Today’s Top 5:
1.Maui fire becomes deadliest in over a century, at least 93 killed
Destructive wildfires on Hawaii’s Maui Island have killed at least 93 people, marking the deadliest American wildfire in over 100 years.
The big picture: As the death toll continues to rise with ongoing search and rescue efforts, the wildfires are now the deadliest since California’s Camp Fire in 2018, which killed at least 85 people.
a). Up to 1,000 People Missing on Hawaii’s Maui Island as Fires Continue to Blaze
As many as 1,000 people are still missing on Hawaii’s Maui Island amid the ongoing wildfires and can’t be contacted, officials said on Aug. 10.
So far, 55 deaths have been confirmed owing to the fast-spreading wildfires which have scorched through large swathes of land, according to a Maui County news release published Thursday.
However, officials have stressed that figure could likely rise as rescuers continue to search for those missing and attempt to control the three fires that continue to rage.
Speaking at a press conference Thursday, Maui County Police Chief John Pelletier said law enforcement recovery teams “honestly don’t know” the exact number of people who have died in the wildfires.
“And here’s the challenge: there’s no power, no internet, no phone, no radio coverage,” he said, adding that officials were having difficulties contacting those who are missing because of those issues.
b). HECO Kept The Power Flowing In Lahaina Even As Poles Toppled
The Hawaii utility has acknowledged the growing danger of wildfires and made some changes. But lawsuits are already pointing to the live power lines as a cause in Maui.
Morning Joe reports: So, how did the fire start? Officials say they don’t know yet, but lawyers are investigating Hawaiian Electric’s power lines as a potential source of ignition, Bloomberg reports. On Saturday, three law firms filed a class-action lawsuit against the utility, claiming that de-energizing its power lines ahead of the windy weather could have prevented the destruction.
c). Warning Sirens Never Sounded on Maui, State Official Says
None of the 80 warning sirens placed around the island were activated in response to the devastating Lahaina fire, a spokesman for Hawaii’s emergency management agency confirmed.
d). What Are Emergency Weather Radios And Why Do You Need One?
Emergency weather radios are designed to keep you informed when inclement weather conditions arise. They are used in emergencies, such as power outages or natural disasters that disrupt the flow of information.
A portable emergency weather radio comes with an emergency alert messages system that includes important emergency messages from NOAA,(The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and other emergency providers.
NOAA alerts will sound loudly on your radio even if the broadcast is in a different language than what’s set for your device. There are a few ways to receive the same alerts via NOAA.
One way is through a special weather radio which will sound an alarm when bad weather is headed your way. The other way emergency alerts can reach you is through TV and radio broadcasts, cell phones, landlines, voice alerts, and more.
During a weather event or a local emergency, the radios will help you get the critical information that can save your life. Of course, you should never cut yourself off from all other forms of communication to rely entirely on the radio for emergency alerts.
However, emergency radios are a vital part of your disaster preparedness kit and should be included in every emergency plan. These radios make a great gifts item for all families and emergency responders.
See the Best emergency radio / NOAA weather radio’s – Knowledge is power, especially in an emergency, and the most bomb-proof way to quickly convey information over long distances is radio. Unlike telephones and the internet, radio requires little infrastructure, and radios are simpler and more portable than televisions.
2.Judge Snubs Special Counsel, Issues Limited Gag Order in Trump Election Case
District Judge Tanya Chutkan opposed the request by prosecutors to bar former President Donald Trump from revealing non-sensitive evidence provided to him by the prosecutors ahead of the trial on whether he conspired to illegally obstruct the counting of the 2020 electoral votes.
During an Aug. 11 hearing in Washington, she decided to issue a gag order that only forbids the release of information prosecutors label as sensitive.
The prosecutors, with the office of special counsel Jack Smith, requested a blanket gag order, citing concerns over safety and intimidation of witnesses.
The judge questioned the defense over the potential use of non-sensitive information to intimidate witnesses.
President Trump’s lawyer, John Lauro, a former federal prosecutor himself, responded that President Trump will abide by the pre-trial conditions, which already prohibit witness intimidation. He stressed that it’s the prosecutors’ job to prove why such a abroad restriction of the 45th president’s First Amendment rights is necessary.
3.Supreme Court Freezes $6 Billion Opioid Settlement With Drug Maker
The Supreme Court put on hold a proposed bankruptcy plan for beleaguered opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma, which is accused of playing a major role in fueling the ongoing opioid crisis.
Although the Aug. 10 ruling does not finalize the case, it is a tactical victory for the Biden administration, which urged the court to take action.
The problem with the plan, according to the government, is that it includes a financial settlement that allows the owners of the company to avoid future lawsuits related to its allegedly irresponsible marketing practices and for other now-frowned-upon company policies said to have contributed to the rise of opioid abuse in the United States.
Federal bankruptcy law “grants courts unusual powers specifically authorized by the Constitution for addressing true financial distress,” but leaving a lower court’s ruling in place here would create “a roadmap for wealthy corporations and individuals to misuse the bankruptcy system to avoid mass tort liability,” U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote in the government’s emergency application.
“And if such abuses are permitted, the gamesmanship that is sure to follow will only amplify the harms to victims by redistributing bargaining power to tortfeasors.” A tortfeasor is one who commits a tort, or civil wrong, against another that causes the other person to experience a personal or financial loss.
