April 27, 2024

The Power Hour

Knowledge is Power

Today’s News: April 27, 2023

WORLD NEWS

EU Announces Stricter Content Moderation Rules for Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Other Tech Platforms

The European Commission announced on Tuesday a slew of social media platforms and other Big Tech websites that will come under stricter content moderation surrounding so-called hate speech and disinformation by the summer.

Under the European Union’s recently adopted Digital Services Act (DSA), which the bloc has described as providing “an unprecedented level of public oversight” on the internet, the European Commission will place at least 19 online platforms under its strictest level of censorship by August 25th.

Running on Fumes: Macron Forced to Travel With Generator Truck as Unions Literally Cut Off His Power

French President Emmanuel Macron is now travelling around France with his own electric generator as protesting French unions keep cutting off power during his regional visits, a report claims.

Under massive pressure as a result of his controversial pension reforms, Macron is currently undertaking a public-relations blitz in France in the hopes of rallying the general public to his side.

Father-Son ‘Vigilante’ Duo Who Killed Prowling Thief With Samurai Sword and Dagger Get Life in Prison

A father and son have been handed life in prison by a UK court after a serial criminal died after attempting to rob them.

David King and Edward King, a father and son duo, were handed life sentences by the Ipswich Crown Court on Monday after being found guilty of the vigilante killing of Neil Charles, a serial thief with several previous convictions for burglary and theft.

Migrants Land Homemade Boats on Florida Beaches

Migrants continue the dangerous practice of crossing the Straits of Florida in small homemade boats. The boats are usually overloaded with migrants attempting to make their way from Cuba and Haiti to the United States.

Miami Sector Chief Patrol Agent Walter Slosar tweeted photos of two migrant landings on Florida island beached on April 25. In the first incident, a group of 20 Cuban migrants landed on the beach at the Dry Tortugas National Park. The migrants beached a homemade boat on one of the seven islands.

US drops deadline for nuclear arms upgrade

The government agency responsible for the US nuclear stockpile has dropped a previous deadline for ramping up production of a key atomic weapons part at Los Alamos National Laboratory, lending credence to concerns about delays and cost overruns voiced by some lawmakers.

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NSAA), an agency in the Department of Energy, delivered its latest Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan to Congress on Monday.

The Associated Press (AP) pointed out the absence of the deadline for ramping up production of plutonium pits – basic components of thermonuclear weapons – at the historic New Mexico facility. Last year’s report said Los Alamos would be manufacturing 30 pits per year (ppy) by 2026.

The NSAA seeks to produce 80 plutonium pits annually, with the Savannah River Site in South Carolina scheduled to ramp up production to 50 ppy by 2030.

The agency needs to “advance the science and mature the engineering,” complete ongoing equipment upgrades “to optimize the pit production process flow” and expand the workforce at Los Alamos to achieve the 30 ppy mark, the latest update said.

U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT

Leaders in alleged Pentagon leaker’s unit suspended

The US Air Force Inspector General’s office is investigating Jack Teixeira’s place of service

The US Air Force has suspended two leaders of the unit where alleged Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira served, according to US media reports. The Department of Defense is investigating the extent of Teixeira’s alleged unauthorized disclosure of classified intelligence assessments.

Watch — Tucker Carlson Releases Statement After Fox News Ouster: ‘There Is Hope’

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson released a video statement two days after he parted ways with his former employer where he called upon Americans to essentially abandon the uniparty complex and listen to new ideas.

Released on Twitter, Tucker Carlson opened with a reflection on the decency of Americans — something that often gets clouded in the establishment media bubble where people often confuse shouting matches with genuine discussion.

“One of the first things you realize when you step outside the noise for a few days is how many genuinely nice people there are in this country,” Tucker began. “Kind and decent people. People who really care about what’s true, and I know a bunch of hilarious people also. A lot of those. It’s got to be the majority of the population. Even now. So that’s heartening.”

Tucker Carlson’s Fans Say They’re Leaving Fox News and Fox Nation Streaming Service

After Fox News announced on Monday it had parted ways with primetime host Tucker Carlson, numerous people took to social media to announce they would stop watching the cable news network and cancel their subscriptions to its streaming service Fox Nation.

