APRIL 2017 

Friday - April 28, 2017

On This Day In History

1788 - Maryland became the seventh state to ratify the U.S. constitution.
1789 - A mutiny on the British ship Bounty took place when a rebel crew took the ship and set sail to Pitcairn Island. The mutineers left Captain W. Bligh and 18 sailors adrift.
1818 - U.S. President James Monroe proclaimed naval disarmament on the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain.
1919 - The League of Nations was founded.
1932 - The yellow fever vaccine for humans was announced.
1952 - The U.S. occupation of Japan officially ended when a treaty with the U.S. and 47 other countries went into effect.
1965 - The U.S. Army and Marines invaded the Dominican Republic to evacuate Americans.
1967 - Muhammad Ali refused induction into the U.S. Army and was stripped of boxing title. He cited religious grounds for his refusal.
1989 - Mobil announced that they were divesting from South Africa because congressional restrictions were too costly.
1992 - The U.S. Agriculture Department unveiled a pyramid-shaped recommended-diet chart.
1994 - Former CIA official Aldrich Ames, who had given U.S. secrets to the Soviet Union and then Russia, pled guilty to espionage and tax evasion. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
1996 - U.S. President Clinton gave a 4 1/2 hour videotaped testimony as a defense witness in the criminal trial of his former Whitewater business partners.
1997 - A worldwide treaty to ban chemical weapons took effect. Russia and other countries such as Iraq and North Korea did not sign.
1999 - The U.S. House of Representatives rejected (on a tie vote of 213-213) a measure expressing support for NATO's five-week-old air campaign in Yugoslavia. The House also voted to limit the president's authority to use ground forces in Yugoslavia.
2001 - A Russian rocket launched from Central Asia with the first space tourist aboard. The crew consisted of California businessman Dennis Tito and two cosmonauts. The destination was the international space station.
2008 - India set a world record when it sent 10 satellites into orbit from a single launch.

Democrats seek to re-establish congressional war powers against ISIS
RT - Ten Democratic lawmakers are backing a bill that would Introduce a new authorization for using military force against ISIS, Al-Qaeda and the Taliban without geographical restrictions. The new Authorization for Use of Military (AUMF) would replace the 2001 and 2001 war powers immediately, and usher in a single authorization that would sunset in three years. It would put in place new reporting requirements to Congress and the public as to how the authority is used and against which groups.

Trump Explains Why He Flipped On NAFTA: Canadian, Mexican Leaders Called Me To Renegotiate
Zero Hedge - In one of the most striking reversals for President Trump to date, as reported earlier, just hours after the White House said the president is contemplating terminating NAFTA before his 100th day, sending the loonie and peso crashing, Trump reversed his position and as Bloomberg put it, made a "huge U-turn" in his NAFTA stance, allowing the trade agreement to continue after he spoke with the presidents of Mexico and Canada about ways to renegotiate the accord…. Trump’s top advisers had been embroiled in a debate over how aggressively to proceed on reshaping U.S. participation in Nafta, with hard-liners favoring a threatened withdrawal as soon as this week and others advocating for a more measured approach to reopening negotiations with Canada and Mexico. …it appears that Trump has gotten an earful on his latest stark reversal, and as a result the president took to twitter… “I received calls from the President of Mexico and the Prime Minister of Canada asking to renegotiate NAFTA rather than terminate. I agreed” Trump tweeted, and in a following tweet added "subject to the fact that if we do not reach a fair deal for all, we will then terminate NAFTA." He concluded: "Relationships are good-deal very possible!”

Democrats Take Government Hostage: Threaten To Shut It Down If GOP Repeals Obamacare
Zero Hedge - Just as the GOP has reportedly found enough votes among conservative Republicans to pass the latest iteration of the proposed Healthcare bill, with Freedom Caucus Mark Meadows saying "republicans will have the votes to pass" Obamacare repeal, Democrats realized that they once again have the leverage to bring this whole process to a grinding halt halt. And they are using it. As The Hill reports, House Democrats will oppose any short-term spending bill - which is what McConnell was hoping on passing to buy one week of time - if Republican leaders attempt to expedite an ObamaCare repeal bill this week, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) warned Thursday. In other words, Democrats are now holding the government hostage indefinitely as long as Republicans - who now have the votes to pass new healthcare legislation - threaten to repeal Obamacare.

UN To Trump: Obamacare Repeal Would Violate "International Law"; Would Also Be Racist
Zero Hedge - The letter was written by Dainius Puras whose official title is: “Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health”… “I would like to bring to the attention of your Government information I have received concerning the possibility to repeal core elements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with negative impacts on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health in the United States, in particular those with moderate or low income and in situations of poverty or social exclusion." “Recent reports have assessed the negative impact that this reform may have on the right to health of almost 30 million people in the U.S.”… Then, just when you think Puras' letter couldn't get any more ridiculous, you get to the part where he suggests that anything short of universal, taxpayer-funded healthcare is just racist. "In this connection, I would like to refer your Government to article 5 (e) of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Form of Racial Discrimination, ratified by the United States of America in 1994. Under this article, States parties undertake to guarantee the right of everyone to a number of economic, social and cultural right, without distinction as to race, colour, or national ethnic origin."

Documents Reveal FBI Had Grand Jury Investigate Hillary Clinton While She Was Running for President in 2016
The GatewayPundit - Judicial Watch today released new State Department documents including a declaration from FBI Special Agent E.W. Priestap, the supervisor of the agency’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email activities, stating that the former secretary of state was the subject of a grand jury investigation related to her BlackBerry email accounts. The declaration was produced in response to Judicial Watch’s lawsuit seeking to force Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to take steps to “recover emails of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton” and other U.S. Department of State employees (Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Rex Tillerson (No. 1:15-cv-00785)). The lawsuit was originally filed against then-Secretary of State John Kerry. The Trump State Department filing includes details of the agency’s continuing refusal to refer the Clinton email issue to the Justice Department, as the law requires. In the filing Priestap declares under penalty of perjury that the FBI “obtained Grand Jury subpoenas related to the Blackberry e-mail accounts, which produced no responsive materials, as the requested data was outside the retention time utilized by those providers.”

Texas House Passes Bill to Jail ‘Sanctuary’ Sheriffs, Police Chiefs
Breitbart - The Texas House passed a tough anti-sanctuary bill containing provisions making it a crime for sheriffs and chiefs of police to refuse to cooperate with immigration officials. They could also be removed from office for providing “sanctuary” for the criminal illegal aliens in their jails. Senate Bill 4 finally passed the Texas House Thursday afternoon by a vote of 94-53 along party lines. Following the bill’s final passage in the House, the Texas House Republican Caucus sent out a statement saying the bill ensure federal immigration laws that are on the books will be followed and enforced in Texas. The caucus stated the bill prevents local entities from creating policies that threaten public safety.

FBI Raids Texas Offices of Company Involved in Border Wall Construction
Breitbart - Agents raided offices in San Antonio, Houston, and McAllen, as well as various city and county offices in the city of Laredo and Webb County.… Dannenbaum Engineering Corporation is one of the companies that has been involved in the construction of border barriers and expressed interest in the construction of the border wall. “While we can’t discuss the nature of the work we are doing, there is no public safety threat at the locations where we are present,”… In McAllen, Texas, Breitbart Texas witnessed agents going in and out of the Dannenbaum Engineering office carrying boxes and computer equipment…. Dannenbaum Engineering Corp. has a history of being the target of various lawsuits and grand jury investigations in the past. In 2005, the Brownsville Navigation District sued Dannenbaum over $21.4 million that the government entity paid to the engineering firm for the construction of an international bridge that was never built, the Brownsville Herald reported at the time. The funds were paid to subcontractors in Mexico that were then funneled to shell companies.

Feds force hospitals to report alleged DUI patients to police
MassPrivate I - This month, an Oregon Appeals court agreed with a district court ruling which forces first responders to become state actors. "Oregon statue 676.260 says a health care facility “shall notify” a law enforcement officer in the course of treatment when a person’s blood person’s blood alcohol level exceeds .08 percent or their blood contains a controlled substance." "As part of defendant’s medical treatment, hospital staff had drawn a sample of his blood and tested it, ascertaining that his BAC was .333 percent. After defendant refused to consent to a blood draw, Trooper Dunlap did not seek a warrant for a blood draw. Nor did he ask hospital staff for the results of the blood test. However, pursuant to their duty under ORS 676.260, hospital staff verbally disclosed to Dunlap that defendant’s BAC was .333 percent and Dunlap included that information in his police report." Why didn't Trooper Dunlap seek a warrant? Because, he knew that the hospital staff would be forced to divulge their findings. The District court ruled that police couldn't violate a person's Constitutional rights because it was the hospital that informed the police. "After a hearing, the trial court denied defendant’s motion, concluding, as relevant here, that the hospital’s disclosure of defendant’s BAC test result to Dunlap did not violate defendant’s constitutional rights because it did not constitute state action."

United Passenger Who Was Dragged Off Plane Settles With Airline
Zero Hedge -The 69-year-old Vietnamese-American doctor was infamously hospitalized after Chicago aviation police dragged him from the plane to make space for four crew members on the flight from the city's O'Hare International Airport to Louisville, Kentucky, sparking international outrage. While some may have been expecting a lawsuit to emerge from the affair, United Airlines announced that it has reached a settlement for an undisclosed sum with Dao…. While the actual amount was undisclosed, we are confident that Dao is now several million dollars richer.

Video: United pulls out $10K for your seat
Reuters - Giving up your seat on United just got a less painful. The airline saying Thursday it will offer passengers who forfeit seats on overbooked flights up to $10,000. That may sound like a lot, but the carrier figures it will cost them less that a repeat of this incident: shocking video of Dr. David Dao being forcibly dragged from his seat to make room for United crew members. Dao's lawyer said he incurred a concussion, broken nose and lost two front teeth. The new policy also comes after rival Delta outlined plans of its own for cash compensation - United's offer topping Delta's by 50 bucks.

China warned North Korea of sanctions after any nuclear test - Tillerson
Reuters - China has told the Trump administration it warned North Korea it would impose unilateral sanctions should Pyongyang carry out another nuclear test, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Thursday, in possibly China's toughest threat yet against its defiant neighbour. Tillerson, speaking on Fox News, said China has asked North Korea not to conduct any more nuclear tests. He noted that major commemorations in North had passed in recent days without a feared nuclear test or test of any intercontinental ballistic missile. Tillerson did not say when China made the threat and there was no immediate confirmation from Beijing. He is due to chair a meeting with U.N Security Council foreign ministers on Friday, where he said he would stress the need for members to fully implement existing sanctions as well as possible next steps…. China banned imports of North Korean coal in February, cutting off its most important export, and Chinese media this month raised the possibility of restricting oil shipments to the North if it unleashed more provocations.

George Soros ‘Has Ruined the Lives of Millions of Europeans’ Says Hungarian Prime Minister
Breitbart - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán delivered a stinging speech in the European Parliament Wednesday, asserting Hungary’s right to self-governance and defending its actions regarding immigration and against American financial speculator George Soros. “I know that the power, size and weight of Hungary is much smaller than that of the financial speculator, George Soros, who is now attacking Hungary,” Orbán said. “Despite ruining the lives of millions of European with his financial speculations, being penalized in Hungary for speculations, and who is an openly admitted enemy of the euro, he is so highly praised that he is received by the EU’s top leaders,” he said…. “There can be no special privileges, and no one may stand above the law – not even George Soros’s people,” he said. Through his organizations in Hungary, and hidden from the public gaze, Orbán said, “George Soros is spending endless amounts of money to support illegal immigration.”

US probe into China aluminum dumping alarms Beijing
RT - The US Commerce Department launched an investigation on Wednesday into whether aluminum imports from China and other countries pose a threat to national security. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the investigation is similar to the one on steel imports. According to Ross, the White House is concerned unfairly traded imports are hurting the American aluminum industry, as some factories have been forced to close down or stop production. The Commerce Department will investigate the allegations China is dumping aluminum on the US market at unfair prices. China is the world's largest aluminum producer, and responded saying it is concerned by the US action, but hopes to resolve the dispute through talks, according to Commerce Ministry spokesman Sun Jiwen. Ross expressed concerns that only one plant in the US, Century Aluminum, is producing high-quality aluminum required for Lockheed Martin F-35 joint strike fighter, the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and other military vehicles and naval vessels.

Belgium ‘regrets’ helping elect Saudi Arabia to UN women's rights panel
RT - Belgium’s vote in favor of appointing Saudi Arabia to a United Nations women’s rights commission was due to a regrettable diplomatic mix-up, said Prime Minister Charles Michel, after the decision sparked a firestorm of criticism at home…. Belgium is generally active in defending women’s rights and expresses its views on this issue, so I was surprised to learn that it had supported a country with no regard for women and which continually flouts their rights. At first I thought it was not possible,” said Viviane Teitelbaum of the Council of Francophone women, an activist group.

Pearl Harbor Survivor, 94, Denied Hearing Aids By VA
Off the Grid News - The last living Pearl Harbor Survivor in Philadelphia was denied hearing aids because of a paperwork snafu at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The hearing aids were sitting on the table in front of Alexander Horanzy, 94, when he was told the VA would not pay for them. Previously, Horanzy had been told he was approved for hearing aids and even was tested and fitted for them. “So I drove him up there and they wouldn’t give them to him,” Horanzy’s granddaughter, Joyce Fiore, told KYW News Radio. “They said his medical records were lost in a fire. They had them right there, so he was denied.”… Horanzy almost died of malaria 70 years ago while fighting on New Guinea in World War II, the Great Generation Foundation reported. Before that, he had witnessed the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor as a young Army private. Despite that service, Horanzy was told he was ineligible for hearing aids because the Department of Veteran Affairs was unable to locate his paperwork…. The Greatest Generation Foundation has set up a Go Fund Me Page to pay for the aids. The page had collected $7,868 as of April 27. That means Horanzy will get the hearing aids, which cost $6,500.

Feds Say It’s Too Dangerous To Share Dakota Access Oil Spill Report
Huffington Post - A federal agency won’t release a study about the potential effects of a Dakota Access Pipeline oil spill because it claims information in the report could put lives at risk. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers made the claim while rejecting a Freedom of Information Act request from MuckRock… MuckRock’s co-founder Michael Morisy had requested in March a copy of an Army Corps environmental assessment that looked at the possible impact of a pipeline leak on Lake Oahe in North Dakota. “The referenced document contains information related to sensitive infrastructure that if misused could endanger people’s lives and property,” said Army Corps lawyer Damon Roberts in a denial letter that MuckRock published Tuesday. Rather than editing out sensitive details, Roberts withheld all materials related to the request.

Anadarko Shuts 3,000 Wells in Colorado After Explosions
OilPrice.com - Following a home blast near a vertical well operated by Anadarko (NYSE:APC) , the company said it will shut all its vertical wells in northwestern Colorado while it investigates the cause of the blast, which killed two people. The number of wells in the area that the company operates is more than 3,000, with a combined output of 13,000 net barrels of oil per day…. The local Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District is meanwhile conducting its own investigation, and told Bloomberg that the proximity of the oil well to the home where the blast occurred is one aspect to be considered, adding that the cause for the explosion has yet to be identified. There is no threat to other homes in the vicinity, the authorities said. Anadarko’s shares have dipped over 5% on Thursday to $56.98.

Amazon Wants You to Put Their New Camera in Your Bedroom
Daily Sheeple - Today, Amazon introduced a new device to their Echo line of products, called the Echo Look. It’s basically a camera that you stick in your bathroom or your bedroom or wherever you dress, and it takes full length images of what you’re wearing. It’s being called a “style assistant.” It has a service that “combines machine learning algorithms with advice from fashion specialists,” presumably to give you feedback on what you’re wearing. I’m guessing that at some point, it’ll make suggestions for clothes you should buy on Amazon. Let that sink in. Amazon thinks that millions of people are going to spend $199 on a camera that is supposed to be placed in their bedrooms, stores images of them, and is probably going to criticize their fashion sense before hawking products to them. I’m not sure what’s scarier. Is it that this thing even exists, or that Amazon’s assumption that millions of people are going to buy this product, is probably correct?

Facebook Working on Brain-Computer Interface to Translate Thoughts to Text
Breitbart - Scientific American reports that Facebook is working on a device that would allow users to type words using a brain-computer interface (BCI). The device would reportedly be strapped to a user’s head and decode words thought by the user, with those words then typed on a computer or smartphone at speeds of up to 100 words per minute. The device aims to use light waves to accurately read brain waves, a challenging feat, as current BCI’s must by surgically implanted into the user’s brain to function and can only translate neural impulses into simple actions. Users with these types of BCI’s can answer yes or no questions and click a mouse cursor but at slower speeds than what Facebook hopes to achieve.

Blood-thinning Drug Xarelto Faces 18,000 Lawsuits
Jon Rappoport - The first court test of Bayer/J&J’s billion-dollar bonanza, blood-thinner, Xarelto, is coming up in New Orleans next week. The outcome will influence how the 18,000 lawsuits behind it will be handled. The plaintiff in the first suit is Joseph Boudreaux. “While Xarelto was supposed to help cut his stroke risk, Boudreaux says it instead caused internal bleeding that required a week-long hospital stay in the intensive-care unit, several blood transfusions and multiple heart procedures. ‘I don’t want anybody else to suffer like I have from that drug,’ the part-time security guard says,” reports the Chicago Tribune. Lawyers for Bayer and J&J will argue, in the main, that Xarelto was approved by the FDA as safe and effective. This is the normal front-line strategy in cases where the drugmaker believes it can’t be accused of purposely concealing a medicine’s dangers from the FDA. “Well, the government says the drug is safe and effective, so what else do you want from us? We’ve done our duty. We’re off the hook.” It’s called shift the responsibility.

How high dose vitamin C kills cancer cells
(NaturalHealth365) (NaturalHealth365) Natural health experts have long maintained that vitamin C can fight cancer – if given in sufficiently large doses. But it is sometimes difficult to achieve the high blood concentration that is necessary for it to be effective. Now, a new form of vitamin C is correcting that frustrating problem – and proving to be a game-changer. Liposomal vitamin C has been found to create blood levels that are 100 to 500 times higher than levels seen with conventional oral ingestion, setting the stage for the vitamin to aggressively combat cancer…. The usual formulation consists of 1,000 mgs of vitamin C encapsulated in lecithin, a phospholipid. The lecithin creates a bubble that shields the vitamin from the digestive enzymes that would otherwise break it down. Liposomal vitamin C slips easily through the digestive system, is absorbed by the intestines, and is then transported to the liver for release into the bloodstream. This route helps to eliminate the gastric upset, inconvenience and waste of conventional vitamin C tablets, while keeping blood concentrations high.

Why You Should Never Pick Mold Off Of Your Bread
David Wolfe - A representative from the Department of Agriculture, Mariana Graveley, recently opened up to NPR about the topic, warning that moldy bread is definitely not safe to eat. Graveley explained that mold really can’t be removed from a soft and porous food, such as bread. She said, “With soft food, it’s very easy for the roots [of the mold] or the tentacles, or whatever creepy word you want to use, to penetrate into the bread.” In other words, once mold has visibly developed in one spot on the bread, there’s a pretty high chance that mold spores have spread throughout the entire loaf. Bagged bread is especially susceptible for mold because it tends to be a warm and humid environment, full of yeast and sugar for mold spores to feed on. While some foods are more susceptible to mold, others have the ability to withstand it pretty well. Mold has a hard time penetrating hard cheeses because they are greasy and dense, so it’s a little more safe to cut out moldy bits and eat the rest. … eating moldy bread can make you pretty sick. Some bread molds produce poisonous mycotoxins which can have a serious negative effect on your body. Almost all molds have the ability to cause allergic and respiratory symptoms if you eat them or inhale them by getting to close. There could also be poisonous bugs growing alongside that fuzzy mold and bacteria.

Thursday - April 27, 2017

On This Day In History:

1805 - A force led by U.S. Marines captured the city of Derna, on the shores of Tripoli.
1813 - Americans under Gen. Pike capture York (present day Toronto) the seat of government in Ontario.
1861 - West Virginia seceded from Virginia after Virginia seceded from the Union during the American Civil War.
1861 - U.S. President Lincoln issued an order to General Winfield Scott that authorized him to suspend the writ of habeas corpus between Philadelphia and Washington at or near any military line.
1863 - The Army of the Potomac began marching on Chancellorsville.
1865 - In the U.S. the Sultana exploded while carrying 2,300 Union POWs. Between 1,400 - 2,000 were killed.
1946 - The SS African Star was placed in service. It was the first commercial ship to be equipped with radar.
1960 - The submarine Tullibee was launched from Groton, CT. It was the first sub to be equipped with closed-circuit television.
1982 - The trial of John W. Hinckley Jr. began in Washington. Hinckley was later acquitted by reason of insanity for the shooting of U.S. President Reagan and three others.
1989 - Student protestors took over Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
1987 - The U.S. Justice Department barred Austrian President Kurt Waldheim from entering the U.S. He claimed that he had aided in the deportation and execution of thousands of Jews and others as a German Army officer during World War II.
1992 - Russia and 12 other former Soviet republics won entry into the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
2005 - The A380, the world's largest jetliner, completed its maiden flight. The passenger capability was 840.
2005 - Russian President Vladimir Putin became the first Kremlin leader to visit Israel.
2006 - In New York, NY, construction began on the 1,776-foot One World Trade Center on the site of former World Trade Center.

Senior White House Official Says 'Military Preparations Are Underway' Regarding North Korea
The Daily Caller - All 100 senators were invited to attend a rare, closed-door briefing by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis at the White House Wednesday so the administration could communicate “the seriousness of the threat posed by North Korea.” An official who briefed reporters next door while it was underway said North Korea is a “brutal, unpredictable and capable regime that possesses an increasing possibility of destruction.”… The official said there is a new level of threat posed by the “unacceptable and erratic and unlawful behavior of the Kim Jong Un regime.” “What we are endeavoring to do is work with partners in the region and others to isolate the North Korean ballistic missile program and the nuclear program from any sort of external support,” the official continued…. The official would not describe the military preparations “in any detail,” but did say the U.S. is prepared to respond to any provocations.

White House Preparing Order to Withdraw from NAFTA
The GatewayPundit - The White House is currently preparing an executive order, which would effectively withdraw the U.S. from NAFTA, the historic trade agreement we entered into with Canada and Mexico in early 1994 during Bill Clinton’s presidency. Now entering into the final stages of review, a draft order was submitted and we could be looking at this new order being unveiled later this week or early into next week…. Some are speculating that the executive order could be a bargaining tactic by Trump to get better terms out of Canada and Mexico, but for now we have to just wait and see. NAFTA has created a multi-billion dollar trade deficit for the United States, so a renegotiation is a huge win for Americans!

The Trump Administration Just Revealed Its Tax Plan — Here’s What It Looks Like
The Daily Caller - Touting it as “the biggest tax cut” in the history of the United States, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and National Economic Council director Gary Cohn briefed reporters for roughly 20 minutes on the principles of the tax plan at the White House Wednesday. The plan, which Cohn called “a broad brush interview,” did not include specifics. For individuals, the plan will double the standard deduction people can claim on their tax returns, providing a significant tax cut for middle-income Americans, while reducing the number of tax brackets from seven to three — 10 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent. “In essence, we are creating a zero tax rate — yes, a zero tax rate — for the first $24,000 a couple earns,” Cohn said. “Families will benefit from tax relief that will help them with child and dependent care expenses.” The administration has repeatedly said that filing taxes has become too complicated, and Mnuchin has even floated the idea of people filing their returns on a “large postcard.” The White House said it will simplify the tax return process by eliminating tax breaks that benefit the wealthiest taxpayers and repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax. “We are going to eliminate, on the personal side, all tax deductions other than mortgage interest and charitable deductions,” Mnuchin said. As far as businesses, the plan slashes the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 15 percent for both large and small companies while eliminating tax breaks for special interests. The business side of the reform also institutes a one-time tax on corporate earnings held overseas.

Republicans edge closer to health care deal on overhauling Obamacare
McClatchy - The White House and key Republicans in the House of Representatives are reportedly close to an agreement to amend the bill so that states could opt out of two popular Affordable Care Act provisions, including one that requires individual insurance plans to cover 10 “essential health benefits.” The other provision, known as “community rating,” bars insurers from varying premiums based on health status or medical history. It also requires insurers, under “guaranteed issue” rules, to offer coverage to all who want it.

Freedom Watch to File Lawsuit Against UC Berkeley AND Mayor of Berkeley For Violent Attacks on Conservatives (VIDEO)
The GatewayPundit - Larry Klayman, founder of Freedom Watch announced that he is preparing a lawsuit against UC Berkeley and the Mayor of Berkeley, Jesse Arreguin. TGP recently reported that the Mayor of Berkeley, Jesse Arreguin publicly supports violent left-wing Antifa group, BAMN. Klayman: “We are going to be filing a powerful lawsuit against the University of California at Berkeley, the Mayor of Berkeley, the Chancellor of the university, Janet Napolitano who was head of homeland security under the Obama administration, the Police department and others for a brutal attack that occurred against our client, Kiera Robles when a commentator from Breitbart News attempted to speak several weeks ago.” Ann Coulter had to cancel her speech at UC Berkeley today amid threats of violence. This is an attack on the First Amendment and Berkeley should be held accountable for their hand in violence towards conservatives.

Ann Coulter Says She Will Pull Out of Speech at Berkeley
NY Times - Ann Coulter said Wednesday that she is canceling her planned speech at the University of California, Berkeley, because she had lost the backing of conservative groups that had initially sponsored her appearance. Ms. Coulter, in a message to The New York Times, said, “It’s a sad day for free speech.”… Late on Tuesday, the conservative group that was helping Ms. Coulter in her legal efforts to force Berkeley to host her, Young America’s Foundation, said it could no longer participate. “Young America’s Foundation will not jeopardize the safety of its staff or students,” the group said. Without any support, Ms. Coulter said, she was left with little choice. “Everyone who should believe in free speech fought against it or ran away,” she said.

Judge Napolitano: “We Are in Danger of Losing Free Speech” after Berkeley Travesty (VIDEO)
The GatewayPundit - Judge Napolitano weighed in on the anti-constitutional actions taken by the University of California Berkeley after Ann Coulter was harassed by the administration and then forced to cancel her speaking engagement on campus. These attacks against conservative speakers have been going on for years on US campuses. It is only now getting attention as the intolerant left increases their violence and threats. Judge Napolitano: The protesters win by scaring people into silence which is known in the law as “the heckler’s veto.” when the hecklers scream so loudly, or in this case advertised their intention to scream that the speaker can’t speak. When this happens on property owned by the government… a prima fascia case has been made… I’m afraid we are in danger of losing free speech.

Turning Tables: Trump Supporters Disrupt Anti-Trump Democrat Town Hall In California
LA Daily News - A town hall meeting sponsored by U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu devolved into a raucous face-off even before it started Monday night when a handful of Donald Trump supporters disrupted a largely Democratic crowd calling for the president’s impeachment. Lieu, who has gained a national following in recent months for his scathing tweets taking aim at the Trump administration, had not yet taken the stage at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center when Trump supporters agitated the roughly 900 people inside with signs that read “Ted Lie” and “We love Trump.” At one point, Lieu paused and told one heckler, “Dude, I make up the rules, you got it?”

Nancy Pelosi Rants Incoherently, Mispronounces Countries and Slurs During Speech (Video)
The GatewayPundit - Nancy Pelosi spoke briefly Tuesday to Refugees International and attempted to push back questions about her declining health. Throughout the speech, the House Minority Leader butchered names, failed to pronounce countries correctly, and mispronounced countless words. Pelosi looks visibly uncomfortable throughout the majority of her speech and can hardly get a word out without sounding incompetent. One of the worse blunders in her speech came when she said cutting the foreign aid budget would “only deepen the crisis fighting – facing the children.” Pelosi closed by awkwardly staring out after thanking the audience and the group for inviting her before walking off confused. It is quite disturbing watching her breakdown.

Photos: North Korea Flexes Military Muscle in Unprecedented Live-Fire Drill
Infowars - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended Tuesday what is said to be the country’s largest ever live-fire military drill. The event, which marked the 85th anniversary of North Korea’s army, featured more than 300 large-caliber artillery weapons. On Wednesday South Korea followed suit by conducting joint military live-fire drills with the U.S. in Pocheon. Tensions in the region continue to escalate as both President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un refuse to back down over the Communist regime’s nuclear weapons program.

Report: NKorea ‘Space Nuke’ Program Greater Threat Than ICBMs
Kit Daniels - Launched from a satellite, a small nuclear warhead only needs to explode 300 miles above the Earth to knock out a power grid – and the US is largely defenseless to such an EMP attack North Korea could potentially deliver. And if a power grid goes down completely, it’ll take critical, life-sustaining systems down with it: mass infrastructure for banks, hospitals, communications, food, water and the Internet could be disrupted for a year, if not outright destroyed. “If a nuclear device designed to emit EMP were exploded 250 to 300 miles up over the middle of the country, it would disable the electronics in the entire United States,” said EMP expert Gale Nordling. “That would disable the entire electric grid. It would disable communications, it would disable fuel manufacturing and production, it would disable hospitals and medicines, it would disable 911 call centers.” Right now, an EMP attack by North Korea poses a potentially greater threat to the US than an intercontinental ballistic missile – and the hermit kingdom already orbited its KMS-3 satellite over the U.S. in 2012. It’s currently unknown if North Korea has a warhead small enough for a satellite, however, its space program shows more promise than its development of ICBMs.

Trump's 'armada' within 'STRIKING DISTANCE' of North Korea
Express News - US Admiral Harry Harris told the House Armed Services Committee that the warship [USS Carl Vinson] is positioned “in the Philippine Sea just east of Okinawa". He confirmed that the 1,092 foot long vessel is standing by in “strike range and power projection range of North Korea if called upon to do that”…. The US carrier’s increased proximity to North Korea comes after the US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson released a joint statement which revealed Mr Trump’s strategy to conquer the hermit kingdom. The statement read: “The United States seeks stability and the peaceful de-nuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. "We remain open to negotiations towards that goal. However, we remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies. "The President's approach aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile, and proliferation programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners.” While the ship was headed towards the Philippine Sea, North Korea's state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun said Pyongyang is ready to illustrate its "military force" by sinking a "nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike". The North Korean mouthpiece claimed to have weaponry which "can reach continental US and Asia Pacific region" and the "absolute weapon" hydrogen bomb, according to CNN.

Why We Have A 2nd Amendment: Venezuela Plans To Give Firearms To Loyalists To Purge Growing Resistance
Zero Hedge - After enduring shortages of food and medicine for years, as well as a total collapse of their currency, the people of Venezuela have had enough. Last week it was estimated that 2.5 million people marched against the Maduro regime, which had previously tried to strip away the powers of the opposition-led parliament. It’s estimated that as many as 6 million people may have taken to the streets to protest throughout the country. In the lead-up to the protest, which had been planned for weeks by opposition political parties, President Maduro issued an alarming proclamation that didn’t receive nearly enough press. He promised to expand the nation’s armed militia, and hand out firearms to as many as 400,000 loyalists…. If you know your history of communist regimes, you understand what comes next. Maduro’s response to millions of hungry… people, is to arm his die-hard supporters, who will be able to purge the starving masses that dared to cross him. They may not face much resistance, because in 2012 Venezuela banned private firearm ownership.

BOMBSHELL: Hillary Aides Threatened Prime Minister’s Son With IRS Audit
The Daily Caller - Hillary Clinton’s Department of State aides threatened a South Asian prime minister’s son with an IRS audit in an attempt to stop a Bangladesh government investigation of a close friend and donor of Clinton’s, The Daily Caller News Foundation’s Investigative Group learned. A Bangladesh government commission was investigating multiple charges of financial mismanagement at Grameen Bank, beginning in May 2012. Muhammad Yunus, a major Clinton Foundation donor, served as managing director of the bank. Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and permanent U.S. resident, recalled the account of the threatened IRS audit to TheDCNF. The allegations mark the first known instance in the U.S. that Clinton’s Department of State used IRS power to intimidate a close relative of a friendly nation’s head of state on behalf of a Clinton Foundation donor.

Macron Booed By Factory Workers Chanting ‘Marine President!’
Breitbart - Globalist French President candidate Emmanuel Macron faced animosity from workers at a Whirlpool plant facing closure during a campaign visit after anti-mass migration candidate Marine Le Pen made a surprise visit hours earlier…. Mr. Macron was shoved and shouted at by workers who may lose their jobs as the factory is scheduled to be relocated to Poland next June French broadcaster BFMTV reports. The 39-year-old Presidential hopeful was greeted with shouts of “Marine President!” and was whistled at by some of the 295 workers expected to lose their jobs. The reaction was in large part due to a surprise visit from the former Front National leader Marine Le Pen just hours before. Ms. Le Pen used the opportunity to talk with workers about their concerns and stressed the need to protect French jobs…. When Mr. Macron was finally able to address the crowd he attempted to tell them how globalisation was actually good for them. “The answer is not to suppress globalisation and close borders,” he told the workers.

Trio behind live-streamed Facebook rape gets jail sentences in Sweden
RT - Two men who participated in the rape of a Swedish woman which was live-streamed on Facebook have been sentenced to prison. A third man has also been put behind bars for publishing the video online and failing to report the violent incident. The Upsalla District Court sentenced one of the men, a 21-year-old Afghan national, to 27 months behind bars for rape and assistance to rape on Monday. The second man, an 18-year-old Afghan national, was given one year, which was halved because he was a minor at the time of the attack. The third man, a 24-year-old Swedish citizen of Afghan descent who was behind the camera, was sentenced to six months imprisonment for gross defamation and failing to report rape, according to The Local. The men have also been ordered to pay damages totaling 330,000 kroner (US$48,535) to the victim…. Despite previously urging for the two Afghan nationals to be deported to their home countries if convicted, prosecutors dropped that call at the closing of the trial. The men were arrested in January, following reports of a suspected sexual assault by witnesses who reported watching the crime being committed in the private Facebook group of some 60,000 members

80% of voluntary Fukushima evacuees unwilling to return home
RT - Some 78.2 percent of “voluntary” evacuees households have no intention of returning to their previous places of residence and plan to “continue living” in the area they had evacuated to, results of a Fukushima Prefectural Government survey released on April 24 show. Only 18.3 percent of households said they intended to move back to the Fukushima prefecture. On their own accord, some 12,239 households left areas that were not covered by the government’s evacuations orders that were issued following the tsunami and the subsequent meltdown of Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in March 2011. Unlike people who were forced to relocate under evacuation orders, voluntary evacuees only received a fraction of the payment of at least 8.5 million yen ($77,300) that the government offered in compensation to mandatory evacuees. For six years, most of them lived in other parts of Japan through government sponsored subsidies which ended in March this year after the government claimed that the “living environment (in Fukushima Prefecture) is in good order.” Despite the official assessment, the environmentally wary refugees “still worry about radiation, and many of them have shifted the foundations of their lives to the places they've evacuated to,” the prefectural official in charge of the survey told Mainichi, Japan's national daily.

Former Obama Official: Climate Data Purposely Manipulated to Influence Public Opinion and Policy
The Daily Caller - Former Energy Department Undersecretary Steven Koonin told The Wall Street Journal Monday that bureaucrats within former President Barack Obama’s administration spun scientific data to manipulate public opinion. “What you saw coming out of the press releases about climate data, climate analysis, was, I’d say, misleading, sometimes just wrong,” Koonin said, referring to elements within the Obama administration he said were responsible for manipulating climate data…. Koonin is not the only one claiming wrongdoing. House lawmakers with the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, for instance, recently jumpstarted an investigation into NOAA after a whistleblower said agency scientists rushed a landmark global warming study to influence policymakers.

World’s First GM Fish Factory Could Be In Canada
Natural Blaze - The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN), Ecology Action Centre, and GMO Free PEI have become aware of an application to the Prince Edward Island government from the biotechnology company AquaBounty that reveals the company’s intention to raise genetically modified (GM or genetically engineered) Atlantic salmon in PEI. If approved, this would be the world’s first GM fish factory…. “PEI is a flip of a fish’s tail away from some of the best Atlantic salmon rivers in the world,” said Mark Butler of the Ecology Action Centre based in Halifax. “Commercial production dramatically increases the risk to wild Atlantic salmon but the impacts of a possible GM fish escape have not been federally assessed. Federal ministers McKenna and LeBlanc should put this project on hold until government scientists evaluate the full risks of GM salmon production.”

Colloidal Silver Kills Plant Fungus, Produces Larger and Healthier Crops
The Grow Network - In this breakthrough study, published in the March 2010 issue of the journal Mycobiology, researchers found that applying varying levels of silver nanoparticles to the roots of green onion plants completely eradicated Sclerotium cepivorum fungal infections known to destroy the plants. Not only did the application of silver nanoparticles destroy the pathogenic plant fungus, but according to the study authors, it caused no significant harm to beneficial soil microbes needed by the green onion plants for growth, nor was there any negative change in the soil chemistry or composition. What’s more, the nanosilver-treated green onion plants, once harvested, were demonstrated to have grown larger and to weigh more than the non-treated green onion plants.

Broccoli Sprouts: Nature’s Most Powerful Cancer-Fighting Food
Natural News Blogs - Several studies have established broccoli as an anti-cancer vegetable. Broccoli can prevent and help with many health issues. In fact, many studies confirm not only the anti-cancer properties but also to help with cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, asthma, and inflammatory diseases. The researchers attempted to determine how much Broccoli one would have to eat to produce a significant level of protection against cancer. They state that one would have to eat about two pounds of Broccoli a week to reduce, for example, the risk of colon cancer by about 50%. However, fresh Broccoli sprouts offer an alternative. We can eat 10 to 100 times lower quantities and still get the main benefits. Broccoli sprouts contain a substance called sulforaphane which is one of the most powerful antioxidants and detoxification elements. ”Paul Talalay, M.D., of Johns Hopkins University isolated the cancer-fighting phytochemical sulforaphane. He discovered that sprouting delivers more sulforaphane than broccoli alone with 20 to 50 times the anti-cancer potential using the right strain of broccoli sprouting seeds.” Just 5 grams of sprouts contain concentrations of the compound glucoraphanin equivalent to that found in 150 grams of mature Broccoli. Broccoli sprouts are the most hopeful at preventing and killing cancer. The best thing about sulforaphane is that it kills cancer cells,

First of Its Kind Study Finds Cannabis May Be a “Miracle” Treatment for Autistic Kids
Natural Blaze - Israel has approached the cannabis plant as the medicinal healer it has more than proven to be — medical marijuana was first approved in Israel decades ago, in 1992, making it one of the first in the world to do so. As USA Today notes, in a recent article titled, “Marijuana may be a miracle treatment for children with autism,” Israel and just two other countries — Canada and the Netherlands — have government-sponsored medical marijuana programs available to citizens…. Myriad scientific studies and innumerable anecdotal cases have proven cannabis to treat everything from PTSD to ADHD, various cancers to the painful pressure of glaucoma — but the plant’s miraculous quality has been most apparent in treating severe seizures of childhood epilepsy. Now, it appears, cannabis — specifically, the non-psychoactive compound, cannabidiol or CBD — may offer improved quality of life for children with autism, and the families providing their care.

5-Year-Old Man Raises $28K for Stray Cats
The Catington Post - Every evening for the last 21 years, 75-year-old Willie Ortiz goes around the city of Hartford, Connecticut, feeding stray cats, and gathering the ones who need neutering or spaying to take them to a vet and help keep stray population sizes down. But unable to care for all the cats of the city fully on his own, last year, Ortiz's friend, Kathleen Schlentz, helped him set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the stray cats of Hartford. At first, it seemed like they would never reach their goal of $5000, but then a donor offered to post the GoFundMe page on Reddit, and almost overnight, the post went viral and money began pouring in from all over the world…. Now, Ortiz is planning to use part of the money to buy a new truck. (His current truck breaks down often, and he uses it to haul scrap metal which funds his work with the cats.) He will also set aside some of the money in a savings account to be used on the cats' behalf after his death, and the rest, of course will go toward buying the cats of Hartford all the food they need and all the medical attention they deserve. Ortiz now hopes to leave a legacy of feline affection.
 

Wednesday - April 26, 2017

On This Day In History:

1607 - The British established an American colony at Cape Henry, Virginia. It was the first permanent English establishment in the Western Hemisphere.
1865 - Joseph E. Johnston surrendered the Army of Tennessee to Sherman during the American Civil War.
1865 - John Wilkes Booth was killed by the U.S. Federal Cavalry.
1921 - Weather broadcasts were heard for the first time on radio in St. Louis, MO.
1937 - German planes attacked Guernica, Spain, during the Spanish Civil War for the Spanish nationalist government. This raid is considered one of the first to be attacks on a civilian population by a modern air force.
1968 - Students seized the administration building at Ohio State University.
1982 - The British announced that Argentina had surrendered on South Georgia.
1983 - Dow Jones Industrial Average broke 1,200 for first time.
1985 - In Argentina, a fire at a mental hospital killed 79 people and injured 247.
1986 - The world’s worst nuclear disaster to date occurred at Chernobyl, in Kiev. Thirty-one people died in the incident and thousands more were exposed to radioactive material.
1998 - Auxiliary Bishop Juan Gerardi Conedera was bludgeoned to death two days after a report he'd compiled on atrocities during Guatemala's 36-year civil war was made public.
2000 - Charles Wang and Sanjay Kumar purchased the NHL's New York Islanders.
2002 - In Erfurt, Germany, an expelled student killed 17 people at his former school. The student then killed himself.

Washington D.C. To Hold Massive "Complex Coordinated Terror Attack" Drill
Zero Hedge - As we reported on Friday, that's when Operation Gotham Shield, an exercise involving FEMA, Homeland Security and a myriad of law enforcement and military agencies and which simulates a nuclear bomb blast over Manhattan, is set to conclude. Then, as we learned earlier, April 26 is also when the entire Senate will be briefed by Donald Trump and his four top defense and military officials on the situation in North Korea at the White House, an event which Reuters dubbed as "unusual." April 26 is also when the USS Carl Vinson is expected to arrive off the coast of the Korean Penninsula. Now, in a statement from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the regional association reportst that "law enforcement officials and other first responders will participate in a full-scale exercise on April 26 designed to prepare for the possibility of a complex coordinated terror attack in the National Capital Region.”… The exercise will be conducted across a widespread geographical area. According to the release, the regional exercise will be staged at six sites in the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia, and will involve hundreds of police, fire, and emergency medical service personnel and volunteer actors.

U.S. to Test Launch ICBM in Demonstration of ‘Nuclear Capabilities’
Mikael Thalen - The U.S. military is preparing to test launch an intercontinental ballistic missile Wednesday at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. According to Air Force Global Strike Command, the unarmed Minuteman III missile test is intended to “validate and verify the effectiveness, readiness, and accuracy of the weapon system.” Col. John Moss, 30th Space Wing Commander, said in a press release that the launch – set for sometime between 12:01 a.m. and 6:01 a.m. – will demonstrate the country’s nuclear capabilities…. While the test comes amid growing tensions between the United States and North Korea, a representative with Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs confirmed to Infowars that such launches are held regularly – up to four each year – and are planned between three and five years in advance. The test launch will be the second carried out from Vandenberg this year. The Minuteman III, which weighs in at 79,432 lbs, reaches speeds of Mach 23 before striking targets as far away as 6,000 miles.

Federal judge blocks Trump's sanctuary cities executive order
Washington Examiner - San Francisco and Santa Clara County both won preliminary injunctions on Tuesday against Trumps' Jan. 25 executive order that moved to cut off federal funding from cities that limit their cooperation with federal immigration requests. According to San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick, the loss of funds would cause cities "to suffer irreparable harm absent an injunction." Orrick also cited public comments from Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, saying the two "erased" any "doubt about the scope of the order." "The Constitution vests the spending power in Congress, not the president, so the order cannot constitutionally place new conditions on federal funds," Orrick wrote, calling the DOJ's arguments that it only wanted cities to show compliance with current immigration law "not legally plausible." However, the federal government is still able to enforce existing conditions of federal grants and does not restrict it from “developing regulations or preparing guidance on designating a jurisdiction as a 'sanctuary jurisdiction,'" Orrick ruled.

‘Elected elite’? Ex-House speakers get public-funded perks for 5 years
McClatchy - Former U.S. House speakers are entitled to taxpayer-funded offices, franked mail privileges, staffers and furniture. Now two House of Representatives members want the practice stopped. Former speakers are allowed to run post-speaker offices for up to five years. Former Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., spent $1.8 million. John Boehner, R-Ohio, who stepped down 18 months ago, spent $211,000…. [Newt Gingrich said] a short-term post-speaker office may be warranted if the person needs to wrap up local district casework to or has a large amount of records to preserve and file. Nonsense, says Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C. He wants to eliminate the post-speaker expenses, arguing that the former lawmakers have ample opportunity to pursue careers and make money in the private sector. Along with Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., he’s pushing legislation to end the system. “As our country nears $20 trillion in debt, why should the taxpayer be forced to pay for a person that no longer serves in Congress, especially when they have the ability to make millions in retirement from speaking fees, book deals, lobbying and other things?” Jones asks.

Soros-Linked Chobani Yogurt Sues Alex Jones, Infowars Amid Refugee Rape Fallout
Prison Planet - Chobani Yogurt, which advocates and uses migrant labor for its factory in Twin Falls, Idaho – the city where a 5-year-old was raped by Syrian migrants in 2016 – has filed a lawsuit against radio host Alex Jones and Infowars. The lawsuit was filed after Infowars reported on mainstream and independent media articles covering how three Syrian migrants raped and urinated on a 5-year-old girl at knife point at the Fawnbrook Apartment complex in Twin Falls, Idaho, near where Chobani Yogurt operates a plant using migrant labor its owner, Hamdi Ulukaya, actively lobbied for. The three migrants were arrested and later pleaded guilty to a number of charges, including felony sexual exploitation of a child and accessory to a felony. Despite occurring in June 2016, the story stayed in the news due to outrage by residents who said the city tried to whitewash the rape to protect its “refugee resettlement” program in partnership with the federal government and local industries who employ “refugee” labor. Some media outlets even tried to claim the rape never happened and it was “fake news.”… The Chobani owner has deep ties to George Soros and even took a friendly photo with the socialist billionaire who is linked to the migrant crisis in Europe and violent protests in the US.

Cops Detain Entire School, Illegally Search/Grope 900 Kids — Find NOTHING, Parents Furious
Activist Post - Worth County, GA — Children feel violated, parents are furious, and a lawsuit is getting filed after the Worth County Sheriff’s office conducted an illegal search of 900 students — in the name of the war on drugs. The rights-violating intrusive and aggressive pat downs and drug dog searches yielded absolutely nothing. On April 14, when the students of Worth County High School returned from spring break, they arrived at school to find a police state had taken over. The sheriff and his deputies — with no probable cause — detained and illegally searched every single child in the school, all 900 of them. When kids went home that day to tell their parents what happened, naturally, they were furious as it is a gross violation of the children’s 4th Amendment rights…. Adding insult to injury, many students complained that they got far more than just a pat down.

A 10-Year-Old Autistic Boy Acted Up At School. So They Handcuffed & Arrested Him (Video)
Off the Grid News - A 10-year-old boy with autism was arrested, charged with a third-degree felony, and spent the night in juvenile detention. Disturbingly, the arrest occurred at school, where John Benjamin Haywood’s mother had taken him for a standardized test. “I didn’t know I was going to get arrested like this,” John Benjamin told the officers. “I don’t want to be touched. Please don’t touch me.” “I know, honey,” his mother; Luanne Haywood, can be heard saying on the video. “He has autism — he doesn’t know what’s going on, he’s scared to death, he’s 10 years old!” The boy was arrested on April 12 for an incident that occurred in October at Okeechobee Achievement Academy in Florida, The Washington Post reported. The boy allegedly kicked and scratched the educational assistant who was working with him. An Overreaction? That prompted Okeechobee County schools to charge him with “battery on a school board employee” – a third-degree felony. After the arrest, the boy was taken to a juvenile detention facility where he spent the night. His mother offered to go with officers in the police car, but they refused. Prosecutor Abigail Albright told The Post that she plans to offer John Benjamin a “non-judicial sanction” which would probably mean counseling rather than criminal charges. Luanne Haywood vowed to fight that. “It appears the school’s responses are beyond wrong and evil,” Scott Badesch, the president of Autism Society America, told The Post…. Badesch’s organization is planning to help the Haygoods with support services and legal counsel.

US THAAD anti-missile deployment in S. Korea sparks clashes between locals & police (Photos, Video)
RT - The US military has moved elements of the THAAD anti-missile complex to its deployment site in South Korea, causing anger and discontent among the locals, some of whom reportedly clashed with police guarding the convoy. Residents of Seongju county in South Korea clashed with police after US personnel moved the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system onto a golf course in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province. Clashes with local villagers, who have been protesting against THAAD deployment for months, erupted when six trailers carrying the radar and other hardware equipment for the American missile defense system entered the installation site at the golf course in South Korea early Wednesday, Yonhap reports.

Marine Le Pen resigns as party leader
The Duran - Marine Le Pen has temporarily resigned from her role as leader of her party, Front National. Le Pen described her move in the following way, “I have always considered that the president is the president of all the French. Under this banner, he or she must unite all the French. Tonight, I am no longer the president of the Front National. I am the presidential candidate. I will be above partisan considerations”. Le Pen’s move will come as a surprise to many as it comes very late in the game with less than a fortnight until the final round of French elections. However, it is a move that is may well outshine her opponent Emmanuel Macron. Macron is a man who started his own En Marche! party as an opportunistic vehicle for his own personal ambitions, knowing that his erstwhile Socialist Party had been tarnished by the failure of the Francois Hollande Presidency.

Thailand: Crushing Localism Threatens National, Regional Stability
Tony Cartalucci - Street vendors of all kinds are facing a complete ban of their livelihood across Bangkok, the capital of Southeast Asia’s Thailand. While it may appear to be a minor move falling in line with many other nations within the “developed world,” the significance of it both to Bangkok, Thailand, and the rest of Asia in socioeconomic terms is indeed, major. Just like the “developed” nations the new ban seeks to emulate, it is driven not by a genuine desire to clear sidewalks, beautify the city, or enhance consumer health and safety. Instead, it is driven by larger corporations both foreign and domestic, and in particular, agricultural giant Charoen Pokphand Group (CP) which is connected to the massive and ever-expanding network of 7-Eleven convenience stores and Lotus retailers dotting every corner and crevice in both Bangkok and beyond…. Should Bangkok succeed in crippling its street vendor tradition, those markets dependent on daily vendor purchases will also suffer. Those farmers who have managed to escape large agricultural corporations like CP and deliver directly to vendors or the markets who sell to them on a daily basis will also suffer. This is but one of several domino effects that may unfold if this plan moves forward.

An Angry Canada Responds To Trump's Lumber Tariff... And What It Means For The Economy
Zero Hedge - After last night's announcement of ~20% tariffs on softwood lumber imported from Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lashed out at the Trump administration saying the U.S. could suffer from a "thickening" border as trade tensions between the two countries escalated, sending the Canadian currency to a 14 month low. As a reminder, the United States announced it would impose preliminary anti-subsidy duties averaging 20 percent on imports of Canadian softwood lumber, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Monday, escalating a long-running trade dispute between the two neighbors. The move, which affects some $5.66 billion worth of imports of the construction material, sets a tense tone as the two countries and Mexico prepare to renegotiate the 23-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement…. As Reuters adds, softwood lumber joins dairy as a key target for U.S. President Donald Trump, who tweeted a new attack on Canada's supply management system for dairy on Tuesday. Last week the president called Canada's dairy protections "unfair." "Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult. We will not stand for this. Watch!" Trump tweeted Tuesday morning.