4..Police in Kansas Execute ‘Chilling’ Raid on Small-Town Newspaper, Seizing Phones and Computers
Police in the small Kansas town of Marion have raided a local newspaper office and the home of its publisher, seizing equipment and sparking claims of abuse of power and threats of legal action.
Eric Meyer, the owner and publisher of the Marion County Record, said in an Aug. 9 edition of the newspaper that four Marion police officers and three sheriff’s deputies recently carried out a raid on his home and the Record office, seizing personal cell phones and computers.
Mr. Meyer said that the police also seized the newspaper’s file server and equipment that was unrelated to their search but which was needed to continue publishing work.
“Our first priority is to be able to publish next week,” Mr. Meyer was cited by the Record as saying. “But we also want to make sure no other news organization is ever exposed to the Gestapo tactics we witnessed today.”
A reporter for the Record said on social media that she was injured in the raid, which she called “chilling.”
“The chief of the Marion, Kansas Police Department, Gideon Cody, forcibly yanked my cell phone out of my hand, so heads up that I will be without it (my phone, not my hand) for a while,” reporter Deb Gruver wrote in a post on Facebook.
“I’ve filed a report with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation because a previously dislocated finger was re-injured,” she added.
“I thought I lived in the United States,” she wrote.
4a.Kansas newspaper police raid: co-owner dies after becoming ‘stressed beyond her limits’
The co-owner of a small Kansas newspaper whose offices and staff were raided by local police officers conducting a leak investigation has died after the situation left her “stressed beyond her limits”, according to the publication.
Joan Meyer, 98, collapsed on Saturday afternoon and died at her home a day after she tearfully watched officers who showed up at her home with a search warrant cart away her computer as well as an internet router, reported the Marion County Record, which she co-owned. After officers also photographed the bank statements of her son, Record publisher Eric Meyer, and left her house in mess, Meyer had been unable to eat or sleep, her newspaper said.
The search was strongly condemned by US media organisations, with more than 30 major outlets including Reuters, the Associated Press, the New York Times and the Washington Post writing an open letter to police that said there “appears to be no justification for the breadth and intrusiveness of the search”.
- US Suicide Rates Hit Record High of Nearly 50,000 in 2022, Provisional CDC Data Show
Suicide rates soared to the highest number on record in 2022 as nearly 50,000 Americans took their own lives, according to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Aug. 10.
The latest report suggests a notable increase in suicides since 2021 following two consecutive years of modest declines in 2019 and 2020.
According to the CDC’s provisional data, an estimated 49,449 Americans committed suicide in 2022, or nearly 15 deaths for every 100,000 people, up 2.6 percent from 48,183 deaths by suicide in 2021, and surpassing the peak of 48,344 in 2018.
Previously in 2019 and 2020, the suicide rate fell to 47,511 and 45,979 respectively, according to the CDC, although it is unclear exactly what prompted the decline.
Suicide is now the eleventh-leading cause of death in the United States, compared to 2020 when it was the twelfth-leading cause, the latest data suggest.
The latest figures—which are based on death certificates received by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and may change—show that America is facing a growing mental health crisis, according to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra.
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WORLD NEWS
A summary of the current situation regarding the United Nations and the World Health Organization. Deadlines are fast approaching. NOW is the time to speak up!
Biden Says China’s Economy Is ‘Ticking Time Bomb’
U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday called China’s economy a “ticking time bomb,” a remark that drew protests from Chinese authorities as his administration renews engagement with Beijing.
At a political fundraiser in Utah, President Biden called the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership “bad folks,” saying the country is in “trouble” because its economic growth has weakened and the unemployment rate hit a record high.
“They have got some problems. That’s not good because when bad folks have problems, they do bad things,” said President Biden, according to a pool reporter.
“China is a ticking time bomb,” he said.
“China was growing at 8 percent a year to maintain growth. Now close to 2 percent a year,” he claimed.
Global Shipping Warned to Steer Clear of Iranian Waters as U.S./Iran Tensions Build
Steer clear of Iranian territorial waters. That was the simple message to international shipping companies Saturday as U.S./Iran tensions over the strategic Strait of Hormuz continue to escalate.
A similar warning went out to shippers in May this year ahead of Iran seizing two tankers traveling near the strait, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20 percent of the world’s oil passes.
US to Increase Flights to and From China
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Friday that the number of weekly flights between the United States and China will double by the end of October, in part to accommodate international students.
In May, the Biden administration was allowing 12 weekly flights from China to the United States, up from eight.
This will increase to 18 weekly round-trip flights beginning in September “to meet an anticipated increase in demand around the start of the academic year,” the DOT said.
British police arrest autistic child for ‘homophobia’
British police last week arrested a 16-year-old Leeds girl with autism after the child said she thought one of the officers looked like a “lesbian”.
Seven officers had reportedly driven Amanda home after receiving a call from her sister that the 16-year-old was acting in “unsafe ways”. According to her mother, who goes by Nikita Snow on social media, the girl said she thought one of the officers escorting her was “a lesbian like nanna Julie.”
Crimean Bridge Targeted By Pair Of Missiles In Rare Daytime Attack
Ukraine has launched another attack on the vital Crimean bridge which links Russia to the Crimean peninsula, according to Moscow officials.
The defense ministry and Crimean officials say a pair of S-200 missiles had been inbound but Russian anti-air defenses engaged and shot them down. Unconfirmed video footage shows large plumes of smoke rising near or on the Crimean bridge, also known as the Kerch bridge, as of Saturday afternoon.
