, including Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, in saying the pause on drilling should be lifted.  President Joe Biden halted lease sales on federal lands and waters with an executive order in January.  Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and West Virginia joined Louisiana in the suit.

Texans Are Getting Blackout Warnings in June.  Why?  Texans have been unpleasantly surprised with blackout and usage warnings from ERCOT this week.  That's the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which was no one's friend during the great freeze back in February.  Its rolling blackouts left Texans alternately freezing and fuming but not quite enough of the latter to keep our homes warm. [...] Now it's June, which we know will be hot, but we also know we're not yet at the peak of a Texas summer.  It's hitting the low 90s now.  It will top 100 in July and August.  This is an immutable fact of life, at least where I am in central Texas.  It's Texas.  It gets hot.  Hopefully, it'll at least burn up the mosquitoes outside.  But we need A/C inside or we'll all be living in saunas.

2 Nevada Counties Go 'Constitutional'.  Elected commissioners in two Nevada counties declared that the Bill of Rights will be upheld in their jurisdictions, even if it means standing against unconstitutional acts by state and federal authorities.  According to a resolution approved in Elko County on June 2, abuse of the constitutionally protected rights of citizens in Elko and Lander counties will be "dealt with as criminal activity."  Officials in Lander County approved a similar effort.  Under the leadership of constitutionally minded sheriffs and elected commissioners, the two rural counties in Nevada decided to become "constitutional counties" where the rights of citizens will be protected from all attacks.  That means local authorities intend to uphold the entire Bill of Rights in those jurisdictions, and that even federal and state officials must comply with the U.S. Constitution there, they said.

Germany and Italy Block G7 Condemnation of Chinese Slave Labour.  German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, along with EU leaders have reportedly blocked efforts by the G7 to issue a joint statement condemning alleged forced slave labour in the Chinese province of Xinjiang.  EU officials have reportedly expressed the opinion that the West should focus on corporation with China instead of adversarial elements.  Meanwhile, the United States along with Japan, Canada, the UK, and France supported the effort to call out the alleged slave labour.  France was the only EU member-state in the block that did not side with the EU on the issue.  EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen (herself a former German cabinet member) and Charles Michel (of Belgium) led the effort to oppose the measure.  The final version of the G7 communiqué read:  "we are concerned about the use of all forms of forced labour in global supply chains, including state-sponsored forced labor of vulnerable groups and minorities, including in the agricultural, solar, and garment sectors," with no mention of China in particular.

Try This One Weird Trick Russian Hackers Hate.  Possibly feeling the heat from being referenced in President Biden's Executive Order on cybersecurity this past week, the DarkSide group sought to distance itself from their attack against Colonial Pipeline.  In a message posted to its victim shaming blog, DarkSide tried to say it was "apolitical" and that it didn't wish to participate in geopolitics.  "Our goal is to make money, and not creating problems for society," the DarkSide criminals wrote last week.  "From today we introduce moderation and check each company that our partners want to encrypt to avoid social consequences in the future."  But here's the thing:  Digital extortion gangs like DarkSide take great care to make their entire platforms geopolitical, because their malware is engineered to work only in certain parts of the world.  DarkSide, like a great many other malware strains, has a hard-coded do-not-install list of countries which are the principal members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) — former Soviet satellites that mostly have favorable relations with the Kremlin.

Apple, Amazon, Nike, [are] criticized for using Chinese forced labor.  American companies, including Amazon.com, Apple and Nike, came under fire by a U.S. Senator on Thursday [6/10/2021] for disregarding forced labour allegations in China and making American consumers complicit in Beijing's alleged repressive policies.  Speaking at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on China's crackdown on Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in its western Xinjiang region, Republican Senator Marco Rubio accused many U.S. companies of "profiting" from the Chinese government's abuses.  "For far too long, companies like Nike and Apple and Amazon and Coca-Cola were using forced labor.  They were benefiting from forced labor or sourcing from suppliers that were suspected of using forced labor," Rubio said.  "These companies, sadly, were making all of us complicit in these crimes."

Arizona Reverting to the Wild West as Cattle Rustling [is] Allowed to Thrive.  Arizona used to have some of the best livestock laws in the nation.  Now, the cattle ranching industry is being torn apart due to a dismantling of the successful laws and regulations that used to prevent cattle theft.  Close to 3,000 head of cattle have been stolen from at least 32 people in the last few years.  Thieves brazenly stole over 100 cows with calves from well-known attorney and judge Tom Kelly in Yavapai County.  Cowboys who once made a good living raising and selling cattle are finding substantial portions of their herds decimated, and when they complain to authorities, no one is ever arrested.  Instead, they get attacked and the investigations go nowhere.  Although Arizona is mostly a red state, it has an extensive history of corruption in government.  Powerful players including RINOs control many elected officials.  Under Governor Doug Ducey, a lot of corruption has been ignored and swept under the rug, making conservatives and honest people furious with him.  Cattle ranchers say there are important people in Phoenix behind the cattle rustling.

Man, 69, who continued to receive food stamps after $2 million lottery win is found dead in Michigan river.  A Michigan man who made headlines after he continued to collect food stamps despite winning the lottery has been found dead in a river.  Police recovered the body of 69-year-old Leroy Fick from the Tittabawassee River on June 5.  While the Midland Police Department has not publicly disclosed Fick's cause of death, they said the circumstances surrounding the 69-year-old's death do not appear to be suspicious, Mlive.com reported.

Organs on Demand:  China's Transplant Industry.  For years, China's organ transplant industry has been matching patients with organs at speeds unimaginable in the West — in some cases, producing four hearts in 10 days, or two livers in just 24 hours.  Damon Noto, spokesman for Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting, said:  "So how are they able to have this 'on-demand' transplant system that's capable of extremely short times?  The only way they can be doing this is if they have another source of living donors that are available on demand."  "So they become anonymous prisoners of conscience, and that makes them extremely vulnerable because they can disappear at any time without a trace," said Torsen Trey, executive director of Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting.

Pentagon whistleblowers:  Troops segregated for 'privilege walks,' critical-race theory reading lists.  Sen. Tom Cotton revealed several whistleblower complaints from service members who objected to critical-race theory indoctrination in the military, including airmen being divide race into groups for "privilege walks."  The service members also spoke out against receiving reading lists of critical race theory books as part of the Pentagon's new anti-extremism and diversity training within the ranks.  Mr. Cotton, Arkansas Republican, received the complaints after launching a whistleblower site in late May in partnership with Rep. Dan Crenshaw, Texas Republican.

Tom Cotton asks Lloyd Austin if military is a 'fundamentally racist organization'.  Sen. Tom Cotton and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had a heated exchange during a hearing this week over the military going "woke" through Defense Department efforts to address "extremism" within its ranks, with the senator asking bluntly if the United States military is a "fundamentally racist organization."  The intense back-and-forth occurred while Austin was testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday [6/10/2021].  The Arkansas Republican, who recently set up a whistleblower campaign for members of the armed forces to expose extremist training programs, began by noting that his office had received "hundreds" of complaints thus far.

GOP Rep. Byron Donalds says Congressional Black Caucus keeping him out.  A black GOP lawmaker in the House of Representatives says the Congressional Black Caucus has declined his efforts to become a member.  In a statement to The [New York] Post on Thursday [6/10/2021], Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) expressed his disappointment about being excluded from the CBC, which inducted other freshman lawmakers into the group six months ago.  "The Congressional Black Caucus has a stated commitment to ensuring Black Americans have the opportunity to achieve the American Dream," the 42-year-old lawmaker, who represents the Naples area, began.  "As a newly elected Black Member of Congress, my political party should not exempt me from a seat at the table dedicated to achieving this goal.  As a young Black man who grew up in the inner city of Brooklyn in a single-parent household, my achieving of the American Dream would be a valued addition to the CBC and one that should transcend politics."

Cotton presses defense secretary on 'anti-American indoctrination' as Austin defends diversity push.  Sen. Tom Cotton told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin his office has received "hundreds" of whistleblower complaints about the military's new diversity and inclusion training, which he says amounts to "anti-American indoctrination."  Cotton, R-Ark., has aggressively fought back against such training.  In March, he introduced legislation to ban critical race theory training from the military.  He and Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, set up a website for whistleblower complaints to be directed to them earlier this month.  Cotton said he'd seen reports of "plummeting morale, growing mistrust between races and sexes where none existed just six months ago and unexpected retirements and separations based on these trainings alone."

Here We Go Again:  JBS "Paid" "Russian" "Hackers" $11 Million In Bitcoin To Resolve "Ransomware" Attack.  There was a moment of sheer hilarity earlier today [6/10/2021] when, during a Congressional Hearing, the CEO of Colonial Pipeline Joseph Blount took the merely farcical episode of the Colonial Pipeline ransomware hack — when, as a reminder, a ragtag band of elite "Russian" hackers somehow managed to penetrate the company's cyberdefenses but was so stupid it left most if not all of the $4.4 million bitcoins it demanded in ransom in an easily traceable address for the FBI to track down and magically confiscate (it is still unclear how the Feds got the private key to access the "hackers" digital wallet) in days if not hours — and elevated it to a level of sheer ridiculous absurdity when he told Congress that he didn't consult the FBI before paying the ransom.  This, pardon the parlance of our times, is [nonsense]:  either the CEO is lying or, worse, he is telling the truth and as some have speculated, he, the FBI and the "hackers" are all in on this so-called ransomware breach...

Suspect Identified After Posting Pic of His Hand Holding Cheese.  In 2019, I told audiences at a few conferences that we would eventually see persons identified via their fingerprints without them having touched anything, or even having been at a specific physical location.  At the time I acknowledged that some would marvel at the ingenuity while others would cringe at the privacy implications.  A man in the U.K. who shared a photo of his hand holding a block of cheese was sentenced to over 13 years in prison when police used the image to link his fingerprints to a criminal investigation.

A rogue killer drone 'hunted down' a human target without being instructed to, UN report says.  A "lethal" weaponized drone "hunted down a human target" without being told to, likely for the first time, according to a UN report seen by the New Scientist.  In the March 2020 incident, a Kargu-2 quadcopter autonomously attacked a person during a conflict between Libyan government forces and a breakaway military faction, led by the Libyan National Army's Khalifa Haftar, the Daily Star reported.  The Turkish-built Kargu-2, a deadly attack drone designed for asymmetric warfare and anti-terrorist operations, targeted one of Haftar's soldiers while he tried to retreat, according to the paper.

Scientists discover potentially dangerous metals in brains of Alzheimer's patients.  Scientists have discovered particles of copper and iron in the brains of deceased Alzheimer's patients, a discovery that could lead to new treatments for the disease.  In an article in the journal Science Advances, researchers from Keele University and the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom found traces of the elemental forms of copper and iron in amyloid plaque, proteins that form in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.  Copper and iron are found naturally in the human body but are usually in an oxidized form.  In an elemental form, the metals can produce unstable atoms, which are harmful to the brain.

U.S. recovers $2.3 million in ransom paid to Colonial Pipeline hackers.  The federal government has recovered millions of dollars in cryptocurrency paid in ransom to cybercriminals whose attack prompted the shutdown of the country's largest fuel pipeline and gas shortages across the southeastern U.S. last month, the Department of Justice announced Monday [6/7/2021].  On May 8, Colonial Pipeline paid a ransom worth roughly $4.3 million in bitcoin to the Russia-based hacking group known as DarkSide, which had used malicious software to hold the company hostage.  Colonial Pipeline CEO Joseph Blount told The Wall Street Journal that the company paid the pricey ransom because the company feared a prolonged shutdown and did not know how long it would take to restore operations.

DOJ Says it Seized $2.3 Million in Bitcoin from Colonial Pipeline Hackers.  Sketchy doesn't begin to describe this DOJ narrative.  According to their press release the DOJ seized 63.7 Bitcoin (digital currency) through accessing a server in North Carolina used to enter the Bitcoin wallet password of the original hackers.  However, the DOJ still claims the "hackers" were sophisticated Russian operatives.  Meaning the "Russian Hackers" were so sophisticated they could hack a major gas pipeline, but not sophisticated enough to protect their wallet and hosted it online on a US based server? [...] Doesn't this seem like either the private key wasn't private, or the FBI was the original hacker of the pipeline?

Energy secretary says enemies are capable of shutting down US power grid.  Adversaries to the US are capable of shutting down the nation's electrical grid, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm admitted Sunday, saying that such cybersecurity attacks are "happening all the time."  Granholm warned of the system's vulnerabilities — amid an uptick of ransomware sieges — on CNN's "State of the Union."  "Yeah, they do," Granholm told host Jake Tapper when asked if foreign actors have the ability to make the power grid go dark.  "There are very malign actors who are trying, even as we speak," she explained.  "There are thousands of attacks on all aspects of the energy sector and the private sector generally."

Energy secretary says US adversaries [are] capable of shutting down the nation's power grid.  Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm warned that United States's adversaries have the potential to tamper with the country's power grid.  Granholm confirmed the threat after being asked if adversaries have the capabilities to shut down the power grid, during an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday [6/6/2021].  "Yeah, they do.  I think that there are very malign actors who are trying.  Even as we speak, there are thousands of attacks on all aspects of the energy sector and the private sector generally," the secretary said.

The Editor says...
I suspect the issue of hacking threats to the power grid is a red herring, injected into the news media to give the talking heads something to talk about other than inflation, uncontrolled illegal immigration, the stolen 2020 election, Hunter Biden and his laptop, the torrent of lies about Coronavirus, and the murder of Ashli Babbitt by a cop who still hasn't been named five months after her death.  UFO stories are being put out for the same reason.

Bush nonprofit agreed to take $5 million from Chinese Communist Party-connected group: report.  The George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations agreed to accept $5 million from a group with ties to the Chinese Communist Party and China's international propaganda efforts, according to a report Saturday [6/5/2021].  The group, which was founded by Neil Bush, a brother to former President George W. Bush and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, goes by the name Bush China Foundation for short.  Its goal, according to its website, is to build "a constructive relationship" between the U.S. and China.  But a written agreement published by Axios reveals that the Bush China Foundation agreed in 2019 to accept $5 million over five years from the China-United States Exchange Foundation, an organization that's been criticized as a key part of China's international propaganda efforts.

Government's UFO report cannot explain aerial phenomena.  The US intelligence community has not found evidence that unexplained aerial phenomena seen by Navy pilots are from outer space, but they can't rule out the possibility or explain the mysterious vehicles, said officials who viewed a classified version of a report to Congress detailing everything the government knows about UFOs.  The report said most of the more than 120 UFO incidents examined over the past two decades were not the work of the US military or government, officials said, according to the New York Times.  The explanation means that the military eyewitnesses who encountered UFOs on an almost "daily basis" off the coast of California in 2017, and shot footage that was verified by defense officials, were not seeing programs the US meant to keep secret.

The Editor says...
Suppose the UFO stories are true.  Suppose there are manned spacecraft from some other civilization.  What then?  If the visitors were here to take over, they would have done so already.  If their technology is so far advanced that it's almost unimaginable, resistance is probably futile.  This sounds like a red herring that is being placed in the news media to distract from the socialist coup and imminent upheaval.

SD Gov. Noem Slams Biden Admin Decision To Close Mt. Rushmore For Fourth of July.  Thursday [6/3/2021], Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) spoke about the Biden administration's decision to close Mount Rushmore for the Fourth of July festivities, a contrast to a year earlier when then-President Donald Trump spoke before a fireworks display.  The South Dakota Republican slammed the move, claiming it was part of the "radical left's agenda."  "You know, the decision was really arbitrary," she said.  "That's why we'll be appealing this decision, and the fight isn't over. [...]"

Fed's Beige Book Freaks Out Over Unprecedented Nationwide Shortages Of Everything.  With the economy overheating, it will hardly come as a surprise that the latest Fed Beige Book — which found that the economy expanded at what the Fed absurdly called a "moderate pace" from early April to late May, at least clarifying that this was a "somewhat faster" rate than the prior reporting period — one of the top concerns was soaring costs, but nothing spooked the various Fed districts quite as much as what appears to be a shortage of everything, with district after district complaining about broken supply chains, a lack of workers, and critical commodities that just can't be procured, all resulting in sharply higher prices, slower delivery times and all around chaos.

Really?  It's a nice gesture, but is Pepsi any less active politically?
North Carolina county bans Coca-Cola machines over 'left-wing' politics.  Coke is too "woke" for one North Carolina county's government.  Surry County has voted to ban all Coca-Cola vending machines in its office buildings over backlash to the Atlanta-based soft drink maker's criticism of new restrictive Georgia voting laws.  "The left wing in America, they defund, they boycott, they cancel, they tear down statues — all sorts of egregious actions," Eddie Harris, a county commissioner, told WXII in a video interview.  "The expectation from them is the opposing political side will cower in the corner and we're supposed to accept that and it's supposed to be OK.  And it's not OK."

The Senate Parliamentarian Just Ripped the Heart out of the Democrat Agenda.  While the Democrats have high, if not delusional hopes of fundamentally changing every aspect of American life, from federal voting dictates to essentially outlawing sub-contracting, the actual rules of the Senate have stood in their way.  The filibuster, which Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema (among others who are laying low) have pledged to not touch, means that Chuck Schumer and his merry band can't force through things on a simple 50-50 vote. [...] Reconciliation is a very narrow process, and the Byrd Rule requires that anything included in a reconciliation bill must deal with taxes and budgetary issues.  You also have stipulations about deficit offsets that must be taken into account.  You can not pass regularly legislative items under the guise of reconciliation.  Given that, this ruling essentially defeats HR1, the ProAct, and much of what is included in the current "infrastructure" bill.  Of course, none of those bills were likely getting support from Manchin anyway, but with reconciliation off the table to get this stuff passed, Schumer is now officially out of options.

Dems Can Only Sidestep GOP on One More Bill This Session, Senate Parliamentarian Rules.  The Senate parliamentarian issued a new ruling that would effectively allow Democrats to use automatic budget reconciliation just one more time this year to bypass Republicans to advance President Biden's progressive agenda.  Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that a revision to the 2021 budget resolution cannot be automatically discharged from the Senate Budget Committee, according to The Hill.  This means that Democrats would need at least one Republican on the 11-11 panel to vote with them if they want to use reconciliation on more than one occasion before the legislative session ends in October.

Amazon's Sidewalk feature will share your internet connection.  Here's how to opt out.  Amazon is planning to automatically enroll owners of its devices in a program that would share a slice of their internet connection with neighbors.  Amazon confirmed in an email to USA TODAY that the program will launch on eligible Echo devices starting June 8.  Amazon Sidewalk is a low-bandwidth shared network the tech giant says will not only allow your devices to work better, but help locate lost items.  The network shares "a small portion of your internet bandwidth which is pooled together to provide these services to you and your neighbors," reads a description on Amazon's website.  "And when more neighbors participate, the network becomes even stronger," it claims.

US Army soldiers mistakenly raid Bulgarian olive oil factory during NATO exercise.  A team of U.S. Army soldiers mistakenly raided a factory in Bulgaria that manufactures equipment used in olive oil production during a NATO training exercise in the region, Fox News has confirmed.  Ken McGraw, the public affairs office for U.S. Special Operations Command, told Fox News on Tuesday [6/1/2021] that an initial report about the raid was incorrect.  "The unit that raided the factory was the 173rd Airborne Brigade, which is stationed in Vicenza, Italy," he said.  "U.S. Special Operations Forces were not involved in this incident in any way."

Employees Are Quitting Instead of Giving Up Working From Home.  A six-minute meeting drove Portia Twidt to quit her job.  She'd taken the position as a research compliance specialist in February, enticed by promises of remote work.  Then came the prodding to go into the office.  Meeting invites piled up.  The final straw came a few weeks ago:  the request for an in-person gathering, scheduled for all of 360 seconds.  Twidt got dressed, dropped her two kids at daycare, drove to the office, had the brief chat and decided she was done.

The Democrat Flint Witch Hunt is a Creepy Totalitarian Star Chamber.  The extreme ways that leftists have weaponized the justice system leading to show trials, star chambers, abuses of the law, and a blatant disregard of the evidence is an evolving totalitarian nightmare.  The federal system is already notorious for these things, but the Flint water case, already highly dubious, is starting to make the Feds look good.  The target is former Governor Rick Snyder and associates so it's already political as hell.  But the prosecution isn't acting like it has a case.  Instead, it's acting like it's operating in a police state and is doing everything it can to avoid any kind of open process. [...] The media has blown up the case, but some of the most basic facts about it are still being kept in a locked cabinet.  We've seen this pattern before with Democrats aggressively targeting Republicans, destroying their reputations, only for it to turn out that there was no actual criminal case here.

GOP Bill Aims to Ban Black Lives Matter, 'Political' Flags From Embassies.  Republican lawmakers have introduced a proposal that would prohibit U.S. embassies and consulates from flying "political" flags, such as those associated with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, after a number of diplomatic missions displayed the BLM flag on the anniversary of George Floyd's death.  Called the Stars and Stripes Act of 2021 (pdf), the measure was introduced by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) and co-sponsored by a number of GOP members of Congress, including new Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.).  "Our beautiful American flag should fly over our U.S. embassies around the world — not the flag of a political organization founded by Marxists," Stefanik said in a statement, referring to the reported links between BLM founders and Marxism.

Why Inflation Matters.  Americans under 40 live with no memory of high or unpredictable inflation.  Thus, the generational divide over the new, rising risk of inflation, with younger Americans more complacent, is no surprise.  I don't remember the high-inflation days, but I still fear the prospect of their return — in part because I study economic history and because most of my research focuses on financing retirement, but mostly because whenever we count out a risk, it seems to come roaring back.  Policymakers and observers may be tempted to let the price level creep up to 4 percent yearly growth and see what happens, but inflation can quickly spiral out of control.  (The Federal Reserve currently targets an average inflation increase of 2 percent; inflation rose in April at a 4.2 percent yearly rate.)  If prices seem poised to increase, then people will demand higher wages.  They will then have more money to spend.  Businesses, paying higher labor costs, will produce fewer goods, pushing inflation higher.  Inflation makes the dollar less attractive as it depreciates; buying important goods becomes more expensive, too.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw and Sen. Tom Cotton launch new campaign urging military 'whistleblowers' to report 'woke' training programs.  Rep. Dan Crenshaw and Sen. Tom Cotton have launched a new initiative to prevent 'woke ideology' taking hold in the US military.  The Republican politicians announced their joint effort on Saturday [5/29/2021], sharing a 'whistleblower' form for military members to fill out should they encounter any far-left training materials.  Crenshaw wrote on Twitter Saturday:  'Enough is enough.  We won't let our military fall to woke ideology.  We have just launched a whistleblower webpage where you can submit your story.  Your complaint will be legally protected, and go to my office and @SenTomCotton'.

US Mint Delays Silver Shipments Due To "Global Silver Shortage".  Interest in silver is soaring (both for industrial use and financial investment), echoing 2013's crisis, as a recent report from the Silver Institute, silver demand for printed and flexible electronics is forecast to increase 54% over the next 10 years.  Demand for silver in this rapidly developing sector is forecast to come in at 48 million ounces this year.  By 2030, the demand is expected to surge to 615 million ounces.

Republican Lawmakers Demand Immediate Action From Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin After Bombshell Bishop Garrison Report.  A group of thirty Republican Congressmen led by Matt Rosendale of Montana are demanding action from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin after Revolver's recent reporting exposed the disturbing depths of woke ideology taking control of the highest echelons of the American military.  "The sole purpose of the United States Military is to protect American citizens, defend American national security interests, and to fight and win wars when necessary," the Congressmen say in a letter exclusively provided to Revolver News.  "We urge you to use your authority to take action to fight back against the creeping left-wing extremism in the U.S. military."

Canadian soldier who spoke at anti-lockdown rally, called COVID-19 vaccine a 'killer' charged with mutiny.  A member of the Canadian Armed Forces has been charged with mutiny for speaking out against the COVID-19 vaccine and urging colleagues not to help with vaccine distribution.  Officer Cadet Ladislas Kenderesi has been charged with one count of persuading another person to join in a mutiny and one count of behaving in a scandalous manner unbecoming of an officer, according to the Ottawa Citizen.  In December, Kenderesi was filmed at an anti-lockdown rally in Toronto, wearing his Canadian Forces uniform and a nametag.

There's more going on in Houston than just oil and traffic jams.  They also have commie spies!
Shuttered Chinese Houston consulate called 'major hub' for science and tech espionage worldwide.  The Chinese consulate in Houston, ordered closed by the Trump administration last year, was a "major hub" for Beijing's global science and technology collection efforts, according to a new study.  Georgetown University's Center for Security and Emerging Technology examined 642 "international technological cooperation opportunities" between 2015 and 2020 identified by Chinese diplomats and found the Houston post was the key hub for science and technology (S&T) collection globally.  U.S. critics say intellectual property theft and piracy have been key to China's drive to close the technology gap with the U.S. and the West.

Fusion GPS is losing the fight to keep its records secret.  In 2017, the owners of Alfa Bank (we'll call them Alfa Bank for the purposes of this article) sued Fusion GPS and Glenn Simpson for their publication of false statements accusing Alfa Bank of "bribery, extortion, and interference in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election."  Now, the Alfa Bank is on offense.  They have filed a motion to compel, asking the Court to require Fusion GPS and Glenn Simpson to produce nearly 500 critically important documents improperly withheld as privileged.  Fusion/Simpson have fought the production of the documents, arguing that they are subject to the "attorney-client privilege" and otherwise privileged and not subject to production.  These are weak legal arguments — and the attorneys for Alfa Bank recognize it.  First, Fusion/Simpson previously admitted the purpose of their work was political, and not for the purposes of any ongoing litigation.

Pennsylvania Rebukes Tom Wolf.  On May 18, Pennsylvania held its customarily scheduled municipal primary elections.  Following the example of previous municipal primary elections, Keystone State voters were faced with several statewide questions and ballot initiatives.  This year, these prompts included a new genre of questions:  those related to Gov. Tom Wolf's emergency powers.  Two questions specifically targeted Wolf's abuse of his emergency powers during the pandemic.  The results show Pennsylvania voters have fatigued from overreaching executive authority and they have chosen to strip Gov. Wolf of his emergency powers.  The first ballot question asked if voters felt that the state constitution should be amended to provide additional checks on the governor's emergency powers.  More specifically, by allowing the General Assembly the authority to terminate an emergency declaration, effectively removing Gov. Wolf as the sole decision-maker when it comes to emergency declarations.  Currently, under the Pennsylvania Constitution, any action by commonwealth agencies to address statewide emergencies requires the governor's approval.

Trump says he has done 'limited media' so America can see how much of a 'disaster' Biden is with inflation, the border and the Middle East.  Former President Donald Trump angrily rejected reports that social media bans had sent him sliding into irrelevance, insisting Monday [5/24/2021] that he was staying out of the headlines so attention would stay on President Joe Biden's troubles with inflation, the border and the Middle East.  His comments come as his lieutenants plan a new social media platform to propel Trump back into the daily conversation.  And a new poll suggests the former president retains his grip on Republicans, with a majority of the party still proclaiming Trump to be the 'true president.'

China, having weakened the West with COVID, threatens Australia.  For anyone doubting whether China has Taiwan in its sights, a warning that the Global Times, a Chinese communist party media outlet, issued to Australia should set those doubts to rest.  Having concluded that Joe Biden is not a threat, China is busy letting other regional powers know that they had better not cross China.  In response to Australia's participation in joint military exercises in the East China Sea, China's propaganda outlet threatened it with intermediate-range ballistic missiles.  Taiwan is a prosperous and free island located off the southeastern coast of China.  The two countries are separated from each other only by the Taiwan Straits.  Taiwan maintains that it is the legitimate government of China, while the Chinese Communist Party claims that it is a pretender nation.  The CCP has long made known its desire to conquer Taiwan and bring it into the mainland fold.

Black Man With A Gun Attempts A Carjack — Receive Instant Karma.  The attempted carjacking went down last year but started trending this morning because the video was released for public use yesterday.  In the video you see a black man trying to stop a car by standing in the middle of the road as he pulls out a gun.  The would-be carjacker receives instant karma as the driver of the car hits the gas and sent him flying down the street.  The moment of impact did some heavy damage to the man, as two people come to his aid immediately, and people allege that they also wanted to aid the robber.

The Editor says...
[#1] Obviously the two bystanders who immediately sprang to the aid of the gunman were his accomplices.  They probably called 9-1-1 for assistance after this occupational injury.  [#2] The biggest problem now faced by the driver is whether his insurance company will pay for his car repairs.

Montana prison dairy herd reduced after losing Darigold deal.  The last load of raw milk left the ranch outside Montana State Prison on Dec. 27, drying up a decades-long run for the prison's work program that was clipped by a shift in a single company's global commerce policy.  Last year Darigold, the product brand for a dairy cooperative headquartered in Seattle, canceled its 30-year contract with the prison, forcing the state's prison work program, Montana Correctional Enterprises, to scale down its dairy operation from 350 head to about 70, enough to produce milk to self-sustain the Department of Correction's facilities around the state.

How Apple, Tim Cook give into China while pushing back against the US.  Over the past 30 years, Western leaders have dreamed they lived in an earthly paradise where they could stand for both.  But the ruling Communist Party of China under paramount leader Xi Jinping is now making it increasingly clear that if you want to do business with his country, you'd best embrace the party line.  Take Apple.  The world's most valuable brand is a powerhouse in Washington, DC, maintaining armies of lawyers and making large donations to the political parties and to lobby organizations like the US-China Business Council.  It has instant entrée to the White House, Congress and any other center of American power.  In 2001, Apple closed its California production lines, dismissed its American workers and moved production to China, where investment subsidies were high, wages low, and labor unions and environmental rules nonexistent.  Apple has since admitted to avoiding $41 billion in US taxes.  Now the tech giant — led by CEO Tim Cook — has truly made out like a bandit, becoming the world's most valuable corporation in the process.

More Than 150 Missing Children [have been] Found in North Carolina.  More than 150 missing children have been found in North Carolina, a few of whom were victims of human trafficking, according to police.  On Wednesday [5/19/2021], Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) announced that detectives and marshals had recovered more than 130 missing and runaway juveniles, prior to an investigation called "Operation Carolina Homecoming" to recover missing and runaway children in the Charlotte area, where earlier efforts to find them had failed.  The operation, which took place April 26 to May 7, was able to find another 27 missing children.

Investigation of ousted Space Force Commander elevated to IG.  The investigation into the ousting of a Space Force commander who spoke out against Marxism and critical race theory in the military has been elevated to the Department of the Air Force's Office of Inspector General (IG).  Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek told Fox News on Thursday [5/20/2021] that the investigation into the removal of Lt. Colonel Matthew Lohmeier from duty was moving up to the IG's office for review, as the case could have an Air Force-wide impact.  Stefanek also said that the IG's investigation would take precedence over the one launched by Lohmeier's superior, Air Force Lt. General Stephen Whiting.

Nearly 1,000 Apple employees sign letter calling on Tim Cook to issue statement supporting Palestinians.  Nearly 1,000 Apple employees have signed an internal letter to CEO Tim Cook urging the company to issue a public statement in support of the Palestinian people, The Verge reported Thursday [5/20/2021].  "We are frustrated and disappointed because once more, many of those in positions of power and influence — who boldly stand for human rights in so many other just causes — either choose to remain silent or release ineffectually neutral 'both sides' statements with regards to the Palestinian situation," wrote the letter's authors, who are members of the Apple Muslim Association, according to The Verge.  Apple taking a "both sides" approach, they wrote, "would feel to us as the equivalent of 'all lives matter' — a minimization of the disproportionately larger pain and suffering of the Palestinian people."

Sex (and Sobs) on the Set:  Actresses Lay Bare Their Thoughts on Baring it All.  Hollywood actresses have been speaking up about how they really feel about performing on-screen sex and nudity.  Spoiler alert:  They hate it.  Actress Salma Hayek recently opened up to Dax Shepard, host of the Armchair Expert Podcast, about her experience filming the iconic sex scene in her first film Desperado:  "I started to sob and kept saying, 'I don't know that I can do it.'"  She remembers holding onto the towel wrapped around her.  "I would take it off for two seconds and start crying again."  And Hayek is not the only one.  Dozens of actresses have gone on record detailing traumatic experiences they had while filming sex scenes.

The Editor says...
[#1]  I've got no sympathy for actresses.  They read the script before the filming starts; probably before accepting the role.  Why are they surprised when they have to take their clothes off?  [#2] Notice that in Hollywood, lewd behavior is permissible in front of the camera, and is completely forbidden behind the camera.

Hollywood Celebrities Plead With Movie Fans:  Please Go Back To Theaters.  At the "Big Screen is Back" initiative on Wednesday, Arnold Schwarzenegger and J.J. Abrams joined fellow filmmakers and Hollywood studio executives in an effort to motivate a return to the theater-going lifestyle.  As reported by The Associated Press, the event was socially distanced and held at AMC Century City 15 theater in Los Angeles.  Before speaking, Schwarzenegger chanted, "We are back!  We are back!"  He described the importance of getting movie theaters back into commission and creating the experience of attending a movie in theaters once again.

The Editor says...
Sitting in a movie theater to watch a movie (and the commercials and trailers that are shown before the show starts) is as archaic and obsolete as waiting until 5:30 p.m. to hear the day's news from Huntley and Brinkley on broadcast TV.  Or waiting until the next morning to read about the same news in the newspaper.  By watching a movie on the internet, the only thing you're missing is about 30 dB of unrealistic dynamic range when the phony sound effects punctuate the computer-generated "action" scenes, i.e., depictions of senseless violence and gunfire that miraculously doesn't hurt anybody.  If you really miss the theater, set up a "home theater" in a spare bedroom.  Buy some badly-worn seats to accurately simulate the big theater experience, be sure there are no lights in the room, so you have to stumble all over the adjacent rows, and then invite a bunch of nasty, smelly strangers over, to sit uncomfortably close to you and chatter on their cell phones while the show is underway.  Be sure to stock up on Milk Duds and stale popcorn, for which you must pay twice the retail value, and pour a bottle of Coca-Cola on the floor about a week before watching your first film, so the floor is disgustingly sticky.  Then be sure the air conditioning is set to about 50 degrees.  Before watching each movie, get in your car and drive about a mile away from your house in a random direction.  On the way home, take a ten-dollar bill and either set fire to it, or mail it to someone you really don't like, who is already a lot wealthier than you'll ever be.  The movie theater experience may have been really enjoyable in 1948, when you had never seen a film in color, but those days are over.

Senate Republicans propose allowing states to redirect federal funds to debt reduction.  Senate Republicans will introduce legislation Thursday [4/20/2021] to allow state and local governments to redirect federal government grants they receive to go toward paying down the growing national debt instead.  In particular, the bill would ensure that Democratic-led blue states don't end up receiving federal funds that red states have rejected.  GOP Sens. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming and Rick Scott of Florida are set to introduce the Pay Down the Debt Act of 2021 to give state and local leaders the power to take concrete steps to reduce the federal debt.

The Editor says...
I'm no economist, so tell me how that's supposed to work.  The federal government prints up a bunch of money, borrowed from the national debt.  Then the states take the money, and instead of spending it, they send it back to the federal government to pay down the debt.  That won't affect the debt at all.  The federal government could eliminate the middle-man and just print $20 trillion, and then have a big ceremony at which they drop all that cash into an enormous made-for-TV piggy bank.  The effect is the same.  This kind of shell game is something you'd expect from the Democrats!

Pentagon reportedly running secret army of 60,000 around the world.  The Pentagon is running a 60,000-strong secret army made up of soldiers, civilians and contractors, who travel the world under false identities embedded in consultancies and name-brand companies — without the knowledge of the American people or most of Congress — according to a report.  The top-secret army was created by the Pentagon over the past 10 years as part of a program called "signature reduction," and operates both domestically and internationally using a low-profile force of clandestine warriors who sometimes wear civilian clothes as they carry out their assignments, Newsweek reported.  The force is 10 times the size of the covert elements of the CIA, comes with a cost of more than $900 million, and engages about 130 private companies in operations in locales like the Middle East and Africa, the report said.

Conservative group launches ad campaign against 'woke capitalism,' targeting CEOs by name.  A conservative group is launching an advertising campaign Tuesday designed to push back against what it sees as "woke capitalism," spending more than $1 million on ads targeting the CEOs of Coca-Cola, American Airlines and Nike.  The ads are sharply critical of the CEOs on a range of issues ranging from childhood obesity to allegations of forced labor in China.  Organizers say the campaign, which is being mounted by the conservative group Consumers' Research, is designed to change the thinking in corporate boards around the economic and political costs of getting involved in flashpoint issues such as voting rights.  "Increasingly we're seeing companies taking their eye off the ball," said William Hild, executive director Consumers' Research.  "Our focus is always on the consumer.  And that's what it should be for these companies as well, but increasingly we're seeing them work to curry favor with woke politicians, rather than focusing on serving their consumers."

The Editor says...
I wouldn't wear Nike shoes if you gave them to me.  I've got no use for American Airlines.  Coca Cola would be hard to give up, but I could do it.

Biden will start sending monthly checks of up to $300 to 39 million families with children under the age of 16.  Expanded monthly child tax credits will start going out to 39 million U.S. families starting July 15, the President Joe Biden and the Treasury Department announced Monday [5/17/2021].  'We need to give ordinary families a break — a tax break — to help them with the cost of raising their kids,' Biden said during remarks from the White House on Monday.  'Most people don't know it, but for families with children we put that tax cut into the American Rescue Plan.'  '90% of the families, all middle class and working class families, will get this tax cut.  It's a one-year cut that reduces your taxes... for each child you have under the age of 18,' he added.

980-foot skyscraper sways in China, prompting panic and evacuations.  A Chinese skyscraper had to be evacuated Tuesday afternoon [5/18/2021] after it began inexplicably swaying on its foundation, prompting scores of bystanders to flee in terror, as seen in a series of viral videos circulating social media.  The shaky incident occurred around 1 p.m. at Shenzhen's SEG Electronics Building, which is one of China's tallest structures in the city at a whopping 980 feet tall.  "The people in the building and downstairs fled for their lives!" read the caption to one of the Twitter clips, which depicts petrified shoppers stampeding across a plaza like scene out of a monster movie.

Goodyear to phase out petroleum-based tires with soybeans by 2040.  For decades engineers have used petroleum to make everyday products.  It's still commonly used in everything from rubbers and plastics to chemicals and asphalt.  But this useful product comes from crude oil, which is often criticized by activists and experts as harmful to the environment, citing oil spills and fracking incidents.  Recent studies from the last decade have shown that petroleum isn't as efficient as some once thought.  Now, companies, engineers and scientists aim to replace it with plant-based oils, specifically soybeans.  The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. recently announced its goal to replace all petroleum-based products with soybean oil by 2040.

The Editor says...
What problem does this solve?  When tires are made from soybeans, and gasoline is made with ethanol (i.e., corn), food prices will increase rapidly.  Apparently a lot of CEO's have never heard, "If it works, don't fix it."

88% of children covered by monthly payments starting in July.  The Treasury Department said Monday that 39 million families are set to receive monthly child payments beginning on July 15.  The payments are part of President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, which expanded the child tax credit for one year and made it possible to pre-pay the benefits on a monthly basis.  Nearly 88% of children are set to receive the benefits without their parents needing to take any additional action.

Governor Abbott Ends Federal Unemployment Insurance in Texas.  Governor Greg Abbott announced Monday afternoon that Texas will discontinue further federal unemployment benefits associated with the COVID-19 pandemic on June 26.  Among the insurance Texas is opting out of is the $300 weekly unemployment supplement from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program.  "The Texas economy is booming and employers are hiring in communities throughout the state," Abbott said.  "According to the Texas Workforce Commission, the number of job openings in Texas is almost identical to the number of Texans who are receiving unemployment benefits.  That assessment does not include the voluminous jobs that typically are not listed, like construction and restaurant jobs.  In fact, there are nearly 60 percent more jobs open (and listed) in Texas today than there was in February 2020, the month before the Pandemic hit Texas."

Texas, Indiana, Oklahoma to End Federal Unemployment Benefits in June.  Texas, Indiana, and Oklahoma on Monday announced that they will be joining a growing number of GOP-led states in ending the expanded federal unemployment benefits that were implemented during last year's pandemic relief efforts.  In a letter to the Biden administration, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said that the $300 weekly extra payments under the president's new $1.9 trillion stimulus plan will end on June 26, ahead of its September expiration date.  He joins at least a dozen other governors, all Republicans, who are opting out of the additional federal unemployment benefits this summer.  Republicans argue that these benefits have discouraged people from returning to the workforce and have become a drag on the recovery.

Space Force Officer's Book on Marxism in the Military Reaches No. 1 on Amazon After He's Relieved.  A U.S. Space Force officer's self-published book positing that Marxist ideology and Critical Race Theory is being spread throughout the military reached the top of Amazon's bestseller list on Sunday after it was learned that he was relieved of his command.  "Irresistible Revolution:  Marxism's Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military" by Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier, reached the top of the retail website's bestseller list on Sunday evening.  It came after the Space Force confirmed that Lohmeier was relieved of his command "due to a loss of trust."  "This decision was based on public comments made by Lt. Col. Lohmeier in a recent podcast.  Lt. Gen. Whiting has initiated a Command Directed Investigation on whether these comments constituted prohibited partisan political activity," according to the Space Force's statement, which was sent to a number of news outlets over the past weekend.

Republicans back 'hero' Space Force commander fired for speaking out against 'Marxism' in military.  Republican lawmakers blasted President Biden online after the military removed a Space Force commanding officer for speaking out against critical race theory and Marxism in the military.  Several prominent GOP lawmakers threw their support behind Lt Col. Matthew Lohmeier, the Space Force commanding officer who was relieved of duty Friday for decrying Marxist ideologies and critical race theory, which he said are gaining influence in the military, on a recent podcast.  Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas — himself a former Navy SEAL — said the military needs to prepare service members for combat and told social media users to not let the story "slip away."  "We need to be preparing our warriors to fight and win battles, not how to be SJWs," Crenshaw wrote.  "Far left critical race theory is taught while speaking out against MARXISM is punished??"

Georgia lieutenant governor announces he won't seek reelection after fighting Trump's election fraud claims.  Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, one of the most vocal state-level Republican critics against former President Donald Trump's claims of 2020 election fraud, announced on Monday that he will not seek reelection in 2022.  "It always feels coldest right before the sun rises," Duncan said in a statement posted to Twitter.  "I believe that this is the exact moment in time the Republican Party is caught in right now, and I am committed to being a part of creating those better days ahead for our conservative party all across this country."  Duncan also said that he plans to serve out the rest of his term, which will conclude in January 2023, noting how he has "no intention of slowing down on my policy over politics reform."

Space Force commander is Fired for warning of the spread of 'Critical Race Theory rooted in Marxism' throughout military.  A Space Force commander has been removed from his post after blasting diversity and inclusion training in the military as 'critical race theory rooted in Marxism'.  Lt Col. Matthew Lohmeier appeared on a podcast to promote his new self published book when he made the comments which led to a 'loss of trust and confidence in his ability to lead', according to a statement from the Space Force.  Lohmeier said: 'The diversity, inclusion and equity industry and the trainings we are receiving in the military... is rooted in critical race theory, which is rooted in Marxism.'

