WORLD NEWS
North Korea Fires Long-Range Missile While Galvanizing Support from China
The South Korean military confirmed the firing of a long-range missile from North Korea on Monday morning as Pyongyang announced that one of its top diplomats held a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing to cement their close alliance.
North Korea is a communist rogue regime largely ostracized from the free world. China has long been North Korea’s top diplomatic partner and is a party to the Korean War, which ended active hostilities in 1953 but is technically ongoing, as neither side signed a peace treaty or surrendered. America is South Korea’s partner in the war and maintains a robust military presence near the North Korean border as part of the armistice agreement that ended the fighting.
Exclusive: Unstoppable Wave of Migrants in Texas Forces Border Patrol Checkpoint Closures
With no signs of slowing, the latest migrant surge into Texas’ busiest border sector forced the agency to suspend operations at highway checkpoints. Nearly all Border Patrol agents in the Del Rio Border Patrol Sector have been redirected from border enforcement duties to focus on processing, transporting, and providing humanitarian care for more than 7,000 migrants in custody at local facilities and at a temporary outdoor staging site near Eagle Pass, according to a source within CBP.
The source says the order to shut the checkpoints — a critical tier in the agency’s border security strategy — came as more than 5,000 migrants are in local detention facilities designed to hold less than 2,000 migrants. In addition, more than 2,000 migrants are being temporarily detained below the Camino Real International Bridge II in the small border town of Eagle Pass, Texas. Nearby, the city’s only other port of entry serving Piedras Negras and Eagle Pass remains shut due to the migrant surge.
The source, not authorized to speak to the media, says 32,000 migrants crossed into the United States, mostly near Eagle Pass, since the beginning of December. The sector is the second busiest crossing point along the nation’s southwest border. The area is second to the Tucson Border Patrol Sector, which has seen 40,000 crossings this month.
Narrow escape for Grindavík residents Miranda Bryant
The Icelandic government has said the volcanic eruption “does not present a threat to life”, as experts suggested that Grindavík could be spared as the lava appears to be flowing away from the town.
“The eruption does not present a threat to life,” the government said in a statement.
It added:
There are no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland and international flight corridors remain open.
The southernmost point of the 4km (2.5 mile) fissure remains 3km away from Grindavík, the met office said.
“The eruption is taking place north of the watershed, so lava does not flow towards Grindavík,” geologist Bjorn Oddson told public broadcaster RUV.
Fears of higher oil prices after Red Sea attacks
Attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea risk pushing up the price of oil and other goods, analysts have warned.
Several firms have paused shipments through the route after vessels were attacked by Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The world’s second largest shipping line, Maersk, said on Tuesday that it would reroute some of its vessels around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope.
The disruption has led the US to launch an international naval operation to protect ships in the Red Sea route.
Countries joining the security action – named Operation Prosperity Guardian – include the UK, Canada, France, Bahrain, Norway and Spain.
Islamist former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been jailed since August on corruption charges, used artificial intelligence (AI) software to create a “free” version of himself to address a virtual rally of his Pakistani Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Party on Sunday.
“Our party is not allowed to hold public rallies. Our people are being kidnapped, and their families are being harassed,” Khan complained in an AI-generated audio clip that was paired with an AI-generated image to make it seem as though he were speaking over a video link.
European Commission Initiates Formal Inquiry into Elon Musk’s X/Twitter
In a significant move, the European Commission has opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, raising concerns about its compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA puts strict controls on social media companies to moderate “misinformation.”
Business Insider reports that the European Commission’s decision to investigate Elon Musk’s X/Twitter marks a major development in the enforcement of the newly implemented regulations. The DSA, which came into effect in August, mandates social media platforms to maintain effective and transparent systems for moderating and removing false or harmful information within Europe. The Commission’s concerns revolve around X/Twitter’s capacity to effectively manage risk and content moderation.
U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
Texas Governor Signs Law Giving Police Power to Arrest Illegal Immigrants
The new law is likely to face legal challenges given that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed a border security bill into law that will give state law enforcement broad authority to arrest migrants who have entered Texas illegally and will allow local judges to order such migrants out of the country.
The Dec. 18 move by the Republican governor puts into place one of the nation’s strictest immigration laws and sets up a clash with the federal government, which has authority over immigration policy. Under the new rules, all law enforcement officials in the state of Texas, including those who are hundreds of miles from the border, would have the authority to detain migrants suspected of entering the nation illegally.