Carlson, who had led a popular primetime show on the network called “Tucker Carlson Tonight” since 2016, had been a fixture on the news channel even before then. Carlson’s conservative news commentary program had been one of the network’s most successful shows and regularly garnered more than 3 million viewers per episode.

In addition to his primetime news show, Carlson has also been a key figure on the Fox Nation streaming service, hosting several original programs and an interview show called “Tucker Carlson Today.” Carlson’s Fox Nation program had hosted numerous celebrity guests, including Tesla CEO and Twitter owner Elon Musk, actor Russell Brand, “Shark Tank” host Kevin O’Leary, and champion boxer Mike Tyson.

Fox Takes a Huge Hit Following Tucker Carlson’s Departure

Fox Corporation’s stock plunged by more than 5 percent on Monday after Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s surprise exit was announced, initially wiping out nearly $1 billion from its market value.

Combining its Class A and B shares, the company saw $900 million wiped off its market value and by late afternoon trading, its Class B shares were down 3.3 percent, which is equivalent to a loss of about $650 million of shareholder value.

Shares of the company have recovered somewhat but are currently trading at $29.72, down 0.64 percent, while its market cap is now $16.69 billion, down from $17.29 billion prior to the announcement, a difference of around $600 million.

Carlson had been Fox Network’s most popular individual host and his program, “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” was among the most popular across all of cable television, often bringing in more than 3 million viewers per episode.

In March, his show beat off a string of competitors including CNN and MSNBC to draw the highest audience on cable television, averaging 3.251 million viewers per show, according to Nielsen data.

RFK Jr: Tucker Carlson ‘Was Saying Things That Nobody Has Ever Said on TV Before’

“Tucker’s show is a loss because Tucker had the biggest Democratic audience on TV,” expressed Democratic Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Tuesday night on the Kim Iversen show.

Why Did Tucker Carlson, the Most Watched Journalist in America, Get Fired?

The Military Industrial Complex corporate heads engineered the Vietnam War.  It cost us 58,479 young American lives.  It killed 2.3 million Vietnamese.  For what? Answer: money.  The same corporate heads orchestrated the 20-year wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  It cost us 7,100 kids killed and in excess of 30,000 soldier suicides. Those fraudulent wars cost us $6 trillion.

Why has Biden spent $120 billion in Ukraine?  Why are there U.S. soldier boots on the ground over there?  Answer: Military Industrial Complex corporate heads.  What’s to be gained: money.

The Mainstream Media fails at every level to inform the American people. They watch the invasion of our southern border, but address it as little as possible.  They watch the drugs cross over and into the bodies of our kids.  They fail to report on it year after year. Hundreds of thousands of deaths of our citizens—-yet nothing being done to stop the flow from Mexico.  They watch criminal DA’s in big cities completely flaunt our laws—-and do not report what’s happening.

Then, along comes Tucker Carlson.

YOUTUBE VIDEO – TUCKER CARLSON: Tucker Carlson: This will make you sick to your stomach

Fox News host Tucker Carlson gives his take on the leak of classified government documents on ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight.’

Poll: 72% Say Joe Biden’s America Is ‘Out of Control’

Nearly three-quarters of U.S. adult residents believe Joe Biden’s America is out of control, a CBS News/YouGov poll found Wednesday.

While 72 percent say Biden’s America out of control, 28 percent say it is under control.

Among those respondents who believe Biden’s America is out of control, 71 percent of them blame Biden’s leadership. Eighty-five percent of them blamed Biden’s economy riddled with systemic inflation.

Poll: One-Third of Democrats Say It Is ‘Likely’ They Will Vote for a Third Party in 2024

One-third of Democrats say it is at least somewhat likely they will vote for a third-party candidate in 2024, a Rasmussen Reports survey released Monday found.

While the survey found that most, overall, have never voted for third party candidate and do not consider it likely that they would vote for a third-party candidate in 2024, it appears Democrats are more likely to consider that option.

Trump Reacts to Biden’s 2024 Campaign Launch Announcement

While President Joe Biden said that “our economic plan is working” and “there’s more to do” at a union trade group gathering hours after announcing his 2024 campaign launch, former President Donald Trump had sharp criticism about Biden’s job performance in a statement he released on April 25.