Tens of Thousands of Doctors Walk Off Job Again in England as Strikes Continue
Tens of thousands of doctors in England walked off the job Friday for another four-day stretch, with growing concerns that their bitter pay dispute with the British government will drag on into the winter.
The fifth round of strikes by doctors at the early stages of their careers is set to last until 7 a.m. Tuesday morning. Some of the junior doctors on strike started their first jobs in the state-funded National Health Service only days ago.
Far-right outsider takes shock lead in Argentinian primary elections
The far-right populist Javier Milei rocked Argentina’s political establishment on Sunday by emerging as the leader in primary elections to choose presidential candidates for the October general election.
Milei, an admirer of the former US president Donald Trump, says Argentina’s central bank should be abolished, thinks the climate crisis is a lie, characterises sex education as a ploy to destroy the family, believes the sale of human organs should be legal and wants to make it easier to own handguns.
Votes were still being counted late on Sunday but analysts agreed that the upstart candidate, who gained notoriety – and a rockstar-like following – by angrily ranting against the “political caste”, did much better than expected and is a real contender for the presidency.
Jordan shoots down crystal meth-laden drone from Syria
Jordan has previously downed drones from Syria carrying narcotics but has rarely identified seized drugs as crystal meth
U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
Report: Fulton County DA to Present Trump Case Before Grand Jury Next Week
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis plans to bring multiple witnesses before a grand jury next week as part of her investigation into former President Donald Trump, CNN reported Saturday.
Willis has been investigating Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia for close to three years. Willis has requested former Georgia Lt. Gov Geoff Duncan (R), independent journalist George Chidi, and former Georgia state Sen. Jen Jordan (D) to testify before a grand jury next week.
RFK Jr. Renews Demand for Secret Service Protection After Assassination of Ecuadorian Candidate
The 2024 presidential campaign of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. renewed calls for President Joe Biden to provide protection for the candidate.
Mr. Kennedy’s campaign manager Dennis Kucinich publicly called on President Biden to order Secret Service protection for Mr. Kennedy following the assassination of an Ecuadorian anti-corruption presidential candidate.
Ecuador presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio who recently promised to get rid of corruption and lock up the country’s drug runners, was shot and killed at a political rally in Quito, the capital.
Mr. Villavicencio, 59, was killed on Aug. 9, less than two weeks before a special presidential election. He was known for speaking out against drug gangs, and while he wasn’t a front-runner, his death has caused increased concern about organized crime.
“The killing of Mr. Villavicencio proves how volatile the political climate has become,” Mr. Kucinich said in a press release sent to The Epoch Times. “Yesterday the FBI confronted a man who had threatened President Biden, an incident that led to the man being shot dead by government agents.”
Mr. Kucinich, a 16-year member of Congress, continued, “Mr. Kennedy has met all criteria for protection. The only conceivable reason he is being denied is because of a conscious decision by the White House to deny him security and [expletive] the consequences.”
Garland Appoints Special Counsel in Hunter Biden Probe
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday the appointment of U.S. Attorney David Weiss as special counsel in the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) ongoing investigation of first son Hunter Biden.
“I’m here today to announce the appointment of David Weiss as a special counsel, consistent with the Department of Justice regulations governing such matters,” Mr. Garland said at a press conference.
“In keeping with those regulations, I have today notified the designated members of each house of Congress of the appointment.”
Mr. Weiss, the U.S. attorney for the District of Delaware, was asked to lead the department’s investigation of Mr. Biden in February 2021. That investigation led to charges being filed against the first son in June, including two violations of failure to pay income tax and one violation of unlawful possession of a firearm.
IN-DEPTH: Federal Trial Against Backpage Executives Rescheduled After Co-Founder Commits Suicide
After the co-founder of Backpage committed suicide at the end of July, a federal judge rescheduled a trial in which executives of the online classified ads site were charged with allegations of facilitating prostitution and money laundering.
Judge Diane Humetewa—appointed by former President Barack Obama—continued the trial date that was initially set for Aug. 4 to Aug. 29, a Department of Justice spokesperson told The Epoch Times and dismissed the indictment against the now deceased James Larkin.
Mr. Larkin was reported to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at 74 on July 31 in Superior, Arizona.
Medical Board Suspends License of Doctor Critical of COVID-19 Vaccines
The State Medical Board of Ohio has suspended the license of a doctor who has offered criticism of COVID-19 vaccines.
The board suspended Dr. Sherri Tenpenny’s license and fined her $3,000 because she allegedly refused to respond properly to complaints that poured in after she testified to state lawmakers.
The suspension is for an indefinite period.
“In short, Dr. Tenpenny did not simply fail to cooperate with a Board investigation, she refused to cooperate. And that refusal was based on her unsupported and subjective belief regarding the Board’s motive for the investigation,” Kimberly Lee, a state official, said in the suspension order.
“Licensees of the Board cannot simply refuse to cooperate in investigations because they decide they do not like what they assume is the reason for the investigation,” Ms. Lee said.
State law enables the board to discipline medical professionals for “failure to cooperate in an investigation conducted by the board.”
Dr. Tenpenny said in a video after the suspension that she had cooperated with the board.
“We cooperated at every level. We looked at the letters; we responded appropriately and legally,” Dr. Tenpenny said.