Al Gore Wants $15 Trillion To Fight Off Apocalyptic 2 Degree Global Temperature Rise
Zero Hedge - Al Gore, via a new report from his Energy Transitions Commission (ETC), would like for you to know that he has a plan to save all of mankind from inevitable extinction which will come by around the year 2030 unless we join his global warming crusade immediately…. So, how does Al Gore intend to accomplish his lofty goal of saving planet Earth? Well, by eradicating coal, installing massive renewable energy projects and enlisting the support of some "forceful public policies," of course. … So how much will it cost for Al Gore to save us from ourselves? How about $15 Trillion…. The transition to a low-carbon global economy* will require significant additional energy system investments – around $300-$600 billion per annum – compared with a business as usual scenario. In the context of global GDP running at around $80 trillion in 2017, and global annual investment at $20 trillion, additional investments of around $300-$600 billion per annum do not pose a major macroeconomic challenge. Clean energy investments with predictable long-term returns could be attractive to a range of institutional investors in the current low interest rate environment.

Bulletproof NSA spy blimp that could listen in on cell phone calls ‘spied on New York,’ shocking leaked documents claim
Daily Mail - The NSA spied on New York using a blimp adapted to listen in on cell phone calls and other communications, new documents claim. The 62-ft-diameter blimp – codenamed the Hover Hammer – was equipped with surveillance devices and launched from an airfield near Solomons Island, Maryland, in 2004. It then collected ‘international shipping data emanating from the Long Island, New York area’ around 230 miles away, according to The Intercept. The document refers to the Hover Hammer as a ‘helium-filled sphere inside another sphere, constructed of Spectra, the same material used to make bullet-proof vests.’ It can be manned or remotely piloted, the document claims, and ‘It has a 1,000lb payload capacity at present, with a planned 5,000lb capacity.’ The document added: ‘It “hovers” above small arms fire, has a negligible [infrared] signature, and radar can’t detect it.’

Silicon Valley security robot beat up in parking lot, police say
Ars Technica - A 300-pound egg-shaped security robot was punched to the ground by an allegedly drunken man outside a Silicon Valley shopping center, Mountain View police said. A 41-year-old Mountain View man has been arrested in connection to the alleged parking-lot altercation with the Knightscope-made droid. The accused robo-assailant, who faces charges of prowling and public intoxication, was identified as Jason Sylvain. The robot suffered minor scratches and is back on duty following last week's incident, which was first reported Tuesday by ABC7 News…. Last year, one of the Knightscope's security robots knocked over a 16-month-old child at a Silicon Valley shopping center. The robot ran over the boy's right foot, causing bruising but not breaking it. The five-foot-tall, K5 robots can read 300 license plates per minute. They also are equipped to supply 360-degree video streaming. Once an anomaly is detected by these robots, they alert security guards. The robots are not armed. Knightscope, which is based in Mountain View, charges $7 per hour for the robots that the company claims will soon be able to detect guns. The company says it has dozens of clients, including Microsoft and the NBA's Sacramento Kings.

Mind-controlled prosthetic arm that snaps on to the bone
Boing Boing - On Friday, surgeons installed a "click-on robotic arm" on a patient in the Netherlands. The wearer controls the robot arm by thought alone. Myoelectric sensors in a bracelet worn on the upper arm measure muscle signals that are transmitted to the prosthetic arm via Bluetooth. Through an opening in the skin, the patient "clicks" the prosthesis onto a metal rod in the bone. Because the prosthesis connects directly to the skeleton, a prosthesis socket is no longer necessary. This ensures that it does not slip off, avoids skin problems, and makes it very easy to put on and take off... The nerves that controlled the muscles in the hand and the underarm before the amputation are meticulously attached to parts of the muscles in the upper arm stump. By connecting the nerves to the muscle, the muscle acts like an amplifier of the nerve signal.

Trump to Sign Executive Order Creating Task Force to Improve Rural Prosperity
Washington Free Beacon - President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Tuesday to create a task force designed to promote agriculture and rural prosperity in America. Trump will meet with members of the agriculture industry including Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, Zippy Duvall, the president of the American Farm Bureau, and various farmers and ranchers to discuss the issues facing the industry. “We will be asking Secretary Perdue to establish a task force that does a 180-day review of regulation and policy, legislation that unnecessarily hinders economic growth in the agriculture area,” said Ray Starling, the special assistant to the president for agriculture. “All of these things are over issues that those of us in agriculture see as potential limiting factors economically and things that we need to address,” he said.

Even More Natural Medicines Are Now at Risk - Action Alert!
Alliance for Natural Health - The FDA is likely to move against numerous natural, compounded medicines. The Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (PCAC) advises the FDA on what supplements and drugs can be individually formulated for patients—many of whom have very specific needs that can only be met through these alternative formulations. The next meeting of the PCAC has been announced for May 8-9, and the following substances will likely face the axe: nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (as well as the disodium-reduced version), which plays an important role in our health (see below); nettle (Urtica dioica); ubiquinol (CoOQ10); vanadyl sulfate; and artemisinin, a critical medicine used against malaria and other diseases. Also on the agenda is the nomination of “oral solid modified release drug products that employ coated systems”—that is, coated time-release tablets—to the “Difficult to Compound” list. As the name suggests, if a product or delivery system is added to this list, it will no longer be available from compounding pharmacies…. [Read more on what’s at stake..]

CDC updates immunization schedule and adds new HPV vaccine with double the aluminum
(NaturalHealth365) The Human Papillomavirus, or HPV, is the most common STD contracted in the United States. In addition, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that just about every sexually active person (male or female) has the virus at some point. But, what most people are NOT told is, HPV resolves on its own without causing complications or the need to ‘modify’ the immunization schedule with more toxic vaccines. On rare occasions, HPV can lead to cervical cancer and cancers of adjacent organs. …a new “super” version of the HPV vaccine called 9vHPV vaccine is now being pushed. The vaccine makers claim the new version targets nine strains of HPV and 80 percent of vulvar, cervical and anal cancers, up from 65 percent by the previous version. It’s being sold under the name Gardasil 9 and is being marketed as an “improvement” over the previous version. Despite these claims, the new version actually has double the toxic aluminum of the previous one.

Happy Birthday, Your Birthday Cakes Contains Over 80 Toxic Ingredients
Green Med Info - According to the website Chi Machine International, many of the ingredients used in birthday cakes contain aluminum. In fact, they stated that aluminum can be found in all of the following food products: “Food: Aluminum is added as an emulsifying agent in many processed cheeses, especially those which are single sliced. It is found in cake mixes, self-rising flour, prepared doughs, waffles, nondairy creamers, pickles and in some brands of baking powder. Additives: The following additives contain aluminum compounds - E173, E520, E521, E523 E541, E545, E554, E555 E556, E559, bauxite (Aluminum dioxide). Baking powder: Some brands contain aluminum. Cake mixes can contain various forms of aluminum. Cheese: Especially single sliced processed cheese which can contain aluminum as an emulsifier. Chocolate Mixes: Highly absorbable aluminum maltol is used in instant chocolate mixes. Coffee Whiteners: Like Coffee-mate - Sodium Aluminosilicate. Doughs: Some ready-made doughs can contain it. Flour: Self-rising flour may contain aluminum. Pickles can contain aluminum.”… Many of the birthday cakes manufactured today include artificial sweeteners as one of their ingredients. … studies have found that continual use of artificial sweeteners can lead to many serious complications, including diabetes, cancer and obesity…. Another ingredient that is hidden in many birthday cakes is propylene glycol… “Propylene glycol is also used to make polyester compounds, and as a base for de-icing solutions… [Read more]

Purple Cabbage Juice That Beats Hypertension, Cancer, Removes Toxins & Heals Gut Naturally
Natural News Blogs - If you don’t like to juice green cabbage, try juicing the purple cabbage instead. Purple cabbage has a vibrant beautiful color when juiced and tastes quite sweet, unlike green cabbage which can be a tad more bitter. Cabbage is absolutely loaded with goodness. It contains powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s wonderful for heart health, helping to reduce cholesterol by binding bile acids in the intestine. The lactic acid in cabbage also acts as a potent colon cleanser. This recipe is a master healer to the gut and digestive system, beats hypertension, prevent cancer and loaded with phytonutrients known to guard against cancer and cleanse your kidneys too. INGREDIENTS: 3 plums 1/4 small purple cabbage 1 beetroot (beet) 2 sticks of celery 1 orange….

Tuesday - April 25, 2017

On This Day In History:

1792 - The guillotine was first used to execute highwayman Nicolas J. Pelletier.
1846 - The Mexican-American War ignited as a result of disputes over claims to Texas boundaries. The outcome of the war fixed Texas' southern boundary at the Rio Grande River.
1859 - Work began on the Suez Canal in Egypt.
1860 - The first Japanese diplomats to visit a foreign power reached Washington, DC. They remained in the U.S. capital for several weeks while discussing expansion of trade with the United States.
1862 - Union Admiral Farragut occupied New Orleans, LA.
1864 - After facing defeat in the Red River Campaign, Union General Nathaniel Bank returned to Alexandria, LA.
1898 - The U.S. declared war on Spain. Spain had declared war on the U.S. the day before.
1901 - New York became the first state to require license plates for cars. The fee was $1.
1915 - During World War I, Australian and New Zealand troops landed at Gallipoli in Turkey in hopes of attacking the Central Powers from below. The attack was unsuccessful.
1928 - A seeing eye dog was used for the first time.
1945 - Delegates from about 50 countries met in San Francisco to organize the United Nations.
1953 - U.S. Senator Wayne Morse ended the longest speech in U.S. Senate history. The speech on the Offshore Oil Bill lasted 22 hours and 26 minutes.
1957 - Operations began at the first experimental sodium nuclear reactor.
1967 - Colorado Governor John Love signed the first law legalizing abortion in the U.S. The law was limited to therapeutic abortions when agreed to, unanimously, by a panel of three physicians.
1980 - In Iran, a commando mission to rescue hostages was aborted after mechanical problems disabled three of the eight helicopters involved. During the evacuation, a helicopter and a transport plan collided and exploded. Eight U.S. servicemen were killed. The mission was aimed at freeing American hostages that had been taken at the U.S. embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979. The event took place April 24th Washington, DC, time.
1982 - In accordance with Camp David agreements, Israel completed its Sinai withdrawal.
1988 - In Israel, John "Ivan the Terrible" Demjanuk was sentenced to death as a Nazi war criminal.
1998 - U.S. first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton on was questioned by Whitewater prosecutors on videotape about her work as a private lawyer for the failed savings and loan at the center of the investigation.
2003 - Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader and ex-wife of former President Nelson Mandela, was sentenced to four years in prison for her conviction on fraud and theft charges. She was convicted of 43 counts of fraud and 25 of theft of money from a women's political league.
2007 - The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 13,000 for the first time.

Mattis: U.S. Must 'Confront' Russia Over Weapons Support for Taliban
Washington Free Beacon - Defense Secretary James Mattis said during a news conference in Kabul that the United States will "engage with Russia diplomatically" where possible, but hinted that action to challenge Russia may be necessary…. A senior military official told reporters earlier in the day that the Kremlin was supplying the Taliban with machine guns and other "medium-weight weapons," the Associated Press reported. The Taliban are using the weapons against American-backed troops in the southern provinces of Helmand, Kandahar, and Uruzgan, according to the official. [Army Gen. John] Nicholson told the Senate Armed Services Committee in February that Russia had begun playing a "significant" role in Afghanistan, in part to "legitimize" the Taliban and undermine the U.S. and NATO mission to stabilize the region. Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, the top U.S. general in Europe, voiced similar concerns during a hearing in March. The Russian Foreign Ministry in March rejected charges that Russia was providing weapons to the Taliban, saying its operations in Afghanistan were aimed at fighting the Islamic State. The Kremlin claims that the Taliban is fighting ISIS while the Afghan government remains idle, a narrative Nicholson has dismissed as false.

Entire U.S. Senate to go to White House for North Korea briefing
Yahoo News - Top Trump administration officials will hold a rare briefing on Wednesday at the White House … All 100 senators have been asked to the White House for the briefing by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the aides said. While top administration officials routinely travel to Capitol Hill to address members of Congress on foreign policy and national security matters, it is unusual for the entire 100-member Senate to go to such an event at the White House, and for those four top officials to be involved. U.S. officials have expressed mounting concern over North Korea's nuclear and missile tests, and its threats to attack the United States and its Asian allies…. The briefing will take place at 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT). House aides said they were working with the White House to set a similar briefing for members of the House of Representatives.

Trump calls for new U.N. sanctions on North Korea
Reuters - President Donald Trump said the U.N. Security Council must be prepared to impose new sanctions on North Korea as concerns mount that it may test a sixth nuclear bomb as early as Tuesday…. U.S. officials have told Reuters tougher sanctions could include an oil embargo, banning North Korea's airline, intercepting cargo ships and punishing Chinese banks and other foreign doing business with Pyongyang. The State Department said U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would chair a special ministerial meeting of the Security Council on North Korea on Friday to discuss ways to maximize the impact of existing sanctions and show "resolve to respond to further provocations with appropriate new measures". Tillerson and U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will also hold a rare briefing on North Korea at the White House on Wednesday for the entire U.S. Senate, Senate aides said.

Drop the push for the wall and we’ve got a budget deal, Democrats tell Trump
McClatchy - With the clock ticking for congressional budget writers to avoid a partial government shutdown, House of Representatives and Senate Democratic leaders said Monday that a deal was achievable – without White House interference. “Instead of risking government shutdown by shoving this wall down Congress’ and American people’s throats, the president ought to just let us come to an agreement,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters, noting that even Republicans have questions about Trump’s proposal for a wall at the border with Mexico. “It’s my view that if the president stepped out of it, we could get a budget done by Friday.” “We’re happy to debate this wall in regular order down the road once he has a plan,” Schumer said. “There’s no plan now. He just says ‘Build it.’ ” The wall has emerged as a major stumbling block in talks to reach an agreement before the budget bill expires at midnight on Friday. The administration is asking for $1.5 billion to start building a wall along the U.S. southern border.

DoJ Has Sent a Letter to 10 'Sanctuary Cities' in Possible Violation of Immigration Law
Breitbart - Attorney General Jeff Sessions revealed he sent a letter to 10 cities functioning as so-called “sanctuary cities,” which may be in violation of federal law. Sessions warned a failure to respond to those letters could result in those cities losing their federal funding. “Last year, the Obama administration sent out notices that people had to comply with this cooperative language in the law that was passed several years ago,” Sessions explained. “And we sent out a letter today to 10 cities that the Inspector General’s office last year said were potentially in violation of the law involving deportation in sanctuary cities. We expect them to respond. If they don’t respond, they should not receive the grants because the grants were issued on condition of cooperation.” Sessions went on to add the Department of Justice hoped to get a response certifying those cities were not in violation of the law by June.

Judge declares mistrial in Bundy Ranch standoff case
Las Vegas Review-Journal - The mistrial was declared hours after the jury convicted two men of multiple counts, but announced that they were “hopelessly deadlocked” on the remaining charges and defendants…. But by midday, the jurors said they still were at an impasse, and a mistrial was declared. The guilty verdicts from earlier in the day still stand. Navarro set a new trial date of June 26, which is also the scheduled start date for the second Bunkerville standoff trial against Bundy and some of his sons. The six men in the first trial were accused of providing the firepower in a mass conspiracy to block authorities from seizing rancher Cliven Bundy’s cattle from public land. Among other counts, the jury was deadlocked on the conspiracy charge, which represented the core issue of the trial…. Federal prosecutors said they still had not decided whether they intend to retry the first group of defendants…. Defense attorneys argued that their clients were peaceful protesters exercising their First and Second Amendment rights against a militant law enforcement presence.

Mob of 60 Teenagers Rob, Beat Passengers on Train in Oakland California
The GatewayPundit - Saturday, a series of robberies took a bizarre turn as a group of 40 to 60 teenagers swarmed BART trains in Oakland. The swarm “commandeered” a train car and demanded bags and cell phones of the riders. The San Francisco Chronicle reports: According to a police officials, witnesses said 40 to 60 juveniles flooded the station, jumped the fare gates and rushed to the second-story train platform. Some of the robbers apparently held open the doors of a Dublin-bound train car while others streamed inside, confronting and robbing and in some cases beating riders. The juveniles “committed multiple strong-arm robberies of bags and cell phones,” said a police summary prepared after the incident. “At least two victims suffered head/facial injuries requiring medical attention.” Alicia Trost, a BART spokeswoman, said Monday that seven robberies had occurred — with victims losing a purse, a duffel bag and five phones. Six people were robbed inside the train car, with a seventh confronted on the platform, she said. The attack was quick, police reported, and the teenagers were able to retreat from the station and vanish into the surrounding East Oakland neighborhood before BART officers could respond. The train that was hit was held for about 15 minutes as authorities investigated the crime and tended to the injured.

Maxine Waters Slated to Pay Daughter Another $108K From Campaign Funds for Lucrative Operation
Washington Free Beacon - Karen Waters, the daughter of Rep. Waters,…. is in charge of a "slate mailer" operation for Citizens for Waters, Rep. Waters' federal campaign committee. Slate mailers, or endorsement mailers, involve a candidate or political group paying for the endorsement of another politician…. A number of judges and California ballot measures additionally paid to appear on the slate mailers. Karen Waters collected $65,287 throughout the 2016 cycle to run the slate mailer operation. Karen, along with her firm Progressive Connections, has received nearly $650,000 in payments from Citizens for Waters since 2006. Waters' most recent filings to the Federal Election Commission show that an outstanding balance of $108,952.15 is owed to Karen Waters. When Karen is paid the money that she is owed, she will have pocketed around $750,000 for running the mailers for the campaign since 2006. Karen ran the operation from a state committee called LA Vote prior to the 2006 cycle. The FEC issued an advisory opinion in 2004 that allowed Waters to run the operation from her federal campaign committee.

Berkeley Hit with Lawsuit Over Attempt to Silence Ann Coulter
LifeZette - The Berkeley College Republicans and Young America’s Foundation filed a lawsuit against the University of California, Berkeley, Monday over the cancellation of a scheduled event with conservative commentator Ann Coulter — the college cited threats of violence in the decision to cancel. The planned event with Coulter, originally slated for April 27, caused an uproar among liberal students and radical progressive activists living in the left-wing Berkeley community. The plaintiffs say they are suing Berkeley for its “discriminatory application of a policy to restrict conservative speech on the UC Berkeley campus, in violation of YAF and BCR’s constitutional rights to free speech, due process, and equal protection under law.”… "Though UC Berkeley promises its students an environment that promotes free debate and the free exchange of ideas, it had breached this promise through the repressive actions of University administrators and campus police … simply because that expression may anger or offend students, UC Berkeley administrators, and/or community members who do not share Plaintiffs’ viewpoints," the lawsuit read.

Trump Will Sign An Executive Order Creating An Office To Get Rid Of Bad Veterans Affairs Employees
The Daily Caller - President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order Thursday establishing an office at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to discipline or fire incompetent employees or managers. The executive order, likely to be signed Thursday according to a source with direct knowledge, will create an Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection. The order “will help the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to discipline or terminate VA managers or employees who fail to carry out their duties in helping our veterans. The Office will also identify barriers to the Secretary’s authority to put the well-being of our veterans first,” according to the text obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation. The office will also protect whistleblowers who find themselves targeted by management in the course of their disclosures.

An "Increasingly Worried" Chinese President Tells Trump To "Exercise Restraint" Over N.Korea
Zero Hedge - China, which has repeatedly called for the de-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula, is "increasingly worried" the situation could spin out of control, leading to war and a chaotic collapse of North Korea…. [Chinese President] Xi told Trump on the phone that China resolutely opposed any actions that ran counter to U.N. Security Council resolutions, the Chinese foreign ministry said quoted by Reuters. China "hopes that all relevant sides exercise restraint, and avoid doing anything to worsen the tense situation on the peninsula", the ministry said in a statement, paraphrasing Xi…. A potential risk catalyst is just hours away: North Korea prepares to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People's Army on Tuesday. It has marked similar events in the past with nuclear tests or missile launches…. As reported on Friday, satellite imagery analyzed by 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring project, found some activity at North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test site last week. However, the group said it was unclear whether the site was in a "tactical pause" before another test or was carrying out normal operations. Adding to the already tense situation, North Korea detained a U.S. citizen on Saturday as he attempted to leave the country. The arrest will be a topic of discussion when Trump hold a top level briefing with Senators on April 26.

The US has issued sanctions against hundreds of Syrian scientists and officials for their role in developing chemical weapons
Deutsche Welle - The Trump administration blacklisted hundreds of employees of a Syrian government agency on Monday for what Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said was the use of sarin gas on civilians in early April. "These sweeping sanctions target the scientific support center for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad's horrific chemical weapons attack on innocent civilian men, women, and children," Mnuchin said. The measures target 271 employees of Syria's Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC), making it one of the US Treasury's largest sanctions announcements. All of the employees have expertise in chemistry or related fields and have worked or been involved in the chemical weapons program since 2012, said a US Treasury statement. The sanctions include a freeze on all US assets and block any American business or person from dealing with them…. The US said the SSRC was responsible for developing the chemical weapon used in the April 4 attack in the rebel-held province of Idlib…. Although the Syrian government maintains that the SSRC is a civilian research center, "its activities focus substantively on the development of biological and chemical weapons," US officials said.

United Nations Elects Saudi Arabia to Women's Rights Commission
Breitbart - Hillel Neuer, director of the Geneva-based UN Watch, expressed his outrage in a statement Friday: “Electing Saudi Arabia to protect women’s rights is like making an arsonist into the town fire chief,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch. “It’s absurd.” “Every Saudi woman,” said Neuer, “must have a male guardian who makes all critical decisions on her behalf, controlling a woman’s life from her birth until death. Saudi Arabia also bans women from driving cars.” According to UN Watch, the United States forced a formal vote, against China’s wishes, instead of allowing the normal practice of allowing regional groupings to select the nations on the commission by themselves, in secret. However, the vote was still held behind closed doors, meaning it is not yet clear precisely which countries voted to honor one of the world’s foremost abusers of women’s rights…. The U.S. State Department’s most recent human rights report on Saudi Arabia (largely prepared by the outgoing Obama administration) notes that despite being allowed to participate in municipal elections in 2015, the state of women’s rights in the kingdom remains generally abysmal.

Bomb attack hits US base in Afghanistan as Defense Sec Mattis visits Kabul, casualties reported
RT - Suspected Taliban insurgents set off a car bomb at a US-operated base in Afghanistan, according to officials. At least four people were reportedly killed and six others wounded. It occurred shortly after US Defense Secretary James Mattis arrived in the country. The attackers detonated the car bomb at an entrance to Camp Chapman, a secretive facility manned by US forces and private military contractors, said Mubarez Mohammad Zadran, a spokesman for the provincial governor, as cited by Reuters.

The Streak Is Over: Caterpillar Posts First Positive Retail Sales After 51 Months Of Declines
Zero Hedge - On Monday, traditionally just ahead of earnings, Caterpillar reported that in March its world retail sales rose 1% Y/Y, the first increase since November 2012. The reason: Asia/Pacific, also known as China, which saw a 46% surge in total machine sales, up from 39% last month, and the best Asian performance going all the way back to April 2011…. Looking at a breakdown of what kinds of machines drove the global rebound, it was all construction related machinery, which rose 7%, once again entirely due to China, where sales soared by 56% as all other geographic regions posted negative sales…. Finally, looking at the type of Energy and Transportation machines sold, Power Gen[Generation], Industrial and Transportation all declined( -7%, -6% and -3%, respectively), while Oil and Gas rose by 15% in March.

Supreme Court: General Motors Can't Use Bankruptcy To Avoid Lawsuits Over Deadly Ignition Defect
Consumerist - When GM, with more than a little help from taxpayers, clawed its way out of bankruptcy in 2009, it did so with an understanding that the “New GM” had purchased all the old assets of pre-bankruptcy “Old GM,” under the condition that the new company would be “free and clear” from liability for claims against the old company. So the massive ignition recall presented a difficult question, in terms of which GM should be blamed…. In 2015, a federal bankruptcy court sided with GM … ruling that lawsuits could be brought against New GM, but only ones that involve actions of the post-bankruptcy company. Last summer, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals upended that decision… ruling that buyers of affected used GM cars were wrongly barred from suing by the bankruptcy court…. GM appealed the Second Circuit ruling to the Supreme Court, but this morning SCOTUS denied that petition without comment, meaning the appeals court ruling will stand, and the various lawsuits against GM can move forward…. The automaker has already paid out nearly $600 million in claims through an independent fund. The company has acknowledged that the ignition defect is linked to at least 124 fatalities and hundreds of injuries.

>10,000 Windows computers may be infected by advanced NSA backdoor
Ars Technica - DoublePulsar, as the NSA implant is code-named, was detected on more than 107,000 computers in one Internet scan. That scan was performed over the past few days by researchers from Binary Edge, a security firm headquartered in Switzerland. … Separate mass scans, one done by Errata Security CEO Rob Graham and another by researchers from Below0day, detected roughly 41,000 and 30,000 infected machines, respectively. To remain stealthy, DoublePulsar doesn't write any files to the computers it infects. This design prevents it from persisting after an infected machine is rebooted. The lack of persistence may be one explanation for the widely differing results. Not everyone is convinced the results are accurate. Even 30,000 infections sounds extremely high for an implant belonging to the NSA, a highly secretive agency that almost always prefers to abort a mission over risking it being detected. Critics speculate that a bug in a widely used detection script is generating false positives. Over the past 24 hours—as additional scans have continued to detect between 30,000 and 60,000 infections—a new theory has emerged: copycat hackers downloaded the DoublePulsar binary released by Shadow Brokers. The copycats then used it to infect unpatched Windows computers.

Vegetables In 1950 Were More Nutritious. Seriously
Off the Grid News - Most potatoes we eat today have 100 percent less vitamin A than potatoes did in the 1950s. One hundred percent. That may sound unbelievable, but it doesn’t end there. An analysis of nutritional records done by Canada’s national newspaper found that potatoes also lost 57 percent of their vitamin C and iron, 50 percent of their riboflavin, 28 percent of their calcium, and 18 percent of their thiamine. Of the seven nutrients analyzed to determine nutrient density, only niacin levels increased in potatoes in the past 50-60 years. This decline in nutrient density isn’t specific to potatoes. Broccoli in the 1950s had more calcium. Scientific American reported – shockingly — that it takes eight of today’s oranges to pony up the same amount of nutrients that one single orange had in the 1950s. What on earth is going on? Agribusiness is called “agribusiness” for a reason: It’s about making money. And in its quest to make money, agribusiness has developed new varieties of vegetables, selecting for characteristics that impact the bottom line, rather than nutrient density. Cultivars are chosen for their disease resistance, suitability for the climate, maturity rate, high yields, and physical appearance. Plants are growing bigger, but their ability to take up or process nutrients has not increased at a comparable rate…. Intensive farming methods strip the soil of its nutrients. If the soil lacks nutrients, so too will the plants that grow in that soil.

Protests across Europe as countries plan compulsory vaccination
What Doctors Don't Tell You - It's European Immunization Week—but not everyone's celebrating. Protests are being planned around Europe as some EU countries, including Austria, consider making vaccinations compulsory. Austrians are planning their protest in Vienna on May 6th, and Poles are protesting on June 3rd, which last year the Czechs designated 'Light a Candle' day to commemorate the lives lost or damaged because of vaccination. The Italians demonstrated against compulsory vaccination last March, and protests have also taken place in Croatia—where vaccines are already mandatory—earlier this month. The European Forum for Vaccine Vigilance, which is helping to co-ordinate the protests, describes compulsory vaccination as a breach of fundamental human rights. It says that "a number of European countries" are considering making childhood vaccination mandatory. Asset, a pro-vaccine group, does not believe that a compulsory programme is the way to go. The group says that vaccination levels are not necessarily higher in countries where it is compulsory; Latvia, for instance, doesn't have a higher take-up rate than other Baltic states even though parents are legally obliged to have their children vaccinated. Instead, some countries fine parents who don't get their children vaccinated, while others make attendance at school more difficult. In France, two parents were jailed after refusing to have their child vaccinated. To find out more about the protests.

How dental amalgam fillings destroy gut health and cause heart disease
(NaturalHealth365) Mercury – a neurotoxic heavy metal – is so dangerous that the World Health Organization says there is no safe level for exposure. Yet over 180 million Americans currently have restored teeth, many with dental amalgam fillings – which can contain up 50 percent mercury…. Mercury aggressively binds with sulfur groups in the body – compounds that are essential for biochemical processes, particularly the function of enzymes and the production of important antioxidants such as glutathione. Mercury exposure also raises blood levels of homocysteine, a molecule associated with heart disease. In addition, mercury causes an increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines, interferes with intestinal nutrient transport, and depletes existing stores of essential antioxidants that would otherwise be destroying damaging free radicals in the body. …it can also play a significant role in triggering leaky gut syndrome…. Unsurprisingly, mercury fillings have been linked not only with leaky gut, but a host of other digestive diseases – including ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease. Dental fillings can also trigger or worsen food allergies and sensitivities.

1 in 10 American adults now have some stage of chronic kidney disease
(NaturalHealth365) In the year 2013 alone, more than 15 million people were prescribed proton pump inhibitor drugs, such as Prilosec and Nexium, as remedies for acid reflux. And with proton pump inhibitors – or PPIs – also easily available over the counter, the actual amount of people taking them is clearly even higher. (So, what’s the problem?) Now, research is revealing a disturbing link between PPIs and increased rates of chronic kidney disease…. In a 6-year study conducted by the prestigious Johns Hopkins University and involving 10,482 subjects with an average age of 63 years, people who used proton pump inhibiting drugs to treat heartburn and indigestion increased their risk of developing kidney disease by 20 to 50 percent. In addition, a 2013 study showed that patients with acute kidney failure were more than twice as likely to be taking a proton pump inhibitor.

Monday - April 24, 2017

On This Day In History:

1800 - The Library of Congress was established with a $5,000 allocation.
1805 - The U.S. Marines attacked and captured the town of Derna in Tripoli.
1833 - A patent was granted for first soda fountain.
1877 - In the U.S., federal troops were ordered out of New Orleans. This was the end to the North's post-Civil War rule in the South.
1889 - The Edison General Electric Company was organized.
1898 - Spain declared war on the U.S., rejecting America's ultimatum for Spain to withdraw from Cuba.
1915 - During World War I, the Ottoman Turkish Empire began the mass deportation of Armenians.
1916 - Irish nationalist launched the Easter Rebellion against British occupation forces. They were overtaken several days later.
1944 - The first B-29 arrived in China, over the Hump of the Himalayas.
1961 - U.S. President Kennedy accepted "sole responsibility" following Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba.
1962 - MIT sent a TV signal by satellite for the first time.
1989 - Thousands of students began striking in Beijing.
1990 - The space shuttle Discovery blasted off from Cape Canaveral, FL. It was carrying the $1.5 billion Hubble Space Telescope.
1997 - The U.S. Senate ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention. The global treaty banned the development, production, storage and use of chemical weapons.
2003 - A U.S. official reported the North Korea had claimed to have nuclear weapons.
2015 - The Nasdaq Composite closed at a record high of 5092.09.

Trump Frees Aid Worker Held in Egypt For Almost Three Years
Western Journalism - Only a week ago, aid worker Aya Hijazi was marking yet another day in the almost three years she has spent in an Egyptian prison awaiting trial on bogus charges. On Friday, she was the guest of honor at the White House, after President Donald Trump was quietly able to convince Egyptian authorities to release Hijazi, who holds American and Egyptian citizenship…. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Trump “directly engaged behind the scenes” and raised the issue privately with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Spicer said Trump “made clear how important it was to him” that Hijazi be released…. Trump had become aware of Hijazi’s case in January, and had been seeking to have her released since then, Spicer said. Hijazi had been held without trial for 33 months on human trafficking charges. Although the Obama administration had sought her release, that administration’s pleas were rebuffed by Egyptian officials. On Sunday, Hijazi was formally acquitted of all charges by an Egyptian court, which also released seven other people who worked with street children. Those included her husband, who had been jailed along with her.

Trump Stirs Controversy By Naming Black Woman To Succeed Obama's Surgeon General
Western Journalism - On Friday, a statement announced the Trump administration was continuing to transition away from Obama-era appointees and had asked former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to step aside. “Rear Admiral Sylvia Trent-Adams, who is the current Deputy Surgeon General, will serve as the acting Surgeon General and assume leadership of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps,” said a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services. Trent-Adams is a graduate of Hampton University as well as the University of Maryland. She has a Ph. D and a Master’s degree in nursing and health policy. However, when the mainstream media reported the changeover, the academic qualifications of Trent-Adams did not make the cut of what seemed important. “Dr. Vivek Murthy - an Obama appointee - resigns as Surgeon General, replaced by deputy Sylvia Trent-Adams, a nurse,” tweeted ABC. The New York Times headlined its report this way, “Nurse Replaces Surgeon General After Obama Appointee Resigns.”

Berkeley Mayor Is Member of Antifa Facebook Group that Organized Riots
Breitbart - Berkley Mayor Jesse Arreguin was revealed to be a member of the anti-fascist group, By Any Means Necessary (BAMN), on Facebook. BAMN orchestrated the violence that shut down a scheduled lecture at UC Berkeley featuring Milo Yiannopoulos in early 2017…. BAMN was investigated for engaging in terrorist activities in 2005 by the FBI. In 2009, the Department of Defense classified the group’s activities as “low-level terrorism.” In June 2016, BAMN led a violent counter-protest outside a white nationalist rally that resulted in ten people being hospitalized with stab wounds. Often described as a “militant left-wing” activist group, BAMN frequently engages in violent forms of protests. A Berkeley newspaper noted in 2001 that the group was a front for an “an obscure Detroit-based Trotskyist political party called the Revolutionary Workers League.”

Psychiatrists at Yale Warn: There Is Something Seriously Wrong with Trump
Anti-Media - “I’ve worked with murderers and rapists. I can recognize dangerousness from a mile away. You don’t have to be an expert on dangerousness or spend fifty years studying it like I have in order to know how dangerous this man is.” Those words came from the mouth of James Gilligan, psychiatrist and professor at New York University. The man he is speaking of is the president of the United States. Gilligan’s comments were one of many from a group of psychiatrists who gathered at Yale’s School of Medicine on Thursday. The message presented was that Donald Trump is mentally unfit to be in the White House. Dr. John Gartner, practicing psychiatrist and founding member of Duty to Warn, a group of several dozen mental health professionals who feel it’s their obligation to inform the public about the president’s mental state, says the warning signs have been there from the beginning. “Worse than just being a liar or a narcissist, in addition he is paranoid, delusional and grandiose thinking, and he proved that to the country the first day he was president,” Dr. Gartner said.

American Airlines flight attendant 'whacks a mother in the head with a metal stroller while she holds her twin babies and reduces her to tears' - then is filmed challenging a passenger to a FIGHT and yelling 'hit me!'
Daily Mail - An American Airlines flight attendant has been removed from duty after a shocking video emerged showing him challenging a passenger to a fight after allegedly hitting a woman in the head with a metal stroller during boarding. The upsetting footage, filmed before Flight 591 departed from San Francisco on Friday afternoon, shows the airline staff member goading a passenger and saying, 'hit me'. The clip was uploaded by passenger Surain Adyanthaya, who explained he started filming after the flight attendant 'violently took a stroller from a lady with her baby on my flight, hitting her and just missing the baby'. Adyanthaya went on to explain: 'They just involuntarily escorted the mother and her kids off the flight and let the flight attendant back on, who tried to fight other passengers. The mom asked for an apology and the AA official declined.’… Olivia Morgan, who was standing in the door to the cabin with her eight-year-old daughter when the incident occurred, said the woman had been looking for a space to put the collapsible stroller. A female flight attendant had given her permission to look for a storage space as it folds up small, but said she would have to check it in if there was no room. But that wasn't good enough for the man, she said. [Read more…]

Official Harvard Guide: Gender ‘Changes From Day to Day’ and ‘There Are More Than Two Sexes’
Heat Street - Harvard University is sponsoring the release of a new guide from the BGLTQ Student Life office urging students to “get the facts about gender diversity.” The pamphlet warns students about transphobia and calls on them to fight anti-transgender bigotry wherever it exists. The guide claims that “there are more than two sexes,” despite the fact that there are only two biological sexes—male and female. The pamphlet, which was attained by Campus Reform, states that gender identity “can be affirmed and/or expressed in many ways,” and that it can even “change from day to day.”… Sex assigned at birth and gender identity are not necessarily the same. Sex assigned at birth, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, hormonal makeup, physical anatomy, and/or how one is perceived in daily life are not necessarily related,” states the guide.

North Korea threatens to strike US aircraft carrier to show 'military's force'
Fox News - North Korea threatened Sunday to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier to demonstrate its military prowess as two Japanese Navy ships joined a U.S. strike group for exercises in the Philippine Sea. “Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a U.S. nuclear powered aircraft carrier with a single strike,” according to North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party’s newspaper, the Rodong Sinmum. The paper also likened the USS Carl Vinson to a “gross animal” and said a strike on the carrier would be “an actual example to show our military’s force.” President Trump ordered the USS Carl Vinson to sail to waters off the Korean Peninsula in response to the rising tensions over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile tests and threats to attack the U.S. and its allies. Vice President Pence said Saturday that group would arrive “within days.”

3rd US citizen arrested, remains detained in N. Korea
RT - A Korean-American professor in his 50s, identified by the surname Kim, was detained at Pyongyang International Airport just as he was leaving North Korea, the agency said, citing unidentified sources…. If the report is confirmed, the professor will become the third US citizen to have been detained that remains in custody in North Korea. More than 10 US citizens have been detained in North Korea since 2009, but only two still remain under arrest there – a college student named Otto Warmbier and a Korean-American pastor named Kim Dong-chul. North Korea has no formal diplomatic contacts with the US, and relations between the two countries have recently soured dramatically.

France Votes
Breitbart - … almost all of the votes have now been counted in France, and confirm the earlier prediction of the exit poll that Macron and Le Pen will be going forward to the second round. Macron, leader of his own En Marche! party now leads Le Pen by just a fraction of a percent, buoyed after initial good polling by Le Pen who did well in the less populous rural areas that finished counting first. As the final results come in, Macron is showing a fractional lead over rival Le Pen. With 98.9 per cent of votes counted, results show Macron has secured 6,695,461 votes nationally, just under 500 votes ahead of Le Pen on 6,695,099. The figures put both candidates on 23.1 per cent of the national vote. In response to Le Pen successfully making it through the first round of the French Presidential election, so called 'anti-fascist' protestors have gathered in towns across France. In Nantes, protesters carried a banner reading "Not bankers nor racists" as they marched through the town holding flares...
* Related: FRANCE 24 Live - 24/7 stream

Flashback: Obama’s CIA Ordered to Hack Marine Le Pen and Other French Presidential Candidates
The GatewayPundit - Wikileaks released documents in February that show Obama’s CIA sent out orders to hack Marine Le Pen and other presidential candidates in France. Wikileaks released their report on CIA surveillance in February. “All major French political parties were targeted for infiltration by the CIA’s human (“HUMINT”) and electronic (“SIGINT”) spies in the seven months leading up to France’s 2012 presidential election. The revelations are contained within three CIA tasking orders published today by WikiLeaks as context for its forth coming CIA Vault 7 series. Named specifically as targets are the French Socialist Party (PS), the National Front (FN) and Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) together with current President Francois Hollande, then President Nicolas Sarkozy, current round one presidential front runner Marine Le Pen, and former presidential candidates Martine Aubry and Dominique Strauss-Khan.

Breakthrough in hunt for MH370 wreckage could reopen investigation
RT - “As a result of oceanographic studies done by CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) and presented to the meeting, a new search area near 35 degrees south was recommended,” Dr. David Griffin, team leader of the oceanographic study, said in a blog post…. In 2016, the bureau commissioned CSIRO to conduct surface current modeling to examine where floating debris from the crash may have gone…. The Indian Ocean has unusual currents in several specific areas, which further exacerbated the problem of finding debris and hampered the search for years. “We had to work out what the ocean currents were doing every day for more than two years,” Dr. Griffin said…. Following exhaustive research, the team’s findings have narrowed the potential wreck site to a 25,000 sq km zone (9,650 square miles) north of the original 120,000 sq km search zone…. The governments of Australia, China, and Malaysia have promised to reopen the investigation if “credible new information” comes to light. Whether these latest findings will suffice remains to be seen.

Venezuela On The Verge Of Revolution As Hyper-inflated Currency Crashes To New Record Low
Zero Hedge - Venezuela, a country with only $10 billion left in reserves to run on, is in trouble. As the currency hyperinflates to new record lows against the dollar... James Holbrooks points out that the people are starving. The government has gone full-on authoritarian, and now desperate human beings are dying in the streets. From an Associated Press report on Friday: “Authorities in Venezuela say 12 people were killed overnight following looting and violence in the South American nation’s capital amid a spiraling political crisis.” Continuing, the report further highlighted the gravity of the situation: “Most of the deaths took place in El Valle, where opposition leaders say 13 people were hit with an electrical current while trying to loot a bakery protected by an electric fence.” These are people without options, forced to turn to thievery to stay alive. And they died because of it. On April 6, The Economist reported that over the past year, 74 percent of Venezuelans lost an average of 20 pounds. Venezuela, incidentally, has topped Bloomberg’s Economic Misery Index for the past three years…. The latest news coming out of the South American nation - aside from the deaths of people trying to steal bread to live - is that General Motors, whose Venezuelan production facility was overtaken by local authorities, has now ceased all operations in the country. To put that in perspective, consider that in 2016, only 3,000 vehicles were sold in Venezuela, a country of 30 million people.

President Trump and Melania insist on personally awarding Purple Heart to Afghanistan veteran (Video)
Daily Mail - President Donald Trump marked his first visit to a military hospital with wife Melania Trump in order to award a Purple Heart to an Army sergeant. Trump said he was so moved by the story of Sergeant 1st Class Alvaro Barrientos, who was wounded in Afghanistan on March 17, that he wanted to do the honor himself. Melania stood by her husband’s side at the visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, outside Washington, on Saturday. Before pinning the award on Barrientos, Trump remarked: ‘When I heard about this and I wanted to do it myself.’ The occasion marked Trump’s first visit as president to the military hospital. Barrientos, whose right leg below the knee had been amputated, was wheeled into a hospital atrium in a wheelchair, accompanied by his wife, Tammy. He was injured when an Afghan soldier opened fire inside a base in the Helmand province and wounded three U.S. soldiers, reported Reuters.

Trump to unveil tax cut he says could be biggest ever
Fox News - In an interview with The Associated Press, Trump said the plan will result in tax cuts for both individuals and businesses. He would not provide details of the plan, saying only that the tax cuts will be "bigger I believe than any tax cut ever." The president said the package will be released on "Wednesday or shortly thereafter" — just before his 100 day mark in office. He will face opposition in Congress as the possibility of a government shutdown by the end of the month lingers. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin initially set a goal of getting tax reform passed by August, but that deadline has slipped. Mnuchin now says the administration still hoped to get a bill passed well before the end of the year. Mnuchin on Thursday said economic growth from proposed tax cuts would come close to $2 trillion over 10 years.

"The Retail Bubble Has Now Burst": A Record 8,640 Stores Are Closing In 2017
Zero Hedge -The devastation in the US retail sector is accelerating in 2017, and in addition to the surging number of brick and mortar retail bankruptcies, it is perhaps nowhere more obvious than in the soaring number of store closures. …here is a stunning fact from Credit Suisse: "Barely a quarter into 2017, year-to-date retail store closings have already surpassed those of 2008." According to the Swiss bank's calculations, on a unit basis, approximately 2,880 store closings were announced YTD, more than twice as many closings as the 1,153 announced during the same period last year. Historically, roughly 60% of store closure announcements occur in the first five months of the year. By extrapolating the year-to-date announcements, CS estimates that there could be more than 8,640 store closings this year, which will be higher than the historical 2008 peak of approximately 6,200 store closings, which suggests that for brick-and-mortar stores stores the current transition period is far worse than the depth of the credit crisis depression.

More Top Execs Fired at Financially Troubled Target Corp.
Breitbart - On Thursday Target announced that chief innovation and strategy officer Casey Carl was leaving the company after 20 years on the job. Casey is at least the fifth top executive to leave the company recently, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Despite firing its top innovation officer, Target CEO Brian Cornell released a statement insisting that “Innovation is alive and well at Target.” The move might not be a complete shock considering that as its stock price and profits tumbled, early this year the company abruptly canceled two once highly touted innovation and growth projects aimed at bringing Target into the future of retail…. Carl joins a growing list of top officers shown the door at the nationwide retailer. Also fired in the last two years has been Target’s head of stores, head of marketing, its human resources boss, and its chief digital officer. The scrambling comes after Target suffered three disastrous quarters of sales declines in a row and a loss of over $15 billion this year. The losses came after its April of 2016 announcement that it intended to allow men pretending to be women to use any bathroom or changing room they want to use at any given time.

Another Smart Meter Fire-Who Really Is Liable For Damages?
Activist Post - Yet another AMI Smart Meter fire occurred on a Canadian house. The smart meter damage cost the homeowner $5,000! Listen carefully to what homeowner Kevin has to say about a power failure when you have a smart meter on your electric service. It would be wise to turn off all appliances before the power comes back on, as the surge probably could do several damaging things: cause the meter to explode, or catch fire, or blow out and ruin household appliances—or all the above, especially those expensive ‘smart’ appliances that spy on you, which consumers seem to be addicted to, and also report back to big brother. AMI Smart Meters are not built with surge arrestors, as the old and safe mechanical analog meters were. Analog meters took electrical surges to ground, had no plastic parts and were made with metal and glass. Hot sockets occur from retrofitting AMI Smart Meters onto former analog meter housings. There can be an improper fit, which causes problems at the meter ‘jaws’ with hot sockets and arcing. Brian Thiesen explains utility companies declare meters are their property. Try removing one and see what happens. Utilities threaten arrest. So, if that’s the case, shouldn’t utilities be responsible legally for all damages from AMI Smart Meters to homes and appliances?

More News Sites Say Facebook's 'Fake News' Filter Is Killing Traffic
Blacklisted News - … it seems as though the first confirmed victim of Facebook's 'fake news' crusade may be none other than the Chicago Tribune, a newspaper that undoubtedly considers itself a "legitimate news outlet." The discovery was highlighted in an article written by the Chicago Tribune's own Deputy Editor for Digital News, Kurt Gessler, who noted that a curious thing happened back in December when Facebook first changed up its algorithms to target fake news, namely their traffic crashed…. the typical Tribune post went from attracting the interest of 30-35k people down to 15-20k people in a matter of months. Meanwhile, the number of Tribune articles shared over Facebook that reached less than 10,000 viewers (i.e. the "duds") skyrocketed while the number of highly successful articles, those reaching 50,000+ people, simultaneously plunged. So, either the Chicago Tribune suddenly started producing a lot of garbage that no one wanted to read, which just happened to coincide with the implementation of Facebook's new "fake news" algo, or the media outlet was pumping out content that Facebook suddenly figured to fit the definition of 'fake'.

Google Kicks Off $100 Million Project In Predictive Medicine; Seeks 10,000 Volunteers For Invasive Screening
Natural Blaze - Predictive medicine – or “precision health” as it is sometimes known – is a trend in healthcare that is growing exponentially. Perhaps the greatest indication to date that this is slated to be the future of disease prevention and patient care is a massive new investment by tech behemoth and king of the algorithm, Google. However, in order to continue along the path toward true predictive modeling, there will need to be a group of people willing to be tracked and monitored to a never-before-seen degree. And herein also lies some concern about what the future will look like if all of our most intimate functions are logged and analyzed for inspection by the central computers of Google and the healthcare State…. While many people seem to be on board with employing technology as an elective measure to better their overall physical and mental fitness, one also should understand that it is the merger of healthcare and insurance where the slippery slope might be found.

Friday’s Broad Power Outage Likely Caused By Geomagnetic Storm
Zero Hedge - … a massive US power grid failure was seen across the entire United States in one simultaneous fashion. San Fransisco, New York, and Los Angeles were the three main areas that were hit the hardest. Each of the areas experienced challenges or shut downs in business commerce. Also, basic infrastructure such as communication networks, mass transportation, and supply chains experienced challenges. To many this seemed apocalyptic with analyst citing possible cyber attacks amid mounting geopolitical turmoil across the globe…. I don’t think it was a cyber attack or the Russians, but more of a Space Weather Event. Space weather refers to the environmental conditions in Earth’s magnetosphere, ionosphere and thermosphere due to the Sun and the solar wind that can influence the functioning and reliability of space-borne and ground-based systems and services or endanger property or human health. Here is PG&E outage map from yesterday’s event….

8 Ways To Fertilize Your Garden With Household Items
Off the Grid News - Self-sufficient gardeners avoid the use of pre-packaged fertilizers and soil from the store. But chances are you have plenty of items in your house that can be used to fertilize your garden, saving you money and time – and giving your vegetables a healthy boost. 1. Coffee grounds. Do you start the day with an overflowing cup of coffee? Those dried coffee grounds add nitrogen, potassium and magnesium to your garden — all vital nutrients for the growth of your plants. Just remember that coffee grounds can change the pH of your soil, possibly affecting plants that need a delicate balance. 2. Tea bags. If you aren’t a coffee drinker, tea bags have a very similar effect on the soil as coffee grounds. Remove the tea grounds from the bags and allow them to dry before application. Many gardeners notice tea grounds are particularly beneficial around tomatoes. 3. Egg shells. Your chickens can contribute to more than just breakfast. Egg shells are a fantastic calcium source. After breakfast, wash out the shells and let them dry. Break the shells into smaller pieces and put them in the ground when planting tomatoes. You also can add them around the base of already-planted tomatoes. Tomatoes require more calcium than other plants….

Thousands Sue Merck for Shingles Vaccine “Causing What It’s Supposed to Prevent”
Natural Blaze - Attorney Troy Bouk was recently interviewed by Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins to discuss the shingles vaccine Zostavax, the issues related to its effectiveness and the problems that are associated with the product… In the interview with Cousins, Bouk explained that Zostavax is made with a live strain of the shingles virus and described the complications that are associated with shingles. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is the same virus that causes chicken pox. The varicella-zoster virus lies dormant in people who have had chicken pox, but sometimes the virus reawakens and produces shingles. The virus often manifests as a painful rash, and can also lead to encephalitis, vision loss and postherpetic neuralgia. Bouk said that the virus sometimes “tends to get into your central nervous system, and then, once in there, it wreaks some havoc by usually causing swelling which ends up with these other medical problems. That’s the situation with the vaccine itself, is that Merck hasn’t warned anyone about those indications.”

This Plant Kills Lyme Disease Better Than Antibiotics, According To Research
David Wolfe - The conventional treatment for Lyme disease is antibiotics, but they often only address the surface aspects of the infection, leaving the disease deep within the body where it’s able to cause more harm. In a new preclinical study, researchers found that whole stevia leaf extract has powerful antibiotic activity against a pathogen known as Borrelia Burgdorferi, which is known to cause Lyme disease…. Researchers pointed out that about 10-20% of Lyme disease patients treated with antibiotics for the recommended 2-4 weeks experience adverse health effects. These often include fatigue, pain, joint aches and muscle aches. In some patients, these adverse effects from Lyme disease antibiotics lasted for more than six months. The researchers noted, “The leaf extract of stevia possesses many phytochemicals… with known antimicrobial properties against many pathogens.” They concluded, “Results from this study suggest that a natural product such as Stevia leaf extract could be considered as an effective agent against B. burgdorferi.”