“You could take the five worst presidents in American history, and put them together, and they would not have done the damage Joe Biden has done to our Nation in just a few short years. Not even close,” Trump said.

In a video posted in the early morning hours of April 25, Biden said, “The question we are facing is, whether in the years ahead, we have more freedom or less freedom. More rights or fewer.”

“This is not a time to be complacent … That’s why I’m running for reelection,” he said.

Disney Sues Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

Disney filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, accusing him of launching a “targeted campaign of government retaliation” against the company.

Disney and DeSantis have been engaged in a years-long struggle since the governor removed the company’s special governing status. Disney responded Wednesday by filing a lawsuit against the Sunshine State’s governor, according to Axios.

In the lawsuit, the company alleges that DeSantis’ “campaign” unfairly punishes Disney and has put their business at risk, according to CNBC.

Probe Into Former Secretary of State Katie Hobbs’ Shutdown of Online Nomination System Ongoing: Attorney General

Arizona Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has confirmed that it is still investigating whether or not Katie Hobbs violated the law while serving as Arizona Secretary of State.

The investigation stems from Hobbs’ decision in March last year to suspend an online portal called E-Qual for individuals running for legislative and congressional seats, allowing them to gather signatures on the nominating petitions that qualify them for such seats.

In an emailed statement to the Arizona Daily Independent, a spokesperson for the AGO said due to the ongoing probe, records relating to the matter are being withheld from the public.

“Regarding the public records request you submitted on 11/30/22 & 2/15/23, this is an active investigation and therefore we are unable to release any records pursuant to the best interest of the State,” the statement read.

Joe Biden Caught Using Cheat Sheet with Reporter’s Question Written on It 

President Joe Biden brought a cheat sheet with him to a Wednesday press conference that showed he had advance knowledge of a journalist’s question. 

The cheat sheet showed a photo of Los Angeles Times reporter Courtney Subramanian, a guide on how to pronounce her name, and her question for the president. 

“How are YOU squaring YOUR domestic priorities — like reshoring semiconductors manufacturing — with alliance-based foreign policy?” The question read. 

Biden’s use of the cheat sheet came during a joint press conference with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, while the two leaders discussed nuclear threats from North Korea.

Another cheat sheet showed “the names of other Biden administration officials to relay the order remarks would be delivered at the press conference,” the New York Post reported. 

“Does this mean that he pre-clears each question?” Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) asked.

“I’m so glad the American media establishment is so evenhanded in how it interacts with Republicans and Democrats. So much fairness,” Lee sarcastically added

Asa Hutchinson Pledges Devotion to Ukraine in 2024 Presidential Campaign Announcement

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) pledged his support to Ukraine during the formal launch of his presidential campaign on Wednesday, where he also touted his claims of fighting the establishment and consistency as a conservative throughout his political career.

Hutchinson, who said during an early April interview on ABC’s This Week that he would run for president, first highlighted the role the city of Bentonville, Arkansas, has had in shaping who he is and his career– from his first law office to building the city’s first FM radio station to serving as Bentonville’s City Attorney and starting a family with his wife, Susan.

Signed by the Governor: North Dakota Law Expands Raw Milk Sales in the State

On Monday, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum signed a bill into law that expands raw milk sales in the state. Enactment will take a step toward nullifying a federal prohibition scheme in practice and effect.

A bipartisan group of 11 legislators led by Rep. Dawson Holle filed House Bill 1515 (HB1515) on Jan 18. The new law legalizes the sale of raw milk by North Dakota dairy farms directly to consumers for personal consumption. Under current law, raw milk is only available in North Dakota through herd-share programs.

The House passed the final version of HB1515 by an 83-10 vote. The Senate approved the measure by a 32-14 vote. With Burgum’s signature, the law will go into effect on Aug. 1.

Unanimously Approved State Legislation Imposes “significant penalties” on Stalkers Who Use Remote Tracking Tech on Victims

Remote tracking technology includes more than Apple AirTags (see 1, 2, 3), though AirTags currently seem to be the most controversial, leading to a class-action lawsuit filed last year.  More recently, Indiana state lawmakers passed legislation to enact significant penalties on those who use tracking tech on others without their consent.