“My lawyers … drafted responses appropriately and sent it back, and they go, ‘nope, you didn’t cooperate with us.’ Well, I guess that just simply means that they didn’t like the answers. But it didn’t mean that I failed to cooperate.”
A House Republican reviewing the now-defunct House Jan. 6 Committee has raised concerns that the Democrat-led panel did not properly preserve all records of their work.
This week, Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight for the Committee on House Administration, released records of his communications with Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the former head of the House Jan. 6 Committee. Mr. Loudermilk first shared his copies of the communications with Fox News earlier this week and alleged the Jan. 6 Committee did not preserve its deposition footage or documents covering any investigation of security failures at the Capitol.
Mr. Loudermilk told Fox News that the Jan. 6 Committee—which consisted of six Democrats and two Republicans hand-picked by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)—was supposed to investigate multiple aspects of the Jan. 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol. Mr. Loudermilk explained one aspect of the investigation, dubbed the “Blue Team,” was specifically supposed to look at security failures by Capitol officials, but said that particular team appeared to have been “shut down” in order to focus more attention on investigating President Donald Trump’s role in the event.
“Usually when you conduct this level of investigation, you use a database system and everything is digitized, indexed. We got nothing like that. We just got raw data,” Mr. Loudermilk told Fox News. “So it took us a long time going through it and one thing I started realizing is we don’t have anything much at all from the Blue Team.”
Rep. Greg Steube Files Articles of Impeachment Against Joe Biden for ‘High Crimes’
Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) filed articles of impeachment Friday against President Joe Biden (D), saying the action had been a long time coming.
In his press release, Steube said the articles of impeachment were filed for the president’s alleged “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Steube continued:
He has undermined the integrity of his office, brought disrepute on the Presidency, betrayed his trust as President, and acted in a manner subversive of the rule of law and justice at the expense of America’s citizens. The evidence continues to mount by the day — the Biden Crime Family has personally profited off Joe’s government positions through bribery, threats, and fraud. Joe Biden must not be allowed to continue to sit in the White House, selling out our country.
In a social media post on Friday, Steube listed bribery, extortion, obstruction of justice, fraud, and financial involvement in drugs and prostitution, adding, “It’s LONG PAST TIME to impeach Joe Biden.”
Sanctioned lawyers must take classes from conservative Christian nonprofit, federal judge rules
A federal judge in Dallas has ordered three in-house lawyers for Southwest Airlines to attend classes with Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal advocacy group, to purge itself of civil contempt for “inverting” the language in a court-ordered message.
U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr of the Northern District of Texas said the lawyers must take religious liberty classes from the conservative Christian nonprofit that has successfully represented a cake baker and a website designer who did not want to provide services for same-sex weddings.
2ND AMENDMENT
Illinois Supreme Court Upholds State’s ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban
In a 4-to-3 decision, the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the state’s ban on certain semi-automatic rifles and “large capacity magazines” in a decision released on Aug. 11.
The court ruled that the law does not violate the Illinois Constitution’s equal protection or three-reading requirement for special legislation.
The 34-page decision expressly did not rule on the law’s Second Amendment implications.
Rideshare Driver Shoots Two Alleged Robbers in Chicago
A 26-year-old rideshare driver with a concealed carry permit shot two alleged robbers in Chicago Saturday just after 1:00 a.m.
The driver had just dropped off a passenger when a man and woman approached, at least one of whom was armed, CBS News reported.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Families Are Spending Over $700 MORE Per Month Due To Inflation
Families living in the United States are feeling the pinch of inflation. They are now spending $709 per month more than they were just two years ago.
“High inflation of the past 2+ years has done lots of economic damage,” Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, wrote in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Even though prices have soared, real earnings (wages), which adjust for inflation, are stuck at late 2019 levels. “Real earnings remain below what they would have been if not for the pandemic and the Russian war, which is weighing on the collective psyche,” Zandi told CNN in an email on Friday.
Most families are having to cut back as prices have surged. Most of that increase in spending is driven by housing costs, which have surged, Zandi told CNN in an email on Friday. He added that families are also spending more at the grocery store; on buying, maintaining, and insuring vehicles; and on recreational services like cable.
Seniors Told to Brace for Far Lower Social Security Payment Boost in 2024
The 2024 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase for Social Security recipients is likely to be a fraction of what it was in 2023 and a disappointment to many seniors, according to a nonpartisan seniors group, which found that some eight in 10 retirees report they’re still reeling from inflation.
The latest COLA estimate from The Senior Citizens League (SCL) is around 3 percent, which amounts to a roughly $54 increase in the current average monthly benefit check of $1,789.
The estimate could still change, however, with SCL saying it will release its final projection for the 2024 COLA on Sept. 13.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is expected to announce the actual COLA for 2024 sometime in mid-October.
ANALYSIS: Is Another Wave of Inflation Happening?
Following the latest inflation data, U.S. financial markets are asking two questions. First, is this the beginning of an inflation revival? Second, how will the recent numbers impact the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decision-making?
In July, the annual inflation rate edged up to 3.2 percent, marking the first increase in the growth rate in a year. The core consumer price index (CPI), which strips the volatile food and energy components, remains stubbornly high at 4.7 percent.
Producer prices also experienced a notable jump, rising to 0.8 percent year-over-year last month. The core producer price index (PPI) was stuck at a higher-than-expected 2.4 percent.