RECALL ALERT: Phenobarbital Pet Seizure Medication Recalled Due to Serious Labeling Error
Dogington Post - Certain bottles of the anti-convulsant, anti-seizure medication, Phenobarbital, manufactured by C.O. Truxton, Inc., are being recalled after bottles containing 30mg tablets were mislabeled as 15mg, posing a serious risk of overdose to cats and dogs taking the prescribed medication. This mislabeled product could expose the consumer or their pet(s) to potential overdosing that can cause severe intoxication which may lead to cardiogenic shock, renal failure, coma or death. Bellmawr, New Jersey, C.O. Truxton, Inc. is voluntarily recalling lot 70952A of Phenobarbital Tablets, USP, 15 mg, to the consumer/user level. The manufacturer received a confirmed customer complaint that a bottle labeled as phenobarbital 15 mg was found to contain phenobarbital 30 mg tablets. C.O. Truxton, Inc. has not received any reports of adverse events related to this recall. The product is indicated for use as a sedative or anticonvulsant and is packaged in 1000 count bottles, NDC 0463-6160-10, UPC 7 0463616010 6, lot number 70952A, expiration date 11/17.
 

Friday - April 21, 2017

On This Day In History:

1789 - John Adams was sworn in as the first U.S. Vice President.
1836 - General Sam Houston defeated Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto. This battle decided the independence of Texas.
1836 - The Territory of Wisconsin was established by Congress.
1862 - The U.S. Congress established the U.S. Mint in Denver, CO.
1865 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln's funeral train left Washington.
1892 - The first Buffalo was born in Golden Gate Park.
1898 - The Spanish-American War began.
1914 - U.S. Marines occupied Vera Cruz, Mexico. The troops stayed for six months.
1918 - German fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, "The Red Baron," was shot down and killed during World War I.
1943 - U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt announced that several Doolittle pilots had been executed by the Japanese.
1967 - Svetlana Alliluyeva (Svetlana Stalina) defected in New York City. She was the daughter of Joseph Stalin.
1971 - The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the use of busing to achieve racial desegregation in schools.
1972 - Apollo 16 astronauts John Young and Charles Duke explored the surface of the moon.
1984 - In France, it was announced that doctors had found virus believed to cause AIDS.
2003 - North and South Korea agreed to hold Cabinet-level talks the following week.
2010 - An explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform, leased by BP, killed 11 workers and began spewing an estimated 200 million gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico for nearly three months.

U.S. Preparing Charges To Arrest Julian Assange
Zero Hedge - In a stunning new report, CNN has just revealed, according to anonymous sources at least, that US authorities have prepared charges and will seek the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for intelligence leaks dating all the way back to 2010… This latest revelation comes after CIA Director Mike Pompeo ramped up the Trump administration's rhetoric against WikiLeaks describing it as a "non-state hostile intelligence service" earlier this week. Ironically, as we noted this morning, Pompeo's comments can just days before the FBI and CIA admitted that they are searching for an "insider" at the CIA (not a Russian) who exposed thousands of top-secret documents that described CIA tools used to penetrate smartphones, smart televisions and computer systems.

CIA, FBI Admit it Wasn’t the Russians Who Leaked Docs to Wikileaks, Launch Manhunt For ‘Insider’
The GatewayPundit - The CIA and FBI have pivoted from their Russian narrative as they admit that perhaps a traitor on the inside leaked docs to Wikileaks rather than the ‘Russians hacked and leaked’…. CBS reports: “The CIA and FBI are conducting a joint investigation into one of the worst security breaches in CIA history, which exposed thousands of top-secret documents that described CIA tools used to penetrate smartphones, smart televisions and computer systems. Sources familiar with the investigation say it is looking for an insider — either a CIA employee or contractor — who had physical access to the material. The agency has not said publicly when the material was taken or how it was stolen. Much of the material was classified and stored in a highly secure section of the intelligence agency, but sources say hundreds of people would have had access to the material. Investigators are going through those names.” Wikileaks has actually admitted that they have received leaks from insiders and NOT Russian hackers yet the media has repeatedly ignored this because it doesn’t fit their ‘Russian hacking’ narrative.

Antifa Terrorist Who Beat Trump Supporter in Head WITH BIKE LOCK Identified as Local Professor! (Video)
The GatewayPundit - Diablo Valley College professor Eric Clanton has been unmasked by a group of online free speech advocates. Utilizing the concept of crowdsourcing, /pol/, a message board hosted on 4Chan, was able to figure out who exactly assaulted a pro-1st Amendment demonstrator . . . Clanton is a professor of philosophy at Diable Valley College. He is known to rant to his students about anarchist tactics . . . What is most amazing about the unmasking of Eric Clanton is the level of dedication and time spent by random Internet users to track down the violent criminal . . .

Nursing Home Owner Pleads Guilty To Spending Medicaid Funds On Strippers, Casinos, Pet Care
Zero Hedge - Johnnie Mac Sells, 52, the owner of a suburban St. Louis nursing home where 60 residents had to be rescued after food ran out and trash piled up, has pleaded guilty to federal charges for stealing $667,000 from Medicaid…. Sells pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of health care fraud, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. He could get up to three years in prison when he's sentenced July 25 and he has to pay back what he stole. The Benchmark Healthcare nursing home in Festus was shut down last summer. Authorities said bills went unpaid, paychecks bounced, trash piled up and food deliveries stopped. As AP adds, Missouri health officials in July sought to put Benchmark into emergency receivership. They backed down when food deliveries resumed, but an August follow-up visit found that four residents were not getting medicines they needed for congestive heart failure, epilepsy and schizophrenia because pharmacy bills hadn't been paid. Then in September, the state officially closed the nursing home and relocated its residents. Prosecutors on Wednesday revealed that for three years starting in 2013, Sells stole a large portion of funds provided by Medicaid for Benchmark residents. He used Benchmark's debit card to pay $185,000 at adult entertainment clubs and $15,000 on pet care, $4,500 at casinos and $12,000 at his country club. Oh, and he was also a drug addict: Sells' attorney, Scott Rosenblum, told Judge John A. Ross that his client struggled with drug and alcohol addiction but had been sober "for some time."

'Defeat ISIS and go home': Trump rejects US role in Libya nation-building
RT - President Donald Trump does not see a US role in helping its European allies build a government in Libya. Instead, he told reporters, he wants to defeat Islamic State, after which the US can focus on domestic issues. Speaking to reporters in Washington, DC on Thursday, following a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, Trump contradicted his guest’s assessment that the US role in stabilizing Libya would be critical, arguing the US has “enough roles… everywhere.” I do not see a role in Libya,” Trump said. “I do see a role in getting rid of ISIS. We’re being very effective in that regard.” “We are effectively ridding the world of ISIS. I see that as the primary role, and that’s what we’re going to do – whether it’s in Iraq, or in Libya, or anywhere else. And that role will come to an end at a certain point, and we’ll be able to go back home and rebuild our country, which is what I want to do,” Trump concluded. Gentiloni had just finished making a case for US involvement in stabilizing Libya by helping the internationally recognized government in Tripoli establish control over the country’s entire territory.

Putin sends troops to Russia's border with North Korea after China also sends soldiers to its boundary
Daily Mail - The Russian President fears there will be a huge exodus of North Korean refugees if his American counterpart, Donald Trump, launches military action against Pyongyang. It comes days after it emerged that China is also sending 150,000 soldiers to its southern frontier to cope with the tidal wave of North Koreans Beijing fears would flee across the border if war breaks out…

N. Korea threatens to ‘reduce US to ashes’ with ‘super-mighty pre-emptive strike’
RT - North Korean state media has warned Washington of a “super-mighty pre-emptive strike” which would “reduce the US to ashes.” It comes after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Washington is looking to pressure Pyongyang over its nuclear program. “In the case of our super-mighty preemptive strike being launched, it will completely and immediately wipe out not only US imperialists’ invasion forces in South Korea and its surrounding areas, but the US mainland and reduce them to ashes,” Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party, wrote on Thursday, as quoted by Reuters. It comes just one day after Tillerson, as part of President Donald Trump’s hardline stance against North Korea, said the US is exploring ways to put pressure on Pyongyang…. Tillerson wasn’t the only Trump-appointed US official making remarks about North Korea on Wednesday.
Speaking from the ‘USS Ronald Reagan’ in Japan, Vice President Mike Pence vowed an “overwhelming and effective” response to any potential attacks from Pyongyang, stressing that the “sword stands ready.” Defense Secretary Jim Mattis simultaneously denounced Pyongyang’s latest missile launch attempt during his Middle East tour, telling reporters in Saudi Arabia that “the leader of North Korea again recklessly tried to provoke something by launching a missile."

U.S. Military Commander: ‘Daesh Has Used Chemicals in the Vicinity of Mosul’
CNS News - As the Islamic State’s military position worsens in West Mosul, “so too does their humanity,” Major General Joseph Martin, commander of coalition ground forces in Iraq, told a news conference on Wednesday. Martin said “hundreds” of Iraqi civilians are being murdered by ISIS “on a weekly basis.” And he said chemical weapons were used this past weekend on Iraqi Security Forces that are trying to liberate the city, with the help of U.S. and coalition troops…. Martin said the U.S. military is “still testing” to find out what chemical was used. “But the chemicals that they've used in the past are all low-grade chemicals because of their lack of production capability.

France Hit With Terror Attack Days Before Presidential Election
Paul Joseph Watson - UPDATE: ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack. The second gunman is still at large… The incident occurred on the busy Champs-Elysee in Paris. At least two attackers who were reportedly armed with kalashnikovs were involved in a shootout with police which left one officer dead and another injured. One of the attackers was killed, while the other remains at large. Police are searching for a suspect named Youssouf El Osri who arrived from Belgium via train before the attack…. Right-wing candidate Marine Le Pen has vowed to deal with the threat posed by Islamic terrorism, but she is opposed by establishment candidate Emmanuel Macron who today was endorsed by Barack Obama.

Bill Gates warns terrorists could weaponize smallpox
RT - Speaking at a security conference in Munich, the richest man in the world warned that the impact of deadly viruses such as smallpox, should they spread, could be worse than that of a nuclear attack. Gates, who delivered his chilling warning ahead of a speech at the Royal United Services Institute in London (RUSI), said the world should not underestimate the potential threat of lethal respiratory viruses, as they are becoming easier to re-create and spread…. “The next epidemic could originate on the computer screen of a terrorist intent on using genetic engineering to create a synthetic version of the smallpox virus... or a super contagious and deadly strain of the flu,” he added.

Agricultural mega-merger could make China leading GMO producer
RT - A $43 billion takeover deal that would merge Chinese state-owned agriculture company ChemChina and Swiss-owned seed company Syngenta is expected to turn the world’s second largest economy into a biotech titan. In recent weeks, the deal has been approved by EU and US authorities. Once closed it will be China’s biggest overseas acquisition. It will create the world’s largest farm-business oligopoly, concentrating agricultural power in the hands of the three countries - the US, Germany, and China…. The deal has been strongly opposed by domestic anti-GMO campaigners. In recent years scandals have rocked the country, including one of tainted baby formula in 2008 and exploding watermelons in 2011. The Syngenta takeover conflicts with the Chinese government’s promises to protect national food security. In 2016 Beijing announced that over the next four years the government would invest three trillion yuan ($435 billion) into developing the country’s agriculture.

Judge Finds 75-Year-Old Vet Not Guilty of Illegally Hanging American Flags Outside L.A. VA
Breitbart - Robert Rosebrock initially faced a federal misdemeanor charge because of a VA statute that bans people from posting “placards” or other materials on a VA property except when authorized by the head of the facility, NBC Los Angeles reported. Police cited Rosebrock on Memorial Day 2016 for allegedly displaying two napkin-sized American flags on a fence next to the entrance to the Veterans Park. Rosebrock has gathered with his fellow veterans every Sunday and Memorial Day for the past nine years to protest what they say is the VA’s failure to make full use of the sprawling property to benefit veterans, especially homeless veterans. U.S. Magistrate Judge Steve Kim found Rosebrock not guilty of the violation, which carries a maximum term of six months in prison. The judge found no evidence that showed Rosebrock lacked permission to post the flags or that he even put them up in the first place…. Rosebrock initially faced two additional charges for allegedly taking unauthorized photos of a VA police officer at the gate of the VA facility without permission. The judge ruled in a pretrial decision, however, that the regulation was not reasonable, under even the most lenient First Amendment standard.

Deutsche Bank Fined $157MM After Its Traders Were Found To Still Use Chat Rooms To Rig FX Trading
Zero Hedge - On Thursday, the Federal Reserve fined Deutsche Bank $156.6 million for violating foreign exchange rules and running afoul of the Volcker Rule, suggesting it was likely trading FX out of its own account in violation of Dodd-Frank. In levying the FX fine on Deutsche Bank, the Fed said it found "deficiencies in the firm's oversight of, and internal controls over, FX traders who buy and sell U.S. dollars and foreign currencies for the organization's own accounts and for customers." Additionally, and stunningly, years after it became clear that FX chat rooms are about the worst possible idea for currency traders, the Fed said Deutsche Bank failed to detect and address that its traders were still "using electronic chatrooms to communicate with competitors about their trading positions." The order requires Deutsche Bank to improve its senior management oversight and controls relating to the firm's FX trading.

Trump Begins Investigation of Steel Imports
Breitbart - President Donald Trump signed an executive memorandum on Thursday ordering the Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to investigate steel imports. But he also previewed action on NAFTA. “The fact is, NAFTA, whether it’s Mexico or Canada, is a disaster for our country,” he said, referring to the North American Free Trade Agreement. “We’ll be reporting back some time over the next two weeks as to NAFTA and what we’re going to do about it.” Trump specifically cited Canada’s imported dairy products hurting farms in Wisconsin and New York and imports of lumber and timber…. The investigation will determine whether foreign steel imports threatens national security under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

Here are 100+ brands that are 100% made in the USA
Clark.com - Are you proud to be an American? In a time when so many of our goods are made overseas, it’s nice to be reminded of brands and retailers that sell merchandise 100% made in the USA. President Trump visited the headquarters of Snap-On Tools in Kenosha, Wis ., to sign his “Buy American, Hire American” order on April 18. When you buy American, you help to keep local businesses strong and support domestic job growth at the same time. These 100+ brands and stores are 100% made in the USA. If you’re in the patriotic spirit, or just want to support an American small business, here’s a list of companies to consider!

Pesticide Makers Want Trump to Ignore Proof Their Products Are Dangerous
Sputnik News - According to a report from the Associated Press, Dow lawyers, along with two other pesticide manufacturers, sent requests on April 13 to three of Trump’s cabinet agencies, requesting that they “set aside” the results of the government studies that proved their products to be harmful. The companies argue that the studies on the organophosphates are “fundamentally flawed.” “The industry's request comes after EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced last month he was reversing an Obama-era effort to bar the use of Dow's chlorpyrifos pesticide on food after recent peer-reviewed studies found that even tiny levels of exposure could hinder the development of children's brains,” AP reported.

Soldiers with early signs of PTSD helped by tapping therapy
What Doctors Don't Tell You - Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)—often described as psychological acupressure—can help protect servicemen from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when they return home from the horrors of war. The therapy, which involves tapping on acupuncture meridian points around the body, seems to stop PTSD worsening when someone is showing the earliest signs of the problem, a new study has discovered. t's been tested on a group of 21 veterans who had sub-clinical PTSD according to standard tests used in the military that can determine whether the problem is there even before the usual symptoms become apparent. Half had the standard treatment for PTSD and the rest were given six EFT sessions before those in the standard-care group also had EFT. Using the same measure that had diagnosed sub-clinical PTSD, the participants were tested again after treatment and all were well below the warning levels. Symptoms in those who had suffered traumatic brain injury had also fallen, and others who had suffered from insomnia were reporting better sleep patterns. The improvements were still measurable three months after treatment.

Doctors Disagree…88% of the Time
Alliance for Natural Health - Get a second opinion, and you’ll get confused. That could be the new motto for a healthcare industry characterized by dueling diagnoses. According to a new study by the Mayo Clinic, nine out of ten people who seek a second opinion after receiving an initial diagnosis from a doctor get either a somewhat different or a completely new diagnosis from the second doctor. Only in 12% of cases did the second doctor simply confirm the initial diagnosis. And this is only diagnosis. When it comes to treatment, the disagreement gets even sharper. So much for “settled science” and “ evidence-based medicine”! Discrepancy of treatment was underscored in an earlier report we covered from ProPublica, which followed a man who was experiencing chest pain. Doctors and cardiologists were recommending an angiogram, a surgical procedure that installs a stent in the artery. Only after speaking to a third doctor did the man learn that his condition could be managed by short-term medication and lifestyle changes. The larger point of that report was that medical procedures and medications are often used by the conventional medical community long after their appropriateness has been contradicted by research. In other words, millions of patients are receiving treatments that scientists have determined are ineffective, dangerous, or both.

You Don’t Want to Know What’s In The Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccino
Natural Blaze - …the Unicorn Frappuccino® Blended Crème released just today changes colors – the powder changes colors when you swirl, People, and we don’t really know how. Hopefully, it’s just the mixture of liquid that makes this happen and not demonic channeling. But seriously though – No matter what kind of milk used, the Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccino contains a diabetic explosion of 59 grams of sugar if you order a Grande (medium). That is 12 teaspoons of sugar. We’re not kidding! In fact, drinking a medium sized Unicorn Frappuccino is equivalent to eating an entire pint of Breyers Ice Cream or one pound of ice cream, but it inexplicably contains more than double the animal fat of real ice cream…. To be fair, it appears to be completely free of artificial colors. Unfortunately, it is loaded with sugar, artificial flavors, many preservatives and of course, GMOs.

Party Animal “retrieving” certain lots of Dog Food
Truth About Pet Food - Though not an official recall notice, Party Animal Pet Food announces “Out of an abundance of caution, we are retrieving the remainder of these two lots nationwide.” The two lots of pet food tested positive for pentobarbital – a drug used to euthanize animals. Party Animal Statement on Cocolicious: … On April 13, a retailer in Texas notified us that their customer had presented samples of our 13-ounce-can Cocolicious Beef & Turkey dog food (Lot #0136E15204 04, best by July 2019) and 13-ounce-can Cocolicious Chicken & Beef dog food (Lot #0134E15 237 13, best by August 2019) to a testing lab, and that the results had tested positive for pentobarbital. We have requested those results….
 

Thursday - April 20, 2017

On This Day In History:

1769 - Ottawa Chief Pontiac was murdered by an Illinois Indian in Cahokia.
1775 - American troops began the siege of British-held Boston.
1792 - France declared war on Austria, Prussia, and Sardinia. It was the start of the French Revolutionary wars.
1809 - Napoleon defeated Austria at Battle of Abensberg, Bavaria.
1832 - Hot Springs National Park was established by an act of the U.S. Congress. It was the first national park in the U.S.
1836 - The U.S. territory of Wisconsin was created by the U.S. Congress.
1861 - Robert E. Lee resigned from U.S. Army.
1912 - Fenway Park opened as the home of the Boston Red Sox.
1916 - Chicago's Wrigley Field held its 1st Cubs game with the 1st National League game at the ballpark. Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-6 in 11 innings.
1945 - Soviet troops began their attack on Berlin.
1945 - During World War II, Allied forces took control of the German cities of Nuremberg and Stuttgart.
1953 - Operation Little Switch began in Korea. It was the exchange of sick and wounded prisoners of war. Thirty Americans were freed.
1961 - FM stereo broadcasting was approved by the FCC.
1967 - U.S. planes bombed Haiphong for first time during the Vietnam War.
1988 - The U.S. Air Forces' Stealth (B-2 bomber) was officially unveiled.
1992 - The worlds largest fair, Expo '92, opened in Seville, Spain.
2010 - An explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform, leased by BP, killed 11 workers and began spewing an estimated 200 million gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico for nearly three months.

The Truth About The Fearless Girl Statue
Kit Daniels - The Fearless Girl statue heralded by feminists, which stands in opposition to the Charging Bull statue on Wall St. in Manhattan, was commissioned by a trillion-dollar investment group that’s part of the transnational ruling class funding third-wave feminism. In comparison, the Charging Bull statue was sculpted – and self-funded – by Sicilian immigrant Arturo Di Modica who said it represented “the strength and power of the American people” in response to the recession triggered by the stock market crash of 1987. But now, with the addition of the Fearless Girl statue, the bull now represents what feminists call “patriarchal oppression,” meaning that Di Modica’s work has been corrupted into a political statement he never intended, and that’s why he wants his statue removed from the spot it has stood for nearly 28 years. “I put it there for art,” he told reporters. “My bull is a symbol for America. My bull is a symbol of prosperity and for strength.” Fearless Girl derives its entire meaning – and its name – from the bull; without Di Modica’s statue, the girl would have nothing to be fearless of. “She’s not angry at the bull — she’s confident, she knows what she’s capable of, and she’s wanting the bull to take note,” said Fearless Girl sculptor Kristen Visbal, admitting that her statue is entirely dependent on Di Modica’s for context.

Jeff Sessions: MS-13 Could Be Designated a Terrorist Organization (Video)
Breitbart - Attorney General Jeff Sessions continued his campaign against the vicious MS-13 gang on Fox News’s Tucker Tuesday evening… “The government of El Salvador has designated MS-13 a terrorist organization. Would it be helpful for our government to do the same?” Carlson asked. “I think so, perhaps. It could qualify for that,” was Sessions’s response. Designating MS-13 a “foreign terrorist organization” would make providing any material support for the group, here or abroad, a felony, and compel U.S. financial institutions to freeze any assets they reasonably believe belong to the group. The determination is made by the State Department and not AG Sessions’s Justice Department, but Sessions’s willingness to support such a designation speaks to how seriously he takes the threat from the gang. “This is one of the most violent gangs in the history of our country,” Sessions said of MS-13. He cited the group’s use of machetes and willingness to kill and prostitute children, as they have done across the United States.

Judicial Watch Sues State Department For Records About the Funding of George Soros’ Open Society
The GatewayPundit - Conservative watchdog group, Judicial Watch announced [Wednesday] that they have filed a FOIA lawsuit against the State Department and USAID for records relating to funding, communications and activities of George Soros’ Open Society Foundation. Via Judicial Watch: Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for records and communications relating to the funding and political activities of the Open Society Foundation – Macedonia. The Macedonia organization, part of George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, received nearly $5 million from USAID from 2012 to 2016…

New York Towns, Cities Follow AG's Order To Ignore Sessions, Adopt Illegal Alien Sanctuary Laws
Zero Hedge - Via Judicial Watch, Weeks after the chief law enforcement official in New York State issued “legal guidance” to help municipalities provide sanctuary for illegal immigrants, nearly a dozen have followed through with the attorney general’s order to skirt federal law. The goal, according to New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, is to provide local governments with a tool to “protect their immigrant communities, regardless of new federal enforcement practices.” Those that have followed Schneiderman’s directive range from sleepy towns like Newburgh to larger cities such as Rochester as well as Albany, the state capital.

21,000 drug convictions set to be quashed after Massachusetts chemist tampered with evidence
Sky News - About 21,000 drug convictions are set to be thrown out in Massachusetts after a chemist admitted tampering with evidence and falsifying results. It could be the single largest dismissal of criminal convictions in US history. It could be the single largest dismissal of criminal convictions in US history. Annie Dookhan, who has been accused of falsifying her work as long ago as 2004, pleaded guilty in 2013 to the obstruction of justice, perjury and tampering with evidence. Prosecutors said she had admitted testing only a fraction of a batch of samples at the state drug lab, before labelling them all as positive for illegal drugs. Her motive was to boost her productivity and improve her reputation, prosecutors said…. About 2,000 cases have already been dismissed. Many of the defendants have now served their sentences, although some remain in prison because of other charges. Some of them lost their jobs or homes or were deported, Anthony Benedetti, chief counsel of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, said. "In many respects the damage has been done," he commented. "Justice delayed is justice denied."

Fox News Fires Bill O'Reilly "After Careful Review Of Allegations"
Zero Hedge - According to sources briefed on the discussions, network executives are preparing to announce O’Reilly’s departure before he returns from an Italian vacation on April 24. Now the big questions are how the exit will look and who will replace him. Wednesday morning, according to sources, executives are holding emergency meetings to discuss how they can sever the relationship with the country’s highest-rated cable-news host without causing collateral damage to the network. The board of Fox News’ parent company, 21st Century Fox, is scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss the matter. Sources briefed on the discussions say O’Reilly’s exit negotiations are moving quickly. NYMag's Gabriel Sherman notes that: The Murdochs’ decision to dump O’Reilly shocked many Fox News staffers I’ve spoken to in recent days. Late last week, the feeling inside the company was that Rupert Murdoch would prevail over his son James, who lobbied to jettison the embattled host. It’s still unclear exactly how the tide turned.

Update: Tucker Carlson to Replace Bill O’Reilly’s 8 PM Time Slot
The GatewayPundit - Fox News announced earlier today that Bill O’Reilly will not be returning to the network after a 21 year run. Tucker Carlson has been tapped to replace the 8 PM EST spot.

Leaked Email Shows George Soros’ MEDIA MATTERS Orchestrated O’Reilly Smear Campaign
The GatewayPundit - Wednesday, Glenn Beck tweeted out a screenshot of an email from the Bonner Group. The Bonner Group is a leftist fundraising Super PAC for Hillary Clinton under the employ of George Soros’ Media Matters. The email reads: “For years Bill O’Reilly has been one of the worst purveyors of misinformation on Fox News. A serial misinformer, pushing many of the most extreme, sexist, racist, homophobic, and xenophobic conservative theories on TV . . . Thanks to Media Matters, O’Reilly and Fox News are being held accountable.”

Hundreds of U.S. Marines Headed To Afghanistan
Anti-Media News - With the US seeking to slow the mounting losses by the Afghan military in the southern Helmand Province, the Pentagon has announced a deployment of roughly 300 US Marines to the province, with the fighters expected to arrive by the end of the month. The deployment marks the largest single deployment of US Marines in occupied Afghanistan since 2014, which reflects the Afghan military’s growing woes in combat. These troops will join smaller numbers the US had already deployed into the area, who were nominally “advisers.” And while officially, the new Marines are also “advise-and-assist” troops that are being sent in a non-combat role, Col. Matthew Reid confirmed that the Marines are always deployed “with a combat mindset.” Given how poorly the Afghan military has done on its own, it wouldn’t be surprising to find the Marines in combat situations. Large numbers of US and British soldiers were deployed in Helmand earlier in the war, but officials had withdrawn them largely in the transition away from direct combat missions. Since then, Helmand has been among the major targets of the Taliban, and they’ve captured large portions of the province.

Revealed: North Korea Could Have Far More Nuclear Warheads Than Estimated
Sputnik News - Recent estimates indicate that North Korea has expanded its nuclear arsenal to 30 warheads, and may control enough weapons-grade fissile material to double that number in about three years. The Institute for Science and International Security in Washington attributes this growth to increased production in plutonium and uranium. It’s a drastic change from previous assessments, as in 1999 the US believed Pyongyang only had one or two weapons in their nuclear arsenal, with the possibility of increasing to 10 by 2020, according to a Defense Intelligence Agency report obtained by The Washington Times.

Trump Tells Congress Iran Compliant With “Disastrous” Nuclear Deal
Zero Hedge - … as AP reports, the Trump administration has notified Congress that Iran is complying with the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by former President Barack Obama, and says the U.S. has extended the sanctions relief given to the Islamic republic in exchange for curbs on its atomic program. The certification of Iran’s compliance, which must be sent to Congress every 90 days, is the first issued by the Trump administration. However, it appears there is movement towards Trump’s campaign promises, as U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said late Tuesday that the Trump administration is weighing whether to effectively break the terms of the Iran nuclear deal, while certifying that the Islamic nation is upholding terms of the landmark 2015 agreement. The administration is looking at whether to continue lifting sanctions the Obama administration agreed to under the nuclear deal negotiated by six world powers. The review was ordered by President Donald Trump, Tillerson said in the letter. He called it an effort “to evaluate whether continuing to lift sanctions would be in U.S. national security interests.” Tillerson said in a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan that “Iran remains a leading state sponsor of terror through many platforms and methods.”

Russian Bombers Fly Near Alaskan Coast for Second Day in a Row
Mikael Thalen - Russian bombers flew off the Alaskan coast for a second time this week, coming within 35 miles of the U.S. mainland. The two Tu-95 nuclear-capable bombers, which came within the U.S. military’s Air Defense Identification Zone, were detected by U.S. radar flying northeast of the Aleutian Islands. Although remaining in international airspace, the Russian aircraft would have been asked to identify themselves once 200 nautical miles from the coastline. The U.S. Air Force sent an E-3 Sentry early warning plane from Elemendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage to intercept the bombers and to confirm no other aircraft were present. Reports indicate that the U.S. aircraft flew alongside the Tu-95’s for several hours before they turned back towards Russia.

‘I want to lead France, not Europe’: Le Pen demands removal of EU flag for TV interview
RT - With France’s presidential election just days away, National Front (FN) candidate Marine Le Pen symbolically demanded the removal of an EU flag from the studio for a TV interview. Earlier she promised a referendum on France’s EU membership if she wins the vote. Political interviews in France often feature a combination of the national tricolor and the star-sprinkled blue-and-gold Flag of Europe – but not on Tuesday, when Le Pen visited the country’s TF1 channel. "To agree to take part in this program, Madame Le Pen, you asked us to remove the European flag that should have been behind you," said interviewer Gilles Bouleau by way of explanation. "I want to be president of the French Republic, not of the European Commission, given that I believe the EU has done a lot of harm to our country, to our people, on an economic and social level, with the disappearance of borders,” replied Le Pen. While Le Pen had on previous occasions appeared next to the EU flag, her attitude is not new. One of the 144 promises in her election manifesto is to remove the blue-and-gold flag from government buildings, as well as to ensure that a French flag is always present – a measure that has already been followed by FN-controlled local authorities.

Investors Rage After 3 Billion Yuan Vanish From China's Largest Private Bank
Zero Hedge - Theoretical warnings about risks inherent in China's shadow banking system became all too for 150 customers of China's largest private bank, when Minsheng Banking Corp found itself involved in a 3 billion yuan (US$436 million) fraud case, after it emerged that a branch chief of the lender in Beijing allegedly issued false bank acceptance bills and later secured funds from individual investors to cover up the misdeed. According to SCMP, an accidental inquiry from an investor exposed the fact that the WMPs sold by a Minsheng branch didn’t even exist. When shocked investors rushed to the bank, they found the head of the branch had been taken into police custody and the supposed due payment date had passed…. “If we can’t even trust a big national bank, what other financial institutions can we trust?” Liu Min, who bought 12 million yuan worth of WMPs from Minsheng, said as he waited in the lobby of the Hangtianqiao branch of Minsheng Bank to hear news. Two million yuan of the WMP he invested in is was “due” April 17 but he can’t get the money back.

Donald Trump Signs Bill to Extend Veterans Choice Program
Breitbart - President Donald Trump signed a bill to extend the Veterans Choice Program at the Oval Office on Wednesday, inviting influential veterans groups to join him. “The veterans have poured out their sweat and blood and tears for this country for so long, and it’s time that they’re recognized, and it’s time that we now take care of them, and take care of them properly,” Trump said. The bill allows veterans to seek private care outside of the VA system, if they live more than 40 miles away from a VA hospital or can’t get an appointment within 30 days. Trump specifically thanked Senator John McCain and Senator Johnny Isakson for their work on the bill, as well as Rep. Phil Roe, the Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. “Some people have to travel five hours, eight hours, and they’ll have to do it on a weekly basis, and even worse than that,” Trump said. “It’s not going to happen anymore.” Trump was joined by Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin, who praised the bill…. The extension of the bill passed by Congress authorized the sharing of medical records to hospitals outside the VA and modifies the procedures for reimbursement for private hospitals.

Study: Ivy League Universities Received $41.59 Billion in Taxpayer Funded Payments and Benefits Over Six Years
Heat Street - Since 2010, taxpayers have shelled over $41.59 billion in payments and funding for these elite universities — around $6.93 billion annually. Specifically, the schools got $25.73 billion in direct payments through contracts, grants, and student aid. A number of these federal grants facilitated the study of topics like “the influence of women’s employment on marriage in Bangladesh,” “ethics in Tanzania,” “wintering grounds for gold-winged warblers,” “urban black men who have sex with men and women,” and the question “what does health insurance do.” The schools also received special tax breaks on their endowments, which equal $119.41 billion combined. Every Ivy League school has an endowment well into the billions, with laggard Brown University at $3.2 billion and leader Harvard’s at $35.7 billion. Startlingly, the eight colleges individually collected more money from the federal government than sixteen states, including Nevada, Kansas, and Vermont…. A number of politicians on both the left and right have targeted the endowments of Ivy League schools in recent years. Republican Congressman Tom Reed, who was a vice chair of President Trump’s transition team, warned wealthy colleges last December to spend more of their endowments on financial aid or lose their tax breaks.

Monsanto Tribunal Judges Slam Monsanto over Violation of Human Rights
Sustainable Pulse - [Tuesday] the five international judges for the Monsanto Tribunal presented their legal opinion, which include key conclusions, both on the conduct of Monsanto and on the need for important changes to international laws governing multinational corporations. The judges conclude that Monsanto has engaged in practices that have impinged on the basic human right to a healthy environment, the right to food and the right to health. Additionally, Monsanto’s conduct has a negative impact on the right of scientists to freely conduct indispensable research. The judges also conclude that despite the development of regulations intended to protect the environment, a gap remains between commitments and the reality of environmental protection. International law should now precisely and clearly assert the protection of the environment and establish the crime of ecocide. The Tribunal concludes that if ecocide were formally recognized as a crime in international criminal law, the activities of Monsanto could possibly constitute a crime of ecocide. In the third part of the advisory opinion, the Tribunal focuses on the widening gap between international human rights law and corporate accountability. It calls for the need to assert the primacy of international human and environmental rights law.

Customer Says Bose Wireless Headphones Are Tracking What You Listen To & Sharing That Info Without Permission
Consumerist - According to the complaint [PDF] filed yesterday in a federal court in Illinois, when owners of Bose wireless headsets use the Bose Connect app on their smartphones, it collects the information about the songs you listen to and allegedly transmits this data — along with other identifying information — to third parties. The lawsuit contends this collection and sharing occurs without the users’ permission, and amounts to a “wholesale disregard for consumer privacy rights.” The Bose Connect app is not a music player. Instead, it’s a companion app that is intended to give the owners of various Bose headsets […] more control over their devices.

Antibiotics the Latest Threat to Our Bees
Natural Blaze - The report raised eyebrows with this note: While most of us know about the harm that agricultural pesticides do to bees, few may know that we also douse our bees with antibiotics. Beekeepers do this in much the same way as some doctors do with humans – “just in case”. In large-scale agriculture, particularly in the US and China, bees are essentially ‘factory farmed‘ and beekeepers may apply antibiotics to their hives several times a year – a strategy aimed at preventing bacterial infections that can decimate hives. […] The practice leaves residues of antibiotics in our honey – a potential health hazard for humans who consume the honey – and, of course, it’s bad news for the bees too.

Baby’s Health Rapidly Declines After Receiving 13 Vaccines at One Time – Mom Accused of Abuse for Disagreeing with Doctors
Health Impact News - A young Georgia mother had no idea that a routine trip to the pediatrician’s office for her son’s 1 year check-up would change her son’s life forever, and leave her fighting the state for custody of her own son. When the nurse-practitioner told her that her son was a little behind on his shots and they would need to catch up, Durenda Whitehead didn’t question the need for the vaccines. She did, however, question the safety of giving 13 vaccines at once. Durenda’s pediatrician assured her that it was fine: I can give up to 20 at one time. Durenda was unaware of a research study published in the summer 2016 edition of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons by Neil Z. Miller entitled, “Combining Childhood Vaccines at One Visit Is Not Safe.” In a press release, Miller wrote: Our study showed that infants who receive several vaccines concurrently…are significantly more likely to be hospitalized or die when compared with infants who receive fewer vaccines simultaneously…. Durenda soon learned that doctors are reluctant to look at vaccines as a cause of harm, and she soon found herself in the hospital being confronted with law enforcement taking away her son because she dared to disagree with a doctor.

Magnesium is 'secret key' to good bone health
What Doctors Don't Tell You - Think about improving the health of your bones, and calcium and vitamin D are the obvious choices that come to mind—but magnesium is just as important, a new study has found. Older people who have high levels of magnesium in their blood don't seem to suffer from fractures, while the reverse is true for those with low levels of the mineral, and they are most likely to suffer a hip fracture. Having higher levels of magnesium reduces the risk of a fracture by 44 per cent, say researchers from the Universities of Bristol and Eastern Finland, who tracked the bone health of 2,245 middle-aged men for 20 years. The 22 men who had the highest levels of the mineral didn't suffer any fractures during the length of the study. Relying on the food we eat to raise magnesium levels may not be enough for some people, such as the elderly, those with a bowel disorder, and others taking medication that depletes natural stores of the mineral in the body; for them, taking daily magnesium supplements may be important, say the researchers. However, having low levels of magnesium in the blood doesn't have any symptoms—until there's a fracture. The discovery is important, and could have a big impact on public health costs as fractures are so common in the elderly, and most also seem to suffer from low magnesium levels.

Dandelion Tea Great For Detox and Preventing Cancer
Natural News Blogs - When we talk about the dandelion tea, we are talking about two different teas: an infusion made from the leaves and the other made from the roots. The best way to get all of the benefits is to put the dried root and leaves into a cup of boiling water (cover and let steep for 10 minutes or longer), strain and drink it as is. The more herb you use and the longer you let it steep, the stronger the brew. In Chinese medicine, dandelion is used to support liver health, stimulate urinary function to promote cleansing, but also for bones and joint health. Herbalists often use this plant’s root to cleanse the liver and gallbladder, and the leaves to aid in kidney function and also as a digestive aid…. It is also believed to help prevent age spots and breast cancer. Dandelion is also beneficial for brain health and acts as a neuroprotective agent due to its high luteolin content. You can also use dandelion greens in your salads since it is very rich in nutrients, vitamins (especially beta-carotene and vitamin K), minerals and antioxidants. Do not forget about the flowering part, which is especially rich in phytonutrients.

The FDA Says WALNUTS Are Illegal Drugs…
BolenReport - Note from Tim Bolen – Bill originally wrote this article in 2011. We are re-publishing it for obvious reason. Trump wants the FDA ripped to pieces, and this kind of FDA “nuttyness” is one of the reasons why. The FDA is responsible for regulating 35% of the US economy. We cannot fix US health care without fixing the FDA. It is far worse corrupt then the CDC… In 2010 the FDA determined that walnuts sold by Diamond Foods cannot be legally marketed because the walnuts “are not generally recognized as safe and effective” for the medical conditions referenced on Diamond Foods’s website. According to the FDA, these walnuts were classified as “drugs” and the “unauthorized health claims” cause them to become “misbranded,” thus subjecting them to government “seizure or injunction.” Diamond Foods capitulated and removed statements about the health benefits of walnuts from its website. [Read more…]
 

Wednesday - April 19, 2017 - Patriots' Day

On This Day In History:

1764 - The English Parliament banned the American colonies from printing paper money.
1775 - The American Revolution began as fighting broke out at Lexington, MA.
1802 - The Spanish reopened the New Orleans port to American merchants.
1861 - U.S. President Lincoln ordered a blockade of Confederate ports.
1897 - The first annual Boston Marathon was held. It was the first of its type in the U.S.
1933 - U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a proclamation that removed the U.S. from the gold standard.
1938 - General Francisco Franco declared victory in the Spanish Civil War.
1939 - Connecticut approved the Bill of Rights for the U.S. Constitution after 148 years.
1951 - General Douglas MacArthur gave his "Old Soldiers" speech before the U.S. Congress after being relieved by U.S. President Truman. In the address General MacArthur said that "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away."
1960 - Baseball uniforms began displaying player's names on their backs.
1967 - Surveyor 3 landed on the moon and began sending photos back to the U.S.
1982 - NASA named Sally Ride to be first woman astronaut.
1982 - The U.S. announced a ban on U.S. tourist and business travel to Cuba. The U.S. charged the Cuban government with subversion in Central America.
1989 - A gun turret exploded aboard the USS Iowa. 47 sailors were killed.
1993 - The Branch-Davidian’s compound in Waco, TX, burned to the ground. It was the end of a 51-day standoff between the cult and U.S. federal agents. 86 people were killed including 17 children. Nine of the Branch Davidians escaped the fire.
1994 - A Los Angeles jury awarded $3.8 million to Rodney King for violation of his civil rights.
1995 - The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, OK, was destroyed by a bomb. It was the worst bombing on U.S. territory. 168 people were killed including 19 children, and 500 were injured. Timothy McVeigh was found guilty of the bombing on June 2, 1997.
1998 - Wang Dan, a leader of 1989 Tienanmen Square pro democracy protests, was freed by the Chinese government.
2000 - The Oklahoma City National Memorial was dedicated on the fifth anniversary of the bombing in Oklahoma that killed 168 people.
2002 - The USS Cole was relaunched. In Yemen, 17 sailors were killed when the ship was attacked by terrorists on October 12, 2000. The attack was blamed on Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network.
2011 - Cuba's Communist Party picked 79-year-old Raul Castro to replace his ailing brother Fidel as first secretary during a key Party Congress.

There Will Be Blood: Left Prepares For War After Berkeley Beat Down: “Combat Training, Better Equipment, Guns…”
Mac Slavo - Last week Trump supporters and leftist social justice warriors met on the political field of battle in Berkeley, California. Words were exchanged, as were punches. And while an alt-right leader was punched in the face, by all accounts even the social justice warriors admit that they got a major beat-down. This prompted a reddit discussion among the left’s tolerant resistance movement, with many asking how they can more effectively go to war against anyone who disagrees with their social, political, and economic views. The anti-Trump protesters at the rally were ill-prepared for what they came to Berkeley to confront and now they are trying to figure out ways to ensure it doesn’t happen again. In short, as predicted, they are turning to militancy and mob action by mobilizing individuals and groups to attend combat training seminars, acquiring better equipment like baseball bats and helmets, and of course, if things really go bad… guns…. And though they are, always have been and always will be “tolerant” and “peaceful protesters,” many are now discussing arming themselves so they can go head to head with the “fascist” and “racist” alt-right.

ANTIFA Leftist Group Is Selling Concealed Knives On Their Website For Slicing Conservatives
The GatewayPundit - Following the recent violent mobilization of Antifa in Berkeley, the domestic terror organization has begun to embrace violence as part of its message. There is a visible evil to the entity and sadly it is comprised of young Americans who have adopted a violent, Marxist mentality. They are now selling small, concealed knives and are actively promoting violence in an effort to fight perceived “fascism”. Antifa is a fashionable movement for college “progressives” who have been brainwashed by their professors and now the brainwashing has made its way to the distribution of knives and the promotion of weaponized violence. Democrats, with their #Resist slogan, are encouraging this type of behavior and they refuse to condemn Antifa. The concealed knives for sale have since been removed, but the internet is forever and we have captured screenshots of it. A petition was started in February to declare Antifa a terrorist organization. They were throwing M-80’s, glass bottles and bricks at Trump supporters in Berkeley and now they are selling concealed knives to be used. They must be dealt with.

The Most Controversial DNA Test You’ve Never Heard Of
Activist Post - A vote on whether to approve a proposal that would allow familial DNA searching in certain criminal cases has been delayed by New York state’s Forensic Science Committee. The controversial proposal has been sent back to a special subcommittee to “tighten up the language.” If approved, the new policy would allow police to investigate family members of New Yorkers whose DNA closely matches DNA found at crime scenes. Because familial searching has gotten little to no coverage in mainstream media, many people have no idea what it is — or that it’s already being used in California, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Ohio…. Though familial searching is already being used in ten states and has led to the arrests of numerous violent criminals, it is not always accurate. “Anyone who knows the science understands that there’s a high rate of false positives,” Erin Murphy, a New York University law professor and the author of Inside the Cell: The Dark Side of Forensic DNA told Wired magazine. Further, civil liberties experts have expressed concern that the method violates personal privacy. According to comments from the New York Civil Liberties Union, “criminal suspicion will attach to innocent persons merely because of their biological relation to a person whose DNA is in the state’s databank.”

Man Who Shouted “Allah Akbar” After Murdering Three ‘Hated White People’
Paul Joseph Watson - 39-year-old Kori Ali Muhammad, who shot three people dead in downtown Fresno [TUESDAY] before shouting “Allahu Akbar” also hated white people, according to police. Muhammad fired off 16 shots as he targeted random people in the 300 block of North Van Ness Avenue at 10:45am… The shooter was already wanted in connection with the murder of a security guard outside a motel last week. According to Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer, “Muhammad had expressed hatred toward white people and the government. The chief said he shouted “Allahu Akbar” before turning himself into police,” reports the L.A. Times. Prison Planet.com » Man Who Shouted “Allah Akbar” After Murdering Three ‘Hated White People’ Or was the shooter’s murder spree inspired by ‘Black Lives Matter’ rhetoric that has encouraged violence against white people in the name of social justice? Or was Muhammad simply following through on his belief in the “religion of peace” by taking out a few infidels? Dyer said it was “too early to say whether or not this involves terrorism,” although he acknowledged that Muhammad shouting Allah Akbar “could give that indication”.
* Related: Video: Fresno Terrorist Posted Video Prior to Killing Spree: ‘White Devils’ ‘We Will Continue to Bring Destruction, Allahu Akbar’

Suspect in Facebook video murder kills self in Pennsylvania: police
Reuters - A murder suspect who police said posted a video on Facebook of the killing of a Cleveland man fatally shot himself after a "brief pursuit" by Pennsylvania State Police officers on Tuesday, police said. Steve Stephens was accused of shooting Robert Godwin Sr., 74, on a sidewalk on Sunday before fleeing in a car and uploading a video of the murder to Facebook, becoming the focus of a nationwide manhunt. Pennsylvania State Police officers found Stephens in Erie County, Pennsylvania, after getting a tip around 11 a.m. local time from a "concerned citizen" who saw Stephens at a McDonald’s.

Suspect in Washington state mall shootings found dead in cell
Reuters - The gunman accused of killing five people during a shooting rampage last year inside a Washington state shopping mall has been found dead in his jail cell, a local official said on Monday. Arcan Cetin, who was being held on five counts of aggravated murder, was found hanging in his cell at the Snohomish County jail on Sunday night, according to Rosemary Kaholokula, a prosecutor with the Skagit County prosecutor’s office. He had been evaluated by doctors at Western State psychiatric hospital and the results of the mental competency exam were expected at a hearing next week, she said. Cetin, 20, a Turkish-born legal U.S. resident, confessed to police investigators that he had brought a .22-caliber rifle into a department store at the Cascade Mall in Burlington, Washington, on Sept. 23, 2016, and shot five people. Law enforcement officials said after the shooting that they had found no evidence linking Cetin to any known Islamist militant groups or individuals.

Powerful: Syrian Refugee Tells His Story on How His City Was Gassed with Sarin Poison and Obama Did Nothing (Audio)
The GatewayPundit - The popular conservative radio host Rose of “Rose Unplugged” out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania interviewed Kassem Eid Tuesday on her show. Kassem Eid is a Syrian native who survived the sarin gas attack of August 2013. Waking at 5:00 am, struggling to breathe, pain searing through his body, Kassem realized immediately that he was experiencing a chemical attack. After this horrific experience, Syrians were devastated to discover that President Barack Obama allowed his red line to be broken without consequence. As Sean Spicer correctly noted, even Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons on the battlefield.

Aircraft Carrier Wasn’t Sailing to Deter North Korea, as U.S. Suggested
NY Times - As worries deepened last week about whether North Korea would conduct a missile test, the White House declared that ordering an American aircraft carrier into the Sea of Japan would send a powerful deterrent signal and give President Trump more options in responding to the North’s provocative behavior. The problem was, the carrier, the Carl Vinson, and the four other warships in its strike force were at that very moment sailing in the opposite direction, to take part in joint exercises with the Australian Navy in the Indian Ocean, 3,500 miles southwest of the Korean Peninsula.
* Related: US Deploys Two More Aircraft Carriers Toward Korean Peninsula: Yonhap

‘Ready to fight & win’: US marines deployed to Australia amid N. Korean ‘nuclear threat’
RT - US Marines have begun to touch down in Darwin, in Australia's tropical north, as the first of some 1,250 “stand ready to fight” against North Korea amid warnings that Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program is a “serious threat” to Canberra. The deployment will see the largest US aircraft contingent to Australia in peacetime history, Reuters reports, adding that the 25-year annual deployment program was launched by former US President Barack Obama back in 2011 as part of America's ‘pivot’ to Asia. During the six-month deployment, US Marines will conduct exercises with Australian troops and will also visit Chinese forces. The US Marines’ arrival comes as Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop voiced mounting concerns over North Korea’s nuclear activities. Pyongyang is striving for nuclear weapons and “has a clear ambition to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear payload as far as the US,” Bishop said according to the ABC. That would mean Australia would be in reach so unless it is prevented from doing so, it will be a serious threat to the peace and stability of our region, and that is unacceptable,” she added.

U.S. Scrambles Jets After Russian Bombers Fly Near Alaska
Mikael Thalen - Two nuclear-capable Russian bombers were detected near Alaska Monday evening, reaching as close as 100 miles from Kodiak Island. According to Fox News, the Tu-95 strategic bombers first appeared 280 miles southwest of the Elmendorf Air Force Base, inside the US Air Defense Identification Zone. The U.S. Air Force scrambled two F-22 stealth fighter jets and an E-3 early warning plane to intercept the Russian aircraft. Reportedly, the Tu-95 bombers headed back towards Russia after American jets flew alongside them for 12 minutes. The incident is said to be the first time Russia has sent bombers that close to the U.S. since President Donald Trump took office. A similar incident occurred on July 4, 2015 when two Russian bombers came as close as 40 miles from California.

Mattis confirms ‘deconflicting’ with Russia, seeks political solution for Yemen
RT - The “deconfliction” hotline between the US and Russia is still operational, Defense Secretary James Mattis told reporters on the way to Saudi Arabia, where he is expected to discuss defeating ISIS in Syria and ending the war in Yemen. Mattis is in the Middle East on a weeklong tour, starting with Saudi Arabia, where he landed Tuesday. He is scheduled to meet with the Saudi leadership, including King Salman, and discuss the war effort against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) and the bloodbath in Yemen.

‘Voice of America, Radio Liberty, CNN are tools for US to press Russia’ – State Duma MP
RT - Washington used CNN and Russian-language US outlets Voice of America and Radio Liberty in attempts to meddle into the 2016 Russian elections and the situation in the country in general, the head of a parliamentary lower chamber committee said, urging an investigation. “We are to look into the specific cases of the US attempts to influence the elections in Russia. However, I’d like to remind you, that the agencies in question are parts of a much bigger US system pressing against our country. It uses a wide range of instruments against Russia,” the head of the lower house Committee for Information Policy, Leonid Levin MP (Fair Russia), said at an extended committee meeting on Tuesday. CNN and Voice of America representatives were invited to the meeting as well, however, they didn’t show up, according to Levin.