From Gov Tech:

State lawmakers gave final approval Monday to legislation imposing significant penalties on any person who uses an Apple AirTag or other remote tracking device to keep tabs on a former romantic partner or to track anyone without their consent.

Senate Enrolled Act 161 makes the unlawful use of a remote tracking device in most cases a felony, punishable by up to 2 1/2 years behind bars for a repeat offense or if the person being tracked has a protective order against the tracker, or six years in prison if the equipment is used for stalking.

Transgender Lawmaker Barred from the Montana House Floor

On Wednesday, Montana house Republicans barred transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr from the house floor for the rest of the 2023 session for rebuking other lawmakers and participating in protests against legislation that regulates the treatment for non-adult gender transitioners.

Senate GOP votes down bill calling on VA to study marijuana as PTSD, pain remedy

Senate Republicans on Wednesday defeated a bill calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to research marijuana as a remedy for post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain.

Senators voted 57 to 42 to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill, falling short of the 60 votes necessary for it to advance.

Whistleblower to CONGRESS: “US govt is ‘middleman’ in multibillion dollar migrant child trafficking op”

Whistleblower on child migrant trafficking comes as Biden admin faces scrutiny over handling of forced labor

A House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on Wednesday will feature the testimony from a whistleblower who will warn lawmakers that the U.S. has become the “middleman” in a multibillion dollar migrant child trafficking operation at the border.

The hearing, “The Biden Border Crisis: Exploitation of Unaccompanied Alien Children,” will be held by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement and will examine the surge in unaccompanied children (UACs) at the southern border.

According to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) statistics, the number of UACs who arrive at the border has swelled from 33,239 in fiscal year 2020 to more than 146,000 in fiscal year 2021 and 152,000 in fiscal year 2022. So far in fiscal year 2023, there have been more than 70,000 encounters of unaccompanied children.

When child migrants are encountered at the border, they are transferred into the custody of Health and Human Services (HHS) and then united with a sponsor – typically a parent or family member already in the U.S.

But the Biden administration has been rocked by a number of reports that officials have been unable to make contact with more than 85,000 child migrants; and more recently, administration officials reportedly ignored signs of “explosive” growth in child labor. A number have been forced into indentured servitude to pay back smugglers and have worked in dire conditions.

HEALTH

Eating More Of This Nut Can Help Protect You From Cognitive Decline

Cashews may not be the go-to snack at baseball games or carnivals (hi, peanuts and almonds), but the nuts are a fan-favorite for everyday munching.

We know they offer a delicious flavor and enjoyable crunch, but are cashews good for you? To find out, we asked registered dietitians to break down the nut’s nutritional profile and investigated the latest research on its health benefits.

Cashew benefits

1.They may support cardiovascular health when consumed in moderation.

2.They contain an essential nutrient for your brain health.

3.They contain beneficial antioxidants.

4.They offer plant-based protein.

5.They contain an essential mineral for cognitive function and healthy pregnancies

Healthy Levels Of This Vitamin Increase Success Of Cancer Treatment

While any single vitamin can’t cure all types of ailments and diseases, there’s one nutrient that has been shown to deliver incredible support for immune function time and time again: Vitamin D

In a new study published by Cancer (a peer-reviewed journal from the American Cancer Society), researchers discovered that sufficient vitamin D levels helped skin cancer patients enhance the results of their immunotherapy treatment—and in some cases, even extend their lifespan. 

—> Power Mall Product of Interest: OPTIVIDA VITAMIN D

ECONOMY & BUSINESS 

Fears mount over US banking crisis as major lender struggles

First Republic says it plans to sell off assets, restructure its balance sheet, and lay off staff 

Shares in First Republic Bank plunged another 30% on Wednesday following a wipeout one day previously, after the struggling US lender revealed that depositors had withdrawn more than $100 billion in the first quarter.  

The bank’s stock dropped 49% on Tuesday after the San Francisco-based lender disclosed that it had lost 40% of its deposits, fueling fears of further bank collapses in the US.   

The concerns follow the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in March, leaving the US banking sector facing its biggest crisis of confidence since the 2007-2008 financial crash.

“Investors got a sharp reminder on Tuesday that the US banking crisis and broader credit crunch are not over,” the chief US economist at Gavekal Research, Will Denyer, commented.  