U.S. Foreclosure Activity Dips In July 2023 While Lender Repossessions Continue To Climb
ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property, and real estate data, today released its July 2023 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, which shows there were a total of 31,877 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings — default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions — down 9 percent from a month ago but up 5 percent from a year ago.
“The slight decline in foreclosure filings we are seeing is yet another sign of a rebounding housing market,” said Rob Barber, CEO at ATTOM. “With home prices back up, several factors have combined to put more financial resources in the hands of homeowners, providing more options to avoid foreclosure. However, given with the U.S. housing market remains in flux, the various forces at play could keep the market improving or turn it back downward over the coming months.”
These Are America’s Most Affordable States to Live in This Year
When it comes to housing, living expenses, taxes, insurance, and even grocery costs, South Dakota is the winner for the most affordable place to live in America. In its “Cheapest States to Live in 2023” report, Scholaroo, a college scholarship search platform, analyzed all 50 states using 31 metrics, which also included cable, internet, utility, medical, transportation, and even haircut and manicure costs. Indiana came in second, followed by Arkansas, Mississippi, and Nebraska.
Scholaroo spokesperson Abigail Da Costa told The Epoch Times that this is the first time they have conducted a report on the average cost of living in all 50 states.
“While individual preferences and economic circumstances will inevitably influence personal costs, the primary aim of this report is to serve as a comprehensive guide on the estimated expenses of living in each state,” she explained. “Prospective homebuyers can also benefit from this study, as it provides valuable insights into the most suitable locations to purchase property based on their financial situation.”
Amy Stockberger, broker and owner of Amy Stockberger Real Estate in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, wasn’t surprised that her state was named the most affordable in the nation.
For those moving to northern states to retire, make sure you have a working snowblower!
IRS Refused to Pay Stimulus Checks, Wrongly Claiming Some Taxpayers Were Dead: Report
An audit of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) shows that the agency did not send stimulus payments and checks to some living people, claiming they had already died.
During the pandemic, according to the Treasury’s inspector general office, when taxpayers attempted to get stimulus checks, they were told their accounts were locked because the IRS believed they were dead. The inspector general’s office also said that tens of thousands of accounts were deadlocked, meaning that taxpayers didn’t get their stimulus payments but were also blocked from filing tax returns or getting refunds back.
“Although the deceased account lock is designed to prevent the filing of fraudulent tax returns, when there is an error, the unintended consequence is that legitimate taxpayers cannot file a tax return and receive a refund,” the Treasury’s inspector general said in a report (pdf) last week. “These errors increase taxpayers’ burden to get the matter resolved as well as the IRS‘s workload due to the receipt of additional telephone calls or correspondence from taxpayers.”
The Treasury’s inspector general had flagged 77,868 accounts that were erroneously deadlocked as of Jan. 1, 2022. As of the issuance of the report, the IRS found that 20,222 had not yet been unlocked.
… and this is why we trust the government to do the right thing?
SURVEILLANCE STATE
The creepy second life of a totaled Tesla
In the age of internet-connected vehicles, consumers might want to be more cautious about syncing data from their phone onto their car apps.
On Friday, CNBC Executive Editor Jay Yarow tweeted that a Tesla he had totaled last year was now in southern Ukraine, and the new owner was listening to Drake on Yarow’s Spotify account.
Yarow’s story went viral, offering a crash course on the security risks associated with cars that have evolved into computers-on-wheels.
So, how did the Tesla end up in Ukraine? CNBC reporters tracked down what happened to their editor’s car. Online auction site Copart, which partners with salvage yards, scooped up the Tesla after it was totaled and listed it for sale. Someone in Ukraine appears to have won the bid, and the car was shipped from New Jersey to Europe, where its new owner was able to access Yarow’s personal Spotify playlists.
Yarow contacted Tesla to see how he could log out of his former car, and the company instructed him to disconnect the vehicle from his account. But several steps (like entering new owner information) were impossible, and simply disconnecting an account from the car does not prevent your data from being extracted, experts told CNBC. Tesla should have had a “wipe all my info from this car” feature long ago, they said.
Big picture: In the age of internet-connected vehicles, consumers might want to be more cautious about syncing data from their phones onto their car apps. You never know who’s going to get in the driver’s seat next.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Could the Maui fires have been started by directed energy weapons? If so, by whom?
VIDEO: DEATH STAR LOOKS ALOT LIKE WHAT THEY USED ON PARADISE CALIFORNIA AND MAUI
Twitter CEO Reveals Details of ‘Freedom of Speech, Not Reach’ Policy
Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, the company formerly known as Twitter, has revealed new details of the social media platform’s recently unveiled content enforcement philosophy dubbed “freedom of speech, not reach.”
In a wide-ranging interview on CNBC, Ms. Yaccarino said that the content moderation policy that Twitter’s safety team first unveiled in April has been fine-tuned, with the platform building new brand safety and content enforcement tools that she said have addressed the delicate balance between allowing free expression and curbing the spread of harmful content.
“By all objective metrics, X is a much healthier and safer platform than it was a year ago,” Ms. Yaccarino said.
She stated unequivocally that, under the new policy, content violating legal boundaries would be met with zero tolerance, resulting in immediate removal.
“But more importantly, if you’re going to post something that is lawful, but it’s awful, you get labeled,” she said. “You get labeled, you get de-amplified, which means it cannot be shared. And it is certainly demonetized.”