Israel Levels a Building Shared by Hamas and 'News' Outlets, Whose Freak-out Ignores the Bigger Story.  Israel isn't playing around with Hamas this time around.  While terrorist apologists plead for "proportionality" now that they've messed around and found out, the Jewish state seems determined to do more.  As of last night, rockets were still being launched at Tel Aviv, signaling no end to the conflict in sight.  Part of the IDF's campaign has included destroying buildings that Hamas uses for intelligence-gathering, and command and control.  Once, such building happened to also be an office complex for Al Jazeera, the Qatari-funded, terrorist propaganda outlet.  The Associated Press also had space there.  After multiple warnings and a "knock bomb," the building was evacuated.  Then this happened.  [Video clip]

The sixth borough:  Florida state records quantify defections from NY.  New data from the Sunshine State's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles offers the latest glimpse of just how many New Yorkers fled south during the COVID-19 pandemic.  At least 33,565 New Yorkers exchanged their NY drivers licenses for Florida credentials between September 2020 and March 2021.  That's a 32% increase from the same period the prior year, when 25,370 New York driver's licenses were traded for Florida ones.  Florida officials said a major cause of migration was parents looking to get their kids back in full-time, in-person school.

Why didn't the USDA do this?
Texas House Approves Bill Banning Plant-Based Foods From Using 'Meat' On Labels.  Plant-based and additional meatless products are accused of misleading buyers under a bill the Texas House approved Monday [5/10/2021].  "Texas is the latest state to debate measures that would prohibit foods that don't contain animal products from using words like 'meat' or 'beef' in their name," the Dallas Morning News reported.  The bill was approved following a debate but needs one additional vote in the House to move on to the Texas Senate.

Hackers Threaten To Release Confidential DC Police Files Unless The City Pays Them $4 Million.  Hackers threatened to release 250 gigabytes of confidential Metropolitan Police Department files unless Washington, D.C., officials pay a $4 million ransom, the DCist reported Tuesday [5/11/2021].  The Russian-speaking hackers are part of a group known as Babuk, which allegedly posted 20 Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers' personnel files after stealing 250 gigabytes of internal data, the DCist reported.  Babuk said negotiations with officials "reached a dead end" and reportedly posted chat logs where officials offered $100,000 to the group.

Rep. Elise Stefanik wins GOP conference chair vote to replace Liz Cheney.  House Republicans approved Rep. Elise Stefanik to their No. 3 leadership position Friday — officially voting her into the post after Rep. Liz Cheney was forced out this week.  The 134-46 tally for Stefanik (R-NY) was nearly guaranteed before the vote took place, given that she went into the meeting with former President Donald Trump's endorsement and without a serious challenger.  "Listen, the Republican Party is a big tent party and my district is the story of the growth of the Republican Party.  My district voted for President Obama by double digits and voted for President Trump and myself by double digits — we have worked to grow the Republican Party," she told reporters following her win.

The Cybersecurity 202: Biden says the Russian government was not involved with Colonial Pipeline hack.  The issue of whether the U.S. government is doing enough to tackle international cybercriminals moved to center stage this week after the high-profile attack on a major East Coast energy supplier.  Even though Colonial Pipeline has restarted operations, there are still lingering questions about the group that executed the attack and how to prevent future assaults on critical infrastructure.  In a news conference yesterday, Biden emphasized the U.S. government's belief that the cybercriminals behind the pipeline company attack are based in Russia  — which has become a safe harbor for such groups — but do not work directly for the Russian government.  U.S. intelligence and researchers have also noted extensive ties between some criminal hacking groups in Russia and Russia's intelligence services.

Prime today, gone tomorrow:  Chinese products get pulled from Amazon.  If you ever bought power banks, water bottles, toys or other daily goods on Amazon, the chances are your suppliers are from China.  Analysts have estimated that the share of Chinese merchants represented 75% of Amazon's new sellers in January, up from 47% the year before, according to Marketplace Pulse, an e-commerce research firm.  Chinese sellers are swarming not just Amazon but also eBay, Wish, Shopee and Alibaba's AliExpress.  The boom is in part a result of intense domestic competition in China's online retail world, which forces merchants to seek new markets.  Traditional exporters are turning to e-commerce, cutting out excessive distributors.  Businesses are enchanted by the tale that a swathe of the priciest property in Shenzhen, an expensive city known for its tech and manufacturing, is now owned by people who made a fortune from e-commerce export.

Biden Blocks Trump Statues to Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and Jimmy Stewart.  In his Friday dump, Biden decided to revoke a number of President Trump's executive orders including the one creating the National Garden of American Heroes.  This order was a reaction to BLM's vandalism of American statues with the collaboration of local Democrat authorities.  As executive orders go, this was an odd choice to rescind considering that it called for little more than the creation of a garden of statues and the huge list of potential figures included plenty of lefty favorites like Woody Guthrie and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a whole lot of pop culture figures from a particular era from John Wayne to Jimmy Stewart, some conservative heroes, like Barry Goldwater, William F. Buckley, Jr. and Antonin Scalia, and the sort of traditional American figures whom the Left was obsessively tearing down including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

Joe Biden Revokes Donald Trump Orders for Garden of Heroes, Protection of Monuments.  President Joe Biden revoked an executive order Friday to create a National Garden of American Heroes, initially planned by former President Donald Trump.  Biden also revoked Trump's order to prevent online censorship, and his order to protect American monuments.  Biden could have modified Trump's initial order but instead revoked it entirely.  The White House did not say why Biden revoked his predecessor's executive orders but sent the text of his order to revoke Trump's priorities to reporters on Friday afternoon.

China and Overfishing.  All told, three billion people rely on fish as their primary source of protein, according to the World Wildlife Fund.  Given that this is nearly half of the world's population, the need to carefully manage the world's supply of fish is absolutely crucial for global stability.  A hungry nation is a desperate nation and desperate nations take desperate measures to feed themselves.  China is, far and away, the world's biggest offender when it comes to overfishing.  This isn't just a crime of omission — failing to adequately control its fishermen — but a crime of commission:  China prioritizes subsidies for overfishing above subsidies for conservation.  The powerhouse spent a whopping $7.2 billion in 2018 alone on fishing.

Indian workers held captive and forced to build New Jersey temple, lawsuit claims.  Hundreds of workers from India were allegedly lured to New Jersey and forced to work for just a few dollars a day to help build a massive Hindu temple, according to a lawsuit on Tuesday [5/11/2021].  The federal suit, brought by the laborers, accuses the prominent Hindu sect known as Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, or BAPS, of human trafficking and wage law violations.  The global organization is accused of bringing more than 200 low-caste men from India to the US by claiming they were religious volunteers.

Poll: Orthodox Jews Are Overwhelmingly Republican and Growing in Number.  According to a new poll from the Pew Research Center, while the majority of Jews identify as Democrat, three out of four Orthodox Jews identify as Republican.  Overall, three out of four Orthodox Jews experienced at least some form of antisemitism in the past year, more than non-religious Jews.  The Pew poll "surveyed 4,718 U.S. adults who identify as Jewish, including 3,836 Jews by religion and 882 Jews of no religion.  The survey was administered online and by mail by Westat, from Nov. 19, 2019, to June 3, 2020."

Colonial Pipeline Hackers Apologize:  We Are 'Apolitical,' Will 'Avoid Social Consequences in the Future'.  The criminal hacking group that reportedly goes by the name DarkSide and attacked the largest gasoline pipeline in the United States has now put out an apology of sorts.  The Colonial pipeline, which snakes 5,500 miles along the eastern U.S., transports 2.5 million barrels of gasoline a day, and provides 45 percent of the region's fuel consumption, was shut down on Friday in response to the hacking.

The Editor says...
Pardon my perpetual skepticism, but the "Russian hacking" story sounds a little bit phony.  Deep State phony.  If there is physical evidence of the alleged "hacking," it will appear in a congressional hearing soon.  If there was no hacking, the news media is lying, and the Composite President made the decision to turn off the pipeline [1] to save the earth from fossil fuels and global warming, and [2] to mask the rapid inflation of gas prices.  Mostly #2.  Which one is more plausible:  Russian hackers did it for ransom, or the Deep State did it as a distraction?

Golden Globes Organization Implodes amid Accusations of Corruption and Lack of Diversity.  In the latest act of liberal Hollywood cannibalism, NBC has pulled the plug on the 2022 Golden Globes telecast as studios including Netflix, Amazon, and WarnerMedia have cut ties with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) over accusations of corruption and a lack of diversity.  Many of these same studios have spent years showering HFPA members with gifts — including free overseas trips — as a way to help secure votes for their movies and TV shows.  Now, they are casting stones at the beleaguered HFPA, whose promises to reform have failed to impress industry leaders.

Latest on directed-energy attacks: 'It looks, smells and feels like the GRU'.  The attention being given to the directed-energy attacks that cause "Havana syndrome" has been ramping up lately.  Today Politico reports that while no new conclusions have been reached officially, there is a growing consensus behind the scenes that these attacks are being carried out by Russia's GRU. [...] A National Academies of Sciences report issued last year concluded that the attacks were likely being carried out using pulsed-microwaves, a type of energy attack that Russia had experimented with during the Cold War.  The Politico story quoted above claims the GRU's suspected involvement hasn't been reported before but that may be true but it's not the first time Russian intelligence agents have been identified as the likely cause.

Government Grew by 48,000 Employees in April.  Federal, state and local governments in the United States increased their employment by a combined 48,000 workers in April, according to the numbers released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  From March to April, the number of workers employed by government in the United States climbed from 21,543,000 to 21,591,000.  Local government employment increased by 32,000, rising from 13,685,000 to 13,717,000.

Israel Shared Iranian General Soleimani's Cell Phones With US Intelligence Before Drone Strike:  Report.  Israel shared three cell phone numbers used by Qasem Soleimani with U.S. intelligence in the hours before American drones unleashed Hellfire missiles on the Iranian general last year, Yahoo News reported Saturday [5/8/2021].  The revelation sheds new light on the role that Israel played in the killing of Soleimani, who the State Department says was responsible for hundreds of U.S. troop deaths as the head of the Revolutionary Guard's elite Quds Force.  The drone strike occurred shortly after midnight on Jan. 2, 2020, as Soleimani and his entourage were leaving Baghdad's international airport.

Texas Gov. Abbott Just Showed America What Freedom Looks Like — in One Photo.  The republic of Texas held a premier boxing match Saturday night, and freedom broke out.  At least, that's how it looked in the tweet Texas Governor Greg Abbott sent out to Twitter followers around 12:30 a.m. Central time on Sunday morning [5/9/2021]. [...] [Quoting KTVT] It was also a record-breaking evening with 73,126 people in attendance for the boxing match between Mexico's Canelo Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders. [...] AT&T Stadium didn't require masks at the unlimited capacity event but, instead, said they were encouraged.  [End quote]

Gov. DeSantis Tells Unemployed Floridians Collecting Benefits To Start Looking For A Job.  Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis informed unemployed Floridians during a Wednesday [5/5/2021] press conference that May will be the last month they can collect unemployment benefits without proving they are looking for work.  DeSantis, who had lifted the state's policy requiring such proof because of the pandemic, said that reopened Florida now offers ample opportunity for employment, and capable residents need to get off the government dole, according to CBS Miami.

Rats Leaving a Sinking Ship:  More Democratic House Retirements on the Way.  A combination of factors is driving a wave of Democratic retirements in the House as Republicans look to flip the chamber in 2022.  The census is giving deep-red Texas and Florida another congressional district.  And Republican-dominated state legislatures will be able to draw maps that make red districts redder and force two Democrats to vie for the same House seat.

Cryptocurrency investors should be prepared to lose all their money, Bank of England governor says.  Cryptocurrencies "have no intrinsic value" and people who invest in them should be prepared to lose all their money, Bank of England (BOE) Governor Andrew Bailey said Thursday [5/6/2021].  Digital currencies like bitcoin, ether and even dogecoin have been on a tear this year, reminding some investors of the 2017 crypto bubble in which bitcoin blasted toward $20,000, only to sink as low as $3,122 a year later.  Asked at a press conference about the rising value of cryptocurrencies on Thursday, Bailey said:  "They have no intrinsic value.  That doesn't mean to say people don't put value on them, because they can have extrinsic value.  But they have no intrinsic value."

Bank of America: "Transitory Hyperinflation Ahead".  Last week, when discussing the latest earnings call commentary, Bank of America said "Buckle up!  Inflation is here", and showed a chart of the number of mentions of "inflation" during earnings calls which exploded, more than tripling YoY per company so far, the and the biggest jump in history since BofA started keeping records in 2004. [...] While the implications are obvious, we leave it to Bank of America to explain what this means:  ["]On an absolute basis, [inflation] mentions skyrocketed to near record highs from 2011, pointing to at the very least, 'transitory' hyper-inflation ahead.["]

Microwaving the White House: Enemies Are Now Sonic Attacking Americans from American Soil.  Unidentified parties have in recent years been directing sonic attacks on U.S. officials on American soil.  One such attack even occurred on the grounds of the White House.  We should not be surprised.  Failure to impose costs on known sonic attackers — the Cuban and Chinese regimes — almost certainly emboldened the perpetrators to think they could harm Americans in America.  Two attacks, both from American soil, have involved National Security Council officials, one on the White House's south lawn, the Ellipse, last November and another after Thanksgiving in 2019 in Arlington, Virginia.  The earlier attack involved a White House staffer walking her dog.  The pet "started seizing up," and then she too suffered "a high-pitched ringing in her ears, an intense headache, and a tingling on the side of her face."

Montana governor pulls out of COVID federal unemployment programs.  Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte argued Wednesday [5/5/2021] that there has been "a continual stream of initiatives out of Washington that disincent work," explaining that his state decided to get rid of supplemental benefits and is offering a back-to-work bonus in order to incentivize people to get back into the workforce.  Gianforte made the comments on "Cavuto:  Coast to Coast" while explaining what was behind his decision to end Montana's participation in federal COVID-19 unemployment programs.  He also discussed the start of the new state program to give people "Return to Work" bonuses.

A federal judge scrapped a nationwide moratorium on evictions, saying the CDC went beyond its authority.  A US federal judge on Wednesday [5/5/2021] blocked an order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent landlords from evicting their tenants during the coronavirus pandemic.  "The CDC order must be set aside," US District Judge Dabney Friedrich said in a 20-page ruling.  The order was initially announced on September 4 to take effect for the rest of 2020.  President Joe Biden on his first day in office extended the order through June 30 to aid struggling tenants through the pandemic's financial fallout.  Friedrich wrote that the ban was among "difficult policy decisions that have had enormous real-world consequences" in the pandemic.

New York bill proposes to ban crypto mining for 3 years over carbon concerns.  Crypto miners in New York may be subject to a forced three-year hiatus if the latest environmentally-focused bill passes in the state senate.  The New York Senate Bill 6486 was proposed by Democrat senator Kevin S. Parker, the Chairman of Committee on Energy and Telecommunications, and co-sponsored by fellow Democrat senator Rachel May, the Chair of Committee on Aging, Chair of Legislative Commission on Rural Resources.  The bill is yet to receive widespread backing from other senators, however the Democrats do control the lower house and senate.  The bill seeks to "establish a moratorium on the operation of cryptocurrency mining centers," to slow the environmental impacts of fossil-fuel-backed crypto mining in particular.  It also aims to enforce stricter regulations for mining centers, such as the requirement to undergo an environmental impact review, which would prevent crypto mining if the facility does not comply with New York's climate change targets.

The Editor says...
Crypto mining produces no byproducts at all, other than heat, simply because the "mining" operation is just a large array of computers looking for magic numbers.  The electricity they use in this process is the same as that which is used for other residential or industrial purposes.  All the politicians are doing is trying to reduce the demand for electricity, because they are the ones opposing nuclear energy, coal, and natural gas, and thanks to these politicians, there's not enough electricity to go around.  Many of the same politicians are now on a campaign against air conditioning, for the same reason.  The solution to a shortage of electricity is not conservation.  The solution is greater supply, which requires building or re-activating coal-fired power plants, to use this country's 200-year supply of coal.

Tucker Carlson:  The woke CIA video may not be what we think.  Tucker at first mocks the wokeness of the video and puts up his new CIA acronym, which now stands for "Cisgender Intersectional Agency".  But then Tucker made the argument that this video may not be what we think, that the CIA is, after all, a hall of mirrors and maybe this is what they want our enemies to see.  Personally, I think Biden's CIA is as woke as it seems and the country is doomed.  But could Tucker be right about this woke facade, that it's just a ruse?

The Special Election in Texas Was All Bad News for the Democrat Hopes to Keep the House in 2022.  Texas 6 is located south of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and has a demographic make-up of approximately 40% black and Hispanic voters.  Pres.  Trump carried the district in 2016 by 12%, but in 2020 he won Texas 6 by a margin of only 51-48%.  The district has a +6 partisan advantage for the GOP in voter registration.  The special election contest held on Saturday to fill the seat left vacant by Wright began with an "open" primary — the seat could be won if any single candidate received more than 50% of the vote.  If no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, Saturday's top 2 vote-getters would meet in a runoff to decide the winner.  Twenty-three candidates ended up on the ballot.  The GOP swept the top two positions, and the district will remain in GOP's hands after the runoff.  But the story is more interesting when you look closely at some of the numbers in the contest.

Failed Texas Democrat Candidate Sounds Alarm: 2022 'Could Be Major Setback' for Democrats.  Failed special election Democrat candidate Jana Lynne Sanchez has sounded the alarm that 2022 "could be a major setback" for Democrats if they lose their slim majority in the House of Representatives.  Sanchez, after not receiving enough votes last Saturday to make the special election runoff, has a very strong message for the Democrats.  Sanchez lost by fewer than 400 votes to come in third place.  Republican candidates did extremely well, edging out the rest of the field.  Sanchez said the Republicans received an overwhelming majority (62 percent) of the total voters.

Corn Prices Rise 30 Percent So Far This Year.  You've likely seen mentions of inflation popping up amid some MSM discussions.  Without a doubt you have seen significant price jumps at your local supermarket.  The reason is simple, JoeBama's economic policies are beneficial to the multinationals, crushing to the domestic U.S. economy and driving massive increases in prices in a variety of sectors.  As a consequence the leftist financial media (almost all financial media) are churning out deflection points, but if you understand the background you can predictably see the cause and effect.

This will have an immediate impact on ethanol.

Basecamp Employees Flee Company After CEO Rejects Woke Capitalism.  About one-third of the employees of software developer Basecamp have quit their jobs after the company's founders asked them to focus on developing software, rather than get involved in politics at work.  Basecamp co-founder and CEO Jason Fried told employees that "every discussion remotely related to politics, advocacy, or society at large quickly spins away from pleasant."

Reports say one-third of Basecamp employees exit in the wake of new company etiquette.  Last Monday, Chicago-based software firm Basecamp issued a statement that said it was making a number of changes, including a ban on political discussions on its company Basecamp account.  "Today's social and political waters are especially choppy.  Sensitivities are at 11, and every discussion remotely related to politics, advocacy, or society at large quickly spins away from pleasant," the company said.  "You shouldn't have to wonder if staying out of it means you're complicit, or wading into it means you're a target."  The changes were touted as a "new etiquette regarding societal politics" by company co-founder and CTO David Heinemeier Hansson.  They did not prevent employees from having such conversations in a personal capacity.  But the internal reception to the more inclusive guidelines was not overly welcome, with reports coming in that a third of the company's employee base had walked out, accepting severance packages.

A software company comes up with a brilliant corporate speech policy.  Basecamp is remote work software that provides a single online environment in which workers on a single project can consolidate everything they do on that project.  No matter where you are, there's a virtual meeting space in cyberspace.  That's pretty cool.  What's really cool about Basecamp, though, is its CEO's new rule: people may not discuss politics at work.  With that single announcement, a third of the workforce quit.  Other American corporations should follow suit. [...] This is the American ethos:  employees are paid to get work done, not to stand on soapboxes, and employers exist to give them a safe environment and a decent salary for their work, not to try to force their lifestyle choices.

One-Third Of Basecamp Employees Quit After Ban On Political Discussions At Work.  Roughly one-third of employees at Basecamp are quitting after the company instituted a 'controversial' ban on wokeness in the workplace, according to TechCrunch.  After CEO Jason Fried announced in a Monday blog post that employees would no longer be able to openly share their "societal and political discussions" at work, around 20 of the company's 60 employees simply couldn't handle minding their own business and focusing on what they were hired to do.  "Every discussion remotely related to politics, advocacy or society at large quickly spins away from pleasant," Fried wrote in the blog post.  "You shouldn't have to wonder if staying out of it means you're complicit, or wading into it means you're a target."

The CIA's woke recruitment video gets panned.  A new CIA recruitment video has been widely ridiculed online after the recruit described herself as an 'intersectional cisgender millennial'.  The unnamed CIA officer, 36, tells viewers she is 'unapologetically me', adding that she to suffer from 'imposter syndrome' but now refuses to 'internalize misguided patriarchal ideas of what a woman can or should be.'  But the clip has sparked a fierce reaction online with users labelling it 'woke'.  Another said:  'The world is laughing at us.'

The CIA Goes Full-Blown WOKE, Release Commerical Targeting 'Cisgender Millennials' Featuring An Agent With A Mental Disorder.  The Central Intelligence Agency's recent advertisement profiling a "cisgender millennial" agent is being criticized and ridiculed by social media, especially on Twitter where the hashtag #CIA is trending.  The ad follows a 36-year-old Latina CIA agent, who identifies herself as a "woman of color" who has been "diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder."  "I am intersectional, but my existence is not a box-checking exercise," the agent says in the video, later adding that she "refuse[s] to internalize misguided, patriarchal ideas of what a woman can or should be."  [Video clip]

Chinese Leader Xi Jinping Lays out Plan to Control the Global Internet:  Leaked Documents.  Chinese leader Xi Jinping personally directed the communist regime to focus its efforts to control the global internet, displacing the influential role of the United States, according to internal government documents recently obtained by The Epoch Times.  In a January 2017 speech, Xi said the "power to control the internet" had become the "new focal point of [China's] national strategic contest," and singled out the United States as a "rival force" standing in the way of the regime's ambitions.  The ultimate goal was for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to control all content on the global internet, so the regime could wield what Xi described as "discourse power" over communications and discussions on the world stage.

Cop suspended for mocking LeBron James has GoFundMe erupt for over $289,000.  The cop who mocked LeBron James in a viral video got suspended.  Now there's a GoFundMe for him that has over $289,000 at the time of publication.  The police officer was mocking LeBron James soon after his "You're Next" tweet targeted the police officer who shot Ma'Khia Bryant.  LeBron James deleted the tweet and posted again suggesting it was out of anger, despite him having the facts and possibly not even watching the video to see Ma'Khia Bryant had a knife in her hand as she ran at another girl who was in a defensive stance.

Washington DC Is Paying $1.6 Million In Settlements To Rioters At Trump's Inauguration.  The double standard of justice continues.  Washington D.C. is going to pay $1.6 million in settlements to those who were arrested for rioting at Trump's inauguration.  According to lawsuits filed protesters were arrested without cause and excessive force was used. [...] Trump supporters who were at the capitol on January 6th are not getting the same treatment.  While they do nothing about the crimes committed by the deep state and radical left they are targeting every Trump supporter.  The FBI is now focusing in on a Grandmother who just walked through the U.S. Capitol!

UFOs are real, feds' cover-up fueled by fear: ex-Pentagon whistleblower.  UFOs exist — but the government doesn't want you to know it, according to the ex-Pentagon official who says he ran the program investigating "unidentified aerial phenomena" or UAP.  Recalling the revelatory instant when he recognized that UFOs were bona fide, controversial whistleblower Luis "Lue" Elizondo exclusively told The [New York] Post, "... [N]ow we have to do something about it.'"  However, Elizondo has not been able to get the feds to act on what he describes as a serious national security risk due to a litany of roadblocks — including a cover-up of the existence of UFOs because of religious objections, concerns over tarnishing its own reputation and fears of inciting public panic.

Former Sen. Harry Reid thinks Lockheed Martin may have UFO fragments.  Former Nevada Sen. Harry Reid believes US defense contractor Lockheed Martin may have once had fragments of a crashed UFO in its possession, it was revealed Friday.  Reid, 81, told The New Yorker that he had never actually seen proof of the remnants — but tried, unsuccessfully, to get approval from the Pentagon to find them.

Goodbye Humvee, Hello Z-MAG: Meet Israel's New All-Terrain Military Vehicle.  Israel's Ministry of Defense is procuring Z-MAG, a unique all-terrain vehicle for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).  The IDF traditionally has used several types of light armored vehicles and jeeps, including thousands of Humvees.  Now Z-MAG will be one of the IDF's future vehicles as the army continues to modernize and use new technology.  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), one of Israel's largest defense companies, acquired the manufacturing of Zibar, Z-MAG, and ZD vehicles from off-road vehicle manufacturer Ido Cohen, the company said last year.  At the time IAI said that the all-terrain vehicles would be upgraded for military and homeland defense applications with a range of intelligence, radar, and communication systems manufactured by IAI's ELTA Systems.

US reveals suspected energy weapon attacks near Trump White House in 2020: Report.  Federal agents are reportedly looking into a suspected directed energy weapon attack near the White House in November of last year while President Donald Trump was still in office, as well as another suspected attack on a White House staffer the year prior.  The suspected November attack took place near the Ellipse, the large oval lawn on the south side of the White House, according to sources for CNN.  U.S. Secret Service agents were sickened during the incident, according to multiple current and former officials.  Details about the November attack are still limited, but CNN reported defense officials briefed lawmakers on the Senate and House Armed Services Committees on the matter earlier this month.  Recent reports have detailed defense officials' efforts to brief lawmakers about several different incidents of directed energy attacks, including at least one in Syria in the fall of 2020 that sickened several U.S. troops with flu-like symptoms.

Report: Chinese Investors Seeking Stake in Saudi Oil Company Aramco.  Reuters reported Wednesday that "major Chinese investors" are in talks to buy a stake in Saudi Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia.  Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) mentioned the possibility of selling some Aramco stock in a television interview Tuesday [4/27/2021].  "I don't want to give any promises but there's a discussion for acquisition of one percent of one of the pioneer companies for energy that will be a great deal to enhance the sales of Aramco in the country of this company," he said.

DC agrees to $1.6M settlement in lawsuits over mass arrests of Trump inauguration protesters.  The nation's capital reached a settlement over allegations that city police officers unlawfully arrested and detained more than 200 people protesting or observing protests of former President Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2017.  The Washington, D.C., government will pay a combined $1.6 million to settle the two lawsuits over the mass arrests, according to court documents filed Monday which alleged that D.C. police violated the First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendment rights of plaintiffs, citing the use of pepper spray, flash-bang grenades, concussion grenades, and stingballs.  The lawsuits also alleged many plaintiffs were arrested without probable cause and that they were detained for 16 hours without access to food, water, or restrooms.

Used pickup prices are skyrocketing amid new vehicle shortage.  A sharp drop in the supply of new vehicles due to the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage coupled with a strong demand for cars as the economy continues its post-lockdown recovery has led to an increase in used car prices with pickups leading the way.  According to used automobile wholesaler Manheim, the average wholesale price for a pickup hit $30,093 in mid-April, which is up from #28,121 a month earlier and $17,201 last April when the industry was oversupplied during the worst part of the coronavirus lockdowns.  Manheim chief economist Jonathan Smoke said the increase should be reflected in retail prices within six to eight weeks.

Apple, Retail Groups Continue Lobbying Congress On Chinese Slave Labor Bill.  Apple and several retail trade groups continued lobbying policymakers in the first quarter of this year on a bill to prohibit American firms from using Chinese forced labor, according to disclosures filed with Congress this week.  Apple paid Fierce Government Relations, a Washington, D.C. firm, $90,000 to lobby the House and Senate on multiple pieces of legislation, including the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, according to Fierce's lobbying disclosure filing.  The tech giant also paid $90,000 to Invariant LLC, another Beltway-based firm, to work on several bills and to monitor "legislative action on workforce and supply chains in China."

Cops found 'cryptic writing and emblems' in Phillip Adams' home.  Former NFL player Phillip Adams may have become involved in a new religion before going on a killing rampage that left six people dead in South Carolina earlier this month.  After searching the ex-athlete's home, detectives said they had learned that Adams 'had been acting differently' and was 'possibly following a new religion or ideology'.  Investigators also discovered numerous notebooks containing 'cryptic writing with different designs and emblems' in Adams' room although they indicated they were not able to determine the meanings of these.

China's Fishing Fleet Is Vacuuming the Oceans.  Communist China seems increasingly to be depleting the world's oceans of marine life.  The country has by far the world's largest fishing fleet of anywhere between 200,000 to 800,000 fishing boats — accounting for nearly half of the world's fishing activity — approximately 17,000 of which belong to its distant-water fishing fleet.  The growth has been made possible by enormous state subsidies.  In 2012, for instance, the Chinese state poured $3.2 billion in subsidies into its fishing sector, most of it for fuel.  However, according to a report from 2012, "government support for the fishing and aquaculture sector could be as much as CNY 500 billion (USD 80.2 billion, EUR 61.7 billion) when regional and national subsidies for rural-based fish farmers are taken into account."  As noted by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), many industrialized countries, having depleted their domestic waters, go distant-water fishing in the territorial waters of low-income countries, but China's distant-water fleet is by far the largest in the world.  The ODI also noted that ownership and operational control of China's fleet is both "complex and opaque".

Apple claims 'no reasonable consumer would believe' hitting 'buy' button means you forever own the digital content they sold you.  Our high-tech overlords are redefining the word "buy" when it comes to online purchases of digital content from them.  They seem to conflate it with "rent."  Class action lawsuits are challenging the two most valuable companies in the world on this point.

Why lawmakers are so interested in Apple's and Google's "rents".  I suspect you, unlike me, had better things to do last Wednesday than watch the Senate antitrust subcommittee hearing on Apple's and Google's mobile app stores.  But if you did tune in, and you're not an economist, you might have been baffled by that exchange.  What is a monopoly rent — a term that was mentioned over and over at the hearing — and why is it bad?  What does it have to do with app stores?  In economics, the concept of rent refers to money that a business makes in excess of what it would get in an efficient, competitive market.  In other words, it's money that isn't earned by actually creating value.  When corporations lobby government to give them a tax break or a special regulatory favor, they are often accused of "rent seeking."  It's a pejorative term, and the precise limits of it are up for debate; it can be hard to draw the line between fair profits and unreasonable rents.  But the basic premise is that businesses should try to get rich by improving their products and services, not by gaming the system.

Elon Musk says 'bunch of people will probably die' during Mars mission.  Elon Musk has admitted that "a bunch of people will probably die" in the race to get to Mars.  The SpaceX pioneer made his blunt prediction as he laughed at how his planned Mars mission was being seen as "some escape hatch for rich people."  "You might die, it's going to be uncomfortable and probably won't have good food," Musk told Peter Diamandis, the founder and chairman of the X Prize Foundation for scientific discovery.  Advertisements for the journey should note how it will be an "arduous and dangerous journey where you may not come back alive," Musk said with a chuckle.

A mystery:  Why is the Pentagon sitting on four percent of all internet addresses?  This is just a really odd story that's been bouncing around for a little while now, but the Associated Press is reporting that at least some details have emerged pointing to a possible explanation.  On January 20th (the day Joe Biden was inaugurated as president), a shadowy company in Florida announced that it was now managing a massive chunk of all the available internet addresses in the world and they were doing so on behalf of the United States Department of Defense.  The term "massive" isn't hyperbole in this case.  We're talking about more than 175 million addresses or roughly 4% of the total available domains.  Virtually all of this internet space was unused, too.  The problem was that the Pentagon didn't seem to have anything to say about it and the company making the claim barely existed except on paper, having only been incorporated last September.  Some additional probing by journalists has now produced a few answers, but many questions still remain.

Pentagon quietly transfers 175 million internet addresses worth $4 BILLION to mysterious firm at shared workspace in Florida.  A very strange thing happened on the internet the day President Joe Biden was sworn in.  A shadowy company residing at a shared workspace above a Florida bank announced to the world's computer networks that it was now managing a colossal, previously idle chunk of the internet owned by the U.S. Department of Defense.  That real estate has since more than quadrupled to 175 million addresses — about 4 percent the size of the entire current internet.  It's also more than twice the size of the internet space actually used by the Pentagon.

Atlanta dethroned as world's busiest airport.  [Scroll down]  The second surprise there, the fact that China's airports take 7 of the top ten slots for the busiest airports in the world, is even more significant.  Part of the surge is because the pandemic that originated in China has devastated other countries' business travel, the core of the airline industry's traffic, while China's economy has bounced back much faster.  (Why that is the case ought to be a central political issue of our time.)

Manchin rails against eliminating filibuster, says he's not 'going to be part of blowing up this Senate'.  Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., on Sunday [4/25/2021] pushed back against progressive Democrats who call him a "roadblock" to their liberal proposals, emphasizing he is "not going to be part of blowing up this Senate."  CNN's "State of the Union" anchor Dana Bash asked Manchin how he would respond to Democrats who say that he is one of the "main roadblocks" to President Biden passing his "ambitious agenda," prompting Manchin to say, "I'm not a roadblock at all."  "I am not going to be part of blowing up this Senate of ours or basically this democracy of ours or the republic that we have," Manchin said, referring to the Democratic push to eliminate the filibuster.  "If we have a 51-vote threshold in the Senate, the same as the House — the House wasn't designed to be partisan."

NYPD Officers Leaving In Droves, 75% Increase In Quitting Or Retirement In 2020.  The members of the NYPD grew so disenchanted with their jobs in 2020 that over 5,300 uniformed officers either retired or quit, an astonishing 75% increase over the year before, amounting to 15% of the total number of officers on the force.  The impetus for the officers quitting seemed to be the death of George Floyd and the unrest that followed; between May 25 and June 24, 2020, a whopping 272 officers left the force in one month.  2,600 officers quit and 2,746 filed for retirement, according to the New York Post.  The 5,346 officers who left the force were nearly 2,300 more than left the force in 2019, when 1,509 officers quit and 1,544 filed for retirement.

Jim Clyburn Fined $5,000 For Bypassing Metal Detectors Outside House Floor.  House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn was fined $5,000 Friday for bypassing the metal detectors before walking on the floor.  The House Ethics committee released a statement, saying Clyburn had been fined and that he has appealed the fine.  The House installed magnetometers in early January and require all members of Congress to walk through them before entering the chamber after rioters supporting Trump stormed the U.S. capitol, committing acts of vandalism and violence.  Clyburn denied breaking House rules to CNN, saying:  "I have no idea," adding:  "It's just somebody on the other side trying to cause mischief."  For a first-time offense, the fine is $5,000, a second-time offense is $10,000.

Former Coca-Cola Employee Convicted of Stealing $120 Million Worth of Trade Secrets to Sell in China.  A Chinese-born American chemist was found guilty on April 22 for her role in a scheme to steal trade secrets worth an estimated $120 million from American companies for the purpose of setting up a Chinese company that would manufacture the product for the global market.  After a 12-day trial, 59-year-old You Xiaorong — also known as Shannon You — of Lansing, Michigan, was convicted of conspiracy to commit trade secret theft, conspiracy to commit economic espionage, possession of stolen trade secrets, economic espionage, and wire fraud, according to the Justice Department.  While working at two U.S. companies — Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Georgia, and Eastman Chemical Company in Kingsport, Tennessee — she stole trade secrets related to BPA-free (bisphenol-A) coating technology, which lines the insides of cans and other food and beverage containers to prevent flavor loss, corrosion, and reactions to the food or beverage content.

Coca-Cola GC who pushed law firms on diversity resigns post after less than a year.  Bradley Gayton, who joined the Coca-Cola Co as general counsel in September and made headlines for requiring its law firms to staff its matters with diverse lawyers or lose its business, has resigned, the beverage giant said in a Wednesday [4/21/2021] filing.  Gayton will now serve as an outside consultant to Coca-Cola's chief executive, the Atlanta-based company said in a statement and a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. [...] Gayton's new consulting agreement is non-exclusive and expires at the end of next April.  Under its terms, he is set to receive a lump-sum, $4 million "sign-on make-whole" payment this month and an additional $8 million combined in monthly installments, the filing said.

Cotton singles out Schiff as 'potential source' for hyped Russian bounties reporting.  House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff may have been a source for media reports last year that hyped intelligence about how the Russian government had offered bounties to Afghan militants to kill U.S. troops, according to a Republican lawmaker.  Sen. Tom Cotton told Lisa Boothe on her podcast, The Truth with Lisa Boothe, that the leaks were "probably as likely" to have come from Democrats in Congress as the U.S. intelligence community and specifically name-dropped Schiff, a California Democrat.  The Arkansas Republican was reacting to the White House saying last week the U.S. intelligence community had only "low to moderate confidence" in intelligence that was used by former President Donald Trump's critics to say he was ignoring information out of deference to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

From 'Insurrectionists' to 'Interruptionists'.  Well, this is a bummer for the sedition-baiting crowd.  The Biden Justice Department last week announced its first plea deal related to the January 6 protest on Capitol Hill:  Jon Ryan Schaffer pleaded guilty to two charges — obstruction of an official proceeding and entering the Capitol with a dangerous or deadly weapon.  Schaffer, who has no criminal record, faced six counts of various trespassing and disorderly conduct offenses.  (He did not plead guilty to any of the initial charges.)

Florida Sheriff To Incoming Residents Fleeing Blue States; 'Welcome To Florida, But Don't Vote Stupid.".  For any American who values liberty, freedom, patriotism, and 'America First,' if you're currently living in a blue-state or blue-city hell and are seeking to escape, there are a number of 'free states' where you can go to live a better life.  Missouri is good.  Texas is good.  The Dakotas would work.  Oklahoma and Kansas and Tennessee and Kentucky are options.  So, too, is Mississippi, Arkansas, Utah, and Idaho.  But wait — what if you're an American who values liberty, freedom, patriotism, and 'America First,' and who also wants really good weather for the majority of the year?  Yes, there's an option for those folks, too:  Florida.  Thanks to the Republicans who run that state, Florida has become a beacon of industry, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  That didn't come easy and it is a constant battle to keep the state that way.  Which brings me to a particular Florida law enforcement leader who had something to say about that very subject this week.

Executive Order Canceling the Constitution.  On April 15, Preident Biden signed an Executive Order on Blocking Property with Respect to Specified Harmful Foreign Activities of the Government of the Russian Federation.  Contrary to its title, this EO is not about Russia.  It is designed to allow the Biden administration to deprive American citizens and organizations of their rights and property by arbitrarily linking those persons to real, imagined, or vaguely defined activities of the Russian government.  The Biden administration unilaterally makes the determination and requires neither criminal acts nor intent.  The punishment is blocking assets and a prohibition on any dealing with the accused person.  Spouses and adult children of individuals found guilty by accusation under this EO are punished, too.  The EO was preceded by some distracting maneuvers, both diplomatic (hostile rhetoric toward Russia) and military (sending naval ships toward the Black Sea and recalling them back, as if dealing with Russian threats).  Thus, many people assumed that the EO was directed at Russia, and completely missed the fact that it is directed at dissent here, at home.

The Catholic Church is Building Mosques Now:  What could possibly go wrong?  Celebrate diversity!.  Gloria.tv reported Saturday [4/17/2021] that in France, "Tours Diocese donated money for the construction of a local mosque," and that "Tours Bishop Vincent Jordy justified his donation on April 15 with the fact that for John Paul II's 1996 visit to the city, the local Muslims made a symbolic donation which the diocese wanted to reciprocate.  Riposte-Catholique.fr adds that in 2015, Auch Diocese — where John Paul II never visited — donated €5000 for a mosque."  Also, the amount of the Muslims' "symbolic donation" was not reported, but it is not likely to have been enough to build a church, much less two churches.  Meanwhile, Bishop Stephen Mamza of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Yola in Nigeria is building houses in Yola for people who have lost their homes due to jihad terror activity by the Islamic group Boko Haram, whose official name is People Committed to the Prophet's Teachings for Proselytizing and Jihad.  Since many of those displaced are Muslims whom Boko Haram didn't think were Islamic enough, Bishop Mamza also built them a mosque.

It Was Worse Than We Thought:  NO ONE Met Japanese Prime Minister at the White House Door Except Stationary Army Guard.  In a highly disrespectful and embarrassing move, Kamala Harris welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to the White House on Friday [4/16/2021].  Joe Biden was nowhere to be found as Kamala Harris welcomed Yoshihide Suga, the first foreign leader to visit the Biden White House.  But it was way worse than we originally reported.  No one met Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga at the door when he arrived.  The only one standing there was a stationary Army guard.

Trump-Supporting Republican Vernon Jones To Primary RINO Brian Kemp In Georgia Governor's Race.  Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) officially has a primary challenger.  Former Democrat Vernon Jones announced he would be running for Georgia Governor — as a Republican! [...] On January 6th Vernon Jones officially announced that he would be joining the Republican Party.

This is what happens when the government prints money and passes it around:
U.S consumer prices surge in March, CPI finds, pushing inflation to 2 1/2-year high.  Consumer prices rose in March for the fourth month in a row and the pace of inflation hit the highest level in two and a half years, underscoring new pressures emerging on the economy as the U.S. recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.  The consumer price index jumped 0.6% last month, the government said Tuesday, spearheaded by the rising cost of oil.  Economists polled by Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal had forecast a 0.5% increase in the CPI.  The rate of inflation over the past year shot up to 2.6% from 1.7% in the prior month, marking the highest level since the fall of 2018.  The yearly rate of inflation is widely expected to surge in the next few months.

Consumer Prices Jump 0.6% in March, Biggest Gain Since 2012.  U.S. consumer prices increased a sharp 0.6% in March, the biggest uptick since 2012, while inflation over the past year jumped 2.6%.  The big gains had been anticipated and are largely expected to be a temporary blip rather than a reawakening of long dormant inflation.

House Democratic margin shrinks to 2 votes with swearing-in of Republican Julia Letlow.  House Democrats are barely holding onto their majority, with Rep.-elect Julia Letlow, R-La., set to be sworn in Wednesday morning.  Letlow will be joining the House in the seat originally won by her husband, Luke Letlow, who died in September from COVID-19 before he was supposed to be sworn in.  Julia Letlow won a special election in March.  This gives Republicans 212 seats in the House, catching up to Democrats' 218.  Since tie votes fail in the House, that means Democrats cannot lose more than two votes from their party to pass legislation if the GOP fully opposes them.  That slim margin of error could prevent Democrats from passing more progressive bills that moderates in their party may not support.