Up to 2.5 million Turkish votes were possibly ‘manipulated,’ intl observer says
RT - Alev Korun, an Austrian MP and member of the Council of Europe observer mission, said that there is “a suspicion that up to 2.5 million votes could have been manipulated,” as cited by Reuters. Korun also referred to the Turkish electoral authorities’ move to accept as valid around 1.5 million unstamped ballots and envelopes. “Actually, the law only allows official voting envelopes. The highest election authority decided however, as it were against the law, that envelopes without official stamp should be admitted.” The Austrian official was not the first to criticize the step. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which oversaw the referendum, also slammed the decision, stating that it had “significantly changed the ballot validity criteria, undermining an important safeguard and contradicting the law.” On Monday, the Turkish president responded to the OSCE, saying that he “did not see, hear or acknowledge” their reports, while telling the international observers to “know their place.” The main Turkish opposition party announced that they would present their appeal of the vote later on Tuesday, a day after they called for the outcome to be nullified, citing the use of unstamped ballots as well.

VA To Refer Some Vets To CVS MinuteClinics For Care
Consumerist - Veterans Administration, the VA and CVS have partnered for a test program that will have the pharmacy chain’s MinuteClinic urgent care centers treating some veterans for minor injuries and ailments. The program, which will be limited to the Phoenix area at launch but could be expanded, will still require patients to contact a VA help line. Then they may be referred to one of the in-store clinics for minor injuries and illnesses if the nurse answering the phone deems it “medically appropriate.”… The pilot is technically part of the VA’s existing Choice program, which sends veterans to private health care providers at the government’s expense.

Donald Trump’s Latest Executive Order Aims To Make Companies ‘Hire American’
Daily Caller - Donald Trump will sign an executive order in hopes of favoring American workers by reforming the H-1B visa program and minimizing exceptions to the Buy American Act of 1933, which requires the federal government to favor U.S.-made products when funding projects. The president is scheduled to sign the two-part order — Buy American and Hire American — after delivering remarks at a tool manufacturing company in Wisconsin Tuesday. The first part of the executive order — Hire American — seeks to enforce the H-1B visa program so it “serves the national interest” by awarding visas to the most-skilled and highest-paid applicants without bypassing American workers who are qualified for those jobs. Though Trump vowed to end the H-1B visa program as a candidate, a senior administration official said the order instructs the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Labor, the Department of Justice and State Department to propose reforms to the program to prevent fraud and abuse in the immigration system.

School-issued devices allow the Feds to spy on everything students have ever done
MassPrivate I - The Feds, and educational technology (edtech) companies are using tablets and laptops to spy on students from kindergarten through college. Students, teachers, administrators and librarians across the country are being forced to use school-issued tablets and laptops which use educational cloud services that spy on everything. According to a EFF's “Spying on Students” report, more than 30 million students, teachers, and administrators use Google’s education suite of software. According to the report, students are being given Google login ID's with no option to opt-out. EFF's report warns, these device spy on everyone and keep their information indefinitely. Imagine big brother having an intimate and detailed knowledge of everyone's entire education from PreK-12 and beyond. EFF warns, school-issued devices know everyone's name, student ID, date of birth, their browsing history, their search terms, their location, their contact lists, their graduation dates, and behavioral information. EFF also warns, some school programs upload this data to the cloud automatically by default.

The cancer-causing chemical lurking in YOUR shower: Senators urge FDA to ban dangerous toxin used in scores of bathing products
Daily Mail - The toxic substance - 1,4-dioxane - is used in a number of bath products including most pharmacy-stocked shower gels, lotions and even hand soaps. Despite being identified as a carcinogen, companies are not required to list it on their product labels…. Although there are a limited number of studies, research has shown that laboratory rats that breathed vapors of 1,4-dioxane during most of their lives developed cancer inside the nose and abdominal cavity. Additionally, laboratory rats and mice that drank water containing 1,4-dioxane during most of their lives developed liver cancer. Because of this, the US Department of Health and Human Services considers 1,4-dioxane to be a human carcinogen. The Environmental Working Group counts at least 8,000 products on the market in the US with ingredients that may contain 1,4-dioxane. … Now, New York senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand are calling on the FDA to ban it, saying it doesn't have a real purpose in cosmetics…. The senators have also proposed in the new state budget that water providers test regularly for it and two other contaminants found in wells on Long Island or elsewhere in New York, possibly the first such state law in the nation.

Quercetin protects against toxic effects of pesticides
(NaturalHealth365) Research has linked excessive and prolonged pesticide exposure to cancer, endocrine disorders, respiratory problems, birth defects, and organ failure – as well as neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Now, it appears that a plant pigment, quercetin, may help to neutralize the damage from toxic pesticides…. Quercetin is a flavonoid and powerful antioxidant that occurs naturally in plants – and helps to defend them against temperature extremes, toxins and disease…. Quercetin combats toxicity through several different mechanisms. The flavonoid preserves the metabolism of energy, of fatty acids and of sex hormones. It also reduces oxidative stress, protects against damage to cell DNA, and helps support kidney and liver function. In a study published in June of 2016 in NeuroReport, researchers found that the oral administration of quercetin-enriched onion powder for four weeks significantly enhanced memory in early-stage Alzheimer’s disease patients…. In addition, quercetin boosts natural defense systems by activating glutathione – the body’s premier antioxidant – and by increasing levels of paraoxonase 2, a potent scavenger of the free radicals that damage cell mitochondrial membranes…. You can increase your dietary intake of quercetin by eating organic citrus fruits, onions, apples, berries, grapes, and dark cherries. Quercetin is present in tea and red wine as well. Quercetin is also available in capsules and tablets, with usual dosages ranging from 150 to 400 mgs a day.

Antibiotics Increase Bowel Cancer Rates
Dr. Mercola - New research shows women who had used antibiotics for two months or more were at an increased risk of developing colon polyps, which can be a precursor to colorectal cancer. Those who used the drugs for a total of at least two months in their 20s and 30s had a 36 percent increased risk of polyps compared to those who did not. Among women who used the drugs long-term in their 40s and 50s, the risk of polyps increased by 70 percent. Even taking antibiotics for 15 days or more, at any age range, was associated with an increased risk of polyps…. Research also suggests that people who eat the most red meat (in one study this was five ounces a day) have a 24 percent greater risk of colorectal cancer than those who eat the least. Red meat is likely not the problem in and of itself, however; the way it's cooked, and the source it comes from, likely play a role. Grass fed beef, for instance, contains cancer-fighting compounds.

Heroic ‘Cat Man of Aleppo’ Takes Care of Dogs & Zoo Animals, Too
The Catington Post - You’re probably familiar with the story of the heroic “Cat Man of Aleppo,” Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, who has been caring for the stray and lost cats in war-torn Syria. Back in November, we reported that his sanctuary in Aleppo had been ravaged by bombs, killing some of the cats and a dog. Bombs also destroyed Alaa’s home, and that’s when his family made the decision to flee the country to Turkey. He stayed behind and immediately made plans to open a new sanctuary for the animals. By February, Alaa had found a place to open a new cat sanctuary. Now, in addition to all the cats he’s collected, Alaa even has a bunch of dogs and puppies to care for, too. Most recently, the director of Aleppo’s Aalim al-Sahar Zoo asked Alaa if he could do anything for two tigers, two bears, and a handful of monkeys that remain behind bars there. Sadly, those animals are slowly starving in their cages without any way for a rescue group to come in to get them out. Of course, Alaa agreed to help, and he’s been feeding them and trying to find a way to get the animals to Turkey.
 

Tuesday - April 18, 2017

On This Day In History:

1676 - Sudbury, Massachusetts, was attacked by Indians.
1775 - American revolutionaries Paul Revere, William Dawes and Samuel Prescott rode though the towns of Massachusetts giving the warning that the Regulars were coming out. Later, the phrase "the British are coming" was attributed to Revere even though it is unlikely he used that wording.
1791 - National Guardsmen prevented Louis XVI and his family from leaving Paris.
1818 - A regiment of Indians and blacks were defeated at the Battle of Suwann, in Florida, ending the first Seminole War.
1847 - U.S. troops defeated almost 17,000 Mexican soldiers commanded by Santa Anna at Cerro Gordo. (Mexican-American War)
1861 - Colonel Robert E. Lee turned down an offer to command the Union armies during the U.S. Civil War.
1923 - Yankee Stadium opened in the Bronx, NY. The Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 4-1.
1934 - The first Laundromat opened in Fort Worth, TX.
1938 - Superman made his debut when he appeared in the first issue of Action Comics. (Cover date June 1938)
1942 - James H. Doolittle and his squadron, from the USS Hornet, raided Tokyo and other Japanese cities.
1943 - Traveling in a bomber, Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, was shot down by American P-38 fighters.
1945 - American war correspondent Ernie Pyle(44) was killed by Japanese gunfire on the Pacific island of Ie Shima, off Okinawa.
1946 - The League of Nations was dissolved.
1978 - The U.S. Senate approved the transfer of the Panama Canal to Panama on December 31, 1999.
1983 - The U.S. Embassy in Beirut was blown up by a suicide car-bomber. 63 people were killed including 17 Americans.
2002 - The city legislature of Berlin decided to make Marlene Dietrich an honorary citizen. Dietrich had gone to the United States in 1930. She refused to return to Germany after Adolf Hitler came to power.

Microsoft for first time acknowledges receiving secretive request for user data
Washington Times - Microsoft for the first time ever Thursday disclosed receiving a National Security Letter, making the tech titan the latest of its ilk to acknowledge being served with a secret request for customer data. The FBI can compel businesses, banks and other entities to surrender all sorts of sensitive customer records with a National Security Letter, or NSL, without seeking or obtaining judicial approval. The requests are typically accompanied by gag orders that prevent recipients from acknowledging their existence as well, but passage of the USA Freedom Act in 2015 allows those orders to be eventually lifted after the fact if the FBI agrees…. In disclosing the NSL, Microsoft joins other companies that have revealed receiving similar requests upon passage of the USA Freedom Act, including Yahoo, Google, Cloudflare and the Internet Archive. The FBI issued more than 400,000 NSLs between 2003 and 2011, the Justice Department said previously. In addition to acknowledging the 2014 request, Microsoft said in Thursday’s report that it received 25,837 requests for user data from law enforcement agencies around the world between July and December 2016, including mostly requests out of the U.S. and Europe.

Trump has been easing Obama-era gun restrictions. You just may not have heard
McClatchy - With little attention, President Donald Trump’s administration has been quietly loosening firearms restrictions in the United States after successfully seeking the support of gun owners on the campaign trail. His agencies narrowed the definition of “fugitive,” a change that cuts the number of people who’ll be included in a database designed to keep firearms from people who are barred from owning them. Federal officials have also signaled that they may no longer defend the Army Corps of Engineers’ ban on carrying loaded firearms and ammunition on federal lands. Trump signed a bill behind closed doors that killed an Obama-era regulation that required the government to add to the no-buy list people whom the Social Security Administration has deemed eligible for mental disability payments. He signed another one that lifted restrictions on hunting on federal lands in Alaska. With Republicans in control of the White House and Congress, gun rights groups are on the offensive for the first time in years, aggressively looking to push a series of new laws on Capitol Hill and regulations in various federal agencies to ease restrictions.

Bill Would Nullify Obama Plot to "Diversify" Your Neighborhood
The New American - Legislation has been introduced in Congress to defund and overturn a controversial Obama administration decree from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to transform and “diversify” American neighborhoods under the direction of Big Brother…. And the measure would end a “geospatial database” mandated under the scheme to track the racial and income composition of each area, a key element of the scheme to redistribute people based on their melanin content and earnings…. Under the expansive regulations, cities and towns that accept federal money from the HUD would be required to submit to vast federal controls over their policy decisions. For instance, if a community receives an HUD grant, the AFFH [Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Act] purports to mandate costly demographic analyses at the local and regional level to determine whether there are enough low-income and minority residents living in each neighborhood, as defined by HUD bureaucrats. The giant database would include records on residents including income, race, color, religion, national origin, and much more.

Signed Into Law: Montana To Limit License Plate Tracking and Warrantless Electronic Data Collection
Activist Post - Montana Gov. Steve Bullock signed two bills into law that will increase privacy protections in the state and hinder at least two federal surveillance programs…. HB149 prohibits the use of ALPRs [Automated License Plate Readers] except for specified purposes…. Under the new statute, law enforcement agencies will be allowed to use ALPRs for specified law enforcement purposes only. These include identifying stolen vehicles, locating missing persons, locating individuals with outstanding warrants, locating vehicles involved in homicides or other major crimes, and “case-specific investigative surveillance.” Any data collected by an ALPR cannot be stored from more than 90 days without a preservation request, or a state or federal warrant. A preservation request will only be valid for one year and will have to be renewed for continuing data storage…. HB147 prohibits any state or local government unit from obtaining the stored data of an electronic device without a warrant, unless it has the consent of the owner or authorized user of the device, or in accordance with judicially recognized exceptions to warrant requirements. The law will also allow police to access electronic data if the owner has already made the stored data public, or if there exists a possible life-threatening situation. Any data obtained in violation of the law will likely be inadmissible in court. The bill also includes provisions authorizing the state attorney general to apply for an injunction or to commence a civil action against any government entity to compel compliance with the law.

Steve Stephens suspect in Facebook Live killing, Cleveland Police say
Washington Times - The search for a suspected killer who posted gruesome Facebook video of a fatal Cleveland shooting put authorities in surrounding states on the lookout Monday after police said the man might have left Ohio. Cleveland police allege 37-year-old Steve Stephens, a case manager at a behavioral health agency, shot a 74-year-old passer-by on Sunday in an apparently random attack…. Police said early Monday that Godwin is the only victim so far linked to Stephens, despite the suspect’s claim in a separate video on Facebook that he killed over a dozen people…. Authorities have warned people in Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana and Michigan to be alert for him, and the FBI is assisting in the investigation.

US Deploys Two More Aircraft Carriers Toward Korean Peninsula
Zero Hedge - According to a report by South Korea's primary news outlet, Yonhap, the Pentagon has directed a total of three US aircraft carriers toward the Korean Peninsula, citing a South Korean government source. Yonhap reports that in addition to the CVN-70 Carl Vinson, which is expected to arrive off the South Korean coast on April 25, the CVN-76 Ronald Reagan - currently in home port in Yokosuka, Japan - and the CVN-68 Nimitz carrier group - currently undergoing final pre-deployment assessment, Composite Training Unit Exercise off Oregon - will enter the Sea of Japan next week. According to the senior government official. the US and South Korea are discussing joint drills, which will include the three aircraft carriers and other ships…. While details are scarce, and we would urge confirmation from US-based sources, Yonhap also reports that according to the government source the operation of three aircraft carriers in the same location is unusual, and demonstrates the US commitment to North Korea. Other sources said the Trump administration is demonstrating deterrence by acting on its behalf. "We expect it to be completely different from the previous administration."

North Korea 'will test missiles weekly', senior official tells BBC
BBC News - "We'll be conducting more missile tests on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis," Vice-Foreign Minister Han Song-ryol told the BBC's John Sudworth. He said that an "all-out war" would result if the US took military action…. Mr Han told the BBC: "If the US is planning a military attack against us, we will react with a nuclear pre-emptive strike by our own style and method."…. China has reiterated its call for North Korea to stop all tests, and has also called for a peaceful solution. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters in Beijing on Monday that the Korean peninsula was "highly sensitive, complicated and high risk" and that all sides should "avoid taking provocative actions that pour oil on the fire". On Sunday, Lt Gen HR McMaster, the US top security adviser, said his country was working on a "range of options" with China, the first confirmation the two countries were co-operating to find a solution to the North Korean issue. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would not tolerate "missile adventures by Pyongyang" but a unilateral use of power by the US would be "a very risky course".

MIT Expert, Fmr DoD Science Advisor Release Damning Report: "Syrian Gas Attack Was Staged"
The Free Thought Project - A leading weapons academic, and one of the foremost experts in the field has come forward in a series of reports noting his opposition to the official story in regards to the Khan Sheikhoun nerve agent attack in Syria. According to the expert, the Syrian gas attack was staged…. [Theodore] Postol isn’t your run-of-the-mill adjunct professor. He’s arguably the leading expert in the field of missile fired chemical weapons…. As the IB Times reports, Postol concluded that the US government’s report does not provide any “concrete” evidence that Assad was responsible, adding it was more likely that the attack was perpetrated by players on the ground…. As the IB Times points out, Postol, formerly a scientific advisor at the Department of Defense (DoD), has previously outlined similar inconsistencies with US intelligence reports. Following the 2013 chemical weapons attack in eastern Ghouta. Postol again said the evidence did not suggest Assad was responsible – a finding that was later corroborated by the United Nations…. Postol said: “No competent analyst would miss the fact that the alleged sarin canister was forcefully crushed from above, rather than exploded by a munition within it. “All of these highly amateurish mistakes indicate that this White House report, like the earlier Obama White House Report [from Ghouta in 2013], was not properly vetted by the intelligence community as claimed.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan granted sweeping powers in Turkish referendum vote
Washington Times - If it stands, the vote will mark a rare moment in post-World War II history in which a nation once moving toward democracy seems to have taken a dramatic step backward. The referendum would expand the Turkish president’s power by effectively dissolving the office of prime minister and allowing the executive branch that Mr. Erdogan already oversees to absorb many of the authorities of the nation’s legislature. The Turkish president will be allowed to appoint government ministers and one-third of the nation’s judges and have the power to declare national emergencies and dissolve parliament. Perhaps most notably, he will be legally authorized to stand anew for elections himself for two five-year terms — potentially extending his grip on the presidency until 2029. While state-run media reported Sunday night that roughly 51.3 percent of votes cast favored the constitutional changes, with 48.7 percent voting against, there was some uncertainty surrounding the tally. In an unprecedented and last-minute decision heading into the vote, the Supreme Election Commission had said it would accept as valid ballots that didn’t have official government stamps on them. Opposition leaders, who’d stood against expanding Mr. Erdogan’s powers, pounced on the development, saying it left the referendum with serious legitimacy problems.
* Related: Erdogan says resumption of death penalty could be up for referendum next

Maduro orders Venezuela army into streets
Yahoo News - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has ordered the army into the streets as the volatile country braces for what his opponents vow will be the "mother of all protests" on Wednesday. Maduro, who has faced violent protests over recent moves to tighten his grip on power, ordered the military to defend the leftist "Bolivarian revolution" launched by his late mentor Hugo Chavez in 1999…. State TV showed images of army units marching in the streets of Caracas as Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino watched. But there was no sign of soldiers on patrol Monday morning in the capital…. Maduro is fighting off the center-right opposition's efforts to force him from power amid an economic crisis that has sparked severe food shortages, riots and looting. Opposition leaders have urged the military -- a pillar of Maduro's power -- to turn on the socialist president. Maduro denounced his opponents as "traitors" and called the new deployment a sign of the military's "honor, unity and revolutionary committment."

'Germany Is a Nation of Immigrants': Employers' Unions Demand Open Borders
Breitbart - Declaring that Germany is in desperate need of migrants, the head of the umbrella group for employers’ associations has demanded the nation loosen border controls and recognise itself to be an “immigration country”. “Germany is an immigration country. And Germany has to be made aware of this situation,” said Ingo Kramer, president of the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA)…. The Bremerhaven-born entrepreneur admitted, however, that this was not easy at a time when “there is some unease about migration - at least on the right of the political spectrum, because of the refugee crisis”. But Kramer … warned that the alternative would mean ‘trying to keep Germany going as an economic powerhouse with fewer people’…. A paper unveiled in November last year by Commissioner for Immigration, Refugees and Integration, Aydan Özoğuz, sought to enshrine in the nation’s constitution that Germany is “a diverse country of immigration”. But Historian Klaus-Rüdiger May warned that the demands of the document, which was developed by more than fifty migrant organisations, would bankrupt businesses, pensions, and the country, and would make native Germans second class citizens in their own homeland.

Iraq vet sues Army in class-action suit over PTSD-related discharges
RT - A decorated veteran diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following the Iraq war has filed a class-action lawsuit against the US Army, saying he has scant ability to upgrade his "under honorable" discharge given to him as he wrestled with PTSD. Lead plaintiff Stephen Kennedy, recipient of the Army Achievement Medal and founder of the Connecticut chapter of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, filed the suit on Monday in US District Court, calling on the Army to adjust its procedures for assessing discharge status of veterans who have been diagnosed with PTSD after stints in America's latest ground wars, according to Connecticut Health I-Team (C-HIT). The class-action suit could affect tens of thousands of the Army's Iraq and Afghanistan war vets who, since April 2002, were discharged with classifications including General Under Honorable and Other Than Honorable but who were diagnosed with service-related PTSD after the discharge, according to Helen White, attorney for the plaintiffs and student at the Yale Law School Veterans Legal Services Clinic. The lawsuit alleges that the Army has not followed its own policies that aim to allow vets who have been diagnosed with PTSD following an under honorable discharge to retroactively upgrade their discharge status. In 2014, then-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel instituted new rules directing military review boards to offer "liberal consideration" to such vets who seek to renew their discharge status based on a PTSD diagnosis. Less-than-honorable discharges come with high stakes for veterans, making them ineligible to receive G.I. bill benefits while affecting their ability to re-enter the Army, access health care provisions and property tax exemptions as well as other perks offered to vets.

Trump to sign bill extending veterans' health care program
CNS News - President Donald Trump plans to sign legislation to extend temporarily a program that gives veterans access to private-sector health care. White House spokesman Sean Spicer says Trump will sign the bill Wednesday at the White House. The extension will provide stopgap services while Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin develops a longer-term plan to allow veterans to more easily go outside the VA medical system for care. Under the bill, the VA will be allowed to operate its Choice program until the funding runs out. The program is set to expire in August without the legislation, and with nearly $1 billion in the account. The Choice program was developed after a 2014 scandal over wait times at the VA medical center in Phoenix. Some veterans died.

Boeing To Layoff Hundreds Of US-Based Engineers
The Daily Caller - Boeing Corporation plans to fire hundreds of U.S.-based engineers in 2017, with the possibility of eliminating even more jobs going forward, Bloomberg reports. The company announced a major shakeup in December when it said it planned to terminate at least 1,800 employees through a stream of voluntary buyouts in the Washington state area in 2017. The cutbacks were reportedly in response to weakening sales of its jets, among other factors. Boeing’s total revenue for 2016 fell to 94.57 billion, a 1.6 percent decrease from 2015. The company also slowed its output for two of its signature jetliners. In total, Boeing laid off nearly 7,400 people in Washington alone and dropped its total headcount by 7.6 percent in 2016. Company executives warn that further labor roll backs could be in order, depending on how sales rebound and the number of workers who voluntarily leave the firm.

Americans Owe $1 Trillion in Credit Card Debt
Breitbart - Federal Reserve data released April 7 shows that U.S. consumers owe $1.0004 trillion on credit cards, up 6.2 percent from a year ago and 0.3 percent from January, according to Dow Jones newswires. The credit card debt level is at its highest since January 2009, according to the data. The New York Post reports that U.S. consumers who do not pay off their credit card bill each month carry an average monthly balance of about $9,600. Furthermore, credit card borrowers are now paying $1,254 a year in interest on average. That is $69 more a year in interest than last year, when a credit card holder making minimum payments forked over $1,185 in annual interest, according to Ben Woolsey of CreditCards.com.

Full disclosure: Google Hire could allow employers to see your entire browsing history
RT - Google’s latest creation aimed at the recruitment market could give bosses the ability to do full, uncensored background checks. Google Hire, the Internet giant’s new recruitment tool that allows employers to manage job applications, has sparked fears that recruiters could access applicants’ entire browsing history. Touted as a recruitment tool, like Linkedin, Google Hire would allow employers to place job ads and manage applications through the product. The product’s sign-in page has an option to connect through a personal Google account, which has prompted fears that employers could be able to access your search history and Youtube subscriptions. Google, however, hasn’t given much away about the new venture, so it is unclear exactly what employers will be able to search for when looking for potential hires. The ‘Applicant-Tracking System’ (ATS) that Google uses to manage the tracking for its own job applicants has now been repurposed to create a new revenue stream for the company.

Google Robo-Tool Flags Conservative Comments as “Toxic”
Kit Daniels - Perspective API, a “machine learning model” developed by Google which scores “the perceived impact a comment might have on a conversation” in the comment section of a news article, ranks comments based on their “toxicity.” But when testing out its algorithm, Perspective generally scores conservative and libertarian comments as more “toxic” than establishment talking points…. Perspective has been used by establishment news outlets including the Guardian, the New York Times and the Economist. “News organizations want to encourage engagement and discussion around their content, but find that sorting through millions of comments to find those that are trolling or abusive takes a lot of money, labour and time,” said Jared Cohen, president of Jigsaw, the Google affiliate behind Perspective. “As a result, many sites have shut down comments altogether, but they tell us that isn’t the solution they want.”… So what better way to control the narrative than by promoting pro-establishment comments while burying conservative and libertarian counterpoints?… Additionally, Google has hired contractors to bury or outright ban Infowars.com from its search engines, according to investigative journalist Mike Cernovich who was given leaked documents.

Killing Privacy Is Fine Because "Nobody's Got To Use The Internet," House Rep Says
Consumerist - This week’s gem comes from Wisconsin Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, who doesn’t think anyone actually needs to use the internet for anything and that opting out of the 21st century is a valid “choice” for consumers. Sensenbrenner’s quip came as a response to an attendee at a town hall event asking a straightforward question about why he was one of the 215 members of the House who voted to kill off the FCC’s ISP privacy rule…. You have the option, once online, to connect or not to connect to any services you want. If you don’t like the way Google and Facebook collect and use your data, then you can bypass them and use other services and tools to keep your digital footprints to yourself, at least in theory. But millions upon millions of Americans have exactly one “choice” for broadband service to their homes, and so can’t comparison-shop to pick which provider we like better based on their privacy policies (or cost, customer service, connection speed, or anything else). Also, once you have subscribed to a particular service, you can’t just stop sending your internet traffic through it suddenly if it begins doing something you don’t like. Sensenbrenner’s response to this, however, was less than useful. “Well, again,” he said, “Nobody’s got to use the internet, at all.”

Farmers In India Use Coca-Cola And Pepsi As A Cheaper Alternative To Pesticides
Blacklisted News - The Center for Science and Environment (CSE), which is one of India's leading voluntary agencies, claims that the soft drinks produced in India, including those with the brand names Pepsi and Coca-Cola, contain extremely high levels of pesticide residues, and due to this, farmers use them to fight pests as they are cheaper than the conventional pesticides. In the third countries, it is cheaper to buy Coke than to find clean water. This drink has been tested due to its cleaning effects, and it has been found to be quite effective in cleaning oil stains, tile grout and even strip paint off the cabinets. In 2003, the CSE analyzed samples from 12 major soft drink manufacturers and discovered that all of them had residues of 4 extremely toxic pesticides and insecticides, lindane, DDT, malathion and chlorpyrifos.

Brain-damaging vaccines, pesticides and medicines generate nearly $800 billion a year in medical revenues
(Natural News) The current estimated annual cost for nine of the most common neurological disorders in the U.S. was a hefty $789 billion, a recent paper revealed. According to the paper, these conditions include Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, traumatic brain injury and Parkinson’s disease, as well as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injury. Researchers also projected that health care costs associated with brain damage will continue to increase as the number of elderly patients were expected to double between 2011 and 2050. Data showed that medical costs related to dementia and stroke alone were estimated to be more than $600 billion by 2030…. Mounting evidence point to certain medications as risk factors in developing some of the most debilitating neurological conditions in the country. A study published in the JAMA Internal Medicine found a correlation between long-term use of anticholinergic medications like Benadryl and the onset of dementia. Anticholinergic drugs were shown to inhibit the action of acetylcholine, an organic chemical that plays a crucial role in learning and memory…. . Potentially toxic substances found in vaccines may also play a key role in the development of brain damage. For instance, traces of aluminum in vaccines were linked to the Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions. Aluminum, a toxic metal and a known neurotoxin, is often used as an adjuvant agent vaccines.

Video: DON’T VACCINATE; Until You Are Prepared
Sound Health - BioAcoustic PreVaccination Risk Factors Examined… Over 4 Billion* US Tax-Payer dollars have been paid out in compensation for vaccine damage to children. Yet we are supposed to believe that immunizations do no harm. … pharmaceutical companies rake-in millions from sales but if those same vaccines hurt, maim or handicap someone, it is the consumer who foots the bill for Government mandated vaccines that have been shown to cause harm. What is needed here, and we have suggested it many times, is a way to pre-screen everyone for potential vaccine damage. Join us [Tuesday at 6 pm] as we discuss the need for citizens to band together to reverse the horrific mandates that state that everyone will be required to be vaccinated or face quarantine. We will discuss the BioAcoustics software program, PreVac, designed to use biofrequencies to pre-screen individuals for frequencies thought to be associated with vaccine damage.

Two Varieties of Party Animal Pet Food tests positive for Pentobarbital
Truth about Pet Food - A pet owner in Texas has provided TruthaboutPetFood.com with the lab results from testing two varieties of Party Animal Pet Food. Both varieties tested positive for pentobarbital. The pet is a foster dog – being cared for by a very alert and caring foster Mom. Thankfully, the little dog survived. The pet food tested was: Party Animal CocoLicious – Beef/Turkey – LOT #0136E15204 04 – Pentobarbital Positive. Party Animal CocoLicious – Chicken/Beef – LOT #0134E15 237 13 – Pentobarbital Positive. The manufacturer of the pet food was notified on April 13th – Evanger’s Pet Food (is the manufacturer, co-packer) and Party Animal Pet Food. The FDA was notified today (by me – provided FDA with the lab results and the contact information for the pet owner)…. Until this pet food is recalled, please alert any pet owners you know that provides their pet Party Animal pet food.
* Related: Evanger’s Braised Beef and Against the Grain’s Pulled Beef Products due to potential adulteration with pentobarbital
 

Monday - April 17, 2017

On This Day In History:

1629 - Horses were first imported into the colonies by the American Massachusetts Bay Colony.
1808 - Bayonne Decree by Napoleon I of France ordered the seizure of U.S. ships.
1860 - New Yorkers learned of a new law that required fire escapes to be provided for tenement houses.
1861 - Virginia became the eighth state to secede from the Union.
1864 - U.S. Civil War General Grant banned the trading of prisoners.
1865 - Mary Surratt was arrested as a conspirator in the Lincoln assassination.
1916 - The American Academy of Arts and Letters obtained a charter from the U.S. Congress.
1917 - A bill in Congress to establish Daylight Saving Time was defeated. It was passed a couple of months later.
1941 - The office of Price Administration was established in the U.S. to handle rationing.
1961 - About 1,400 U.S.-supported Cuban exiles invaded Cuba at the Bay of Pigs in an attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro. It was an unsuccessful attack.
1964 - Jerrie Mock became first woman to fly an airplane solo around the world.
1964 - The Ford Motor Company unveiled its new Mustang model.
1967 - The U.S. Supreme Court barred Muhammad Ali's request to be blocked from induction into the U.S. Army.
1969 - In Los Angeles, Sirhan Sirhan was convicted of assassinating U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
1975 - Khmer Rouge forces capture the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. It was the end of the five-year war.
1985 - In Lebanon, the cabinet resigned as Shiites took W. Beirut.
1993 - A federal jury in L.A. convicted 2 former police officers of violating the civil rights of beaten motorist Rodney King. 2 other officers were acquitted.
1996 - Erik and Lyle Menendez were sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing their parents.
2002 - At the National Maritime Museum in London, the exhibit "Skin Deep - A History of Tattooing" opened.

Gen. McMaster: ‘All Options’ On The Table for North Korea
Infowars - National Security Adviser Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster said Sunday that all options are on the table in regards to North Korea. McMaster described the problem as “coming to a head” and said the US is still attempting to use other means to diffuse the situation. “The President has made clear that he will not accept the United States and its allies and partners in the region being under threat from this hostile regime with nuclear weapons,” McMaster said. “And so we’re working together with our allies and partners, and with the Chinese leadership, to develop a range of options.” The National Security Council, the State Department, intelligence agencies and the Pentagon are currently providing options to the Trump administration in case North Korea’s pattern of destabilizing behavior continues.” “In the coming weeks, months, I think there’s a great opportunity for all of us… to take action short of armed conflict so we can avoid the worst,” McMaster added. McMaster’s comments follow a failed missile launch by the regime Sunday just hours after the country’s annual military parade. While the reason for the failure remains uncertain, numerous reports suggest that the Trump administration may have used cyber attacks, part of a program first revealed by The New York Times last March, targeting missile launch systems. Trump is currently working with China, South Korea, Japan and others to deter North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. The Communist regime is believed to be preparing for a sixth nuclear test as well.

U.S. Putting Boots on the Ground in Somalia for First Time in 24 Years
The AntiMedia - In October 1993, during the Battle of Mogadishu (the Black Hawk Down incident), 18 US soldiers were killed and 73 wounded, with a pair of Black Hawk helicopters shot down. The US responded by ceasing military operations, and within a few months had withdrawn all troops from Somalia. Today, they are headed back. The new deployment, which US African Command (AFRICOM) is presented as a simple training operation, will be the first time US ground troops are officially deployed to Somalia, though of course the US has had some special forces present on the ground on and off, conducting occasional operations and spotting for US airstrikes. AFRICOM also insists the new deployment was at the request of the Somali government, though indications in recent weeks has indicated that military officials have been pushing for an escalation of US intervention in the country at any rate, aimed at fighting al-Shabaab.

How much the US's 'mother of all bombs' really costs
Business Insider - The US's Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb does not cost $314 million, or $16 million, but $170,000 a unit, the US Air Force told Business Insider on Friday. The weapon, whose acronym inspired the nickname "Mother of All Bombs," was produced by the Air Force, not by a third party like Lockheed or Boeing, "so we don't have a standard procurement cost associated with them," an Air Force official said. The $170,000 figure makes sense considering a general-purpose 1,000-pound MK-83 costs about $12,000. The MOAB simply features more high explosives and larger fins to direct the GPS-guided munition. Many outlets, including The New York Times and Business Insider, inaccurately stated the cost of the MOAB as being in the millions.

Trump Moves to Stabilize the Obamacare Exchanges
Breitbart - HHS will make changes to the individual insurance marketplace to prevent insurers from leaving the Obamacare exchanges or raising insurance premiums next year…. The new rule includes several changes insurers requested to keep them in the insurance marketplace: Shortening the sign-up period for 2018 by half, lasting from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15; Requiring people who sign up for coverage in special enrollment periods to prove they qualify. This rule will cut down on people who only sign up for coverage once they get sick; Allowing insurers to require people to pay past-due premiums before enrolling in a new plan with the same insurer the following year; [and] Allowing insurers the flexibility to offer health plans with fewer options…. Insurers threatened to raise premiums or leave the Obamacare exchanges if they no longer receive the Obamacare reimbursements for offering discounted deductibles and copayments for lower-income Americans. The White House will continue to provide these cost-sharing subsidies, although Trump signaled that he might cancel the reimbursements to force Democrats to sign a deal on health care reform.

Trump Administration’s First Immigrant Detention Center Goes Up in Texas
Breitbart - The GEO group announced in a press release on Thursday that it has been awarded a contract by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the construction and operation of a 1,000-bed detention facility located in Conroe, Texas, which is just north of Houston. Under the ten-year, $110 million-dollar contract with ICE, GEO is expected to, “design, finance, build, and operate the company-owned Facility.”

New York to Spend Millions of Taxpayer Dollars on Refugees
Breitbart - This year’s budget for the State of New York includes $2 million to pay for the resettlement of foreign refugees. Cities taking in refugees receive the funds to pay for their resettlement, according to WKBW News. Additionally, New York is expected to extend the refugee resettlement assistance period from 90 days to five months, making it one of the most pro-refugee states in the U.S. Foreign refugees inundated Western New York during the last few years, arriving primarily from Muslim-majority nations. Erie County took in 36 percent of all the refugees resettled in the state last year. In this Fiscal Year, alone, New York has seen 2,302 refugees resettled in the state, with 566 of those refugees arriving in the state after President Donald Trump was inaugurated, according to federal records.

21 arrested as hundreds of Trump supporters and counter-protesters clash at Berkeley rally
LA Times - Hundreds of pro-Trump demonstrators and counter-protesters clashed Saturday at a “Patriots Day” rally in Berkeley, the third time the groups engaged in violent confrontations on city streets in recent months. Fistfights broke out near Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, where Trump supporters had scheduled a rally. Fireworks and smoke bombs were thrown into the crowd, and a few demonstrators were doused with pepper spray…. About 250 police officers were deployed to the scene by mid-afternoon after officials sought assistance from the neighboring Oakland Police Department. Twenty-one people were arrested, including some on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, according to Officer Byron White of the Berkeley Police Department. Eleven people were injured with at least six taken to a hospital for treatment, including one stabbing victim. Police confiscated knives, stun guns and poles, White said. Stewart Rhodes, founder of the citizen militia group known as the Oath Keepers, said he came from Montana with about 50 others to protect Trump supporters. They were joined by bikers and others who vowed to fight members of an anti-fascist group if they crossed police barricades.

Latino Trump Supporter To Run Against Maxine Waters
The GatewayPundit - Maxine Waters has been in the news a lot lately because she’s constantly criticizing Trump. As a result, she has become a new darling of the left. Now she has a Republican challenger for the next election named Omar Navarro. He’s a Latino and a Trump supporter!… Omar plans to build and follow in the footsteps of his friend and colleague, Jack M Guerrero, who was victorious March 7th in his bid for city council in the City of Cudahy. I believe you can stand your ground, even while smeared by corrupt opponents, and run for office in a city with a high registration of Democrats and win as a Republican.“The County Democratic machine has more of a reason to see why they are not relevant in Los Angeles anymore.”

University students vote to make American flag optional
Todd Starnes - The UC [University of California] Davis Student Senate passed legislation revoking a long-standing rule that required the American flag "stand visibly" at every senate meeting. "It shall not be compulsory for the flag of the United State (sic) of America to be displayed at the ASUCD Senate meetings," the new legislation declares. Ironically, the author of the anti-American bill is a student who recently became a naturalized citizen. "The concept of the United States of America and patriotism is different for every individual," Itmar Waksman told the CBS news affiliate in Sacramento. Under the new rules, any senator who wants to display Old Glory must file a petition. "It will then be at the discretion of the Senate Pro Tempore whether to approve, reject or set the decision to a vote of the Senate," the bill reads. Sadly, there are plenty of young people at UC Davis who share Mr. Waksman's sick and twisted ideology…. But concepts like duty and honor and courage, God and Country, are lost on many of the perpetually offended generation. UC Davis student Michael Gofman understands those concepts. His parents fled the Soviet Union so their family could have a better life. Michael was one of the few students to oppose the flag bill. He told Fox 40 in Sacramento that "every student on this campus owes a lot to this country whether they know it or not, and that creating a bill that takes steps to ban he flag is a slap in the face." And there are some patriots around campus who agree with this courageous young man.

Russian missiles spotted moving to North Korean border as US edges towards war
Daily Express - Video has been released allegedly showing a mass military mobilisation in Vladivostok, Russia, just eight miles from the border with North Korea…. Russia has reportedly moved military vehicles towards the city, which is within striking distance of North Korea…. Since the emergence of the Vladivostok footage, fears have grown that North Korea could become the trigger for a conflict involving the US, China and Russia. Both China and Russia consider North Korea as a necessary buffer state, which they need to keep stable for their own national security. According to the reports, a military convoy of eight surface-to-air missiles, part of Russian Air Defence, were on the move. The S400 anti-aircraft missiles were moved to Vladivostok, where Vladimir Putin already has a major navy base…. China has pleaded for the US and North Korean to back down from the war-footing…. Air China, owned by the Chinese government, decided to end its service between Beijing and Pyongyang, amid fears of an escalation.

North Korea Attempts To Launch Missile In Show Of Strength, Fails Epically
The Daily Caller - North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile Sunday morning. The missile was launched from Sinpo at 6:20 A.M. KST; however, the missile is believed to have failed, reports the South Korean military. U.S. Pacific Command says that the missile “blew up almost immediately” after launch. The launch comes one day after North Korea revealed several new weapons systems, including what appear to be new intercontinental ballistic missile models (ICBM), during a military parade in Pyongyang. This provocation also comes as Vice President Mike Pence travels to Seoul, South Korea…. The military is still determining the missile type; however, initial reports suggest it was likely not an ICBM. The latest launch marks the fifth ballistic missile test since Trump took office and the eighth missile launch.

Le Pen Faces Disaster In Election After "Monumental" Computer Error
Zero Hedge - Despite leading in the polls for Round One, The Express reports that a monumental computer blunder could cost Marine Le Pen the French general election as 500,000 citizens living outside of France have the chance to vote twice. The election has become extremely close with just 4.5 percentage points separating Macron, Fillon, Mélenchon, and Le Pen... Which is why this shocking error in election procedures could be the swing to crush Le Pen's hopes. As The Express reports, half a million people received duplicate polling cards in the post, which would allow them to cast two votes at the first round of the election, held on April 23. French authorities confirmed they would not be investigating the potential electoral fraud until AFTER the election, when retrospective prosecution may take place. We are sure this is a simple 'accident', but coincidentally (for the establishment), this could crush Ms Le Pen’s dreams of surging to power, as most French nationals living outside of their country are not right wing - demonstrated by the fact many feel they depend on the European Union (EU) to guarantee their stay in foreign countries…. Voting twice is a crime, but police will only find out if they run a check on the individual through their computer systems. France’s Interior Ministry has said it will not be invalidating the election because of the duplicate voting glitch.

Le Pen blasts Trump for reversing stance on NATO
Fox News - Le Pen said in a radio interview with France Info that Trump may have been swayed by his administration to change his mind. Trump made his comments at the White House in a press conference after a meeting with NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg. “Undeniably he is in contradiction with the commitments he had made,” Le Pen said. “I am coherent, I don’t change my mind in a few days. He had said he would not be the policeman of the world, that he would be the president of the United States and would not be the policeman of the world, but it seems today that he has changed his mind.” The far-right French candidate has made terrorism and immigration key parts of her campaign and wants France to quit NATO despite calling for a “big coalition of countries which fight Muslim fundamentalism in which there will be of course the U.S., Russia, countries like Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Chad.”

Le Pen: Pope 'Asks that States Go Against Their Own People' by Opening Borders
Breitbart - In an interview with La Croix International, the leader of the Front National chided Pope Francis for asking “that states go against the interests of their own people by not placing conditions on the acceptance of significant numbers of migrants”. The 48-year-old added that, in her view, the Argentine cleric’s pronouncements on immigration exceed his role as a religious leader. “To me, this falls within the realm of politics and even interference, since he is also a head of state.” Pope Francis is technically a foreign leader as Sovereign of the Vatican – a walled city-state with some of the strictest immigration and citizenship rules in the world. Asked about her own religious views, Ms. Le Pen said: “I have a strong faith and I am fortunate in that I have never doubted it. “However, I admit that I am angry with the Church because I think that it interferes in everything except what it should really be concerned with,” she added.

Sweden Won't Deport Asylum Seekers Accused of Broadcasting Gang Rape on Facebook
Heat Street - The alleged rapists, aged 18 and 21, will not be deported if found guilty, after the prosecution withdrew their previous claim, according to Swedish news outlet 24 Uppsala. “The prosecutor has taken a wise decision. It is against the Aliens Act, which I pointed out here before,” said lawyer Stefan Wallin defending one of the two men accused of the rape. According to Wallin, his 21-year-old Afghan client and 18-year-old co-defendant arrived in Sweden when they were under age of 15. There is a third defendant in the case, a 25-year-old Iranian immigrant with Swedish citizenship. He’s being tried for filming the rape and not reporting it to the police. In addition, he also being charged with defamation as he livestreamed the ordeal on Facebook. Because he’s a Swedish citizen, he cannot be deported. Prosecutor Pontus Melander claims the men will be found guilty due to overwhelming evidence showing the crime. “We have an incredibly good evidence in the form of film material, but it is always up to the district court.” He added that the two men who committed the rape will be looking at around 3 years in prison, while the man who filmed the incident could receive one-year sentence.

Czechs take in a dozen refugees, but no more – minister
RT - The Czech Republic has only accepted 12 refugees out of its quota of around 1,600 set by Brussels and does not intend to take in any more – even if that means suffering penalties, Interior Minister Milan Chovanec has said. Speaking to the site Parlamentni listy, Chovanec said his country would be willing to face any sanctions imposed by the EU…. The EU may launch proceedings against the Czech Republic in September if it continues to turn down refugees. Hungary and Poland are facing similar action from the EU. In May 2016, the European Commission put forward a proposal to fine countries €250,000 ( $290,000) per asylum seeker if they refuse to take in their share. The proposal was dismissed by Hungarian officials as “unacceptable”. Chovanec added that vetting refugees is a long and troublesome process that can sometimes take months. “And these people [refugees] were not willing to wait in the place they arrived – either Greece or Italy.” The Czech Republic, along with Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, have been the countries most opposed to the mandatory refugee quotas set by the EU.

We "Liberated" Libya from an "Evil" Dictator. Now It's Openly Trading Slaves
The AntiMedia - This week, new findings revealed another unintended consequence of “humanitarian intervention”: the growth of the human slave trade. The Guardian reports that while “violence, extortion and slave labor” have been a reality for people trafficked through Libya in the past, the slave trade has recently expanded. Today, people are selling other human beings out in the open. “The latest reports of ‘slave markets’ for migrants can be added to a long list of outrages [in Libya],” said Mohammed Abdiker, head of operation and emergencies for the International Office of Migration, an intergovernmental organization that promotes “humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all,” according to its website…. The North African country is commonly used as a point of exit for refugees fleeing other parts of the continent. But since Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011, “the vast, sparsely populated country has slid into violent chaos and migrants with little cash and usually no papers are particularly vulnerable,” the Guardian explains.

Retail Continues To Suffer As Sales Decline For Second Month In A Row
Consumerist - For the first time in nearly two years, retail sales declined two months in a row, highlighting once again the current challenges facing a retail industry that has suffered a number of bankruptcies and store closures so far in 2017. Sales in March decreased 0.2% at U.S. stores, restaurants, and online retailers from their level in February, according to figures… released by the Commerce Department on Friday…. The largest decrease in sales came in the auto retail sector, with dealers and parts companies lowering sales 1.2% from $96 billion in sales in February to $95 billion in March. The food services and drinking places also saw a decrease of 0.2% (or about $300 million) from February to March. Not all aspects of retail suffered for the month, however. The report shows that building material retailers and health and personal care stores — such as pharmacies — saw increases in sales…. The sales decreases are concerning for analysts, as retail sales are used as an impression measure of consumer spending, reports the Wall Street Journal. Additionally, the decreases seem to be in contrast with recently released consumer sentiment measurements. In fact, the WSJ reports that The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment measure found on Thursday that sentiment was the highest it has been in more than a decade.

Tesla Semi is First Existential Threat to Powerful Longshoreman’s Union
Breitbart - With Elon Musk tweeting that ‘Tesla Semi’ all-electric big-rig tractors will debut in September, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union’s members that make up to $1,200 a day, face their first existential threat after dominating West Coast ports for 80-years.

Green CEO Says Companies Selling Costumers 100% Wind Or Solar Energy Are Selling A ‘Hoax’
The Daily Caller - “For starters, if you signed up for a 100 percent green energy plan, you are not actually using 100 percent green energy,” Gregory Craig, founder and CEO of the green energy company Griddy, wrote in Renewable Energy World. “So when you run your dishwasher or turn on the lights, it’s not all powered by solar and wind, but a combination of gas, oil and coal too.”… Craig blames this scam on virtually unregulated voluntary Renewable Energy Credits. These credits allow companies to misleadingly brand their electricity as green energy, which they can sell at significantly marked up prices compared to conventional power. Companies can use these credits to convince customers they are helping the environment, but the benefits only exist on paper…. Power grids require demand for electricity to exactly match supply in order to function, which is an enormous problem for wind and solar power since their output cannot be accurately predicted in advance or easily adjusted. This is the entire reason for Renewable Energy Credits. Wind and solar can also burn out the grid if they produce too much, or not enough, electricity, leading to brownouts or blackouts. Such damage has already occurred in power grids relying too much on solar and wind power — like California and Germany.

Head of EPA rejects conclusions of EPA scientists, allows neurotoxic residue in food
(NaturalHealth365) A recent action by the head of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ensures that residue from a toxic pesticide can remain on food. Just under the deadline mandated by a federal appeals court, the new EPA administrator Scott Pruitt reversed a tentative 2015 decision to revoke food tolerances of chlorpyrifos – an insecticide linked with cancer and neurological problems. With this action, Pruitt totally ignored the conclusions of the federal agency’s own scientists, as well as independent scientific studies and literature…. Chlorpyrifos is one of the most widely used insecticides in the United States, with millions of pounds applied yearly – across the country – to crops that serve as food for both humans and livestock. It belongs to the organophosphate class of pesticides – a group of toxins originally developed as chemical weapons in World War II. Organophosphates inhibit cholinesterase, thereby affecting a signaling protein known as acetylcholine, needed to send nerve impulses to muscles, digestive system, heart and brain…. Organophosphate pesticides such as chlorpyrifos are acutely toxic to birds, bees, mammals, and aquatic organisms – even at low doses. Earlier this year, the EPA found that chlorpyrifos likely causes harm to 97 percent of all species protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Russian Humanoid Robot 'Fedor' Learns to Shoot Using Both Arms
Sputnik News - Humanoid robot F.E.D.O.R., set to fly into space in 2021, is now capable of shooting using both of his arms, according to Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin. “The robot of the F.E.D.O.R. platform showed skills of firing using both arms. Currently the work on fine motor skills and decision algorithms is underway,” Rogozin wrote on his Twitter. According to Rogozin, training to shoot is a way of teaching the robot to instantaneously prioritize targets and make decisions. It is expected that “Fedor” will help astronauts work in open space and serve at the station…. In addition, the robot will also be able to perform service work on the orbital station during the absence of people on it. Russia's Energia Space Corporation earlier said that the Federation, which is 80 percent built of composite materials, will be manufactured by 2021.

Parents In Germany Face $26,500 Fine If They Don't Destroy Controversial 'My Friend Cayla' Dolls
Consumerist - After researchers found that My Friend Cayla dolls were recording users’ and sending this information out to a third party specializing in voice-recognition for police and military forces, officials in Germany told parents to get rid of the toys. In case families didn’t take that request seriously, the country’s telecommunications regulator has since clarified that parents who don’t destroy their Cayla dolls could face more than $25,000 in fines…. While the doll isn’t connected directly to the internet, it can be accessed by Bluetooth with any mobile device that contains the doll’s dedicated app, essentially giving anyone the means to eavesdrop on the conversations with the doll. Researchers claim that the devices are easily hacked to either intercept data or to turn the toys into remote listening devices…. Back in February, the Federal Network Agency issued a warning to parents about the doll, asking them to destroy it as it was determined to be a “concealed transmitting device.”…. While the agency says it has no plans to take action against those who don’t destroy the doll, it certainly could….

Lawmakers Who Championed Repeal of Web Browsing Privacy Protections Raked in Telecom Campaign Cash
The Intercept - Congress voted last month to repeal privacy rules written by the Obama administration to prevent internet service providers from harvesting and selling users’ internet browsing history. The main — in fact only — constituency for the repeal was the telecom industry. Verizon, AT&T, Cox Enterprises, the U.S. Telecom Association, and CTIA, the trade association for the major cell phone carriers, appeared to single out the original sponsors of the repeal resolution — Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. — for particularly generous campaign contributions. A Verizon political action committee filing shows that most lawmakers received between $500 and $1,000 from the firm during the first three months of this year. But Flake received $8,000 and Blackburn received $4,500. Blackburn received $5,000 from the CTIA, the most of any House member. Speaker Paul Ryan only received $2,500 from the group during the same time period. The U.S. Telecom Association, which includes CenturyLink and Verizon, also singled out Blackburn for more donations than any other lawmaker in the beginning of this year, providing $3,000 to her campaign account.