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Geoengineering Watch Global Alert News, August 12, 2023, #418
The latest installment of Global Alert News – Maui: flash drought and anomalous 85 MPH winds perfectly timed to create an unprecedented inferno. “Maui experienced a two-category increase in drought severity in just three weeks from May to June, with that rapid intensification fitting the definition of a flash drought” (ABC news). “Even in the past week there’s been a quick acceleration of that drought”, said University of Virginia hydrologist Venkat Lakshmi (ABC news). “Flash droughts occur when the rain stops and it gets so hot that the atmosphere literally sucks moisture out of the ground and plants, making them more likely to catch fire (ABC news). “Major differences in air pressure drove unusually strong trade winds that fanned the destructive flames, according to meteorologists” (ABC news). An anomalously powerful clockwise rotating high pressure zone north of Hawaii combined with the anomalously resilient counter clockwise rotating Hurricane Dora south of Hawaii to create a surface level wind tunnel effect over Maui. Was the convergence of all these conditions just coincidence? Just random acts of nature? Or is there much more to the story that we are not being told? What puzzle piece is being systematically omitted from climate collapse catastrophe reporting of events that are unfolding all over the world?
Crazy Mazie is at it again…
Mazie Hirono: We Need to ‘Acknowledge Climate Change Is Upon Us
Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that the United States needed to “very much acknowledge” climate change was upon us.
Anchor Jake Tapper said, “Experts warn that extreme disasters such as this one are only becoming more common because climate change is fueling stronger storms, hotter temperatures, more widespread droughts. Earlier this week, President Biden incorrectly claimed he had already declared a climate emergency, which would give him additional powers to combat the climate crisis. Given what you’re seeing on the ground, do you want President Biden to actually declare a climate emergency?”
Hirono said, “I think that we need to very much acknowledge climate change is upon us. There are whole states, by the way, you can’t use the words climate change because they have a head-in-the-sand attitude. But the Inflation Reduction Act provided some $300 billion to combat climate change and to move us away from continuing to rely on fossil fuels. Yes, there is more that needs to be done.”
Two Princeton, MIT Scientists Say EPA Climate Regulations Based on a ‘Hoax’
Physicist, meteorologist testify that the climate agenda is ‘disastrous’ for America
Two prominent climate scientists have taken on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new rules to cut CO2 emissions in electricity generation, arguing in testimony that the regulations “will be disastrous for the country, for no scientifically justifiable reason.”
Citing extensive data to support their case, William Happer, professor emeritus in physics at Princeton University, and Richard Lindzen, professor emeritus of atmospheric science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), argued that the claims used by the EPA to justify the new regulations are not based on scientific facts but rather political opinions and speculative models that have consistently proven to be wrong.
“The unscientific method of analysis, relying on consensus, peer review, government opinion, models that do not work, cherry-picking data and omitting voluminous contradictory data, is commonly employed in these studies and by the EPA in the Proposed Rule,” Mr. Happer and Mr. Lindzen stated. “None of the studies provides scientific knowledge, and thus none provides any scientific support for the Proposed Rule.”
“All of the models that predict catastrophic global warming fail the key test of the scientific method: they grossly overpredict the warming versus actual data,” they stated. “The scientific method proves there is no risk that fossil fuels and carbon dioxide will cause catastrophic warming and extreme weather.”
Climate models like the ones that the EPA is using have been consistently wrong for decades in predicting actual outcomes, Mr. Happer told The Epoch Times. He presented the table below to the EPA to illustrate his point.
Green Energy’s Cost: California’s Wildlife Pay the Price
As the Golden State accelerates its transition to green energy at full throttle, some—including a former official of the California Fish and Wildlife Department—are expressing apprehension about potential consequences such may entail for the state.
California has set an ambitious goal of reaching 100 percent carbon-neutrality by 2045 following the passage of Senate Bill 100 in 2018. According to the California Energy Commission, nearly 35 percent of the in-state energy generation was renewable as of 2021.
John Baker, a now-retired assistant chief after an over 30-year career with the department says that while the push for green energy is aimed at saving the planet from climate change, it comes at the expense of endangering groups of wild animals, especially birds.
“In the name of green energy, we’re sacrificing wildlife species. Because of the power mandates, we’re unable to enforce [protecting those species,]” Mr. Baker said in a recent episode of EpochTV’s California Insider. “I don’t think they have thought what that cost is to us as Californians and to the environment as a whole.”
According to Mr. Baker, the intense focus on green energy, often seen as the “greater concern,” tends to blind people, especially politicians, to the consequences it brings for animals.
He said one group of wildlife greatly affected by such green policy are predatory birds—like eagles, hawks, and falcons—with many being killed by wind turbines.
Biden Admin Announces $1.2 Billion for Carbon Capture Projects
The Biden administration has allocated up to $1.2 billion to support the development of two large-scale direct air capture (DAC) carbon management facilities.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has unveiled the substantial investment marking a significant stride towards the administration’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions goals in an Aug. 11 press release.
This initiative is part of President Joe Biden’s “Investing in America” agenda, which emphasizes the administration’s dedication to addressing carbon pollution. The selected projects, situated in Texas and Louisiana, represent the first of their scale in the nation.
“Cutting back on our carbon emissions alone won’t reverse the growing impacts of climate change; we also need to remove the CO2 that we’ve already put in the atmosphere—which nearly every climate model makes clear is essential to achieving a net-zero global economy by 2050,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm according to the agency press release.