Is the Special Election in Texas 6 a 'Canary in GOP Coal Mine'?  Texas is turning blue.  We know because that's what we're told.  Despite Donald Trump winning the state in 2020 and the 10 Democratic targeted House races all ending up in Republican hands, the state is getting bluer all the time.  We know because... well, if the media tells us Republicans are sinking and Texas is where the "evidence" will appear next, naturally, the race to succeed Rep. Ron Wright, who died of COVID-19 in February, will be the "canary in the coal mine" according to Politico.

Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff dies in prison.  Bernard Madoff, the infamous architect of an epic securities swindle that burned thousands of investors, outfoxed regulators and earned him a 150-year prison term, died in a federal prison early Wednesday [4/14/2021].  He was 82.

U.S. soldiers should be at the Mexican border.
Pentagon will send 500 new troops to Germany in reversal of Trump plan.  The Pentagon on Tuesday [4/13/2021] said it will send an additional 500 U.S. troops to Germany in the coming months, marking a stark reversal of former President Trump's ill-fated push to move thousands of forces out of the country.  Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the shift after meeting with German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbaue, who hailed the plan as a "strong signal" of America's commitment to its European ally.  The 500 troops will join the roughly 35,000 American personnel now in Germany.  They are expected to arrive by the fall.

Due process is no more in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.  [Scroll down]  Due process is the underpinning of the rule of law:  Those in power cannot treat people in an arbitrary and capricious manner.  Instead, there are rules for dealing with problematic situations, whether criminal accusations or workplace wrongdoing, especially in the context of government employment.  Due process is a double-sided shield that, in addition to protecting Americans from those in power, also protects them from the passions of the mob[.]  A man like this, who can stand for the rule of law when the mob is baying for blood, is a treasure and should be cherished.  In a fraught situation, he placed profoundly important principles ahead of any personal feelings he might have had regarding the events that just put his city on the map.  It turned out that the City Council would have liked to cherish him but the members were too frightened to do so.  Immediately after the conference, the Council convened in an emergency session and promptly fired [City Manager Curt] Boganey.  As one council member stated explicitly, the council's decision was made entirely to appease the mob.

Daunte Wright shooting:  Brooklyn Center city manager fired after call for due process for police officer.  Brooklyn Center City Manager Curt Boganey was fired on Monday evening, hours after he publicly disagreed with Mayor Mike Elliott's assertion that the police officer who fatally shot a Black man in the Minneapolis suburb should be immediately fired in response to the incident.  "Effective immediately our city manager has been relieved of his duties, and the deputy city manager will be assuming his duties moving forward," Elliott wrote on Twitter.  "I will continue to work my hardest to ensure good leadership at all levels of our city government."

Bitcoin Was Supposed to Be a Way Around Corporate Gatekeepers.  Now Big Companies Are Hopping On Board.  A year ago, Bitcoin was just a curiosity for many companies.  That's starting to change.  More than two dozen public companies now own some cryptocurrencies on their balance sheets.  Many more are starting to offer services to people interested in buying Bitcoin or to companies that want to hold it or accept it for payments. [...] Helping to push Bitcoin further into the mainstream have been traditional Wall Street institutions that are figuring out how to update their current systems to offer the same services for crypto that they do for cash.

If you're making counterfeit money, head to Minneapolis. They'll take it.
Retailers [are being] urged to re-think police calls for low-level crimes after George Floyd's death.  George Floyd died in police custody after a corner store clerk reported he had used a fake $20 bill, a nonviolent offense so low-level that police don't usually take people to jail for it. [...] In response to community outcry following Floyd's death, the owner of the Cup Foods store said they would no longer contact police in cases of nonviolent crime, as they did for Floyd's suspected counterfeit bill.  Raymond Moss, who runs the St.  Paul-based Carl Moss Institute that helps young people who have been incarcerated re-enter society, believes more stores need to forgo calling the police for small crimes and change the loss prevention culture among their security officers and staff.

The Editor says...
[#1] Counterfeiting is a federal crime.  It is not "low-level."  [#2] When the police tried to put George Floyd in the back of a cop car, he went berserk, because he was already about to die from a drug overdose.  [#3] Failing to report petty crime will result in more serious crime.  Who decides where to draw the line?  [#4] There's already too much selective enforcement of the law.  If you're white, no offense is too petty to overlook.

Portland Plans to Combat Crime with Unarmed Park Rangers.  Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler reportedly backed down from his request the police bureau be given $2 million in emergency funds and instead voted with city commissioners to spend $6 million on grants to community groups and also hire 24 park rangers.  "The deal gives police no money but calls for the Portland Police Bureau to assemble a new gun violence team to replace the one eliminated last June, when the city defunded its police by $15 million in the midst of nightly social justice protests," Fox News reported Friday [4/9/2021].

JAMA pulls plug on editor; fired for questioning 'existence of structural racism' on podcast.  An editor at the Journal of the American Medical Association is out of a job after criticizing the concept of structural racism in the healthcare field during a February podcast.  Dr. James L. Madara, CEO and executive vice president of the American Medical Association, announced in a statement that the journal had accepted the resignation of Deputy Editor for Clinical Reviews and Education Dr. Edward H. Livingston, accusing him of hosting a "harmful" podcast that "both minimized the effects of systemic racism in health care and questioned its profound impact on millions of people across our country."  The AMA's CEO declared that "structural racism exists in the U.S. and in medicine" and that it's "not opinion or conjecture" but a fact proven "through the science and in the evidence."

7% of Americans don't use the internet.  Who are they?  For many Americans, going online is an important way to connect with friends and family, shop, get news and search for information.  Yet today, 7% of U.S. adults say they do not use the internet, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted Jan. 25-Feb. 8, 2021.  Internet non-adoption is linked to a number of demographic variables, but is strongly connected to age — with older Americans continuing to be one of the least likely groups to use the internet.  Today, 25% of adults ages 65 and older report never going online, compared with much smaller shares of adults under the age of 65.  Educational attainment and household income are also indicators of a person's likelihood to be offline.

The Editor says...
The Democrats often say that high-speed internet service should be available in every part of the country, but the poll reported above shows that some people don't care about the internet at all.  The last time I checked, just over one percent of American households do not have a television.  With TV's so cheap and plentiful, that must be voluntary.  (It's voluntary at my house).  Some people just want to isolate themselves from all the noise.

'Is there an actual plan?' New Yorkers rip De Blasio for saying residents 'don't live in fear' amid crime spike.  Mayor de Blasio boldly insisted Wednesday [4/7/2021] New Yorkers are unrattled after 34 of them failed to dodge a fatal bullet last month, after a 5-year-old Brooklyn girl was grazed by a gunshot Monday outside her home, and after a Times Square tourist who'd just taken in a Mets game was hit by a stray shot walking to his hotel.  "I do not believe New Yorkers are living in fear," the mayor declared.  "It's just not who we are.  I believe there are some real issues we have to address .... But New Yorkers don't live in fear.  They keep moving forward.  I really believe that."

The Editor says...
If "New Yorkers don't live in fear," why is everybody wearing face masks?  Because they live in fear!

China warns Biden:  Cave to our demands or forget about your climate agenda.  A critical meeting on climate change, organised by the UK, appears to be the latest victim of an ongoing row with China.  Ministers from around 35 countries are due to participate in today's summit on climate and development.  But while the US, EU, India and others are taking part, China is notable by its absence.  The UK says that China was invited to the event but is not participating.

Rep. Lee Zeldin announces run for NY governor amid Cuomo scandals.  Long Island Rep. Lee Zeldin announced his candidacy for governor of New York on Thursday with the message:  "Cuomo's gotta go!"  Zeldin, 41, is the first GOP contender to officially challenge three-term Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2022.  "I'll bring the kind of relentless, fighting spirit towards helping to save our state that Cuomo reserves for multi-million dollar self-congratulatory book deals, cover-ups, abuse & self-dealing," the congressman tweeted. 

Cop-Hating Leftist Tishaura Jones Wins St. Louis Mayoral Race — As Homicides Soar in St. Louis City to 50-Year High.  Former St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura Jones defeated fellow Democrat Cara Spencer to win the St. Louis Mayoral race.  Tishaura Jones is a radical leftist who is very critical of St. Louis City policing. [...] The murder rate in St. Louis City hit a 50-year high in 2020.  Tishaura Jones said the city's brightest days are "ahead of us and not behind us."  That's Doubtful.

Man accused of trying to extort Matt Gaetz admits he asked for cash.  The man accused of trying to extort $25 million from Rep. Matt Gaetz's family admitted Monday that he asked the congressman's dad for cash — but denied that it was a shakedown.  Bob Kent, an ex-Air Force intelligence officer, confirmed to Sirius Radio host Michael Smerconish that he approached the Florida Republican's dad, Don Gaetz, for money last month.  The funds, Kent said, were to pay for an effort to free Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who disappeared in Iran in 2007, and is believed to be dead.  Kent claimed he has video evidence that Levinson is still alive and is being held hostage.

Keep Up The Delta Airlines Boycott — Delta Cancels Over 100 Flights on Sunday, But Cites "Staff Shortages".  Last week President Donald Trump asked for a full and unrelenting boycott of several corporations who are operating as political activists to advance an agenda on behalf of the far-left.  The corporations spoke against election integrity and are opposed to secure election reforms.  Among those corporations cited for immediate boycott was Delta Airlines.  On Sunday Delta cancelled over 100 flights: [...] Delta is claiming "staff shortages" suddenly appeared in multiple states, simultaneously; that had never happened before, immediately after the boycott began.  This story reeks of Delta cancelling the flights because of the boycott, but they don't want to admit the reason for the cancellation so they make up an artificial justification.  You decide what is likely.  A coincidental cancellation across multiple states, affecting multiple flights, in multiple locations, or the boycott is working?

Georgia GOP Legislators to Coca-Cola:  We Want You Out.  Certain Republican Georgia lawmakers want Coca Cola products removed from their offices after the corporation spoke out against the state's new election law, reports the Hill.  In a letter to Kevin Perry, president of the Georgia Beverage Association, eight members of the Georgia House of Representatives — Victor Anderson, Clint Crowe, Matt Barton, Jason Ridley, Lauren McDonald III, Stan Gunter, Dewayne Hill and Marcus Wiedower — complained about Coca-Cola.  "Given Coke's choice to cave to the pressure of an out of control cancel culture, we respectfully request all Coca-Cola Company products be removed from our office suite immediately," they stated.  "Should Coke choose to read the bill, share its true intentions and accept their role in the dissemination of mistruths, we would welcome a conversation to rebuild a working relationship."

The company racing to free US from reliance on China for electric cars, wind turbines, and satellites.  One company sees a business opportunity in the United States's reliance on China for rare earth elements, such as dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium, crucial for the proper functioning of night vision goggles and wind turbines, among scores of other kinds of important hardware.  There are 17 metals called rare earth elements, also referred to as REEs.  China has dominated the rare earth market for years and accounts for about 80% of U.S. imports of rare earth metals and compounds.  Demand for the metals is only growing as clean energy products such as wind turbines and electric cars, which use the metals, become more popular.  UCore aims to rip that hegemony away from China.  "It's a pretty dangerous spot to be in," UCore interim CEO Pat Ryan told the Washington Examiner.  "It's quite an imbalance, and it's got to be corrected, or the technology will continue to evolve with control by China."

The Duty to Dissent:  In our free republic, where the God-given right to free speech is recognized by our federal and state constitutions and guaranteed by our servant governments, a recent poll of our fellow citizens should amaze no one and enrage everyone.  Consider these findings:
  •   64 percent believe there is "a growing cancel culture" threatening their freedom (36 percent disagreed);
  •   36 percent said cancel culture is a "big problem"; 32 percent a "moderate problem"; 20 percent a "small problem"; 13 percent said it's "not a problem";
  •   54 percent are "concerned" that expressing online opinions would get them banned (by Big Tech) or fired by their employer; 46 percent "were not concerned."

New York opens Office of Cannabis Management following legalization.  A state-run website for a new Office of Cannabis Management was launched Friday following the legalization of recreational marijuana in New York.  The website is meant to educate the public "on the OCM's regulatory structure which, with the Cannabis Control Board, will oversee the licensure, cultivation, production, distribution, sale and taxation of medical, adult-use and cannabinoid hemp within New York State," Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office said.  The site also provides resources for individuals seeking medical cannabis practitioners and medical cannabis IDs as well as businesses seeking licensure to participate in the adult-use, medical and cannabinoid hemp industries even though legal marijuana cannot be sold by licensed dispensaries until at least next year.

Oil companies defeat New York City appeal over global warming.  A federal appeals court on Thursday [4/1/2021] rejected New York City's effort to hold five major oil companies liable to help pay the costs of addressing harm caused by global warming.  Ruling in favor of BP Plc, Chevron Corp, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil Corp and Royal Dutch Shell Plc, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions should be addressed under federal law and international treaties.  It rejected the city's efforts to sue under state nuisance law for damages caused by the companies' "admittedly legal" production and sale of fossil fuels, and said the city's federal common law claims were displaced by the federal Clean Air Act.

Georgia House passes bill stripping Delta of tax break after airline's CEO slammed new election integrity law.  Georgia lawmakers passed an amendment that would strip Delta Airlines of a tax break on jet fuel after the company publicly excoriated the state's newly enacted election integrity law.  Republicans in the Georgia House of Representatives narrowly passed an amendment that would revoke the tax break, costing the Atlanta-based Delta tens of millions of dollars per year, according to Forbes.  "They like our public policy when we're doing things that benefit them," state House Speaker David Ralston said about the move.  "You don't feed a dog that bites your hand.  You got to keep that in mind sometimes."

Detectives find cause of Tiger Woods crash but won't reveal.  The Los Angeles County sheriff said detectives have determined what caused Tiger Woods to crash his SUV last month in Southern California but declined Wednesday to release details, citing unspecified privacy concerns for the golf star.

Russia Massing Troops on Ukraine Border; US Forces in Europe Raise Watch to Highest Level 'Potential Imminent Crisis'.  Russian forces massing on the border with Ukraine have prompted the U.S. European Command to raise its watch level to its highest point of "potential imminent crisis", according to a New York Times report Tuesday night [3/30/2021].  On Wednesday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley spoke to senior Russian Gen. Valery Gerasimov about the buildup, according to Russia.  Four Ukrainian soldiers were killed last week in an extended battle in the contested Donetsk Region against Russia-backed separatists.  Russian forces that were thought to have gathered for training exercises near the border have stayed and grown in numbers, prompting concerns.

Mike Lindell:  New Social Media Platform Will Be Able to Handle Upwards of a Billion People.  The forthcoming social media website from MyPillow's Mike Lindell will be able to handle more than a billion users, Lindell said this week.  "I believe it will handle upwards of a billion.  If it doesn't, we will get to that capacity.  I don't think that's exaggerated, by any means," Lindell told The Epoch Times.  "It's going to be the safest, secure platform.  I built it expecting to be attacked."  The platform, dubbed Frank, has a landing page but isn't operational yet.  Lindell told The Epoch Times' affiliate NTD on March 11 that the website would be up and running within two weeks.

Biden Stimulus Delayed for Many Americans on Social Security.  Americans struggling to survive on federal benefits have waited weeks for word on their share of the $1.9 trillion stimulus.  Some of the country's most vulnerable citizens have been waiting weeks for the next round of promised financial aid from President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion "American Rescue Plan" coronavirus relief package, with no indication of when it would come.  Chief among those are the millions of elderly Americans who depend on federal assistance to survive.

Terrorism Charges Dismissed by Judge Against Three Men Accused of Plotting to Kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.  Jackson County District Judge Michael Klaeren (Michigan 12th District) has removed charges of terrorism against three men accused in a plot to kidnap governor Gretchen Whitmer.  According to the Detroit News, judge Klaeren said:  "There has to be some form of intent here to incite mayhem", and no evidence in that regard has been presented.  The terrorism charges fail for lack of evidence.

Identity Politics and Critical Race Theory Have No Place in US Military.  Sen. Tom Cotton, rightly angered that the Department of Defense is moving to indoctrinate U.S. military personnel in divisive critical race theory, has introduced a bill that would forbid it.  Like colleagues in the House who sent letters to Adm. Mike Gilday, the chief of naval operations, expressing severe disapproval of the Navy's decision to include books on critical race theory and other aspects of identity politics on professional reading lists, Cotton, R-Ark., and a former soldier, demonstrated he understands the corrosive effect that such teachings would have on the U.S military.

Limbaugh's Brother Addresses Fans Directly, Tells Them What Their 'Profound Love' of Rush Means.  It's been over a month since conservative talk show legend Rush Limbaugh passed away.  And ever since, the many voices of many American conservatives that would've otherwise remained unheard without his golden microphone, now speak in loving remembrance.  Limbaugh's brother David, awed by the immense outpour of love his now-deceased brother's audience continues to show, expressed his overwhelming gratitude in words every Rush fan needs to hear.

How a desert wind blew $10 billion of global trade off course.  The forecast for Tuesday, March 23, showed wind gusts of more than 40 miles per hour and sand storms sweeping through northern Egypt.  Indeed, such weather is common in the Sinai desert at this time of year.  The Suez Canal — one of the most critical, yet precarious waterways on the planet — remained open.  Ships were starting to form the daily convoy as the gusts picked up.  One of the world's biggest container vessels, the Ever Given, joined it.  The decision would reverberate globally within hours.

Suez Canal snafu costs $10 billion a day: report.  A massive container ship remains stuck in the Suez Canal for a sixth day on Sunday — hiking the estimated economic damage from the resulting shipping logjam to $60 billion.  The crisis is causing commercial losses of about $9.6 billion a day as ships that should have been heading between Europe and Asia stay immobilized, according to economic estimates calculated by Bloomberg.  Meanwhile, there is still no timeline for freeing the massive Ever Given container ship, which is about the length of the Empire State Building.  The vessel went aground Tuesday [3/23/2021] after being blown aground inside the canal by heavy winds, investigators said.

Myanmar military kills dozens of anti-coup protesters; baby injured.  Myanmar's military fatally shot dozens of protesters Saturday and a rubber bullet injured a baby amid anti-coup demonstrations, observers said.  The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said dozens of protesters were shot dead in the bloodiest day since the February coup with the latest deaths bringing the total number to about 400, according to the BBC.

US military has gone full woke, waging war on those who disagree with them.  Who exactly is Richard Torres-Estrada?  His Facebook page gives us some indication of who he is.  On it, you'll find an attack on the police, you'll find crude BLM propaganda, you'll find a picture of Donald Trump holding a Bible in front of a church.  Next to Trump is a photograph of Adolf Hitler.  The point is, they're the same.  So, this is the guy who now oversees hiring for the SEALs.  If you're wondering whether our military leadership has gone woke, consider that question settled for good.  The Pentagon is now the Yale faculty lounge, but with cruise missiles.  That should concern you.  Meanwhile, the rest of the world rolls on and gets more menacing by the day.  Tonight, the Suez Canal, one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, is blocked by a stranded container ship.  Was it an accident?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  We don't know.  What we do know is the Suez Canal is vital to the world's economy.  That's not an overstatement.  The Suez Canal is one of about a dozen strategic choke points that control virtually all global trade.  Now it's closed.

James Huntsman files lawsuit accusing Latter-day Saint Church of fraud.  A member of one of Utah's most prominent families, and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has filed a lawsuit accusing the church of fraud.  James Huntsman says the church spent tithes from members on commercial interests instead of charity, as it was intended.  "This is not a case about faith; it is a case about fraud and corporate greed," the lawsuit reads.  The lawsuit was filed Tuesday [3/23/2021] in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and first reported by the Washington Post.  Huntsman claims the Church lied to members about the use of funds that it said would be used for non-commercial purposes such as "missionary work, member indoctrination, temple work, and other educational and charitable activities."

Parler Just Flipped Big Tech's Jan. 6 Conspiracy Theory on Its Head.  In the days after the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, Big Tech moved against a conservative alternative social media platform, Parler, based on the premise that the rioters has used Parler to plan the attack on the Capitol and that Parler had failed in its responsibility to prevent such coordination. [...] On Thursday [3/25/2021], Parler sent a response to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform's request for documents regarding the riot, the company explained in a press release.  In that response, Parler revealed that it had "proactively developed an open line of communication with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the fall of 2020 and referred violent content and incitement from Parler's platform over 50 times before January 6th.  Parler also warned the FBI about specific threats of violence being planned for the events at the Capitol on January 6th."  The letter details Parler's efforts "to flag and remove unlawful speech from its platform that was not protected by the First Amendment."  It also notes that of the 270 charging documents filed by the Department of Justice, 80 percent of social media references involved Big Tech platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  "Only 5% referred to Parler."

North Korea:  Lockdown as a Strategy.  There used to be a saying that any country called the "People's Democratic Republic" was the reverse.  Nothing illustrates the semantic inversion better than the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, also known as North Korea). [...] The Democratic People's Republic's claim to be coronavirus-free cannot be independently confirmed in a country where lockdown is policy.  The secret to the Kims' ability to control the messaging is the principle that less is more.  To achieve this, they deplatformed channels in favor of systems like their unique low bandwidth closed-circuit radio.  DPRK closed-circuit radio works just like a giant apartment intercom system.  "When hundreds of houses and apartments were completed last year, North Korean media showed residents entering their new homes, welcomed with a pile of household goods.  On the wall of each home was something else provided by the state:  a dedicated receiver for the country's secretive third radio network that relays daily news, instruction, and propaganda."  It is obviously impossible to run an economy on the basis of an apartment intercom/loudspeaker.  But the royal Kims are not interested in running an economy, just maintaining control.  For this their infrastructure suffices.

Republican Candidate For Congress In Texas: 'Commies In DC' Are Ruining America.  Dan Rodimer is a former WWE wrestler who is running for Congress in Texas.  In one of his new ads, he takes aim at Nancy Pelosi and Democrats in Washington, DC and refers to them as 'commies' who are ruining America.

China's Myanmar dilemma grows deep and wide.  Soon after 17-year-old medical student Khant Nyar Hein was shot and killed during an anti-coup demonstration in Yangon's Tamwe township on March 14, his mother posted on social media that although her family is ethnically Chinese they do not support the People's Republic of China (PRC).  Ethnicity also came into play in Mandalay when a 19-year-old woman was shot by a Myanmar army sniper on March 3.  Widely circulated pictures of the Sino-Myanmar woman, known as Angel, taken just moments before she was killed showed her in a T-shirt with the slogan "Everything will be OK."

Global Plastic Shortage Triggered By Texas Deep Freeze.  The cold snap that shut down oil fields and refineries across Texas last month has severely impacted several petrochemical plants caused a global shortage of plastics, according to WSJ. Plastics produced on the Gulf Coast are essential for carmaking, medical devices, homebuilding, and consumables.  Prices for polyethylene, polypropylene, and other plastics used to make automobiles, computers, and pipes have reached their highest prices in years due to the shortages produced by the shuttering of petrochemical plants across Texas and other Gulf Coast states due to cold weather in February.  On top of a shortage of almost everything and soaring prices, as we explained days ago, wide-scale supply chain pains are expected throughout 2021.

Kylie Jenner, Billionaire, Asks Fans To Donate To Her Injured Makeup Artist's GoFundMe.  Kylie Jenner, who earned $590 million in 2020 alone, asked her fans to crowdsource $60,000 for her makeup artist's medical bills[.]  According to Forbes, Kylie Jenner made $590 million in 2020, making her the highest paid celebrity of that year.  Not the highest paid female celebrity.  The highest paid celebrity, full stop.  Her estimated net worth is just shy of a billion dollars, and her family's combined net worth?  Estimated to be somewhere around $2 billion.  And over the weekend, Jenner asked her social media fans to contribute to a GoFundMe to help pay for her makeup artist's medical bills.

China's rare earth supplies disrupted by Myanmar tumult.  Fears are growing of a global shortage of rare earth minerals used in the manufacture of high-tech devices as unrest in Myanmar following the February 1 coup disrupts exports to China.  Chinese companies started complaining about delays in shipments of the minerals since mid-March, reportedly due to the deteriorating political and economic situation, which Chinese media reports say have had an impact on logistics.  Rare earth metals are used in aerospace, advanced military equipment, mobile phones and electric vehicles, among other tech products.  Myanmar is a major supplier of rare earth ores, which are exported to China for extraction and processing, and then either used in local production or shipped on to global markets.

Army pulls the pin on 'gender neutral' combat fitness test; creates separate tiers for men, women.  The latest version of the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) will be gender-neutral in how performance is measured but will establish separate ranked tier systems for men and women, military officials said Monday as they rolled out the latest tweak to the Army's physical performance standards.  Army leaders said that both male and female soldiers will be measured on the same numerical scale of 360 to 600, with a 360 score being the minimum threshold.  In other words, a man and woman who run a mile in the same amount of time will have their performance measured equally on that point scale, and they will receive the same score.  But from there, the results will be separated out by gender in what Pentagon officials say is a recognition of reality.  The changes come amid criticism that previous tries at a truly "gender-neutral" test resulted in high failure rates for female soldiers.

Condo Association Says Resident's American Flag Is Too Noisy, Threatens Fines.  A condo association in Fargo, North Dakota, has threatened ongoing fines to a resident for the flapping sounds his flag makes on windy days.  Andrew Almer, like many Americans, hangs an American flag outside his home.  "It's something I've always wanted when I owned a home," Almer told Fox 13 on Friday.  "Having an American flag in the yard is just an American thing — that pride to have."  Now it looks like the patriotic display could cost him.

Wild Footage Shows Protesters In Myanmar Trying To Fight Armed Security Officers With Slingshots.  Protesters in Myanmar fired slingshots and threw Molotov cocktails toward lines of security forces after apparently coming under fire Wednesday in a rare incidence of anti-coup demonstrators fighting back against a relentlessly violent crackdown.

China uses Black Lives Matter to embarrass Biden Administration.  The Biden administration was thoroughly embarrassed and unprepared in their first diplomatic meeting with the Chinese delegation yesterday [3/18/2021].  On U.S. soil, the Chinese mocked U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.  "Many people within the United States actually have little confidence in the democracy of the United States," top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi told the Biden administration, citing the Black Lives Matter movement.  The Chinese brazenly violated protocol for their 2-minute openings, each extending their comments beyond the given time.  Mr. Yang spoke for 16 minutes.

How Covid-19 Supercharged the Advertising 'Triopoly' of Google, Facebook and Amazon.  When the pandemic upended the economy last year, companies took a hard look at their advertising plans.  Oreos maker Mondelez International Inc. shifted money meant for TV commercials during March Madness basketball and the Summer Olympics into digital platforms.  A hefty chunk went to Alphabet Inc.'s Google, which offered data on what locked-down snack lovers were searching for.  Athleisure company Vuori Inc. more than tripled its spending on Facebook Inc., spotting a chance to juice sales of its sweatpants to people stuck at home.  Office-furniture maker Steelcase Inc. built an operation to sell directly to workers and advertised aggressively on Amazon.com Inc.  The Big Three of digital advertising — Google, Facebook and Amazon — already dominated that sector going into 2020.  The pandemic pushed them into command of the entire advertising economy.

Weather Channel will stop using 'racially insensitive' term 'Dixie Alley' for tornado-prone region of the South.  The Weather Channel on Friday [3/19/2021] announced it will no longer use the term "Dixie Alley" on its television network.  The term describes the region of the southern U.S. that's prone to deadly tornado outbreaks.  "Effective immediately, we will discontinue use of the racially-insensitive term 'Dixie Alley' — and I call on others in the industry to do the same," Byron Allen — CEO of Allen Media Group, parent company of The Weather Channel television network — said in a statement.

Myanmar Military Seizes George Soros Organization's Bank Accounts, Announces Arrest Warrants After Coup.  The military government in Myanmar, in place after a coup provoked by widespread accusations of voter fraud plagued the country's recent election, has now seized the bank accounts of George Soros' Open Society Foundations.  After taking control of the country in a military coup provoked by allegations of voter fraud earlier this year, the Myanmar military government has seized several bank accounts belonging or affiliated with George Soros' Open Society Foundations, and has announced arrest warrants for 11 members of the organization in the country "on suspicion of giving financial support to the civil disobedience movement against the military junta."

Former intelligence chief: 'Quite a few more' UFOs detected than public knows.  A former top intelligence official raised expectations on Friday for a forthcoming U.S. government disclosure on what it knows about UFOs.  John Ratcliffe, who served as director of national intelligence under former President Donald Trump, was asked on Fox News by host Maria Bartiromo what he knows about unidentified flying objects that have captured people's imaginations for generations.  "There are a lot more sightings than have been made public," Ratcliffe said.  "Some of those have been declassified.  And when we talk about sightings, we are talking about objects that have seen by Navy or Air Force pilots, or have been picked up by satellite imagery that frankly engage in actions that are difficult to explain.  Movements that are hard to replicate that we don't have the technology for.  Or traveling at speeds that exceed the sound barrier without a sonic boom."  After saying that there have been sightings all around the world, Ratcliffe insisted that reports of "unidentified aerial phenomena" already in the public eye are only part of the bigger picture.

January 6 Narrative Collapse:  Assault Charges Spell Problems for DOJ, FBI in Officer Sicknick Case.  A major development broke this week in the Federal investigation into what exactly caused the death of U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick. [...] Here's what we know:  Two men, Julian Khater and George Tanios, have been charged with nine criminal counts for actions taken on January 6th just outside the steps of the U.S. Capitol building.  The most serious offense appears to be assault on an officer with a dangerous weapon, arising from Khater's alleged use of Tanios's chemical spray to tag Officer Sicknick and two other officers in the face.  It's not fully clear whether "dangerous weapon" or "deadly weapon" is the apt description.  The front page of the criminal complaint describes the assault as only being with a "dangerous weapon": [...] Everyone from Fox News to The Daily Caller to TMZ to World Socialist Website to Baltimore Jewish Life to the January 6th Wikipedia entry reported the charge as assault with a "deadly weapon"[.]

Tide wants you to wash in cold water to save the planet.  Detergent and cleaning brand Tide is urging Americans to do their laundry in cold water; to save the planet, and maybe save some money.  As part of their effort to lower the carbon footprint of doing laundry, Tide's new campaign is aimed at getting people to do an average of three out of four loads of laundry with cold water by 2030.  Currently, about half the loads of laundry in North America are with cold water.  The switch will cut down on the power consumption needed to heat the water.

The Editor says...
[#1] Hot water cleans better, every time.  [#2] Just make the soap, and leave the environmental preaching to someone else.  The detergent market is very competitive.  If I try all the other brands, I might not come back.  [#3]  If there is not enough power available in this country to wash clothes in warm water, the solution is to build more power plants; preferably fueled by America's 500-year supply of coal and 200-year supply of natural gas.

The Root accused of racism after piece by New York Times contributor declares 'Whiteness is a Pandemic'.  The digital magazine The Root was accused of racism Wednesday after publishing an article declaring "Whiteness is a Pandemic" in response to Tuesday's deadly shootings in Georgia.  There was a rush to conclude that the shootings that killed eight people at three Atlanta-area massage parlors were hate crimes after officials confirmed that six of the eight victims were Asian-Americans.  Investigators said Wednesday that the suspected gunman, 21-year-old Robert Long, told them he was motivated by a "sexual addiction".  They added that racism "did not appear to be the motive".  Long has since been charged with multiple counts of murder and assault.  In the piece, Root senior editor Damon Young argued that "Whiteness" is a "public health crisis."

Biden Admin Halts Navy Operations, Orders Sailors to Undergo 'Chilling' Stand-Down Training.  [Scroll down]  As one person on our team put it, "Why does the DoD only care about one kind of extremism?  Why do they refuse to talk about antifa?  Why is it extremist to attack a Capitol police officer, but not extremist to attack a Portland police officer?"  We were further lectured that "supremacists" were seeking to join the military to gain skills and proficiency with weapons.  But, of course, we know that inner-city gangs have been trying this for years, and yet there was no discussion of this.  Nor was there any mention of antifa, which explicitly and often openly promotes violent activities.  It seems odd that in 2020, when we saw 1,000 riots with varying levels of violence, our training would be centered on the one riot connected to the right and ignore the 999 connected to the left.

Ohio AG sues Biden administration over pandemic bill.  Ohio's attorney general filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration on Wednesday [3/17/2021] over a provision of the recently signed pandemic relief bill.  In a complaint filed in federal district court in Ohio, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R) challenged a provision in the legislation that forbids state and local government from using pandemic aid to offset tax cuts.  "Ohio seeks to enjoin federal officials from enforcing the unconstitutional Tax Mandate, and seeks declaratory relief establishing that the State of Ohio, under the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, retains the freedom to manage its own tax policy," the lawsuit reads.

U.S. has issued 90 million stimulus checks worth $242 billion, Treasury says.  The U.S. has thus far issued 90 million stimulus checks worth a collective $242 billion as part of President Joe Biden's landmark $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, according to a report released Wednesday [3/17/2021] by multiple government agencies.  The first batch of payments were mostly sent by direct deposit, and some recipients started receiving their checks this past weekend, the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced.  The Treasury said it also mailed about 150,000 physical checks worth about $442 million as part of the first wave of disbursements.

Convicted Democratic fund-raiser had secret ties to U.S. intelligence.  Imaad Zuberi hobnobbed for two decades among America's political elite, raising millions for Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton, texting with kings, princes, presidents and prime ministers and jet-setting with Republican senators like Lindsey Graham and John McCain. [...] When Zuberi was sentenced last month to 12 years in prison and more than $18 million in fines — one of the harshest penalties ever meted out for a donor fraud case — it seemed like an open-and-shut case of political corruption. [...] But back in the nation's capital, the U.S. government harbored a deep secret about Zuberi, a Pakistani-American who ran a highly successful venture capital firm with reach across the globe.  Just the News has confirmed from multiple current and former U.S. officials that Zuberi enjoyed a long and complex relationship with U.S. intelligence.  His early help to the Drug Enforcement Administration with illegal drug trade and the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department in the war on Islamic terrorism in the early 2000s eventually elevated him to becoming a valuable source inside Washington's security and spy establishment for much of the last two decades, the officials said.  They declined to be more specific.

Man Sues Hertz Over Lost Receipt That Was His Murder Alibi.  A Michigan man has sued Hertz, the car rental company, saying it failed to produce a receipt that would have proved his innocence before he was convicted of a 2011 murder.  The man, Herbert Alford, was convicted in 2016 of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Michael Adams, 23, in Lansing, Mich.  Mr. Alford insisted that he was innocent and that a car rental receipt from the Hertz location at the Lansing airport would prove that he was nowhere near the scene of the murder when it occurred in October 2011.  The company produced the receipt in 2018, and the charges against Mr. Alford were dropped last year.

Democrat Introduces Sensible Bill To Eliminate Clock Changes.  Have you recovered from once again having an hour stolen from your day on Saturday night?  This annoying practice has been with us for quite a while now but it's always seemed fairly pointless to me.  Beyond not providing any concrete benefits, it's an annoyance.  Every time I complain about changing the clocks twice per year, somebody always chimes in telling me to move to Arizona, but that's not a practical solution for everyone.  So how would you feel about doing away with it?  That may finally be possible with the latest submission of a bill that would keep the United States permanently on Daylight Savings Time.  Sponsored by Senator Ed Markey and already garnering bipartisan support, it sounds like we may actually be able to put an end to this nonsense.

Lockdowns: Class warfare of the rich and the professional class against the working class.  A year after "15 days to flatten the curve" began our lockdowns, we have enough data to answer the classic question about lockdowns (which still exist a year later in many places, including much of California):  cui bono?  (who benefits?)  The answer is:  as an individual, Jeff Bezos.  His stock in Amazon, the single biggest beneficiary of lockdowns, is worth billions of dollars more than before the lockdown.  As a group:  educated professionals, able to work from home via Zoom and other internet-based services and able to afford home delivery.

A Study Shows Very Few Capitol Hill Rioters Were QAnon Red-Staters With Ties to 'Right Wing' Groups.  A survey by the University of Chicago finds that most Capitol Hill rioters had no ties to any fringe right-wing groups and were engaged people outraged by what they believed was a rigged election.  While colorful weirdos with names such as QAnon Shaman and Baked Alaska stole the headlines, people who were arrested by federal officials during and after the riot were a "broader core of people" with a healthy skepticism about the veracity of the November 2020 election, according to the study.

Journalism Competition and Preservation Act could be a massive blow to small media companies.  The Journalism Competition and Preservation Act of 2019 is currently making its way through Congress and if passed, would be a massive blow to small media companies.  According to govtrack.us, the bill creates a four-year safe harbor from antitrust laws for print or digital news companies to collectively negotiate with online social media companies regarding the terms on which the news companies' content may be distributed by online content distributors.  A report published by Breitbart this week criticizes the bill, saying it would give Big Media companies a special exemption from antitrust law, allowing them to form a cartel, meaning big companies would maintain prices at a high level while restricting the competition.

Poll Finds Most Democrats Still Think Trump Stole The 2016 Election — Why Aren't They Being Canceled?  Pollster Scott Rasmussen recently came up with an interesting finding.  His poll showed that almost the exact same percentage of Americans think Hillary Clinton had the election stolen from her as think Donald Trump suffered the same fate in 2020.  So why is it that Democrats never get attacked for being seditionists?  Rasmussen (who founded but is no longer with the Rasmussen Reports polling firm) surveyed 1,200 registered voters, asking who they believe were the legitimate winners of the 2016 and 2020 elections.  What he found was that 52% of Democrats continue to believe that Clinton was the actual winner in 2016.  Only 34% of Democrats believe Trump was the legitimate winner, and 14% aren't sure.

U.S. Army Considers Reversing 'Gender Neutral Physical Test' After Majority Of Women Fail To Keep Up With Men:  Report.  The United States Army is reportedly considering doing away with its new "gender-neutral physical test" after test results showed that the majority of women failed while approximately 90 percent of men passed.  Officials are reportedly considering having different evaluation categories for men and women due to the physiological differences between the two.  "Research showed that the Army Combat Fitness Test [ACFT], which is the same for male and female soldiers, was leading to lower results for women with a knock-on effect for promotions," The Telegraph reported.  "An early Pentagon study showed that women were failing the ACFT at a rate of 65 percent, while only 10 percent of men did."  A report from last fall found that 54 percent of women failed the test while only 7 percent of men failed it.

Biden Admin Warns NY Sheriff Over Flying of Trump Flag in Boat Parade.  Joe Biden's handlers are not content with the fact that they managed to get rid of Donald Trump, because now they're going after his supporters and pretending as though they have the law on their side.  The Office of the Special Counsel has issued a warning to a New York sheriff that he allegedly violated an 82-year-old law that prevents federal workers from doing political stuff in their official capacity.

Some people read too many sci-fi novels.
Scientists want to send 6.7M sperm samples to the moon.  Scientists have begun to lay plans for repopulation, starting with a sperm bank — on the moon.  In what they're calling a "modern global insurance policy," mechanical engineers have proposed that humans establish a repository of reproductive cells — sperm and ova — from 6.7 million of Earth's species, including humans.  And the proposed bank, or "ark," would be beneath the moon's surface.

The Editor says...
Who's going to pay for this project?  Under what circumstances would it be necessary, feasible, or possible, to go get all that material from the repository?  It would be all but useless on the moon, so one infers that the stuff would be returned to the Earth.  By whom?  For what purpose?

Wall Street elites who fled to Florida amid COVID-19 want to return to NYC.  Wall Street elites who flocked to Florida to ride out the COVID-19 crisis now have regrets — and are eyeing a move back to the Big Apple.  "The main problem with moving to Florida is that you have to live in Florida," Jason Mudrick, the founder of Mudrick Capital Management, told Bloomberg.  Those among the upper crust are being drawn back to New York for its choice selection of private schools, restaurants and cultural institutions — as well as the city's deep pool of young talent when it comes to finance jobs.  "New York has the smartest, most driven people, the best culture, the best restaurants and the best theaters," the Manhattan resident of more than two decades admitted to the outlet.

The Editor says...
Yeah, your life in Florida must be really tough.  I feel so sorry for you.  It probably feels like Kansas, but with more rain.

The Socialist Revolution Expects Venezuela's Elderly to Live Off $0.63 a Month.  Time and time again the "Bolivarian, Socialist, Anti-Imperialist, and Profoundly Chavista" Revolution has stylized itself as a champion of the elderly.  In reality, being an elderly Venezuelan in times of socialist revolution means living a miserable retirement, on a pension so low that it's all but a death sentence.

The Man Who Tried To Stop The Space Shuttle Challenger Launch And Exposed NASA's Cover-Up Dies At 83.  Allan McDonald lived an incredible life dedicated to exploration and the pursuit of truth.  In 1986, McDonald had a very important decision to make:  To let the U.S. space shuttle Challenger fly despite adverse conditions, or to deny launch.  He refused to sign off on a launch that fateful January day, and he refused to remain silent when NASA attempted to cover up what really happened.  As the director of the solid rocket booster project at Morton Thiokol, the NASA contractor that built the rockets, he was the one who had to sign off on a launch.  But the night before the January 28 launch, McDonald had some serious concerns.  Concerns that would prove completely valid in the cold light of day.

No Labor Shortage: 17M Americans Remain Unemployed, All Want Jobs.  Nearly 17 million Americans remain unemployed in the United States economy, though all want full-time jobs, as President Joe Biden's administration looks to pack the labor market with foreign workers.  The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data for February finds that about ten million Americans are unemployed, 6.9 million are out of the labor force entirely and 6.1 million remain underemployed, but all want full-time work with competitive wages and good benefits.

Biden's German Shepherd has aggressive incident and is sent back to Delaware.  The two German Shepherds belonging to President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden were returned to the Biden family home in Delaware last week after aggressive behavior at the White House involving Major Biden, two sources with knowledge tell CNN.  Major, who was adopted by Biden in November 2018 from a Delaware animal shelter, had what one of the people described as a "biting incident" with a member of White House security.  The exact condition of the victim is unknown, however, the episode was serious enough that the dogs were subsequently moved to Wilmington, Delaware, where they remain.  CNN reached out to the White House for comment and did not immediately receive a reply.

At Least 30,000 U.S. Organizations Newly Hacked Via Holes in Microsoft's Email Software.  At least 30,000 organizations across the United States — including a significant number of small businesses, towns, cities and local governments — have over the past few days been hacked by an unusually aggressive Chinese cyber espionage unit that's focused on stealing email from victim organizations, multiple sources tell KrebsOnSecurity.  The espionage group is exploiting four newly-discovered flaws in Microsoft Exchange Server email software, and has seeded hundreds of thousands of victim organizations worldwide with tools that give the attackers total, remote control over affected systems.

Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin Starts To Crack On Filibuster, Signals Openness To Change.  Democrat Senator Joe Manchin (WV) appears to have started to shift his views on the filibuster with remarks that he made on two news shows on Sunday morning [3/7/2021].  The shift from Manchin comes after he has repeatedly stated that he would not vote to end the filibuster, despite pressure from the far-Left.  During the interviews on Sunday, Manchin repeatedly claimed that he was not open to ending the filibuster because he did not want to strip the minority party of their power in the Senate, but signaled that he was open to changing it. [...] Left-wing TPM editor Josh Marshall tweeted out a clip of the interview and noted that Manchin is apparently adopting the talking points that leftists are pushing in their attempts to combat the filibuster.