Your Kids' School-Owned Devices Are Spying On Them, Report Finds
Consumerist - The EFF’s [Electronic Frontier Foundation] new “Spying on Students” report… pulls together two years’ worth of research and data trying to find out whether educational technology (ed tech) companies are protecting students’ privacy. The answer is, unfortunately, largely not…. The legal situation around students’ data is complicated, the EFF then explains. It’s basically a nexus where two other laws meet: FERPA, the Family Educational Rights And Privacy Act, and COPPA, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. FERPA forbids schools from sharing student information without parental consent, the EFF notes, but it has weaknesses. For one thing, it only applies to districts and schools that receive federal funding — so it would apply to kids in public school, but not most private schools. For another: It only applies to certain types of data…. Here’s the challenge, though: While the law requires written parental consent to share students’ data with third parties, it has a big loophole for “third parties.” If any ed tech company is qualified as a “school official,” it can access your kid’s data. That has included Google and other companies that sell educational technology. COPPA likewise requires parental consent from a company before it collects or shares data from children under 13. That right there rules out protections for your junior high and high school set, who are ages 14 and up…. The FTC’s guidelines are that if a service is going to use or disclose children’s personal information “for its own commercial purposes in addition to the provision of services to the school, it will need to obtain consent.” The school district cannot consent on behalf of a parent if advertising or user profiles are going to be involved. But if parents aren’t even getting told what platforms and devices their kids are using, odds aren’t high that schools are providing them with proper opt-out opportunities, either.

Cancer Cells Die In 42 Days: Famous Austrian’s Juice Cured Over 45,000 People From Cancer
Natural News Blogs - Rudolf Breuss was a healer from Austria, an educated man who had an incredible understanding of, and love for, his fellow human beings. Born in 1899, he devoted his life to finding an alternative cancer treatment. Breuss claimed that since 1950 he has successfully treated more than 2000 patients. He estimated that since 1986, an additional 45 000 patients with cancer and other “incurable diseases” had been healed by the used of his methods. The Breuss Total Cancer Treatment lasts about 42 days. Because cancer cells have a very different metabolism than normal cells, the Breuss diet is designed to starve the cancer cells to death by not providing any solid food proteins. But the diet does not harm normal cells. During the 42 days fast, all the raw fruits and vegetable are taken in liquid form. Breuss rigidly insists that cancer patients are not allowed to drink/eat anything other than the juices and teas. All vegetables used have to be organically grown and the sediments must be removed. The theory is that cancer cells can only live on the protein of solid food. Therefore, if you drink nothing but vegetable juice and teas for 42 days the cancerous cells die while the normal cells continue to do well.

Lemons contain 22 anti-cancer compounds and reduce risk of cancer by 50 percent
Natural News Blogs - Lemon peels have have been found to help boost your immune system; lower cholesterol, and even prevent cancer. Lemon peels are also antimicrobial meaning that they can protect agains bacterial infections. Research has shown that natures phytonutrients can outperform chemotherapy without causing harm to the body. Modified citrus pectin is derived from the pulp and rinds of citrus fruit and has been found to inhibit the spread of prostate, breast and skin cancer to other organs. Limonoids are chemicals found in citrus peels which give the peels a bitter taste. They are also capable of slowing cancer cell growth and even killing the cancer cells. Lemons contain 22 anti-cancer compounds that stop cell division in cancer cells…. Lemon’s are not only protective against cancer but can also help the body through detoxification. Lemon juices as a similar atomic structure to the stomachs digestive juices and tricks the liver into producing bile. This helps to keep food moving through the body and gastrointestinal tract. Lemons contain antioxidants that help fight free radical damage. This can result in healthy, youthful skin. The vitamin C found in lemons can help the body produce more collagen and help smooth out lines and wrinkles in the face.

Sniffing Rosemary Can Improve Memory By 75%
Natural News Blogs - Rosemary protects the brain in a variety of ways to minimize damage and slow down the rate of brain cell aging. It increases blood flow to the brain, which in turn supplies the brain with more oxygen and nutrients. Rosemary contains carnosic acid, which fights off free radical damage to the brain. It contains natural acids that help in protecting the body`s cells and DNA from free radical damage. The compounds in rosemary herb are said to prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, which is a chemical that induces the brain cells that are responsible for memory and reasoning to communicate with one another. There was a study conducted on rosemary where groups of people were given rosemary essential oil. A total of 66 people participated in the study. They were randomly assigned to two rooms, one scented with rosemary and the other not scented. The results were remarkable: people had 60 to 75% chances of remembering things, compared with people who were not given rosemary essential oil! There are many different ways to start boosting memory with rosemary. Place three to four drops of rosemary essential oil on a tissue and enjoy as the smell wafts through the air.

Raw Cheesecake: Jaffa
Natural Blaze - This raw cheesecake is vegan, gluten free and refine sugar-free. It also goes perfectly with a refreshingly clean cold brew coffee. Ingredients Base 2 cups Almonds 1/4 cup Raw Cacao Powder 1/3 cup Maple Syrup 2 tablespoons melted Coconut Oil Filling 2 cups cashews (soaked in water for 4 hours…

Half of Police Shots Fired Are Aimed At Dogs, Study Says
Dogington Post - Why are dogs – our best friends, our companions, our children – such a threat that police shoot dogs every 98 minutes; when not one single police officer in recorded history has ever been killed by a dog? A recent federal court ruling that granted police the authority to shoot and kill a dog that either moves or barks when an officer enters the dog’s home has dog owners around the country fearing for the safety and security of their own furry family members – and rightfully so. Every year, somewhere between several hundred and several thousand animals, mostly dogs, are killed by police. However, because these incidents are often under-reported, kept quiet, go un-penalized , and because a central database does not exist to track them, an accurate number is impossible to establish. Laurel Matthews, a supervisory program specialist with the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (DOJ COPS) office, calls fatal police vs. dogs encounters an “epidemic” and estimates that 25 to 30 pet dogs are killed each day by law enforcement officers…. An officer untrained in recognizing a dog’s body language, for example, could easily mistake a bounding dog for a charging one, a nervous or frightened dog for an angry one, or an aggressive dog from one that’s merely territorial. Groups like the Humane Society and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, along with hundreds of individual dog trainers and behaviorists, offer free training to police departments, but both organizations say few departments take them up on the offer.

The Amazing Healing Power Of Cat Purring
Natural Blaze - Owning a pet can bring immense joy and satisfaction into your life, but did you know that cats, in particular, can even have positive effects of your health and well-being?… This study showed that cats purrs are medically therapeutic when in the range of 25 – 150 Hz. Cat owners suffer from less health problems, they sleep better and are a 40% less risk of having a heart attack than those who do not own a cat. The vibrations of a cats purr can help with: • Pain relief • Wound recovery • Muscle growth • Muscle repair • Tendon repair • Bone recovery and growth • Joint mobility • Dyspnea • Shortness of breath
 

Friday - April 14, 2017

On This Day In History:

1775 - The first abolitionist society in U.S. was organized in Philadelphia with Ben Franklin as president.
1828 - The first edition of Noah Webster's dictionary was published under the name "American Dictionary of the English Language."
1860 - The first Pony Express rider arrived in San Francisco with mail originating in St. Joseph, MO.
1865 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in Ford's Theater by John Wilkes Booth. He actually died early the next morning.
1889 - The first international Conference of American States began in Washington, DC.
1910 - U.S. President William Howard Taft threw out the first ball for the Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics.
1912 - The Atlantic passenger liner Titanic, on its maiden voyage hit an iceberg and began to sink. 1,517 people lost their lives and more than 700 survived.
1918 - The U.S. First Aero Squadron engaged in America's first aerial dogfight with enemy aircraft over Toul, France.
1925 - WGN became the first radio station to broadcast a regular season major league baseball game. The Cubs beat the Pirates 8-2.
1953 - Viet Minh invaded Laos with 40,00 troops.
1959 - The Taft Memorial Bell Tower was dedicated in Washington, DC.
1985 - The Russian paper "Pravda" called U.S. President Reagan's planned visit to Bitburg to visit the Nazi cemetery an "act of blasphemy".
1986 - U.S. President Reagan announced the U.S. air raid on military and terrorist related targets in Libya.
1988 - Representatives from the U.S.S.R., Pakistan, Afghanistan and the U.S. signed an agreement that called for the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan starting on May 15. The last Soviet troop left Afghanistan on February 15, 1989.
1994 - Two American F-15 warplanes inadvertently shot down two U.S. helicopters over northern Iraq. 26 people were killed including 15 Americans.
1998 - The state of Virginia ignored the requests from the World Court and executed a Paraguayan for the murder of a U.S. woman.
2000 - After five years of deadlock, Russia approved the START II treaty that calls for the scrapping of U.S. and Russian nuclear warheads. The Russian government warned it would abandon all arms-control pacts if Washington continued with an anti-missile system.
2002 - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez returned to office two days after being arrested by his country's military.
2008 - Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines announced they were combining.

CNN Confirms Fox's Napolitano - British Intelligence Passed On Trump Surveillance To US Spy Agency
Zero Hedge - Roughly a month ago, during the height of the mainstream media mania over Trump's alleged collusion with Russia, Judge Andrew Napolitano appeared on Fox and Friends with a startling new revelation, namely that President Obama circumvented U.S. law and employed a British intelligence agency to conduct surveillance of the Trump campaign. Despite Napolitano's assertion that the information had been confirmed by 3 separate sources, the Obama administration and foreign intelligence agencies issued immediate denials and the mainstream media was all too happy to trash the latest 'conspiracy theory' of their competitor network…. Now, some 30 days after Napolitano broke the story, CNN seems to have just confirmed it: British and other European intelligence agencies intercepted communications between associates of Donald Trump and Russian officials and other Russian individuals during the campaign and passed on those communications to their US counterparts, US congressional and law enforcement and US and European intelligence sources tell CNN…. Of course, we're quite certain that, as CNN notes, the intercepted communications were merely "incidental" and in no way requested by the Obama administration, but rather, were conveniently volunteered, unsolicited, by British intelligence.

House GOP to File Criminal Charges Against Lois Lerner in IRS Scandal (Video)
The GatewayPundit - Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL) went on with Stewart Varney on Thursday morning to discuss recent developments on Capitol Hill. Roskam told Stewart House Republicans are planning of filing criminal charges against Lois Lerner. Rep. Roskam: The Obama Administration was very lenient with the crimes that Lois Lerner committed. And those are strong words that I’m using but the House Ways and Means Committee voted out a criminal referral to the Department of Justice which was completely dismissed by the Department of Justice… We think that Lois Lerner did two things wrong. Number one, she denied people due process and equal protection of the law based on their political philosophy. We’re convinced that there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that that’s true. And that’s a felony. Secondly, we suspect that she lied to the Inspecter General of the Treasury Department…. More than 30 lawmakers sent a letter to President Trump last week calling for Obama’s IRS Commissioner, John Koskinen to step down from his post before the end of his term, Fox News reported.

Clinton-Era State Department Employee Arrested For Misleading FBI, Hiding Ties to China
The GatewayPundit - The FBI arrested Candace Marie Claiborne on March 28. She made her first appearance in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia the following day. She pleaded not guilty and faces a preliminary hearing April 18…. “Candace Claiborne is charged with obstructing an official proceeding and making false statements in connection with her alleged concealment and failure to report her improper connections to foreign contacts along with the tens of thousands of dollars in gifts and benefits they provided,” said U.S. Attorney Phillips. “As a State Department employee with a Top Secret clearance, she received training and briefing about the need for caution and transparency. This case demonstrates that U.S. government employees will be held accountable for failing to honor the trust placed in them when they take on such sensitive assignments”…

Donald Trump Just Wiped Out Obama's Pro-Planned Parenthood Rule
The Daily Caller - Donald Trump signed legislation on Thursday reversing an Obama-era rule that banned states from withholding federal funds from clinics that provide abortions. Trump signed H.J. Res. 43 two weeks after the Senate approved the legislation 51-50 with Vice President Mike Pence casting the tie-breaking vote. States can now block funding that would go to facilities like Planned Parenthood. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma said Thursday that the president’s signature “shows he is keeping his campaign promises.” “It’s an important step for the administration that shows they want states to be in charge of the decision making,” Verma told reporters. Penny Nance, the CEO of Concerned Women for America, agreed that this is a states rights issue. “We have been clear we want to shift funding from Planned Parenthood to community health centers,” Nance said.

Lansing, Mich. rescinds sanctuary city status after only 10 days
RT - Michigan’s state capital of Lansing has bounced from being a “welcoming city” to a “sanctuary city” and back again, all in the span of 10 days. Council members changed their minds due to the threat of losing federal funds and opposition from businesses. Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero designated the state capital as a “welcoming city” in an executive order on April 3, creating written standards for the Lansing Police Department when interacting with immigrants. The officers will not ask people they encounter or arrest about their immigration status… By Wednesday, however, the city council reversed its decision with a 5-2 vote after warnings from the city attorney, federal lawmakers, business leaders and residents that such a designation could hurt the federal funding aspects of Lansing’s budget, thanks to an executive order by President Donald Trump.

California Mom Who Lost New-born Baby at Hospital Cleared of Drug Charges, but Still Does Not Have Children Back (Video)
Health Impact News - A beloved California schoolteacher is still fighting to get her children back 9 months after they were ripped away from her by Child Protective Services. Lori Ibrahim's two-day old breastfeeding baby was seized by Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) after Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center accused her of drug abuse. The only drugs in her system were properly prescribed medications, but social workers used the positive drug screen as grounds to seize baby Youssef and his 5-year old brother Kian. Since that time, Lori has allegedly cooperated with every demand that DCFS has placed on her, including submission to a gag order to be silent and take down her Facebook page. Social workers have created an image of the mother to present to the court which seems to serve their apparent agenda of keeping the family apart. The reports, however, from the psychologist and other therapists that Lori has been compelled to see paint a vastly different picture. That picture is consistent with the reports from those who have worked with Lori and the parents whose young children Lori has taught in school during her 15 year career, a career that is now closed to her because of the DCFS allegations. Lori Ibrahim presented evidence to Health Impact News and to the court that she was innocent of the charges that were used to seize her children. The court has reportedly dismissed the substance abuse allegations, finding that, as she said from the very beginning, she was only taking properly prescribed medications. Yet, it hasn't made a difference - her boys are still not home.

State Banned Sunscreen At School. Then A Girl Stayed Outside Too Long
Off the Grid News - It apparently is going to take a change in state law to give kids the right to use sunscreen at schools in Washington state Senate Bill (SB) 5404 would allow children to possess and use over-the-counter sunscreen on school property, AP reported. Under the current state law, it is illegal to have sunscreen at school without a note from a licensed healthcare professional. Sadly, though, the law was not proposed until two children were badly burned at a school function…. Michener’s daughters, Violet and Zoe, experienced the sunburns at field day because officials with the Tacoma Public Schools would not allow them to use sunscreen. Disturbingly, one of the teachers who refused to let the girls use sunscreen was using it in front of the girls as they burned. Zoe Michener suffers from albinism, a condition that makes her white vulnerable to sunburn. But school officials said they could not allow the girl to use sunscreen. After she posted the story on her blog, Michener heard from parents across the country whose schools have a similar policy that treats sunscreen as a drug.

Scorpion Stings Passenger On United Flight
Zero Hedge - Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse for United, a scorpion fell from an overhead bin and stung a man on a United Airlines flight. According to Travel and Leisure, Richard and Linda Bell were on a United Airlines flight home from Houston to Calgary on Sunday, after spending two weeks on vacation in Mexico. And while they were not violently deplaned out of yet another overbooked airplane, a just as traumatic ordeal took place when a scorpion fell from the overhead compartment and on to Richard…. Here's the punchline: upon landing in Calgary, emergency personnel came onboard the plane to examine Richard at which point he may have made the single biggest mistake in his life: "He showed no sign of distress, according to an EMS spokesperson, and declined medical attention." That particular choice of words likely prevented Richard from becoming richer by several million dollars, something the infamous David Dao of "drag and drop" fame is eagerly looking forward to with his lawsuit of United Airlines.
* Related: Lawyer reveals David Dao lost two teeth and suffered broken nose

Maryland Woman Finds Scorpion Crawling Around Inside Her Bag Of Spinach
The Daily Caller - A Washington, D.C.-area woman captured a live scorpion Monday that was living in a bag of spinach she purchased days earlier, NBC Washington reports. Sri Sindhusha Boddapati and her husband purchased a bag of spinach from a Chevy Chase, Md., Giant supermarket Friday evening, but when she pulled the bag out of the refrigerator Monday afternoon, she “saw something inside the bag crawling.” She thought it was a cricket at first, so she opened the bag of Giant-brand spinach and put the creature in a plastic water bottle. “I thought it was a cricket in the beginning, and then I noticed when it was [in] the bottle that it is a scorpion,” Boddapati told NBC…. Giant eventually removed the spinach from the shelves, but only after news reports of the incident were published, NBC reports.

Fundraising Campaign For Green Beret Killed Fighting ISIS Hits Over $10K In A Day
The Daily Caller - A fundraising campaign launched in support of Green Beret Staff Sgt. Mark De Alencar, who was killed Saturday fighting the Islamic State in Afghanistan, has reached more than $10,000 in a single day. While on deployment in the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan conducting anti-ISIS operations, Alencar was hit by small arms fire and shortly thereafter succumbed to his injuries.

US Drops Largest Non-Nuclear Bomb For The First Time On ISIS In Afghanistan (Video)
Zero Hedge - At roughly 7pm local time on Thursday, the United States military used its GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB), nicknamed “the mother of all bombs,” for the first time in combat. The US Air Force used it in Afghanistan to target Islamic State tunnels and personnel. The 21,000-pound (9,525 kg) bomb was dropped in the Achin district of the Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan. The Pentagon confirmed the use of the MOAB, and is currently assessing damage. General John Nicholson, commander of US forces in Afghanistan, signed off on its use, CNN reported. Authority was also sought from General Joseph Votel, commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM). The Air Force “took every precaution to avoid civilian casualties,” CENTCOM added. “The strike was designed to minimize the risk to Afghan and U.S. Forces conducting clearing operations in the area while maximizing the destruction of ISIS-K fighters and facilities,” CENTCOM said in a statement, referring to Islamic State Khorasan, the branch of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan…. The MOAB was designed to target large below-ground areas. It would have “feel like a nuclear weapon to anyone near the area," Lieutenant Colonel Rick Francona (ret.) told CNN. The GPS-guided munition would have already been in country before it was dropped out of an MC-130 aircraft, operated by Air Force Special Operations Command, military sources told CNN’s Barbara Starr…. President Donald Trump told reporters that he's given the military "total authorization," and "that's why they've been so successful lately." When asked if the use of the MOAB in Afghanistan might send a message to North Korea amid increased tensions with the isolated country, Trump replied: "I don't know if it sends a message, I don't care if it does or not."

North Korea "May Be" Capable Of Sarin-Tipped Missiles, Japanese PM Warns
Zero Hedge - If you weren't scared before, Japanese PM Abe just stepped up to the global fearmongery plate, announcing in parliament that "there is a possibility that North Korea already has a capability to deliver missiles with sarin as warheads." Of course, he offered no evidence, but in this new normal, it seems possibilities trump probabilities. On many world leaders' minds is the fact that North Korea marks the 105th anniversary of the birth of state founder Kim Il Sung on Saturday, North Korea's biggest national day called "Day of the Sun". Leaders have in the past used the date to carry out weapons tests.

Syria Accuses US Of Hitting ISIS Chemical Weapons Depot Killing Hundreds; Russia Sends Drones
Zero Hedge - The Syrian General Staff said that the US-led coalition struck an ISIS depot storing chemical weapons in Deir ez-Zor on Wednesday, poisoning and killing several hundred people, including civilians. Russia has reportedly dispatched drones to the area to confirm Syria's reports. Update: The Pentagon has admitted to mistakenly killing 18 Syrians in an airstrike on April 11th...

Assad: Chemical Weapons Attack Is ‘100 Percent Fabrication’
The Daily Caller - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad believes the U.S. fabricated a chemical weapons attack in order to justify a cruise missile strike, he told AFP in a Thursday interview. “Definitely, 100 percent for us, it’s fabrication… Our impression is that the West, mainly the United States, is hand-in-glove with the terrorists,” Assad declared. He continued, “they fabricated the whole story in order to have a pretext for the attack.” Assad further claimed the Syrian Arab Army relinquished all of its chemical weapons stock under the terms of a 2013 deal brokered between the U.S. and Russia. “How can you verify a video? You have a lot of fake videos now,” Assad said veering into conjecture. He continued, “We don’t know whether those dead children were killed in Khan Sheikhun. Were they dead at all?”

North Korea's "Big And Important Event" - A Street Opening!
Zero Hedge - Amid social media chatter of Pyongyang evacuations, North Korea told foreign journalists to prepare for a "big and important event" on Thursday (ahead of The Day of The Sun) - conjuring images of nuclear missile tests or Supreme-leader-led military drills. However, the "big and important event" turned out to be... a street opening!

Turkey to Confiscate Gold in New Clever Way – To Help Citizens Earn Money
Armstrong Economics - The dwindling credit of Turkey and significant decline in its currency, has led to the new clever idea of confiscating gold with a smile. The Turkish Central Bank has come up with an idea of how to confiscate private gold while pretending they are helping you earn more money. Their objective is to make the private gold stocks of the citizens available to the financial system for themselves, but how to sell that to the people? The Turkish central bank is launching two new investment opportunities for physical gold, according to reports in the Daily Sabah. They are issuing a gold bond on one hand and on the other an instrument for the loan of gold and gold jewelry. The scheme is that the Turkish government is really seeking to use the precious metal in the private sector making it available to the financial industry. This is being marketed as broadening the financial system allowing citizens to earn additional income with their gold reserves under their mattresses by turning it over to the government.

Campaign HQ of France presidential hopeful Le Pen targeted by arson attempt
RT - A building housing the campaign headquarters of French presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen in Paris has been targeted by an arson attempt. Those who reportedly took responsibility or the incident vowed to continue such acts “every day until the elections.”… Le Pen denounced the incident on Twitter, pointing the finger at leftist groups. “The extreme left-wing groups are acting with impunity, the government is letting them go, and I demand their dissolution!” she wrote. However, Le Pen gave no details as to why she thinks that these particular groups are responsible. Later Le Pen confirmed to RT that the attack was committed by “extreme left groups.” “They are responsible for aggression against police which we regularly see on TV and [violence] at the end of each protest,” she said.

Cancer-Causing Chemical Spill 100 Yards from Lake Michigan Closes Beaches
Natural Blaze - Multiple Indiana beaches have been shut down following a spill of wastewater containing hexavalent chromium, a highly toxic chemical linked to cancer. The United States Steel company reported the leak occurred on Tuesday due to equipment failure at its Portage, Indiana, plant, a lapse that “resulted in a chemical leak into the waterway that forced the shutdown of a drinking water intake along Lake Michigan and several nearby beaches,” the Northwest Indiana Times explained…. The EPA is leading an investigation into the wastewater spill into the waterway, which the agency says is just 100 yards away from Lake Michigan. Hexavalent chromium carries several health risks. The Occupation Safety and Health Administration warns of the risk of “lung cancer in workers who breathe airborne hexavalent chromium, irritation or damage to the nose, throat, and lung (respiratory tract) if hexavalent chromium is breathed at high levels, [and] irritation or damage to the eyes and skin if hexavalent chromium contacts these organs in high concentrations.”… It is difficult to estimate the spill’s potential health hazards, especially because the amount of wastewater leaked through the broken pipe has not yet been disclosed.

Facebook Urges Users to Report ‘False News’
Adan Salazar - On Wednesday, the social media giant informed its users of several techniques to help “stop the spread of false news.” The list recommends 10 ways users should verify the truthfulness of an article, including being “skeptical of headlines,” looking out for “unusual formatting” and checking to see if anyone else is reporting the story. “If you see a story in News Feed that you believe is false, you can report it to Facebook,” the website says, describing exactly how to mark a post as “false news.” In user news feeds, suspected fake news stories will also be marked with a note stating, “Disputed by 3rd Party Fact-Checkers,” meaning third party organizations such as The Washington Post, ABC News, or Snopes have investigated and flagged the article.

“Pesticides OK, Despite Risks,” Says EPA
Alliance for Natural Health - Apparently, diminished brain function and reduction of children’s IQs is insufficient cause for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to overturn the approval of a chemical manufactured by one of the largest producers on the planet. The EPA recently rejected a petition to ban the use of insecticides known as chlorpyrifos on food crops—despite the agency’s own evidence showing the harm they can cause. These chemicals are used on citrus trees, strawberries, broccoli, and cauliflower. The EPA previously banned the spraying of chlorpyrifos indoors to get rid of household bugs. EPA officials are, in fact, aware of evidence that found exposure to chlorpyrifos caused measurable differences in children’s brain function, on average dropping their IQs a few points. Some research has linked the pesticides to autism and other brain disorders. There’s also evidence to suggest that some children are more vulnerable to the chemicals than others due to their genetic makeup. The problem? Chlorpyrifos are products of Dow Agrosciences, one of the largest chemical manufacturers on the planet. But this has nothing to do with the EPA’s decision to keep these chemicals on the market, right?

Warning: Toxic chemicals in dental crowns from China
(NaturalHealth365) Now there is reason to doubt the safety of crowns and other dental components imported from China. In another case of “you get what you pay for,” discounted dental crowns from China have been found to contain lead and toxic chemicals that are potentially harmful to the human nervous system. An Ohio woman had her dental bridge tested and found that it contained alarmingly high levels of lead. Although installed by a U.S. dentist, the bridge itself came from a dental lab in China. Other crowns from Chinese labs tested for lead have been found in some cases to have lead concentrations of nearly 500 parts per million. This is five times higher than the 100 ppm limit set for childrens’ toys sold in the U.S. after high levels of lead were found in Chinese imports. In addition to lead, beryllium and cadmium have been detected in supposedly all-ceramic dental crowns imported from several Asian countries…. U.S. dentists admit that using Chinese labs instead of U.S. labs allows them to pay as little as one-fifth of what local labs typically charge. Few dentists pass the savings along to clients, and the patient leaves with a mouthful of potentially harmful toxic chemicals and components. The dental offices that do offer deep discounts on crowns are likely importing them from China.

NEWS You don't need dairy for bone health
What Doctors Don't Tell You - The UK's National Osteoporosis Society surveyed 2,000 adults and discovered that one in five of those aged between 18 and 25 had cut out dairy from their diets, usually because they were following some 'fad' diet. As a result, they could be putting their bone health at risk, and may end up with osteoporosis in older age, the society has warned. But dairy isn't necessary for achieving bone health, says Viva, the animal rights group; instead, weight-bearing exercises—such as walking, climbing stairs and dancing—is the best way, followed by a diet that includes plenty of dark green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, spring greens, cabbage and pak choi—although, strangely, not spinach—dried fruits, nuts, seeds, and pulses. Vitamin D, the 'sunshine vitamin', also plays a role, and helps us absorb calcium better.
 

Thursday - April 13, 2017

On This Day In History:

1775 - Lord North extended the New England Restraining Act to South, Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. The act prohibited trade with any country other than Britain and Ireland.
1782 - Washington, NC, was incorporated as the first town to be named for George Washington.
1829 - The English Parliament granted freedom of religion to Catholics.
1849 - The Hungarian Republic was proclaimed.
1860 - The first mail was delivered via Pony Express when a westbound rider arrived in Sacramento, CA from St. Joseph, MO.
1861 - After 34 hours of bombardment, the Union-held Fort Sumter surrenders to Confederates.
1870 - The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in New York City.
1941 - German troops captured Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
1943 - U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the Jefferson Memorial.
1962 - U.S. major steel companies rescinded price increases. The John F. Kennedy administration had been applying pressure against the price increases.
1976 - The U.S. Federal Reserve introduced $2 bicentennial notes.
1984 - U.S. President Reagan sent emergency military aid to El Salvador without congressional approval.
1998 - Dolly, the world's first cloned sheep, gave natural birth to a healthy baby lamb.
1999 - Jack Kervorkian was sentenced in Pontiac, MI, to 10 to 25 years in prison for the 2nd-degree murder of Thomas Youk who's assisted suicide was videotaped & shown on "60 Minutes" in 1998.
2002 - Venezuela's interim president, Pedro Carmona, resigned a day after taking office. Thousands of protesters had supported over the ousting of president Hugo Chavez.
2011 - A federal jury in San Francisco convicted Barry Bonds of obstruction of justice, but failed to reach a verdict on allegations that he'd used steroids and lied to a grand jury about

New North Carolina bill would require UNC, NC State to exit ACC if state is boycotted again
ESPN - Last year, the ACC decided to pull its neutral-site championship games and tournaments out of North Carolina because of House Bill 2, the controversial law that limited legal protections for the LGBTQ community. In March, the North Carolina legislature passed a measure that repealed House Bill 2. As a result, the ACC said the football championship game would return to Charlotte, North Carolina, and all other neutral-site championships that had existing contracts would return as well, beginning with the 2017-18 calendar. But several North Carolina legislators were unhappy with the initial decision the ACC Council of Presidents made to boycott the state. They have proposed House Bill 728, filed Tuesday, which states any public state school in a conference that boycotts North Carolina would be barred from "extending any grant of media rights to the conference" and "shall immediately provide written notice to the conference that the constituent institution intends to withdraw from the conference no later than when the assignment of its media rights expire, unless the conference immediately ends the boycott."

Report Exposes Child Sex Rings by UN Peacekeepers
Clifford Cunningham - A report compiled by the Associated Press detailed nearly 2,000 allegations of sexual abuse by UN peacekeepers and other personnel over the past 12 years, yet the majority of perpetrators escaped jail time due to lax enforcement by their respective governments of origin. According to an internal UN document obtained by AP, at least 134 peacekeepers from Sri Lanka abused nine Haitian children in a sex ring from 2004 to 2007. While 114 peacekeepers were sent back to Sri Lanka following the report’s release, none were ever imprisoned. In another case, a teenage Haitian boy claimed he was gang-raped by Uruguayan peacekeepers in 2011, who filmed the assault on a cellphone. The five men never faced trial in Haiti, while four of the five were convicted in Uruguay of the lesser charge of “private violence.” Dozens of Haitian women have also claimed to be victims of sexual assault, with many referring to it as “survival sex.”… In Haiti, alleged sexual abusers came from Bangladesh, Brazil, Jordan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Uruguay and Sri Lanka, according to UN data and interviews. Peacekeepers were deployed to Haiti in 2004 under the auspices of stabilizing the country following a military coup that ousted President Jean-Bertrande Aristide. Reports of prostitution and sexual abuse increased after UN peacekeepers were deployed to Cambodia, Central African Republic, Bosnia, Haiti, Kosovo, Mozambique, Somalia, and Sudan…. Republican Senator Bob Corker, who has advocated for an evaluation of all UN peacekeeping missions, expressed his disgust at the claims of sexual abuse. “If I heard that a U.N. peacekeeping mission was coming near my home in Chattanooga,” he said. “I’d be on the first plane out of here to go back and protect my family.”

Trump: “Guilty” Hillary Was “Saved” By FBI Head (Video)
Steve Watson - In the interview with Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo, Trump was adamant that Clinton would be facing charges related to her leaked emails, had FBI director Jim Comey not been “very, very good” to her…. When asked if he would still push for appointing a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton in the future, Trump avoided the question, saying “I don’t want to talk about that, I want to talk about positive.” Trump did, however, say that it is not too late to ask Comey to step down as FBI head…. When asked why he didn’t request that Comey quit, Trump told Bartiromo: “I want to give everybody a good fair chance.” Elsewhere during the interview, Trump suggested that no one believes that former National Security Advisor Susan Rice’s claim that her unmasking of his aides wasn’t for political gain. “It’s such a big story and I’m sure it will continue forward,” Trump said, adding that “what they did is horrible.” The President said it is “obvious” why Obama eased the rules on raw intelligence sharing days before leaving office, “when you look at Susan Rice and what’s going on.”

Judicial Watch Sues EPA Over 3rd Party Encryption App Use Against Trump (VIDEO)
The GatewayPundit - Watchdog group, Judicial Watch is suing the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for communications sent or received by EPA officials who may have used the cell phone encryption application “Signal” to thwart government oversight and transparency…. President of Judicial Watch, Tom Fitton said the following: “This new lawsuit could expose how the anti-Trump ‘deep state’ embedded in EPA is working to undermine the rule of law. Let’s hope the Trump administration enforces FOIA and turns over these records. Given EPA’s checkered history on records retention and transparency, it is disturbing to see reports that career civil servants and appointed officials may now be attempting to use high-tech blocking devices to circumvent the Federal Records Act and the Freedom of Information Act altogether.”

Cartel Member Suspected of Using ‘Fast and Furious’ Gun in Murder of Border Patrol Agent Arrested
The GatewayPundit - The cartel member suspected of shooting and killing Border Patrol agent Brian Terry in 2010 with a gun supplied by the U.S. government was arrested in Mexico Wednesday, senior law enforcement, Border Patrol, and congressional sources told Fox News.

Melania Trump wins settlement against Daily Mail over 'escort' allegation
Washington Examiner - The Daily Mail has agreed to pay first lady Melania Trump damages after it published a story alleging the former model had been an escort in the 1990s. The news outlet will pay Trump about $2.9 million in damages and costs, CNN reported Wednesday. "We accept that these allegations about Mrs. Trump are not true and we retract and withdraw them. We apologize to Mrs. Trump for any distress that our publication caused her," the Daily Mail and Mail Online said in a statement. Trump filed a lawsuit against the Mail Online in September seeking $150 million in damages. The lawsuit was later moved to New York after a Maryland judge dismissed the suit. Trump also sued the Daily Mail in London.

Tillerson and Putin Find Little More Than Disagreement in Meeting
NY Times - Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson met with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for nearly two hours Wednesday, but the two men appeared unable to agree on the facts involving the deadly chemical weapons assault on Syrian civilians or Russian interference in the American election — much less move toward an improvement in basic relations. “The world’s two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship,” Mr. Tillerson said. Both he and Mr. Lavrov said a range of issues were discussed — most notably the crises in Syria, North Korea and Ukraine — and that both sides had agreed to establish a working group to examine, as Mr. Lavrov said, “the irritants” in relations between the United States and Russia…. Mr. Lavrov reiterated the Russian view that the facts about the chemical weapons attack had yet to be determined, and denounced what he described as the “media hysteria” surrounding the assault.

North Korea Tells Foreign Journalists To Prepare For "Big" Event On Thursday
Zero Hedge - In a potentially concerning geopolitical development, Reuters reports that foreign journalists visiting North Korea have been told to prepare for a "big and important event" on Thursday, although the wire service says there were "no indications it was directly linked to tensions in the region over the isolated state's nuclear weapons program." According to Channel News Asia reported Jeremy Koh, "we've been told to be ready to move out at 620am, but no idea why. Also, no cell phones allowed."
* Related: North Korea Said To Have Placed Nuclear Device In A Tunnel, "Could Be Detonated Saturday Morning"

China Puts Troops on Nationwide High Alert Over North Korea
Paul Joseph Watson - Citing the Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy, a nongovernmental organization in Hong Kong, the Oriental Daily News reports that Beijing has ordered troops from all five of its military regions to be on high alert due to the escalating crisis in the region…. Around 25,000 troops of the Chinese military’s 47th group army of the Ninth Armored Brigade have also been told to prepare to travel long distances close to the North Korean border, while other troop divisions may also have been mobilized. The new maneuvers follow earlier reports that China deployed 150,000 troops along the North Korean border on Sunday. [Last Tuesday], an editorial in the Global Times, which is widely seen as a mouthpiece for the ruling Chinese Communist government, let slip that Beijing was prepared to carry out its own strike on North Korea’s nuclear facilities if the Stalinist state crossed a “bottom line”. The editorial was subsequently deleted, almost certainly on the orders of government officials.
Related: China Warns North Korea Situation Has Hit "Tipping Point", Threatens "Never Before Seen" Measures

Russia Vetoes UN Security Council Resolution Condemning Syrian Government
Sputnik News - A draft resolution condemning the Syrian government for the alleged chemical attack in the country that was introduced by the UK, France and the US was blocked by Russia on Wednesday. "The result of the vote is as follows: ten votes in favor, two votes against, three abstentions. The draft resolution has not been adopted owing to the negative vote of a permanent member of Council," current Security Council President Nikki Haley of the US announced following the vote. The resolution asked the Syrian government to provide flight plans and logs of its military operations on the day of the incident and for the country to open its air bases to UN investigators…. China, Ethiopia and Kazakhstan abstained from the vote. Bolivia voted with Russia to veto the resolution.

Trump backs away from labeling China a currency manipulator
Reuters - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his administration will not label China a currency manipulator, backing away from a campaign promise, even as he said the U.S. dollar was "getting too strong" and would eventually hurt the economy. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump also said he would like to see U.S. interest rates stay low, another comment at odds with what he had often said during the election campaign. A U.S. Treasury spokesman confirmed that the Treasury Department's semi-annual report on currency practices of major trading partners, due out later this week, will not name China a currency manipulator. The U.S. dollar fell broadly on Trump's comments on both the strong dollar and interest rates, while U.S. Treasury yields fell on the interest rate comments, and Wall Street stocks slipped. Trump's comments broke with a long-standing practice of both U.S. Democratic and Republican administrations of refraining from commenting on policy set by the independent Federal Reserve. It is also highly unusual for a president to address the dollar's value, which is a subject usually left to the U.S. Treasury secretary.

Court Rules Facebook Can’t Challenge Demands for User Data (and Can’t Tell Users)
The Daily Bell - Facebook is not exactly the champion of user privacy, but at least in one case, the company did go to bat for its users. Facebook took New York law enforcement to court over secret warrants that allowed authorities to collect user data. Unfortunately, Facebook just lost their case in the New York courts. The court ruled that only users themselves, not facebook, can challenge law enforcement demands for their data. The only problem is, the court orders usually come with a gag order as well. Facebook is not allowed to tell their users that law enforcement is taking their data. And Facebook is not allowed to challenge these orders on behalf of their users. So in true kangaroo court fashion, the only people able to challenge the government are those forbidden from being told that the government is investigating them. Well isn’t that convenient for prosecutors. How are gag orders even Constitutional? You would think things like free speech and the right to know your accuser might cover that. But again, the government plays by no rules.

Take Action to Oppose New Organic Tax
Cornucopia - The USDA wants public feedback on a proposed checkoff program for organics. The scheme, advocated by the industry’s largest lobby group, the Organic Trade Association (OTA), would establish a mandatory tax on farmers, food processors, distributors, retailers, and importers engaged in organic commerce…. Almost uniformly, farmers view checkoffs as an unfair tax on their income from which they receive little benefit. Most programs are ineffective, and the ones with modest impacts benefit food processors and marketers, not farmers. The USDA estimates that $25 million a year would be raised by the checkoff for research and promotion of organic commodities (minus millions in administration costs)…. OTA argues that we need money for promotion of organics. But the roughly $5 million set aside for marketing by the proposal would have tight restrictions. The USDA Secretary has to approve all promotional marketing messages, and any promotional message cannot be viewed as disparaging other commodities. Checkoff dollars could almost certainly not be used to advocate for claims of organic food health, superior food quality, safety, sustainability or be used to expose differences between “natural” and GMO-free food claims because these types of messages can be viewed as disparaging conventional food commodities.

Clinical tests reveal that black cumin seed (Nigella Sativa) may treat hypothyroidism
(Natural News) Consuming a few grams of powdered Nigella sativa (NS), more commonly known as black cumin seeds, may improve the autoimmune thyroid condition known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, according to a study published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine…. “Our data showed a potent beneficial effect of powdered Nigella sativa in improving thyroid status and anthropometric variables in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Moreover, Nigella sativa significantly reduced serum VEGF concentrations in these patients. Considering observed health- promoting effect of this medicinal plant in ameliorating the disease severity, it can be regarded as a useful therapeutic approach in management of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis,” the researchers said…. A study published in the Irish Veterinary Journal found that the extract may helped increase serum triiodothyronine concentrations and reduce blood sugar levels in diabetic rabbits. The findings suggest that undergoing oral NS treatment may help cut down diabetes-related disturbances of thyroid hormone metabolism, researchers noted. Another study showed that black seed supplementation significantly increased LH, Estrogen T3 and T4 levels in female rats. In addition, the extract helped reduce the levels of thyrotropin in the animal…. Aside from its beneficial effects on the thyroids, black seeds were also shown to alleviate autoimmune disorders and may potentially fight cancer.

FDA approves outlandish $37,000 drug to fight eczema
(Natural News) Dupixent, which is chemically named dupilumab, is the brain child of Sanofi SA and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and is set to cost a staggering $37,000 a year before insurance rebates — a price tag equivalent to many a person’s annual income. The product, intended for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (otherwise known as eczema) is reportedly going to be “the most important future growth driver” for the two pharma companies. The cost of Dupixent greatly exceeds that of current treatment regimens. But apparently, the fact that it costs less than other pricey injectable antibody drugs, like the $50,000 treatment for psoriasis, is supposed to make the staggering price tag easier to swallow…. But is there another, more natural and less expensive way to treat eczema? Some people, like Alice Morgan of Liverpool, have had great success in managing their eczema with dietary changes. Morgan’s adult eczema was so severe, practically her whole body was covered in blisters. In 2016, she made news headlines by telling her tale of victory: She changed her diet and began to fill her plate with an array of fruits and vegetables, instead of junk.

'Harmless' virus triggers celiac disease and gluten intolerance
What Doctors Don't Tell You - A viral infection could be the cause of chronic problems such as type 1 diabetes and ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis)—and now researchers think it probably triggers celiac disease, an autoimmune response to gluten. The common reovirus—usually considered harmless in humans other than causing diarrhea in infants—in fact affects the immune system, and "sets the stage for an autoimmune disorder, and for celiac disease in particular," says Bana Jabri from the University of Chicago. People who are infected with the reovirus in their first year of life, when their immune system is still maturing, are the most likely to develop celiac disease, especially if they're weaned off breastfeeding in the first six months, and solids that include gluten are introduced. One clue that Jabri and her research team discovered was that celiacs have much higher levels of antibodies against reoviruses, which means they suffered an infection at some time, and they also had more genetic markers that regulate our tolerance to gluten. Celiac disease affects one in 133 people, but it's reckoned that just 17 per cent of cases are ever identified. The disease is an 'improper' immune response to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, and it damages the lining of the small intestine. A strict gluten-free diet is the only known treatment.

Taiwan bans eating dogs and cats
Breitbart - Taiwan has banned the eating of dogs and cats, lawmakers said on Wednesday, as pressure grows to improve animal welfare after a spate of cruelty cases that stirred public outrage. Parliament passed legislation to outlaw the consumption, purchase or possession of dog and cat meat, with offenders facing a fine of up to Tw$250,000 ($8,170). The bill also hiked the penalty for killing or abusing animals to a maximum two-year jail term and a stiff fine of Tw$2 million, more than doubling that for repeat offenders. “This shows that Taiwan is a society with advanced animal welfare,” said lawmaker Wang Yu-min who proposed the amendment.

What the Prescription Pet Food Lawyers Don’t Want You to Know
Truth about Pet Food - The lawsuit against prescription pet food was announced in December 2016. Basically the lawsuit claims that prescription pet food over charges consumers for a product that is not a drug – that prescription pet food is a “deceptive scheme”. Four months later, lawyers representing the pet food manufacturers (Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Mars Petcare, Nestle Purina) has requested the court dismiss the case based on FDA’s “enforcement discretion to permit the sale of these products.”… Per law – no food is allowed to make a health claim, that is unless said food goes through a drug approval process (no food has). The drug approval process is detailed – including legal requirements for sufficient safety testing, and proper manufacturing conditions. However…thanks to the FDA’s ‘enforcement discretion’, pet food is allowed the one and only exception to the ‘food cannot cure/treat disease’ laws. Pet food is the ONLY food that can claim it cures disease (and it doesn’t even matter if that pet food contains illegal recycled waste ingredients). But here’s the catch, here is what the prescription pet food lawyers don’t want consumers (and the lawyers representing consumers) to know… Per a Supreme Court decision, the FDA does not have the authority to make the decision that pet food and only pet food can cure disease…So, while the prescription pet food company’s argument for dismissal – that FDA allows us to sell pet food as a drug – is a valid argument — the bigger argument is that FDA has no authority to allow pet food to be sold as a drug. FDA’s prescription pet food policy is manifestly contrary to drug laws.
 

Wednesday - April 12, 2017

On This Day In History:

1770 - The British Parliament repealed the Townsend Acts.
1782 - The British navy won its only naval engagement against the colonists in the American Revolution at the Battle of Saints, off Dominica.
1811 - The first colonists arrived at Cape Disappointment, Washington.
1861 - Fort Sumter was shelled by Confederacy, starting America's Civil War.
1864 - Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest captured Fort Pillow, in Tennessee and slaughters the black Union troops there.
1892 - Voters in Lockport, New York, became the first in the U.S. to use voting machines.
1938 - The first U.S. law requiring a medical test for a marriage license was enacted in New York.
1944 - The U.S. Twentieth Air Force was activated to begin the strategic bombing of Japan.
1945 - In New York, the organization of the first eye bank, the Eye Bank for Sight Restoration, was announced.
1945 - U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt died in Warm Spring, GA. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 63. Harry S Truman became president.
1955 - The University of Michigan Polio Vaccine Evaluation Center announced that the polio vaccine of Dr. Jonas Salk was "safe, effective and potent."
1963 - Police used dogs and cattle prods on peaceful civil rights demonstrators in Birmingham, AL.
1982 - Three CBS employees were shot to death in a New York City parking lot.
1985 - U.S. Senator Jake Garn of Utah became the first senator to fly in space as the shuttle Discovery lifted off from Cape Canaveral, FL.
1989 - In the U.S.S.R, ration cards were issued for the first time since World War II. The ration was prompted by a sugar shortage.
1993 - NATO began enforcing a no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
2000 - More than 1,500 anti-drug agents raided four cities in Colombia and arrested 46 members of the "most powerful" heroin ring.
2000 - Israel's High Court ordered the release of eight Lebanese detainees that had been held for years without a trial.
2009 - American cargo ship captain Richard Phillips was rescued from Somali pirates by U.S. Navy snipers who shot and killed three of the hostage-takers.

Ben Carson Finds $500 Billion (Billion!) In Errors During Audit Of Obama HUD
The Daily Wire - President Trump picked Carson to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development, whose budget grew by leaps and bounds under Barack Obama. In one of his first acts as HUD Secretary, Carson ordered an audit of the agency. What he found was staggering: $520 billion in bookkeeping errors. “The total amounts of errors corrected in HUD’s notes and consolidated financial statements were $516.4 billion and $3.4 billion, respectively,” the auditors wrote.

Fireball Spotted Off California Coast During Unusual Navy Anti-Sub Patrol
Kit Daniels - A “bright, pulsing orb” streaking across the sky was spotted off the California coast after US and Canadian anti-submarine aircraft conducted an unusual patrol of the area. The green “fireball” occurred on Monday night near an area of ocean where numerous, low-flying sub-hunting aircraft, including a Navy EP-3E Aries II, a Navy P-3C Orion, and a Boeing P-8 Poseidon, spent several hours circling, a patrol which military observers described as odd and unlike routine exercises. The exploding streak was bright enough for thousands of Southern California residents to see off the coast, and after local media reported on the orb, the National Weather Service claimed it was possibly a “meteor.” But given the known military activity in the area, the fireball described by eyewitnesses could have also been a missile test, a military attack, a training accident, a failed missile launch or explosions set off by a submarine crew trying to scuttle their ship to prevent capture…. In 2015, the Pentagon admitted a similar fireball off the California coast was a Trident missile test-fired by the Navy.

To the Governor: Montana Senate Approves Bill to Help Create a Gun Rights Sanctuary State
Tenth Amendment Center - On Saturday, the Montana Senate gave final approval to a bill that would take big steps toward making the state a sanctuary for gun rights by prohibiting state enforcement of most federal acts restricting firearms, magazines or ammunition. If signed into law, it would effectively stop any such federal acts in practice within the state. Sen. Cary Smith (R-Billings) introduced Senate Bill 99 (SB99) on Jan. 9. The legislation would prohibit any state or local government employee, or law enforcement officers, from enforcing, assisting in the enforcement of, or in any way cooperating with enforcement of a federal ban on firearms, magazines, or ammunition. The proposed law specifically prohibits participating in any federal enforcement action implementing such a ban…. The legislation would also prohibit expending or allocating public funds or resources for the enforcement of such federal acts on firearms, magazines or ammunition.

Alabama Governor Resigns, Charged With Two Misdemeanors
Zero Hedge - Alabama Governor Robert Bentley was booked at Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Monday afternoon on two misdemeanor charges. Although last week the Alabama Ethics Commission found reason to believe he had committed four felonies, Bentley has only been charged with “failure to disclose information on [a] statement of economic interest” and “failure to file campaign finance reports.”… The now-former state leader has been embroiled in a year-long scandal that revolves around Bentley having sordid relations with Rebekah Mason, who was employed in the governor’s office as a senior political advisor. Mason was referred to internally as “Flim-Flam.” Impeachment proceedings have been looming over his head over accusations he abused his power and used state resources to cover-up the illicit affair. He allegedly threatened staffers, fired the state’s top law enforcement official, and used official vehicles to shuttle Mason around. As part of a deal cut with Bentley’s attorneys, the state attorney general’s office will not pursue further charges.

United Airlines CEO calls dragged passenger 'disruptive and belligerent'
The Guardian - The chief executive of United Airlines has described the passenger who was forcibly removed from an overbooked plane as “disruptive and belligerent”, and told the airline’s employees that they “followed established procedures”. The airline has been vilified after aviation police officials violently removed a man from a plane at O’Hare international airport in Chicago on Sunday, in an incident captured on video by several passengers…. In a letter to United Airlines staff, CEO Oscar Munoz said he was upset to see and hear about what happened but that he supported his employees…. “The situation was unfortunately compounded when one of the passengers we politely asked to deplane refused and it became necessary to contact Chicago aviation security officers to help,”…. Munoz added that when crew members first approached the passenger to tell him to leave, he “raised his voice and refused to comply”, and each time they asked “he refused and became more and more disruptive and belligerent”…. Chicago police said the man became “irate” after he was asked to disembark and that he “fell” when aviation officers “attempted to carry the individual off the flight … His head subsequently struck an armrest causing injuries to his face”…. Chicago aviation department said one of the officers involved in the removal did not follow protocol and had been placed on leave pending a review.
Related: United Airlines stock plummeted by over $800mn after passenger fiasco

‘Star Trek’ Actor Blames Trump for United Airlines Passenger Removal
Adan Salazar - Actor John Cho, best known for his role as Sulu in the latest Star Trek remake, claimed US President Donald Trump was responsible for a United Airlines debacle in which a passenger was forcibly removed from an overbooked flight. In a Monday tweet, the actor claimed there was a “connection” between the passenger being dragged off a plane, and the “environment Trump has created.”

Putin: Syria Chemical Attack Was ‘False Flag,’ More ‘Provocations’ Coming
Breitbart - At a Tuesday press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed last week’s chemical weapons attack in the Idlib province of Syria was a “false flag” – a phony operation staged by enemies of Russia and Syria to discredit them. He said more such false flag operations were on the way. “We have reports from multiple sources that false flags like this one – and I cannot call it otherwise – are being prepared in other parts of Syria, including the southern suburbs of Damascus. They plan to plant some chemical there and accuse the Syrian government of an attack,” said Putin, as reported by Russia’s RT.com. “President Mattarella and I discussed it, and I told him that this reminds me strongly of the events in 2003, when the US representatives demonstrated at the UN Security Council session the presumed chemical weapons found in Iraq,” Putin continued, referring to Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who appeared with him at the press conference in Moscow.