“With this once-in-a-generation investment made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, DOE is laying the foundation for a direct air capture industry crucial to tackling climate change—transforming local economies and delivering healthier communities along the way.”
GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING
Top 10 Domestic Duck Breeds in the US
Ducks are a great choice if you’re looking to expand your homestead. They’re perfect for any type of farm, whether you only have a small piece of land or a large one. And due to their hardy temperament and skilled foraging, ducks are very independent and easy to keep.
Ducks grow much faster than chickens, with comparable egg laying rates and large, delicious eggs. Duck meat is rich and popular, and the drakes are much gentler and easier to work with than roosters. And with so many duck breeds available, there’s a perfect bird for any homestead.
HEALTH
For those of you taking PPI’s (stomach medication to prevent heartburn) …
Popular heartburn medicine increases dementia risk by 33%, study finds
People who took a type of heartburn drug called proton pump inhibitors for nearly 4.5 years faced a 33% greater risk of dementia. Some over-the-counter versions are sold under the brand names Prilosec, Nexium and Prevacid.
** We have a very limited number of Global Healing Center’s Acid Reflux Relief on closeout right now for 50% off.
** Many of our customers have also given testimonies on Miracle II Neutralizer which corrects ph levels and may combat many digestion issues including acid reflux, ulcers, indigestion, upset stomach, and nausea!
EMFs a Possible Human Carcinogen
Follow the series “EMF: The Invisible Hazard” here.
In this series, we will explore the invisible yet omnipresent electromagnetic fields from common home electronics to 5G and their potential impact on health.
RECALL WARNING: USDA Issued Public Health Alert for Raw Beef Sold at Aldi Stores
RECALL WARNING:
FDA Alert: Fruit With Potentially Deadly Bacteria Recalled in a Dozen States
NOTE: The recalled kiwi fruit was shipped between June 14, 2023, and July 7, 2023, and was sold in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. And how long were they sitting in the warehouse before they got to the grocery store shelves and in what kind of conditions?
The Digestive Power of Fennel Seeds
Fennel seeds, with their licorice-like flavor, are a featured ingredient in the Indian Ayurvedic snack mukhwas, which is traditionally eaten after a meal to freshen breath and aid digestion
Fennel seeds are a natural remedy for digestive disorders, including heartburn, bloating, gas and even chronic conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Fennel, which also has antispasmodic and carminative, or flatulence-relieving, effects, may also be useful for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Fennel helps relieve infant colic, and its beneficial compounds pass through breastmilk, so breastfeeding mothers who consume fennel seeds may help to naturally relieve colic in their infants
Fennel “seeds,” also known as saunf, are actually the plant’s dried, aromatic fruit
European Union Poised to Ban Toxic Dental Amalgam
The European Commission has proposed a ban on dental amalgam as of January 1, 2025. This includes not only the use but also the manufacture and export of dental amalgam. The European Parliament and Council must ratify the proposal for it to become law
Once amalgam is banned in the EU, it’ll be difficult for the U.S. and Canada to hold on to the barbaric and archaic practice of loading neurotoxic mercury into people’s mouths
Countries that have already phased out or banned dental mercury include the Philippines, New Caledonia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Moldova
Countries that have banned the use of amalgam in children, pregnant women and breastfeeding women include Tanzania and Vietnam. Mauritius has banned it for children. Bangladesh has ended its use in the Armed Forces, Indonesia has stopped using it in government programs, and the Indian Armed Forces and the Indian Railway, the world’s largest employer, have also ended its use
Please support the mission of Consumers for Dental Choice to end the use of dental mercury worldwide. Donations made during Mercury Awareness Week will be matched dollar for dollar
COVID RELATED NEWS
EXCLUSIVE: Vaccinated Outbreak at CDC Conference Bigger Than Reported
The COVID-19 outbreak among vaccinated people that broke out at a conference held in April by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was bigger than disclosed, according to files obtained by The Epoch Times.
After the outbreak took place, the CDC reported results from surveys sent to attendees.
While the CDC said that 181 respondents reported testing positive for COVID-19, that number was actually 183, according to the newly obtained files.
The public health agency also failed to disclose that hundreds of attendees didn’t get tested; some 601 attendees who responded to the survey said they didn’t get tested for COVID-19, the files show, including 34 who reported experiencing COVID-like symptoms, being ill, or both.
The CDC didn’t respond to a request for comment.
GROUNDBREAKING RULING:
Groundbreaking Ruling: Manufacturer of Remdesivir Not Shielded by PREP Act for Man’s Injuries
In a groundbreaking decision, a Michigan judge ruled on Aug. 8 that a drug manufacturer and hospital are not protected by the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act in the case of a man who experienced two strokes and a leg amputation after receiving the COVID-19 medication remdesivir that was contaminated with glass particles.
This is the first time a judge has ruled a drug manufacturer and hospital are not protected under the PREP Act, which provides immunity from lawsuits and liability protections under state and federal law concerning all claims for loss resulting from the administration of the covered countermeasure, except in the case of willful misconduct. Although the ruling is not a binding precedent, this case sets the tone for future lawsuits against the company for injuries potentially incurred by those given the drug.
Detroit-based attorney Ven Johnson filed a lawsuit on behalf of Dan Nowacki, his wife, and son against Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Gilead), the manufacturer of remdesivir—marketed under the brand name Veklury—and St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital that administered the drug, alleging breach of warranty, negligence, gross negligence, and loss of consortium—as Ms. Nowacki has lost her husband’s “society, companionship, and household services.”