Rep. Lee Zeldin Has an Announcement for Gov. Cuomo.  "Cuomo's Gotta Go," said Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) on Twitter on Tuesday.  And he wants to be the guy to kick him out.  Fielding a nursing home scandal had already weakened Gov. Andrew Cuomo politically, but with a new trio of sexual harassment accusations against him, Cuomo finds even his own party starting to turn against him.  Zeldin sees an opening and he is "actively exploring" a run against Gov. Cuomo in 2022.

Contractor serving National Guard at U.S. Capitol defends catering service.  The caterer contracted to feed thousands of National Guard troops providing security at the U.S. Capitol defended its food service Thursday [3/4/2021], claiming that none of the cases of reported gastrointestinal illness among soldiers have been linked to the company.  "No cases of foodborne illness can be directly tied to this vendor," said Maria Stagliano, a spokeswoman for Sardi's Catering in College Park, Maryland.  The response follows a Wednesday announcement by the National Guard that at least 50 service members have been sickened with gastrointestinal issues after complaints that they were served bad food while on duty guarding the Capitol.

Biden Administration Fires Trump-appointed Lawyer Who Refused To Resign.  The White House fired the Trump-appointed General Counsel of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Friday evening, following her refusal to step down.  In a definite letter Friday morning [3/5/2021] to President Biden, Sharon Gustafson said she "respectfully" declined the White House's request for her resignation, noting she had only served half of her four-year term.  "I intend to honor that commitment," she wrote in a letter released by the Ethics and Public Policy Center.  "I have confidently given this advice to countless embattled clients over the last 25 years:  hold your head high, do your best work, and do not resign under pressure.  I stand in solidarity with them, I will follow that advice," she added.

Wall Street Made Huge Profits Off Deep Freeze, at Least on Paper.  Traders across Wall Street are poised for significant profits from the freeze that roiled energy markets and left swaths of the U.S. without electricity last month.  That is, if they can collect.  Goldman Sachs Group Inc. could gain more than $200 million from the physical sale of power and natural gas and from financial hedges after spot prices surged across much of the U.S., according to people with knowledge of the matter.  Morgan Stanley's gains could come in under $200 million, according to a person with familiar with the matter, and Bank of America Corp. stands to rake in profits as well.  But those gains in their totality may prove elusive given the crisis's fallout — tipping energy companies into bankruptcy, triggering legal challenges and prompting government intervention.  The uncertainty is such that Goldman executives estimate that the bank may realize less than half of its paper gains, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information isn't public.

Ebay scraps 'canceled' Dr. Seuss books from site.  Dr. Seuss' "canceled" books are becoming rarer by the minute.  EBay is barring users from reselling the six Dr. Seuss books that will no longer be printed due to their "racist" imagery — a move that comes after the books started going for hundreds of dollars on the auction site.  "EBay is currently sweeping our marketplace to remove these items," an eBay spokeswoman told the Wall Street Journal in an email.  The announcement comes after Dr. Seuss Enterprises, which publishes the author's books for Penguin Random House, said it would no longer print six titles — "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street," "If I Ran the Zoo," "McElligot's Pool," "On Beyond Zebra!," Scrambled Eggs Super!," and "The Cat's Quizzer."  A scan of eBay on Thursday [3/4/2021] showed a handful of the titles still available for sale on the site, although fewer than the prior day, the Journal said.

Outrage as eBay removes listings for canceled Dr Seuss books 'because they glorify violence' but allows copies of Mein Kampf and Louis Farrakhan's books to be sold.  Outraged Americans are demanding to know why eBay has banned them from reselling the six 'offensive' Dr Seuss books that are being canceled when copies of Hitler's Mein Kampf and Louis Farrakhan — whose anti-Semitic remarks are well known — are still available.  Ebay on Thursday started removing listings for the six Dr Seuss books that are no longer going to be produced.  They emailed people who had listed the books, saying that the post violated their 'offensive materials policy'.  The company has not released any kind of statement about it, nor have they responded to inquiries.

Dr. Seuss Books Hold 42 of Top 50 on Amazon Sales Ranking Chart.  Sales of Dr. Seuss children's books continue booming a day after the left tried to "cancel" the author's works on his birthday.  Dr. Seuss's books were among the leading 42 titles on the top 50 list of Amazon's "movers and shakers" on Wednesday morning [3/3/2021] after the ban was announced.

Phil Haney's warning to America:  Did he know something that got him killed?  A little over a week before government whistleblower Phil Haney was found dead on the side of a road in California, he was heard on a conference call discussing an interfaith initiative that involved Islamic organizations working with the Vatican and the U.S. government.  One of the people on that call with Haney was Elizabeth Yore, a longtime attorney and international activist who focuses on issues involving the Vatican, Islam and global child abuse.  "I was on this conference call with a group that included Phil, talking about the Abrahamic Faiths Initiative and Pope Francis," Yore told me in a phone interview Friday, March 5.  The Abrahamic Faiths Initiative was announced Jan. 14, 2020, a little over a month before Haney's mysterious death.

Marlboro Maker Asks FDA to Convince Americans Nicotine Isn't That Bad.  Marlboro-maker Altria Group Inc. wants to enlist an unlikely partner in convincing Americans that nicotine isn't as bad as they think — its regulator.  The company asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to tackle misperceptions about nicotine as part of a proposed $100 million advertising campaign to reduce the harm caused by tobacco, according to a letter seen by Bloomberg News.  That could be difficult with about three-fourths of U.S. adults incorrectly believing nicotine causes cancer, Altria said in the communication, citing government research.  Clearing up the drug's health risks will be key to the agency reducing smoking because it will help convince cigarette users to switch to non-combustible options for nicotine, the company said.

Canceled: Conservative comic strip 'Mallard Fillmore' dropped in 'unprecedented' move.  The conservative comic strip "Mallard Fillmore" has been plucked.  Bruce Tinsley, creator of the 27-year-old cartoon, said he was told this week by his syndication company that Gannett newspapers across the country simultaneously dropped the comic over two strips critical of President Biden and transgender participation in women's sports.  "It was a big shock," Mr. Tinsley told The Washington Times.  "From what I'm hearing, it was unprecedented.  My syndicate had never seen anything like it."

Capitol Police chief disputes FBI's account of pre-insurrection warnings.  Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman said her department received only an email warning of "war" at the Capitol, disputing testimony Tuesday by FBI Director Christopher Wray, who said his agency communicated the intelligence three different ways on the eve of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.  "The FBI only sent the email," Pittman told House appropriators Wednesday [3/3/2021].  Pittman appeared before the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee asking for a fiscal 2022 budget of $619.2 million, a boost of more than $100 million over the past year.  The budget request would add 212 sworn officers to fund a total of 2,112 uniformed and 453 civilian employees.  The force would use the additional officers for a standby quick response force, as threat assessment agents and as dignitary protection agents.

FBI Official Says No Guns Were Recovered During Capitol Riot Arrests.  A top FBI counterterrorism official testified on Wednesday [3/3/2021] that no firearms were recovered during arrests of rioters who breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.  "How many firearms were confiscated in the Capitol or on Capitol grounds during that day?" Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson asked Jill Sanborn, the FBI official, during a Senate Homeland Security hearing.  "To my knowledge, we have not recovered any on that day from any other arrests at the scene at this point," replied Sanborn, who serves as FBI assistant director for counterterrorism.  "I don't want to speak on behalf of Metro and Capitol police, but, to my knowledge, none," she added.

Chuck Schumer Used 'Green Eggs and Ham' to Sell Obamacare.  President Joe Biden joined the "cancel culture" this week by dropping Dr. Seuss from "Read Across America Day" after left-wing critics complained about the author's early caricatures and race-neutral beliefs.  But Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who leads the Democratic Party in the Senate, is among the many members of his party who have used Dr. Seuss to make political points.  In 2013, for example, Schumer used Dr. Seuss to argue for the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare.  Schumer cited the popular Dr. Seuss book Green Eggs and Ham, which Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) had read aloud on the Senate floor as he attempted to block the implementation of Obamacare.  Schumer argued that like the central character in Green Eggs and Ham, who resisted the dish until he actually tried it, Americans would enjoy Obamacare once they were forced to enroll in it.

SpaceX Starship rocket prototype nails landing... then blows up.  The latest heavy-duty launch vehicle prototype from SpaceX soared flawlessly into the sky in a high-altitude test blast-off on Wednesday from Boca Chica, Texas, then flew itself back to Earth to achieve the first upright landing for a Starship model.  But the triumph was short-lived.  Listing slightly to one side as an automated fire-suppression system trained a stream of water on flames still burning at the base of the rocket, the spacecraft blew itself to pieces about eight minutes after touchdown.

Mike Pence Speaks Out Against 2020 Election Irregularities.  Former Vice President Mike Pence has been extremely quiet since January 6th, when he presided over an Electoral College objection process that was cut short by his rules decisions.  Amid the Capitol uprising that even spurred him to be ushered out by the Secret Service, it seemed to be a foregone conclusion that Pence must have been partial to the arguments that there were no major irregularities in the 2020 elections.  Pence put that presumption to rest today [3/3/2021] with an op-ed published at the conservative Daily Signal.  In the opinion piece, the former vice president weighs in on the "election irregularities" that he believes played a role in keeping the 2020 election from being "free and fair."

Biden Gives China Full Access to Control the U.S. National Power Grid.  In his first week in office, President Biden put U.S. security at great risk by giving China autonomous ability to control the national power grid.  Biden issued executive order 13990 in which, buried amid matters purportedly designed to combat climate change, was an anomalous and potentially dangerous provision that suspends a key security measure put in place last May 1 by former President Donald Trump.  Biden's executive order permits China to have full access to the U.S. power grid for 90 days.  Trump's Executive Order 13920 declared an official national emergency with respect to the nation's electric grid and prohibited the acquisition or installation of "any bulk-power electric equipment ... designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied, by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign adversary."  In sum, Trump forbade the use of grid equipment that is made in China, Russia, or other hostile nations.  Trump's order was a common-sense response to real, proven threats.  Just last year, the Wall Street Journal reported that the United States seized a Chinese-built transformer because officials believed "its electronics had been secretly given malicious capabilities, possibly allowing a distant adversary to monitor or even disable it on command."

FBI official:  No shots [were] fired by rioters, [and] no firearms [were] recovered during [the] siege on [the] U.S. Capitol.  No firearms were recovered on the U.S. Capitol grounds on Jan. 6 during the riot, and no shots were fired by the demonstrators, an FBI official on Wednesday [3/3/2021] told Congress.  "To my knowledge we have not recovered any [firearms] on that day from any of the arrests at the scene at this point," said Jill Sanborn, assistant director of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division.  "No one has been charged with a firearms violation."  Sanborn made her comments during a joint oversight hearing in the Senate to examine the breach of the U.S. Capitol.  In addition to Sanborn, witnesses included the commander of the Washington, D.C. National Guard, and civilian officials from the Pentagon.

$1,400 stimulus checks in COVID relief bill would phase out at $80,000 instead of $100,000, according to deal between Biden and Democrats.  Senate Democrats reached a deal with President Joe Biden to limit the eligibility for $1,400 stimulus checks in his $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill, phasing the payments out for Americans earning over $80,000, according to two sources familiar with the deliberations not authorized to speak on the record.  The tweak is a key goal of moderates who did not want the checks to go to wealthier Americans[.]  The stimulus checks would phase out entirely at $80,000 of income for individuals, as opposed to about $100,000 in the version of the legislation passed by the House last week.  Joint filers would have their checks phase out entirely at $160,000.

Widely Used Flea Collar Linked to Nearly 1,700 Pet Deaths With No Warning From EPA.  For cat and dog owners, flea and tick collars is a staple for their animal's care.  Sadly, one of the most widely used flea and tick collars in the U.S., Seresto, is linked to hundreds of animal deaths and tens of thousand of animal injuries, not to mention hundreds of humans that have been harmed by the product according to Environmental Protection Agency documents.  However, the EPA has not warned the public of these risks.

Popular flea collar reportedly linked to 1,700 pet deaths.  A popular flea and tick collar is reportedly making thousands of pets sick and even killing some of them — and critics are blaming the Environmental Protection Agency for turning a blind eye to the problem.  The EPA, which is responsible for regulating products that contain pesticides, has received 75,000 incident reports about Seresto pet collars, developed by Bayer and manufactured by Elenco, since they were introduced in 2012, according to public records.  Those include 1,698 pet deaths and nearly 1,000 incidents involving harm to humans, according to an explosive report published Tuesday by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting and USA Today.

China appears to warn India:  Push too hard and the lights could go out.  Early last summer, Chinese and Indian troops clashed in a surprise border battle in the remote Galwan Valley, bashing each other to death with rocks and clubs.  Four months later and more than 1,500 miles away in Mumbai, India, trains shut down and the stock market closed as the power went out in a city of 20 million people.  Hospitals had to switch to emergency generators to keep ventilators running amid a coronavirus outbreak that was among India's worst.  Now, a new study lends weight to the idea that those two events may have been connected — as part of a broad Chinese cyber campaign against India's power grid, timed to send a message that if India pressed its claims too hard, the lights could go out across the country.  The study shows that as the battles raged in the Himalayas, taking at least two dozen lives, Chinese malware was flowing into the control systems that manage electric supply across India, along with a high-voltage transmission substation and a coal-fired power plant.

Chinese companies buy up UK private schools, sparking fears of CCP influence.  Chinese companies have bought up 17 U.K. private schools in the United Kingdom in recent years, sparking fears of expanding Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence in the country as the schools struggle financially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, British media reported.  "Hundreds of independent schools left in dire financial straits by the coronavirus pandemic are being targeted by Chinese investors," the Mail on Sunday newspaper reported at the weekend.  Some of the companies are run by high-ranking members of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, and "seek to expand their influence over Britain's education system," the report said.

China Boasts It Is Getting Rich Selling Syringes to America.  China's state-run Global Times bragged Sunday [2/28/2021] that Chinese companies are making a fortune selling syringes and needles to the United States during the coronavirus pandemic, a tidal wave of imports that makes a mockery of "the U.S. government's attempt to get rid of the Chinese supply chain."  The Global Times quoted U.S. officials admitting in congressional testimony that 80 percent of the needles and syringes used in the United States, and about 90 percent of the supplies purchased worldwide, originate from China.  Chinese officials said China's factories produce hundreds of thousands of syringes a day.

Six Dr. Seuss books won't be published due to racist images, publisher.  The publisher of the popular Dr. Seuss children's books said Tuesday [3/2/2021] it will stop publishing six of the books because of their racist and hurtful imagery, according to the publishing company.  Dr. Seuss Enterprises said the books including "And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street" and "If I Ran the Zoo."  "These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong," the company told the Associated Press in a statement.

The Editor says...
Dr. Seuss books are not encyclopedias.  They are books for teaching little kids to read, and they were written with humor and illustrated with harmless caricatures.  Anyone who is not perpetually outraged knows this.  If you don't like Dr. Seuss, don't buy the books, but don't ruin them for everybody!

Trump Confirms He Called For 10,000 National Guard For Jan 6th; Pelosi Refused.  Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Monday blamed former President Trump and his team for the border crisis that's now engulfed the new Biden administration, saying when he took office he found "quite frankly the entire system was gutted."  "What we are seeing now at the border is the immediate result of the dismantling of the system and the time it takes to rebuild it virtually from scratch," Mr. Mayorkas said at the White House.  He pleaded with migrants not to make the trip right now, telling them to wait until the rebuild is further along when they can try to come and take their chances under a new Biden system.

Oklahoma House votes to enable legislature to block Biden's executive orders.  James Madison once asserted that "in a republican government, the legislative authority necessarily predominates."  Well, today, only executive power predominates, because federal and state executive agencies seem to be the only ones doing the legislating.  As Joe Biden continues to pass sweeping "laws" unilaterally with no authority from Congress, the red states are the only even potential check on his abuse of power.  It appears that the state of Oklahoma has now taken up the mantle as the second state to move to block these executive orders.  On Thursday [2/25/2021], the Oklahoma House overwhelmingly passed a bill, HB 1236, that would grant the state's attorney general and state legislature the authority to review the president's executive orders to determine constitutionality.  Specifically, the bill would authorize the legislature to recommend that the attorney general review any executive order, federal agency rule, or federal congressional action to determine whether the state should seek an exemption or declare it unconstitutional.  If either the attorney general or the legislature, by concurrent resolution, declares the act unconstitutional, then all state and local officials and any publicly funded organization are prohibited from enforcing it.

Capitol police chief claims militias are plotting to blow up Capitol during SOTU, kill as many as possible.  Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman issued an alarming statement that members of violent militias who were involved in the Jan. 6 riot are allegedly plotting to blow up the Capitol during Biden's State of the Union address.  She made the explosive claim on Thursday during her testimony via teleconference at a House hearing.  She posited that the goal was to kill as many members of Congress as possible.  "We know that members of militia groups that were present on Jan. 6 have stated their desires that they want to blow up the Capitol and kill as many members as possible with a direct nexus to the State of the Union, which we know that date has not been identified," Pittman declared.

Arizona's Paul Gosar Proposes Amending Coronavirus Package to Replace Pork with $10,000 Stimulus Checks.  Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona has proposed that the federal government pay stimulus checks of $10,000 to Americans beleaguered by the coronavirus pandemic, adopting an approach that would prioritize direct payments to individuals over payments to state and local governments.  Gosar's Amendment, offered on Friday night, would also replace payments to extend federal unemployment benefits.

Make America Ugly Again:  Biden Axes Trump's 'Beautiful' Federal Architecture Order.  Brutalism was seen as modern, stylish, and even futuristic at the time.  It was also cheap to build because it was mostly concrete.  Hence why you'll also find such buildings on college campuses throughout the country.  It's really, really, really ugly.  Few would argue that brutalism has stood the test of time the way classical Greco-Roman architecture has.  As someone who studied architecture in college, I can tell you that Brutalist architecture, while historically significant, is not studied because of its beauty, but for its failure to create inviting spaces.  One classic example of how terrible the Brutalist movement is can be seen in Boston's City Hall Plaza, which has been deemed one of the worst public spaces in the country, and City Hall itself one of the ugliest in the world.  Yet anti-Trumpism apparently takes precedence over architectural beauty, as Joe Biden axed Trump's executive order earlier this week.  There seems to no other justification for this move.  Brutalism is now widely panned, even in architectural circles, whether they'd like to admit it or not.

Russia and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  [Scroll down]  The debate over Warren's conclusion that Oswald acted alone continues.  However, it is surprising that most Americans have refused to accept that conclusion.  In 2003 three quarters of Americans thought more than one man was involved, and in 2013, the number was still 61%.  It may not be a driving event in American history, but it is important in this era of Russian disinformation to examine allegations of a covert war waged by the Kremlin in the past.

Anything you say on the internet can and will be taken out of context and used against you.
Facebook admits 'mistake' in threat to ban 81-year-old knitter for hate speech.  Facebook has apologized to Rita Rich-Mulcahy, the 81-year-old knitter who was nearly banned from the site for promoting "white pigs."  It all started when Rich-Mulcahy, of Adelaide, Australia, began knitting stuffed animals to pass the time and distract the grieving widow from the death of her husband in 2020.  She also set up a Facebook page through which to share her swine-inspired crafts.  Recently, the self-proclaimed "porcophile" was flagged for "hate speech" by the social-media company — for writing the caption "white pigs" under images of her knitted piglets.  The guiltless woman called it a "frightening" experience for someone without so much as "an overdue library book," she claimed.

One more product to boycott:
Oreo Cookie tweets 'Trans people exist'.  The Twitter feed for Oreo cookies seemed to weigh in on the day's events with a simple statement Thursday [2/25/2021]: "Trans people exist."  The Nabisco cookie brand sent out those three words following a busy day of debate over gender identity rights.  That included a contentious day of testimony over President Biden's transgender Health and Human Services deputy secretary nominee Rachel Levine, where conservative Kentucky senator Rand Paul drilled Levine on topics including hormone treatment for trans teens.

The Editor says...
It may not be possible to boycott every company that connects leftist political messages to its products, but I can try.

Texas was "seconds and minutes" away from catastrophic months-long blackouts, officials say.  Texas' power grid was "seconds and minutes" away from a catastrophic failure that could have left Texans in the dark for months, officials with the entity that operates the grid said Thursday [2/18/2021].  As millions of customers throughout the state begin to have power restored after days of massive blackouts, officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, which operates the power grid that covers most of the state, said Texas was dangerously close to a worst-case scenario:  uncontrolled blackouts across the state.  The quick decision that grid operators made in the early hours of Monday morning to begin what was intended to be rolling blackouts — but lasted days for millions of Texans — occurred because operators were seeing warning signs that massive amounts of energy supply was dropping off the grid.

What Happens When Cryptocurrencies Earn Interest?  The premise of DeFi is simple:  Fix the longstanding inefficiency in crypto finance of capital being kept idle at a nonzero opportunity cost.  Now, most investors buy crypto with the hope that the value of the currency itself will rise, as Bitcoin has.  In general, that strategy has worked just fine.  The value of cryptocurrencies has appreciated so rapidly that there just wasn't much incentive to worry about gains of a few percent here and there.  But the recent rise of stablecoins, which are designed keep their value constant, has changed that calculation.  The combined market cap of stablecoins such as Terra and USDC has more than quadrupled in 2020.  Now, vast passive income opportunities are being awakened by DeFi.  The appeal of a lower-risk approach to crypto is obvious and has the potential to expand the pool of investors.  For the first time, it's possible to be compensated for owning cryptos (even in the absence of price appreciation), which brings real, tangible utilities to digital currencies and changes the narrative of an asset class whose sole purpose used to be about being sold at a higher price.

Lee Harvey Oswald [was] ordered to kill JFK by Soviets, ex-CIA chief claims.  Lee Harvey Oswald was a KGB associate who was personally instructed by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev to assassinate President Kennedy.  Sometime shortly thereafter, the Soviets changed their minds, and Oswald was told to drop the plan.  But Oswald, harboring a blinding love for all things USSR, refused.  A new book by two former intelligence chiefs — one from the west, one from the east — tosses this tale on the voluminous pile of JFK assassination theories.  "Operation Dragon:  Inside The Kremlin's Secret War on America," (Encounter Books), was written by Ambassador R. James Woolsey, who ran the CIA from 1993-1995 (and who, ironically, resigned abruptly during the scandal over Aldrich Ames, a CIA officer turned Russian double agent), and Lt. Gen. Ion Mihai Pacepa, a former acting chief of Communist Romania's espionage service and the "highest-ranking intelligence official from an enemy country ever granted political asylum in the United States[.]"  (Pacepa died of COVID earlier this month).

Mother Of Officer Sicknick Says Media Got Her Son's Death Wrong, Rejects NYT Fire Extinguisher Story.  The mother of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died one day after the Capitol riots in January, rejected media assertions weaponized by Democrats in their impeachment trial that her son was killed from head trauma by a fire extinguisher.  "He wasn't hit on the head, no.  We think he had a stroke, but we don't know anything for sure," Gladys Sicknick told the Daily Mail in an interview published Tuesday [2/23/2021].  "We'd love to know what happened."  The false narrative first came from the New York Times, which headlined an article, "Capitol Police Officer Dies From Injuries in Pro-Trump Rampage," published on Jan. 8, two days after the riot. [...] Democrats repeatedly cited the story and even introduced it into evidence at the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.

Capitol Police Witnesses Struggle to Explain How Rioters Breached the Capitol on January 6.  On Tuesday, current and former Capitol Police officials testified at a joint hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Rules committees about the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.  The law enforcement officers claimed that they had been prepared to face a potentially violent protest, but they said the rioters caught them off guard.  "We properly planned for a mass demonstration with possible violence.  What we got was a military-style coordinated assault on my officers and a violent takeover of the Capitol building," former U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) Chief Steven Sund testified.  He pushed back on claims that USCP was not prepared for the riot.

Co-founder says Wikipedia's neutrality 'long gone,' cites leftist bias.  Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger is criticizing the site's left-wing bias, saying the popular online encyclopedia has become an irretrievably broken platform for socialism.  "The days of Wikipedia's robust commitment to neutrality are long gone," Mr. Sanger told Fox News in a new interview.  "Wikipedia's ideological and religious bias is real and troubling, particularly in a resource that continues to be treated by many as an unbiased reference work."  Mr. Sanger, 52, co-founded the site with Jimmy Wales in January 2001.  He said Wikipedia's turn away from neutrality is "disheartening."

Autos need finite rare earth, critical, & precious metals.  There are 17 rare earth elements (REE) that China controls up to 97% of (Klare 2012, Shumsky 2011).  These are essential for transitioning to so-called green energy — not just cars but solar panels, windmills, solar photovoltaic, computers, electronics, the smart grid and more.  While we can import oil from dozens of nations, REE make us dependent on China, and China is also constructing mines all over the world — it's as if Saudi Arabia bought up all the remaining oil fields.  Mining is the second most toxic, environmentally damaging industry on earth.  So whatever the cost may be, no matter how high, let the Chinese destroy their land.  It's a cheaper price to pay rather than destroy our own nation's precious topsoil, which in the long run is the most valuable possession we have.  Already 20% of China's arable land is polluted with toxic heavy metals from mining and industry.

Professor Charged with Stealing $1.75 Million in Research for China.  We are closely watching the growing threat China poses to the United States, not the least of which is its wholesale, systematic theft of scientific and medical research.  A recent criminal indictment, reported in our Corruption Chronicles blog, illustrates how this theft is too often enabled with your tax dollars:  Communist China has long benefitted from American-funded research stolen by Chinese academics who infiltrate colleges throughout the United States.  This month a criminal indictment sheds light on a recent scheme allegedly masterminded by a Chinese professor at one of the nation's top-ranked public universities.  His name is Lin Yang, a 43-year-old member of the Thousand Talents Program (TTP) operated by the Chinese government to transfer original ideas, technology and intellectual property from foreign institutions, especially American colleges.

Court Docs Show Facebook Played Much Bigger Part In Capitol Riot Than Parler, Yet No Consequences.  It's been more than a month since the app stores of Google and Apple joined forces with Amazon Web Services to knee-cap an upstart competitor, Parler.  The stated reasoning was Parler's lack of content moderation policies, which Apple, in particular, claimed led to Parler's use as a forum to "plan, coordinate, and facilitate the illegal activities in Washington DC on January 6, 2021."  This reasoning was confidently repeated across the corporate press.  "The Capitol mob began organizing ... on platforms like Parler and Gab," Vox asserted.  Planning for the "mob violence that descended on the U.S. Capitol ... took place openly on websites popular with far-right conspiracy theorists," National Public Radio proclaimed.  Facebook shut down Stop the Steal groups, said The New York Times, so planning moved to Parler and Gab. [...] The problem with all of this is that it turned out to be mostly wrong.  Yes, Parler was used, in some form, to promote and discuss the violent aspects of Jan. 6.  But so too were other major social media platforms — and in a much larger way than Parler.  The Department of Justice has now charged 223 people for their participation in the events of Jan. 6.  A comprehensive analysis of those charging documents performed by Forbes demonstrate that Parler's role was minimal, compared to that of Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

At least 800 Ethiopians killed after defending 'Ark of the Covenant'.  At least 800 people were reportedly killed in Ethiopia as worshippers and soldiers risked their lives to protect what Christians there say is the sacred Ark of the Covenant from local militia.  Ethiopian Christians claim the Ark — the wooden chest built to hold the Ten Commandments of Moses — is being kept safe in a chapel in the holy northern city of Axum in the Tigray region.  The battle between Ethiopian soldiers and rebel fighters happened in the fall, The Sunday Times reported, but it is only being reported now.  "When people heard the shooting they ran to the church to give support to the priests and others who were there protecting the ark," Getu Mak, a local university lecturer, told The Times.  "Certainly some of them were killed for doing that."

'How in the world can anyone pay that?': Some seeing electric bills as high as $17K in wake of Texas winter storm.  The Texas power outage has become the Texas power outrage.  Electricity supply and demand in Texas has really stabilized now.  But when it was grossly out of whack over the past several days, the cost of power in the wholesale market went crazy.  It went from about $50 per Megawatt to $9,000.  That didn't affect retail many customers because they were on a fixed-rate plan.

Portland police officers 'guarding' Fred Meyer dumpsters as residents seek discarded food.  Roughly a dozen Portland police officers faced off with a small group at a Northeast Portland Fred Meyer on Tuesday after people tried to take food that had been thrown away.  Workers at the Hollywood West Fred Meyer threw away thousands of perishable items because the store, like many others, had lost power in an outage brought on by the region's winter storm.  Images on social media showed mountains of packaged meat, cheese and juice, as well as whole turkeys and racks of ribs that had been tossed into two large dumpsters near the store.

Rep. Banks Leads Republican Study Committee in Large-Scale Campaign to Counter CCP.  For the first time in its history, the Republican Study Committee (RSC) — the largest conservative caucus on Capitol Hill — will make countering the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) a key part of its agenda under the leadership of its newly elected chairman, Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.).  As part of this large-scale effort, Banks said that he and others in the House committee will introduce more than 20 bills this week alone dedicated to confronting the China threat and holding the Biden administration accountable for weak policies on China.  The legislative barrage will touch upon a wide range of issues broadly focused on pushing back against the CCP's influence in the United States.  "We've made countering communist China a platform of the RSC for the first time, under my leadership," Banks told The Epoch Times.  "It deserves our attention, and as the largest caucus, our members understand this is the greatest threat that we face and that we have to confront it."

Texas Attorney General Announces Probe Into ERCOT Over Role in Blackouts.  Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the organization that operates the state's power grid, alleging "mishandling" amid the brutal cold snap that has left millions of Texans shivering and in the dark.  "ERCOT & other energy cos have slipped & fallen on their faces & it's not the ice's fault.  They have left 3+ million homes w/o power for days, including my own," Paxton wrote in a tweet late Wednesday [2/17/2021].  "What do they do in response?  Jack up prices, go silent, make excuses, & play the blame game.  It's unacceptable!" he added.  Paxton also commended officials, including Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott, on "getting to the bottom" of the power crisis.

Texas Electric Board Members Live WHERE?  Many, probably most, Texans hadn't heard of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas until this week.  Then a historic winter storm froze up the place and "electric reliability" turned into an unfunny joke for far too many.  Their electricity was reliably unavailable.  Well, except in certain well-lit urban downtowns.  If you live outside of those, as most Texans do, you were forced to play a grim version of Russian Roulette with your power and water supply — if you could get either.  Your water pipes may have frozen and burst, rendering your frigid home uninhabitable.  I have friends who are dealing with this and will be dealing with it for a long time after the storm.  Power went out for millions of Texans several days ago and is only now being restored piecemeal.  Freezing temperatures won't even leave central Texas until Friday.

A third of the ERCOT board members live out of state.  A third of the board of directors that operate the state's electrical grid do not appear to live in Texas, and their performance in wake of widespread outages has led to a Dallas-area lawmaker's call for change.  Records show the two top office holders of the 15-member board of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), live out-of-state.  Three other ERCOT board members also appear to live thousands of miles from Texas.

Florida GOP congressman beckons New York Stock Exchange to move to Florida.  Florida GOP Rep. Byron Donalds is urging The New York Stock Exchange to leave Lower Manhattan for Florida.  Donalds argued such a move would benefit the exchange because Florida has no tax on stock trades.  "Oh I do," Donalds said in response to a question on whether the NYSE should leave Wall Street for Florida.  "We have a lot of nice land here in southwest Florida we can find a nice place for them right here in the heart of my congressional district."

Chattanooga man charged with impersonating President Obama on gun permit application.  Police are charging a man from Chattanooga after they say he forged former President Barack Obama's name on an application for a handgun permit.  Chattanooga officers arrested Robert Joseph Hallick on February 11th.  He's charged with perjury, forgery and identity theft.  An affidavit obtained by NewsChannel 9 says Hallick had been denied a gun permit request using his own name back in November due to an active warrant for his arrest in the state of Michigan.  The arrest report says Hallick sent another application on January 21st, except this time he used the name "President Barack H. Obama" instead.  Included along with the form was a $50 check.

The Editor says...
Helpful clues for the police: [#1] Barack H. Obama doesn't have a valid Social Security number to put on an application for a gun permit, or any other form.  [#2] Barack H. Obama is the last person in town who needs a gun, since he's surrounded by armed cops 24/7.  [#3] The only time Barack H. Obama has ever held a gun (reluctantly!), as far as I know, was for this photo op.  He's the least likely customer to come in to a gun shop.

Rush Limbaugh, the Human Megaphone Who Hijacked the GOP, Dead at 70.  Rush Limbaugh, whose wife Kathryn confirmed on Wednesday [2/17/2021] that he died at 70 after a yearlong and very public battle against lung cancer, was a college dropout when he began his combustible radio career, repeatedly losing gigs as a deejay and news-talk host; he spent much of 1974 jobless and living in his parents' basement in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. [...] Yet in his final two decades of life, he managed to dominate conservative talk radio even after near-total deafness — somewhat remediated by a cochlear implant — required him to hire a former court reporter to sit in his Palm Beach control room and instantly transcribe listener phone calls so he could converse in real time on the air.  Born Rush Hudson Limbaugh III into a distinguished and rabidly Republican family of judges and lawyers in the nearly all-white southeast Missouri town on the Illinois border, he ultimately commanded an adoring national audience of as many as 20 million listeners — "dittoheads" in Limbaugh-speak — and became by some accounts (especially from his Democratic detractors) the de facto leader of the GOP.

Rush Limbaugh, RIP.  Rush Limbaugh, the monumentally influential media icon who transformed talk radio and politics in his decades behind the microphone, helping shape the modern-day Republican Party, died Wednesday morning at the age of 70 after a battle with lung cancer, his family announced.  Limbaugh's wife, Kathryn, made the announcement on his radio show.  "Losing a loved one is terribly difficult, even more so when that loved one is larger than life," she said.  "Rush will forever be the greatest of all time."  The radio icon learned he had Stage IV lung cancer in January 2020 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Trump at the State of the Union address days later.  First lady Melania Trump then presented America's highest civilian honor to Limbaugh in an emotional moment on the heels of his devastating cancer diagnosis.

Texas mayor quits after saying residents are 'lazy' amid power outages.  A Texas mayor has resigned over controversial social media posts that called his constituents lazy for complaining about power outages, according to a report.  Colorado City Mayor Tom Boyd announced his resignation Tuesday [2/16/2021] hours after he received backlash for his long Facebook rant, according to KTXS-TV.  "No one owes you or your family anything; nor is it the local governments responsibility to support you during trying times like this!  Sink or swim, it's your choice!" he wrote.  "The City and County, along with power providers or any other service owes you NOTHING!"  "If you have no water you deal with out and think outside of the box to survive and supply water to your family," he added.

The Editor says...
How true.  It is not the government's job to buy you a wool blanket and tuck you in on a cold winter night.  It's also not the government's job to mop up your house after a hurricane.

'This didn't look like an armed insurrection.' Trump ultra-loyalist senator Ron Johnson plays down danger of the MAGA riots saying 'How many shots were fired?'  Ron Johnson said Monday [2/15/2021] that the MAGA riot 'didn't seem like an armed insurrection to me' in downplaying the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol last month that left five dead and hundreds injured.  'When you hear the word 'armed,' don't you think of firearms?' Johnson questioned during his conversation with 1130 WISN conservative radio talk show host Jay Weber.  'Here's the questions I would have liked to ask — how many firearms were confiscated?' the Trump loyalist senator continued.  'How many shots were fired?  I'm only aware of one, and I'll defend that law enforcement officer for taking that shot, it was a tragedy, but I think there was only one.

The Editor says...
Yes, let's hear more about that one shot that was fired, and about the name of the "officer," if that's what he was, and the name of the agency for which he works, and about the justification for the shooting.  All that information is a deep dark secret, which means there is a cover-up underway, and the door to the News Media Memory Hole is open now.

Pelosi: 'Next Step' Is 9/11-Type Commission To Investigate January 6.  David Perdue lost re-election to Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) in Georgia's Senate runoff election on January 5, with Ossoff winning by just over 93,000 votes (2%).  It now seems that Perdue is considering a 2022 Senate run against Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), who beat Kelly Loeffler in Georgia's special election.  According to Fox News, Perdue filed Federal Election Commission (FEC) paperwork on Monday evening "to become a candidate to run for Senate in 2022."  The paperwork designated a "principal campaign committee," titled "Perdue for Senate."  Warnock defeated Loeffler — who was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp on December 4, 2019, after Johnny Isakson announced his resignation for health reasons — on January 5, also by just over 93,000 votes.

China Is Creating a New Master Race.  Bing Su, a Chinese geneticist at the state-run Kunming Institute of Zoology, recently inserted the human MCPH1 gene, which develops the brain, into a monkey.  The insertion could make that animal's intelligence more human than that of lower primates.  Su's next experiment is inserting into monkeys the SRGAP2C gene, related to human intelligence, and the FOXP2 gene, connected to language skills.  Has nobody in China seen Planet of the Apes?  Or maybe they have.  "Biotechnology development in China is heading in a truly macabre direction," writes Brandon Weichert of The Weichert Report in an article posted on the American Greatness website.  In a communist society with unrestrained ambition, researchers are pursuing weird science.  What happens when you mix pig and monkey DNA?  Chinese experimenters can tell you.  How about growing human-like organs in animals?  Yes, they have done that as well.  Moreover, Beijing may already be engineering "super soldiers."

Biden Deputy Press Secretary TJ Ducklo Threatens Reporter: 'I Will Destroy You'.  Earlier this week there was a treacly story in People magazine about an Axios White House reporter named Alexi McCammond, who turns out to be dating White House deputy press secretary TJ Ducklo.  A heartwarming workplace romance!  There were a few grumbles about ethics in journalism and whatnot, but then everybody forgot about it because journalists don't really care about ethics.  Besides, at least Biden isn't Trump, right?  The journos got what they wanted and they just want to take a nap for 4-8 years.  But now the story is getting interesting!

Refund the police!
Minneapolis to spend $6.4 million to hire more police.  Minneapolis will hire dozens more police officers after the City Council on Friday [2/12/2021] agreed to release $6.4 million to bring on additional recruits.  The unanimous vote came eight days after Minneapolis police requested the funding, saying they had 200 fewer police officers available to work than in most recent years.  The additional funding comes at a time when some City Council members and activist groups are pushing to replace the Police Department in the wake of George Floyd's death.  Minneapolis police said they began the year with 817 officers on their payroll, 60 fewer than the previous year.  But, only 638 officers are currently available to work, the department said.  Some officers resigned or retired early in the year, while another 155 remain on some form of extended leave.  With the new recruit classes, the city expects it will have 674 officers available to work at the end of the year, and another 28 working their way through the hiring process at that time.

'A hoax from day one': Michigan GOP leader says Capitol riot was 'staged'.  The Republican leader in Michigan's state Senate said last week that the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol was a prearranged hoax and not the work of supporters of then-President Donald Trump.  "That wasn't Trump's people.  That's been a hoax from day one.  That was all prearranged," state Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said of the riot.  "It was arranged by somebody who was funding it," the Clarklake Republican continued.  "It was all staged."

What's most interesting about the Florida water system hack?  That we heard about it at all.  Stories about computer security tend to go viral when they bridge the vast divide between geeks and luddites, and this week's news about a hacker who tried to poison a Florida town's water supply was understandably front-page material.  But for security nerds who've been warning about this sort of thing for ages, the most surprising aspect of the incident seems to be that we learned about it at all. [...] In short, a likely inexperienced intruder somehow learned the credentials needed to remotely access Oldsmar[ Florida]'s water system, did little to hide his activity, and then tried to change settings by such a wide margin that the alterations would be hard to overlook.  "The system wasn't capable of doing what the attacker wanted," said Joe Weiss, managing partner at Applied Control Solutions, a consultancy for the control systems industry.  "The system isn't capable of going up by a factor of 100 because there are certain physics problems involved there.  Also, the changes he tried to make wouldn't happen instantaneously.  The operators would have had plenty of time to do something about it."

Today's blacklisted American:  Chase Bank blacklists Pro-Trump Covfefe Coffee.  They're coming for you next:  Chase Bank has suddenly decided that it can't do business with the coffee company, Covfefe Coffee, apparently for the simple reason that the coffee company is unabashedly pro-Trump and supports the standard American values of freedom and liberty that made this nation the haven for the oppressed for more than two centuries. [...] Amazon suspended the company's advertising on that platform in 2019 for using the phrase "Make America Great Again," a phrase that Amazon thinks "incites hate."  What this really tells us is that the people at Amazon and Chase Bank hate America, and want it to fail.  Anyone who thinks different must be blacklisted and preventing from succeeding.

Denver City Council Passes Controversial Group Living Amendment.  The Denver City Council has voted 11-2 to pass the controversial 200-page group living text amendment proposal.  This, following a more than seven-hour meeting, in which at least 150 Denver residents spoke about their impassioned feelings on the proposal, some in favor and some against. [...] The text amendment will allow five unrelated adults to live together, instead of two, among several other changes.  The text amendment would also allow residential care facilities in more areas, including community corrections facilities — or halfway houses — in more neighborhoods than is currently allowed.

Aunt Jemima breakfast brand renamed Pearl Milling Company.  The Aunt Jemima breakfast brand will be renamed Pearl Milling Company, it was announced Tuesday, after the 130-year-old maple syrup mascot was scrutinized last year over its ties to slavery.  Quaker Oats, a division of PepsiCo that owns the brand, unveiled the new name and logo, which it said would hit store shelves in June.  Pearl Milling Company has historical roots with the brand.  It was a small Missouri mill that in 1889 produced the self-rising pancake mix later known as Aunt Jemima.

Bitcoin and Its Discontents:  What Elon Musk is Telling Us.  Elon Musk, our new arbiter of all that is in and out, has purchased $1.5 billion in bitcoin and announced that Tesla plans to accept it as payment.  Bitcoin predictably has jumped to a record high, in excess of $46,000, and now is up more than eight-fold in the past year. [...] Regardless of whether bitcoin in the short-term gyrates unpredictably in value, it is timely to ask not what bitcoin is worth, but what its valuation tells us about ourselves.  The enduring beauty of bitcoin lies in its origin.  It is typically defined as a peer-to-peer digital currency whose ownership is recorded in a secure account ledger, known as a blockchain.  Lose the private key to access this ledger, as reportedly many early buyers have done, and the investment is lost forever, even if it amounts to millions, or now even billions of dollars.

Tesla buys $1.5 billion in bitcoin: as Elon Musk jumps on board with cryptocurrency.  Tesla invested $1.5 billion in bitcoin in January in a nontraditional move to diversify its investments.  The investment, which the electric vehicle maker disclosed Monday in a public filing, comes as CEO Elon Musk has been promoting an alternative cryptocurrency in recent weeks.  Tesla said in its annual report that the company made the move as part of a policy change designed "to provide us with more flexibility to further diversify and maximize returns on our cash."  It is not typical for major corporations to acquire digital currency due to questions about its dependability and concerns about its volatility.  The new policy authorized by the Tesla board allows the company to invest in various forms of digital assets.