Tillerson: Russia Must Choose Between Assad and the U.S.
Breitbart - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson issued an ultimatum to Russia on Tuesday: Side with the U.S. and likeminded countries on Syria, or embrace Iran, militant group Hezbollah and embattled Syrian leader Bashar Assad. As he embarked on a trip to Moscow following urgent meetings in Italy with top diplomats, Tillerson said it was unclear whether Russia had failed to take seriously its obligation to rid Syria of chemical weapons, or had merely been incompetent. But he said the distinction “doesn’t much matter to the dead.” “We cannot let this happen again,” the secretary of state said. “We want to relieve the suffering of the Syrian people. Russia can be a part of that future and play an important role,” Tillerson added in remarks to reporters. “Or Russia can maintain its alliance with this group, which we believe is not going to serve Russia’s interests longer term.”

Turkey confirms use of sarin in Syria chemical attack
Deutsche Welle - Tests on victims of a suspected chemical attack in Syria's northwestern Idlib province have confirmed the use of deadly sarin gas. Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, has denied accusations that Damascus was responsible…. As top diplomats gathered for G7 talks in Italy, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the Assad regime still had "chemical weapons capacity.”… Russia - the main military supporter of Syria's regime - on Tuesday said it was demanding the United Nations conduct an investigation into the chemical attack. President Vladimir Putin described the incident as a rebel provocation, claiming that Moscow had intelligence that such acts had been planned in other parts of Syria, including the capital Damascus, according to comments carried by Russian state media.

China Threatens To Bomb North Korea's Nuclear Facilities If It Crosses Beijing's "Bottom Line"
Zero Hedge - "If the bottom line is touched, China will employ all means available including the military means to strike back. By that time, it is not an issue of discussion whether China acquiesces in the US’ blows, but the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will launch attacks to DPRK nuclear facilities on its own.""

North Korea Threatens U.S. With Nuclear Attack At Any Sign Of Pre-Emptive Strike
Zero Hedge - With the USS Carl Vinson carrier group steaming toward the Korean peninsula for what some speculate may be to launch a "decapitation" strike on the Kim Jong-Un regime, on Tuesday North Korean state media threatened the US with a nuclear attack at any sign of a U.S. pre-emptive strike, and warned it is ready for "war" as Washington tightened the screws on the nuclear-armed state. North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said the country was prepared to respond to any aggression by the United States. "Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focused on the U.S. invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theatre but also in the U.S. mainland," it said.

US Special Forces Obliterate ISIS Fighters Trying To Assault Base
Daily Caller - U.S. special forces obliterated an entire Islamic State attack team assaulting a base Saturday in southern Syria,, military officials said…. ISIS fighters launched an assault on the al-Tanf military base in southern Syria, according to the two officials who spoke to NBC News. Approximately 20-30 ISIS fighters, some with suicide vests, were following behind a vehicle that was carrying an improvised explosive device. American forces are stationed at the base, which is used to train Syrian rebels. Other American troops on a nearby patrol responded after hearing about the attack to provide assistance. U.S. and coalition forces killed the ISIS fighters through direct fire and airstrikes, leaving zero survivors. No Americans were killed in the fight.

Obama To Meet With Merkel In Germany In Late May
The Daily Caller - Barack Obama will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in her home country late next month for a panel on democracy. The two will participate in “Being Involved in Democracy: Taking on Responsibility Locally and Globally,” which is sponsored by both the German Protestant Kirchentag and the Obama Foundation. Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, the chair of the Evangelical Church in Germany, said he invited the former president to the event last year. “President Barack Obama’s attending the Kirchentag in Berlin, which will ring in the Reformation Summer, underlines the international character of our 500th anniversary celebrations,” Bedford-Strohm said in a statement. “Anyone who is pious also has to be politically minded.”

Eleven States Threatened With Lawsuits If No Action Taken To Clean Voter Rolls
The Daily Caller - Watchdog group Judicial Watch (JW) sent out warning letters Monday to 11 states with counties in where the registered voters outnumbers voting-age citizens, as calculated by the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2011-2015 American Community Survey. According to the letters, this is “strong circumstantial evidence that these … counties are not conducting reasonable voter registration record maintenance as mandated under the [National Voter Registration Act] NVRA.” The NVRA and the federal Help America Vote Act require states to make reasonable efforts to maintain accurate voting rolls. The 11 states that Judicial Watch sent a letter to are: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Tennessee. According to JW, these states have 90 days after receipt of the letters to address the issue and give JW documentation showing that they have put forth a “statewide effort to conduct a program that reasonably ensures the lists of eligible voters are accurate.”

Gold Spikes To $1275, Above Key Technical Level - Highest Since Election
Zero Hedge - With Trump threatening North Korea, Putin on the tape over Syria, China threatening 'red lines', and French poll data sparking panic across the pond, it seems safe-haven buying is suddenly de rigeur as Gold tops $1275 for the first time since the election, breaking above its 200-day moving average.

U.S. Navy Funds Development of Robot Surveillance System Which Can Spy on Humans in Incredible Detail
The Sun - THE U.S. Navy is funding the development of a new super-surveillance system which uses robots to snoop on humans in terrifying detail. It has handed a $1.7 million (£1.4 million) grant to researchers from Cornell University, who are working to build a system which can “conduct surveillance as a single entity with many eyes”. The cash was handed over by the U.S. Office of Naval Research, which is dedicated to developing new forms of military and civilian technology. Last year, we exclusively revealed that the same department discussed plans to fit humans with microchips and track their every move. Now it wants to develop a system which lets teams of surveillance robots gather and share intelligence “at the speed of light”…. The team suggested the new technology “might help when teams of robots relieve humans of dangerous jobs like disposing of landmines, cleaning up after a nuclear meltdown or surveying the damage after a flood or hurricane”. It could also be taught to spot people behaving suspiciously, such as someone who has placed a backpack on the floor and walked away. The Navy is likely to want to fit the technology into drones.

6 Hormone Balancing Powers Of Red Clover
Green Med Info - Modern research explains why this folk remedy is so effective in helping women at midlife. Red clover contains gentle hormone-balancing plant compounds called isoflavones. These natural chemicals weakly attach to estrogen receptors in the body’s tissues. And they mimic the effects of estrogen. Isoflavones are also adaptogenic. They sense what the body needs, and adapt their response. If estrogen levels are low, they act like estrogen. But if estrogen levels are too high, they take up space on the receptors. They block stronger estrogens. Red clover is so powerful it may be a safe and natural alternative to pharmaceutical hormone replacement therapy.

Papaya Seeds Detoxify Liver & Kidneys, fights Cancer and helps with Digestion
Natural News Blogs - 1. Papaya seeds contain a considerable percentage of the enzyme called papain which is extremely useful for protein digestion. This enzyme offers relief from indigestion and gastric problems. The seeds also help normalize the acidic environment in your intestinal tract, which is essential for a healthy digestive system…. 2. Several studies have shown that papaya seeds and leaves are useful in fighting cancer and preventing it from appearing. The seeds can have potential anticancer effects against a wide range of tumors, including colon, lung, breast and prostate cancer…. 3. In Japan, people believe that taking a teaspoon of papaya seeds every day can defend the liver from disease. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, these astonishing seeds have been used for centuries to enhance vital functions of the liver by efficiently eliminating harmful toxins. The seeds are not only useful in detoxifying the liver but are also beneficial for managing cirrhosis of the liver. Papaya seeds contain proteolytic enzymes that help decrease the digestive load on the liver. 4. Papaya seeds possess strong anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties which help protect and detoxify the kidneys. At the University of Karachi, they found that these seeds are helpful for managing kidney disease and preventing renal failure and that it is particularly useful for poisoning related kidney disease….

Autism Symptoms in Pets Rise as Pet Vaccination Rates Rise
Health Impact News - Though the appearance of autism-like behaviors has been observed in dogs since the mid-1960s, the first researcher to specifically relate some of those behaviors to autism was Nicholas Dodman, DVM, who initially set out in 2011 to look for a genetic cause of obsessive tail chasing in bull terriers. This behavioral characteristic has been observed in as many as 85 percent of a bull terrier litter and often results in self-maiming. Presenting the evidence from his study at the 2015 American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, Dr. Dodman reported an autism-like condition, noting that “the vast majority of affected dogs were males, and many had other strange behaviors or physical conditions that accompanied the tail chasing, such as explosive aggression, partial seizures, phobias, skin conditions, gastrointestinal issues, object fixation and a tendency to shy away from people and other dogs.” He and his associates were further able to establish that two biomarkers common to children with autism were also present in the affected dogs…. Some of the most common behavioral changes are associated with the rabies vaccine, which is the only vaccine federally mandated for pets… Reported changes following rabies vaccination may include those that mimic early symptoms of rabies itself such as increased aggression toward humans and other pets, loss of affectionate behaviors, excessive barking, and destructiveness.
Related Video: Must Watch: The Dangers of Vaccine Overdosing
 

Tuesday - April 11, 2017

On This Day In History:

1783 - After receiving a copy of the provisional treaty on March 13, the U.S. Congress proclaimed a formal end to hostilities with Great Britain.
1898 - U.S. President William McKinley asked Congress for a declaration of war with Spain.
1899 - The treaty ending the Spanish-American War was declared in effect.
1921 - Iowa became the first state to impose a cigarette tax.
1901 - Construction on the Empire State Building was completed. The building was dedicated and opened on May 1, 1931.
1945 - U.S. troops reached the Elbe River in Germany.
1945 - During World War II, American soldiers liberated the Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald in Germany.
1951 - U.S. President Truman fired General Douglas MacArthur as head of United Nations forces in Korea.
1968 - U.S. President Johnson signed the 1968 Civil Rights Act.
1974 - The Judiciary committee subpoenas U.S. President Richard Nixon to produce tapes for impeachment inquiry.
1980 - The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued regulations specifically prohibiting sexual harassment of workers by supervisors.
1981 - President Ronald Reagan returned to the White House from the hospital after recovering from an assassination attempt on March 30.
1984 - China invaded Vietnam.
1985 - The White House announced that President Reagan would visit the Nazi cemetery at Bitburg.
1991 - U.N. Security Council issued a formal cease-fire with Iraq.
1996 - Seven-year-old Jessica Dubroff was killed with her father and flight instructor when her plane crashed after takeoff from Cheyenne, Wyoming. Jessica had hoped to become the youngest person to fly cross-country.
2001 - China agreed to release 24 crewmembers of a U.S. surveillance plane. The EP-3E Navy crew had been held since April 1 on Hainon, where the plane had made an emergency landing after an in-flight collision with a Chinese fighter jet. The Chinese pilot was missing and presumed dead.
2003 - American troops took the northern Iraqi city of Mosul without a fight.
2007 - Charges were dropped against three former Duke University lacrosse players who were falsely accused of rape.

Trump Pushes Back Against Neo-Con Plan to Invade Syria
Paul Joseph Watson - The Trump administration is currently locked in a heated debate over whether to launch a full ground invasion of Syria, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers now massing. According to White House sources who spoke to Infowars, Trump is reticent to see U.S. troops embroiled in yet another Middle East quagmire, but is under pressure from top neo-cons in his administration to prevent Russia from dominating the region as the fall of ISIS nears. Trump has refused to agree to a no fly zone over Syria and does not want to directly attack Assad’s forces in Damascus. However, Assad is apparently backing away from a deal he made with the Pentagon four years ago to step down from power in order to prevent a U.S. military bombardment that Obama pushed for back in 2013. The air strike ordered by Trump was apparently a reminder to Assad of the deal he struck to step down once jihadists had been defeated. Troop numbers are now being massively escalated in western Iraq to reinforce this message, including the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, to back up and cover the flank for U.S. Army ground forces in case of possible attack by Assad. Trump’s response to the alleged chemical weapons attack allowed him to look decisive and was a show of strength towards China and North Korea. It also served to temporarily silence the repeated accusations that he is in collusion with Russia. Trump’s aim with the air strike was to destroy Syria’s remaining chemical weapons to make Assad follow through on the deal. If he didn’t act, Trump would have been eviscerated by his critics as being equally as weak as Obama. However, increasingly prominent neo-cons within the administration, led by National Security Adviser H. R. McMaster, are exploiting the circumstances to maneuver Trump into a position where he is pressured into green lighting a full scale ground war, an attack on Damascus and a confrontation with Russia.

White House Reveals A New "Red Line": Assad's Use Of Barrell Bombs Could Lead To More Strikes
Zero Hedge - In the latest apparent shift of the White House's official stated position on what could draw a U.S. military response in the Syrian conflict, on Monday afternoon press secretary Sean Spicer warned that the use of either chemical weapons or the use of barrel bombs [oil drums or cylinders packed with explosives and shrapnel] on civilians could draw fire, literally, from the Trump administration…. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights watchdog, some 13,000 barrel bombs were dropped in the country in 2016, killing hundreds of people. The bombs are seen as targeting civilians because they hit an indiscriminate area. But the punchline is that if Trump’s new policy is indeed to respond by bombing Assad every time there’s a barrel bomb attack that kills civilians, then the US will have no choice but to bomb Assad every single day, in other words engage in all out war, whether it calls it that or not.

Unusual Navy Patrol Sparks Fear Of Foreign Sub Off California Coast
Kit Daniels - Anti-submarine aircraft have been loitering over the same area off the California coast for hours, which is fueling speculation that a Russian – or a North Korean – submarine was spotted in the area. While the report of a foreign vessel is unconfirmed at this point, the military patrol is apparently not part of a routine exercise due to the number of aircraft hovering over the same area and the late hours of operation. The patrol includes multiple low-flying aircraft including a Navy EP-3E Aries II, which is used for electronic surveillance, a Navy P-3C Orion, which is used for submarine spotting, and a Boeing P-8 Poseidon used for anti-submarine warfare…. Additionally, a Royal Canadian CP-140 Orion, also known for submarine spotting, joined the search.

Mick Mulvaney Orders Federal Agencies to Prepare for Massive Cuts
Breitbart - As part of Donald Trump’s plan to streamline federal government, [Office of Management and Budget Director Mick] Mulvaney will demand that federal agencies significantly reduce their costs and increase efficiency. The reorganization will likely involve selling assets, laying off employees, and the cancellation of programs deemed unnecessary. The letter will fall in line with Trump’s executive order from March 13th, which dictates Mulvaney “propose a plan to reorganize governmental functions and eliminate unnecessary agencies… , components of agencies, and agency programs.” In the new administration’s first White House budget, Trump ordered record cuts for a number of federal agencies, including a 31 percent cut to the Environmental Protection Agency, a 28 percent cut to the State Department, and a 17.9 percent cut to the Department of Health and Human Services. It also proposed eliminating funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting as well as the endowments for the Arts and the Humanities. Meanwhile, the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs both saw a 10 percent increase, as well $3 billion in resources for the Department of Homeland Security to bolster immigration enforcement and construct a wall on the southern border.

Video: Justice Neil Gorsuch Takes the Oath to Officially Join Supreme Court
Washington Post - Colorado appeals court judge Neil M. Gorsuch took his oaths to be the Supreme Court’s 113th justice Monday morning, first in a private ceremony at the court and later at a Rose Garden ceremony with the man who nominated him, President Trump. At the first event, in a grand room inside the Supreme Court, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. administered the oath that all federal employees take. The eight other justices and most of their spouses were on hand, as well as Maureen Scalia and Eugene Scalia, the widow and son of the justice Gorsuch is replacing, Antonin Scalia…. Gorsuch’s swearing-in is the conclusion of a nearly 14-month process to fill Scalia’s seat, with Republicans winning a bitter battle to ensure that his replacement was a like-minded disciple who would restore a conservative majority on the court for years to come.

Big Pharma Funds "Independent" Advocacy Groups Attacking Drug-Price Reduction Bill
The Intercept - Advertisements from seemingly independent advocacy groups are swamping Beltway newspapers with dire warning that recent proposals to lower drug prices will lead to dangerous consequences…. For instance, the American Conservative Union (ACU), one of the organizations taking out an ad, describes itself as devoted to promoting “liberty, personal responsibility, traditional values, and strong national defense.”…. The ads have appeared as legislators are taking up proposals designed to lower drug prices — potentially cutting into the profits of the big drugmakers. A bill proposed by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., would reverse a 2003 law that prohibits Medicare from using its collective bargaining power to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices. The ban on negotiation was originally authored by legislators working closely with PhRMA lobbyists, and the sponsor of the ban later became a PhRMA lobbyist…. Another ad, from Americans for Tax Reform, a conservative advocacy group devoted to reducing taxes, warns that Medicare Part D, the prescription drug benefit arm of Medicare, might soon be threatened by lawmakers seeking to repeal “Part D’s protection against government interference in prescription drug pricing.”

United Airlines drags physician kicking and screaming off a flight he PAID FOR because they overbooked and wanted the seat back
(Natural News) Welcome to the friendly skies of United Airlines, where you can pay for a ticket, take your assigned seat, mind your own business waiting for the plane to take off and then be violently dragged out of your seat by armed government goons who smash your face and humiliate you in front of everyone…. How did this happen? Many air travelers don’t realize that airlines overbook nearly every flight, knowing that some people never show up for the flight they’ve booked. Every once in a while, a statistical fluke emerges where everybody shows up, meaning the flight is “overbooked” and somebody has to give up their seat. This is usually achieved by offering passengers free lodging and future flight credits in order to entice volunteers to give up their seats. But in this case, no one wanted to give up their seat, even when the reward credit was increased to $800. So United Airlines did what all oppressive regimes do in a police state: They called in the government goons to literally rip this innocent customer out of his seat and slam his face into the adjacent seat, cutting his lip while he’s screaming and kicking. The man was a doctor who needed to see patients the next morning and simply didn’t want to give up the seat he already paid for.

U.S., Russia continue communications on operations in Syria, says Central Command
Washington Times - U.S. air commanders and their Russian counterparts continue to be in close contact regarding ongoing operations in Syria, despite Moscow’s decision to cancel a deconfliction hotline between the two, in the aftermath of an American attack on a Syrian military base….“We have continued to deconflict as necessary with the Russians” as U.S. air ops continue, said command spokesman Col. John Thomas, who declined to comment how those talks were being handled. “There are other ways to deconflict, and we are going to use all of those means, no matter what the situation is with that particular [deconfliction] line,” Col. Thomas said during a teleconference from command headquarters in Tampa, Florida. “It is not the only means available, but it has been a helpful means in the past.”

Assad Accused Of Dropping Incendiary Bombs In Idlib Days After US Strikes
Blacklisted News - According to Reuters, which together with the gated Times of London picked up on the unconfirmed story, "Syrian or Russian warplanes dropped incendiary bombs on areas of Idlib and Hama provinces just days after a deadly gas attack in the region, activists and a monitoring group reported on Monday." Well, make that one monitoring group: the same one which back in 2013 was responsible for the creation of the original YouTube video showing the "false flag" sarin gas attack, and which - unlike in 2017 - failed to provoke a military attack by the Obama regime…. In any case, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights - whose information gathering network is seemingly better than that of any other newswire in the region - said Russian jets had used an incendiary substance called thermite in bombs they dropped over the towns of Saraqeb in Idlib and al-Latamenah in Hama, further south, on Saturday and Sunday. There were some discrepancies and conflicting narratives, as always happens in the early stages when a new propaganda narrative is set, but hey: white phosphorus, thermite bombs, it will all look the same on the front page of the USA Today at the end of the day.

Cheney, Rothschild, And Fox News' Murdoch Violate International Law By Drilling For Oil In Syria
The Free Thought Project - After concluding the flow testing phase, Afek Oil and Gas will now begin analyzing samples drawn from the Ness-2 drilling site, euphemistically dubbed “Deborah’s Well,” in the Israeli-occupied region of Syria known as the Golan Heights. New Jersey-based Genie Energy, Ltd., Afek’s parent company, claims a dubious cadre of investors cum war profiteers, including Rupert Murdoch, Dick Cheney, Lord Jacob Rothschild, James Woolsey — as well as a number of current and former U.S. politicians…. In fact, as The Free Thought Project’s Justin Gardner previously reported, the unsavory character heading Genie Oil is none other than Efraim “Effie” Eitam, an Israeli military commander and former Knesset member who once called for the expulsion of the “cancer” of Arabs from Israel…. In addition to the eyebrow-raising cabal of Eitam, Murdoch, Cheney, and Rothschild, Genie Oil and Gas appointed new members to its Strategic Advisory Board last September, including: “Dr. Lawrence Summers, 71st Secretary of the Treasury under President Clinton and Director of the National Economic Council under Pres. Obama; former Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu, who is credited with helping pass the U.S.-Israel Energy Cooperation Bill while she chaired the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; former governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson, who became an energy insider after serving as the Clinton administration’s Energy Secretary; and former Director of Central Intelligence, R. James Woolsey, who co-founded the U.S. Energy Security Council.”

South Korean Paper Reports China Has Deployed 150,000 Troops To North Korea Border
Zero Hedge - According to Korean news agency Chosun, the "Chinese army has deployed about 150,000 troops to the North Korean border in two groups to prepare for unforeseen circumstances." The reason: the prospect of "military options", such as preemptive attacks on North Korea, like the one the United States launched on Syria…. More Google translated: As the United States announced its independent North Korean behavior and moved the United States Navy's nuclear-powered Calvinus (CVN-70) carrier class to Singapore, the Chinese army has deployed about 150,000 troops in two groups to prepare for unforeseen circumstances. "The report said. It is because of the prospect of taking "military options", such as preemptive attacks on North Korea, just as the United States has launched an air raid on Syria. Japan's Sankei Shimbun reported on the 9th that the Syrian missile strike in the United States shocked China, suggesting that the People's Liberation Army forces are moving toward the Yalu River.

As Trump pushes corporate tax cut, CBO notes the U.S. has world's highest rate
Watchdog.org - The CBO report noted the United States’ top federal statutory corporate income tax rate is 35 percent, and has been so since 1993. When including state taxes, the top rate is 39.1 percent, making America’s rate higher than any other G20 country. Japan is the closest at 37 percent. America fared better - if only slightly - when examining average and marginal corporate tax rates. The average corporate tax rate, a measure of the total amount of corporate taxes a company pays as a share of its income, was 29 percent in the U.S., ranking the nation third. The effective marginal corporate tax rate, a measure of a corporation’s tax burden on returns from marginal investments, was an estimated 19 percent, or fourth highest among the G20…. But, like many politicians, Trump is finding his campaign promises — he vowed to reduce the rate to 15 percent several times during his presidential run - no easy feat. Insiders told the New York Times the target had been increased to 20 percent, but even that now seems unlikely, as a plan proposed by House Speaker Paul Ryan to drop the figure to that number hinged on the repeal of Obamacare.

Wells Fargo Claws Back Additional $72 Million From John Stumpf, Former Retail Banking Head
Zero Hedge - … the board of Wells Fargo said it has clawed back an additional $72 million of pay from the two former execs it holds responsible for last year's biggest banking scandal, namely the bank's unprecedented cross-selling practices which went on for years. According to a 113-page board committee report released on Monday, directors of the bank decided to hold back more pay than disclosed last year from ex-CEO John Stumpf and former retail bank leader Carrie Tolstedt, who departed the bank shortly before the scandal broke out. Among the reasons, as summarized by the WSJ, "the board felt misled about the extent of sales abuses that went back to 2002 and resulted in a $185 million fine and two congressional inquiries." In its report, the board said as of last Friday, it decided to claw back from Mr. Stumpf an additional $28 million of incentive compensation paid in March 2016 under an equity grant made in 2013. In September it announced $41 million in clawbacks from Mr. Stumpf. The board is also clawing back Ms. Tolstedt’s outstanding stock options worth about $47.3 million, following $19 million in earlier clawback activity. That brings total clawbacks to $183 million, according to the board report. That is one of the largest company clawbacks in recent history.

Barclays' Whistleblower-Gate Raises Alarms Bells
Wall Street On Parade - It is not a promising development for changing the culture of Wall Street when today’s newswires are reporting…how the big Wall Street player, Barclays, engaged U.S. law enforcement in an attempt to hunt down the identity of an internal whistleblower…. [CEO of Barclays, Jes] Staley’s long tenure on Wall Street suggests that it would be next to impossible for him not to have heard about Dodd-Frank and its protections for whistleblowers. But when confronted with an internal whistleblower who had come forward anonymously, Staley unleashed the dogs in attempting to find out his or her identity. According to a statement released by Barclays, Staley used both an internal group and U.S. law enforcement in efforts to identify the whistleblower, raising the question as to whether laws really mean anything when it comes to the financial industry. The Board of Barclays hired an outside law firm to investigate the matter, Simmons & Simmons LLP, and concluded that it would not fire Staley but simply issue a written reprimand and cut his bonus.

Russia slaps Facebook with ‘Google Tax’
RT - Social media giant Facebook has joined the list of IT firms registered with Russia’s Federal Tax Service as a foreign company selling electronic content in Russia. Beginning April 25, the California-based company will start paying 18 percent value added tax (VAT), known as the ‘Google tax’ in Russia, reports business daily Vedomosti. Over a hundred foreign corporations have already registered in Russia. They include Google, Apple, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Netflix, Bloomberg, the Financial Times, and Turkish payment service provider Payby.me. English professional football club Chelsea, also had to register due to video content distribution. Roughly half of the registered firms sell software and computer games with 30 percent of corporations distributing music content as well as movies and books, according to an official as quoted by the daily.

Researcher: 90% Of 'Smart' TVs Can Be Compromised Remotely
Techdirt - Rafael Scheel, a security researcher working for Swiss cyber security consulting company Oneconsult, recently revealed that around 90% of smart televisions are vulnerable to a remote attack using rogue DVB-T (Digital Video Broadcasting - Terrestrial) signals. This attack leans heavily on Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV), an industry standard supported by most cable companies and set top manufacturers that helps integrate classic broadcast, IPTV, and broadband delivery systems. Using $50-$150 DVB-T transmitter equipment, an attacker can use this standard to exploit smart dumb television sets on a pretty intimidating scale, argues Scheel…. Scheel also notes that the uniformity of smart TV OS design (uniformly bad, notes a completely different researcher this week) and the lack of timely updates mean crafting exploits for multiple sets is relatively easy, and firmware updates can often take months or years to arrive. Oh, and did we mention these attacks are largely untraceable?.... So yeah, that internet of broken things security we've spent the last few years mercilessly making fun of? It's significantly worse than anybody imagined.

The World Chips In Over $500k To Save Ron Finley's Gangsta Garden
Activist Post - Faced with eviction after the project’s headquarters and urban farm was sold to a real estate company, a GoFundMe campaign was set up to help raise the $500,000 needed to buy the property and keep their hard work and vision alive…. As of today, the fundraising campaign has now raised over $517,000 from some 2,656 donors form around the world who value the project and wish to see its continuance in its current location. Donors also include some high-profile people who wish to see this project live on…. Something big is happening in this world when so many people are willing to put such a large amount money on the line to save a garden. It remains to be seen if the effort will pay, as the decision to sell the location to the Ron Finley Project is in the hands of the real estate owners who will have to decide if they will accept the sale of this property. A petition has been set up to raise signatures in support of the sale of the property, addressed to Strategic Acquisitions, Inc., the firm currently carrying out eviction procedures against the project. Please help by signing and sharing the petition [Link in article]

Another Chance to Stop 'Bad Seed & Spray' Bill!
Farm & Ranch Freedom Alliance - Wednesday morning, April 12, will be a busy one at the Texas Capitol, with multiple good and bad bills before House Committees…. SB 1172 (what we've been calling the "bad seed and spray bill") passed the Senate last week. The bill would deprive Texans of the ability seek help from their local elected officials for problems caused by industrial agriculture's seeds and cultivation methods. Senator Kirk Watson cast the only dissenting vote…. HB 2758, the House companion bill to SB 1172, would prevent cities and counties from regulating any seed "in any manner, including planting seed or cultivating plants grown from seed." The language about "cultivating" means that it's not just about the seeds themselves, but the things the farmers use to grow the plants - including pesticides and herbicides that can kill other crops, crash bee populations, and harm human health. If you think that Texans should be able to seek solutions for these sorts of problems from their local elected officials, then voice your position by attending the Wednesday morning House Committee hearing and by calling your State Representative today!….

Packaged salads recalled from Walmart after a dead bat was found inside
The Telegraph - Fresh Express recalled its Organic Marketside Spring Mix from Walmart stores in the Southeastern United States Saturday because a dead bat was found in a packaged salad in Florida. As the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s recall chart notes, if there’s the possibility of bat body parts, there’s a “minimal risk of rabies contamination.” While Fresh Express’ recall notice tiptoes around the bat issue — “Fresh Express was notified that extraneous animal matter was allegedly found in a single container of the salad”… The CDC did say the risk of rabies transmission is very low, but not zero, so the organization recommended the two eaters of the organic salad begin treatment as if they’d been exposed to rabies. Both report good health so far, according to the CDC. As for the recalled product, it comes in a five-ounce, clear container. The best-by date is April 14, 2017, with production code G089B19. Customers can toss it or return it to the Walmart of purchase…. In addition to Florida, the salads went to Walmart stores in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

Statins raise type 2 diabetes risk by 60 per cent
What Doctors Don't Tell You - Cholesterol-lowering statins do raise the risk of type 2 diabetes, a major new review has confirmed. The risk can rise by as much as 60 per cent depending on the drug being taken. Earlier studies had seen that the drugs increase diabetes risk—although it was only between 9 and 13 per cent—but researchers from the University of Milan have discovered it raises the risk far more. On average the drugs increase the risk by 44 per cent, but it can be as high as 61 per cent for people taking Crestor (rosuvastatin), one of the most successful drugs in the statin family and often described as a 'super statin'. The risk seems to increase with length of use and higher doses. The researchers took another look at 20 studies, which involved more than 1,000 people taking a statin. They say that there needs to be a more rigorous monitoring of statin patients, especially if they are already pre-diabetic or have risk factors for diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can lead to heart disease and even blindness.

Video: If Your Car Sinks in Water Do This Immediately!
Natural Blaze - Did you know that over 400 people each year die inside the sinking cars? You would think it would be a rare event, but careening a car into a lake is not the only way that people perish in sinking cars. It happens in the aftermath of hurricanes and floods, thus, we cannot over-stress the importance of having supplies on hand so that you do not find yourself in this situation…. You have only 30 seconds to act. The key is to 1). unbuckle, 2.) unroll, and 3.) get out through the front windows. If you weren’t able unroll your window you can easily break the window with a cheap tool within grabbing distance. The following instructional also shows how to save children and babies. This 2 minute video could save your life!

The family pet reduces your child's risk of allergies
What Doctors Don't Tell You - If you have a family pet in the home, your children are less likely to suffer from allergies—such as asthma—and they even reduce their chances of becoming obese. It's all to do with microbes. Having a family pet—such as a dog or cat—means your children have higher levels of two types of microbes that seem to have a protective effect against allergic diseases, such as asthma, and can even reduce their risk of becoming obese. Pet owners and their families have around twice the amount of the beneficial bacteria as people who don't have a pet. Researchers from the University of Alberta aren't sure whether the microbes come from the pet's fur or paws, but they do know the microbes create early immunity. The trouble is that the researchers aren't sure if there's a critical window of time when gut immunity and microbes co-develop, and so don't know when it's a good time to buy that family pet. However, higher levels of the microbes have been detected in babies when there's a family pet around the home.
 

Monday - April 10, 2017

On This Day In History:

1790 - The U.S. patent system was established when U.S. President George Washington signed the Patent Act of 1790 into law.
1862 - Union forces began the bombardment of Fort Pulaski in Georgia along the Tybee River.
1865 - During the American Civil War, at Appomattox, General Robert E. Lee issued his last order.
1866 - The American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was incorporated.
1912 - The Titanic set sail from Southampton, England.
1922 - The Genoa Conference opened. The meeting was used to discuss the reconstruction of Europe after World War I.
1925 - F. Scott Fitzgerald published "The Great Gatsby" for the first time.
1941 - In World War II, U.S. troops occupied Greenland to prevent Nazi infiltration.
1945 - German Me 262 jet fighters shot down ten U.S. bombers near Berlin.
1960 - The U.S. Senate passed the Civil Rights Bill.
1963 - 129 people died when the nuclear-powered submarine USS Thresher failed to surface off Cape Cod, MA.
1968 - U.S. President Johnson replaced General Westmoreland with General Creighton Abrams in Vietnam.
1972 - The U.S. and the Soviet Union joined with 70 other nations in signing an agreement banning biological warfare.
2001 - The Netherlands legalized mercy killings and assisted suicide for patients with unbearable, terminal illness.
2002 - Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke before the U.S. Senate as a representative of the Israeli government. He warned that suicide bombers would spread to the U.S. if Israel was not allowed to finish its military offensive in the West Bank. Netanyaho also cited the goals of dismantling the terror regime and expelling Arafat from the region, ridding the Palestinian territories of terrorist weapons and establishing "physical barriers" to protect Israelis from future Palestinian attacks.
2007 - A woman wearing an explosives vest strapped underneath her black robe blew herself up in the midst of 200 police recruits in Muqdadiyah, Iraq, killing 16.

US Top Diplomat Tillerson Claims China Ready for 'Action' on North Korea
Sputnik News - Reacting to continued North Korean ballistic missile and nuclear weapons testing, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has affirmed that, following recent talks between Beijing and Washington, China has stated that it is prepared to move. Detailed by Tillerson on Sunday, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at Trump's Florida resort last week to discuss, among other topics, ongoing tensions on the Korean Peninsula. "President Xi clearly understands," Tillerson clarified, "and I think agrees, that the situation has intensified and has reached a certain level of threat that action has to be taken," according to The Guardian.

Video: Judge Jeanine on Syria Strike: Trump ‘Demonstrated Swift, Certain and Decisive Leadership Absent for so Long in America’
Breitbart - “When President Donald Trump ordered a targeted strike on that military base in Syria, he demonstrated swift, certain and decisive leadership absent for so long in America,” Judge Jeanine began. She continued, “His clarity, determination and compassion for the most weak among us without the accustomed indifference, whimpering, dithering, vacillating moral equivalency of the other guy reflects not only his courage, strength and honor, but finally the resurgence and the reawakening of America the great. This is what we voted for.”…

Letter to Congress: Trump Pledges to Take ‘Additional Action’ in Syria
Infowars - In a letter to Congress Saturday, President Trump said his administration would take “additional action” following military strikes in Syria over alleged chemical weapons use…. “I acted in the vital national security and foreign policy interests of the United States, pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive. The United States will take action, as necessary and appropriate, to further its important national interests.”

Senate Votes To Confirm Gorsuch To The Supreme Court
Western Journalism - The final tally was 54 to 45 with two Democrat senators siding with all 52 Republicans…. Gorsuch’s confirmation comes following the Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s decision to invoke the so-called nuclear option on Thursday to overcome a Democrat filibuster. Nominees only require a majority vote to be approved, as long as no senator opposes the nomination through a filibuster. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had called on Republicans to change the nominee to someone more agreeable to Democrats rather than change the rules. McConnell responded by pointing out the long history of Democrats filibustering Republican presidents’ nominees dating back to 2003. “There cannot be two sets of standards, one for the nominees of Democratic presidents and another for the nominees of Republican presidents,” he said. In 2013, Schumer backed the use of the nuclear option to push through three Obama nominees to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, which Republicans found too controversial.

NSA unmasking: Congress notified as often as once a month
Circa News - The U.S. government’s foreign surveillance sweeps up American lawmakers and their staffers so routinely now that Congress is alerted as often as once a month that its employees involved in intercepted conversations have been unmasked and their identities shared with intelligence or law enforcement agencies, Circa has learned…. Often though, the affected lawmakers or congressional aides aren’t told about the unmasking, unless it involves a security or hacking threat. So some affected lawmakers may not know about their appearance in unredacted executive branch intelligence reports, according to intelligence community sources, who spoke only on condition of anonymity. The notifications are just one of many growing signs that what once was considered a rare event inside the intelligence community -- the unmasking of a conversation involving Americans captured overseas by the National Security Agency or the FBI under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act -- is now becoming more widespread after President Obama lowered the thresholds and privacy protections for such sharing starting in 2011.

Wisconsin Police Hunt Armed Man Who Allegedly Mailed Manifesto to Trump
NBC News - Wisconsin police were widening their hunt Saturday for a 32-year-old man who allegedly burglarized a gun store after mailing an anti-government manifesto to President Donald Trump. Joseph Jakubowski has been on the run since Tuesday, when police say he broke into the Armageddon Gun Shop in Janesville, south of Madison, and stole 16 high-caliber rifles and handguns. He is believed to be armed and dangerous, and traveling with a bulletproof vest and helmet, according to authorities. At a news conference Friday, Rock County Sheriff Robert Spoden said Jakubowski had been highly agitated by national politics recently and had confessed to friends that he had plans to steal guns and conduct an "unspecified attack."…. Police released a video Jakubowski allegedly posted to Facebook that shows a man mailing a large envelope clearly addressed to Trump and the White House. Authorities say the package contained a 160-page manifesto that featured anti-government rants and "personal angst against anything other than natural law or rule.”… Since Tuesday, authorities have responded to more than 200 leads in their search, and the FBI is offering a $10,000 reward to anyone with information leading to Jabukowsi's arrest.
* Related: Rock County officials release new pictures of Joseph Jakubowski from day of gun shop burglary

Montana Democrat Governor Allows Sharia Law in State Courts
The GatewayPundit - US News reported: Gov. Steve Bullock vetoed a bill that would have banned Shariah and other foreign laws from being used in Montana courts, saying Thursday that the measure would “upend our legal system and debase what we stand for as Montanans and Americans.” Montana was one of the 13 states considering legislation seeking to prevent the use of foreign law in state courts. While the bill’s focus was not on Shariah law, some supporters specifically spoke out against the religious law used in some parts of the Islamic world. Some Republicans sided with Democrats in opposing the measure but could not block it from going to the governor. “There is absolutely no need for this bill,” Bullock wrote in his veto message, adding that the proposal could add to the “nationwide surge in hate crimes.”

Texas Wins Victory for Farmers Against BLM
Breitbart - The [Bureau of Land Management] BLM admitted this week admitted in a letter issued on March 29… that it used an “incorrect methodology” in its justification for the attempted taking of land that had been in the possession of many Texas landowners for generations. “Having reviewed this deposition testimony and other new information, the BLM believes the survey methodology was used in error and may have caused errors in identifying the location of the Gradient Boundary,” Acting Cadastral Survey Chief Stephen Beyerlein wrote in the letter…. Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) President Russell Boening said in a written statement… “TFB has been involved in this situation for years. We take it very seriously when government decides that private property no longer belongs to those who have purchased, paid taxes and hold titles to it.”…. The BLM has suspended all administrative actions regarding these 90,000 acres of sovereign Texas land, the TFB stated.

Utah Passes Measure Calling to Abolish U.S. Education Department
Breitbart - The measure passed the Utah State House with a vote of 60-14, and the State Senate, 20-1. It was enrolled on March 17. State Rep. Ken Ivory sponsored HJR 017, titled “Joint Resolution to Restore the Division of Governmental Responsibilities Between the National Government and the States.” The resolution “urges the President of the United States and Congress to recognize state authority and take action to restore power to the states.” The measure specifically urges that Congress end the federal Education Department and block grant funds for education to the states… In addition, the resolution “encourages other states to join with the state of Utah in documenting issues of federal overreach.” Two bills have been introduced into Congress that call for the abolishment of the U.S. Education Department. In February, Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie introduced H.R. 899, a measure that contains only one sentence: “The Department of Education Shall Terminate on December 31, 2018.” North Carolina Rep. David Rouzer (R) introduced another measure in March, H.R. 1510, that “proposes a responsible dismantle of the Department of Education by reallocating its billions in funding to be proportionally distributed to the respective states to be used for any education purpose as they see fit.”

MEGA BUST: Pro-Illegal Alien ‘Mega March 2017’ in Dallas a Dud
The GatewayPundit - A pro-illegal alien march and rally held in Dallas on Sunday called Mega March 2017 drew several thousand attendees, way short of the 100,000 planned for by organizers. The turnout pales in comparison to the 2006 March in Dallas that drew an estimated 500,000 and stretched many packed city blocks. In contrast the 2017 Mega March only thinly fills half the lanes of about six blocks as seen from aerial video by KXAS-TV…. The Dallas Democratic Party also posted their support for unchecked illegal immigration with the use of the hashtag #NoBanNoWallNoRaids. Curiously, the photo the Democrats displayed features Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins at the march giving a thumbs up to the camera. (So much for that oath to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, right, Your Honor?)

Harvard to Change Historical Anthem Because ‘It’s No Longer Inclusive’
Heat Street - The University of Harvard has announced plans to change the last line of its 181-year-old “Fair Harvard” hymn because some people feel it is insufficiently inclusive. The “Fair Harvard” anthem, which has been sung since the mid-1800s, is used by all incoming and leaving students of Harvard at commencements and other major events. It’s known sometimes to bring its performers arm-in-arm in a show of solidarity. On Wednesday, however, it was announced that the anthem will undergo a 21st century update to change its last line,”Till the stock of the Puritans die”, in order to reflect the modern times…. Professor Allen criticized the line, claiming that while the whole point of the song is to highlight the commitment to the pursuit of truth, the pay off suggests such a goal is linked only to one group rather than everybody.

Trump Surrenders Element of Surprise by Warning Russia of Planned Strike on Its Ally Syria
The Intercept - A Pentagon spokesman, Capt. Jeff Davis, said in a statement that a pre-exiting “deconfliction” channel, set up to keep American and Russian jets from crossing paths in the skies over Syria, was used to disclose the planned attack to Russia. “U.S. military planners took precautions to minimize risk to Russian or Syrian personnel located at the airfield,” Davis said…. It is not yet clear how far ahead of time the Russians were warned, but a witness told Riam Dalati of the BBC that a convoy of Russian military vehicles left the base at some stage yesterday [Friday]. Although at least six Syrian airmen died in the attack, according to a Syrian military spokesman, it seems inconceivable that the Russian military personnel fleeing the base would not have alerted their allies to what was coming.

Russia Suspends Critical Military Communication Channel
Western Journalism - After President Donald Trump ordered an airstrike on a Syrian airbase early Friday, the Russian government has responded by suspending a communications channel with the United States designed to avoid midair incidents between Russian and U.S. pilots in the skies over Syria…. The strike… left Russian President Vladimir Putin with the choice between maintaining improved ties with the U.S. and defending Russia’s ally in Assad. Putin, it seems, chose the latter, deciding to risk a clash with Trump. Russia’s decision to suspend the hotline means Russian and U.S. planes could fly dangerously close to each other during combat missions, increasing the chances of collisions in Syrian airspace…. The communications line, established in October 2015, has helped avoid incidents between Russian and American planes, and allowed the United States to notify Russia it would attack the Syrian airfield, allowing Russian troops there to move to safety.

Russia and Iran warn US they will 'respond with force' if red lines crossed in Syria again
The Independent - Following Friday’s cruise missile strike on a Syrian airbase, in retaliation for the chemical attack on Khan Sheikhoun earlier in the week, the alliance supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made a joint statement threatening action in response to “any breach of red lines from whoever it is”…. Britain, the US and France accused Mr. Assad’s regime of gassing civilians in the opposition-held town, but Damascus claimed it destroyed its toxic stockpiles following an international agreement struck in 2013. The Russian defence ministry put out a competing version of events claiming legitimate Syrian air strikes against “terrorists” had struck a warehouse used to produce and store shells containing toxic gas, which were allegedly being sent to Iraq. The joint command centre also said on Sunday the missile strike would not deter it from “liberating” Syria, and that the US military presence in the north of the country amounted to an illegal “occupation”. Mr. Putin and Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani have called for an objective investigation into the chemical attack.

North Korea: Friendship with Syria ‘Will Be Strengthened and Developed’
Breitbart - The government of North Korea sent a “message of greeting to Bashar al-Assad” on Thursday meant to congratulate Assad for “the 70th anniversary of the [Baath Arab Socialist] Party’s founding.” North Korean state media published the congratulatory note on Friday, following the Trump administration’s decision to conduct airstrikes on a key Assad military base…. “Today the Party is resolutely struggling to courageously shatter the vicious challenge and aggressive moves of the hostile forces at home and abroad and defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity under the leadership of Bashar Al-Assad,” Kim, the dictator of North Korea, is said to have written to Assad. The South Korean news agency Yonhap noted that observers see the note as “showing friendly ties between Pyongyang and Damascus” in a particularly volatile political moment for Assad… North Korea’s ambassador to Moscow also weighed in on Trump’s airstrikes specifically, threatening a “most ruthless blow” against the United States should the United States exercises “even the smallest provocation” against Pyongyang, a sign that North Korea interpreted the attack on Syria as a warning to other rogue states like itself that America was not afraid of military responses to international human rights law violations.

US Sends Aircraft Carrier Toward North Korea "In Response to Recent Provocations"
Zero Hedge - One day after NBC reported that the National Security Council had presented Trump with three options vis-a-vis North Korea, namely i) put American nukes in South Korea , ii) kill Kim Jong-un or iii) use the CIA to infiltrate North Korea to sabotage or take out key infrastructure, a US carrier group has departed Singapore and is headed for North Korea…. The move of the USS Carl Vinson "is in response to recent North Korean provocations", an official told CNN. "We feel the increased presence is necessary," the official said, citing North Korea's worrisome behavior."…. The Vinson strike group will operate in the Western Pacific rather than executing previously planned port visits to Australia, Pacific Command said…. This year North Korean officials, including leader Kim Jong Un, have repeatedly indicated an intercontinental ballistic missile test or something similar could be coming, possibly as soon as April 15, the 105th birthday of North Korea's founding president…. At the end of March, satellite images collected by 38 North [website of the US-Korea Institute at Sais] suggested that North Korea was actively preparing for a nuclear test.

Over 37 Killed In Two Coptic Christian Church Bombings In Egypt; ISIS Claims Responsibility
Zero Hedge - At least 37 people were killed and more than 100 injured in two separate bombings at Christian Coptic churches packed with worshippers in northern Egypt one week before Coptic Easter, Reuters reports. The first bombing, in Tanta, a Nile Delta city less than 100 kilometers outside Cairo, killed at least 26 and injured at least 78, Egypt's Ministry of Health said. The second, carried out just a few hours later by a suicide bomber in Alexandria, hit the historic seat of the Coptic Pope, killing 11, including three police officers, and injuring 35, the ministry added. In a separate explosion, one person has been reported killed in a bombing of the Tanta police academy. Shortly after the explosions, ISIS via its al-Amaq news agency, claimed responsibility for the bombings. The attacks are the latest in a series of assaults on Egypt's Christian minority, which makes up around 10% of the population and has been repeatedly targeted by Islamic extremists…. The deadly bombing take place as the Islamic State branch in Egypt appears to be stepping up attacks and threats against Christians. In February, Christian families and students fled Egypt's North Sinai province after a spate of targeted killings.

‘Far-Left Militia’ Attacks Le Pen Rally in Corsica
Breitbart - Skirmishes broke out on Saturday ahead of a campaign rally by French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, prompting the removal of more than a dozen protesters and the evacuation of the hall in Ajaccio, Corsica. Latest polls ahead of the April-May French presidential election show the race tightening, with Le Pen — leader of the anti-immigrant National Front — neck-and-neck with centrist Emmanuel Macron, who is expected to beat her in the runoff. Around 50 people demonstrated in front of the venue in Ajaccio, chanting “We do not want the National Front”, according to local newspaper Corse Matin. Some of them managed to enter the hall where Le Pen was expected to speak. They clashed with Le Pen’s security team and fired teargas, prompting the evacuation of the hall, the newspaper said.

Getting Serious Now? Senators Warren, McCain, Cantwell, and King Introduce New Glass-Steagall Act
Wolf Street - …White House economic advisor and ex-Goldman executive Gary Cohn had dropped a bombshell by speaking in support of reverting to a version of the Glass-Steagall Act. It had once separated commercial banks from all other financial activities, but was repealed in 1999 – with terrible consequences that ended in the Financial Crisis. The digital ink on that article wasn’t even dry when Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), who’d been part of that meeting, announced today that she and three other senators – John McCain (R-Arizona), Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), and Angus King (I-Maine) – would re-introduce “the 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act.”…. Introducing legislation happens all the time. As Senator Warren pointed out, she had already introduced this act in prior years, and it went nowhere…. Just this year, Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) along with Reps. Walter Jones (R-North Carolina), Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), and Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) re-introduced legislation to reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act. It too went nowhere. Nevertheless, perhaps this time, the Senators will pick up enough momentum to get this act airborne.

This Economy is Ruined for Many Americans
Wolf Street - Turns out, among Americans making $30,000 or less a year, 67% worry “a great deal” about hunger and homelessness! Food and shelter, two of the most basic human needs. That’s the highest percentage ever in Gallup’s data series on this question going back to 2001. It’s up from 52% in 2001/2004; up from 56% in 2007/2008; and up from 51% in 2010/2011…. Even among people making $30,000 to $75,000, a record 47% worry “a great deal” about hunger and homelessness, up from 40% in 2010-2011. And even among high-income Americans, the percentage, though small, has risen…. In the dazzling glitter and excitement of soaring asset prices that central banks around the world, and particularly the Fed, have tried so hard to engineer, it’s easy to forget that not everyone has those assets, that a lot of people can’t get “rich” just sitting on inflated assets, that they have to work long hours in measly jobs just to stay one paycheck ahead of hunger and homelessness…. There are a lot of them. They’re consumers too. And this could be why the economy, which has been ruined for them, has since then not been able to grow at a reasonable pace.

Wikileaks Bombshell: Guccifer 2.0 Admits “Seth” Rich Was DNC Leaker
The GatewayPundit - Wikileaks released a series direct messages from US alleged “Russian spy” Guccifer 2.0 to acress model Robin Young (according to Young). In the stream of texts the discussion leads to the DNC leaker…. Guccifer admits he is not the DNC hacker. He says the whistleblower is “seth” “Guccifer 2.0: his name is seth. he was my whistleblower. I suppose you know who I’m talking about. Robin Young: Yes, and it was horrifying to hear abut his death. I have no facts, but my opinion is Hillary had him murdered.” This may explain why the DNC did not allow the FBI to look at its servers. On July 8, 2016, 27 year-old Democratic staffer Seth Conrad Rich was murdered in Washington DC. The killer or killers took nothing from their victim, leaving behind his wallet, watch and phone. Shortly after the killing, Redditors and social media users were pursuing a “lead” saying that Rich was en route to the FBI the morning of his murder, apparently intending to speak to special agents about an “ongoing court case” possibly involving the Clinton family. Seth Rich’s father Joel told reporters, “If it was a robbery — it failed because he still has his watch, he still has his money — he still has his credit cards, still had his phone so it was a wasted effort except we lost a life.”

WikiLeaks just dropped the CIA’s secret how-to for infecting Windows
Ars Technica - WikiLeaks has published what it says is another batch of secret hacking manuals belonging to the US Central Intelligence Agency as part of its Vault7 series of leaks…. Friday's installment includes 27 documents related to "Grasshopper," the codename for a set of software tools used to build customized malware for Windows-based computers. The Grasshopper framework provides building blocks that can be combined in unique ways to suit the requirements of a given surveillance or intelligence operation. The documents are likely to be of interest to potential CIA targets looking for signatures and other signs indicating their Windows systems were hacked. The leak will also prove useful to competing malware developers who want to learn new techniques and best practices…. The latest installment isn't likely to be as damaging as the one published last Friday. That one included code libraries CIA developers use to obfuscate their payloads and to conceal any tie to other malware used by the agency. Release of the so-called Marble libraries could make it easier for targets to determine that a previously unattributed hack is the work of the CIA.