The hospital and pharmaceutical company claimed they could not be sued because they had immunity under the PREP Act.
Doctors Can Prescribe Ivermectin for COVID-19: FDA Lawyer
Doctors are free to prescribe ivermectin to treat COVID-19, a lawyer representing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said this week.
“FDA explicitly recognizes that doctors do have the authority to prescribe ivermectin to treat COVID,” Ashley Cheung Honold, a Department of Justice lawyer representing the FDA, said during oral arguments on Aug. 8 in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.
The government is defending the FDA’s repeated exhortations to people to not take ivermectin for COVID-19, including a post that said “Stop it.”
The case was brought by three doctors who allege the FDA unlawfully interfered with their practice of medicine with the statements. A federal judge dismissed the case in 2022, prompting an appeal.
“The fundamental issue in this case is straightforward. After the FDA approves the human drug for sale, does it then have the authority to interfere with how that drug is used within the doctor-patient relationship? The answer is no,” Jared Kelson, representing the doctors, told the appeals court.
‘Stay Protected’: CDC Doubles Down on Plans to Recommend Annual COVID-19 Shots
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is still planning on recommending people receive a COVID-19 shot on an annual basis, the agency’s director says.
“We are likely to see this as a recommendation for an annual COVID shot, just like we have an annual flu shot,” Dr. Mandy Cohen, the director, said in a podcast episode released on Aug. 9. “And I think that will give more folks clarity about should they get one or not, because the answer is like, ‘Well, did you get one this year? If not, go get the new COVID shot.’”
She said that the CDC will likely make the recommendation in the coming weeks.
Sen. Paul Refers Fauci to DOJ for Allegedly Lying Under Oath
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) referred Dr. Anthony Fauci to the Department of Justice this week for allegedly lying under oath about his knowledge of gain-of-function lab research conducted in Wuhan, China.
During a congressional hearing in May 2021, Dr. Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), testified that “the NIH has not ever and does not now fund gain-of-function research in the Wuhan Institute of Virology.” An email later revealed this was not true.
“Dr. Fauci’s testimony is inconsistent with facts that have since come to light,” wrote Dr. Paul in a letter,
17-Year-Old Alabama High School Basketball Star Dies After Collapsing During Workout
A high school basketball player from Alabama died suddenly Thursday after a medical emergency at his school, according to reports.
Pinson Valley High School senior Caleb White was pronounced dead at a local hospital after collapsing at the suburban Birmingham school, ABC News reported.
White reportedly collapsed during a team workout at around 1:12 p.m. and was pronounced dead an hour later. Authorities said that the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office was to conduct a postmortem exam on Friday to try and determine the cause of death.
CANCEL CULTURE
Fast & Furious even affects Home Depot …
Actor Tyrese Gibson Sues Home Depot for $1 Million, Claims ‘Racial Profiling’ in Store
Nolte: Disgraced, Far-Left Rolling Stone Targets Oliver Anthony
Rolling Stone, the disgraced, far-left palace guard for the Establishment, has set its sights on Oliver Anthony and his protest song, the out-of-nowhere number-one hit “Rich Men North of Richmond.”
Judge Lets Starbucks Keep Its Race-Based Hiring Quotas
A judge in Washington state has ruled against a conservative group that sued Starbucks over the coffee chain’s race-based hiring practices that allegedly “flagrantly” violate various state and federal laws.
Chief U.S. District Judge Stanley Bastian on Friday ruled against the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), dismissing a lawsuit the conservative nonprofit brought against Starbucks over so-called “affirmative action” policies that included awarding contracts to “diverse” suppliers and advertisers and tying executive pay to allegedly racist hiring quotas.
Southwest Ordered to Attend Religious Freedom Training
A Texas District Judge ordered Southwest Airlines to send three of its lawyers for religious freedom training after they fired a flight attendant who expressed religious views on social media.
District Judge Brantley Starr ordered on Monday that Southwest has to organize religious freedom training and send a short notice to all its flight attendants regarding the protections on religious speech, after a lawsuit filed by flight attendant Charlene Carter.
A federal appeals court has overturned a Michigan defendant’s drug convictions after a Detroit federal judge presiding in the case said the accused man “looks like a criminal to me.”
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Cincinnati said U.S. District Judge Stephen J. Murphy III of the Eastern District of Michigan should have recused himself from the case after making the “personal and condemnatory remarks” about the defendant, Leron Liggins of Southfield, Michigan.
GOOD NEWS
Idaho law hands parents more power in choosing school curriculums. It’s led to major changes
In some districts, the law has brought parents and teachers in closer alignment. In others, it’s poised to harden divisions
ICYMI
And you thought Simon Ateba was purposefully being picked on …
White House Purges 442 Reporters Using New Press Credential Rules
And remember when buying produce …
Beware of WEF- and Bill Gates-funded Apeel “Organipeel” food coating chemical on ORGANIC produce
And before going into the hospital for ANY procedure … don’t forget the forms! How to Save Your Life and Those You Love When Hospitalized
** The information provided on the pages of this web site are intended as information only and are not a substitute for diagnosis and treatment by a physician or health care provider. If you have a health concern, please seek advice from a physician or healthcare provider specialized in your area of concern. Do not take it if you are pregnant or nursing. These products have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health condition or disease.
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