Because the offense is considered a misdemeanor, the judge has the authority to order the defendant to leave the country.
Trump Appeals Gag Order Ruling in New York Civil Case
Mr. Trump’s attorneys also filed a motion for a directed verdict for the fifth time, although the judge said there’s no chance he’ll approve it.
President Donald Trump filed an appeal on Dec. 15 against a gag order in his New York civil fraud trial to the state’s highest court.
“Petitioners President Donald J. Trump … hereby appeal to the Court of Appeals of the State of New York from the Decision and Order of the Appellate Division, First Department, dated December 14, 2023,” the former president’s attorney stated in a filing.
In an order issued on Nov. 30, a four-judge panel of the Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division overturned a temporary suspension of the gag order which initially was imposed by Justice Arthur Engoron on Oct. 3.
Graham Says the ‘Biden Knew Nothing About His Son’s Activities’ Narrative Is Falling Apart
Sen. Graham also revealed he is now more concerned with events in the Middle East.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) believes the narrative being presented by Hunter Biden in response to the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden is “falling apart.”
Hunter Biden has been the subject of several ongoing criminal cases over his business dealings. His father is accused of directly being involved in his son’s activities and abusing his power by allegedly profiting from his father’s office as vice president, enabling bribery, and other high crimes. The White House and President Biden have both denied this. Hunter Biden’s attorney claims the whole affair is part of a political agenda.
During a Dec. 17 interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Sen. Graham said Hunter Biden’s narrative that his father knew nothing about his business dealings had begun to unravel in the light of day.
President’s Daughter Ashley Biden Owes Thousands in Taxes: Document
Newly revealed document shows President Joe Biden’s daughter owes money to authorities.
President Joe Biden’s daughter owes thousands in taxes, according to a newly disclosed document.
Ashley Biden, 42, owes $4,985 in person income tax, according to the document, from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.
The department listed the amount owed in a notice sent to Ms. Biden on Dec. 1.
Congress Approves Bill (Aimed At Trump) To Prevent Any President From Exiting NATO
Buried within the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was just passed in both the House and Senate is an amendment which aims to prevent any future president from withdrawing the United States from NATO.
One of the legislation’s co-sponsors Tim Kaine (D-VA) described that it “reaffirms US support for this crucial alliance that is foundational for our national security. It also sends a strong message to authoritarians around the world that the free world remains united.”
Of course, none of these Democrats and Congressional hawks are worried for a moment that President Biden would ever entertain the idea of leaving NATO, but this is certainly a scenario Republican presidential nominee frontrunner Donald Trump has floated at various times over the years. The bipartisan legislation was also led by Senator Marco Rubio of Florida.
Police Investigate After ‘Migrant Hotel’ Burns Down Days Before Taking First Residents
A historic country house hotel due to be handed over to new migrant arrivals in Ireland burnt down just hours after it was subject to a protest by concerned locals.
Ross Lake House hotel, a 19th-century Georgian-style property near Oughterard in Galway, Ireland burnt down on Saturday night. The hotel had been operating until the end of 2022, and was earmarked to become a migrant accommodation facility in the coming days, due to house 70 newcomers.
Gen Z U.S. Soldiers Engaged in ‘TikTok Mutiny,’ Discouraging Army Recruits
Young members of the U.S. Army are throwing a TikTok “mutiny” to complain about “sh*tty food,” being pushed to stay in shape, their freedoms being “suppressed,” and more.
One of the videos by “military influencer” Anthony Laster described his life as having “No Privacy, The Pay Sucks, Shitty Food, Disrespectful Leadership, NO SLEEP!”
‘We’re going to take away the tax advantages and grants. We’re going to take away their endowments.’
Former President Donald Trump promised to end tax advantages from universities that promote anti-Semitism if elected following recent controversial comments from heads of schools that sparked public outcry across the nation.
During his campaign rally in Durham, New Hampshire, on Dec. 16, President Trump told his supporters that he would remove tax favors as well as take away endowments from those colleges that “attack free speech” and discriminate against conservatives, Christians, and Jews.
“We’re going to take away the tax advantages and grants. We’re going to take away their endowments,” he said. “They will pay us billions and billions of dollars for the terror they have unleashed into our once-great country.”
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) may have invited legal scrutiny into his life for helping Hunter Biden defy a congressional subpoena.