First Republic is considering “strategic options” to raise capital and avoid being seized by US regulators, according to media reports. A source familiar with the matter told Yahoo Finance that a bailout plan would require assistance from the US government.   

“There is an open bank path solution here, but it’s a matter of the government needing to convene to bring all the parties together to make it happen,” he said.   

The recovery plan will reportedly include the sale of unprofitable assets and laying off up to a quarter of the lender’s workforce of about 7,200 employees.  

However, media reports have highlighted questions surrounding First Republic’s future as an independent lender or possibly as part of a bigger bank.  

Christopher Wolfe, head of North American banks at Fitch Ratings, said any potential buyer of First Republic would be looking at a big write-down in the value of the lender’s assets.  

Maybelline Partnership with Dylan Mulvaney Leads to Calls for Boycott

Many social media users are calling for a boycott of the makeup company Maybelline due to its partnership with Dylan Mulvaney last month.

Mulvaney, a transgender who is also at the center of the Bud Light boycott, posted a video on March 13 of himself applying make-up, stating he was “[g]etting glam” with the hashtag “#Maybellinepartner.”

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 

Phaethon asteroid even weirder than astronomers thought, NASA says

Asteroid 3200 Phaethon, a space oddity, is even stranger than astronomers thought, NASA researchers said Tuesday. 

The asteroid acts like a comet and astronomers had thought its tail was made of dust, but a new study published in The Planetary Science Journal found the tail is actually made of sodium gas.

Qicheng Zang, a California Institute of Technology PhD student who is the lead author of the study, used the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory spacecraft to examine Phaethon and its tail. Most asteroids, made of rock, do not usually form tails as they approach the sun, according to NASA. Comets, which are made of rock and ice, usually form tails. 

Based on the study of Phaethon, Zhang and other scientists wonder whether some comets may not actually be comets. 

“A lot of those other sunskirting ‘comets’ may also not be ‘comets’ in the usual, icy body sense, but may instead be rocky asteroids like Phaethon heated up by the sun,” Zhang said in a NASA post.

SURVEILLANCE STATE 

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

NYC to unleash FOOD POLICE to limit residents’ consumption in the name of “climate justice”

 To fight the mythical bogeyman known as “climate change,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams has introduced a new food policing scheme that will track the “carbon footprint” of New Yorkers based on the types and quantities of foods they eat.

In order to achieve a food-based emissions reduction of 33 percent by the year 2030, Adams wants to closely track the food consumption habits of his city’s nearly nine million residents.

Adams announced the scheme this week along with his Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice as part of the Big Apple’s ongoing pledge to stop “global warming” in its tracks.

During the announcement, the office published a chart depicting New York City’s annual greenhouse gas inventory, which supposedly tracks the carbon footprint of individual household food consumption.

As you might expect, the scheme targets meat and dairy products as “bad,” categorizing them as the worst contributors to climate warming. The solution, we are told, is to stop eating all meat and dairy and instead consume genetically engineered (GMO) “plant-based” substances from a laboratory.

“It is easy to talk about emissions that are coming from vehicles and how it impacts our carbon footprint,” Adams said at the event. “But we now have to talk about beef.”

GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING

Colorado passes farmers’ right to repair law. Why the opposition?

Colorado, home to high desert ranches and sweeping farms on the low-and-level plains, took the lead on the issue following a nationwide outcry from farmers that manufacturers blocked them from making fixes and forced them to wait precious days for an official servicer to arrive – delays that imperiled profits.

While their increasingly high-tech tractors or combines sit impotent, a hailstorm could decimate a crop or a farmer could miss the ideal planting window, farmers said.

“Farmers have had to wait three or four weeks to get repairs done to equipment when they can do repairs themselves. That’s just unfathomable,” said Bill Midcap, whose son is a fifth-generation rancher on Colorado’s eastern plains.

Lawmakers in at least 10 other states have introduced similar legislation, including in Florida, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas, and Vermont.

Colorado has taken the lead, but Democratic Rep. Brianna Titone, the bill’s sponsor, and Dan Waldvogle, director of the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, said it’s a potential launch pad for other states and even at the federal level where discussions about similar legislation are already underway.