Following the money behind Myanmar's coup.  By seizing absolute power, Myanmar coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has protected his and his family's financial interests and the military's unscrutinized economic domination.  Min Aung Hlaing spent much of his military career as a quiet, publicity-shy officer steadily promoted to higher positions before grabbing absolute power at dawn on February 1, five months before his mandatory retirement at age 65 on July 3.  Among other goals, the military's commander-in-chief apparently hopes he has protected himself, his family, and military colleagues from possible investigation over their extensive, lucrative financial deals and economic holdings, sources say.  "His financial interests must be considered as a motive for his coup," the Justice for Myanmar campaign group of activists said in a statement.

Canadian traces origin of AIDS to starving First World War soldier who hunted chimpanzees.  A Canadian professor who has been studying the origin of HIV for decades says he has identified a new "Patient Zero" — a starving First World War soldier stationed in Cameroon who was forced to hunt apes to survive.  In the first edition of his book Origin of Aids, Jacques Pepin, a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, originally traced the first case of the human immunodeficiency virus to a hunter in Southeast Cameroon at the start of the 20th Century.

Fox News suffers worst ratings in 20 years.  Fox News has fallen into third place among US cable current affairs broadcasters, languishing behind CNN and MSNBC in Donald Trump's final month in the White House as conservative viewers deserted the channel.  January saw a mob of enraged Trump supporters stage a failed insurrection at the US Capitol in protest at his election defeat, the president's historic second impeachment by the House of Representatives, his departure from the Oval Office and Democrat Joe Biden being sworn-in as his successor.  But despite this dramatic sequence of events, Rupert Murdoch's network suffered its worst month since April 2000, falling into third for total day viewers and overall viewers, according to the latest Nielsen ratings.

Amazon stole $62 MILLION in tips from delivery drivers and the fed is telling them to give it back.  Here's another story of giant corporations totally (not) looking out for the little guy.  The Federal Trade Commission revealed this week that Amazon was making some pretty big bucks stealing tips meant for its drivers.  Apparently, after Amazon started letting average Joes use their own cars to deliver products for some side money, it also decided to skim some $62 million of that hard-earned cash out of the virtual tip jar.

Biden Admin Yanks Maternity Leave From Trump Appointees Days Before Some Give Birth.  President Joe Biden's administration denied multiple President Trump-era aides their previously established maternity leave, some days before birth, reports Politico.  Even though some Trump aides made arrangements for parental leave early in 2021 in advance of their children's births, multiple federal employees were told shortly before or after their babies arrived that the benefits would no longer be extended to them after Biden and his team took office.

Amazon Plans To Install AI Surveillance Cameras In Delivery Vans.  Amazon is preparing to install high-tech video cameras inside its fleet of delivery vehicles to better monitor drivers' behavior, according to The Verge.  The Information first uncovered an instructional video sent out to employees and contract workers about Amazon's new partnership with Netradyne, a California-based company developing video cameras inside fleet vehicles to monitor drivers.  The device will tell the driver:  "Distracted driving," "No stop detected," and "Please slow down."  The video was first uploaded to Vimeo a week ago and is titled "Amazon Netradyne Driver Information."

US Navy's UFO-like patent raises questions.  It has long been claimed by ufologists that the US government has been back-engineering UFOs at Area S4, the ultra secret site within Area 51.  In 1989, scientist Bob Lazar, who claimed to have worked at the base deep in the heart of the Nevada desert, spilled the beans on the study of UFOs — of which he claimed they had several.  The smaller saucer-like UFO he said he was studying, which was called the "sport model," supposedly was based on directing gravity waves.  This came from a reactor which amplified the gravity waves which extended beyond the atom of Element 115, which he predicted to exist (he would be proved right years later).  Whether any of that is true or not, it is interesting to note that in 2019, the US Navy's Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) filed a number of seemingly out of this world patents that could, in theory, revolutionize not only military aviation, but just about everything.  According to a report by Alex Hollings in The National Interest, chief among these strange new inventions is a High Energy Electromagnetic Field Generator (HEEMFG), which if functional, could produce massive amounts of power with far reaching military and commercial implications.

Never give up!
Rescue divers find a guy alive in a sunken tugboat on the bottom of the ocean 3 days after it capsized in a storm.  [Scroll down]  Those divers were not expecting to find anyone alive.  They were sent down there to investigate the cause of the crash and recover bodies.  You can tell how surprised they were to see a moving hand.

Pentagon purges advisory boards of Trump loyalists.  Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday [2/2/2021] ordered the resignation of the hundreds of people that serve on the Pentagon's 42 civilian advisory boards, effectively purging a number of Trump loyalists named to the boards in the Trump administration's final days.  The resignations are part of a broader review Austin has ordered to look at the viability of the boards and to eliminate potential overlaps.  But the Pentagon's top spokesman acknowledged that the resignations and the review had been prompted by the last-minute appointments of Trump loyalists to the boards, including Trump's former campaign manager.

Firefighter Facing Discipline For Rushing 3-Year-Old Burn Victim To Hospital After Ambulance Never Showed.  A veteran Oklahoma City Fire Department (OKCFD) major has lost his role as senior company officer of his station after he rushed a three-year-old burn victim to the hospital on a fire truck because the ambulance was taking too long to respond.  "We don't transport patients," OKCFD Chief Richard Kelley told KFOR.  "That's not our job."  The complaint against OKCFD Major Corey Britt was field by EMSA, the emergency medical and ambulance service that serves Oklahoma City.

Jeff Bezos, 57, steps down as Amazon CEO and will be replaced by Andy Jassy - the man who built AWS and pulled the plug on Parler.  Jeff Bezos is stepping down as the CEO of Amazon, 27 years after founding it with his ex-wife and building it into one of the most successful companies of all time now worth $1.7 trillion.  Bezos, 57, announced the move in a letter to his 1.3 million Amazon employees Tuesday where he insisted he isn't retiring but wants to focus on his 'passions' including his space and climate change ventures.  He will be replaced by 53-year-old Andy Jassy, the current CEO of the Amazon empire cloud business Amazon Web Services (AWS) and the man behind the move to cancel Parler.

New York City to ban natural gas hookups in new buildings by 2030: mayor.  New York City this week said it will join a growing list of U.S. cities banning natural gas hookups in new buildings.  New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Thursday as part of his State of the City address that New York will "ban new fossil fuel connections in new construction by at least 2030."

The Editor asks...
What will be gained from this?

Justice Department Probes SpaceX After Hiring Discrimination Complaint.  The Department of Justice is probing Elon Musk's rocket company SpaceX over whether the company discriminates against non-U.S. citizens in its hiring, according to court documents filed on Thursday [1/28/2021].  The Justice Department's Immigrant and Employee Rights division received a complaint of employment discrimination from a non-U.S. citizen, who alleged that SpaceX discriminated against him based on his citizenship status.  "Specifically, the charge alleges that on or about March 10, 2020, during the Charging Party's interview for the position of Technology Strategy Associate, SpaceX made inquiries about his citizenship status and ultimately failed to hire him for the position because he is not a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident", DOJ attorney Lisa Sandoval wrote in the complaint filed on Thursday.

The Editor says...
Why is it illegal to prefer U.S. citizens for new employees?  It's just common sense to hire Americans first, especially in an industry that's at least 95 percent publicity-centric, like manned space travel.

Texas governor vows to fight U.S. curbs on oil and gas activity.  The top elected official of the largest U.S. oil and gas producing state on Thursday [1/28/2021] pledged to fight President Joe Biden's executive orders that he claimed would undercut Texas energy production.  In a case of dueling executive orders, Texas Governor Greg Abbott authorized state agencies to bring legal challenges Biden's policies.  Biden on Wednesday unveiled a series of actions to combat climate change, including pausing new oil and gas leases on federal land and cutting fossil fuel subsidies.

Pathetic:
German-built robot gives hugs to provide emotional support for people.  German scientists taught a human-like robot how to give a hug and provide emotional support to people.  Footage shows HuggieBot raising its plastic arms before embracing the person in front when prompted.  Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart made the robot wear a jacket to better imitate warm hugs.  Project leader Alexis Block said they are interested in enabling robots to give a hug because of its health benefits.  [Video clip]

You Can Thank Our Elites For Proliferating Conspiracies.  [Scroll down]  Let's focus in on the second point.  Rep. Ilhan "All-About-The-Benjamins" Omar, D-Minn., is corrupt and nearly as conspiratorial as [Rep. Marjorie Taylor] Greene.  She also seems to be antisemitic.  But the media doesn't make Omar the subject of breathless coverage about her party's moral bankruptcy.  They put her on magazine covers.  The same goes for the likes of Linda Sarsour and Tamika Mallory.  Hillary Clinton and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) are currently trafficking in bizarre conspiratorial theories that Donald Trump talked to and took direction from Vladimir Putin on the day of the Capitol riot without being treated as menacing representations of rot in their party.  Clinton never accepted the results of her 2016 loss, and continues to recklessly advance baseless notions of "hacking."  That brings us to the Russia collusion hoax, which for years consumed the entire Democratic Party (even Sen. Bernie Sanders!) in a silly conspiracy replete with prostitutes and urine.  Because this comported with the media's basic political narrative, they failed to approach it with appropriate skepticism.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Publishes Statement Addressing the Mob That's Trying to 'Take Her Out'.  Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene posted a statement on Friday addressing the mob of Democrats and liberal reporter henchmen that are trying to "take her out" with a massive smear campaign.  The statement comes shortly after Marxist Democrat lawmaker Cori Bush tried to claim that Greene had harassed her in the halls — which Greene promptly shut down with a video of the incident.  [Video clip] [...] In a statement published on social media and sent out to members of the media by her press team, Greene wrote that "since launching your smear campaign attacks on me, nearly 60,000 America First Patriots from all 50 states have reached out with messages of support and have poured over $1.6 million in small donations into my campaign account."

Pressure builds against GOP Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene as Dem demands her expulsion.  It appears that Democrats have decided to go after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) announced on Wednesday [1/27/2021] that he will introduce a resolution to expel Greene from Congress because she poses a "direct threat" to other lawmakers.  "Her very presence in office represents a direct threat against the elected officials and staff who serve our government, and it is with their safety in mind, as well as the security of institutions and public servants across our country," Gomez stated.  This move follows Greene introducing articles of impeachment against President Biden immediately after he took office.  But the reasoning put forth here is that she supported the rioters, and Gomez claims that her Facebook posts advocated violence against Democrats and the FBI.

Dem rep plans to introduce a resolution to expel Marjorie Taylor Greene.  Rep. Jimmy Gomez on Wednesday [1/27/2021] announced that he plans to introduce a resolution to expel the controversial Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from Congress, accusing Greene of previously supporting calls for "political violence" and advocating "extremism and sedition."  The resolution would require the support of two-thirds of the members of the House to pass. [...] Greene was first known during her run for Congress as a supporter of the online conspiracy theory QAnon, which she later distanced herself from in an interview with Fox News in August.  She's since earned a reputation as a bomb-thrower in Congress.  She's refused on various occasions to wear a mask, supported false allegations of widespread election fraud which resulted in her temporarily losing access to her Twitter account and most recently announced that she was filing articles of impeachment against President Biden.

Pennsylvania Teacher Suspended for Attending Trump Rally Says His Life Has Been Destroyed.  Jason Moorehead, a teacher in Allentown, PA, for 17 years, attended the Trump rally in DC on January 6th.  Although he did not participate in the Capitol Hill riots, he claims he was smeared by association and suspended from his job.  He has also been doxxed, and now his family is living in fear.

Fierce Cuomo Critic Janice Dean Might Challenge Him In 2022.  Fox News meteorologist Janice Dean, whose profile grew exponentially in 2020 as she repeatedly blasted Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo after her in-laws died in New York nursing homes, is hearing calls for her to run against Cuomo in 2022 — and she's leaving the door open, saying, "You never say never in this life, right?  And many people have gotten into government because something personal has happened to them."  Former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, a close friend, was delighted with the idea of Dean running, noting that Dean, 50, has weathered home invasion, sexual harassment, and multiple sclerosis.  Kelly told the New York Post, "Unlike the poser currently in the governor's mansion, she really IS 'New York tough,' whip smart, and we can trust her.  She's got my vote."

US State Department Criticizes China After Latest Military Incursion Against Taiwan.  The U.S. State Department has voiced concerns about China's continued military aggression against Taiwan, after China breached the island's air defense zone with 13 military aircraft.  "We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan's democratically elected representatives," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement on Jan. 23.  He added:  "We will continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability.  Our commitment to Taiwan is rock-solid and contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and within the region."  Beijing's coercion against Taiwan is nothing new, as the Chinese communist regime claims the self-ruled island as a part of its territory and has repeatedly threatened to use military force to bring the island under its fold.

Justice Department considers Not charging up to 800 MAGA rioters who caused havoc at the Capitol 'since most of them just trespassed and were not violent'.  The FBI and prosecutors at the Justice Department are debating whether to decline to charge some of the MAGA rioters who stormed the United States Capitol on January 6 in an attempt to derail President Joe Biden's certification.  There is concern among DOJ officials that bringing charges against all of the estimated 800 rioters who ransacked the Capitol building could flood the local federal courthouse in Washington, DC, with cases.  There have been internal discussions about forgoing charges against those who were not involved in any violence or vandalism but were simply trespassing or 'going along with the crowd,' The Washington Post reported.

U.S. forces choppered into Syria 24 hours after new commander-in-chief takes power.  A large convoy of U.S. military personnel headed into Syria on Thursday along with hundreds of troops some 24 hours after President Joe Biden took office and took on his commander-in-chief role, foreign media reported.  Citing Syrian state news agency SANA, i24 News reported that a convoy of about 40 trucks and armored vehicles "entered northeastern Syria" on Thursday supported by helicopters.  The convoy entered the country from Iraq via the al-Waleed crossing "to bring arms and logistical equipment to bases in Hasakeh and Deir Ezzor provinces," i23 News stated.  And while "other local media" noted that such resupply convoys are not uncommon, SANA's report added that an additional 200 U.S. troops were choppered into the Hasakeh province as well.

Trump Offers to Let National Guard Stay at the Trump Hotel D.C. After Parking Garage Outrage.  Former President Trump has reportedly offered to let the National Guardsmen still stationed at the Capitol stay at his Trump Hotel in Washington D.C.  "Trump has given permission for the troops to stay at Trump Hotel DC if any of them need, an advisor told the One America News Network.

President Trump Gives Permission for US Troops to Stay at Trump Hotel in Washington DC.  As reported earlier by Cristina Laila military source in DC told TPUSA Chief Creative Officer Benny Johnson that for the last week his battalion had been sleeping on the floor in the Senate cafeteria in preparation for Biden's sham inauguration.  One day after Biden's inauguration, 5,000 soldiers were moved to a cold parking garage.  There is one power outlet and one bathroom for 5,000 soldiers.

The Mullahs Turn to Bitcoin Mining.  The Iranian regime's economy is suffocating, its banking system locked at the international level.  Khamenei believes that any negotiation and moderation would mean an end to his nuclear ambitions and the export of regional terrorism, threaten his regime's survival and could swiftly lead to its overthrow.  The financial institutions affiliated with Khamenei and especially the IRGC, need to find other ways to launder money, circumvent sanctions, and evade the world banking system.  Supporting their proxy forces in the region depends on keeping the money flowing.  There is no centralized control over bitcoin, making it an attractive vehicle, but Iran hasn't got enough hard currency to buy a lot of it.  Bitcoin can't be used to circumvent sanctions importing and exporting and unless two countries cooperate.  Iran cooperates with China, Venezuela, Turkey, and several other countries on bitcoin transactions.  Enter bitcoin mining.

325 Australian-Based Scientists, Researchers Identified as Recruits for Beijing.  Over 325 academics and scientists in Australian universities and research institutes have been identified as alleged recruits of Beijing's controversial overseas talent-recruitment programs.  The allegations raise questions over potential conflicts of interest, grant fraud, and Australian research funds inadvertently advancing the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) military technology.  Alex Joske of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), wrote to the Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security claiming that despite 325 individuals being identified, as many as 600 could be connected to Beijing-backed partnerships.

'We feel incredibly betrayed': Thousands of Guardsmen forced to vacate Capitol.  Thousands of National Guardsmen were allowed back into the Capitol Thursday night, hours after U.S. Capitol Police officials ordered them to vacate the facilities, sending them outdoors or to nearby parking garages after two weeks pulling security duty after the deadly riot on Jan. 6.  One unit, which had been resting in the Dirksen Senate Office building, was abruptly told to vacate the facility on Thursday, according to one Guardsman.  The group was forced to rest in a nearby parking garage without internet reception, with just one electrical outlet, and one bathroom with two stalls for 5,000 troops, the person said.  Temperatures in Washington were in the low 40s by nightfall.

National Guard Kicked Out Of The Capitol, Forced To Sleep In A Parking Garage.  Thousands of National Guardsmen descended on the Capitol and surrounding buildings after the riots at the Capitol earlier this month.  They were there as a show of force and to discourage anyone who was thinking about a repeat performance during the inauguration. [...] Something apparently changed today [1/21/2021].  The NY Times reports the Guard was kicked out of the Capitol and surrounding buildings and sent to sleep in a parking garage.

Ohio orthodox priest suspended for attending Trump rally at U.S. Capitol, reports say.  An orthodox priest in western Ohio who has filled in at churches in the Cleveland area has been suspended and could be defrocked after he attended a rally for former President Trump in Washington on Jan. 6 that ended with an assault on the nation's Capitol, according to reports.  A notice on the website for the Orthodox Church in America says Archpriest Mark Hodges was suspended on Jan. 12.  The notice offers no other details.  According to the Dayton Daily News, Hodges most recently has been a "supply priest" in the Diocese of the Midwest and has filled in at parishes in Cleveland and Olmsted Falls.

The Editor says...
Does he not enjoy the freedom of association that the rest of us have?  There might have been half a million people at that event.  Should they all lose their jobs?

No pardons by Trump for Snowden, Assange.  Fugitive national security contractor Edward Snowden and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange missed out on pardons from outgoing President Trump on Wednesday [1/20/2021].  The high-profile figures were not among the 143 pardons and commutations issued by Mr. Trump with just hours remaining in his presidency.  The clemency actions included a pardon for former White House strategist Steve Bannon, who was facing trial for allegedly defrauding donors in a project to help build Mr. Trump's border wall.  Also missing from the clemency list was Reality Winner, a former National Security Agency contractor imprisoned in 2018 for mailing classified material to a news outlet.  The documents pertained to Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Bill Sammon and Chris Stirewalt out at Fox News.  Two executives involved in the early call of Arizona for Joe Biden on Election Night, angering many conservatives, are no longer employed at the cable network whose ratings took a subsequent nosedive.  Both have been lightning rods for conservatives since the election.

Failing Fox purges Stirewalt and 16 others — shifts back to conservative opinion.  Fox News laid off at least 16 staffers at Fox digital, including Chris Stirewalt, the political editor who defended the election-night call of Arizona.  While the purge is allegedly a restructuring after the election, insiders told The Daily Beast it's an ideological purge.  Viewers were infuriated with Stirewalt when he called Arizona while people were waiting in line to vote.  Fox refused to call Florida and Texas for Trump when he obviously won.  Stirewalt was a Never Trumper who told reporters to never attend Trump rallies.  He said their presence allows Trump to use them as a "prop."

Court documents reveal a group of militia members planned their entry to the U.S. Capitol.  The Washington Post story focuses on three individuals who have now been charged for their involvement in the riot.  But unlike some people who may have just been following the mob, these three — Thomas Caldwell, Jessica Watkins and Donovan Crowl — appear to have planned their entry to the Capitol in advance and discussed their progress during the riot.

Army vet shreds Dem Rep for 'ridiculous' remark about dangerous troops:  You've no business leading this country.  A U.S. Army veteran slammed Rep. Steve Cohen for claiming that National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., could pose a threat to President-elect Joe Biden.  West Point graduate Jeremy Hunt called out the Tennessee Democrat for questioning the loyalty of 25,000 troops who have been deployed to the nation's capital for Biden's inauguration on Wednesday, calling it "absolutely ridiculous" and blasting him for exploiting an intelligence report to score political points.  With reports that the U.S. Military was running background checks and the FBI was conducting additional vetting of the Guard troops, Cohen weighed in on CNN, recounting how former India Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her own bodyguards, as he suggested some within National Guard could be suspicious.

Pentagon won't say what got 12 Guard troops sent home from Biden inauguration duty in DC.  Twelve National Guard troops deployed to Washington ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration were flagged during background checks and have been sent home, Defense Department officials confirmed Tuesday, offering scant details as to what raised suspicions about them.  Two of those were flagged for "inappropriate comments or texts," Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the Nation Guard Bureau, told reporters, including one reported within their own chain of command.  Hokanson's comments refute a Tuesday story from the Associated Press that all 12 troops removed from the Capitol had right-wing militia ties.

Pentagon: No indication of 'inside threat' to inauguration, troops being vetted.  Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller said Monday [1/18/2021] that there is no intelligence to suggest President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration is being targeted by any members of the National Guard.  Miller's statement comes as reports surfaced over the weekend that the 25,000 National Guard members stationed in Washington to protect the Capitol were being vetted.  Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told The Associated Press on Sunday that National Guard commanders were instructed to be on the lookout for problems within their units.  "As is normal for military support to large security events, the Department will vet National Guardsmen who are in Washington, D.C," Miller said.  "While we have no intelligence indicating an insider threat, we are leaving no stone unturned in securing the capital."

Is this paranoia, or just bigotry?
Democratic Congressman Fears Trump-Voting 'White Males' in National Guard at Inauguration: '75 Percent Are in the Class' that May 'Do Something'.  Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen (TN) expressed concern Monday [1/18/2021] that the National Guard troops responsible for protecting Washington, D.C. on Inauguration Day could constitute a threat because they included too many "white males" who voted for President Donald Trump.  "The guard is 90-some-odd percent, I believe, male," Cohen said in a Monday interview with CNN's Jim Sciutto.  "Only about 20 percent of white males voted for Biden.  You've got to figure that in the guard, which is predominantly more conservative — I see that on my social media, and we know it.  They're probably not more than 25 percent of the people that are there protecting us that are voting for Biden.  "The other 75 percent are in the class, the large class of folks, who might want to do something," he added.

Bed Bath & Beyond and Kohls will STOP selling MyPillow because of CEO Mike Lindell's support of voter fraud theories.  MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell revealed Monday [1/18/2021] that Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl's and Wayfair have all stopped selling his products on account of his continued support of widely discredited conspiracy theories regarding election fraud.  Lindell, whose company is based in Minneapolis, made the announcement during an interview with conservative commentator Brian Glenn on Monday night [1/18/2021].  'Just got off the phone with Bed Bath & Beyond.  They're dropping My Pillow.  Just got off the phone not five minutes ago.  Kohl's, all these different places,' Lindell said during the interview. 'These [companies], they're scared, like a Bed Bath & Beyond, they're scared.  They were good partners.  In fact, I told them, "You guys come back anytime you want."'

'No Plot Against Biden Found' — 2 National Guardsmen Removed From Duty In DC After Social Media Spying.  Despite no plot against Biden being found, two National Guardsmen have been removed from duty in Washington, D.C. after government agencies began scouring their social media feeds for pro-Trump sympathies.  The Associated Press reports from an anonymous source: "two National Guard members have been found to have ties to fringe right group militias.  No plot against Biden was found."  According to the AP: An "Army official and the intelligence official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity due to Defense Department media regulations.  They did not say what fringe group the Guard members belonged to or what unit they served in.  The National Guard Bureau referred questions to the U.S. Secret Service and said, "Due to operational security, we do not discuss the process nor the outcome of the vetting process for military members supporting the inauguration."

Gov. Abbott vows to never again authorize deployment of Texas Natl Guard to DC over 'offensive' loyalty screening.  Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a tweet Monday night [1/18/2021] that he will not authorize the deployment of the Texas National Guard to Washington, D.C. again if the troops are going to be disrespected.  Responding to a Washington Post article on the Pentagon was vetting National Guard members tapped to help with security on Inauguration Day for extremist ties, the Republican governor called it "the most offensive thing I've ever heard."  In effect, with an assist from the FBI, the 25,000-plus soldiers deployed to DC in a show of force are being submitted to background checks — essentially a political purity test — to ensure that they are not an inside threat endangering Joe Biden.  Seriously.

The Editor says...
Governor Abbott, if you're really so offended, you could recall those soldiers back to Texas and keep them from participating in ... whatever this event is.

FBI vetting Guard troops in DC amid fears of insider attack.  US defense officials say they are worried about an insider attack or other threat from service members involved in securing President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, prompting the FBI to vet all of the 25,000 National Guard troops coming into Washington for the event.  The massive undertaking reflects the extraordinary security concerns that have gripped Washington following the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the US Capitol by pro-Trump rioters.  And it underscores fears that some of the very people assigned to protect the city over the next several days could present a threat to the incoming president and other VIPs in attendance.

Ever Had a Hard Time Understanding Someone's Accent?  A Professor Says You're Guilty of 'Linguistic Racism'.  Have you ever had difficulty understanding someone's accent?  That is, have you ever been racist?  According to a Michigan State University linguistics and education professor, the two are one and the same.  So stop being beastly, and start understanding everyone.  Per Professor Peter De Costa, when/if you don't know what someone's saying due to their consonants and vowels, you're guilty of "linguistic racism."

Conservative Joe Ricketts, Cubs family patriarch who closed DNAinfo after union vote, to launch Omaha-based 'unbiased' news site.  The Omaha World-Herald reported on Sunday [1/17/2021] that billionaire businessman and philanthropist Joe Ricketts is hiring staff to launch an online national news source called Straight Arrow News.  "I think there's a gap in the market — there's no source for unbiased, fact-based news," Ricketts told the World-Herald in an emailed response to questions last week.  "And I believe there's a business opportunity there."

Arrests Connected to the Capitol Hill Protest Are Creating a Procedural Mess As Reflected by the Media's Coverage.  [Scroll down]  Where supported by the evidence, agents are drafting affidavits and prosecutors are filing criminal complaints to obtain arrest warrants for individuals connected to their actions.  Given the sheer numbers involved, I would guess that a dozen or more prosecutors are working on cases connected to the January 6 protests and nothing else.  But, as Michael Sherwin, Acting US Attorney for the District of Columbia, noted in a public statement earlier in the week, this process is made quite difficult by the fact that most of the persons being charged were able to return to their homes in other states prior to them being identified and the charges being filed.  Those individuals are now being arrested in their home states — not in DC.  That fact creates some procedural issues that DOJ must work through before the cases can proceed.

America's Biggest Owner Of Farmland Is Now Bill Gates.  Bill Gates, the fourth richest person in the world and a self-described nerd who is known for his early programming skills rather than his love of the outdoors, has been quietly snatching up 242,000 acres of farmland across the U.S. — enough to make him the top private farmland owner in America.  After years of reports that he was purchasing agricultural land in places like Florida and Washington, The Land Report revealed that Gates, who has a net worth of nearly $121 billion according to Forbes, has built up a massive farmland portfolio spanning 18 states.  His largest holdings are in Louisiana (69,071 acres), Arkansas (47,927 acres) and Nebraska (20,588 acres).  Additionally, he has a stake in 25,750 acres of transitional land on the west side of Phoenix, Arizona, which is being developed as a new suburb.

GOP Senators To Attend Biden Inauguration Wednesday After Objecting To His Electoral College Win.  At least half of the eight GOP senators who voted against President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College victory will be attending the inauguration Wednesday [1/20/2021] in Washington to support the peaceful transfer of power, Fox News has learned.  Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who spearheaded the Jan. 6 effort to toss out electoral votes for Biden, will attend the official swearing-in at the Capitol.  Sens. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., who joined with Cruz in objecting to Biden's victory before a Joint Session of Congress, also will attend Biden's inauguration, their offices confirmed.

Trump Declassifies 'Foot-High' Stack Of Russiagate, Obamagate Documents; Set For Release Within Days.  President Trump has declassified and authorized the release of "more than a foot-high stack of documents" related to the Obama administration's surveillance and espionage committed against the 2016 Trump campaign, as part of a larger campaign to discredit and undermine the incoming US president.  According to journalist and Trump insider John Solomon, the documents would be released as soon as Friday [1/15/2021], but no later than Monday.  "He has delivered in a big way.  More than a foot-high stack of documents he has authorized to be released by the FBI and the DOJ.  These are the things that the FBI has tried to keep from the public for 4 years.  They have amazing, big picture revelations," Solomon told Fox News' "Lou Dobbs Tonight."

Poll: Strong majority of GOP voters see themselves as Republicans instead of 'MAGA Nation'.  A strong majority of GOP voters view themselves as Republicans rather than devotees of President Trump's Make America Great Again, or "MAGA," movement, according to a new Just the News Daily Poll with Scott Rasmussen.  Among the Republican voters, 74% consider themselves "more of a Republican," while 19% see themselves as "part of MAGA nation."  The numbers could reflect the fallout from last week's Capitol riot, which has been broadly characterized as being led by Trump's MAGA devotees, a key part of the president's base, helped him become president in 2016.  However, there is no similar, previous polls to compared percentages.  The president has condemned the deadly, Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol Building, disavowed the participants and argued that "no true supporter" of his could have participated in it.

CISA and the SolarWinds Attack:  What Do We Know?  On November 17, President Trump appointed Brandon Wales as the director for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).  Wales was a highly qualified choice, as he had been CISA's first executive director and previously served as the director of the DHS Office of Cyber and Infrastructure Analysis (OCIA), which provides analysis of cyber- and physical risks to America's critical infrastructure.  Perhaps the most pressing cyber-security issue for America and CISA currently is the fallout from the SolarWinds hacking attack that has affected at least 2,000 computer systems belonging to over 100 governmental and non-governmental agencies around the world.  News of the attack was first reported a few weeks after Wales took over CISA.  The attacks have been attributed to APT29 (Advanced Persistent Threat).  The Russian hacking group is known by several aliases including Cozy Duke, Cozy Bear, the Dukes, and Office Monkeys.

Elon Musk Blames Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg For Capitol Riot.  In times of social crises in America, big tech billionaires are often amongst the first to speak up — though how they do so varies.  Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, unlike many of his peers, didn't directly speak about the riot that erupted in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday afternoon.  But the second-richest man in the world did make it clear that he was watching the news and indeed had a strong opinion about the surreal events that transpired at the U.S. Capitol.  Late Wednesday night [1/6/2021], after police had cleared protestors from the Capital ground to allow Congress to resume vote counting and certifying election results, Musk tweeted a meme showing bricks lining up like dominoes.  The smallest front brick was labeled "a website to rate women on campus" — a reference to the early version of Facebook — and the largest tile in the back was superimposed with a tweet by The New York Times Magazine correspondent Mark Leibovich that read:  "The Capitol seems to be under the control of a man in a viking hat."

Lawmaker Urges House Leadership to Stop Distributing Communist Propaganda Paper.  Freshman representative Ashley Hinson (R., Iowa) petitioned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) to stop distributing a Chinese Communist propaganda paper to House offices on Capitol Hill, according to a letter sent late last week and obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.  Hinson, who was elected in November, said she is "appalled" that lawmakers receive unsolicited copies of China Daily, a Chinese state-controlled newspaper that has been designated as Communist propaganda by the State Department.  China Daily has been delivered to congressional offices each morning for many years despite outrage among some members who view its circulation as inappropriate.  "Frankly, I was appalled when I walked into work Friday morning and saw my office had received an unsolicited copy of China Daily," Hinson, a former television news reporter, told the Free Beacon.

Indonesia jet carrying 62 goes missing on domestic flight.  A jet carrying 62 people lost contact with air traffic controllers minutes after taking off from Indonesia's capital on a domestic flight on Saturday, and debris found by fishermen was being examined to see if it was from the missing plane, officials said.  Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said Sriwijaya Air's Flight SJ182 was delayed for an hour before it took off at 2:36 p.m.  The Boeing 737-500 disappeared from radar four minutes later, after the pilot contacted air traffic control to ascend to an altitude of 29,000 feet (8,839 meters), he said.

Indonesian airliner's pilots reportedly did not declare emergency before crash.  The pilots of the Indonesian airliner that plunged into the sea off Jakarta with 62 people aboard did not declare an emergency or report technical problems before the Boeing 737-500 went down, according to a report.  National Transportation Safety Committee investigator Nurcahyo Utomo said recordings of conversations between the crew of the Sriwijaya Air flight bound for Pontianak and air traffic control were routine.  "It's like a normal conversation and nothing suspicious," he told Agence France-Presse.  "There's no talk of an emergency or something like that."  Preliminary data suggest it was "most likely" that the jet was intact when it hit the water Saturday, Utomo said, adding that "we don't know at this stage" what caused the crash.  His comments came as divers searched for the black boxes — cockpit voice and flight data recorders — that could be crucial to help explain why the aircraft went down with 62 Indonesians aboard, including 10 children.

The Editor says...
If they have not yet recovered the cockpit voice recorder, how do they know the crew's conversation was routine?  This case sounds a little like Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which crashed March 15, 2014.

Hennepin County libraries end overdue book fees.  Hennepin County Library users will no longer be paying fines for overdue books, movies and music.  The Hennepin County Board is eliminating the fees to make libraries more accessible to low-income populations, the kind of users who might stay away as fines pile up.  "Whenever a constituent would hear about a city or county eliminating fees, I would get e-mails from them asking why Hennepin hasn't done it," County Board Chairwoman Marion Greene said.  "This is really a way to drive usage of the libraries."

The Editor says...
Library fines don't "pile up" unless one violates the library's terms of use.  Fines exist for a reason. If the libraries eliminate fines, the books will all walk out the door, never to return.

GOP Rep Stands His Ground After CNN Commentator Demands Resignation.  A newly-elected black Republican House representative is firing back after he was told this week to "resign in disgrace" after he objected to the election results in a number of states Wednesday during congressional certification of the election results.  Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida stood with dozens of other lawmakers in questioning the results from a number of key battleground states.  The Republican was vocal on his Twitter page with regard to his intent to object to certification, prior to the Capitol incursion.  "The people of Florida's 19 Congressional District elected me to honor the Constitution and the Rule of Law.  That is why I just officially signed the objection to the electoral college certification — our election laws matter," he posted on Jan. 6.

Australians call on authorities to solve mystery of funds from Vatican.  People inside and outside the church are calling on authorities to get to the bottom of mystery funds transferred from the Vatican to Australia.  As Australia's bishops are considering requesting information from the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, a source close to the Vatican told The Catholic Weekly, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Sydney, that it was "completely implausible" that $2.3 billion Australian dollars (U.S. $1.8 billion) in Vatican funds transferred to Australia from Rome between 2014 and 2020 were legitimate.

Report Details Space Force Success in Foiling Iranian Missile Attack.  The Space Force proved instrumental in thwarting an Iranian missile attack on American bases in Iraq last year, a new report shows.  A review of the events of January 7, 2020, reported by C4ISRNET indicates that the newly created Space Force's early warning system allowed hundreds of Americans to quickly shelter in bunkers as Iran fired over a dozen ballistic missiles at U.S. military installations.  The missile attacks came days after a U.S. drone strike killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.  A Space Force early warning team at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colo., picked up unusual readings from advanced satellite missile-detection technology and informed military officials in Iraq within minutes.  The early warning potentially saved lives, as U.S. forces reported zero deaths after the night's action despite personnel suffering 110 injuries.

Reaction to the Conservative Daily Wire's Hollywood Debut Speaks Volumes.  Deadline.com leans reliably to the Left, but the news outlet played it straight this week for a big announcement.  The site revealed The Daily Wire's first feature film will be "Run Hide Fight," a Die Hard-style thriller set during a school shooting.  [Video clip]

Matt Gaetz draws raucous reactions from congressmembers, calls it like he sees it in Fiery floor speech.  U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz delivered a fiery speech from the House floor defending President Donald Trump and addressing protests that rocked the nation's capital.  The Florida Republican elicited both applause and boos from his colleagues in Congress Wednesday as he reminded them that Trump had asked protestors to be peaceful.  He expressed his gratitude to law enforcement who defended the Capitol when it was overrun by protesters but blamed the violence on Antifa and the left's rhetoric.  While many in Congress seemed to dial back their open defense of the president following the deadly violence that unfolded, Gaetz doubled down on his support in a blistering speech calling out Democrats for the part they have played in stoking divisions and holding a double standard.

Cancel culture comes for Justice Clarence Thomas over wife's alleged tweets.  The far-left cancel culture is in full gear following the protest Wednesday at the U.S. Capital that got out of hand, even targeting Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who is no stranger to "high-tech lynchings."  Not that Thomas did anything.  No, it's because his wife allegedly expressed support for the tens of thousands of Trump supporters who came to DC to peacefully protest the results of an election that they believe to be illegitimate — never mind that Ginni Thomas tweeted her presumed remarks well before a smaller faction of protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol.

CBS News:  Cabinet Members Discussing 25th Amendment To Remove Trump.  A CBS News correspondent reports [1/6/2021] that cabinet members are discussing possibly invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Donald Trump as president.

Has the 25th Amendment Basically Been Invoked?  Today [1/6/2021], violent radicals stormed the U.S. Capitol Building after the conclusion of President Donald Trump's speech at what is likely to be the final rally he'll hold in the city.  In the end, one woman was shot and killed, parts of the building were damaged, and a lot of morons made fools of themselves.  Nothing of value was actually accomplished because that obviously wasn't the goal of the perpetrators.  Instead, any possible debate on election integrity will be shelved for the foreseeable future.  In fact, most of the elected officials who were set to object to the electoral college certification today have backed out.  That line of pursuit is simply over.  In order to regain control of the Capitol, National Guard troops were called in, but it's who called them in and who wasn't consulted that makes that decision interesting.  It turns out that VP Mike Pence made the call.  In fact, the Department of Defense never even contacted the President, completely bypassing him.

Donald Trump:  Riots Happen When Election 'Landslides' Are Stolen.  President Donald Trump on Wednesday told his supporters who were demonstrating in Washington, DC, to "go home with love and in peace," though he simultaneously argued that protesters breaking into the U.S. Capitol was a consequence of the presidential election allegedly being stolen.  "These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously and viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly and unfairly treated for so long," Trump wrote on Twitter.

VP Pence Just Unfollowed President Trump on Twitter.  This afternoon [1/6/2021] at 1:16 PM, former AG GOP Chair Kelli Ward tweeted a copy of Vice President Mike Pence's statement, informing the public that he has no intention of sending the Electoral College votes from 6 contested states back to their state's legislature.  100 Percent Fed Up reports — AZ GOP Chair Dr. Kelli Ward appears to be blaming VP Pence for the chaos that ensued in the Capitol building during the Joint Session of Congress.

Incompetence:
"Which Executive Order?"; Jen Psaki Had No Idea That Biden Resumed Catch And Release On The Border.  During the White House press briefing on Friday, Press Secretary Jen Psaki was blindsided by a reporter when she learned that Joe Biden had signed an executive on Tuesday [2/2/2021] resuming catch and release on the border.  The Biden order allows illegal immigrants to remain in the US while awaiting immigration proceedings.  According to the NY Post, "the executive order only permits Border Patrol to hold an undocumented illegal alien crossing the border up to 72 hours[.]"  Understandably, the reporter brought up concerns about the potential spread of COVID from random migrants who enter the country.  When the reporter mentioned the executive order, Psaki gave her a blank stare, clearly not knowing what she was talking about.

The U.S. Has Lost More Than 110,000 Restaurants, Setting The Stage For A Commercial Real Estate Collapse Of Epic Proportions.  The restaurant industry is in the midst of a complete and total meltdown that is unlike anything that we have ever seen before.  If you ask Google how many restaurants there are in the United States, it will tell you that there are 660,755, although that number is a few years old.  But for the purposes of this article, that is a good enough estimate.  Americans love to eat out, and restaurant workers are some of the hardest working people in the entire country.  So it is incredibly sad to see more restaurants constantly going under.  In some cases, restaurants that have served their communities for decades are deciding to permanently close their doors.

LA County Orders Ambulance Crews Not to Transport Patients With 'Little Chance of Survival'.  Los Angeles ambulance crew members have been instructed not to transport patients with "little chance of survival" to local hospitals as ICUs near capacity across the county.  In a directive issued by the Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency Monday, ambulance workers were also told to conserve the use of oxygen in the state's most populous county, which currently has an infection rate of 138 per 100,000, according to California's tracking dashboard.  According to county health data, there were just 17 adult ICU beds available, with 7,544 hospitalizations as of Monday evening [1/4/2021].  The county EMS directive states that due to bed shortages, ambulance crews should no longer transport patients to hospitals if their hearts have stopped and resuscitation attempts have failed, according to the Los Angeles Times.

No Police Officers Will Be Charged In Kenosha Shooting Of Jacob Blake, District Attorney Announces.  Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley announced on Monday that the officers involved in the shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old black man, in August in Kenosha, Wisconsin, will not be charged.  According to Graveley, there was not sufficient and admissible evidence to support an unlawful shooting charge against law enforcement.  He also clarified that Blake will not be charged. [...] The announcement comes months after Blake was shot in the back seven times by Officer Rusten Sheskey after Blake grappled with and then attempted to flee the police tasers and enter a vehicle containing three of his children.  The shooting, which left him partially paralyzed, was caught on video and shows that Blake may have been holding a knife, which was later recovered from the scene.  Officers originally pursued Blake in response to a complaint from his girlfriend, who said he was violating a restraining order.

Kenosha Wisconsin Prosecutor Will Not Charge Police Officer With Shooting of Jacob Blake.  On Tuesday afternoon [1/5/2021] Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley announced his decision that his office would not file criminal charges against Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Shesky in connection with the shooting by Shesky of Jacob Blake on August 23, 2020.  Blake was left paralyzed from the waist down by the shooting, which was captured on a cell phone video from across the street, and the video spread widely on the internet in the hours following the shooting.  In making his announcement, Gravely stated that his office had employed an independent "use of force" expert as well as the Wisconsin Department of Justice.  His decision was based on an analysis of how a trial on any charges would likely develop, and the "privilege of force" defense that would likely be available to Officer Shesky.

Senate Swears In 6 New Members as 117th Congress Convenes.  Several new members of the Senate on Sunday [1/3/2021] were sworn in for the 117th Congress.  The new members include Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.). Tuberville defeated former Sen. Doug Jones, a Democrat; while Hickenlooper defeated former Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.). Marshall succeeded former Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Hagerty succeeded former Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), and Lummis succeeded former Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.).  "To say the 117th Congress convenes at a challenging time would indeed be an understatement," Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a statement after the senators were sworn into office.  "From political division to a deadly pandemic to adversaries around the world, the hurdles before us are many and they are serious."