Last week, the first son refused to appear at a congressional deposition for which he had been subpoenaed. During the scheduled hearing time, Hunter delivered a brief speech outside the the Capitol with Swalwell standing nearby. Swalwell later confirmed that he reserved that spot for Hunter’s speech.
With the California Democrat’s on-the-record assistance, Swalwell is now being accused of aiding and abetting Hunter’s contempt of Congress.
Last week, Rep. Darrell Issa (D-Calif.) wrote the leaders of the House Ethics Committee and House Administration Committee asking them for guidance on what he described to the Washington Examiner as Swalwell’s “aiding and abetting contempt.”
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Bots Counting Beans: H&R Block Launches AI Tax Filing Assistant
Tax preparation company H&R Block has unveiled a new AI tax filing assistant named “AI Tax Assist.” This AI chatbot is integrated into H&R Block’s paid DIY tax software versions, offering users detailed guidance on tax rules, possible exemptions, and other tax-related queries.
The Verge reports that H&R Block’s AI-powered assistant is designed to help taxpayers by answering their questions about different tax situations, including exemptions and deductions that are specific to various professions, such as gig workers. For instance, an Uber driver can ask, “What can I deduct as business expenses?” and the AI will generate a tailored list of permissible deductions.
AI Tax Assist’s can also direct users to human tax experts for more personalized advice, with future plans to support AI-powered personalized guidance. H&R Block emphasizes the importance of user trust, especially when integrating AI into their services. They ensure users will be aware when interacting with the AI feature and it will provide sample prompts to facilitate easier usage.
Iconic U.S. company to be bought by foreign rival in multi-billion-dollar deal
The Japanese Nippon Steel Corporation (NSC) announced Monday that it is acquiring the iconic United States Steel Corporation after the company entertained multiple offers.
NSC will purchase U.S. Steel for $55.00 per share and assume the company’s debt equating to $14.9 billion, 40% higher than the company’s stock price as of Friday, according to a press release by U.S. Steel. The company was founded in 1901 in Pittsburgh by J.P. Morgan and Andrew Carnegie through the merger of the Federal Steel Company and the Carnegie Steel Company.
“NSC has a proven track record of acquiring, operating, and investing in steel mill facilities globally — and we are confident that, like our strategy, this combination is truly Best for All,” David Burritt, CEO of U.S. Steel, said in the press release. “For our U.S. Steel employees, who I continue to be thankful for, the transaction combines like-minded steel companies with an unwavering focus on safety, shared goals, values, and strategies underpinned by rich histories. For customers, U.S. Steel and NSC create a truly global steel company with combined capabilities and innovation capable of meeting our customers’ evolving needs.”
NSC will continue to honor all agreements between U.S. Steel and the United Steelworkers Union, pointing to the company’s history of working with unions. U.S. Steel will maintain its name, brand and current American headquarters, operating under NSC.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology continues to be implemented pretty much everywhere despite its potential for wrecking lives via
In fact, AI errors have been widely reported for years and have led to innocent people being arrested as well as sick people not receiving medical care.
From Ars Technica:
Humana also using AI tool with 90% error rate to deny care, lawsuit claims
The AI model, nH Predict, is the focus of another lawsuit against UnitedHealth.
Humana, one the nation’s largest health insurance providers, is allegedly using an artificial intelligence model with a 90 percent error rate to override doctors’ medical judgment and wrongfully deny care to elderly people on the company’s Medicare Advantage plans.
Further Reading: UnitedHealth uses AI model with 90% error rate to deny care, lawsuit alleges
According to a lawsuit filed Tuesday, Humana’s use of the AI model constitutes a “fraudulent scheme” that leaves elderly beneficiaries with either overwhelming medical debt or without needed care that is covered by their plans. Meanwhile, the insurance behemoth reaps a “financial windfall.”
The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court in western Kentucky, is led by two people who had a Humana Medicare Advantage Plan policy and said they were wrongfully denied needed and covered care, harming their health and finances. The suit seeks class-action status for an unknown number of other beneficiaries nationwide who may be in similar situations. Humana provides Medicare Advantage plans for 5.1 million people in the US.
It is the second lawsuit aimed at an insurer’s use of the AI tool nH Predict, which was developed by NaviHealth to forecast how long patients will need care after a medical injury, illness, or event. In November, the estates of two deceased individuals brought a suit against UnitedHealth—the largest health insurance company in the US—for also allegedly using nH Predict to wrongfully deny care.