8 Insanely Fast Vegetables You Can Harvest In One Month
Off the Grid News - As you’re planning your garden, add in a few of these plants to jump-start your production. Of course, spinach and lettuce are popular quick-growing varieties, but here are eight others: 1. Sunflower Shoots. These tiny sunflower shoots are ready to harvest in about 12 days. Ready to be used when the stem has two leaves, they are a wonderful addition to salads. Even better, they’re packed with nutrition, so they’re a healthy “fast food.” 2. Radishes. Green shoots show up in a matter of days; most have growth three days after planting seeds. If you want continual growth, plant a few seeds every week to maintain a steady supply of this peppery vegetable… 3. Arugula. A popular salad green, arugula grows quickly and easily. It’s slightly peppery taste gives your salad a kick, and the quick growth gives you gardening satisfaction in around 20 days…. 4. Green onions. Sometimes known as scallions, these easy-to-grow onions are ready for harvest in 21 days. Harvest the green shoots when they reach about six inches tall. Leave the onion bulb planted for a continuous supply of shoots. 5. Bok choy…. Leaves can be harvested individually, or you can use the entire plant and use the bulb, as well. Plant seeds staggered through the spring for a sustained harvest of this exotic lettuce. Baby Bok choy is ready to harvest in 30 days….

How To Beat Cancer with 35% Hydrogen Peroxide
Health & Love Page - The sad truth is that the majority of patients dealing with cancer die as a direct result of the chemotherapy because this therapy eliminates the healthy cells too. So, both healthy cells that are actually trying to fight against cancer cells and cancer cells receive less oxygen and the final result is death or development of new cancers. One of the things that cancer patients often forget is that parasites, viruses and all pathogens are actually anaerobic. In other words, they make progress when there is no oxygen present, but can’t live when there is extra oxygen in the environment. The same goes for cancer cells. These vicious cells can’t develop and spread if they don’t have access to fermenting glucose…. The answer is simple – alkalization of the body. Don’t forget that hydrogen peroxide cannot improve your immunity or fix damaged cells in the process of chemotherapy, but this substance will provide a good basis for regeneration of new hair, skin, organ and all types of cells.

Breast Implant Industry Takes No Prisoners
Green Med Info - The recent FDA confirmation of the risk of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), a rare version of non-Hodgkins lymph cancer, is the latest volley from the arsenal of manufacturer-health provider-regulatory agency collusion. Unwitting females around the world continue to sign up for breast enlargement and reconstruction in record numbers despite the checkered history of the procedure. As of February of this year, the FDA database for BIA-ALCL includes 359 cases including 9 deaths, joining 46 cases in Australia, with 3 confirmed deaths. Spotty and variable reporting practices and the absence of worldwide implant sales data make global statistics unreliable, so it’s safe to assume the problem occurs more frequently than disclosed. The cancer and death risk occur with all versions of implants, whether saline or silicone, smooth or textured.

Second Opinion From Doctor Nets Different Diagnosis 88% Of Time, Study Finds
StudyFinds.org - The study, conducted using records of patients referred to the Mayo Clinic’s General Internal Medicine Division over a two-year period, ultimately found that when consulting a second opinion, the physician only confirmed the original diagnosis 12 percent of the time. Among those with updated diagnoses, 66% received a refined or redefined diagnosis, while 21% were diagnosed with something completely different than what their first physician concluded…. Considering how health insurance companies often limit the ability of patients to visit multiple specialists, this figure could be seen as troubling. Combine this with the fact that primary care physicians are often overly-confident in their diagnoses, not to mention how a high number of patients feel amiss about questioning their diagnoses, a massive issue is revealed…. The researchers acknowledged that receiving a completely different diagnosis could result in a patient facing otherwise unexpected expenditures, “but the alternative could be deadly.”…. The study was published in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
 

Friday - April 7, 2017

On This Day In History:

1712 - A slave revolt broke out in New York City.
1798 - The territory of Mississippi was organized.
1862 - Union General Ulysses S. Grant defeated Confederates at the Battle of Shiloh, TN.
1927 - The first long-distance TV transmission was sent from Washington, DC, to New York City. The audience saw an image of Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover.
1930 - The first steel columns were set for the Empire State Building.
1933 - Prohibition ended in the United States.
1943 - British and American armies linked up between Wadi Akarit and El Guettar in North Africa to form a solid line against the German army.
1945 - The Japanese battleship Yamato, the world’s largest battleship, was sunk during the battle for Okinawa. The fleet was headed for a suicide mission.
1948 - The United Nations' World Health Organization began operations.
1966 - The U.S. recovered a hydrogen bomb it had lost off the coast of Spain.
1967 - Israel reported that they had shot down six Syrian MIGs.
1971 - U.S. President Nixon pledged to withdraw 100,000 more men from Vietnam by December.
1980 - The U.S. broke diplomatic relations with Iran and imposed economic sanctions in response to the taking of hostages on November 4, 1979.
1990 - In the U.S., John Poindexter was found guilty of five counts at his Iran-Contra trial. The convictions were later reversed on appeal.
2000 - U.S. President Clinton signed the Senior Citizens Freedom to Work Act of 2000. The bill reversed a Depression-era law and allows senior citizens to earn money without losing Social Security retirement benefits.
2003 - U.S. troops in more than 100 U.S. armored vehicles rumbled through downtown Baghdad and seized one of Saddam Hussein's opulent palaces.
2009 - Vermont became the fourth state to legalize gay marriage.

Trump Tells Members Of Congress He Is Considering Military Action In Syria
Zero Hedge - …according to CNN, Trump has told some members of Congress that he is considering military action in Syria in retaliation for this week’s chemical attack and recognizes the seriousness of the situation, a source familiar with the calls tells CNN. CNN hedges by noting that its source said the president had not firmly decided to go ahead with it, but said he was discussing possible actions with Defense Secretary Mattis. Trump is relying on Mattis' judgment, according to the source. US officials told CNN "the Pentagon has long standing options to strike Syria’s chemical weapons capability and has presented those options to the administration." The sources stressed a decision has not been made. We now look forward to Russia's response as the geopolitical situation in Syria devolves to precisely where it was during the Obama administration.

CNN Has Child Read Off A Script To Push For War In Syria To Oust Assad
Information Liberation - CNN is calling it a "7-year-old Syrian girl's heartbreaking plea" to stop the war in Syria, in reality it's a fake news hoax to get the Trump administration to overthrow Assad and turn on Russia. The top story on CNN's front page today is a disgusting Iraq-has-WMDs-style fake news story to con America into another war…. CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota is seen interviewing a 7-year-old Syrian girl named Bana Alabed. Camerota asks her: "Bana, do you [a 7-year-old girl] blame President Assad for this [chemical attack]?" Bana responds, "Yes." "What is your message to President Assad?" Camerota asks the 7-year-old. "I am very sad," Bana says, looking down and blatantly reading off a script. "A lot of died," she says, clearly struggling to read and skipping over the word "people" or "Syrians." "And, oh," she stutters, "no one help them." It goes on for another minute with Bana struggling to read her clearly pre-written propaganda lines.

Video: Marine Veteran Warns Trump: “You’re Being Duped” on Syria
Paul Joseph Watson - Former Marine Angelo John Gage, who served two tours in Iraq, took to Twitter to warn Trump that he was being deceived. Asserting that Trump was cozying up to the same media and the deep state that has tried to destroy him at every turn, Gage said he voted for Trump “to make America great again, not make the Middle East great again.” “We have no interest in Syria….we have to focus on our own country and you’re being distracted and duped – it’s so obvious – it’s blatantly obvious how ridiculous this narrative is and how fake it is,” said Gage. “They lied about your taxes, they lied about Russian collusion, they lied about DNC rigging, they lied about everything and you’re falling for this – now they’re telling the truth about Syria, magically just for you,” he added….

Senate Republicans Trigger Nuclear Option, "Crushing Democratic Blockade" Of Gorsuch
Zero Hedge - The Senate voted 52-48 along party lines to repeal a rule allowing filibusters against Supreme Court nominees, invoking the so-called nuclear option, and clearing the way for Gorsuch confirmation who now needs a simple majority for nomination. Shortly thereafter, the Senate voted 55-45 to end debate on Gorsuch’s nomination, setting up a final vote expected Friday. Thanks to the new rule enacted earlier Thursday, a simple majority was needed…. Back in 2013, before Republicans seized control of the Senate during the 2014 mid-term elections, Democrats became the first party to pursue the "nuclear option" in order to appoint Obama judges over the objection of Republicans. Both Obama and then Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid praised the use of the "nuclear option" at the time…. And while Democrats celebrated, Mitch McConnell took to the Senate floor to warn his colleagues on the other side of the aisle that they just might come to regret their decision "sooner than you think."

Wire: U.S. Illegal Immigration Plunges on Trump Crackdown
Breitbart - Apprehensions of people trying to sneak into the United States, seen as an indicator of the total flow of undocumented immigrants, dropped to 16,600 in March, down 30 percent from February and 64 percent from a year ago. [Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly] told the Senate Committee on Homeland Security that there was even a sharper fall in the number of families and unaccompanied children crossing the border…. The White House said the fall in the number of people sneaking into the country was the result of Trump’s policies…. The Department’s US Customs and Border Protection unit has added personnel and money to policing the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) border. … Plans for the wall are just getting underway, and Kelly acknowledged that a physical barrier along the entire route is not feasible or practical. Instead, the additions to border control could involve a combination of physical barriers, electronic monitoring and more patrols. “It is unlikely that we will build a wall, a physical barrier, from sea to shining sea.” “All we know is that physical barriers do work if they are put in the right places.”

Judge Openly LAUGHS At Bundy Ranch Defendants Rights
Reclaim Our Republic - Now that the defense is ready to put on their case, Judge Gloria Navarro has shut them down. Out of the entire witness list, there is one witness, other than the defendants, that she will allow to testify…. Every witness that the defense tried to proffer today was questioned by the Judge. She stressed to each one of them that she was ready to have them removed from the courtroom in handcuffs, if she thinks they are committing perjury. Judge Navarro then backed up the prosecution when they threatened witnesses by naming them as “UNindicted Co-conspirators”. Navarro allowed this bullying, and took part in it herself. After the intimidation of their witness, the defense believes he has been compromised and stated they are unsure of calling him as a witness. This made Eric Parker so distraught and upset that they have no witnesses for their defense that he broke down and cried in the courtroom. This, of course, made his wife and supporters cry as well. Judge Navarro showed no sympathy. Reports are that she actually laughed out loud at their distress. The prosecutors also laughed and joked at the defense. She continued to reiterate that they have no rights as defendants. Navarro also stated in the courtroom that no one is guaranteed their first amendment rights or their second amendment rights. Additionally, she told everyone that there is Never a time when anyone is allowed to defend themselves against a Law Enforcement Officer, even if they caught him breaking into their home. If he even sees a gun near them, they are guilty of assaulting him.

Missouri Senate Passes Bill to Prohibit Warrantless Stingray Spying
Tenth Amendment Center - Sen. Will Kraus (R-Lee’s Summit) introduced Senate Bill 84 SB84 on Jan. 4. The legislation would help block the use of cell site simulators, known as “stingrays.” These devices essentially spoof cell phone towers, tricking any device within range into connecting to the stingray instead of the tower, allowing law enforcement to sweep up communications content, as well as locate and track the person in possession of a specific phone or other electronic device. On Thursday, the full Senate approved SB84. The proposed law would require law enforcement agencies to get a warrant before deploying a stingray device with only a few exceptions. Warrantless use of these devices would only be allowed if the owner reports a communication device lost or stolen, and in certain specific emergency situations. If used under the emergency exception, law enforcement must apply for a warrant within seven days. The legislation would require law enforcement to immediately destroy any information collected on any person other than the target named in the warrant, and would require police to destroy all information within 30 days unless probable cause exists to believe the information is evidence of a crime. Missouri law applies strict limits on sharing of information, and this would apply to stingrays with the passage of SB84. The bill also includes a provision that would prohibit state or local law enforcement agencies from obtaining information gather through warrantless stingray use by the federal government or another state.

State Defeats Bill That Would Have Let Kids RIDE BICYCLES ALONE
Off the Grid News - Leaving a child unsupervised outside for a few minutes can still be illegal in Arkansas. A state legislative committee rejected a bill this month that would have prevented parents from being charged with neglect for leaving a child outside alone. According to the summary, Senate Bill 305 was designed to “protect a parent or guardian’s decision to grant his or her children unsupervised time to engage in activities that include without limitation playing outside, walking to school, bicycling, remaining briefly in a vehicle, and remaining at home.” It was designed to prevent investigations of parents who leave children alone for short periods of time, Reason reported. The bill would have allowed a child to remain unsupervised in a car for 15 minutes “if the temperature inside the vehicle is not or will not become dangerously hot or cold.” “This just simply says that kids walking home from a park and kids being left in a car in good weather for a few minutes is not a criminal act,” the bill’s sponsor, Republican state Sen. Alan Clark (R-Hot Springs), said. Despite that, the House Judiciary Committee rejected the legislation earlier this month after it had passed the Senate, Reason reported.

U.S. Launches Missiles at Syrian Base After Chemical Weapons Attack (Video)
NBC News - The United States launched dozens of cruise missiles Thursday night at a Syrian airfield in response to what it believes was Syria's use of banned chemical weapons that killed at least 100 people, the U.S. military said. Two U.S. warships in the Mediterranean Sea, the USS Ross and the USS Porter, fired 59 Tomahawk missiles intended for a single target — Shayrat Airfield in Homs province in western Syria, the Defense Department said. That's the airfield from which the United States believes the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fired the banned weapons. The Pentagon said people were not targeted, and there was no immediate word on casualties. U.S. officials told NBC News that aircraft and infrastructure at the site were hit, including the runway and gas fuel pumps. "It is in this vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons," said Trump, who called on other countries to end the bloodshed in Syria….
* Related: VIDEO of US warships launching Tomahawks against Syrian air base

Pentagon Says Avoided Hitting Russian Forces During Missile Strike on Syria
Sputnik News - The United States gave an advanced warning to Russia about the Thursday evening strikes on a Syrian airfield, a Pentagon spokesperson told Sputnik. The warning was communicated through the existing deconfliction channel, the spokesperson confirmed, without giving any details of the missile attack. Pentagon also said that United States did not target the sections of the airbase where Russian forces were believed to be present. US President Donald Trump's national security advisor Herbert McMaster said that the United States has gone out of its way to minimize Russian casualties during the Thursday US missile strike in Syria, but there are no guarantees. Also, US Minister of Defense Rex Tillerson claimed that Russia had failed to carry out 2013 agreement to secure Syrian chemical weapons, saying that Moscow was either complicit or incompetent. "We sought no approval from Moscow," Tillerson said.

'No role for Assad': Tillerson's U-turn on Syria regime change
RT - The Trump administration has reversed course on Syria again, blaming President Bashar Assad for the alleged chemical attack in Idlib province and declaring he has no future leading Syria – just days after publicly abandoning the policy of regime change. “There is no doubt in our minds, and the information we have supports, that the Syrian regime under the leadership of Bashar al-Assad are responsible for this attack,” Tillerson told reporters in Florida, ahead of the summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “It is very important that the Russian government consider carefully their support for Bashar al-Assad.” Tillerson added…. Just last week, Tillerson was telling reporters that Assad’s fate is something to be “decided by the Syrian people,” drawing criticism from the US foreign policy establishment. Under former President Barack Obama, the US has maintained that “Assad must go” was a precondition for peace in Syria, ravaged by civil war since 2011…. “I think what happened in Syria is a disgrace to humanity,” US President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on the way to Florida. “He’s there, and I guess he’s running things, so something should happen," he added.
Related: Idlib Attack: 'Non-Existent Chemical Weapons Became Reason to Invade Iraq'
Related: US Congressman Surprises CNN by Backing Moscow's Position on Idlib Attack

South Korea tests ballistic missile that can target entire North
RT - South Korea has reportedly achieved a goal it set four years ago and successfully developed a ballistic missile with a range of 800 kilometers, which is sufficient to hit any target in North Korean territory from anywhere in the South…. South Korea has been under the protection of the US military for decades, but the agreements between the two countries set a limit on the specifications of missiles Seoul could develop until 2012, when Washington allowed the South to review the limitations as Seoul sought domestic deterrence to North Korea. The Korean military set a goal of almost tripling the range of its missiles, from 300 to 800 kilometers, with a 500-kilogram payload. With this range, South Korea could hit targets anywhere in North Korea, even if launched from sites in the southernmost part of the country, like the island of Jeju.

Philippines' Duterte orders occupation of South China Sea islands
RT - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Philippines military to occupy and fortify islands in the South China Sea, which the Southeast Asian republic lays claim to, in order to make a “strong point” amid its territorial dispute with China…. The president ordered the occupation of between nine and ten islands and shoals of the disputed Spratly archipelago located in the South China Sea, the largest of which is the Pagasa Island also known as Thitu…. Both China and the Philippines lay claim to the Scarborough Shoal and the disputed Spratly Islands. The Spratlys are also claimed by Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. China has already built runways, aircraft hangars, radar sites and hardened surface-to-air missile shelters on its artificially created islands in the region, according to the photos analyzed by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

IRS Seized $17 Million In Legally Earned Cash From Business Owners, Watchdog Reports
Daily Sheeple - In just two years – from 2012 to 2014 – the IRS stole more than $17 million from innocent business owners, deliberately targeting their earnings for an easy steal. Using obscure anti-money laundering rules and civil asset forfeiture, the agency compromised the rights of individuals and their businesses, a government watchdog has discovered. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) released a report on March 30 that details how IRS investigators seized hundreds of bank accounts from business owners based on nothing but a suspicious pattern of deposits. In more than 90 percent of those cases, the money was completely legal. The audit also found that investigators violated internal policies when conducting interviews, failed to notify individuals of their rights, and improperly bargained to resolve civil cases.

Harvard Engineers Plan New “Real World” Geoengineering Experiment
Natural Blaze - The U.S. government’s caution with geoengineering programs seems to be shifting as indicated by a new announcement related to an upcoming real-world climate engineering experiment. At the recent “Forum on Solar Geoengineering Research,” Harvard engineer (and consistent proponent of climate engineering) David Keith announced his plan for a new project that will assess the risks and benefits of deploying geoengineering on a large public scale. Keith and fellow engineer, Frank Keutsch, will research the benefits and risks by spraying particles such as sulfur dioxide, alumina, or calcium carbonate from a high-altitude balloon over Arizona during 2018. The move to real-world testing of geoengineering should not come as a surprise given that in the final days of former-President Obama’s administration the U.S. Global Change Research Program released a report detailing the path of research into climate change, including new research on geoengineering….

Microwave Radiation Should Be Regulated On A Precautionary Basis, Study Suggests (Video)
Natural Blaze - PubMed published the Abstract of a 2011 science paper titled “Long-term exposure to microwave radiation provokes cancer growth: evidences from radars and mobile communication systems”(Yakymenko I1, Sidorik E, Kyrylenko S, Chekhun V.), which originally was published in Experimental Oncology, 2011 Jun;33(2):62-70. It discusses the alarming epidemiological and experimental data on possible carcinogenic effects from long term exposures to low intensity microwave radiation…. In testimony presented during my AMI Smart Meter refusal hearing before the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s Administrative Law Court in November 2016, PECO Energy Company “expert witnesses” testified they were citing [nternational Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection ] ICNIRP as the expert they rely upon for EMF/RF/ELF radiation knowledge and industry information. Yet, ICNIRP has been cited for conflicts of interest, which I introduced into the court record in the first Brief I filed with the court. Furthermore, Yakymenko, et al stated a clear and most important caveat, which utilities that retrofit AMI Smart Meters operating on microwaves and emitting all sorts of wavelengths and “dirty electricity”, aka sinusoidal waves that can radiate 6 to 8 feet away from the house wiring they travel on.… Regarding excessive exposure(s), AMI Smart Meters provide 24/7/365 exposures that cannot be turned off like a microwave oven, cell phone or other electrical appliances. The ZigBee radios in AMI SMs operate at gigahertz frequencies—similar to microwave ovens!

First evidence found of popular farm pesticides in drinking water
The Washington Post - …on Wednesday, a team of chemists and engineers at the USGS and University of Iowa reported that they found neonicotinoids in treated drinking water. It marks the first time that anyone has identified this class of pesticide in tap water, the researchers write in Environmental Science & Technology Letters…. If the dose makes the poison, the doses of insect neurotoxin reported in the new study were quite small. The scientists collected samples last year from taps in Iowa City as well as on the university campus and found neonicotinoid concentrations ranging from 0.24 to 57.3 nanograms per liter — that is, on a scale of parts per trillion…. Given the study’s small sample size and geographical span, [public health researcher at George Washington University, Melissa] Perry said more comprehensive assessments of water supplies are needed “to determine how ubiquitous neonics [neonicotinoids] are in water supplies in other parts of the country.” The chance of that happening is unclear. “There is currently no national effort to measure to what extent neonicotinoids are making it into our bodies, be it through water or food,” she noted.

Super SEALs: Elite Units Pursue Brain-Stimulating Technologies
Military.com - At a conference near Washington, D.C., in February, the commander of all Navy special operations units made an unusual request to industry: Develop and demonstrate technologies that offer "cognitive enhancement" capabilities to boost his elite forces' mental and physical performance…. [Rear Adm. Tim] Szymanski expanded on his remarks in a brief interview later, saying he has his eye on a number of technologies, including pharmaceutical aids. But the results of one breakthrough involving the direct application of electrical stimulation to the brain have particularly caught his eye…. "Early results show promising signs," he [Capt. Jason Salata] said. "Based on this, we are encouraged to continue and are moving forward with our studies."…. In the context of medical or pharmaceutical performance aids such as modafinil -- commonly used by fighter pilots -- or amphetamines, he [Andrew Herr, CEO of research firm Helicase ] said there has been significant resistance in the medical community to prescribing them as performance enhancements because of their inherent side effects. "The concept's that if you're not healing, then no side effects are worth it or acceptable," he said. "[But] when you're sending people into combat situations where their lives are on the line, the ethics are flipped ... I think actually we are thinking about ethics all backward in this field because the military has a unique requirement. And it's even more powerful in the special operations field."

Video: Incredibly disturbing animation reveals how vaccines are really made… WARNING: this will turn your stomach
(Natural News) Vaccines are deliberately made with all sorts of bizarre ingredients, the CDC confirms. These ingredients include toxic heavy metals, animal blood components, human fetal tissue, monkey kidney cells, inflammatory chemicals that harm nerve cells, chemical preservatives, taste-enhancing chemicals (like MSG) and much more. Even more shockingly, the way vaccines are made is beyond merely gross… it’s inhumane! Did you know that African Green Monkeys are raised in cages, infected with disease, murdered by drug companies then organ harvested to extract diseased kidneys that are used to make Smallpox vaccines? Did you know that the human chickenpox vaccine is made from human tissue harvested from aborted human babies? Did you know that the abortion industry and the vaccine industry work to make sure a steady supply of aborted baby parts is supplied to vaccine manufacturers to keep the factories humming? If any of this comes as a shock to you, you’ll really want to see this short animation that explains how vaccines are really made.

Hypothyroidism drug isn't working, study finds
What Doctors Don't Tell You - The standard drug for a mild underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) doesn't work. Although it's routinely prescribed, levothyroxine is not effective when the condition is sub-clinical, or when there are no obvious symptoms. It's no better than a placebo, or sugar pill, researchers from the University of Glasgow have discovered after they tested it on a group of 737 patients, with an average age of 74, who had been diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism. Although the drug did restore normal thyroid function, there were no apparent benefits, and muscle strength, speed of thought, weight or blood pressure were the same whether the person was taking the drug or a placebo. Despite its ineffectiveness, the drug is given to 90 per cent of women with the condition, making it the most prescribed drug in the US and the third most-prescribed in the UK. Subclinical hypothyroidism is a common problem of older age and it can contribute to tiredness and lethargy, muscle weakness, slower thought processes, raised blood pressure and weight and circulation problems.

Pyrethroid Insecticides Cause Premature Puberty in Boys
Beyond Pesticides - Exposure to commonly used pyrethroid insecticides results in the early onset of puberty in boys, according to a study presented at the 99th meeting of the Endocrine Society in Orlando, Florida this week. Pyrethroids, which exhibit endocrine disrupting properties, have the ability to interfere with the proper regulation of the human body’s hormonal system. This research is the first to investigate not only the association between pyrethroids and accelerated puberty, but also the causal mechanisms involved in the physiological changes taking place within the human body…. Previous research finds these chemicals are associated with behavioral problems in children, including externalizing and internalizing disorders, ADHD, and delayed cognitive and motor development. Proximity to heavy use of these chemicals in agriculture is associated with an 87% increased risk of a child developing autism when applied during pregnant mother’s third trimester. Pyrethroids have also been linked to cancer in young children.

Quaker Oats Sued Over Glyphosate Found in ‘All Natural’ Foods
REALfarmacy - Quaker Oats, owned by PepsiCo, has been sued over its “all natural” oats containing high levels of glyphosate weed killer (sold as “Roundup” by Monsanto). The New York Times, forever a defender of Monsanto and GMOs, is blatantly lying to its readers by claiming the glyphosate found in Quaker Oats is nothing more than “traces.” In reality, the glyphosate contamination of Quaker Oats was tested at alarming levels by a St. Louis laboratory using the ELISA technique. Quaker Oats admits that its oats are sprayed with glyphosate by farmers. This fact is a total shock to most consumers who are completely unaware that glyphosate is now routinely sprayed on non-GMO crops. Via the NY Times… The company said it puts the oats it receives through a cleansing process. “Any levels of glyphosate that may remain are trace amounts and significantly below any limits which have been set by the E.P.A. as safe for human consumption,” the company said. But one thing I’ve come to learn as a food scientist — I’m the lab science director of CWC Labs and the author of Food Forensics — is that glyphosate survives food washing and food processing! That’s how it ends up fully intact in beer, cereals and other products. “Glyphosate residues are neither removed by washing nor broken down by cooking. The herbicide residue remains on food for more than a year, even if processed, dried, or frozen.” – The Dirt Cure Growing Healthy Kids with Food Straight from Soil by Maya Shetreat Klein MD.

Proposed Bill Would Ban the Sale of Non-Rescue Dogs & Cats Across Entire State of California
Dogington Post - Following in the highly successful footsteps of 31 cities across the state, including Los Angeles, San Diego, and, most recently, San Francisco, California lawmakers are proposing a bill that would ban the sale of non-rescued dogs and cats in retail stores statewide. Bill 485, commonly known as the Pet Rescue & Adoption Act, seeks to make it unlawful for retail stores to sell dogs, cats, or rabbits unless the animal was obtained from a public animal control agency or shelter, SPCA shelter, Humane Society Shelter, or other 501(c)(3) rescue organization. The bill, which was designed to target puppy mills and backyard breeders, and also to cut down on the vast number of animals that are euthanized in California shelters every year, promises to deliver a blow to the puppy mill industry based on huge success in Los Angeles…. Under the new law, individuals could still buy animals from licensed breeders, but retails shops could not sell them – they are only permitted to adopt out animals that come from shelters, Humane Societies and registered rescue groups.
 

Thursday - April 6, 2017

On This Day In History:

1789 - The first U.S. Congress began regular sessions at the Federal Hall in New York City.
1814 - Granted sovereignty in the island of Elba and a pension from the French government, Napoleon Bonaparte abdicates at Fountainebleau. He was allowed to keep the title of emperor.
1830 - Joseph Smith and five others organized the Mormon Church in western New York.
1830 - Relations between the Texans and Mexico reached a new low when Mexico would not allow further emigration into Texas by settlers from the U.S.
1862 - The American Civil War Battle of Shiloh began in Tennessee.
1865 - At the Battle of Sayler's Creek, a third of Lee's army was cut off by Union troops pursuing him to Appomattox.
1875 - Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent for the multiple telegraph, which sent two signals at the same time.
1896 - The first modern Olympic Games began in Athens, Greece.
1903 - French Army Nationalists were revealed for forging documents to guarantee a conviction for Alfred Dryfus.
1909 - Americans Robert Peary and Matthew Henson claimed to be the first men to reach the North Pole.
1917 - The U.S. Congress approved a declaration of war on Germany and entered World War I on the Allied side.
1924 - Four planes left Seattle on the first successful flight around the world.
1965 - U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson authorized the use of ground troops in combat operations in Vietnam.
1967 - In South Vietnam, 1,500 Viet Cong attacked Quangtri and freed 200 prisoners.
1983 - The U.S. Veteran's Administration announced it would give free medical care for conditions traceable to radiation exposure to more than 220,000 veterans who participated in nuclear tests from 1945 to 1962.
1985 - William J. Schroeder became the first artificial heart recipient to be discharged from the hospital.
2011 - Portugal became the third debt-stressed European country to need a bailout as the prime minister announced his country would request international assistance.

Steve Bannon Removed From Trump's National Security Council
Zero Hedge - In what the biggest shake-up at the White House since Mike Flynn resigned in February, moments ago Bloomberg reported that President Trump has reorganized his National Security Council on Wednesday, removing his chief strategist, Stephen Bannon as well as downgrading the role of his Homeland Security Adviser, Tom Bossert, while elevating national intelligence director, Dan Coats, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, who will again be "regular attendees" of the NSC’s principals committee…. According to Reuters, Bannon's removal from the NSC was seen as a boost to national security adviser H.R. McMaster, who officials said has struggled to work together with Bannon. Wednesday’s change means Mr. Bannon is no longer part of the NSC. He is still permitted to attend such meetings but won’t automatically be invited to each one. The WSJ adds that "the decision to boot Bannon was made by Trump’s new national security adviser, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster" while another senior administration official said Mr. Trump “signed off on all the changes.” Bannon said in a statement: “Susan Rice operationalized the NSC during the last administration. I was put on to ensure that it was de-operationalized. General McMaster has returned the NSC to its proper function.”

Suddenly, Both Obamacare Repeal And Trump Tax Reform Are Dead
Zero Hedge - First, Rep. Patrick McHenry, a member of House Republican leadership, said on Wednesday afternoon that conservatives' proposals to reach a compromise on healthcare are a "bridge too far" to win support from colleagues. McHenry, the chief deputy whip, told reporters that calls from the conservative House Freedom Caucus to allow states to apply for waivers to repeal ObamaCare protections for people with pre-existing conditions are a "bridge too far for our members" and can't get enough votes to pass. The comments come after a late-night meeting among House GOP groups on Tuesday fell flat, and lawmakers appear to be heading home at the end of the week for a recess without any tangible progress toward a deal to revive their healthcare bill…. And then it weas Ryaun's turn: the House Speaker, also on Wednesday afternoon, said that tax reform will take longer to accomplish than repealing and replacing Obamacare would, saying Congress and the White House were initially closer to agreement on healthcare legislation than on tax policy.

US Navy grounds training jets over oxygen concerns
RT - After flight instructors refused to fly the T-45 Goshawk training jets over concerns about oxygen tanks, the US Navy has grounded the entire fleet of about 200 planes, pending a review. Among the pilots affected is Vice President Mike Pence’s son. Naval flight instructors refused to fly the training planes on Friday, pointing to the alarming rate of malfunctions in the plane’s oxygen supply. Marine Corps instructors continued to fly, however. On Tuesday, the Navy decided to ground the entire fleet and set up meetings with the instructors at the naval air stations in Texas, Mississippi and Florida. At issue is the rising number of incidents of “histotoxic hypoxia,” with pilots passing out or falling ill due to contamination of the planes’ oxygen supply systems. The T-45s went from about 11.9 “physiological episodes” per 100,000 flight hours in 2012, to 47 in 2016, the Post reported, citing Navy statistics. “The pilots don't feel safe flying this aircraft,” one instructor told Fox News. The training jets are averaging three incidents a week. “It can happen without warning,” one pilot said. “The system doesn't detect contaminants.” One of the pilots affected by the “safety pause” is the vice president’s son, 1st Lieutenant Michael Pence, a Marine aviator currently in training at Meridian.

Pepsi Catches Major Heat Online for Ad That Co-Opts Black Lives Matter Movement
Sputnik News - A new Pepsi ad featuring Kendall Jenner, of Kardashian fame, has sparked a massive outcry as social media users rally against the company for coopting the “Resist” and Black Lives Matter movements to sell their sugary drinks. The backlash got so intense that the company was forced to delete the “Live For Now” video campaign, of which the ad was part, from their Pepsi Global YouTube channel. The beverage conglomerate also pulled the Jenner commercial and issued an apology.

"Assad Crossed Many, Many Lines": Trump Signals Imminent Change In Syria Policy
Zero Hedge - Just one week after Rex Tillerson signaled of a historic U-Turn in US policy regarding Syria, when he said that “the longer term status of President Assad will be decided by the Syrian people” suggesting the US is no longer intent on removing the Syrian president, this afternoon Trump signaled that the White House is about to U-turn once again, likely emerging in the same place where the Obama administration was when it nearly invaded Syria in 2013. Speaking at a press conference with Jordan's King Abdullah, II, President Trump on Wednesday called the suspected chemical weapons attack on civilians in Syria “a terrible affront to humanity” and hinted briefly that a change in U.S. policy on Syria may be coming as a result. Trump said that he was moved by reports of a deadly gas attack in Syria, saying that the Syrian leader - who has denied being behind the attack - had “crossed a lot of lines.”… While painfully reminiscent of a similar chemical attack conducted in 2013, which was subsequently revealed to be a false flag, U.S. officials said they believe the attack was carried out by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Which, again, does not make much sense since just days before the chemical attack, Trump administration officials said the U.S. would no longer prioritize regime change in Syria and that they expect Mr. Assad to remain in power…. Meanwhile, as reported earlier today, should Trump pick up where Obama left off, and launch a full-blown escalation in Syria or worse, he will have his first official diplomatic collision with the Kremlin, which not only defended Assad earlier today, but said it would continue its military activity in Syria.
* Related Video: President Trump and King Abdullah II Hold a Joint Press Conference

Soil samples from Syria chemical attack sent to western agencies
The Guardian - Rescue workers have gathered soil samples from the scene of a chemical weapons attack in northern Syria and sent them to western intelligence officials, who are seeking to determine precisely what nerve agent was used in one of the worst atrocities of the country’s six-year war. The death toll from the attack on the town of Khan Sheikhun in Idlib province rose to at least 72 on Wednesday, with more than 300 other people harmed. The US, Britain and France all said it was very likely that sarin was dropped on the town. As global condemnation of the regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad mounted, Russia swung further behind its ally, denouncing a proposed UN resolution that blamed the regime for the attack and claiming that a depot used by opposition groups to store a nerve agent had been inadvertently bombed…. Witnesses said at least one Syrian warplane dropped bombs on Khan Sheikhun at about 6.30am on Tuesday. Shortly afterwards, first responders were overwhelmed with patients suffering from acute breathing problems, foaming at the mouth and writhing in pain.

Ron Paul knows that the “chemical attack” in Syria is clearly a false flag (Video)
The Duran - Ron Paul once again is a voice of reason in what is shaping up to be a false flag in Syria that may propel the world into a massive war, even putting the US in direct conflict with Russia. Basic logic is employed by Paul, logic that is never employed by the mainstream media, for some curious reason… “Who would benefit?” “It doesn’t make any sense for Assad to use poison gases.” Assad is winning the war against ISIS. A peace deal was being hammered out. Why would Assad use chemical weapons? Even Barack Obama, 2014, conceded that Assad destroyed all of Syria’s chemical stockpiles under the supervision of UN inspectors and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)? Only one side has chemical weapons in this conflict…Moderate rebels (aka ISIS). Now they benefit greatly out of this false flag.

Germans Concerned After 270,000 Syrian Refugees Granted Permission To Bring Family Members
Zero Hedge - With worries about mass migration having largely faded from Germany's consciousness after a record surge in 2015, and an angry popular reaction, prompted Angela Merkel to curb the inflow of refugees, there is renewed concern in Germany following a report that up to 270,000 Syrians in Germany have the right to bring in their family members, a "revelation" that could refuel the debate about migration less than six months before a national election. Germany's Bild cited a government paper showing that a total of 431,376 Syrians applied for asylum in Germany in 2015 and 2016 and said that of those 267,500 are allowed to bring their families to Germany.

Germany approves bill curbing online hate crime, fake news
AP - Germany’s Cabinet on Wednesday approved a new bill that punishes social networking sites if they fail to swiftly remove illegal content such as hate speech or defamatory fake news. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet agreed on rules that would impose fines of up to 50 million euros (53.4 million dollars) on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. German Justice Minister Heiko Maas said that the companies offering such online platforms are responsible for removing hateful content. He said the new bill would not restrict the freedom of expression, but intervene only when criminal hatred or intentionally false news are posted. Germany poses a particular problem for U.S.-owned social networking sites accustomed to American standards of free speech. Due to its Nazi past, Germany bans public Holocaust denial and any overt promotion of racism. The issue has come to the fore amid the recent influx of migrants to Germany, which has sparked a backlash among some Germans including a rise in online vitriol.

Anti-Bias Group: Muslims Have Greater Religious Freedom than Christians in Europe
Breitbart - Martin Kugler, Austrian historian and founder of the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe, said Christians were being marginalised on the continent while Muslims are treated much more carefully. Speaking to ACI Prensa, the Spanish edition of the Catholic News Agency, Mr. Kugler accused Europe’s elites of pressuring Christians into hiding their faith while permitting Muslims to display theirs. Europe has witnessed a secularist offensive, he added, but politicians have different criteria in dealing with Christians and Muslims, permitting the Islamic veil while trying to removing crosses from public places. He cited the example of air hostesses and nurses disciplined, or sometimes even fired, for wearing small crosses, or attempts to remove nativity scenes from public places.

Idaho’s $4.3 Million Solar Project Generates Enough Energy to Run ONE Microwave Oven
The Daily Caller - On March 29th, the solar road panels generated 0.26 kWh, or less electricity than a single plasma television consumes. On March 31st, the panels generated 1.06 kWh, enough to barely power a single microwave. The panels have been under-performing their expectations due to design flaws, but even if they had worked perfectly they’d have only powered a single water fountain and the lights in a nearby restroom. Solar FREAKIN’ Roadways has been in development for 6.5 years and received a total of $4.3 million in funding to generate 90 cents worth of electricity. The project broke down in late March and had to be repaired, and screenshots taken that month show the roadway’s electrical box caught fire. Firefighters soon showed up to the scene, prompting the solar project’s official webcam to issue an update: “The Solar Roadways electrical system is currently undergoing maintenance. Please check back late next week.”

9th grade student “Cress + WiFi” experiment attracts international attention
Stop Smart Meters! (UK) - Researchers from England, Holland and Sweden have shown great interest in the five girls’ biology experiments. Take 400 Cress seeds and place them into 12 trays. Then place six trays in two rooms at the same temperature. Give them the same amount of water and sun over 12 days, and remember to expose half of them to mobile [Wi-Fi] radiation. It is a recipe for a biology test so brilliant that it has attracted international attention among acknowledged biologists and radiation experts. Behind the experiment are five girls from 9b in Hjallerup School in North Jutland, and it all started because they found it difficult to concentrate during the school day… The school was not equipped to test the effect of mobile phone radiation on them. Therefore, the girls had to find an alternative. And the answer was Cress. Six trays of seeds were put into a room without radiation, and six trays were put into another room next to two [Wi-Fi] routers. Such routers broadcast the same type of radiation as an ordinary mobile. Then it was just necessary to wait 12 days, observe, measure, weigh and take pictures along the way. And the result spoke was clear: cress seeds next to the router did not grow, and some of them were even mutated or dead.

12 Weird But Helpful Things Cornstarch Can Do
Off the Grid News - Cornstarch is great in the kitchen, but you may not know that there are a slew of uses for cornstarch around the house. Let’s look at 12 such uses: 1. Window cleaner. Cornstarch is naturally abrasive and granular, so you can add a tablespoon of it to any window cleaner. It will make cleaning your windows much easier and leave them streak-free. 2. Remove grease stains. If you have grease stains on the carpet you can get rid of them by throwing some cornstarch on the floor and letting it sit for about 20-30 minutes. The cornstarch will absorb the grease, and then you can vacuum up the powder for a fresh carpet. 3. Soothe sunburns and bug bites. A paste made of cornstarch and water will help soothe sunburns and bug bites. Apply this paste over the affected area and let it dry. You can repeat this until the sunburn goes away. 4. Air freshener. Cornstarch is naturally absorbent, so it also works well to remove bad smells from the air. Sprinkle it in shoes, let them sit overnight, and then shake the powder out in the morning. You also can apply it on a couch, leave it overnight and then vacuum it off the couch in the morning, giving it a fresh and new smell. 5. Custom body powder. Stop buying body powder and make your own at home with custom scents. Mix one cup of cornstarch with a few drops of essential oils; shake it up…. [Be sure to buy organic corn starch to avoid GMOs.]

Here Are 100 Scientific Studies Proving Cannabis Cures Cancer
Natural Blaze - Despite the fact that countless individuals have used cannabis oil to heal their afflictions, the U.S. Cancer Institute lists cannabis as a ‘cure’ for cancer on its website, and a multitude of veterans credit the herb with helping them ditch opioids and alleviate symptoms of PTSD, the marijuana plant remains classified as a Schedule I drug in the United States. In fact, in most countries around the world, use of the herb and its components for medicinal and recreational purposes remains to be illegal. This continues, regardless of the fact that 0 people die from using the herb each year. In contrast, 30,722 die from alcohol poisoning and 38,329 from abusing pharmaceuticals annually (according to 2014 data). It is an injustice that individuals are refused access to the herb considering it is 100% natural and has been cultivated for thousands of years. Additionally, at least 100 studies prove that the plant can combat one of the most frightening modern afflictions: cancer. As 1 in 2 women and 1 in 3 men are predicted to develop cancer in their lifetimes, it is past time the herb lose its stigma and Schedule I status so that citizens worldwide might benefit from its many properties. Following are 100 [links to] studies proving cannabis to be an all-natural cancer killer…

High Glyphosate Levels in Mothers Leads to Shorter Pregnancies and Smaller Babies – New Ongoing Study
Sustainable Pulse - Children’s Environmental Health Network (CEHN) announced Tuesday new evidence highlighting growing concern over sharply rising herbicide use and risks to pregnant women and children living in the rural Midwest. One ongoing study of pregnant women in an Indiana obstetric practice has found glyphosate (aka Roundup) in the urine of over 90% of test subjects so far. The study will be peer-reviewed and published later in 2017. The lead scientist of the study, Dr. Paul Winchester, stated; “In our study, which is ongoing, mothers with relatively higher levels of glyphosate were more likely to have shorter pregnancies and deliver babies with lower birth-weight, outcomes that everyone should be concerned about.” In his presentation at the CEHN Research Conference, Dr. Winchester will point out that “Shorter pregnancies with relatively lower birth weights have been linked to lower cognitive ability later in life and higher risk of metabolic syndrome.”

Avoid deadly blood clots with two natural extracts
(NaturalHealth365) Believe it or not, the simple act of sitting – for long periods of time – may be hazardous to your health. The American College of Cardiology reports that sitting at a desk for more than four hours a day increases the odds of deep vein thrombosis by a frightening 48 percent. Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein located deep in the body. In a life-threatening complication, the clot may break loose and make its way to the lung, leading to a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism…. About half of the time, there are no apparent signs of deep vein thrombosis. When symptoms do occur, they tend to develop suddenly – and can include swelling, fatigue, tenderness and pain in the affected leg. Reddened skin, skin that is otherwise discolored, and warm skin on one or both legs can be warning signs as well…. Pine bark extract, also known as pycnogenol, is rich in beneficial polyphenols, including procyanidins and phenolic acids. With potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, pine bark extract dilates blood vessels and reduces the “stickiness” of blood platelets – making them less likely to form into clots…. Nattokinase is a proteolytic enzyme made from soybeans that have been fermented with a specific bacterium, Bacillus subtilis. It helps to prevent clotting by breaking down fibrin – the main protein found in clots – and also breaks down fibrinogen, the precursor to fibrin. And, it achieves this without causing side effects or undesirable bleeding. Nattokinase, combined with pine bark extract, has produced impressive results in studies…. If you are required to sit at a desk for prolonged periods of time, experts recommend getting up every hour and walking around for at least five to ten minutes to prevent blood from pooling in your legs.

Coconut Oil Is Better Than Any Toothpaste
REALfarmacy - Did you know that coconut is a very powerful natural oil which can kill bacteria responsible for tooth decay? Irish scientists have tested coconut oil samples on streptococcus mutans. This is bacteria that glues to our teeth and causes dental erosion. For this reason coconut oil should be the main ingredient in toothpastes and mouth rinsing liquids. And it goes great with baking soda! Coconut oil also kills the fungus Candida albicans very effectively (research) which is thought to play a major role in the manifestation of cancer. Common candida overgrowth symptoms include bad breath (halitosis), chronic fatigue, bloating, irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, severe seasonal allergies, sensitivity to alcohol and products that come into contact with the skin such as deodorant and perfume.

What Would Happen to Your Cat, If Something Happened to You?
The Catington Post - To ensure that your beloved four-legged friend continues to receive adequate care in the event that you get seriously ill, meet a grave accident, or face death, it is critical that you plan and make arrangements in advance. 1. Call a friend. Find a few dependable friends or relatives who would be willing to serve as emergency caregivers should something unexpected happen to you…. 2. Post notices. Aside from carrying an “alert” card in your wallet all the time, try posting removable “In case of emergency” signs on your windows or doors as well. This way, responding personnel during emergencies like fire or any other home disaster can be notified… 3. Make formal arrangements…. Work with a lawyer to draft a special will, pet trust, or other document which draws the specific care and ownership of your cat as well as the amount of money needed to care for him or her.
 

Wednesday - April 5, 2017

On This Day In History:

1621 - The Mayflower sailed from Plymouth, MA, on a return trip to England.
1792 - U.S. President George Washington cast the first presidential veto. The measure was for apportioning representatives among the states.
1869 - Daniel Bakeman, the last surviving soldier of the U.S. Revolutionary War, died at the age of 109.
1887 - Anne Sullivan taught Helen Keller the meaning of the word "water" as spelled out in the manual alphabet.
1908 - The Japanese Army reached the Yalu River as the Russians retreated.
1923 - Firestone Tire and Rubber Company began the first regular production of balloon tires.
1933 - The first operation to remove a lung was performed at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, MO.
1941 - German commandos secured docks along the Danube River in preparation for Germany’s invasion of the Balkans.
1951 - Americans Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were sentenced to death for committing espionage for the Soviet Union.
1955 - Winston Churchill resigned as British prime minister.
1986 - A discotheque in Berlin was bombed by Libyan terrorists. The U.S. attacked Libya with warplanes in retaliation on April 15, 1986.
1999 - Two Libyans suspected of bombing a Pan Am jet in 1988 were handed over so they could be flown to the Netherlands for trial. 270 people were killed in the bombing.
1999 - In Laramie, WY, Russell Henderson pled guilty to kidnapping and felony murder in the death of Matthew Shepard.
2004 - Near Mexico City's international airport, lightning struck the jet Mexican President Vicente Fox was on.
2009 - North Korea launched the Kwangmyongsong-2 rocket, prompting an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
2010 - An explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine near Charleston, W.Va., killed 29 workers

Video: Rice Squirms When Asked If Willing to Testify to Congress
Kit Daniels - Susan Rice, the former National Security Advisor under President Obama, seemed uncomfortable when asked if she would be willing to testify before Congress about her role in “unmasking” the Trump team from recorded surveillance. “Rand Paul is suggesting that you be subpoenaed to testify. Would you be willing to go to Capitol Hill?” MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell asked on Tuesday. Rice squirmed a little before responding. “You know, Andrea, let’s, let’s… see what comes. Umm, I’m not going, ahh, you know, sit here and prejudge, but what I will say is that the investigations that are underway as to the Russian involvement in our electoral process are very important and they’re very serious,” she said while stuttering a bit. “Every American ought to have an interest in those investigations going wherever the evidence indicates they should.”
* Related: Susan Rice Responds To Trump Unmasking Allegations: "I Leaked Nothing To Nobody"
* Related: Rand Paul: Susan Rice ‘Ought to Be Under Subpoena,’ Answer for if Obama Knew About Eavesdropping…

Video: Body Language Expert: Susan Rice Was Clearly Lying When She Denied Obama Surveillance of Trump
Paul Joseph Watson - During a March 22 appearance on PBS NewsHour, Rice claimed she “knew nothing” about Rep. Devin Nunes’s assertion that Trump transition members had their communications surveilled by the Obama administration. It has since been revealed that Rice repeatedly requested to unmask the identities of individuals who were the subject of “incidental” surveillance. According to a body language expert, Rice was clearly being deceptive when she claimed to have no knowledge of the surveillance. An analysis of Rice’s PBS appearance reveals her to engage in ‘double-blinking’ after making the denial while remaining very still in her neck movements, both flagrant signs of lying. Rice’s movements reveal her to be under “extreme stress” and “being extremely deceptive the entire time in this interview,” according to the expert. Numerous other examples of double-blinking are seen throughout the interview. According to studies, liars don’t blink during the lie, but are seen to engage in a “flurry” of blinks after telling it. According to the expert, the way Rice holds in her deep breath at the end of speaking is also another betrayal of the way she is putting herself under stress by lying.

Judicial Watch obtained 695 Pages of Obama IRS scandal Documents
RT - The conservative think tank, Judicial Watch, has obtained and released nearly 700 pages of Obama IRS Scandal documents that show officials used “inappropriate political labels” to screen applications from conservative tax-exempt organizations. The documents were made available following a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch in 2015. The FOIA request was made following a scandal in 2013, that revealed the US Internal Revenue Service had selected political groups applying for tax-exempt status for intensive scrutiny based on their names or political themes. The revelation led to wide condemnation of the agency and prompted several investigation, including an FBI order by the US Attorney General Eric Holder. Initial reports described the selection as nearly exclusively targeting conservative groups with terms such as “Tea Party” in their names but later it was found that some liberal groups were also selected for additional review…. Of the 695 pages of documents released by the IRS, 61 percent were withheld in their entirety. Among the new materials is a June 20, 2013 memo from Karen Schiller, then acting-director suspending the use of the controversial Be on the Lookout (BOLO) and Touch and Go (TAG) lists that was used for identifying terms conservative and liberal groups.

Trump Administration Considers Far-Reaching Steps for ‘Extreme Vetting’
WSJ - Foreigners who want to visit the U.S., even for a short trip, could be forced to disclose contacts on their mobile phones, social-media passwords and financial records, and to answer probing questions about their ideology, according to Trump administration officials conducting a review of vetting procedures. The administration also wants to subject more visa applicants to intense security reviews and have embassies spend more time interviewing each applicant. The changes could apply to people from all over the world, including allies like France and Germany…. Administration officials say fighting terrorism is an urgent task that justifies tough rules…. Homeland Security officials say the agency is planning to significantly increase demands for information from all visa applicants, including visitors, refugees and others seeking to immigrate. The changes might even apply to visitors from the 38 countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program, which requires adherence to strict U.S. standards in data sharing, passport control and other factors, one senior official said…. The biggest change to U.S. policy would be asking applicants to hand over their telephones so officials could examine their stored contacts and perhaps other information. Visitors have had their phones examined at ports of entry, but that isn’t routinely requested during the application stage.
* Related: Lawmakers propose law requiring warrants to search electronics at US border

Disney installs metal detectors, bag searches and pat downs at hotels and park entrances
MassPrivate I - Imagine going through a metal detector before you check into your hotel room, imagine being patted down and searched before you get inside your hotel. Imagine Disney using facial biometrics to spy on everyone in your family. Well imagine no more, it's already happening. According to an article in the Orlando Sentinel, Disney World has made going to your hotel and amusement park a virtual trip to a TSA checkpoint. Disney World has installed metal detectors and bag searches at all of their hotel entrances and park entrances…. And if that wasn't enough, guests over 14 years old are outlawed from wearing costumes…. If the public accepts metal detectors at Disney's hotel entrances and TSA style searches, how long before it spreads across the country?