Printing Business In Rochester Burns To Ground, Sparks Unfounded Rumors About Ballots.  A printing business in upstate New York that has been a staple in the community for nearly a century burned to the ground on Christmas Eve.  Taking 70 firefighters to put out the raging flames, City Blue Imaging Services on Scio Street in Rochester was reduced to rubble by Christmas morning.  "First I cried, obviously," said City Blue employee Paul Kieffer, on scene the morning after the fire.  "There are no words for it.  We expected burned up building, maybe a small fire, but it's just gone." [...] City Blue has denied any connections to ballot printing, posting via Twitter:  "NO, we do not do ballot printing.  We don't have the equipment and it's not a specialty we would be involved with.  We are mainly doing blue printing and marketing."

Jon Ossoff's Company Produced [a] Documentary Praising China's Rise in Africa.  Democrat Georgia Senate candidate Jon Ossoff's production company, Insight TWI, produced a two-part report for Al Jazeera in 2015 that praised China's growing power and influence in Africa, two years after he became the company's CEO.  The report, featuring Sierra Leonean investigative journalist Sorious Samura, begins with an interview with an elderly African woman talking about how, when she was young, "white men" came, took their land, and destroyed their forests.  Samura contrasts that with the "new elephant" in Africa — China.  "China is now Africa's largest trading partner.  If you fly into Kenya, China greets you at the airport," Samura said.  "In just 10 years, China's trade with the continent has gone from $10 billion to over $200 billion."  Samura reported that an estimated 30 percent of all new projects in Africa are the result of Chinese investment.  He gave passing mention to China's desire for the "freeflow of mineral resources."

Gohmert on Lawsuit Dismissal: 'If I Don't Have Standing to Do That, Nobody Does'.  Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) said late Friday [1/1/2021], after a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit he and others filed against Vice President Mike Pence, that the ruling was wrong, and that he plans to appeal.  District Judge Jeremy Kernodle, a Trump nominee, alleged Gohmert didn't have sufficient standing to bring the legal action.  Gohmert "alleges at most an institutional injury to the House of Representatives," Kernodle wrote.  "Under well-settled Supreme Court authority, that is insufficient to support standing."  Reacting during a virtual appearance on Newsmax, Gohmert said, "If I don't have standing to do that, nobody does."

Congress Overrides President Trump's Veto of $740 Billion Defense Bill.  The Republican-controlled Senate voted to override President Trump's veto of the $740 billion defense bill on Friday [1/1/2021].  President Trump last Wednesday vetoed the $740 billion defense bill because the legislation renamed bases named after Confederates and would not allow for removal of our military from other countries.  Trump also wanted to add a provision terminating Section 230 protections for tech giants.  The House of Representatives Monday evening overwhelmingly voted to override President Trump's veto of the defense bill.

Senate Overrides Trump's Veto of NDAA, 13 Members Uphold Veto.  The Senate voted to override President Donald Trump's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2021.  The upper house on Friday afternoon [1/1/2021] passed the bill without the president's signature with an 80-13 vote — the first time a Trump veto has been overridden.  The debate over the bill was ended earlier in the day with the same result.

McConnell Ties $2,000 Checks to Section 230 Repeal, Voter Fraud Investigation.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell introduced legislation authorizing direct cash payments of $2,000 Tuesday [12/29/2020], but with a catch to which Democrats will likely object.  The bill combines $2,000 payments with a repeal of Section 230, a provision that grants social media companies liability protections against content users post on their platforms, and the establishment of a commission to study allegations of voter fraud in the 2020 election.  Though Democrats supported President Donald Trump's push for $2,000 checks, they have opposed his efforts to abolish Section 230 and investigate his allegations of fraud, giving McConnell's bill little chance of becoming law.

Most West Point cadets in cheating scandal are athletes.  The majority of cadets caught cheating on a math test at the West Point military academy are athletes — including two dozen members of the Army football team playing West Virginia in Thursday's Liberty Bowl.  Of the 24 Army Black Knights embroiled in the scandal, 17 remained in uniform as of Wednesday — and a few have already played in games this season, USA Today reported.  They remain on the team because West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams suspended the school's policy of barring cadets who violate the academy's honor code from representing the school in public.  The honor code is engraved in a monument at the Hudson River front school:  "A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do."

Mich.  Gov. Whitmer Vetoes Unemployment Funds.  Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) is under fire from Republicans after cutting millions of dollars in unemployment benefits from a state COVID-19 relief bill.  On Tuesday [12/29/2020], Whitmer signed a massive bipartisan relief package that was easily passed by state legislators, but not before nixing a provision to provide $220 million to Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.  She adamantly claimed while signing the bill, the change wouldn't affect people's jobless benefits.  "To be very clear, this will not impact individual workers," she stated.  "General fund dollars have got to be used to fund essential services like vaccines and PPE, not to give tax breaks to big businesses right now."

Mitch McConnell blocks unanimous vote on $2,000 COVID-19 stimulus checks.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday blocked unanimous passage of the $2,000 COVID-19 stimulus checks requested by President Trump.  McConnell (R-Ky.) objected after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) asked for a unanimous vote on a five-page bill that passed the House on Monday [12/28/2020] with 44 Republican votes.  Trump requested the $2,000 checks last week, saying the $600 checks approved as part of a $2.3 trillion pandemic relief and government funding bill was too small.  McConnell blocked unanimous passage after scheduling a Wednesday vote to override Trump's veto of a $740 billion defense bill.

McConnell blocks Democrats' attempt to quickly approve $2,000 stimulus checks amid pressure on GOP to act.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday [12/29/2020] blocked consideration of a House bill that would deliver $2,000 stimulus payments to most Americans — spurning a request by President Trump even as more Senate Republicans voiced support for the dramatically larger checks.  McConnell's move was just the beginning of a saga that is likely to engulf the Senate for the rest of the week.  Democrats are pushing for an up-or-down vote on the House bill, while more Republicans acknowledge a need for larger stimulus checks.  Tension within the Republican party spilled into public view on Tuesday, with Trump leveling pointed attacks at GOP leaders for failing to act, accusing them of being "pathetic" and suggesting they had a "death wish."

The Editor says...
By all means, block the $2,000 payments, if you're doing it for the right reasons.  The right reasons include the simple fact that the Constitution does not authorize direct payments to individuals, and the national debt is already high enough, and printing money causes inflation.  But I doubt if Mitch McConnell is motivated by any of that.

American youth too flabby to defend nation, retired generals say.  A group of retired military leaders is warning the Pentagon that most of America's youth is too out of shape to defend the nation.  The organization, known as "Mission Readiness" wants the Pentagon to help set up an interagency committee to address what it considers the nation's military recruiting crisis.  They recently sent a letter to acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller, urging him to work with heads of other relevant federal departments and agencies to take a "holistic approach" to addressing issues ultimately impacting the ability of the military to recruit personnel.

Global investors flee from Chinese tech stocks after the government crackdown on Ant and Alibaba.  Global investors are running from Chinese tech stocks in the wake of the government's crackdown on Ant Group and Alibaba, two high-flying businesses founded by Ma Yun (Jack Ma) that were once hailed as paragons of China's new tech elite.  Shares of major technology companies in the country have fallen sharply in recent days, with Bloomberg calculating that Alibaba, Tencent, JD.com and Meituan have lost around $200 billion in value during a handful of trading sessions.  Already reeling from the last-minute halt of the public debut of Ant Group, a major Chinese fintech player with deep ties to Alibaba, the e-commerce giant came under new fire, as China's markets watchdog opened a probe into its business practices concerning potentially anticompetitive behavior.

Group pushes to diversify volunteering at Minnesota nonprofits.  Minnesotans have rallied to help nonprofits during the pandemic, but across many organizations, most of those volunteers are white.  A statewide organization is trying to change that with new research calling attention to disparities in volunteerism.

The Editor says...
If you need unpaid help with your charitable organization, and you really care what color the volunteers are, you might be a racist.

The U.S. government spent billions on a system for detecting hacks.  The Russians outsmarted it.  When Russian hackers first slipped their digital Trojan horses into federal government computer systems, probably sometime in the spring, they sat dormant for days, doing nothing but hiding.  Then the malicious code sprang into action and began communicating with the outside world.  At that moment — when the Russian malware began sending transmissions from federal servers to command-and-control computers operated by the hackers — an opportunity for detection arose, much as human spies behind enemy lines are particularly vulnerable when they radio home to report what they've found.  Why then, when computer networks at the State Department and other federal agencies started signaling to Russian servers, did nobody in the U.S. government notice that something odd was afoot?  The answer is part Russian skill, part federal government blind spot.

Mayhem in the streets:  Illegal vendors are overtaking NYC.  Live crabs.  Bras with rhinestones.  Old shoes.  Frayed electrical cords.  Knock-off Louis Vuitton clutches.  Disposable face masks.  Mets caps.  Illegal street peddlers hawking such items have taken over the outer boroughs, clogging sidewalks with their second-hand wares and pulling customers from pandemic-ravaged mom-and-pop shops.  And everybody is pointing the finger at Mayor de Blasio.  From Brooklyn to the Bronx, Staten Island and Queens, folding tables and mats rolled out on the ground force pedestrians to go single-file or step aside so they don't get run over.

The Editor says...
I don't see how the situation described above qualifies as mayhem.  Many people are selling substandard merchandise without permits from the city.  That sounds like free-market capitalism.  Maybe some of the vendors are aggressively touting their wares and impeding the flow of pedestrian traffic.  In Texas, that condition is known as the State Fair.

GoDaddy teased 500 employees into replying to email promising Christmas $650 bonus — only to then reveal it was phishing test they FAILED.  Internet domain giant GoDaddy is in hot water after sending several employees an email claiming that they would get a holiday bonus, only for it to be a hoax that the company set up to test staff.  A December 14 email was sent to employees of the Scottsdale, Arizona-based company after staff had already been notified that they would not be receiving bonuses for the holidays this year.  'Happy Holiday GoDaddy! 2020 has been a record year for GoDaddy, thanks to you,' the email, obtained by 12 News, read.  It was sent to roughly 500 employees.

The Editor says...
In the last few years before I retired, I got two or three of those emails.  Fortunately I deleted them without looking at them, but the unfortunate few who did read them got in a little bit of trouble.  All the company accomplished was to teach us not to trust anybody.

So many people left New York that the state may lose a seat in Congress.  The coronavirus pandemic appears to have been the icing on the case in terms of New York's declining population, and it could impact the state's political influence in future elections.  According to preliminary US Census Bureau data released on Tuesday, more than 126,000 people moved out of New York state between July 2019 and July 2020 — the biggest population drop of any state this year.

Elephant Walk:  It's showdown time in Alaska.  According to a report in the UK's Daily Mail, an impressive fleet of 30 fighter jets and two refueling aircraft lined the runway at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, in a display of air power and American military might.  A group from the 354th Fighter Wing and the 168th Wing Air National Guard were pictured on Friday in what is known as an "Elephant Walk."  The drill involves a procession of military aircraft taxiing close in formation right before a minimum interval takeoff — essentially a readiness exercise in testing how quickly fighter jets can take to the skies.

War Train.  This War Train was filmed in the CSX Yard back in March (Pensacola, Florida) [March, 2020]  [Video clip]

Bodycam shows ex-wife of Georgia Dem.  Senate candidate Raphael Warnock telling cops he hit her as he drove off with their kids.  The ex-wife of Georgia senatorial candidate Raphael Warnock accused him of running over her foot in his car during a domestic dispute in March, and told police he is 'a great actor' obsessed with his reputation.  Police bodycam footage of the incident, shown by Fox News' Tucker Carlson on Tuesday [12/22/2020], shows a tearful Ouleye Ndoye, 35, telling cops that her then-husband had injured her foot while trying to drive away with their children.  Ndoye, who works to combat human trafficking in the office of the mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms, called police over the incident.

That video of Warnock's wife is really... something.  We've repeatedly discussed the fact that the oppo file on Reverend Raphael Warnock is about as thick as the Oxford English Dictionary, but even with that as a given, I'm pretty sure this wasn't the present he wanted to find under his Christmas tree right before the Georgia runoff elections.  Last night on Tucker Carlson's show on Fox News we were shown police body camera footage of Warnock from an incident that took place earlier this year.  Warnock's former wife accused the Reverend of running over her foot with his car during an argument in the driveway of their home.  Warnock cast doubt on the claim, but the wife seemed insistent.  She also went on to say that her husband is "a great actor" and he's able to fool the public easily.

Pelosi and Schumer Agree to Trump's Demand for $2,000 Stimulus Checks.  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) signaled that they are open to increasing the amount for the stimulus checks after President Donald Trump threatened to veto the COVID relief bill unless the direct payment was increased to $2,000 per individual.  "Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks.  At last, the President has agreed to $2,000 — Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent.  Let's do it!" Pelosi wrote on Twitter on Tuesday [12/22/2020].

Hackers believed to have stolen Treasury Department's encryption keys.  Hackers who broke into the US government's computer systems appear to have stolen encryption keys, potentially giving them access to the email accounts of top officials, US Sen. Ron Wyden said Monday [12/21/2020].  Following a briefing on the SolarWinds hack — a suspected state-sponsored act of espionage, with fingers pointed at Russia — Wyden issued a statement saying that the hack of the US Treasury Department, in particular, "appears to be significant."  According to department staff, "the agency suffered a serious breach, beginning in July, the full depth of which isn't known," Wyden said.  "Microsoft notified the agency that dozens of email accounts were compromised."

IBM, 3M, PepsiCo Among Leading US Firms That House Chinese Communist Party Units:  Leaked Database.  Hundreds of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members are embedded within the Chinese divisions of major U.S. corporations, from IBM to PepsiCo to 3M, a leaked CCP-member database revealed.  The existence of Party units within foreign companies in China is hardly surprising, given that the regime mandates any organization with at least three CCP members to form a Party branch.  But the 1.95 million CCP member list, which includes names, levels of education, ethnicity, and the Party branches they belong to, was to date the biggest revelation on the scale of the CCP's influence on international companies.  Most of the members in the database are from the country's southeastern coastal metropolis of Shanghai.  New York-headquartered tech firm IBM has at least two dozen Party units with 808 members in China.

Houston pastor on $200K Lamborghini gift: 'It wasn't a pastor that bought the car.  It was a husband'.  An associate pastor at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church who caught heat for buying his wife a $200,000 Lamborghini Urus is now defending the move, saying, "it wasn't a pastor that bought the car, it was a husband that bought the car."  Pastor John Gray, who leads his own megachurch in Greenville, S.C., said in a 23-minute Facebook Live video that he bought the car using funds from other ventures — citing his book deals, a reality TV show on the Oprah Winfrey Network and being "wise with savings and investments" — and did it to mark the couple's eighth anniversary.

Former Host Says Fox News Is Tanking, Lost 40% Of Audience.  Former Fox News host Eric Bolling said people at Fox News are nervous.  Fox News ratings have dropped by 40%, and they don't know how to turn it around.

Congress Finally agrees on $900B COVID relief package that will send $600 to Americans — half of what they got in April.  Congress has agreed to a $900 billion coronavirus relief package, Senate leaders announced Sunday [12/20/2020].  The deal finally delivers long-overdue help to businesses and individuals and provides money to deliver vaccines to a nation eager for them.  It establishes a temporary $300 per week supplemental jobless benefits and $600 direct stimulus payments to most Americans — half of what they got in April — along with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses and money for schools, health care providers and renters facing eviction.

Are We Witnessing the Beginning of the End for Fox News?  Newsmax is not yet rivaling Fox in terms of ratings, but it seems feasible that the outlet could close the gap in the next few years.  GOP lawmakers told The Hill that the rise in popularity for Newsmax and other right-leaning news organizations has enticed them to appear more frequently on these alternative networks.  Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) stated that Trump's feud with Fox contributed to his decision to look at smaller outlets.  The Hill noted, "asked whether Trump's criticism of Fox News is a factor for the small segment of Republicans considering the alternative networks, Harris replied: 'It is for me.'"

Critics Boycott CBS Series 'The Stand' Because the Actor Playing the Deaf Character Can Hear.  Well, it had to happen eventually.  In our new woke paradigm, actress Scarlett Johansson can't portray a woman identifying as a man.  Nor can James Corden be a straight actor playing a gay character.  Thus, we take an obvious next step:  Deaf characters should only be played by deaf actors.  Such is the premise of a December 17th letter picking up steam on the web, which condemns the casting of actor Henry Zaga.

The Editor says...
But it's okay to portray Beethoven as a black man.

Resignations by US Attorneys Create Opportunity for Senate GOP to Maintain Influence Over Biden DOJ.  [Scroll down]  I was in my first year with DOJ in 1992 when George H.W. Bush lost to Bill Clinton, and I had a front-row seat to how that transition took place.  I can't express any opinions about other departments of agencies, but I can say that DOJ is heavily influenced in its functioning by the people who hold the position of US Attorney in the 93 US Attorneys' Offices around the country.  A very large percentage of the work done by DOJ takes place far outside Washington DC, and includes a significant amount of "discretionary" judgment at the local level about what cases to bring and what cases to decline.  The oversight from DC comes almost exclusively from the Office of the Deputy Attorney General and the Attorney General, not other sections of Main Justice.

Space Force Reveals What Their Personnel Will Officially Be Called.  The United States Space Force (USSF), which is the sixth branch of the United States Armed Forces, revealed on Friday that their personnel will officially be called "Guardians."  "Today, after a yearlong process that produced hundreds of submissions and research involving space professionals and members of the general public, we can finally share with you the name by which we will be known:  Guardians," the USSF said in a statement.  "The opportunity to name a force is a momentous responsibility.  Guardians is a name with a long history in space operations, tracing back to the original command motto of Air Force Space Command in 1983, 'Guardians of the High Frontier.'"

The Editor says...
Now that the Space Force is up and running, why are we still spending money on NASA?  On the other hand, if we really need a Space Force, why not just militarize NASA?  If both entities exist, something tells me the great majority of the Space Force's activity will be secret and/or redundant, and thus ten times as costly as it should be.

Pentagon halts Biden transition briefings.  Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller ordered a Pentagon-wide halt to cooperation with the transition of President-elect Biden, shocking officials across the Defense Department, senior administration officials tell Axios.

It's 'pretty clear' Russia did it, Pompeo says of massive U.S. government hack attack.  Russia is behind the ongoing hack of a spectrum of government agencies and corporations, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday night [12/18/2020].  "This was a very significant effort, and I think it's the case that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity," Pompeo said during an interview on the Mark Levin Show.  Pompeo is now the first Trump administration official to pin the hack on Russia.  "We're still unpacking precisely what it is, and I'm sure some of it will remain classified," Pompeo, who formerly headed the CIA, told Levin, according to a transcript of the interview released by the State Department.

New York village votes to dissolve its own government.  A 142-year old Rockland County village has voted its independence out of existence.  Residents of South Nyack, a small community in Orangetown along the Hudson River, voted Thursday [12/17/2020] in a referendum to dissolve its government, the Journal News reported.  "We acknowledge that the residents have chosen to dissolve the village and we will now work to establish a plan that will allow for a smooth transition into the Town of Orangetown," said South Nyack Mayor Bonnie Christian.  The 508 to 292 vote means South Nyack's nearly 2,000 residents will rely on Orangetown to provide municipal services such as police and street maintenance.

Woke Art Centre Celebrates Beethoven Birthday with Portrait of Composer as a Black Man.  The Centre of Fine Arts in Brussels announced the celebration of the 250th birthday of German composer Ludwig van Beethoven by posting a portrait of the composer as a black African man.  The centre, also known as BOZAR, published a post on Wednesday [12/16/2020] of a still from a video entitled "Black Beethoven" by American artist Terry Adkins, which features a portrait of the late 18th and early 19th-century composer depicted a young black man with dreadlocks.

The Editor says...
Beethoven wasn't black.  What would be the purpose of depicting him as a black man?  That's borderline insanity.

Two SolarWinds investors sold $280 million in stock six days before it was hacked in 'Russian cyber-attack' along with six federal agencies.  Two investment firms that together own 70 percent of SolarWinds sold off $280 million in stock just six days before it was revealed the technology company had been the subject of a huge hack hitting federal agencies.  On December 7, Silver Lake — a Silicon Valley investor — sold $158 million in shares, while Thoma Bravo — a San Francisco-based private equity firm — sold $128 million in shares on the same day.  Three executives from each firm sit on the board of SolarWinds and they have been the largest investors in the company since it went public in 2018.

Cuomo signs bill banning sale of Confederate flags.  Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law aimed at banning the sale of "hate symbols" such as the Confederate flag or the swastika on state property — even while admitting the new edict might clash with the First Amendment and be struck down as unconstitutional.  The new law — effective immediately — prohibits the sale of hate symbols on public grounds including state and local fairs, and also severely limits their display unless deemed relevant to serving an educational or historical purpose.  But Cuomo said the rule likely needs "certain technical changes" so the Empire State doesn't get caught treading upon free speech protections codified in the Constitution's First Amendment.

Intel community assessment delayed amid dispute over whether China sought to influence 2020 election.  The 2020 Intelligence Community Assessment focused on foreign election influence will be delayed, Fox News has learned, amid a dispute among senior intelligence analysts over whether China sought to influence the election.  "This afternoon the DNI was notified by career intelligence officials that the Intelligence Community will not meet the December 18 deadline, set by Executive Order and Congress, to submit the IC's classified assessment on foreign threats to the 2020 U.S. elections," Amanda Schoch, Assistant DNI for Strategic Communications said in a statement to Fox News.

Redistricting gives GOP a built-in edge to win House majority in 2022.  The Republican Party is poised to win the House majority in 2022, boosted by the rare combination of President Trump's ouster and down-ballot victories that put the GOP in command of the decennial redrawing of district boundaries.  House Republicans flipped nearly a dozen Democratic-held seats in the Nov. 3 elections, a surprising gain that left them a handful shy of the majority.  With such a thin margin, there is loose speculation redistricting could effectively deliver Republicans the speaker's gavel before a single Democratic incumbent is defeated.  The GOP preserved control of key state legislatures and governor's mansions, a crucial advantage in the partisan battle over reapportionment.

DNI John Ratcliffe Confirmed There Was Foreign Interference in November Elections:  Report.  Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe confirmed that there was foreign interference in the 2020 election, according to CBS correspondent Catherine Herridge.  "Well DNI Ratcliffe leads the 17 intelligence agencies and he has access to the most highly classified information that is held by the US government.  And he told CBS News that there was foreign interference by China, Iran, and Russia in November of this year and he is anticipating a public report on those findings in January," Herridge said on Dec. 3.

Government Leaders Clash Over Next Step for Trump's Ban on Chinese Stocks.  President Trump's recent executive order prohibiting Americans from investing in companies tied to China's military complex has set up a fight in the highest ranks of government over how broad the list should be.  Since November, the White House barred U.S. investors from buying into 35 Chinese companies the Pentagon has classified as aiding China's defense, intelligence and security apparatus.  It sparked selloffs of Chinese stocks and bonds, forced index firms to drop companies from marquee benchmarks, and pushed Wall Street to reassess risks from investing in China.  Now, the U.S. government is at odds over whether the blacklist should include subsidiaries of the companies.  Another battlefront is over whether affiliates should be included.  The question affects how much teeth the ban will have.

Why The Epoch Times Won't Call the Presidential Race Until All Challenges Are Resolved.  Our nation is moving into uncharted territory as multiple legal challenges have been filed in response to the 2020 elections, with more challenges expected to come.  Both candidates have claimed victory in certain states, but it appears increasingly likely that this election will be resolved in the courts.  For that reason, The Epoch Times will not declare a winner of the 2020 presidential election until all legal challenges are resolved.

Venezuela wields a powerful "hate" law to silence Maduro's remaining foes.  Francisco Belisario, a Venezuelan mayor, retired general and member of the ruling Socialist party, had enough.  His loudest local critic had accused him of bungling the response to the coronavirus outbreak and other big problems.  In August, he wrote a state prosecutor and requested an "exhaustive investigation" of his nemesis, Giovanni Urbaneja, a former lawmaker who had become a gadfly to the mayor and other Socialist officeholders.  Urbaneja, Belisario wrote in a letter reviewed by Reuters, was conducting a "ferocious smear campaign" on Facebook and elsewhere.

Barr resigns:  Everyone (except Biden) wins.  William Barr resigned as Attorney General yesterday [12/14/2020], clearing the way for appointment of a special counsel to investigate the crimes of Hunter Biden and any other matters that may arise from that investigation. [...] The fact that his resignation letter and President Trump's tweets were cordial tells me that an arrangement between the two men was reached.  My strong suspicion is that Trump asked Barr to appoint a special counsel to take over and potentially expand the investigation of Hunter Biden already underway by the US Attorney for Delaware and that Barr declined, but offered to resign to allow a successor (for now, Deputy Attorney General Jeffery Rosen) to appoint a special counsel. [...] If Biden is inaugurated, he could easily demand the resignations of all sitting US Attorneys, as has been done before by new presidents.  That would relatively quietly kill the investigation of the Biden family's corrupt arrangements with foreign entities and governments, since the media would raise no questions and the social media oligopolists would suppress discussion.  But firing a special counsel, while not impossible, is more difficult.

White House confirms cyberattack report on U.S. Treasury by foreign government.  The U.S. government has acknowledged reports that hackers backed by a foreign government have breached the U.S. Treasury Department and an agency within the Commerce Department.  "The United States government is aware of these reports and we are taking all necessary steps to identify and remedy any possible issues related to this situation," National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot told FOX Business in a statement.  According to Reuters, the elaborate cyber hack was launched on the Treasury Department as well as the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, or NTIA, a U.S. agency that is tasked with crafting internet and telecommunications policy.  Sources told the outlet that the hack was so serious it led to a National Security Council meeting on Saturday [12/12/2020].

Suspected Russian hackers broke into US federal agencies and spied on emails in a 'highly sophisticated' cyberattack.  Suspected Russian hackers have infiltrated several key parts of the US government, including the Treasury and Commerce departments, in a "highly sophisticated" and large-scale cyberattack that took place over several months.  The security breaches were so alarming that they prompted the National Security Council to meet Saturday, Reuters reported, and came less than a week after the National Security Agency warned that "Russian state-sponsored actors" were exploiting weak spots in a computer system used by US federal agencies.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Dismisses Trump Lawsuit.  In a 4-3 decision [12/14/2020], the Wisconsin Supreme Court dismissed President Trump's lawsuit seeking to invalidate roughly 220,00 votes in Dane and Milwaukee counties.  The court stated that it would not made a blanket invalidation of ballots cast under the status of indefinitely confined, as President Trump had sought.  Regarding other challenged ballots, the court said President Trump waited too long in bringing his challenge.

Wisconsin Supreme Court says election officials were wrong; ballots may not be counted.  The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Mark Jefferson and the Republican Party of Wisconsin.  The opinion, which was released this morning [12/14/2020], says local election officials were wrong to suggest that voters could claim the status of "indefinitely confined" based on COVID-19.  The majority decision also held that if voters falsely claimed they were indefinitely confined "their ballots would not count."

Houston, We Have A Road Rage Shooting Problem, Governor Abbott Deploys DPS.  Governor Abbott announced Wednesday that he is deploying resources from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to Houston.  This move is to support the Houston Police Department as it deals with a sharp rise in road rage shootings and other violent crimes.  The announcement from the governor's office followed a news conference held the previous day by Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo.  Acevedo spoke about the new task force put in place to help combat road rage incidents on Houston's streets and roadways.  The situation has gotten out of control.

Osama bin Laden's spin doctor is back on UK streets after being freed early from US jail.  Osama bin Laden's spin doctor is walking the streets of Britain again today after being released from a US prison because he is too fat to be locked up safely amid the pandemic.  Adel Abdel Bary, 60, was jailed over the devastating 1998 attacks on US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people.  But the terror propagandist won early 'mercy' release because his morbid obesity and asthma puts him at risk of Covid.

'The Big One' Gets Bigger: 15 Michigan Legislators Join Texas Election Lawsuit.  On Thursday [12/10/2020], 15 Republican legislators in Michigan filed a motion in support of Attorney General Ken Paxton's (R-Texas) lawsuit challening the 2020 presidential election results in four key swing states, including Michigan.  The legislators joined the Amistad Project of the Thomas More Society in supporting the Texas lawsuit, which asks the Supreme Court to remand the election results to swing-state legislatures for review and potential reversal.

Chuck Schumer 'forced to have serious and painful talks' with Dianne Feinstein over apparent cognitive decline.  Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has reportedly been forced to have several "serious and painful talks" with 87-year-old colleague Diane Feinstein, over alleged mental decline.  Ms Feinstein, who has represented California since 1992 and who previously served as mayor of San Francisco, was seen to repeat a question to Twitter boss Jack Dorsey during a November 17 hearing on Capitol Hill, something he chose to ignore, but which social media did not.  She had also angered some progressives during the recent confirmation hearting for justice Amy Coney Barrett, for the way she seen to be too deferential and excessively friendly with Republicans, who were pushing through Donald Trump's nominee in controversial circumstances.  She said afterwards she would be giving up her position as ranking member on the judiciary committee.

Senate Judiciary Committee advances Amy Coney Barrett replacement on 7th Circuit to floor over Dem opposition.  The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday advanced the nomination of Thomas L. Kirsch II for a seat on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to the floor in a party-line vote, moving the Senate one step closer to filling the vacancy created by the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett.  President Trump had named Kirsch as his replacement for Barrett before she was even confirmed and the Judiciary Committee took a little over a month after her confirmation to report Kirsch favorably to the Senate floor.  With the Senate still in session and multiple bills still to be passed this year, the timing of when the Senate might confirm Kirsch is unclear, but it is likely to happen before the Senate leaves town for the holidays.

Vaccine Whistleblower Found Dead After Saying She'd Never Commit Suicide.  Brandy Vaughan was a whistleblower of Big Pharma and vaccines has been found dead roughly a year after she released a public statement saying she'd never commit suicide.  Her body was discovered by her nine-year-old son earlier this week, according to reports.  The cause of death is currently unknown.

Pandemic Villains:  Robinhood.  As the world went into lockdown and the global economy into a spiral last spring, one company struck gold.  A phone-based trading app called Robinhood began wiping the floor with more celebrated online brokerage rivals like Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, and E-Trade.  The moment the pandemic began, it seemed, the world started trading stocks on Robinhood.  The numbers were staggering.  Robinhood's average daily trading volume tripled in the first quarter of this year, compared with the last quarter of 2019, and saw a tenfold increase in net deposits as millions were losing their jobs.

48 States and US Government Sue Facebook for Illegal Monopoly Practices.  Facebook is facing a lawsuit filed by 48 states for monopoly practices and the FTC is joining with supportive legal action.  NY Attorney General Latitia James held a news conference to announce the antitrust lawsuit using Instagram & WhatsApp as examples.  [Video clip]

Folks, This Is NOT Good!  Folks, feel free to dismiss this, or to count it as 'coincidence,' but I don't believe in 'coincidence' — especially not 'coincidences' like this one.  The other day, GA Gov. Kemp called for a signature verification of the mail-in ballots in his State.  The next day, this happened and that call was dropped: [...]

Message For Governor Kemp From The Deep State.  An apparent car crash in Georgia — kills Harrison Deal.  He was a staffer for Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler.  Harrison Deal was also dating Gov Kemp's daughter.  ["]#HarrisonDeal car exploded (witnesses heard the explosion over a mile away).  Vehicle left as molten metal, engine block ejected 50-60 yards away.  That's not an accident.  That's a car bomb disguised as an accident.["]

Loeffler campaign staff member, Kemp family friend dies in car crash.  Harrison Deal died Friday [12/4/2020] at age of 20.  The UGA junior died in a fiery car accident on Interstate-16, Pooler Police confirmed to Channel 2's ABC affiliate WJCL in Savannah.  Deal served as Loeffler's Athens Regional Field Director.  He is also a family friend of the Kemp family.  Gov. Brian Kemp tweeted a statement and photo of his family with Deal.  "Today, we lost a member of our "Kemp Strong" family and words cannot express how much Harrison Deal's life, love and support meant to us.  He was a person of deep faith, unmatched integrity, and incredible kindness.  Harrison was the Kemp son and brother we never had," Kemp said in a statement.

Explosive Video of Car Crash Killing Boyfriend of Kemp's Daughter Sparks Conspiracy Theories.  Just one day after Brian Kemp account a signature audit in Georgia, his daughter's boyfriend, and a staffer to Senate runoff candidate Kelly Loeffler was killed in a fiery car crash. [...] Harrison Deal was a young aspiring Georgia political figure.  In his very young life, he'd already worked for two Senators, Perdue and Loeffler, and he had sights set on becoming a political figure in his own right.  He was dating the daughter of controversial GA Governor Brian Kemp, who was under a lot of pressure to recount the 2020 election in his state and audit the signatures.  After refusing to do it, Kemp finally relented and called for the signature audit.  But then, suddenly he went dark, and we didn't hear anything from him — later we found out that was because his daughter's boyfriend was tragically killed in a car accident.

Murder Video!  Gov. Brian Kemp's Daughter's Boyfriend Wacked in Gangland Car Explosion!  Governor Brian Kemp is Involved in Election Fraud.  Now His daughter's boyfriend, Harrison Deal, has been Assassinated in a Fiery Gangland Hit on a Parkway near Savannah.  Deal was working on the Kelly Loeffler U.S. Senate campaign, and close to the Election Dumpster Fire at the Governor's Office.  Twitter is going Wild, and the comparisons to Seth Rich's Murder are right on Point.

Congressional Inaugural Committee Adjourns After It Fails To Agree Joe Biden Is President-Elect.  [Scroll down]  To date, only a relatively small number, about 27, Vichy Conservatives have lined up to welcome their new master.  That any have done so just shows the absolute cravenness of a small but, I predict, a growing number of Republicans who will find life without invitations to the right parties to be just too much to bear.  It would have cost them nothing to say nothing until the Electoral College votes and it would have shown solidarity with that 70+% of Republicans and 50% of all Americans who believe Joe Biden is the beneficiary of a fraudulent election. [...] Eventually, there will be a president-elect, but it will be one decided by the Electoral College, not one appointed by the news media and demanded by geriatric Democrats.

Win Over FOX News Host Martha MacCallum for the First Time Ever.  This was a first.  Newsmax nighttime host Greg Kelly scored a ratings win over FOX News host Martha MacCallum for the first time on Monday night [12/7/2020].  FOX News continues to crash and burn after they turned a blind eye to the massive voter fraud in the 2020 election.

FireEye, a Top Cybersecurity Firm, Says It Was Hacked by a Nation-State.  For years, the cybersecurity firm FireEye has been the first call for government agencies and companies around the world who have been hacked by the most sophisticated attackers, or fear they might be.  Now it looks like the hackers — in this case, evidence points to Russia's intelligence agencies — may be exacting their revenge.  FireEye revealed on Tuesday that its own systems were pierced by what it called "a nation with top-tier offensive capabilities." The company said hackers used "novel techniques" to make off with its own tool kit, which could be useful in mounting new attacks around the world.  It was a stunning theft, akin to bank robbers who, having cleaned out local vaults, then turned around and stole the F.B.I.'s investigative tools.  In fact, FireEye said on Tuesday [12/8/2020], moments after the stock market closed, that it had called in the F.B.I.

Communist China Cynically Weaponizes Race To Help Democrats Smear Republican Senator.  Communist China appears to be targeting Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn for calling out China's moral bankruptcy, including enslaving Uyghur Muslims in the northwest province of Xinjiang. [...] Chinese propaganda mouthpiece Chen Weihua responded by tweeting sexist profanities at the GOP woman and labeling her the "most racist" senator. [...] Shortly after she was publicly insulted by Weihua, Blackburn released a statement condemning communist China's actions.  "From Tiananmen Square to the Uyghur genocide, Communist China is an expert at slaughtering populations," Blackburn said in a statement.  "America will not bow down to sexist communist thugs."

China honeytrap spy targeted Eric Swalwell as her useful fool.  Rep. Eric Swalwell is famous for yelling about Russian influence with outrageous claims against President Trump, even calling for a 'presidential crimes commission,' but based on a year-long investigation from Axios, he's the one who has some spy problems, and they ought to be embarrassing at least.  He was China's idea of the perfect fool.  According to a year-long investigation from Axios:  ["]A suspected Chinese intelligence operative developed extensive ties with local and national politicians, including a U.S. congressman, in what U.S. officials believe was a political intelligence operation run by China's main civilian spy agency between 2011 and 2015, Axios found in a yearlong investigation.["]  ...and...  ["]The woman at the center of the operation, a Chinese national named Fang Fang or Christine Fang, targeted up-and-coming local politicians in the Bay Area and across the country who had the potential to make it big on the national stage.["]

Trump tweets video of Chinese professor claiming that Beijing can swing US policy because it has 'people at the top of America's core inner circle of power'.  President Donald Trump has tweeted video of a Chinese professor suggesting that China has managed to influence U.S. policy for decades thanks to a special network of relationships with people at the upper echelons of American power.  The video, which had originally been posted on Weibo but has since been removed from Chinese social media according to Fox News, depicts Di Dongsheng, a professor and associate dean of the School of International Studies at Renmin University in Beijing.  Tucker Carlson shared a clip at the top of his show on Monday evening [12/7/2020].  In the video Professor Di suggests that China has managed to influence American policies for decades through a special undercover network of 'old friends' who were at the highest levels of the U.S. government and financial institutions.

DNI Ratcliffe:  China Trying to Breed Stronger Soldiers 'Through Gene Editing'.  China is a threat to the United States, "economically, militarily, technologically," Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe wrote last week in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.  On Sunday [12/6/2020], Ratcliffe told Fox News's Maria Bartiromo that the op-ed was more of an "intelligence briefing to the American people."

Ivanka and Jared buying $30M Miami waterfront lot from Julio Iglesias.  Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have set their post-White House sights on Miami.  The couple is spending $30 million to purchase a waterfront lot on Indian Creek Island in a deal that's set to close Dec. 17, according to the New York Post.  Famed singer Julio Iglesias sold the 1.8-acre property, which the Post reported is Lot 4.  Iglesias listed the land earlier this year for $31.8 million.  It has about 200 feet of water frontage.

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kusher 'buy $30m plot on high-security island known as Miami's 'Billionaire Bunker'.  Ivanka Trump Trump and Jared Kusher are buying a $30 million plot on a high-security island dubbed "Billionaire Bunker" in Miami, reports say.  The Kushners, both 39, are supposedly taking steps to start their post-White House life in a highly exclusive Florida neighborhood when Joe Biden takes over from Donald Trump next year.

The Editor says...
Google Street View has taken pictures of residential areas all over the world.  Many of them are dangerous slums.  Someone — other than me, of course — should compile a list of all the places in the U.S. that Google Street View has never been.  Such a list would include
  •   Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts
  •   Hart Island, New York
  •   Riker's Island, New York
  •   Most of Centralia, Pennsylvania
  •   Indian Creek Island, (Miami) Florida

The 'Biggest Ever' Flotilla Of Iranian Tankers Is En Route To Venezuela With Fuel.  It appears both Iran and Venezuela are ready and willing to test the outgoing Trump administration in a major gambit to skirt sanctions in a crude and fuel export scheme.  The daily American military newspaper Stars & Stripes alongside Bloomberg reports this weekend that Iran "is sending its biggest fleet yet of tankers to Venezuela in defiance of U.S. sanctions to help the isolated nation weather a crippling fuel shortage," based on sources familiar with their movements.  "Some of the flotilla of about 10 Iranian vessels will also help export Venezuelan crude after discharging fuel, the people said, asking not to be named because the transaction is not public," the report continues.

Trump Makes Georgia Rally Press WiFi Password 'RiggedElection!'  President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak in Georgia today in a stump appearance for Republican Senate candidates Kelly Loeffler and David Purdue, and has named the media's WiFi router "Make America Great Again", and the password to gain access, "RiggedElection!"  In what must be a frustrating and traumatic experience for mainstream media reporters and cameramen, Breitbart News videographer Matthew Perdie reveals that the Trump campaign is forcing them to access an America First Internet router using "RiggedElection!" as the password if they want to work during his event.

Al-Qaeda Calls on Jihadis to Kill Non-Muslims With Poisoned Coronavirus Masks.  If you're tired of wearing a visible sign of massive government overreach and ginned-up hysteria everywhere you go, do not despair.  Help could be on its way, courtesy of the most unlikely source:  al-Qaeda.  According to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), the jihad group is refusing to accept the State Department's complacent assertion that it is on the ropes, and has just published a new magazine with the catchy title Wolves of Manhattan, in which it calls on the warriors of jihad who find themselves in the U.S. to murder people by means of poisoned coronavirus masks.  So now it's wear a mask or the coronavirus will get you (unless you're at a Black Lives Matter protest, of course; the virus knows better than to infect the righteous), or don't wear a mask so that al-Qaeda doesn't get you.

DOJ says Facebook gave preference to foreigners over American workers.  The Justice Department said Thursday [12/3/2020] that Facebook "intentionally" discriminated against U.S. workers and hired foreign guest workers instead — and actively tried to deter Americans from even applying.  For most of its jobs the California tech giant abides by the law, but in cases when a foreign worker is already employed on a temporary visa and seeks a permanent job, Facebook locks out any other candidates, the government said in a new complaint filed in immigration court.

Puerto Rico:  Iconic Arecibo Observatory telescope collapses.  The US National Science Foundation (NSF) said the telescope's 900-ton instrument platform fell onto a reflector dish some 450ft (137m) below.  It came just weeks after officials announced that the telescope would be dismantled amid safety fears, following damage to its support system.  The Arecibo Observatory telescope was one of the largest in the world.

Technical details about the Arecibo collapse.  The 900-ton instrument platform of the 305-meter radio telescope at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico fell some 400 feet Tuesday morning, crashing into the huge, already-damaged dish below, the National Science Foundation (NSF) reported in a December 1 Tweet.  "No injuries were reported," NSF said, adding that it is still assessing the situation.  "Our top priority is maintaining safety." The calamity not only was a final and fatal blow for the observatory but for the people of Puerto Rico.

Footage of Collapse Arecibo Observatory.  [Video clip]

Entire police department resigns in South Carolina town.  The entire police force of a small South Carolina town resigned "due to the constant impediment of police matters" by the town's mayor.  Pine Ridge, a 2,000-person town outside Columbia, typically has a police department of three full-time officers and a number of part-time officials.  According to the State, that hasn't been the case since Oct. 13, when interim Police Chief Lt. Vincent Silano resigned after only five months.  Silano is the fourth chief in the past three years.  Five other officers have left since in the same period of time.  In a letter sent to Mayor Robert Wells and the town council, Silano said his departure was "solely due to the constant impediment of police matters and micro-managing at the hands of Mayor Robert Wells."