Humana did not respond to Ars’ request for comment by the time this story initially published, but a spokesperson has since provided a statement, emphasizing that there is a “human in the loop” whenever AI tools are used. It continues:
Coverage decisions are made based on the health care needs of patients, medical judgment from doctors and clinicians, and guidelines put in place by CMS. It’s important to note that adverse coverage decisions are only made by physician medical directors.
United Health previously said that “the lawsuit has no merit, and we will defend ourselves vigorously.”
California Circles The Toilet Bowl
“I go with the word ‘serious.’ A serious budget problem. I would stop short of calling it a crisis.”
– Legislative Analyst Gabriel Petek, on California’s $68 billion deficit
Police: Uptick in ‘Card Draining’ Scam Impacting Gift Card Holders
Law enforcement and scam victims are warning consumers of an uptick in “card draining,” a form of retail theft that robs gift card holders blind, the Daily Mail reported Sunday.
One disappointed shopper told the Daily Mail how “embarrassed” she felt after she purchased a gift card at Target to send to someone, only to find out that it had been wiped of its $100 value by the time the receiver tried to use it.
Pittsburgh’s US Steel sold to foreign company after 122 years in America
The sale of the United States Steel Corporation, better known as U.S. Steel, has been approved by board members. The company will almost certainly be sold to a foreign buyer.
Ini what is truly an end of an era, the company that started in 1901 and was key to the industrialization of the country is set to be acquired by Nippon Steel, a Japanese company with a value of over $21 billion.
The deal is valued at approximately $14.1 billion, according to Western Journal, which notes that the offer stood at $14.9 billion, but the buyer will absorb a little less than $1 billion in U.S. Steel’s debt.
Nippon dates back to 1950 and currently employs over 105,000 workers. The company reportedly came close to doubling an offer U.S. Steel had received months prior from rival steel company Cleveland Cliffs, founded in 1847. The Pittsburgh company rejected that offer, however.
Apple stops selling latest Apple Watch after losing patent case
Apple will be pulling two of its newest smartphone watches from store shelves this week after losing a patent dispute over whether it illegally copied another company’s technology.
Apple said Monday it would stop selling the Series 9 and Ultra 2 versions of its popular watch following medical technology company Masimo alleging Apple infringed on its patent for a blood oxygen sensor that can read someone’s pulse. Apple has repeatedly denied the allegation.
The affected Apple Watches will not be available for online purchase beginning Thursday and will be removed from retail stores on Christmas Eve.
In October, the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that some Apple Watches violated Masimo’s patents for the the blood oxygen feature that Apple has included in most of its smartphone watches since 2020.
Trevor Milton, the founder of much-hyped electric truck maker Nikola Corp., was sentenced Monday to four years in prison for defrauding investors by lying about technological breakthroughs his company had made.
Milton, 41, was charged in 2021 with claiming that Nikola had successfully manufactured working prototypes of hydrogen-fueled electric trucks and pickup trucks that would turn the industry on its head, when he had, in fact, never built anything.
Instead, prosecutors said prototypes presented to investors didn’t work or were Frankenstein monsters cobbled together from parts of other vehicles. In some demonstrations, they said the trucks were powered by hidden wall sockets and were towed into position and rolled down hills to make them appear like they were working.
Federal prosecutors had asked for a sentence of 11 years in prison, arguing that Milton had been unapologetic through much of the case against him, instead engaging in a “profound denial of accountability and insistence on blaming others.”
Milton was convicted in October 2022 on two counts of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud. He had faced a recommended sentence of 60 years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines for those crimes.
Prosecutors compared Milton to convicted Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison last year for defrauding investors in her blood testing startup.
Southwest Airlines Slapped With $140M Fine Over Its Holiday Travel Fiasco
Southwest Airlines was fined a record $140 million over its December 2022 holiday debacle in which severe weather led to almost 17,000 flights being canceled and around 2 million passengers left stranded, the federal government announced Monday. The Department of Transportation fine is about 30 times larger than the agency’s previous biggest penalty to an airline over consumer protection violations. Southwest will pay $35 million of the fine to the government and will create a $90 million compensation system in future travel vouchers for passengers impacted by a “controllable” delay or cancellation. “Today’s action sets a new precedent and sends a clear message: If airlines fail their passengers, we will use the full extent of our authority to hold them accountable,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. He added that the fine would help “ensure that a meltdown like this never happens again.”