Neighbors Push Back After Hurst Police Hover Drone Over Back Yard Without Warning
NBC DFW News - Sanchez said it was hovering long enough for her to take photos and then call for help. "They're watching my children play in the backyard," said Sanchez. "I called the Hurst Police Department and was pretty surprised to hear that it was them." Hurst police and fire started using drones earlier this year. They said the day they were over Sanchez's yard was a training exercise. The department is already making changes. Any officer using the drone will now need high-level approval. "We will not be doing any type of training exercises over houses and things like that," said Hurst Police Assistant Chief Steve Niekamp. Going forward, the department’s drones will only launch over crime scenes or accident scenes, or to find a suspect, an active shooter or a missing person…. But for Sanchez, and some of her neighbors, trust is already damaged. "It might be legal but it's still creepy to think that police can be saying that they're training or looking for a criminal and still be looking at you in your backyard," said neighbor Casey Byrnes.

Homeless Man Takes Mic from Busker – Blows Everyone’s Minds (Video)
Natural Blaze - A homeless man in a wheelchair joined a street musician for a spontaneous New Year’s Eve street jam in the early hours of 2016 – and the result was incredible British musician Jonny Walker said: I went out busking in Leeds on New Year’s Eve and, after a while, was joined by a homeless man in a wheelchair who asked if he could sing with me. As a busker, I spend a lot of time on the streets and had seen this man many times over the years, but didn’t know he was singer, and, as the years had gone by, his health and wellbeing seemed to have worsened a great deal. We jammed out a version of ‘Summertime’ and I was blown away by his voice so I stopped a passerby and asked them to capture the moment on my camera phone and then uploaded the video to my Facebook page where it quickly went viral as thousands of people shared it….

Dozens reported killed in alleged gas attack in Syria, military denies involvement (PHOTOS)
RT - A gas attack has reportedly taken place in Syria’s rebel-held Idlib, killing at least 58 people, with various media outlets reporting that a rocket has since hit a hospital treating the victims. The Syrian army has denied it was behind the attack…. Locals said the alleged attack began in the early morning, when they heard planes in the sky followed by a series of loud explosions, after which people very quickly began to show symptoms, Al Jazeera reported…. The Syrian National Coalition, an alliance of opposition groups, has accused President Bashar Assad's government of carrying out the gas attack and demanded a UN investigation.

‘Only in exceptional cases’: No illuminated European landmarks for St. Petersburg victims
RT - Eleven were killed and 51 injured in a suspected suicide bomb blast inside a train in the St. Petersburg Metro, but you won’t see the expression of solidarity in European cities often displayed when other nations suffer similar heinous attacks…. Germany’s Brandenburg Gate has a history of showing solidarity with nations after similar attacks in Paris, Brussels, London, Orlando, Istanbul, Nice and Jerusalem, according to Berliner-Zeitung, but a senate speaker from the German press agency said the landmark would not radiate the Russian national colours because St. Petersburg is not a partner city of Berlin, and “exceptions should only be made in exceptional cases.”… Israel, however, did express its condolences and solidarity with the victims of the attack by lighting up city hall in Tel Aviv with the colours of the Russian flag.

European Union Tells Hungary and Poland To Accept Mass Migration Or Leave
Breitbart - France and Germany, along with a host of up to 21 other countries, are set to demand Hungary and Poland either accept migrants under the quota system or leave the European Union (EU). The two nations have ignored Brussels’ insistence that they take migrants presently residing in great numbers in Italy and Greece. Public opinion in Hungary and Poland is also strongly against being forced to accept thousands of migrants from non-European cultures. Poland’s conservative Law and Justice Party (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość – PiS) swept to victory in 2015, partly due to voter anger over the previous government agreeing to take migrants under the quota system. In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been a vocal opponent of the scheme from its conception, asserting that forcing member countries to take a compulsory quota of migrants is unlawful and will “spread terrorism around Europe”. Later this year, the two countries will be given an ultimatum and have to decide whether they are willing to maintain an anti-mass migration stances if it puts their membership of the EU at threat, a senior diplomatic source from one of the bloc’s six founding member states told The Times.

France’s Le Pen Widens Lead Over Macron to 2% in First-Round Presidential Voting
Sputnik - French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has widened the lead over centrist rival Emmanuel Macron to 2 percent in the first round of voting, a daily poll by Opinionway showed Tuesday.National Front leader Le Pen is ahead with 26 percent of projected votes. Macron, an independent, is trailing behind with 24 percent, while support for Francois Fillon, a conservative contender from The Republicans party, stands at 20 percent. The first round of presidential election in France is scheduled for April 23, while the run-off vote is slated for May 7.

The Looming Pension Collapse: Chicago Collected $90 Million But Paid Retirees $999 Million
Off the Grid News - The city of Chicago’s pension funds only generated $90 million in investment income but paid retirees $999 million in 2015, according to Chicago City Wire. Chicago is just one of several cities or states facing a crisis in which pension funds are not generating enough money to cover obligations to retired employees. An analysis by Chicago City Wire of the six pension funds provides a frightening picture of the city’s economy. None of the funds generate enough money to cover retirement obligations to employees. “All six operate as government-sanctioned Ponzi schemes, paying retirees with contributions made into the fund by active city employees, as well as taxpayers contributing on those employees’ behalf,” Chicago City Wire reported…. But it’s not just Chicago. According to Market Watch: The Michigan Public School Employees retirement pension fund is $26.7 billion underfunded. The South Carolina government employee pension fund is $24.1 billion underfunded. The Social Security trust fund is on pace to run out of money by 2034. The United Mine Workers of America pension fund is $6 billion underfunded.

Farmers are now forced to hack into their own tractors to bypass draconian manufacturer controls
(Natural News) American farmers reluctantly find themselves resorting to the black market because of a legally binding licensing agreement imposed by John Deere and other similarly situated manufacturers…. The Motherboard website details the controversy over farm equipment software that some say creates an aftermarket manufacturer monopoly and associated inflated repair costs. “Tractor hacking is growing increasingly popular because John Deere and other manufacturers have made it impossible to perform ‘unauthorized’ repair” on farm equipment, which farmers see as an attack on their sovereignty, and quite possibly an existential threat to their livelihood if their tractor breaks at an inopportune time…. Against this backdrop, right-to-repair legislation has emerged in Nebraska and several other states. If enacted, such measures would force manufactures to sell replacement parts to stand-alone repair facilities and direct to consumers, as well as require public disclosure of service manuals. Right to repair goes beyond tractors and can apply to smartphones and consumer electronics and appliances as well.

Autistic Boy Gains Ability to Speak After Just 2 Days of CBD Oil
Natural Blaze - At 10 months of age, Kalel Santiago of Puerto Rico was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called neuroblastoma. He endured chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and surgery for two years—and survived. Then he was diagnosed with something permanent: severe autism that disabled him from speaking…. According to Yahoo, “He and his wife Gladys — also parents to two older boys, now 18 and 20 — did a cram course in educating themselves on autism. They tried various schools and therapies and eventually found impressive success with a unique surf-therapy school near their home.” Eventually, the Santiago family stumbled upon a treatment of real potency and potential: CBD oil. Through a fundraising program, they were able to receive a tiny bottle of the oil. Kalel was given oral doses twice a day. Within just two days, he was finally able to speak. “He surprised us in school by saying the vowels, A-E-I-O-U. It was the first time ever,” Abiel said. “You can’t imagine the emotion we had, hearing Kalel’s voice for the first time. It was amazing. The teacher recorded him and sent it to my wife and me and we said well, the only different thing we have been doing is using the CBD.” Soon after, he began using consonants, too, speaking like his parents never thought possible. “He said, ‘amo mi mama,’ ‘I love my mom,’” Abiel says.

Bilberry: WWII Pilots Said It Boosted Vision. And Native Americans Insisted It Cured Heart Problems.
Off the Grid News - Since the night vision claims by the RAF pilots, extensive research in Europe has discovered that the fruit is high in bitter compounds, called flavonoids. These flavonoids or anthocyanosides are contained in the pigment of the bilberry’s skin and flesh and are responsible for the berry’s high antioxidant properties. It’s these flavonoids that are believed to help promote healthy brain and eye function. They also protect against heart disease, free radicals and inflammation. The bitter compounds inhibit collagen destruction and are a standard ingredient in anti-aging remedies. Bilberry is known to affect the structural and circulatory systems. Its tannins and flavonoids are responsible for its anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic and antispasmodic properties. Consuming the berry also helps decrease capillary permeability. This makes the berry a common choice among the sufferers of varicose veins, poor circulation, macular degeneration and glaucoma. It works so well and has so many uses that bilberry is among the most popular non-prescription “drugs” in Europe. The berry is sweet and tastes similar to a blueberry and is high in zinc, Vitamins C and A, phosphorus, manganese and iron.

Would you try this new vegetarian burger that “bleeds?” Even if it’s made from GMOs?
(Natural News) According to the company’s web page, the Impossible Burger is free of antibiotics, hormones and artificial ingredients. And on their FAQ page, one can find the full list of ingredients, which is as follows: ,“Full Ingredient List: Water, Textured Wheat Protein, Coconut Oil, Potato Protein, Natural Flavors, 2% or less of: Leghemoglobin (soy), Yeast Extract, Salt, Soy Protein Isolate, Konjac Gum, Xanthan Gum, Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Zinc, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12.”, “Natural flavors” is always a bit of a worrisome term; despite the nice sound of the word “natural,” these flavorings can truly be anything but. “Natural flavors” can contain up to 100 different ingredients — and good luck figuring out what was used to create that “natural flavor.” Many times, “natural flavors” contain artificial ingredients, including preservatives and solvents. So, maybe not the greatest choice for a product that claims to have “no artificial ingredients.” Soy is also a controversial ingredient, given that it’s one of the top GMO crops grown in the US. Approximately 93 percent of all soy crops are genetically modified. The Impossible Foods website does not appear to disclose whether or not their Impossible Burger is GMO-free or not. Then there’s also the fact that the makers of the Impossible Burger have been funded by Bill Gates, and that alone could be reason enough to shy away from the meatless meat that bleeds. Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation are known for promoting eugenics, so anything he wants people to eat may be best left alone.

Infographic: 7 Superfoods You Can (And Should!) Add to Your Dog’s Diet
Superfoods have long been known to be beneficial to humans, packed with nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants for optimal health. But, did you know that some superfoods are an excellent addition to a dog’s diet, too? Below are 7 Superfoods you can (and should!) safely add to your dog’s diet…

Easy Way to Teach Your Dog to Shake, High Five, & Crawl (With Video!)
Dogington Post - One of the best ways to have a great relationship with your dog is to make sure they are well trained. And training your dog can seem a little overwhelming sometimes but I have an entire series of super short videos that you can check out for training tips. Then, when you’re feeling confident that you have some of the basic commands, like sit, stay and come mastered, it’s a good idea to continue to teach new behaviors so that your dog is in the habit of learning new commands.

Tuesday - April 4, 2017

On This Day In History:

1812 - The territory of Orleans became the 18th U.S. state and will become known as Louisiana.
1818 - A plan was passsed by the U.S. Congress that the U.S. flag would have 13 red and white stripes and 20 stars and that a new star would be added for the each new state.
1841 - President William Harrison, at the age of 68, became the 1st president to die in office after being sworn in only a month before he died of pneumonia.
1850 - The city of Los Angeles was incorporated.
1862 - In the U.S., the Battle of Yorktown began as Union General George B. McClellan closed in on Richmond, VA.
1902 - British Financier Cecil Rhodes left $10 million in his will that would provide scholarships for Americans to Oxford University in England.
1917 - The U.S. Senate voted 90-6 to enter World War I on the Allied side.
1918 - The Battle of Somme, an offensive by the British against the German Army ended.
1932 - After five years of research, professor C.G. King, of the University of Pittsburgh, isolated vitamin C.
1945 - During World War II, U.S. forces liberated the Nazi death camp Ohrdruf in Germany.
1949 - Twelve nations signed a treaty to create The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
1953 - Fifteen doctors were released by Soviet leaders. The doctors had been arrested before Stalin had died and were accused of plotting against him.
1967 - The U.S. lost its 500th plane over Vietnam.
1968 - Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the age of 39.
1969 - Dr. Denton Cooley implanted the first temporary artificial heart.
1971 - Veterans stadium in Philadelphia, PA, was dedicated this day.
1973 - In New York, the original World Trade Center twin towers opened. At the time they were the tallest building in the world.
1975 - More than 130 people, most of them children, were killed when a U.S. Air Force transport plane evacuating Vietnamese orphans crashed just after takeoff from Saigon.
1984 - U.S. President Reagan proposed an international ban on chemical weapons.
1987 - The U.S. charged the Soviet Union with wiretapping a U.S. Embassy.
2003 - U.S. forces seized Saddam International Airport outside Baghdad.
2006 - The Iraq tribunal charged Saddam Hussein and six others, accusing them of genocide and crimes against humanity stemming from a 1980s crackdown against Kurds.
2011 - Yielding to political opposition, the Obama administration gave up on trying avowed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four alleged co-conspirators in civilian federal courts and said it would prosecute them instead before military commissions.

Confirmed: Susan Rice "Unmasked" Trump Team
Zero Hedge - Once again it appears that Trump was right: the conspiracy theory that a close Obama associate worked to "unmask" the Trump team, resulting in the ongoing media spectacle over "collusion" between Trump and the Kremlin, has been confirmed, first by Mike Cernovich, and now by Bloomberg itself. As noted last night, Journalist and author Mike Cernovich dropped an exclusive bombshell - naming Obama's National Security Advisor Susan Rice as the official responsible for the 'unmasking' of the incoming Trump team during 'incidental' surveillance. This was apparently discovered after the White House Counsel's office reviewed Rice's document log requests… Cernovich pointed out, as revealed in an article by Circa, that President Obama began loosening the rules regarding "incidental intercepts" starting in 2011 - making it easier for the US Government to spy on individuals who are not the primary target(s) of a surveillance operation…. And guess who had authorization to unmask individuals who were 'incidentally' surveilled? Former CIA Director John Brennan, former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and Obama's National Security advisor Susan Rice. Also of note is the claim that New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman has been sitting on the Susan Rice story for at least two days…

Democrats Have Enough Votes To Block Gorsuch Nomination
Zero Hedge - The threshold was passed when Sen. Chris Coons announced on Monday that he will oppose President Trump's pick on a procedural vote where he will need the support of eight Democrats to cross a 60-vote threshold. Coons became the 41st Democrat to back the filibuster…. After Coons' decision, unless one of the 41 Democrats change their vote, the filibuster of Gorsuch will be sustained in a vote later this week. More details from The Hill: Gorsuch's path to overcoming a filibuster closed on Monday after Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.) and Mark Warner (Va.) each announced they would oppose Gorsuch's nomination. Only four Democratic senators have said they will support President Trump's pick on the initial vote: Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Joe Donnelly (Ind.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Sen. Michael Bennet (Colo.). Heitkamp, Donnelly and Manchin are each up for reelection in states carried by Trump in the 2016 election. Bennet — who won reelection last year — has been under a microscope because of Gorsuch's ties to Colorado, and didn't specify that he would vote for the nominee during a final vote.

Following AG Sessions' Threat, NYC No Longer A Sanctuary City
Zero Hedge - In the wake of an announcement by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions that he would cut off funding if so-called sanctuary cities did not begin cooperating with the federal government regarding illegal aliens, it has been reported that the New York City Police Department [NYPD] alerts Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] agents if immigrants facing deportation are due to appear in Criminal Court, thereby making it easier for them to be detained by the federal government…. Other states are also moving to pressure localities to begin cooperating with federal immigration enforcement. These include, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Feds Sentence Waste Management Supervisors for Hiring Illegal Workers
Breitbart Houston, Texas - A federal district court sentenced three Waste Management supervisors to prison for hiring 10 or more illegal aliens. The charges include a conspiracy to encourage and induce migrants to enter and live in the country. Feds revealed that two of the men involved in the conspiracy are Salvadoran nationals. The third is a U.S. citizen. A jury convicted Rudy Alexander Martinez, 36, and Israel Arquimides Martinez, 44 on April 8, 2016, after a trial that lasted two weeks and about six hours of deliberation. The jury determined the two Salvadoran nationals conspired to employ and actually employed illegal aliens, according to information obtained from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials by Breitbart Texas. Also, the jury found the defendants encouraged and induced illegal aliens to enter the country without documentation and to reside in the U.S. Finally; the jury convicted the two men on charges of aggravated identity theft–a separate offense that carries a sentence of two years which runs consecutive to any other sentencing. Ceasar Santiago Arroyo, 51, a Houston resident and U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty on March 31 to the conspiracy. He served as a district operations manager for Waste Management.

Ohio Sheriff Urges Trump to Send ICE Agents
Breitbart - In a letter to President Trump, an Ohio Sheriff urged him to send ICE agents to target businesses that employ illegal aliens. Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones asked President Trump to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to Butler County, Ohio, to begin a program of “workplace enforcement,” according to Fox 19. “The American citizens are tired of dealing with this issue, tired of hearing on the news how an illegal alien committed a crime here and just gets to return home, tired of illegal aliens bringing and trading drugs in this country, and tired of losing jobs to companies who are willing to hire illegals and pay them far less wages,” said Jones in his letter to the President. “Our citizens are at risk to their health and physical safety every day that this country allows them to be here.”

Critics fume after Trump donates salary to National Park Service
RINF - President Donald Trump has donated over $78,000 – his entire first-quarter salary – to the National Park Service, leaving his critics spluttering about broken promises and the cost of security for his residences in New York and Florida. Trump, who was a billionaire real-estate tycoon before running for president, initially tried to decline a salary altogether, but it turned out he was legally required to take one. He then said he would donate all of it to a charity, and even invited reporters to give suggestions. On Monday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters that “every penny” Trump was paid between January 20 and the end of March will be handed over to the NPS. Spicer presented a check for $78,333.32 to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Harpers Ferry National Historic Park Superintendent Tyrone Brandyburg. The Center for American Progress, founded by prominent Democratic campaigner John Podesta, quickly blasted the donation as a drop in the proverbial bucket. Other Democrats estimated the amount would cover just over 12 hours of security for Trump’s New York residence, where First Lady Melania Trump has remained since the inauguration, or the Trump resort in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, where the president prefers to spend his weekends…. The president’s supporters, however, delighted in the gesture – and the effects it had on the opposition.

US to train kids to handle fake news
Tech Eye - A pilot education program in the US is training kids to spot the difference between fake and real news. 12-year-old students at Clemente Middle School in Germantown, Maryland is one of several schools worldwide which wants to train kids for the reality of living in an online world of fake news. It is not the only one. In the Czech Republic, high schools teach teens to identify propaganda from Russia and in Sweden, students as young as 10, are trained to spot the difference between news and Fox, er fake news. In Pennsylvania, a state lawmaker wants mandatory media literacy classes in all public schools. “The sophistication in how this false information is disguised and spread can make it very difficult for someone, particularly young people, to determine fact from fiction,” says Rep. Tim Briggs…. One course created by the nonprofit, the News Literacy Project that teachers from California to Virginia are adding to their classrooms. It includes a 10-question checklist for identifying fake news. • Who made this? • Who is making money off it? • Who might help or be harmed by this message? • What is left out of this message that might be important? • Is this credible (and what makes you think that)? Other red flags include the lack of a by-line. A headline which is ALL CAPS or has shedloads of exclamation marks. A story which promising you something “the media” does not want you to know is almost certainly fake. Teachers say it’s working. Part of the reason: Kids, particularly middle schoolers, are inherently cynical and once they know the rules they are not sucked in.

Carnage in Russia: St. Petersburg Metro Bomb Blast Kills at Least 10
Paul Joseph Watson - Some reports state that at least 10 people have been killed in the attack, which RT reports was caused by an IED explosion. There were apparently two blasts and at least one of the devices contained shrapnel. “The metro management said they received reports of an explosion inside the car, possibly of an improvised explosive device,” states the report. The culprit behind the blasts is unknown at this early stage, although speculation has obviously centered around ISIS jihadists given Russia’s active involvement in Syria. Islamist militants in four regions of Russia’s Caucasus have also been responsible for numerous attacks and pledged allegiance to ISIS back in 2015.

Muslims Celebrate Terror Attack in St. Petersburg
Paul Joseph Watson - Al Jazeera Arabic’s Facebook coverage of the terror attack in St. Petersburg, Russia was flooded with positive comments and happy emoticons as so-called “moderate Muslims” once again celebrated what is likely to have been an Islamic terror attack…. As we previously reported, Arabic-speaking Al Jazeera viewers, as well as viewers of France 24’s Arabic channel, had the exact same response after the Westminster attack last month, which was carried out by a converted jihadist. After every single terror attack (including 9/11), reports emerge of Muslims celebrating the carnage, yet every single time the media attempts to bury the issue, most notably by dismissing Donald Trump’s assertion that Muslims in New Jersey celebrated the attack on the twin towers – a fact that is manifestly provable.

Trump: St. Petersburg Metro blast a ‘terrible thing’
RT - US President Donald Trump condemned the explosion in the St. Petersburg Metro in which 10 people died and dozens were injured, calling the incident a “terrible thing.” “Terrible. Terrible thing. Happening all over the world. Absolutely, a terrible thing,” Trump said when asked by journalists to comment on the St. Petersburg blast. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said that the US is ready to provide Russia assistance in investigating the St. Petersburg attack if needed. “The US condemns this reprehensible attack and act of violence” in St. Petersburg, Spicer said, adding that such attacks “remind us that the world must work as one to combat violence in all forms.” The US envoy to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, has also expressed her condolences to Russia, stressing that Washington and Moscow are on the same page when it comes to fighting terrorism.

Le Pen Promises to ‘Uncompromisingly Fight Islamist Fundamentalism’
Breitbart - With just three weeks before the first round of France’s presidential election, right wing candidate Marine Le Pen is working to galvanize voters with the anti-Islam rhetoric that is one of her trademarks. Le Pen addressed thousands of supporters on Sunday in the southwest French city of Bordeaux, where she vowed to “uncompromisingly fight Islamist fundamentalism which seeks to impose its oppressive rules in our country.” She also criticized the headscarves that some Muslim women wear, saying “girls in France should be able to dress as they wish” and “shouldn’t be forced to bury themselves under clothes of another age.” Polls suggest Le Pen is one of the top contenders in the election’s first round on April 23, but would lose in the May 7 runoff.

Iceland's Jailed Bankers Are Back, Demanding They Were Crisis Scapegoats
Zero Hedge - In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, one country stood out: Iceland was the one nation in the world which not only let its banks fail, but convicted the bankers responsible for the collapse of the country's financial system (incidentally, since then Iceland has been one of the world's economic success stories, with the economy growing over 7% last year). Now, nearly a decade later, Iceland’s ex-bankers, once reviled as symbols of crony and rogue capitalism, say they were scapegoats: and having been "improperly" jailed for their roles in the 2008 financial crisis, they’re now taking their cases to the European Court of Human Rights…. What Iceland's bankers did was not unique: virtually every other bank around the globe at the time had countless employees who were doing the exact same thing, ending with a similar result - bank failures, bailouts and partial or entire nationalizations. However, only in Iceland were bankers prosecuted wholesale, and only in Iceland did they end up going to prison. Since then, dozens of so-called “banksters” have been convicted, about 20 of them to prison, for manipulating the market.

Tesla: No algorithm prevents sudden acceleration into fixed objects
Ars Technica - Tesla is the subject of a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging that its Model X and Model S vehicles are prone to sudden, unintended acceleration (SUA). A number of owners are claiming that their electric vehicles suddenly drove through a garage or into a wall either by human or computer error—and at least 23 accounts of Teslas experiencing unintended acceleration are on record with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The California automaker run by Elon Musk claims that, among other things, its data shows it was human error that caused the crashes described in the lawsuit…. Regardless of whether it was driver error or algorithm error, Tesla said it has no "legal duty to design a failsafe car." According to Plaintiffs, the purported defect is that Tesla’s vehicles are allegedly prone to sudden, unintended acceleration. Plaintiffs allege that the sudden acceleration may be caused by defects in various vehicle systems or by driver negligence, but that, in any event, Tesla should have designed a failsafe system to prevent it. Tesla contends that each sudden acceleration incident alleged in the FAC (First Amended Complaint) was the result of driver error, denies that its cars are defective in any way, and disputes that there is a legal duty to design a failsafe car.

California Fashion Industry Slaps Ivanka Trump With Major Class Action Lawsuit
RT - Ivanka Trump’s company is being sued for allegedly exploiting her father’s position to reap “unfair benefits and illegal profits” in a class action lawsuit launched in California that raises further questions about the Trumps’ conflicts of interests. San Francisco company Modern Appeals Clothing says Ivanka’s company, Ivanka Trump Marks, has an “unfair advantage” due to her White House connections. It calls for restraining orders to prevent the brand from competing unfairly in California. “President Donald J. Trump and his individual and White House employees and agents have, since the election, promoted defendant Ivanka Trump’s brand by exploiting the power and prestige of the White House,” the suit reads. The suit maintains Ivanka’s company’s sales have jumped more than 300 percent in January and February compared to the previous year. It calls for Ivanka’s line to be barred in California…. Trump’s Washington hotel has also been sued by a local wine bar which claims the hotel has an unfair advantage in bringing in business.

Judicial Watch Sues for Obama Global Warming Documents
Political Insider - Obama and the Democrats bilked taxpayers for hundreds of millions of dollars for scams like Solyndra. And it’s all because of their claim that “the science is settled” and “all scientists agree.” Not so fast – investigative experts at Judicial Watch are bringing suit against two of Obama’s top scientists…. Judicial Watch filed a Feb. 6, 2017, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking communications between National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientist Thomas Karl and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director John Holdren over the course of Barack Obama’s presidency. The watchdog filed the lawsuit after NOAA – a Department of Commerce component – ignored the Feb. 6 request. “This new lawsuit could result in the release of emails that will help Americans understand how Obama administration officials may have mishandled scientific data to advance the political agenda of global warming alarmism,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement.”

Half of car crashes involve people distracted by mobile phones – study
RT - Driving data of more than 100,000 vehicle operators show that half of car crashes involved a driver distracted by a phone at some point in the trip, while one in four drivers used a phone within a minute of a crash, according to a new study. In coordination with Distracted Driving Awareness Month, Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) released a study on Monday underscoring that phone distractions are a major source of dangerous driving and car wrecks in the US. The company creates mobile apps that measure driving behavior. One in four drivers who crashed were using a phone during or mere moments before the accident, CMT said.

Sad News: USDA Dumps Plans to Test Foods for Glyphosate Herbicide
Natural Society - The agency announced last year that it would begin testing food for glyphosate beginning in April 2017. In late 2016, data released by the USDA showed varying levels of pesticides, fungicides, and weed-killers in 85% of foods it sampled through its Pesticide Data Program. One sample of strawberries tested positive for 20 different pesticides. The USDA spent the last year coordinating with the EPA and the FDA in preparation to start testing corn syrup samples for glyphosate residues on April 1, according to internal documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Those documents show that since January 26 of this year, the glyphosate testing plan was still progressing. But when asked about the program, a USDA spokesperson said no glyphosate residue testing would be conducted this year. The USDA’s partnership with the EPA on glyphosate testing is notable because an EPA official was recently accused of helping Monsanto “kill” a study linking the chemical to cancer.

Gardasil and Hepatitis B vaccines associated with new autoimmune disease ASIA
Natural News Blogs - Remember when the narrative regarding vaccine safety was deliberately focused on Thimerosal an ethylmercury preservative and nothing else? Well, let’s dismiss mercury for the moment because we have a bigger problem on hand. That’s because, in 2011, Shoenfeld et al. shocked the research world with their landmark publication that described a new, probably anthropogenic (caused by humans) disease called autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA). It’s also known as Shoenfeld Syndrome, named after Dr. Y. Shoenfeld, the discoverer of this strange disease. This syndrome assembles a spectrum of immune-mediated diseases triggered by an adjuvant stimulus. The chronic exposure to an adjuvant apparently triggers this disease. The adjuvants can be highly variable, including silicone, environmental molds, and aluminum salts in vaccines. The disease’s major clinical criteria are: myalgia, myositis, muscle weakness, arthralgia and/or arthritis, chronic fatigue, unrefreshing sleep or sleep disturbances, neurological manifestations (especially associated with demyelination similar to MS), cognitive impairment and memory loss, pyrexia, and dry mouth, after exposure to external stimuli such as adjuvants, infections, vaccines, and silicone.

Bay Leaf Benefits for Digestion, Wounds, Diabetics & More
Dr. Axe - The bay leaf is extraordinary for its many health benefits, such as helping treat cancer, gas and bloating and digestion. There’s even some evidence it may help treat dandruff, muscle and joint pain, and skin infections, though further research is needed to confirm those uses…. 1. Antimocrobial and Antioxidants Qualities - A study conducted at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University focused on the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of specific essential oils from white wormwood, rose-scented geranium and bay laurel on fresh produce against Salmonella and E. coli. All three essential oils showed antioxidant properties, with the highest activity occurring in bay laurel essential oil. 2. May Prevent Candida and Contain Wound-Healing Benefits - A study published in the Archives of Oral Biology was conducted demonstrating the antifungal potential of the essential oil of bay laurel against candida. In the study, the bay laurel disrupted adhesion of candida to cell walls, therefore reducing its ability to penetrate the membrane, making it a great addition to a candida diet in order to combat this condition. 3. May Help Fight Cancer - valuation of the use of bay leaf extracts showed that both the leaves and fruits were potent against breast cancer cell models. The study notes bay leaf as a potential natural agent for breast cancer therapy by comparing cells that were induced with the extracts and those that were not. Cell death occurred in those that were induced, making bay leaf a possible natural cancer treatment option…. 4. Could Be Useful for Diabetics - It’s possible that bay leaf can help lower blood sugar levels. Research suggests that by taking ground bay leaf two times per day, blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels (LDL) dropped in participants in the study.

5 Old Wives’ Tales That Are Actually True (Yes, Green Potatoes DO Kill)
Off the Grid News - 1. Green potatoes kill - This is true; however, you would have to eat two very large potatoes. Of course, this all depends on body size and age, as well as the “dose.” Green potatoes contain the nerve toxin solanine. There are terrible tales of people who have eaten these green little tubers and died. Even just a few bites from a green potato is enough to make most people vomit, but you have to ask yourself: Why would anyone eat a green potato anyway? 2. An apple a day - Everyone knows this old saying. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? While apples are super-nutritious, full of vitamin C, pectin and fiber, we can’t go so far as saying that eating an apple each day will prevent things like diabetes, arthritis or cancer. However, a study in 2013 did find that if people over the age of 50 ate just one apple every day, they could help prevent heart attack and stroke. 3. Persimmon seeds and snow - Another old wives’ tale says that you can take a persimmon seed and cut it in half, and the shape you see inside the seed will tell you the kind of winter you are going to have. If you see a spoon shape, then there will be lots of wet, heavy snow. If you see a knife, there will be plenty of cutting, cold wind. A fork means a mild winter with only light, powdery snow. This sounds a little crazy, but a study done in Jefferson County, Mo., found that this old wives’ tale has been correct 14 out of 18 years. 4. Hair of the dog - So you really went all out at that party and became close friends with Jack Daniels. You are paying for it this morning, however, and would give anything to stop that headache. One old wives’ tale says that “a little hair of the dog” that bit you (a shot or two of the same alcohol you were drinking) is a quick “cure.” Although most doctors say this is a bad idea – you’re simply prolonging your hangover – one prominent writer — Adam Rogers, the author of Proof: The Science of Booze — says there is a bit of science behind why it works. Still, he discourages it…..
 

Monday - April 3, 2017

On This Day In History:

1776 - George Washington received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Harvard College .
1860 - The first Pony Express riders left St. Joseph, MO and Sacramento, CA. The trip across country took about 10 days. The Pony Express only lasted about a year and a half.
1865 - Union forces occupy Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia.
1882 - The American outlaw Jesse James was shot in the back and killed by Robert Ford for a $5,000 reward. There was later controversy over whether it was actually Jesse James that had been killed.
1910 - Alaska's Mt. McKinley, the highest mountain in North America was climbed.
1936 - Richard Bruno Hauptmann was executed for the kidnapping and death of the son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh.
1942 - The Japanese began their all-out assault on the U.S. and Filipino troops at Bataan.
1946 - Lt. General Masaharu Homma, the Japanese commander responsible for the Bataan Death March, was executed in the Philippines.
1967 - The U.S. State Department said that Hanoi might be brainwashing American prisoners.
1968 - Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "mountaintop" speech just 24 hours before he was assassinated.
1968 - North Vietnam agreed to meet with U.S. representatives to set up preliminary peace talks.
1983 - It was reported that Vietnamese occupation forces had overrun a key insurgent base in western Cambodia.
1985 - The U.S. charged that Israel violated the Geneva Convention by deporting Shiite prisoners.
1996 - An Air Force jetliner carrying Commerce Secretary Ron Brown crashed in Croatia, killing all 35 people aboard.
1996 - Unabomber suspect Theodore Kaczynski was arrested. He pled guilty in January 1998 to five Unabomber attacks in exchange for a life sentence without chance for parole.
2010 - The first Apple iPad was released.

It’s Official, Pentagon Will Now Keep Troop Count in Iraq & Syria Secret
The Free Thought Project - The U.S. Central Command recently announced that troop numbers in Iraq and Syria will no longer be reported to the public. In its announcement, CENTCOM spokesman Army Col. John Thomas declared that “capabilities, not numbers,” should be the area of focus, and the public will be given general estimates of troop sizes in the future…. The Pentagon’s announcement comes during a time in which the U.S. military’s recent use of airstrikes is under fresh scrutiny and stands accused of causing deaths of hundreds of civilians in recent weeks, including strikes in Mosul last week that killed an unconfirmed, but reportedly numerous, number of noncombatants. According to Reuters regarding the strike in Mosul, “Eyewitnesses from Mosul and Iraqi officials have said last week’s strike on Islamic State targets may have collapsed homes where rescue officials say as many as 200 people were buried in the rubble.” Reuters described this event as “one of the deadliest single incidents for civilians in recent memory in any major conflict involving the U.S. military.” In the Pentagon’s acknowledgment of the Mosul strike and announcement of its investigation into the incident, Army Col. Joseph Scrocca admitted that “we believe a coalition strike contributed in at least some way to the civilian casualties.

Latest WikiLeaks release shows how the CIA uses computer code to hide the origins of its hacking attacks and 'disguise them as Russian or Chinese activity'
Daily Mail - WikiLeaks has published hundreds more files [on March 31st] which it claims show the CIA went to great lengths to disguise its own hacking attacks and point the finger at Russia, China, North Korea and Iran. The 676 files released today are part of WikiLeaks' Vault 7 tranche of files and they claim to give an insight into the CIA's Marble software, which can forensically disguise viruses, trojans and hacking attacks. WikiLeaks says the source code suggests Marble has test examples in Chinese, Russian, Korean, Arabic and Farsi (the Iranian language). It says: 'This would permit a forensic attribution double game, for example by pretending that the spoken language of the malware creator was not American English, but Chinese.' This could lead forensic investigators into wrongly concluding that CIA hacks were carried out by the Kremlin, the Chinese government, Iran, North Korea or Arabic-speaking terror groups such as ISIS. WikiLeaks, whose founder Julian Assange remains holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, said Vault 7 was the most comprehensive release of US spying files ever made public.

FOX: Trump Surveilled Before Nomination, Agencies Blocked Nunes for Weeks
Breitbart - A Friday breaking Fox News report on surveillance of President Trump’s team that began before he became the Republican presidential nominee claimed a very senior intelligence official was responsible—as well as for the unmasking of the names of private U.S. citizens. The report cited sources which also indicated that House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) knew of the existence of the information in January, but one or more intelligence agencies blocked him, and there were only two locations where he could view the information that he called “very troubling.”… The Friday Fox News report cited “a number of sources” with claims that not only were the two White House officials not the sources of the information shared with Nunes, but that Nunes knew of the information in January, and that the agencies where the information came from had blocked Nunes from gaining access to it. Further, the report cited officials within the agencies who said they were frustrated with the spreading of names for political purposes. “Our sources, who have direct knowledge of what took place, were upset because those two individuals, they say, had nothing to do with the outing of this information,” Fox reported.

Senate panel to vote on Supreme Court nominee Gorsuch
USA Today - Republicans will take a major step Monday toward restoring the conservative majority on the Supreme Court lost last year when Justice Antonin Scalia’s death led to a political standoff involving all three branches of government. The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on the nomination of federal appeals court Judge Neil Gorsuch just 62 days after his nomination by President Trump — a vote Republicans denied President Barack Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland, for 293 days last year. That will set the stage for a showdown before week’s end in which Gorsuch’s confirmation isn’t really in doubt, but how it is achieved will have a profound impact on the high court, the Senate and the 2018 elections.

Another Democrat for Gorsuch
Breitbart - Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) has issued a statement declaring he is joining two other Democrats who will cast a yes vote or federal judge Neil Gorsuch to be seated on the U.S. Supreme Court, Reuters reported on Sunday. Sens. Joe Manchen (D-WV) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) have also said they will vote to confirm Gorsuch’s nomination…. Five more Democrats need to cast a yes vote to reach the 60 needed to break a potential filibuster attempt to confirm Gorsuch and 35 Democrats have said they will vote no. If the 60 votes aren’t reached, the GOP could decide to change the Senate rules on Supreme Court nominations to a simple majority or 51 votes. Donnelly also said in that statement that he supports keeping the current 60-vote threshold for High Court nominees, Reuters reported.

Sen. Grassley Asks Why -- "Extremely Careless" Hillary -- Still Has Access To Classified State Dept. Info (Video)
Zero Hedge - Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, would very much like to understand why Hillary Clinton and 6 of her closest "research aides" may still have access to classified State Department information despite FBI Director Comey's assertion that they were "extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information." And, after sending numerous requests to John Kerry's State Department that 'shockingly' fell on deaf ears, Grassely has sent a letter to Secretary of State Tillerson asking why Hillary's security clearance hasn't yet been revoked given that "any other government workers who engaged in such serious offenses would, at a minimum, have their clearances suspended pending an investigation."

Hillary Clinton Blasts Trump’s Budget Cuts
Breitbart - Friday during her speech at Georgetown University, former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton criticized President Donald Trump for his proposed budget cuts to diplomacy and international aid within the agency she once headed. Clinton said, “I’m here also to say we are seeing signals of a shift that should alarm us all. This administration’s proposed cuts to international health, development, and diplomacy would be a blow to women and children and a grave mistake for our country. Some of you may have seen the recent letter from more than 120 retired generals and admirals to congress and the administration, urging the congress and the White House not to retreat from these programs which represent our values.” “These distinguished men and woman who served in uniform recognize that turning our back on diplomacy won’t make our country safer,” she continued. “It will undermine our security and our standing in the world. Defense Secretary Mattis said it well when he said if you cut funds to the State Department, that means he has to buy more ammunition.”

Pandemic Risk: Zika Mosquitos in 129 California Cities
Breitbart - The mosquitos that can carry the Zika virus have reportedly appeared in 129 California cities. With cold winter weather the only major obstacle to the Zika virus becoming America’s first pandemic since the 1957 Asian Flu, ground zero for a potential pandemic is now the West Coast. The California Department of Public Health released an emergency warning on March 31 that two invasive (non-native) mosquito species named Aedes aegypti (the yellow fever mosquito) and Aedes albopictus (the Asian tiger mosquito), which are known to carry Zika, dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever, have now been found in 10 California counties including Fresno, Kern, Imperial, Los Angeles, Madera, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Mateo and Tulare. Unlike most of California’s native mosquito species, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus only bite during the daytime. They are distinguished by their small size, and by their black and white stripes on their back and legs…. The California Department of Public Health’s Division of Communicable Disease Control has “laboratory confirmed” a total of 529 cases of Zika infections in the state as of March 31. There were 2 new Zika infections reported in the last week, and officials expect the warming weather to accelerate the spread of the virus. The California Department of Public Health’s Division of Communicable Disease Control has “laboratory confirmed” a total of 529 cases of Zika infections in the state as of March 31. There were 2 new Zika infections reported in the last week, and officials expect the warming weather to accelerate the spread of the virus.

Got Fascism? Animal Rights Group Claims Milk a Symbol of White Supremacy
Sputnik News - PETA, for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has a laudable goal that few would dispute: animals should be treated fairly, kindly if possible, and with some respect. But PETA's methods have drawn criticism, to understate the organization's history. After calling people who eat meat "torturers" and "murderers," performing dangerous and violent acts of civic disobedience and offering a my-way-or-the-highway approach to the cultural palette, PETA now announces a new head-scratching claim that milk has been co-opted to represent white supremacy. "With so many different types of cruelty-free, delicious milks on the market, opposing supremacists has never been easier," claims PETA's website — and who are we to bother with offering them a coherent counter-argument? But suggesting that opting to drink milk, whether or not you agree that cow's milk is not for human consumption, makes a person a fascist, is off-putting, at best. Good luck PETA. It's easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar.

West Virginia Senate Passes Bill to Legalize Medical Marijuana; Foundation to Nullify Federal Prohibition
Tenth Amendment Center - A West Virginia bill that would legalize medical marijuana and nullify federal marijuana prohibition was approved in the Senate this week. Sen. Richard Ojeda (D – Logan, 07) introduced Senate Bill 386 (SB386) along with 11 bipartisan co-sponsors to promulgate rules and regulations setting up a functioning medical marijuana program in the Mountain State. It was approved by the Senate by a 28-6 vote on Wednesday. Once transmitted to the House, Delegate Michael Folk (R-Berkeley) asked for unanimous consent to dispense with committee references and give the bill immediate consideration. After debate and related motions, delegates voted 54-40 to dispense with committee references, and the bill, Senate Bill 386, was read a first time.

Moscow And Beijing Join Forces To Bypass US Dollar In Global Markets, Shift To Gold Trade
Zero Hedge - The Russian central bank opened its first overseas office in Beijing on March 14, marking a step forward in forging a Beijing-Moscow alliance to bypass the US dollar in the global monetary system, and to phase-in a gold-backed standard of trade. According to the South China Morning Post the new office was part of agreements made between the two neighbours "to seek stronger economic ties" since the West brought in sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis and the oil-price slump hit the Russian economy. According to Dmitry Skobelkin, the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Russia, the opening of a Beijing representative office by the Central Bank of Russia was a “very timely” move to aid specific cooperation, including bond issuance, anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism measures between China and Russia…. Bypassing the US dollar appears to be paying off: according to the Chinese State Administration of Taxation, trade turnover between China and Russia increased by 34% in January, in annual terms. Bilateral trade in January 2017 amounted to $6.55 billion. China’s exports to Russia grew 29.5% reaching $3.41 billion, while imports from Russia increased by 39.3%, to $3.14 billion. Just as many suspected, with Russian sanctions forcing Moscow to find other trading partners, chief among which China, this is precisely what has happened.

UK Airports, Nuclear Plants Placed on Terror Alert as Experts Warn of ‘Credible’ Security Threat…
Breitbart - Fearing hackers from ISIS and other terror groups have found a way to bypass safety checks, intelligence agencies have issued a series of alerts to UK airports in the past 24 hours. Security sources reported by The Telegraph claim fears that ISIS and other Islamist groups could have developed ways to plant explosives in laptops and mobile phones which can evade airport security screening methods. The intelligence is believed to be behind the US and Britain’s decision to ban travelers from a number of people from Muslim majority countries carrying laptops and large electronic devices onboard commercial planes.

Scientist who predicted Donald Trump's election victory says Marine Le Pen is 'VERY LIKELY' to win French presidential vote
Daily Mail - French physicist Serge Galam has said the National Front leader could benefit from her hard-core following who will ensure they turn out to back her. By contrast, a substantial number of people who said they would vote for her rival may not actually go to the polls, he claimed. Mr Galam, a researcher with the French National Centre for Scientific Research, said: 'Obviously nothing is done yet but her election is becoming very likely. Im taking a scientific view of this. She needs a turnout differential of about 20 per cent to win.'

Europe is on the Brink of Completely Banning Bee-Killing Insecticides
Natural Blaze - As the first North American bumble bee has been officially added to the list of endangered species in the U.S., the European government is making a move to prohibit the use of neonicotinoid insecticides, which are widely believed to be a major contributing factor to the rapid collapse of the world’s bee and pollinator insect populations. The European commission (EC) has drafted regulations which would end the use of neonics, a family of agrichemicals which pose a ‘high acute risk to bees.’ As The Guardian reports: The EU imposed a temporary ban on the use of the three key neonicotinoids on some crops in 2013. However, the new proposals are for a complete ban on their use in fields, with the only exception being for plants entirely grown in greenhouses. The proposals could be voted on as soon as May and, if approved, would enter force within months…. Other pesticides are also included in the ban, and for those who consider the loss of pollinator insects to be a most critical issue today, this is also good news.

New Study Finds That Six Jobs Are Lost for Every Robot Added to the Workforce
Monetary Watch - A new paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research presents sobering statistics that illustrate the impact automation is already having on the workforce, noting that each industrial robot introduced between 1990 and 2007 lead to the loss of 6.2 jobs…. The report’s authors, economists Daron Acemoglu from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Pascual Restrepo of Boston University, predict that we could see as much as a .94 to 1.76 percent decline in the employment-to-population ratio by 2025. By 2025, the Census Bureau estimates the United States’ population will reach 347.3 million. That means between 3.3 to 6.1 million jobs could be lost to automation.

Video: How to identify hidden cameras in private places
Detectives are investigating after hidden cameras were found in women's bathrooms in the Florida Keys. How can you be sure that the next time you're in a private area that you're not being recorded?

New bill would allow farmers to sue Monsanto if GMO crops invade their property
(Natural News) Farmer’s in Oregon could finally get a win in their fight against . House Bill 2739 is under consideration and, if passed, it would allow farmers and landowners to sue biotech patent holders like Monsanto for essentially trespassing on their property. The House Bill 2739 summary states that it “Allows cause of action against patent holder for genetically engineered organism present on land without permission of owner or lawful occupant.” Defenders of the bill believe it is a step in the right direction to remedy problems caused by GMOs. Sandra Bishop of the Our Family Farms Coalition, which supports HB 2739, spoke to the , “This is not a wild legal grab. We will not be compensated for our angst. We will only be compensated for provable legal damages.”… There are some opponents to the bill of course, including farmers that depend on GMO seeds. They argue that pollination among similar crops go far beyond GMOs. Critics have also tried guilt-tripping supporters, making claims that the passing of this bill could result in seed companies refusing to introduce new innovative products in Oregon…. This is not the only bill being brought forth in Oregon this year regarding GMO seed patent holders. House Bill 2469, if passed, would allow local governments to restrict their usage altogether.

Curcumin Found To Outperform Pneumococcal Vaccines In Protecting Infants
Green Med Info - Despite no evidence of its effectiveness to prevent disease, public health agencies and the medical community insist that infants and children between the ages of 2 and 12 months require up to four shots of the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV). Now new research finds a substance in turmeric, curcumin, may outperform the vaccine in providing long lasting protection against potentially deadly lung damage in infants…. Researchers at Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed), using disease models, found curcumin provided long-term protection against the damage caused by inadequate lung function. Their study, published online by the American Journal of Physiology, Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, found curcumin provided protection against bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BDP), a condition characterized by scarring and inflammation, and against hyperoxia, in which too much oxygen enters the body through the lungs. Virender K. Rehan, MD, the LA BioMed lead researcher who authored the study said this was the first study to discover long-term benefits using curcumin to protect lung function in infants. "Curcumin is known to have potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties, making it a promising therapy," Dr. Rehan stated.

Avoid these leftovers lurking in your fridge, they could make you sick
(Natural News) Dr. Bejamin Chapman, North Carolina State University’s resident Food Safety Specialist, said in an interview that a pathogen is prevalent in dried rice, most likely as spores. This pathogen is known as Bacillus cereus. It is commonly found in soil and food. However, some pathogenic strains are known to cause harm to humans and may cause food-borne diseases. According to Dr. Chapman, these spores can survive even when cooked. If the rice is stored at room temperature after cooking, the spores can grow and propagate. Food poisoning happens because these bacterial spores survive. It is probably that cooked rice is a great breeding place for the spores, as it has water and nutrients. […] here is the list of the foods you must not reheat…. Potatoes – Potatoes must be immediately refrigerated. If they are left to cool down at room temperature, a bacteria known as Clostridium botulinum may develop. It can lead to botulism; a rare disease that could lead to paralysis. Mushrooms – Mushrooms must be consumed at least 24 hours after they are prepared. Mushrooms are rich in proteins, but proteins quickly deteriorate as soon as you slice the mushroom. It is safe to eat mushrooms if they are reheated at a high temperature. Eggs – Eggs may be reheated, but it must be done properly. When reheating, eggs should reach an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius to ensure they are safe for consumption. It is wise to skip reheating eggs in the microwave if you do not have a food thermometer. Chicken – Reheating chicken might lead to digestive problems. The protein composition of the meat may be altered during reheating. Spinach, celery, and beets – Spinach, celery, and beets contain high levels of nitrates that can be carcinogenic when reheated. This happens when these foods are heated, stored, then reheated.

McDonald’s New “Fresh Beef” Burger Accidentally Reveals Another Problem
Natural Blaze - McDonald’s announced this week that starting next year, its popular Quarter Pounder burger will be made with fresh beef. This might leave some wondering what kind of beef they were using before. The restaurant chain was, like many major fast food companies, using frozen patties.… Conspicuously absent from McDonald’s press release this week was any mention of antibiotics in beef, even though that same announcement highlighted their previous move to remove the medications from their chickens. Though they touted the absence of additives and fillers in their upcoming Quarter Pounders, they did not announce the removal of antibiotics from the beef. The use of human antibiotics in meat has led some experts to worry about the rise of antibiotic resistance and superbugs…. Considering the “fresh beef” option only applies to one specific burger — and that the company apparently has not committed to removing hormones and antibiotics, to name a couple unsavory substances — its recent rollout is less than revolutionary.

Proposed Legislation Would Require Dog Groomers to be Licensed
Dogington Post - Four years ago, Rhode Island House Majority Leader K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Warwick) introduced legislation that would require dog groomers to be obtain a state groomers license in order to work with dogs, much in the same way that hair stylists, barbers, and nail technicians must obtain a state cosmetology license in order to work with humans. “Anybody can be a groomer,” said Shekarchi. “Anybody can have a job in a butcher shop today and be a dog groomer tomorrow.” The grooming industry successfully defeated the 2013 bill citing that it was “anti-business” and would lead to the state over-regulating the industry. And so, the business of pet grooming remained “business as usual” with very little oversight. But now, after hearing news of Ollie, a Pug that died during a routine nail trim at a Middletown Petco grooming salon, Shekarchi reintroduced the bill (2017-H 6054) in an effort to better protect Rhode Island’s animals…. Although none of the 50 states require groomers obtain a vocational license, only Connecticut and Colorado have at least some level of industry regulations in place, specifically regarding tethering dogs and leaving them unattended while tethered. Should this bill pass, it would be the first of its kind in the country and, many hope, would pave the way for other states to follow.

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