Socialist Takeover:  Militant Left-Wing Groups Descend On Georgia to Seize Control of the Senate.  Left-wing groups who seek to fundamentally transform America into a socialist country are descending upon Georgia in order to win two Senate seats (currently held by Republican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler) in run-off races to be held on January 5, 2021.  The left is throwing their weight behind their far-left challengers Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock.  If they are successful, the radical big government policies they propose such as open borders, abolishing police, a welfare state, unrestricted abortion, class war, burdensome regulations, restrictions on speech, fake news monopoly, coronavirus tyranny, Supreme Court Packing, so-called sanctuary cities, the destruction of the filibuster, massive taxes and the Green New Deal will be pushed through the Senate and rubber-stamped by the incoherent Joe Biden, should he win the 2020 election.

Woke Police Reform Doesn't Work.  This summer, street anarchists and militias doubled down on their exploitation of fatal police-involved shootings as straw arguments to legitimize widespread rioting.  A 2019 landmark, five-year study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by five university scholars reported that fatal shootings involving black and white officers disproportionately occur in minority neighborhoods with greater rates of violent crime and show no evidence of anti-black or Latino disparities.  The study shook the sensibilities of the professoriate and raised the hackles of the anti-police movement.  The research drew an immediate rebuke and ejection from the journal, attended by an author apology over the temporary loss of their senses.  It unveiled an effort by progressive academia to treat with utter contempt any research supporting the claim that fatal police shootings are remote events, blind to race, ethnicity, and gender, and negligible in situations where the police are found at fault.

Nike, Coca-Cola, others reportedly lobbying against Uighur Chinese labor bill.  Nike and Coca-Cola are among a number of companies seeking to water down a bill that would ban imports from a region of China where products are made through forced labor by minority Muslim groups being held in detention camps, according to a report.  The bill, called the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, would forbid the import of a variety of materials from the Xinjiang region of China, in an effort to crack down on human rights abuses, the New York Times reported on Sunday [11/29/2020].  It passed the House in September by a 406-3 vote and has enough support to pass the Senate.  Xinjian produces materials like cotton, sugar, coal and tomatoes and also supplies workers for Chinese clothing factories.

France Looks Like A Dystopian Warzone Movie As Thousands Take on Hundreds Of Cops.  Demonstrations took place across France on Saturday against the proposed global security law and its signature measure to restrict the filming of police officers.  They came as calls to withdraw it were exacerbated by cases of police violence this week.  The police prefecture initially restricted the main protest to République Square, but the decision was overturned by an administrative court and a collective was allowed to march from République to Bastille as the organizers had requested.  The route is typical for protests in Paris.  The collective, called "Stop Loi Sécurité Globale" or Stop Global Security Law, is composed of journalists' unions, human rights NGOs and other groups.  They are advocating for the withdrawal of articles 21 and 22 of the proposed law, "which organize mass surveillance," and article 24, which would penalize the "malicious" dissemination of the image of police officers.  [Video clip]

London Streets Turn Chaotic As The Masses Showed Up To Protest Lockdowns, 155 Arrested.  More than 150 people have been arrested as anti-lockdown protesters clashed with police in central London.  Thousands of demonstrators marched through the city near Oxford Street chanting "freedom" on Saturday, with some carrying placards reading "stop controlling us" and "no more lockdowns".  The Metropolitan Police said the arrests were for a number of suspected offenses including breaching coronavirus regulations and that it expected the number to rise.  [Video clip]

President Trump Tells Supporters to Ignore the Grifters and Turn out to Vote in Georgia.  On January 5[,] Georgians return to the polls for two elections.  Incumbent senator David Perdue is in a runoff contest with Socialist Jon Ossoff.  Perdue led Ossoff in the general election but failed to break the 50% threshold to win outright.  The other election is a special election to fill the remainder of the term of Johnny Isakson, who resigned on December 31, 2019, for health reasons.  Kelly Loeffler was appointed to fill the vacancy.  She will face off against Democrat Raphael Warnock, who is running on an anti-police, anti-military, racial-identity-trumps-all platform.

8 U.S. House Races Still Have Not Been Called.  Republicans Lead All 8 Races.  The results from eight U.S. House races have still not been finalized in the 2020 elections nearly four weeks after election day.  The Republican candidates in all eight races currently are leading their Democrat opponents.

Images Show Zombified Americans More Concerned With Toilet Paper Than Food.  Back in March ANP published a piece titled "Due To An 'Outbreak Of Stupidity' People Will Die Of Starvation Surrounded By Toilet Paper," because when the initial quarantine lockdowns began, clueless Americans were more worried about paper products [...] than they were about eating.  The food shortages and limits on purchases came well after the toilet paper runs on any store that carried the product.  We are now looking at another round of quarantine lockdowns, and readers are once again sending ANP exclusive images, the majority of which are... Yup... toilet paper aisles and other paper goods shelves quickly emptying, while a much smaller percentage of reports and images are showing food aisles, and those are from canned good shelves.

Matt Drudge Logs Off.  The Drudge Report once cycled through 40-50 links in a single five-hour period.  The page is now updated only once or twice a day and almost never reacts to breaking news, as if it's being run by someone who simply doesn't care anymore.  Traffic has reportedly lagged, with Comscore data suggesting a 45% plunge in the year before this past September.  In the glory days even a midpage Drudge link could pull a million views; the number is now down to the high tens of thousands.

Diverse Group of Incoming House Republicans Form 'Freedom Force' to Counter AOC's Socialist 'Squad'.  Not only did Republicans make big gains in the U.S. House on Election Day, but among those elected are men and women whose families fled communist and socialist countries and came to America to build better lives.  Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) is the daughter of Greek and Cuban immigrants.  Maria Elvira Salazar's (FL-27) parents were Cuban exiles.  Carlos Gimenez (FL-26) was born in Cuba and his family emigrated to America in 1960 after the Cuban Revolution.  Gimenez's father Carlos Gimenez, Sr., who was 98, passed away just days after his son was elected.  Victoria Spartz (IN-5) was born in what was at the time known as the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.  She emigrated to the U.S. in 2000.

Pentagon Fails Another Audit, Will Likely Get Budget Increase From Congress Anyway.  The third time wasn't the charm for the Pentagon, which has once again failed to successfully complete an audit.  Thomas Harker, the Pentagon's comptroller, told Reuters that it could be another seven years before the department can pass an audit — something that it has never accomplished.  Previous attempts in 2018 and 2019 turned up literally thousands of problems with the Pentagon's accounting system and millions of dollars' worth of missing equipment.  In a statement, the Pentagon lauded the fact that auditors had "cleared" more than 500 issues identified in previous audits.  That serves as compelling evidence that the effort is worth it, even if a clean review is still impossible.  The Pentagon had resisted being audited for years.  Though Congress passed a law in 1990 requiring all federal departments to be audited every year, it still took nearly two decades for the first Pentagon audit to be attempted.

Fox News Feels the Heat as Morning Joe Beats Fox and Friends for the First Time in 20 Years.  I'm sure Fox News' new public relations firm will say this is no big deal and point us to Tucker Carlson's ratings, but this seems like a pretty big deal to me.  For the first time since 2001, MSNBC's Morning Joe has beaten Fox and Friends in the ratings game.  This is also not a single cherry-picked day, but an average of the entire week.

New stats reveal massive NYC exodus amid coronavirus, crime.  More than 300,000 New Yorkers have bailed from the Big Apple in the last eight months, new stats show.  City residents filed 295,103 change of address requests from March 1 through Oct. 31, according to data The [New York] Post obtained from the US Postal Service under a Freedom of Information Act request.  Since the data details only when 11 or more forwarding requests were made to a particular county outside NYC, the number of moves is actually higher.  And a single address change could represent an entire household, which means far more than 300,000 New Yorkers fled the five boroughs.

Jon Ossoff's Financial Ties to Pro-CCP Hong Kong Media Company Revealed.  Jon Ossoff, currently a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Georgia, reportedly took money from a Hong Kong media company whose owner has condemned the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.  Ossoff challenged Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) in the November election and his race went to a runoff scheduled for January 5, 2021.  The Democrat had failed to previously disclose the gift from the Hong Kong media company, which supports the Chinese Communist Party.  Ossoff recently amended a financial disclosure form reporting that he has received at least $5,000 from PCCW Media Limited over the last two years.  His initial disclosure, filed in May, omitted the payments.

Trump Wins Battleground State of North Carolina.  President Trump has won the battleground state of North Carolina with its 15 electoral votes.  The Associated Press called the state for Trump Friday afternoon, 10 days after Election Day.

Republicans Pick Up Tenth House Seat With New York Victory.  House Republicans added one more to their ranks this week after New York Democratic Rep. Max Rose conceded defeat Thursday in the Staten Island-area district.  "I received a gracious phone call from Rep. Max Rose today conceding the election," wrote State Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis on Twitter.  "I want to thank him for his service to our nation in both the military and in Congress.  We agreed to work together on a seamless transition to best serve our constituents."

After the Election, the Left Demands Purges.  Joe Biden is calling for unity following the 2020 presidential election, but it's clear that many of the former vice president's supporters view postelection unity as something to create by force and intimidation.  That sort of unity is enforced by ruthless institutional pressure and cancel culture.  It's a tactic that the left already uses through its power in America's elite institutions, but is looking to redouble if it indeed captures the presidency and the executive branch.  Numerous liberals and left-wingers have demanded punishment of anyone who has worked for, allied with, or generally supported President Donald Trump.  Some want to destroy the Republican Party.

Fox News Terminates Trey Gowdy After Joining Trump's Legal Team.  Fox News has reportedly terminated former Republican Congressman Trey Gowdy after he has allegedly joined the Trump campaign's legal team.  On Tuesday [11/10/2020], Fox News contributor Trey Gowdy said it's "inexcusable" to not count all legal votes within 48 hours of the presidential election.

MSNBC splits with two more contributors going to work for Biden.  MSNBC has split with two more on-air contributors who will work with Joe Biden's White House transition team, a report said Tuesday [11/10/2020].  Barbara McQuade, a legal analyst for the cable network, and political analyst Richard Stengel will no longer be paid contributors at the station after they were announced as part of Biden's forthcoming administration, the Daily Beast reported.  Stengel will serve on the review team for the US Agency for Global Media and McQuade will be a member of the Department of Justice Review team, according to the report.  The network does not allow their contributors to endorse candidates or run for office while being paid by the outlet, the Beast reported.

Conservative Network Newsmax Surges In Ratings — Already Beating The FOX Business Network.  FOX News may have made a colossal mistake.  They had one of the most loyal audiences in cable television.  But after their reportage of the 2020 election, and particularly election night, the landscape is changing fast.  Anger from their audience is already driving down FOX's ratings.  Now, another right leaning network called Newsmax is getting a major boost from former FOX News fans.  In fact, Newsmax is already eclipsing the FOX Business Network in ratings.

New York City to try new, NYPD-free approach to mental health crises: de Blasio.  Teams of mental health professionals and EMS staff will respond to 911 mental health calls instead of police officers under a new trial program, Mayor de Blasio announced Tuesday [11/10/2020].  Without providing key details such as when the program will start and where it will take place, Hizzoner and First Lady Chirlane McCray promised "a major innovation" in how the city handles mental health and policing.  "Helping people in a time of crisis with a new approach ... this is a big change in how things are done," de Blasio said at a press conference.

Trump Wins North Carolina, Decision Desk HQ Projects.  Decision Desk HQ called North Carolina for President Trump on Tuesday afternoon, awarding the state's 15 electoral votes to the president on the outlet's election map.  Decision Desk HQ is the first major outlet to award the state to Trump over Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.  The call comes a week after election day on Nov. 3 and is one of the final states to be called by any major election decision desk.  Trump has led in the state almost the entire time as outstanding ballots continue to be counted in North Carolina.

Pompeo predicts 'smooth transition' — to second Trump administration.  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo predicted Tuesday [11/10/2020] that President Trump would emerge victorious in this year's election.  During a briefing at the State Department's headquarters, Pompeo was asked by a reporter whether officials there were "preparing to engage" with Joe Biden's transition team.  "There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration," Pompeo said with a smile.

Trump Pulls Within 1 Percent of Biden in Arizona.  President Donald Trump is within 1 percent of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in Arizona, according to the latest unofficial results.  An automatic recount will take place if the final margin is one-tenth of 1 percent, according to state law.  Trump has received 1.63 million votes to Biden's 1.64 million, as of late Monday [11/9/2020].  That's a margin of 0.45 percent.  Biden's lead has slowly decreased as new bundles of ballots are added to the count.  Fox News called the race in Biden's favor on election night, followed by The Associated Press, even though hundreds of thousands of votes remained outstanding.  Trump's campaign predicted the president would ultimately win the state, as he did in 2016.

Trump's (Alleged) Defeat [is] a Stunning Rebuke to Obama, Hillary.  For reasons too numerous to count, President Donald J. Trump will go down in history as a world-historic leader who defied the odds at every turn.  Trump's 2016 election was a stunning rebuke to both his opponent, Hillary Clinton, and his predecessor, Barack Obama.  Amazingly enough, so is his (alleged) defeat in the 2020 election.  In addition to undoing the vast majority of Obama's legacy, Trump is on track to receive more than 71 million votes in this year's election.  That means more people will have voted for Trump in 2020 than voted for Obama in the 2008 (69 million) and 2012 (66 million) elections.  The nature of Trump's (alleged) defeat is also rather embarrassing for the former president.  His opponent this time around, Joe Biden, wanted to run for president in 2016.  His boss, Obama, talked him out of it.

Sharpies Were Made Available Throughout Arizona's Largest County, Officials Say.  Sharpies were made available at all 175 voting locations on Election Day in the largest county in Arizona, officials said Thursday [11/5/2020].  "Poll workers in all those locations were instructed to provide voters with Sharpie markers to mark their ballots in accordance with the recommendation of the manufacturer," Tom Liddy, civil services division chief for Maricopa County, said in a letter to the office of Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich's office.  The office opened an inquiry this week after hundreds of voters filed complaints about Sharpies at polling locations.  Michael Catlett, deputy solicitor general for Brnovich, asked Maricopa County in a letter about the use of Sharpies and wondered how many ballots were rejected because ink from markers bled through. [...] Liddy said the manufacturer of the vote tabulation machines used by the county recommends Sharpies because ink from ballpoint pens can cause smudges in the machines and foul them, while Sharpie markers do not.

The Editor says...
This is perhaps the biggest non-issue of the whole election.  A reporter who spends his day writing articles like this is a reporter who is expendable.  If you're watching a newscast or a cable TV news network and they start talking about meaningless trivia like this, it's time to turn off the TV.

George W. Bush congratulates Joe Biden and tells Trump that he must concede.  George W. Bush congratulated Joe Biden on his election victory Sunday, and delivered an unmistakable message to Donald Trump that he must now concede.  The only living former Republican president broke his silence, more than 24 hours after Biden was declared the winner in a call by TV networks and the Associated Press, to say that he had spoken to the Democratic victor, and to Kamala Harris, the vice president-elect.  'I just talked to the President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden,' he said in a statement.  No Republican leader has so far called Biden president-elect.

Newsmax Releases Statement Refusing to Bend on Presidential Call by Other Media.  Newsmax released a statement saying they refuse to bend on the call for president because there are numerous challenges to the vote in different states by President Trump's lawyers.  President Trump and his legal team are disputing results in key swing states like Pennsylvania.  This is not over, but all major news outlets have surrendered to the steal except Newsmax and OANN.

Dems plot mass migration to Georgia to take advantage of runoff election.  As the fate of control of the Senate is still in doubt, two senate races in Georgia are likely headed for run-off elections on Jan. 5, because so far none of the candidates received above 50 percent of the vote.  Democrats will likely need to win both of them to retake the majority for the first time since 2014.  However, what appears to be a major loophole for potential voter fraud has created a strong likelihood that the balance of power in the US Senate will be decided not by current Georgia residents but by many new voters not in Georgia today.  Some Liberals, including journalists, are encouraging Democrats to move to red states like Georgia with the sole purpose of impacting future elections even suggesting that Michael Bloomberg should foot the bill.

What?  Liberal tears are flowing?  [Scroll down]  The story said, "In a caucus meeting held by telephone that was their first group conversation since Election Day, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representative Cheri Bustos of Illinois, who led the party's campaign arm, defended their efforts.  Democrats expressed frustration over the loss of eight of their members — and a net loss of six seats, with 33 races still undecided — that had left them with a slimmer margin of control."  It was a 3-hour call.  That is 3 hours longer than Biden campaigned in the 5 days before the last debate.  Bustos said, "Something went wrong."

Trump Campaign:  Projection of Biden as Winner Is 'False'.  A projection of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is not accurate, President Donald Trump's campaign said Friday [11/6/2020].  Decision Desk HQ around 9 a.m. projected a Biden win in Pennsylvania.  If Biden wins the state, he would win the presidency, based on the current projected results.  "This election is not over.  The false projection of Joe Biden as the winner is based on results in four states that are far from final," Matt Morgan, the Trump campaign's general counsel, said in a statement.  "Georgia is headed for a recount, where we are confident we will find ballots improperly harvested, and where President Trump will ultimately prevail.  There were many irregularities in Pennsylvania, including having election officials prevent our volunteer legal observers from having meaningful access to vote counting locations.  We prevailed in court on our challenge, but were deprived of valuable time and denied the transparency we are entitled to under state law," he continued.

Why The Epoch Times Won't Call the Presidential Race Until All Challenges Are Resolved.  Our nation is moving into uncharted territory as multiple legal challenges have been filed in response to the 2020 elections, with more challenges expected to come.  Both candidates have claimed victory in certain states, but it appears increasingly likely that this election will be resolved in the courts.  For that reason, The Epoch Times will not declare a winner of the 2020 presidential election until all results are certified and any legal challenges are resolved.

For First Time In 20 Years, US Senate Candidate Wins More Votes Than Presidential Candidate In Texas.  When U.S. Senator John Cornyn won his fourth term this week, he not only defeated Democratic challenger MJ Hegar by ten percentage points, he also won more votes in Texas than President Donald Trump.  Senator Cornyn has 5,931,602 votes so far, which is 71,506 votes more than President Trump, who has 5,860,096 votes.  The President defeated Democrat Joe Biden by 648,690 votes or six percentage points, 52%-46%, while Cornyn defeated Hegar by ten percentage points, 54%-44%.

The Editor says...
That might be because this was the first major election after the end of straight-party voting in Texas.

WaPo to Dems:  Don't get your hopes up on those two Georgia runoffs.  For now, it appears that Joe Biden will become the forty-sixth president — but potentially with a historically hostile Congress for a first-termer.  At best, Democrats' hold on the House has slipped, thanks to unexpected losses in a cycle where their party reclaimed the White House.  At worst, it still might end up in Republican hands, although that would require the GOP to pull an inside straight on all of the outstanding House races left.

Democrat civil war begins.  Democrats planned a blue wave election the likes of which have not been seen before.  Bigger than Obama.  They said they would win the Senate, the White House, and increase their lead in the House and rule for 10,000 years.  Two of those things did not happen and likely the third one as well.  They poured a whopping $315 million into Senate races in Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, South Carolina, and Texas — and lost every one.  Mini Mike Bloomberg spent $100 million to stop President Trump in Florida and Ohio.  The president won those states by 3 and 8 points, respectively.  In the House, Republicans added members despite Democrats spending more money.  This has led to many unhappy campers.

UN speaks of Temple Mount as solely Muslim site, ignores Jewish ties.  Some 138 United Nations countries approved a draft resolution that spoke of the Temple Mount solely as an Islamic holy site, by referencing it only by its Muslim name of al-Haram al-Sharif.  It was one of seven pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel resolutions that the UN General Assembly's Fourth Committee in New York passed on Wednesday [11/4/2020].  The resolution was titled, "Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including east Jerusalem."

Steven Crowder's Election Coverage Drew Millions Of Views, Competed With Big Networks.  Conservative podcast host Steven Crowder's election night coverage garnered millions of views on YouTube, more evidence of a growing trend of viewers looking to sources other than the establishment media for important news and commentary.  As of this writing, Crowder's election night coverage streamed on YouTube has amassed 8.1 million views.  His coverage of election updates and news the following day attracted another 3.1 million views online.  The impressive showing may be a bell-weather for the future of media as newcomers compete with legacy media corporations.

Somebody's pink sneakers didn't have enough traction.  Many of you may recall Wendy Davis, the progressive darling who drew national acclaim from liberals for her now-infamous eleven-hour filibuster of a pro-life bill back in 2013.  The effort proved ineffective since the bill went on to pass anyway.  She then tried to leverage the national attention she had drawn by running for governor.  She experienced a similar level of "success" in that effort, being trounced by Greg Abbott by more than twenty points.  This year she decided to shoot for a more modest goal by trying to unseat Republican Congressman Chip Roy in the 21st district of the Lone Star State.  I know you'll all be shocked to learn that her efforts once again produced the same result.  The Associated Press called the race earlier this morning, and while Davis did slightly better than she had in her gubernatorial bid, she still came up six points shy of finally putting one the W column.

Walmart fires inventory-tracking robots, realizes humans work just as well.  Walmart is parting ways with robots used to monitor store inventory as the retail giant realized humans are just as capable, a new report said.  The robot layoff is the result of the company cutting ties with startup Bossa Nova Robotics, which over the last five years provided six-foot-tall inventory-tracking machines to roughly 500 Walmart stores, The Wall Street Journal reported.  Sources familiar with the move told the newspaper that company executives determined they can use their own store employees to effectively keep tabs of inventory.  Walmart US chief executive John Furner has also expressed concern over shopper reactions to the hulking robots.

Reuters equipping journalists with gas masks, flak jackets for election coverage.  Reporters for Reuters covering the elections in the US will have protective gear in anticipation of protests after several incidents in which journalists were targeted during summer demonstrations.  Stephen Adler, the editor-in-chief of the global news service that employs 2,500 journalists, told the Press Gazette that his reporters were supplied with flak vests, helmets and gas masks, as well as COVID-19 personal protective equipment including N95 masks, the newspaper reported.

'Aloha also means goodbye': Tensions brew between locals and tourists as Hawaii reopens.  For anyone who's traveled recently — including visitors with negative results on a preflight COVID-19 test — you may have to skip dining at two popular North Shore Kauai restaurants.  The state reopened to trans-Pacific travel on Oct. 15, allowing travelers to skip the 14-day quarantine under its Safe Travels testing program.  As tourists began to return, the Saenz Ohana Breakfast food truck in Princeville and the Bistro restaurant in Kilauea decided to limit on-site service to those who have not traveled in the past 14 days as an additional safety precaution.  Those who do not meet this criteria can order online for takeout instead.

The Editor says...
I would be delighted to see Hawaii secede from the United States and resume its previous role as an independent kingdom.  I would be even more delighted to see the United States prohibit travel to or from the independent Hawaii.  The locals are bigoted against tourists and outsiders, and have been for decades, so let's see how well they do on their own.  Let's see if they can eat all those pineapples by themselves.

New York is about to kill a whole lot of landlords.  Gov. Andrew Cuomo and President Trump made sure to protect tenants by banning evictions during the pandemic, but public officials have done almost nothing for property owners.  That's inviting disaster.  Many of these landlords, particularly mom-and-pop small-building owners, have been struggling for months to make ends meet as the COVID crisis drags on.  Thousands of tenants haven't paid full rent.  Others, looking to escape the virus, violent crime and plunging quality of life, have fled, pushing up the vacancy rate and forcing owners to grant concessions.

Philadelphia Firefighters Union Confirms Trump Endorsement in Forced Recount.  Earlier in October, the union representing Philadelphia firefighters voted to endorse Donald Trump.  This was no small undertaking, given the overwhelming support of most unions for Joe Biden.  When some union members complained about the process, a second vote was conducted.  Trump won that vote by a two-to-one margin, with a final tally of 1,444 votes to keep the endorsement in place to 782 votes to rescind the endorsement.

And now... here's the next contestant on Get Woke and Go Broke!
Drudge Report traffic plunges as content turns against Trump.  The Drudge Report posted a 45 percent decline in web traffic in September as the site alienated its core readers by turning against President Trump ahead of the 2020 presidential election.  The data — derived from comScore, which tracks the industry — were released in a report by TheRighting, a website that analyzes traffic to right-leaning websites.  TheRighting told The [New York] Post that the Drudge Report had 1,291,000 unique vis itors in September, according to data supplied by comScore, down from 2,340,000 in the same month a year ago.  September's eye-popping decline marks the ninth month in a row that the political news aggregation website run by reclusive founder Matt Drudge has seen traffic fall, TheRighting said.

Biden Campaign Bus Runs Red Light to Flee Pro-Trump 'Democrat Cemetery Vote Collector' Hearse.  A Trump supporter with an "Official Democrat Cemetery Vote Collector" hearse tailed a Biden campaign bus in Houston on Thursday, leading to the vehicle running at least one red light in an attempt to get away.  Video showed the bus at a red light before driving through it, causing a delivery van driver to jam on the brakes.

F-16s intercept plane flying too close to Trump rally in Arizona.  "Oh, look at that.  Look, look, look," Trump said, pointing at the sky.  "Look at that.  They gave the president a little display."  The crowd then chanted "USA, USA, USA!"  [Video clip]

F-16 Fighter Jet Fires Flares at Unauthorized Aircraft Near Trump Rally.  An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon was scrambled to intercept a civilian aircraft flying near President Donald Trump's latest rally in Arizona Wednesday, setting off flares to get the aircraft's attention, according to North American Aerospace Defense Command.  The fighter jet was dispatched to investigate "a general aviation aircraft that was not in communication with [Air Traffic Control] and entered the Temporary Flight Restriction area surrounding Bullhead City, Arizona, without proper clearance," NORAD said in a tweet.  The incident occurred around 2 p.m. local time.

A Navy veteran exposes the insanely gross food served on warships in a viral Facebook post.  A Navy veteran has posted pictures and videos capturing the rotten, unhealthy, and quite frankly disgraceful food that sailors and Marines are forced to eat while embarked on the service's warships.  The compilation of nauseating imagery, most of which were taken aboard multiple surface vessels, includes pictures of lettuce with insects, hair on food, and raw chicken, among other egregious examples.

Democrat 'Dirty Campaign Tricks' Against Lindsey Graham Backfire, Even Critics Rally to Graham's Defense.  The South Carolina Senate race between Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and his opponent and former SC Democratic party chairman Jaime Harrison has turned into the national media's 2020 version of the 2018 race between Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) vs.  Democrat Beto O'Rourke.  Not a day goes by where there is not a fawning puff piece or two and/or umpteen tweets from reporters and "political analysts" on how Harrison has managed to make a race most believed at the beginning of the year would not be competitive into one to watch down the homestretch.

Trump Supporter Pays $2,600 For Downtown New Hampshire Billboard.  Just Before Election, Company Removes It After Complaints.  A Trump supporter who spent $2,600 for a billboard that read "Trump Country" on a building in downtown Nashua, New Hampshire, discovered that the company that he paid to help him design it removed it from the building after complaints were made, just in time for the presidential election.  Dave Streit, who told The New Hampshire Union-Leader, "I think that Trump was the most unlikely conservative imaginable, and he has delivered on every single promise, and we will never have a president like him again," paid Outfront Media to place the message on the top of 169 Main Street in downtown Nashua from Oct. 6 to Nov. 3.  "The company notified him Monday [10/26/2020] that the message would be removed in the next couple of business days because of complaints.  By Tuesday morning, the sign had been taken down," the Union-Leader reported.  Streit said, "Free speech just got thrown out the window."

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev blames TV show Dallas for the fall of the USSR because it opened people's eyes to western lifestyles.  TV show Dallas was the main reason behind the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union, it has been claimed.  Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart said that former Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev told him that the 1980s soap opera 'had more effect' in ending the Cold War than anything else.  Mr Stewart, 68, said the Gorbachev admitted an illicit broadcast of the US show in Russia had opened his people's eyes to Western life, and the Texas-based show 'brought down' the communist superpower.

The Editor says...
If ever there was misleading propaganda on television, it was Dallas.  The show painted everyone in Texas with the same broad brush:  You would have thought that everybody in downtown Dallas walks around in cowboy boots and a ten-gallon hat, and everybody else within 100 miles is fabulously wealthy, slightly drunk, evil, mean, nasty, and ruthless.

Texas Dem MJ Hegar's Latest Detractor Is Her Own Mother-In-Law.  Texas Democrat MJ Hegar's bid to unseat Republican incumbent senator John Cornyn will be without the support of her own mother-in-law, who says she would "never vote" for Hegar because "she is not a good person."  Patricia Heiman, the mother of Hegar's husband Stephen Hegar, took to Facebook in the race's final weeks to warn voters against supporting the Democratic Senate candidate, specifically pointing to Hegar's failure to lend a helping hand to her three step-children after their home was burned down in a fire earlier this year.  "I know her personally and she is not a good person," Heiman wrote.  "I know that sounds like a spiteful mother-in-law but I speak on behalf of my son's three other children that they do not see."

Only one long week left in the election struggle for control — of the Senate.  While national attention is riveted by the presidential horse race, a more important contest — or series of contests — is unfolding for control of the Senate.  No matter who occupies the Oval Office, the political majority that runs the Senate will play the decisive political role for at least the next two years, perhaps longer.  In what is shaping up as a difficult year for Republicans, the House of Representatives seems virtually certain to remain under the gavel of Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  Republicans would need to gain 18 seats there to hand the gavel to another Californian, Kevin McCarthy.  But an array of intriguing scenarios all depend on a handful of crucial Senate seats.

Pope Francis to Celebrate Christmas Mass Without a Congregation.  The Vatican has announced Pope Francis will livestream his Christmas liturgies this year without public participation due to concerns over the coronavirus.  In an October 22 letter to ambassadors to the Holy See, the Vatican's foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, said that the pontiff's Christmas ceremonies would take "a private form" this year without the presence of the faithful.

The Editor says...
Is he afraid of getting sick, or is he just lazy?  Either way, he should find another line of work.

US threatens to destroy Iranian missiles shipped to Venezuela.  The United States is warning it will destroy potential Iranian long-range missile shipments delivered to the Maduro regime in Venezuela, a senior administration official tells Fox News.  "The transfer of long-range missiles from Iran to Venezuela is not acceptable to the United States and will not be tolerated or permitted," said Elliott Abrams, the State Department Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela.  "We will make every effort to stop shipments of long-range missiles, and if somehow they get to Venezuela they will be eliminated there," added a senior administration official.

Millionaire owner of iconic Strand Book Store in NYC pleads with public for help as revenue drops.  An iconic New York City bookstore is asking the public to save it from financial ruin brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic even though it is owned by a multimillionaire wife of a US senator who recently bought at least $115,000 in Amazon stock and then got a PPP loan while laying off workers. [...] [O]utraged Twitter users noted that the store's owner, Nancy Bass Wyden, the wife of Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, is reported to be worth tens of millions of dollars.

Friend recalls moment Indiana tourist was shot dead with 'no warning' in NYC.  The Brooklyn gunfire that killed a young tourist from Indiana this weekend came out of nowhere, a witness told The [New York] Post on Sunday [10/25/2020].  Ethan Williams, 20, was sitting with four of his friends on a stoop outside their Bushwick Airbnb around 2:30 a.m.  Saturday when shots broke out across the street and struck him in the chest with "no warning," his pal Jacob Mayhew told The Post on Sunday.  "Some guy next to that mailbox just started shooting!" he said.

The Editor says...
When young people die unexpectedly, it is often the result of their own faulty decisions.  [#1] Why would anyone go to New York City as a tourist?  I would sooner go to Mexico City.  [#2] Why would a tourist be outdoors at 2:30 a.m. in a strange city?

NYC Hotel Occupancy Rate Crashes Toward 10% As Permanent Closures Loom.  Prices at New York City hotels have plunged as the hospitality industry continues to try and grapple with the effects of the global pandemic.  Some hotels, like the Midtown Hilton, have remained closed since March.  Others, like the Pierre, are operating in limited capacity.  Those that are open for business have slashed prices by more than 60%, according to a new writeup by AlJazeera.  Despite October usually being a fruitful month for tourism in NYC, coronavirus has forced the cancellation of staple events like the NYC Marathon and Fashion Week.  And while the industry has definitely recovered since March, it still has a long way to go.  200 of New York's roughly 700 hotels remain closed, the article notes.

The Editor says...
The tourism industry in New York City is dead, and this should surprise no one.  The hotels are bring used to house vagrants. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] The streets are full of violent criminals.  The subways are, too.  And with the city's high population density, the city is a hotbed of Covid-19 activity, so you'll have to wear a face mask everywhere you go.  Even in pre-pandemic times, the city was full of prostitutes and pickpockets.  Who would want to visit a place like that?

Macy's Cancels Santa Claus.  Macy's canceled their nearly 160-year-old tradition of hosting Santa Claus in their midtown Manhattan store because of COVID-19.  More than a quarter of a million people typically shuffle through the store's elaborate Santaland each Christmas season, but the close quarters of the attraction have rendered it impossible in the age of social distancing, according to The Associated Press.  Santa will also not be appearing in the Macy's in Chicago or San Francisco, though he will be making an appearance at the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, which has also had to undergo adjustments to comply with health guidelines.

Swiss couple names daughter after internet provider to score free Wi-Fi.  One Swiss dad thinks there are worse names than Twifia for his baby girl.  A couple in Switzerland has chosen to name their daughter after their internet service provider after the company ran a promotion offering 18 years of free service.  According to a local newspaper, Blick, the internet provider, Twifi, promised free Wi-Fi for 18 years to any family that named their child Twifia or Twifius.  At first, the anonymous Swiss couple, 30 and 35, reportedly thought it was a joke.  However, the more the soon-to-be dad thought about it, the more he began to like the "unique moniker."

The Editor says...
What if the wi-fi company goes out of business in five years?

Canadian motorist with 8 lifetime driving bans busted for speeding.  A man pulled over for allegedly speeding was discovered to have a whopping eight separate lifetime driving bans, reported Canadian news website the Orangeville Banner.  When cops ran a driver's license check on Toronto resident Timothy Fraser after halting him Oct. 21, they discovered the steering scofflaw's checkered past.  "I've never seen that many.  This is the first time I've seen someone with eight," Dufferin Ontario Provincial Police Constable Shannon Gordanier told the Banner.  "The risk of driving and putting other people in harm's way is definitely not worth it.  There is a reason there had been that many prohibitions and therefore, it needs to be taken seriously."

Debate topics and American priorities.  The supposedly nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates has selected the following topics for Thursday night's final encounter between President Trump and Joe Biden:  "Fighting COVID-19," "American Families," "Race in America," "Climate Change," "National Security" and "Leadership."  The commission also announced it will mute the microphone of the candidate who is not talking, which could be advantageous for President Trump since the more Biden talks the less clear he becomes.  Are these topics priorities for most voters?  Not according to the Pew Research Center.  Nearly eight in 10 registered voters say the economy is their number one issue, followed by health care, Supreme Court appointments, the virus and foreign policy.  Race and ethnic inequality come in number eight (52 percent) and climate change ranks next to last at just 42 percent.

UT stands by 'Eyes of Texas' song, will play recording as band refuses to play.  The University of Texas school song has been deemed racist by some.  Band members are now refusing to play it, but the school says it will just play a recording instead, and was planning to do that anyway.  As calls to cease the playing of its school song "The Eyes of Texas" went unheeded by the administration, several band members said they would not play the song.  Despite petitions and demands from both student-athletes and several band members, the University of Texas has announced that it will continue to play "The Eyes of Texas."  University President Jay Hartzell doubled down Wednesday on his commitment to keeping the song, assuring that it would be played one way or another, even with band members refusing to do so, at the upcoming game against Baylor University.

The Editor says...
Scrap the band.  Who needs the UT band anyway?  Dismantle it.  Defund it.  Use the band hall as a homeless shelter.

Zeptoseconds: Scientists successfully record shortest measurement of time in history.  The blink of an eye seems to most people like an incredibly fast act.  Scientists in Germany however, say they've witnessed something that makes the blink of an eye seem as slow as watching paint dry.  Atomic physicists at Goethe University have measured the time it takes for a photon to cross a hydrogen molecule; a process that can only be measured in zeptoseconds.  In 1999, Egyptian chemist Ahmed Zewail won the Nobel Prize for measuring the speed of molecules changing their shape.  Zewail founded the science of femtochemistry, which measures the formation and division of chemical bonds in femtoseconds. [...] The new study has now broken this record, finding that it takes 247 zeptoseconds for photons to cross hydrogen molecules.

Ted Cruz introduces constitutional amendment to limit Supreme Court to nine justices.  Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, along with other GOP senators, has introduced a constitutional amendment that, if it were to pass, would prevent court packing on the Supreme Court.  Additionally, the Texas senator is pushing a separate proposal to forever block Democrats, should they regain control of the Senate, from passing any legislation to add additional justices to the high court.  The amendment proposal states simply, "the Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of nine justices."

'Nodding woman' Mayra Joli from Trump town hall shares hate mail.  Miami lawyer Mayra Joli, the freshly famous "nodding woman" behind President Trump at last week's NBC News town hall, says her employees are being targeted with hate mail.  "Nobody can call an employer to fire me," Joli told Fox News.  "What they're doing is calling my employees so they quit."  Joli, who donated to Hillary Clinton in 2016, said that "they start sending other [messages] saying, 'I can't believe you're working for that person.  I thought you were better.' ... They aren't used to this commotion."  The Dominican Republic-born Joli wore a red mask and nodded in response to Trump's answers during a frequently acrimonious hour-long event hosted by Savannah Guthrie of NBC News, who grilled Trump about conspiracy theories and likened him to "someone's crazy uncle."

'Nodding lady' at Trump town hall accuses critics of targeting her employees.  Mayra Joli, the Miami lawyer who gained renown as the "nodding lady" sitting behind President Trump during a nationally televised town hall, said her employees began receiving hate messages urging them to quit after the Oct. 15 event.  The digital onslaught isn't enough to change her mind, however.  An immigration lawyer and mother from the Dominican Republic, Joli came to the U.S. with her family in the 1990s and donated to Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign before becoming a Trump supporter.

Here are the fastest-growing jobs in every state this year: report.  As the U.S. grapples with unemployment because of the coronavirus pandemic, a new report could help people who are trying to figure out where to look for a new job. [...] The occupation with the highest percentage increase was in Rhode Island, where structure metal fabricators and fitters saw a 674% increase from 2015 to 2019.

Bill Gates: 'Shutting down' economy 'nowhere near sufficient' to stop climate change.  Just the News:  Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, said the coronavirus pandemic demonstrates that "simply shutting down" the U.S. economy won't bring about net zero carbon emissions to fight climate change.  Gates said the emissions reductions from the pandemic were "quite modest," despite the drastic drop in air travel and car travel.

Senator John James of Michigan?  We've been focusing so much on Senator Susan Collins of Maine and Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina that we may be forgetting that John James has a shot at flipping the U.S. Senate seat in Michigan.  We hope James wins the race.  Of course, it depends a lot on turnout and that's always hard to measure.  According to statespoll.com, Michigan is tilting to Trump, but it's still in the margin of error.  In all fairness, other polls show Biden ahead so your guess is as good as mine.  We can say this:  James would become an overnight sensation if he pulls this out.

Commission will mute mics during final debate between Trump and Biden.  The Commission on Presidential Debates has decided to mute microphones to allow each candidate the opportunity for uninterrupted remarks during this week's final forum.  The mute button will be featured at the start of each 15-minute segment during opening comments, according to the commission.  After that time, both mics will be turned on without a mute option to enable debate.  The rule change follows the first debate between President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden that devolved into a frequently interrupted shouting match.

Investigation: 9NEWS has used multiple unlicensed security guards.  Unlicensed security guard Matthew Dolloff, 30, is facing 2nd degree murder charges for the shooting and killing of 49-year-old Lee Keltner during dueling Denver rallies on Saturday, Oct. 10.  Separate from the criminal investigation, there is also an administrative investigation taking place because the city said Dolloff was not licensed to work as a security guard in Denver, or to be armed while doing so. [...] This investigation finds Dolloff is not the only unlicensed or not properly credentialed security guard to accompany 9NEWS crews as they covered protests and riots during the past five months.

Texans Can Dethrone 'Abortion Rights Queen' Wendy Davis.  Since the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill the vacancy, the national debate over abortion has returned to the forefront.  For pro-life Americans, there is no more important U.S. House race in the country than Texas' 21st Congressional District.  The choice for Hill Country Texans from Austin to Kerrville could not be more stark than that between trusted pro-life Republican Chip Roy and the radically anti-life leftist Wendy Davis.  Congressman Roy has been endorsed by pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, while every extreme pro-abortion group in the nation has endorsed Davis.

The Editor says...
Last week, I was under the mistaken impression that Wendy Davis was running for a seat in the Texas Senate; but no, she is running for U.S. Congress.  The 21st congressional district includes Fredericksburg and Kerrville — two delightful towns, especially in March and April when the wildflowers are in bloom.  But politically, the two towns are solid blue, and the district goes east to Austin, by way of Johnson City, which is also solid blue.

Is this not an act of war?
China warns it will take Americans hostage if DOJ doesn't drop charges against researchers.  Beijing is threatening to take Americans in China hostage if the Department of Justice doesn't drop its prosecution of several Chinese research scientists arrested on U.S. soil this year, according to a report on Saturday [10/17/2020].  Chinese government officials have repeatedly warned their U.S. counterparts that Americans in China face being detained if its demands are not met, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.  The drastic action — dubbed "hostage diplomacy" — would be in retaliation for the arrests of at least five Chinese military-affiliated scholars visiting American universities to conduct research.  The scientists were charged with visa fraud for allegedly lying to U.S. immigration authorities about their active duty statuses with China's People's Liberation Army.

More On The PA Mayor That Fired Her Police Chief Over Wife's Pro-Trump FB Posts.  As you may recall, about a week ago we learned that the Mayor of Lancaster, Pennsylvania had given her chief of police a stark choice.  Retire early or be fired.  Mayor Danene Sorace had said she negotiated a "private agreement" with Police Chief Jarrad Berkihiser so she would not comment further on the details.  The reason, as detailed by a past President of the PBA, was that Mayor Sorace was incensed over a couple of Facebook comments the Chief's wife had posted in support of President Trump. [...] At the time I speculated that there was much more to the story than what the Mayor was saying.  That prediction is looking considerably more solid now.  After being badgered by the local press for more information, the Mayor decided to comment on the subject she was "not allowed to comment on" after all.  She's now telling a different story, claiming that the Chief didn't "share her vision" for the progressive future of Lancaster.

Joe Biden retreats to Delaware as Trump stumps through four states.  It was back to the basement for Joe Biden Saturday [10/17/2020] — as President Trump went into campaign overdrive.  With only 16 days to go before Election Day, amid an uproar over The [New York] Post's expose of son Hunter's shady foreign business deals and with a second debate face-off this week, Biden retreated to his Delaware home with no public events on his schedule — and a substantial but slightly slipping national polling lead in his pocket.  Meanwhile, the underdog president whipped up his troops Saturday at back-to-back rallies in two crucial battleground states, with two more of the raucous gatherings set for Sunday and a full slate of appearances this week that will have him hopscotching across the country.