Greyhound Bus Terminal Closures Leave Passengers with Limited Options
The Greyhound Lines intercity bus line is among others shutting down in areas across the country, a move that has created frustration for people who need transportation, CNN reported Sunday.
Downtown bus depots in cities such as Houston, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Tampa, Louisville, Charlottesville, and Portland, Oregon, have slowly been closing down, CNN reported.
HEALTH
Risks of Eye Drops Might Be Overlooked, Experts Question Safety and Efficacy
Recent recalls shine light on issues with eye drops. As questions emerge about eye drops’ effectiveness, some urge a more holistic approach to eye health.
Blink, and you may have missed it: the recent commotion over America’s favorite eye drops.
Over the past year, common over-the-counter (OTC) ocular potions have undergone a PR crisis of epic proportions: contaminated batches, government warnings, and recalls.
But amidst the explosive media hullabaloo lies a deeper debate: Do eye drops even work? Or do they provide only surface-level relief while ignoring the true roots of ocular distress?
The warning is right there on the package – ‘not to be used for more than 14 days in a row’ – but 60% of users stay on them for more than one year.
Popular Heartburn Meds Linked to Osteoporosis
An estimated 12.3 million Americans over 50 are affected by osteoporosis (“porous bone” or low bone density), and an additional 47 million younger Americans are in the early stages. Worldwide, the prevalence is 18.3%
Rates of hip fractures vary from tenfold to a hundredfold between countries, showing that low bone density is not a consequence of aging per se, but is dependent on lifestyle factors, including the use of certain drugs such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), the most popular heartburn medications on the market
PPIs are only recommended for short-term use, yet 60% of users report staying on the drug for more than one year; 31% are still on them after three years. More than 60% are also taking them to treat conditions for which these drugs are not indicated, such as indigestion
Dozens of studies show rates of hip fractures are elevated among both long- and short-term users of PPIs, and at all dose levels
More recent research suggests one of the primary ways by which PPIs damage bone may be by way of collagen, as these drugs have been shown to inhibit collagen production through several mechanisms of action
Perry A. says drink clay for heartburn!
Healing clays are such simple little wonder treatments. Bentonite clay not only binds excessive acidity, it can also kill infections such as H. Pylori as it is strongly antibacterial and removes toxins, parasites and heavy metals that could be causing irritation. Added to that, it alkalises your system and also lines your stomach with a slimy protective coating while remineralising your body. Overall, it’s a good bet.
Consumption instructions: Taking a teaspoon in some water before a meal is the way to go for prevention. You can also take it as an emergency treatment when you are already experiencing symptoms.
Arthritis May Just be Fluoride Poisoning in Disguise
“If I was an arthritic individual, I would be eliminating every possible source of fluoride exposure that I could think of.” (Phyllis Mullenix, PhD, Toxicologist)
Current evidence strongly indicates that some people diagnosed with “arthritis” are in fact suffering from low-grade fluoride poisoning.
Joint pain and stiffness are well known symptoms of excessive fluoride intake. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, too much fluoride causes “chronic joint pain” and “arthritic symptoms.” (DHHS 1991). U.S. health authorities have long dismissed the relevance of this by insisting that fluoride only causes arthritic symptoms in patients with advanced forms of skeletal fluorosis, a bone disease caused by fluoride. Modern research clearly shows, however, that fluoride-induced joint pains can occur in the absence of obvious skeletal fluorosis. This makes fluoride’s effects on joints extremely difficult to differentiate from common forms of arthritis. In fact, research has found that fluoride can be a direct cause of osteoarthritis, with or without the presence of classic skeletal fluorosis. (Bao 2003; Savas 2001; Tartatovskaya 1995; Czerwinski 1988; Chen 1988).
In cases where fluoride is the cause of a person’s arthritic problems, reduction in daily fluoride intake for a period of several weeks or months can eliminate the symptoms in the absence of medical treatment. Correct diagnosis is thus critical to effective recovery.