Manufacturers and dealerships raised concerns that providing tools and information to farmers would allow equipment owners to illegally crank up the horsepower and bypass emissions controls – putting operator safety and the environment at risk.

Opponents also worried that compelling companies to share more detailed information necessary for repairs could expose proprietary information.

“Forcing a business to disclose trade secrets, software and jeopardize consumer safety is poor public policy,” said Republican state Rep. Matt Soper, adding that it will stifle tech innovation.

COVID RELATED NEWS

Doctors Were Bribed for COVID Vaccination Coercion

In late March 2020, the U.S. Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Within this $2 trillion stimulus package, $100 billion was earmarked for hospitals and local health centers that treated COVID patients

Hospitals were reimbursed an extra 20% for each Medicare patient hospitalized with COVID, and the only criteria to receive that bonus was a COVID-positive PCR test

The federal COVID-19 Treatments Add-On Payment program also paid hospitals bonuses for every COVID-19 patient treated with emergency-authorized COVID medications (Remdesivir, convalescent plasma, Baricitinib, Molnupiravir and Nirmatrelvir)

Hospitals also received a 300% upcharge for COVID patients placed on ventilators, even after it became apparent that this was a death sentence. Somewhere between 50% and 86% of all ventilated COVID patients died, yet government never dropped the incentive to use ventilators. Why?

Throughout 2020, evidence mounted showing the PCR test is incredibly unreliable above 35 cycles, and health agencies instructed labs to use 40 to 45 cycles. In essence, we had an epidemic of false positives, and financial incentives then drove hospitals to mistreat and kill countless patients, many of whom may not even have had COVID

CANCEL CULTURE

REPORT: ESPN Reporter Fired for Calling Fellow Reporter a ‘F*ck*ng C*nt’

Someone at ESPN has reportedly not been working and playing well with others. Now, that person is no longer at ESPN.

According to a report from the New York Post, Marly Rivera, one of ESPN’s MLB reporters, was fired last week after calling another female reporter who was waiting for an Aaron Judge interview a “f*ck*ng c*nt.”

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.: “There Is No Time In History Where The People Who Were Censoring Speech Were The Good Guys”

“There is no time in history where the people who were censoring speech were the good guys,” Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. told Breitbart News Sunday host Joel Pollak.

Pollak asked Kennedy about his championing of free speech over big tech censorship. The bestselling author, environmental lawyer, and child health advocate has experienced censorship firsthand. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of Kennedy’s social media posts questioning the wisdom of the lockdowns were labeled “misinformation.”

In his presidential announcement speech last week, the candidate said, “I’m in a lawsuit involving Amazon for censoring one of my books. They were censoring people who criticized the lockdowns while they were raking in money from the lockdowns.”

“I’m wondering if you can make a pitch to our audience about a common cause that you, running as a Democrat, may have with many conservatives who feel that they’ve been canceled or otherwise censored or marginalized in public discourse,” Pollak asked.

“It’s more than a personal aggrievement. It’s really just a direct assault on our democracy,” Kennedy stated.

Kennedy explained that in crafting the Bill of Rights, America’s Founders “put the right to free expression in the First Amendment because all the other rights depended on it—because the government that has the power to silence its critics has license for any kind of atrocity.”

“They also understood just theoretically that the whole basis for democracy was the free flow of information,” he said, adding that democracy’s advantage over “tyrannical and monarchical” systems of government is that “through the free flow of information, the best policies can triumph in the marketplace of ideas.”

“We’re now in this situation where without free speech, democracy just withers and dies. Free speech is the fertilizer; it’s the sunlight; it’s the water for democracy,” he continued. “There is no time in history where the people who were censoring speech were the good guys. They’re always the bad guys because, of course, that is the first and last step of totalitarianism: silencing critics.”

ICYMI

45-Year-Old Marathon Runner ‘Dies Suddenly’ on Way Home After Completing Race

A 45-year-old man, who has been described as a “very experienced runner”, died suddenly on his way home after completing the London Marathon on Sunday.

Steve Shanks, a veteran of “many marathons”, tragically passed away while returning to his home in Nottinghamshire after completing the 26.2 mile race. So far, no cause of death has been determined.

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