Click bait alert:  Apparently the only mention of Texas is in the headline.
Texas Software Billionaire Charged in Largest Tax Fraud Indictment in US History.  A Texas software billionaire is being charged with tax evasion in a case federal prosecutors are describing as the largest incidence of tax fraud in American history.  79-year old Robert Brockman was charged in a 39-count indictment that includes charges of money laundering, conspiracy, wire fraud, and tax evasion, with an indictment being unsealed by the US Attorney for the District of San Francisco on Thursday.

Orwell Rears His Head.  On Monday of last week, to use the phrase "sexual preference" was completely acceptable.  As recently as last month, multiple gay rights publications used the phrase.  Leon Panetta had used the phrase in the past couple of years.  Joe Biden has used the phrase this year.  Merriam-Webster considered "sexual preference" to be just another version of "sexual orientation."  But then Tuesday happened.  On Tuesday, the village idiot from Hawaii masquerading as a senator, Mazie Hirono, attacked Amy Coney Barrett for using "sexual preference" instead of "sexual orientation."  By Tuesday evening, the employees of Merriam-Webster had changed the phrase in their online dictionary to note it was offensive.  No, I am not making that up.  The dictionary company literally changed it after Barrett's exchange with Hirono.  Steve Krakauer, a former CNN producer who now produces Megyn Kelly's podcast, documented the change on his social media feed.  Gay rights publications such as The Advocate went on the attack as well.  In just 18 days, "sexual preference" went from acceptable to a hate crime.

Underdog GOP Senate candidate gains ground in race against incumbent Democrat, campaign says.  Virginia's Republican Senate candidate is heading into Election Day at a fundraising disadvantage against a well-known Democratic incumbent — but the Iraq War veteran said he's closing the gap.  Daniel Gade, who lost a leg to a roadside bomb during Operation Iraqi Freedom, said he believes his story is attracting more voters.  He graduated from West Point in 1997 and remained in the Army after his injury, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 2017.  He also served on several White House advisory committees for veterans and the disabled beginning under former President George W. Bush.  He has a Ph.D. in public administration and became a university professor.

How a Goya boycott led to a 'buycott'.  First, the Goya Foods boycott turned into a "buycott." Now the largest Hispanic-owned foods company is finding favorable backlash in the wake of the CEO's praise for President Trump.  Company sales have been "fantastic" and "historic" following the controversy surrounding his positive comments for President Trump in July, according to CEO Robert Unanue.  "Our sales went up significantly since the pandemic," Unanue told FOX Business' Stuart Varney.  "We did well because the restaurant business declined 70% but we also did well because of the backlash of a boycott to a buycott.  We have our traditional customers, we kept them, but we also have new customers."

Amazon Prime Cancels Shelby Steele.  Though most of the focus is on Twitter's White Knighting of Joe Biden, it's also worth noting that many other voices are inhibited by Big Tech because they fail to conform to leftist orthodoxy.  Just today [10/15/2020], the Wall Street Journal reported that Shelby Steele's documentary What Killed Michael Brown?, which explores race relations in the United States, has been rejected because it "doesn't meet Prime Video's content quality expectations."  Amazon claims the documentary, which Steele made with his son Eli, isn't "eligible for publishing" and that they "will not be accepting resubmission of this title and this decision may not be appealed."

NeverTrump Website The Dispatch Colludes With Big Tech To Censor SBA List's Pro-Life Ads.  Facebook censored two advertisements from the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List's, claiming the videos contained "partly false information" about Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden and VP Nominee Kamala Harris's views on late-term abortions.  The ads, which focus on the Democratic Party's position in support of abortion on demand and up until the moment of birth, were labeled by "independent fact-checkers" who claim to "look carefully into claims from elected officials, reports from the media, and disinformation on social media to help you understand what's true and what's not."

Out-of-state buyers from New York City, Boston and DC are flooding the Maine property market causing home values to surge 17% and supply to hit a 'historic low'.  Maine has seen a stunning real estate boom as buyers from New York City, Boston and Washington DC flee for quieter pastures amid the pandemic, causing home values to surge 17 percent, supply to hit a historic low and properties to fly off the market in a matter of 11 days.  In the spring Maine saw a startling decline in sales at the start of the pandemic, but by summer time a wave of buyers came in from out of state looking to ride out the COVID-19 crisis.  The value of single-family existing homes jumped 17.39 percent in August this year compared to 2019 and homes reached a median sales price of 270,000, as per Maine Listings.

The Mysterious October 20th DOJ Targeting Memo [is] Finally, Quietly, Released.  On June 3, 2020, former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss his role in how Main Justice was operating while Andrew Weissmann's special counsel was in charge.  What he said in that hearing never quite made sense until yesterday. [...] Rosenstein's tone when questioned about the scope memos he authorized during the special counsel time-frame was very odd in that June hearing.  Rosenstein had a very guilty conscience and it was on full display as he attempted to justify his action.  You see, there was always a missing scope memo from October 20, 2017, that no one in the DOJ ever discussed.  The nature of the scope memo was mentioned by Weissmann and Mueller in part of their Russia report; but until yesterday it was hidden.

Can McSally Rocket Past Kelly in AZ Senate Race?  Martha McSally seems relaxed — almost curiously so for a first-term appointed senator facing voters again after just two years on the job and trailing her opponent in every public poll conducted over the last month.  It's a mid-October afternoon, less than a month before Election Day.  Early voting is underway, and tens of millions of dollars are pouring into the Arizona Senate race pitting McSally, 54, the first female U.S. military pilot to fly in combat, against Mark Kelly, a former NASA astronaut who commanded the second-to-last space shuttle mission.  He's also the husband of former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was grievously wounded in a 2011 mass shooting in Tucson.

Trump administration to consider adding China's Ant Group to trade blacklist — sources.  The U.S. State Department has submitted a proposal for the Trump administration to add China's Ant Group to a trade blacklist, according to two people familiar with the matter, before the financial technology firm is slated to go public.  It was not immediately clear when the U.S. government agencies that decide whether to add a company to the so-called Entity List would review the matter.

Police Chief Forced To Retire After Wife Supports President Trump On Social Media.  The media missed this one!  The Lancaster police chief was forced to retire at the end of September after the mayor took issue with comments his wife made on Facebook in support of President Donald Trump's re-election.  John Fiorill, a former president of the local Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), said that Lancaster Police Chief Jarrad Berkihiser was asked to resign on Sept. 30 because his wife had shown support for President Trump when he visited a nearby airport a day earlier.  Now-former Chief Berkihiser's wife, posting under her own personal Facebook account "Kristy Lynne," commented on a post made by somebody who was at the Trump campaign rally at Harrisburg International Airport on Sept. 29.

Republican Chip Roy defending his Congressional seat against former state Sen. Wendy Davis in District 21.  The race for U.S. Congressional District 21 has been one to watch since the primaries when election officials announced Wendy Davis won the Democratic nomination and would challenge Republican incumbent Chip Roy on Election Day.  Roy is a former federal prosecutor, advisor to elected officials, and was first assistant attorney general to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.  Roy recently called Paxton to resign amid accusations against Paxton of bribery and abuse of office.  Davis is a former state senator for State District 10 who led a 13-hour filibuster to block a bill restricting abortion rights in Texas.  She was also the Democratic challenger in the 2014 gubernatorial race against now-Gov. Greg Abbott.

'Unmasking' probe commissioned by Barr concludes without charges or any public report.  The federal prosecutor appointed by Attorney General William P. Barr to review whether Obama-era officials improperly requested the identities of individuals whose names were redacted in intelligence documents has completed his work without finding any substantive wrongdoing, according to people familiar with the matter.  The revelation that U.S. Attorney John Bash, who left the department last week, had concluded his review without criminal charges or any public report will rankle President Trump at a moment when he is particularly upset at the Justice Department.

Minneapolis loses more police officers to disability claims.  Attorney Ron Meuser told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the number of Minneapolis police officers who have filed for disability claims since this spring's civil unrest and rioting has now reached 175, with 100 other officers considering similar moves.  "The 100 additional officers are doing their best to hang in there and not leave because they want to serve their community," Meuser said.  "But if there is more rioting in the near future, I would not be surprised to see the number of officers filing for disability to reach between 250 and 300 officers."  Meuser says the disability filings are for both physical and mental health reasons.  So far, 2020 has seen twice as many claims as usual.

GOP Challenger John James Running Neck-And-Neck With Gary Peters, Recent Poll Shows.  John James, the Republican senatorial candidate from Michigan, has pulled within one point of incumbent Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, according to a New York Times/Sienna College poll released Monday [10/12/2020].  Peters leads James 43-42 among likely voters in the state, the poll's crosstabs show.  The poll shows a significant jump in support for James, who trailed Peters 41-31 in a similar NYT poll from June and lost to Sen. Debbie Stabenow, the state's senior senator, two years ago.

Another young Republican has another phenomenal campaign video.  Twenty twenty has introduced several dynamic young Republican candidates who use eye-catching, powerful campaign videos to challenge incumbent Democrats.  Joe E. Collins III, a naval veteran from South Los Angeles, is the latest entrant in this category.  He's running as a Republican and challenging Rep. Maxine Waters, who's spent 44 years enriching herself while her constituents live in the slums of South L.A. (AKA California's 43rd Congressional District).  Collins opens his video by standing in front of Maxine Waters's beautiful Southern California mansion, worth a hefty $6 million.  It's not in her district, though.  Her district is South L.A., one of the poorest and most violent communities in America.

Feds to Portland:  Take Your Fine and Shove It.  Several months ago, an ambitious and radical Portland city commissioner tilted at the federal windmill by levying fines for the fence erected around the courthouse downtown that rioters have repeatedly attempted to burn down.  The fence blocks bike lanes, which has drawn the ire of radical Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, head of the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT).  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) didn't bother to respond — until now. [...] The fines have grown to over $3.7 million, as Portland continues to assess $48,000 a day to DHS. [...] On top of the bike lane fines from PBOT, the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) has also levied fines on DHS for excess tear gas found in stormwater drains.  Apparently nobody informed BES that, had Portland police been allowed to disperse the riots, there would have been no need for excess tear gas.

Robinhood Users Say Accounts Were Looted, No One to Call.  It took Soraya Bagheri a day to learn that 450 shares of Moderna Inc. had been liquidated in her Robinhood account and that $10,000 in withdrawals were pending.  But after alerting the online brokerage to what she believed was a theft in progress, she received a frustrating email.  The firm wrote it would investigate and respond within "a few weeks."  Now her money is gone.  Bagheri is among five Robinhood customers who recounted similar experiences to Bloomberg News, saying they've been left in limbo in recent weeks after someone sold their investments and withdrew funds.  Because the wildly popular app has no emergency phone number, some said they tried in vain to intervene, only to watch helplessly as their money vanished.

Nation Experiences Pandemic-Fueled Mason Jar Shortage.  For plenty of people across the United States, the pandemic has prompted a resurgence in cooking at home more and experimenting with food preparation in general.  For a number of home cooks, that has ended up involving the purchase of plenty of Mason jars — some for cooking, some for storage and others for preservation.  And that, in turn, has led to a nationwide Mason jar shortage.  It's not the most unpleasant side effect of the pandemic by a long shot, but neither is it minor:  cooking and canning for yourself can be both healthier for you and a good way to save money.  A new report from CNN explores the shortage — both in terms of Mason jars and for the lids used in canning.

Colorado town to pay visitors $100 to travel there.  Glenwood Springs, Colo., is paying visitors $100 to visit the town famous for its hot springs until Nov. 30.  The town's tourism business announced in late August that it would be extending the stimulus program, which began in the spring during the coronavirus pandemic, through Nov. 30 as part of an effort to boost fall tourism in the area.

$68,703: Median Household Income Set Record in 2019.  Median household income in the United States rose to a record $68,703 in 2019, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau in its Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC).  Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in recent years to the manner in which the Census Bureau surveys household income (which it has been estimating since 1967), the bureau this year addressed questions about whether or not the 2019 median household income could indeed be considered a record high.

Big Three Censor Poll Showing Majority Say They're Better Off Now than 4 Years Ago.  It turns out the ABC, CBS and NBC evening news shows won't show you polls that show the majority of the American voters feeling better off now under President Donald Trump's economy than under former President Barack Obama's economy.  But they do love parading around questionable polls showing Trump losing the election by double digits.  Gallup released a jaw-dropping news released Tuesday, the day of the vice presidential debate.  A new poll, taken between September 14 [and] September 28, showed that 56 percent of registered voters said that "they are better off now than they were four years ago, while 32% said they are worse off."  That's a 24 percent disparity.

Poll: 56% Americans Say They Are Better Off Now Under Trump Than Four Years Ago Under Obama-Biden.  A solid majority of 56 percent of Americans say they are better off now than they were four years ago, a new Gallup survey reveals.  Only 32 percent say they are worse off than four years ago.  The number is, as Fox News's Laura Ingraham noted on Thursday night, "the highest Gallup has ever recorded." [...] While the 56 percent number is impressive indeed — again the highest ever recorded this close to an election — it was even higher before the coronavirus pandemic swept across the United States.

Anarchist Arrested For Plot to Kidnap and Kill Whitmer Hates President Trump.  Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) owes President Trump an apology. [...] It turns out Brandon Caserta, one of anarchists who was arrested for plotting to kidnap Whitmer, actually hates President Trump and is on video calling Trump a "tyrant."  "Trump is not your friend dude," Caserta said.  He says Trump is "a tyrant" and calls President Trump an "enemy."  [Video clip]

Pizzas kept showing up every 45 min outside Walter Reed: 'You know it's from Trump, there's meat on it!'  While you don't know for sure if President Donald Trump is behind it, somehow you just know he is.  A peculiar thing happened Sunday night outside the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, hot pizzas kept showing up.  By the dozens.  A throng of Trump supporters have been holding a vigil outside the facility since the president was admitted on Friday after testing positive for COVID-19, or as Trump is now calling it, the "plague from China."  According to one enthusiastic supporter, Domino's pizzas were being delivered every 45 minutes to the crowd — 250 pies and counting.

Cruise ships in the scrap yard:
Drone view of a ship graveyard as cruising market collapses in pandemic.  Dozens of workers stripped walls, windows, floors and railings from several vessels in the dock in Aliaga, a town 45 km north of Izmir on Turkey's west coast.  Three more ships are set to join those already being dismantled.  [Video clip]

The Slow Suicide of New York City.  About 1,200 restaurants have permanently shuttered since March.  The city has around 600,000 fewer jobs than a year ago.  About one-third of the city's small businesses may never reopen.  But, of course, it's not just about numbers.  It's the vitality of the city that has been struck down.  Tourism is practically a thing of the past.  Hotels lay in waste.  Broadway remains dark.  Offices spaces are just that — vacant.  The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates the subways, is hemorrhaging $200 million a week.  Nobody, it seems, is going anywhere.  Take a look at the platforms at virtually any subway station: a ghost town.  Imagine the wreckage occurring to the city's tax base.

Trump Supporter Outside Walter Reed Hospital: 'We Brought a Trump Rally to Him'.  A Trump supporter who gathered outside of Walter Reed hospital with fellow supporters on Sunday said that they effectively "brought a Trump rally" to the president, as Trump remained in the hospital undergoing treatment for the Chinese coronavirus.  "Trump has been giving us rallies basically four, five times a week, every day the last three, four weeks," the Trump supporter, identified as "Greg," told Breitbart News.  "Right now he needs us.  So we brought a Trump rally to him and he came out and he said hi and it made his day."  Earlier in the day, Trump made a surprise visit to his supporters who have gathered outside of the hospital throughout the duration of his stay, waving to them from a[n] SUV.

Led Zeppelin emerges victorious in 'Stairway to Heaven' plagiarism case.  British rock band Led Zeppelin on Monday effectively won a long-running legal battle over claims it stole the opening guitar riff from its signature 1971 song "Stairway to Heaven."  The band, one of the best-selling rock acts of all time, was handed victory after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up the case, meaning that a March 2020 decision by a U.S. appeals court in Led Zeppelin's favor will stand.  Lead singer Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page had been accused in the six-year-long case of lifting the riff — one of the best-known openings in rock music — from a song called "Taurus", written by the late Randy Wolfe of the U.S. band Spirit.

Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, 32, becomes Thirteenth member of Trump's inner circle to test positive for COVID-19.  White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany has become the latest person in the President's inner circle to test positive for COVID-19, three days after Trump confirmed he'd been infected.  McEnany, 32, continued going to work at the White House despite Trump testing positive late on Thursday night and she took her mask off on Sunday to brief reporters.  She had been in close contact with the President and others at White House who have tested positive, but repeatedly tested negatively herself until Monday.  Her assistant, Chad Gilmartin has also tested positive.

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany says she's tested positive for coronavirus.  White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany revealed she tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday morning and will start the "quarantine process," becoming the latest person in President Trump's orbit to get the virus.  "After testing negative consistently, including every day since Thursday, I tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday morning while experiencing no symptoms," McEnany said in a statement.  "No reporters, producers, or members of the press are listed as close contacts by the White House Medical Unit."

Carl Sagan's socialism hot take with Ted Turner goes viral 31 years later.  Carl Sagan, who spent his career in search of extraterrestrial intelligence, was apparently hard-pressed to find it here on Earth.  The famed astronomer made a case for socialism in a 1989 interview on CNN with billionaire television mogul Ted Turner when asked simply, "Are you a socialist?"  A clip of their exchange has gone viral on Twitter with more than 100,000 likes and more than 3 million views since Sunday night.

Martha McSally has what it takes to be a senator.  Mark Kelly doesn't, former astronauts say.  As former fighter pilots and test pilots, we know what it takes to get in the cockpit of a fighter jet for a test flight or combat:  incredible determination, strength and grit.  That's why we support Sen. Martha McSally.  As the first woman in U.S. history to fly a fighter jet in combat and command a fighter squadron, she broke barriers in the Air Force and the military.  We remember a not-so-distant past when the Air Force wouldn't let women fly in combat.  Instead of sitting down accepting the status quo, McSally stood up, fought for change and made strides for generations of women to follow her.

Ouch! Three Astronauts Endorse AZ's GOP Senator Over Her Astronaut Senate Challenger.  You hate to see it.  Things are going great in your effort to become a U.S. senator:  you're crushing your general election opponent both in the polls and donations haul, PACs are filling the airwaves and online with nasty, dishonest ads against your governor-appointed, incumbent adversary.  Then this happens...  The Arizona Republic, the largest newspaper in the state of Arizona and the ostensible paper of record for the movers and shakers in the capital city, Phoenix, publishes an embarrassing endorsement for your GOP rival, barely thirty days before Election Day, from these three gentlemen.

Horse-Drawn Carriages Met With Protesters As Rides Return To Central Park.  Horse-drawn carriage rides are officially back in Central Park again.  Rides ran Saturday [10/3/2020] for the first time since March after being shut down due to the pandemic.  But as drivers and tourists celebrated the return, they were met with protesters who are asking the city to get the carriages off the streets again.

The Editor says...
Rusty!

Biden's dramatic change to retirement accounts could reduce their availability, industry warns.  Former Vice President Joe Biden's presidential platform includes a tax proposal that could force some employers to abandon offering retirement options to workers, the industry is warning.  The plan would dramatically change the incentive to save for retirement by replacing the current deferral system with a tax credit.  Most retirement plans, such as 401(k) plans and IRAs, allow taxpayers to delay paying taxes on contributions to accounts until they are retired.  By suspending this tax until retirement, workers have been able to grow their nest eggs beyond what they would have been if taxes were paid in the year that the money was received.  Biden would like to replace the current system with a tax credit.  His campaign site does not lay out a rate for the credit, but it has been reported to be 26%.

Texas AG Paxton disputes bribery, abuse-of-office allegations leveled by aides.  Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defended himself Saturday evening [10/3/2020] after a group of high-level aides reported alleged criminal misconduct to federal law enforcement, according to local reports.  "We have a good faith belief that the Attorney General is violating federal and/or state law, including prohibitions relating to improper influence, abuse of office, bribery and other potential criminal offenses," said a letter signed by seven high-ranking assistant attorney generals.  It was dated Oct. 1 but obtained and published Saturday by Austin's KVUE-TV and the Austin American-Statesman.

China's Communist Christ.  Earlier this year, we learned of the Chinese Communist Party's intention to undertake its own, state-approved "translation" of the Bible.  Evidently, the Christian Scriptures are not as amenable to CCP orthodoxy as the Politburo would like.  According to the state-run Xinhua News Agency, the Party assembled a group of obedient and pliable "scholars" late last year and charged them with "making accurate and authoritative interpretations of classical doctrines to keep pace with the times."  In other words, the CCP plans to turn the Scriptures into another piece of regime propaganda by rewriting them beyond all recognition.

The Editor says...
Numerous re-translations of the Bible have been produced over the last century, and many of them are so loosely paraphrased or so excessively "amplified" and embellished that they don't sound like the original at all.

Debate commission accedes to Biden campaign's 'health and safety' objections for VP debate.  The Commission on Presidential Debates has agreed to seat Kamala Harris and Mike Pence 12 feet apart at the vice presidential debate next week, after the Biden campaign raised health and safety objections to the original spacing between the two candidates because of Covid concerns.  As of Friday evening [10/2/2020], however, the commission would not accede to the Biden campaign's request that Harris and Pence stand during the debate.  Instead, the two will be seated, which was the preference of the Trump campaign, a source familiar with the discussions told POLITICO.

Former FBI Official Proposes 'Bipartisan Commission' to Vet Presidential Candidates Like Trump.  A former top FBI official on Thursday [10/1/2020] proposed that a "bipartisan commission" be created to vet presidential candidates so people like President Trump can never be elected again.  "We got this wrong, and this can't happen again," said Frank Figliuzzi, who was briefly the assistant director of the FBI under President Obama.  During a discussion on MSNBC about Trump's taxes Thursday morning, Figliuzzi opined that the president's supposedly dire financial situation made him "vulnerable" to certain entities like {{{Russia}}}.

The Editor says...
[#1] Whenever a "bipartisan commission" is proposed, the purpose of it is to damage or impede the Republicans.  [#2] Whenever you read, "former Obama official," you can stop right there and infer that the proposal is as partisan as it can be.  [#3] Little kids have been told for centuries that anyone can grow up to be President of the United States.  Is that still true?  Was it ever true?  [#4]  Presidential candidates are filtered by a lengthy campaign process which is widely televised for all to see.  If the American voters want to elect someone with a sketchy background, a phony Social Security number, and a forged birth certificate, it is the duty of the press to let everyone know about all this before Election Day.

Trump delivers video message saying he thinks he is 'doing very well,' after testing positive for coronavirus.  President Trump thanked Americans for their "tremendous support" and said he is "doing very well" in a pre-recorded video he tweeted out Friday as he was being flown by Marine One to Walter Reed Military Medical Center where he will be treated for mild symptoms after testing positive for the COVID-19.  The president's message was upbeat, though his tone was more subdued than usual in the video, which is believed to have been shot just before he was transferred to Walter Reed "out of an abundance of caution," according to the White House.

Trump Taken to Hospital 'Out of an Abundance of Caution,' White House Says.  [Scroll down]  The Trumps' diagnosis comes just three days after the first presidential debate of this year's election cycle, where Trump and Biden did not shake hands in order to protect both candidates against contracting the virus.  Republican Senator Mike Lee has tested positive as well, just two days after he met with in-person with Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.  Barrett reportedly already contracted the coronavirus over the summer and has since recovered.

Stock futures, oil prices plunge after Trump tests positive for coronavirus.  US stock futures and global shares tumbled Friday as President Trump's announcement that he tested positive for coronavirus rattled investors.  Futures contracts for the Dow Jones industrial average had dropped 348 points, or about 1.2 percent, to 27,341.00 as of 6:52 a.m. after Trump tweeted that he and first lady Melania Trump had contracted the virus.  Futures for the benchmark S&P 500 index sank 1.3 percent while Nasdaq futures fell about 1.8 percent, pointing to a sharp drop on Wall Street at Friday's opening bell.  Investors also sold stocks abroad, with London's FTSE 100 index dropping as much as 1.1 percent and Germany's blue-chip DAX index falling as much as 1.4 percent.

The Editor says...
It sounds like a bunch of armchair investors find it much too easy to buy and sell over the internet.

Verizon scrambling to unload HuffPost as losses mount.  Verizon has been quietly scrambling to unload HuffPost as it grapples with continued losses at the left-leaning news and culture website, The [New York] Post has learned.  The telecom giant — which acquired the site formerly known as the Huffington Post as part of its $4.4 billion purchase of AOL in 2015 — has approached multiple digital-media companies during the past few months in a bid to get the property off its books as losses accelerate due to the coronavirus, according to sources close to the situation.  Verizon has pitched the property to prospective buyers including Thrillist-owner Group Nine Media, Rolling Stone publisher Penske Media Corp., Bustle Digital Media and J2 Global, insiders said.  Those media outlets declined to comment.

GOP pollster sees Trump-Biden debate as embarrassing, says it 'encouraged people not to vote'.  Longtime Republican pollster Frank Luntz told CNBC on Wednesday [9/30/2020] that participants in his focus group were let down by the first debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden.  "I have never had a session blow up where the participants were disappointed on both sides, where everyone was embarrassed and everyone was upset about what had happened," Luntz said on "Squawk Box," while agreeing with the participants' assessment.

Dallas salon owner jailed for defying lockdown orders wins spot in run-off for state senate seat.  Remember Shelley Luther, the Dallas salon owner who reopened her business during the coronavirus shutdown?  She decided to turn her story into action and is running for a seat in the Texas State Senate.  Tuesday night [9/29/2020], she earned a spot in the run-off for that seat.  While everyone else was consumed with the presidential debate, a special election race was being held in the Dallas area.  Sen. Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) is running for Congress so his seat has been vacated.  The district is a solidly red district and stretches to the northwest around Dallas-Fort Worth.  With 100% of precincts reporting, she and state Rep. Drew Springer of Muenster ended in a dead heat.  The third-place finisher was the only Democrat running.

Court rules Subway sandwiches too sugary to meet legal definition of 'bread'.  Ireland's highest court isn't sweet on tax breaks for footlongs.  The country's Supreme Court ruled that the starch used in Subway sandwiches is too sugary to meet the definition of "bread" — a legal distinction that would have saved the firm some dough.  In deciding whether to give the fast-food chain a tax break for serving a "staple" food item, the five-judge panel ruled that the bread's sugar-to-flour content is roughly five times too high to qualify, according to the Irish Independent.  For a company to be taxed zero percent, under the Value-Added Tax Act of 1972, the weight of sugar and fat in a bread product must not be more than 2 percent of the total weight of flour in the dough.

Next major doc declass by WH said to show Russia was actually trying to hurt Trump, not collude with him.  The White House is set to declassify a major trove of documents that include evidence showing Russian President Vladimir Putin was actually working against then-GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, not 'colluding' with him as Democrats have long charged, a report said Tuesday [9/29/2020].  The declassification and its potential to flip the narrative — set for this week according to multiple sources who spoke to Just The News — would come four years after the Obama-era FBI launched a counterintelligence probe over claims that people within the Trump campaign were working with Moscow to manipulate the outcome in the GOP contender's favor.

A temporary dip in demand is no reason to move the plant.  There must be more to it.
Boeing to move all 787 Dreamliner production to South Carolina.  Boeing Co. will set plans this week to consolidate 787 Dreamliner assembly in South Carolina, people familiar with the matter said, ending production of that jetliner in Washington state as the coronavirus pandemic saps demand for aircraft.  The decision carries significant implications for the Seattle-area economy and Boeing's unionized workforce around Puget Sound.  It wasn't clear over what period of time the consolidation would play out, or how many employees might be affected by the move.  Boeing could announce the plans as soon as this week, some of the people familiar with the matter said.

Chamber of Commerce's Political Chief Resigns After Democrat Endorcements.  The United States Chamber of Commerce's chief political strategist has resigned from the business group after its endorsement of 23 House Democrats in swing districts across the country.  Scott Reed, the Chamber's longtime senior political strategist, has resigned, according to the New York Times' Maggie Haberman.  "Scott Reed, who's been the top political strategist at the US Chamber for years, tells me he has resigned, amid a perceived drift to the left at the Chamber on heels of nearly two dozen endorsements of House Dems," Haberman posted online.

Governor Cuomo Offers To Send National Guard To Pick Up Trash.  New York Governor Andrew Cuomo offered to send the national guard to help pick up the trash which has reportedly been piling up in New York City.  "Garbage piling up, literally, people saying there is an odiferous environment because of the garbage piling up," Cuomo said during a Tuesday [9/29/2020] press conference.  "I don't know what's going on in New York City.  If they can't do it, I have offered to send in the National Guard to come help pick up the garbage."

The Editor says...
If you're in the National Guard, is this the kind of duty you had in mind when you signed up?  Is the National Guard just a mass of poorly-paid all-purpose servants who clean up the 50 governors' messes?

Ron Johnson: 'Political' for John Durham not to release interim report before election.  A top Republican senator blamed U.S. Attorney John Durham's criminal inquiry into the Russia investigation for presenting a roadblock to documents sought by Congress.  This is why Sen. Ron Johnson, the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said "it is incredibly disappointing" if the federal prosecutor does not intend to release an interim report before the Nov. 3 election due to concerns about such a disclosure being viewed as political as Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo reported on Sunday [9/27/2020].  "What's political is if he doesn't report," the Wisconsin Republican declared.  Johnson said the "deep state" has, "through these other investigations," prevented the public "from knowing what happened with the FBI's corruption of their investigation, the corruption of the transition process, for about three-and-a-half years."

Huge: No Durham Report, Indictments Coming per Sources.  This is not the kind of big news you want to get on an otherwise slow Sunday morning, but here it is.  Fox News' Maria Bartiromo is reporting this morning that there will be no Durham interim report or indictments coming before the election.  By the wording, she may actually be saying there's no report coming at all.  If true, this is a travesty of justice of the highest order given what has transpired the last five years. [...] Whether or not you believe this news will probably depend on the level of cynicism you normally operate with in regards to this topic.  I've been far more skeptical of the Durham investigation than even I'd like to admit at times.

Hollywood not good enough?  Meghan Markle reportedly now wants to be US president.  Forgetting who she is, Meghan Markle, duchess of Sussex, has decided she'd also like to become president of the United States. [...] Seems that with duchess titles coming easily, shouldn't presidential ones, too?  All she has to do is smile pretty... and speak woke, and the American voters will be drooling for her.  Her foray into U.S. politics is getting particularly unseemly for someone who hasn't renounced her title of duchess.  First she started hanging out with Michelle Obama, "teaming up for female empowerment" as the press release, I mean USA Today article, put it.  Then she gets a lucrative Netflix deal, too, kind of like what the Obamas got.  Then she puts her husband, Prince Harry, in an embarrassing position by making a get-out-the-vote "public service" announcement, insisting that the election of 2020 would be "the most important election of our lifetimes," which was clearly targeted at President Trump.  She did her husband Harry, who has never voted in his life, a tremendous disservice by shoving him into that.

Woke Royals' U.S. Election Interference 'Violation' of Megxit Deal:  Claim.  The decision by Los Angeles-based Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to wade into the upcoming U.S. election by offering voting advice was a "violation" of their "Megxit" deal with the Queen and could further jeopardise their links to the monarchy, it was claimed Sunday [9/27/2020] by senior royal aides.  According to the Times newspaper, courtiers have been canvassing how the royal household could separate itself further from the pair.  The distance is required after the couple called on voters in America to "reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity" in "the most important election of our lifetime" — comments widely interpreted as a swipe at President Donald Trump, as Breitbart News reported.

New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square will be virtual this year.  For the first time in 114 years, there will be no crowd in Times Square to cheer the famed New Year's Eve ball drop.  In the latest COVID-19-induced blow to Big Apple traditions, officials announced major changes to the annual event Wednesday [9/23/2020] — saying that while the ball will still drop, the usual packed celebration will be a no-go.  "One thing that will never change is the ticking of time and the arrival of a New Year at midnight on December 31st," said Tim Tompkins, the president of the Times Square Alliance, in a news release.

The Editor says...
You could ring in the new year yourself, just by observing the time here or here.  If you have to be at work early the next morning (like I always did), you can celebrate the New Year in UTC or Zulu time, five hours earlier than Eastern Standard Time.  To simulate the actual conditions at Times Square, find about a thousand nasty smelly strangers to crowd around you, including a few pickpockets and prostitutes.  Then spill beer and cigarette butts all over the ground, and charge yourself $50 for a ride home.  In other words, you're not missing anything by not being in Times Square at midnight.

Anti-Cop Alyssa Milano Terrorizes Her Neighborhood by Calling Cops on a Teenager and a Squirrel.  If you're a liberal in Hollywood who likes to spout off about vital political issues 'n' stuff, there is a 98% chance you are a flaming hypocrite for it.  Like all the celebs who want to #DefundThePolice for me and you, but not for them.  And when it comes to leftist celebs with dumb political opinions, top of the list is usually Alyssa Milano.  Who, for a celeb who is super-serious about defunding the police — she [...] tweeted about it and everything — she has no problem calling the police.

The Editor says...
Apparently she wasn't acquainted with the teenager, otherwise I'd suspect her of low-level SWATting.

'Defund the police' activist Alyssa Milano calls 911 sparking massive police presence in her quiet California neighborhood.  Actress and 'Defund the police' activist Alyssa Milano was quick to call cops when she believed an armed gunman was on her Bell Canyon property on Sunday morning [9/20/2020].  The call ignited a response that included seven Ventura County Sheriffs' vehicles, one K-9 unit, a police helicopter and one Los Angeles Fire Department team that sat down the street on standby. [...] The search by air and street level lasted over three hours and ended abruptly at 12.20 pm. [...] 'It turned out it was a neighborhood teen with an air gun shooting at squirrels,' a resident told the DailyMail.com.  The male teenager witnessed the emergency response and later realized he was the cause and turned himself in.

The Editor says...
This is a person who wants to live in a little world without cops.  If that's what she wants, she should learn a lot more about firearms.

House passes short-term spending bill to avoid government shutdown.  The House approved late Tuesday night, in a 359-57-1 vote, a stopgap bill to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month.  Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did not vote yes or no, but "present."  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced earlier Tuesday [9/22/2020] that Democrats had reached a deal with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to avert a government shutdown and fund the government with a continuing resolution through Dec. 11.

The Editor says...
AOC has figured out how to get easy press coverage:  Just vote "present," like Barack H. Obama used to do, and the news media will point out the lone exception.  In doing so, she isn't representing her constituents, but as long as the newspapers spell her name correctly, she doesn't seem to care.

Bloomberg raises millions to help Florida felons vote.  Just days after after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis won a court victory to keep felons from voting until they've paid off fines, restitution and court fees, billionaire Mike Bloomberg has stepped in to help them pay off the debts.  The former Democratic presidential candidate has helped raise more than $20 million so that felons who completed their prison sentences can vote in the presidential election.  Bloomberg also has pledged $100 million to help Joe Biden win Florida.

Matt Gaetz Calls On Florida AG To Investigate Mike Bloomberg "For Potentially Engaging In Bribery And Vote Buying".  Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has called on the state's Attorney General to investigate Bloomberg for "Potentially Engaging In Bribery And Vote Buying."  [Video clip] [...] [Earlier,] Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who has committed at least $100 million in Florida towards electing Joe Biden, has raised another $16 million to pay the court fines and fees of nearly 32,000 Black and Hispanic felons so that they can vote in the November election.

Mike Bloomberg Is Likely Breaking Federal Law by Paying off Felon Debts for Democrat Votes.  As reported earlier former New York City Mayor and billionaire Mike Bloomberg raised $16 million to pay off the fines for 32,000 black and Hispanic Florida voters so they can vote for Joe Biden in the 2020 election.  Basketball icon Lebron James is also looking to pay convicted felons' fines so they can vote for Joe Biden.  But tonight legal analyst J. Christian Adams argued that Michael Bloomberg is breaking federal and likely Florida state law by buying votes from felons.  And J. Christian Adams also argued that Bloomberg is putting the felons in legal and financial jeopardy by paying off their debts for votes.

Candace Owens Claims Amazon [is] Destroying Her Books Before Shipping, Provides Photos.  On Saturday, conservative commentator and author Candace Owens claimed about 1,000 fans have informed her that their copy of her new book, "Blackout:  How Black America Can Make Its Second Escape from the Democrat Plantation," was damaged upon arrival from Amazon.  "Dear [Amazon].  About 1,000 people have written to let me know that your employees appear to be stomping on and in this case, smearing Vaseline on my books before mailing them," Owens accused.  "I know it must have pained you to ship out all 90,000 copies you had in stock — but this is unacceptable."  Owens provided photos of the damaged books and retweeted others showcasing similar damage to their copy.

Translation:  Printing money causes inflation.
Price Increases at Retail Level Accelerating, Thanks to Massive Money Supply Increase.  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Friday [9/11/2020] that prices at the retail level in August increased at an annual rate of nearly five percent in August.  Retail prices dropped when the shutdown began and demand for retail items such as gas and services such as restaurants fell like stones.  People nearly stopped buying, preferring to stash their "stimulus" checks from the government in savings or use them to pay off credit card debt.  In response, the government, with the help of the Federal Reserve, dumped massive amounts of newly created digital currency into the economy, hoping that the infusion would quickly revive it once the infection risk had passed.

Most Want 'Blue Lives Matter' Laws to Protect Police, Fear for Public Safety.  Most voters believe there is a war on police in America today and want to make attacks on cops punishable as a hate crime.  Blacks worry most that these attacks will make their communities less safe.  The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 59% of Likely U.S. Voters think there is a war on police going on.  That's up from 43% two years ago and up from a previous high of 58% in 2015.  Just 29% disagree, while 12% are undecided.

Senate Dems, including Kamala Harris, call for investigation into Durham probe.  Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, including Sen. Kamala Harris, are calling on the Justice Department's watchdog to investigate whether a probe led by U.S. Attorney John Durham violates Justice Department policy.  Durham, is investigating the origins of the Trump-Russia probe and other intelligence-gathering activities related to Donald Trump and his associates.

Black Leaders Launch '1776 Unites' High School Curriculum.  Two black leaders are launching "1776 Unites," a new high school curriculum that aims to combat victimhood culture in American society by telling the stories of black Americans who have prospered by embracing America's founding ideals.  Civil rights veteran Bob Woodson and Ian Rowe, a charter school leader, gave remarks Wednesday on the new curriculum and what they hope it will accomplish for young black students and students of all races.  The curriculum's goal is to "let millions of young people know about these incredible stories, African-Americans past and present, innovative, inventive, who faced adversity, did not view themselves as victims, and chose pathways to be agents of their own uplift," said Rowe, who is also a Resident Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Oregon couple helplessly watch as looters break into evacuated home.  An Oregon couple forced to flee their home because of the raging wildfires soon faced a second heartbreak — as they helplessly watched looters breaking in on their home video surveillance system.  Tracy and Marvin Johnson told KOIN 6 News how the Unger Fire had already destroyed a two-mile hiking trail in Beavercreek that they had opened days earlier after spending eight years building.  Firefighters managed to save their home despite the blaze coming within feet of it — just for looters to break in despite an evacuation order in the area, they told the station.  "Our Nest cam came on and told us that there was movement and we could see the lights pull up into our driveway," Marvin Johnson said.

Analyst: Neither Trump or Biden care about soaring federal debt, deficit.  The U.S. government is awash in debt and red ink — and neither President Donald Trump or his Democratic challenger appear bothered by the status quo, an analyst told Yahoo Finance on Wednesday [9/16/2020].  Last week, the Treasury released data showing how the COVID-19 pandemic helped push the U.S. federal budget deficit above $3 trillion for the first 11 months of fiscal 2020, a rate more than double the prior full-year record.

Uh-Oh: John Bolton Is Officially Under DOJ Investigation.  Perhaps that book wasn't such a great idea?  John Bolton is now officially under DOJ investigation for possibly leaking classified information in his recent tell-all publication.  The book made news by making several big unsubstantiated claims aimed at hurting President Trump.  The media obviously salivated over Bolton because he was targeting the right person, though they once treated him as the root of all evil and a disgusting warmonger.  But Trump has a way of rehabilitating anyone's image.  Now, Bolton may be rethinking whether all those plaudits were worth it.

Data Reveals Where the Majority of Biden's Donations Came from — and It's Bad News for Dems.  The conservative group Take Back Action Fund is sounding the alarm on millions of political donations made to former Vice President Joe Biden's presidential campaign.  According to the group, more than half of the 2019 contributions Biden received on the Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue came from unemployed people, Fox News reported.  That number has increased in 2020, particularly in light of the pandemic. [...] "After downloading hundreds of millions of [dollars in] donations to the Take Back Action Fund servers, we were shocked to see that almost half of the donations to ActBlue in 2019 claimed to be unemployed individuals," Take Back Action Fund's president, John Pudner, told Fox News.  "The name of employers must be disclosed when making political donations, but more than 4.7 million donations came from people who claimed they did not have an employer.  Those 4.7 million donations totaled $346 million ActBlue raised and sent to liberal causes."

Rochester Police Receive Permission to Cover Their Names After Harassment.  Rochester, New York, police officers have received permission to cover their name tags in an effort to avoid harassment from far-left protesters.  Rochester Police Chief La'Ron Singletary who is set to retire soon, approved the move after protesters targeted a number of officers who shouted out their home addresses, the names of their children and their schools, and made phone calls to their parents.  After the decision, a city council meeting with Democrat Mayor Lovely Warren and City Council Chief of Staff Robert Scanlon occurred.  During the meeting, Scanlon fielded questions on the police.  Scanlon read a response on behalf of Singletary.

Silicon Valley's Tech Titans Cut Pay For Staff That Work From Home.  Software company VMWare announced recently that employees that opt to work from home indefinitely will be asked to accept as much as an 18 percent reduction in pay.  Now, other companies in Silicon Valley have announced similar plans to decrease salaries for those that choose to work from home.  According to a report by Bloomberg News, companies in Silicon Valley may reduce pay for employees that opt to work from home indefinitely.  Both Facebook and Twitter confirmed that they may adopt policies that would reduce pay for employees that opt to work from home.

Hero veteran's 'Oregon is burning' campaign ad sweeps the internet for originality and fire.  A Republican running for Congress in Oregon blasted his far-left opponent for a dismal track record in representing their district in a fiery new campaign video.  In the video released this week, Republican congressional candidate Alek Skarlatos declared that "Oregon is burning" as he called out Democratic Rep. Peter DeFazio, who has "been in office longer than I've been alive."  The 27-year-old former Oregon National Guardsman, hailed as a hero for his part in thwarting a terrorist attack on a Paris-bound train in 2015, now wants to represent Oregon's 4th district in Congress.

Entire Rochester, NY Police Command Staff Resigns.  Rochester has been having fiery but mostly peaceful protests ever since a mentally-ill man jacked up on amphetamines died while in police custody.  He said he had covid and began spitting on officers, so, to protect Their Lives, which apparently don't matter, they put a spit-hood over him.  Then he suffoca