Fluoride causes arthritis in absence of obvious skeletal fluorosis
Chronic fluoride exposure can cause a bone disease known as skeletal fluorosis. In the classic type of skeletal fluorosis, the lower spine and pelvis area develop a hyper-dense bone condition known as osteosclerosis. U.S. health authorities have long claimed that spinal osteosclerosis will be evident on x-ray if a person’s joint pains are caused by fluoride. When spinal osteosclerosis is absent, therefore, doctors have traditionally dismissed the possibility that a patient’s joint pain could be caused by fluoride.
Research, however, has now repeatedly shown that fluoride can cause joint pain and stiffness, including clinical osteoarthritis, before bone changes in the spine are detectable on x-ray. This means that the traditional criteria for diagnosing skeletal fluorosis results in people with fluoride-induced joint problems being misdiagnosed as suffering from “arthritis.” The extent of this misdiagnosis remains unknown.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
The sound of you typing on your keyboard could reveal your password
As if password authentication’s coffin needed any more nails, researchers in the UK have discovered yet another way to hammer one in. The technique, developed at Durham University, the University of Surrey, and Royal Holloway University of London, builds on previous work to produce a more accurate way to guess your password by listening to the sound of you typing it on your keyboard.
The slight differences in the sounds each key makes is an unintentional leak of information, known as a “side channel”. Computers typically have lots of side channels, such as noises, heat, and changes in electromagnetic emissions, which can be hoovered up and analysed by adversaries to learn more about what’s happening on the computer.
Side channel research can get a little far-fetched and impractical at times but it serves a useful purpose in improving our knowledge about what’s possible. However, this research is firmly rooted in the possible, starting with the decision to monitor sound, rather than something more exotic.
Google agrees to pay $700m after antitrust settlement with consumers and US states
Google has agreed to pay US$700m and to allow for greater competition in its Play app store, according to the terms of an antitrust settlement with US states and consumers disclosed in a San Francisco federal court.
Google was accused of overcharging consumers through unlawful restrictions on the distribution of apps on Android devices and unnecessary fees for in-app transactions. It did not admit wrongdoing.
The company will pay $630m into a settlement fund for consumers and $70m into a fund that will be used by states, according to the settlement, which still requires a judge’s final approval.
The settlement said eligible consumers will receive at least $2 and may get additional payments based on their spending on Google Play between 16 August 2016 and 30 September 2023.
SURVEILLANCE STATE
Born in a Police State: The Deep State’s Persecution of Its Most Vulnerable Citizens
John Whitehead’s Commentary
“When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with their flocks, the work of Christmas begins: to find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among the people, to make music in the heart.”—Howard Thurman, theologian and civil rights activist
The Christmas story of a baby born in a manger is a familiar one.
The Roman Empire, a police state in its own right, had ordered that a census be conducted. Joseph and his pregnant wife Mary traveled to the little town of Bethlehem so that they could be counted. There being no room for the couple at any of the inns, they stayed in a stable (a barn), where Mary gave birth to a baby boy, Jesus. Warned that the government planned to kill the baby, Jesus’ family fled with him to Egypt until it was safe to return to their native land.
Yet what if Jesus had been born 2,000 years later?
What if, instead of being born into the Roman police state, Jesus had been born at this moment in time? What kind of reception would Jesus and his family be given? Would we recognize the Christ child’s humanity, let alone his divinity? Would we treat him any differently than he was treated by the Roman Empire? If his family were forced to flee violence in their native country and sought refuge and asylum within our borders, what sanctuary would we offer them?
A singular number of churches across the country have asked those very questions in recent years, and their conclusions were depicted with unnerving accuracy by nativity scenes in which Jesus and his family are separated, segregated and caged in individual chain-link pens, topped by barbed wire fencing.
Those nativity scenes were a pointed attempt to remind the modern world that the narrative about the birth of Jesus is one that speaks on multiple fronts to a world that has allowed the life, teachings and crucifixion of Jesus to be drowned out by partisan politics, secularism, materialism and war, all driven by a manipulative shadow government called the Deep State.
The modern-day church has largely shied away from applying Jesus’ teachings to modern problems such as war, poverty, immigration, etc., but thankfully there have been individuals throughout history who ask themselves and the world: what would Jesus do?
What would Jesus—the baby born in Bethlehem who grew into an itinerant preacher and revolutionary activist, who not only died challenging the police state of his day (namely, the Roman Empire) but spent his adult life speaking truth to power, challenging the status quo of his day, and pushing back against the abuses of the Roman Empire—do about the injustices of our modern age?
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
States stripping counties of ability to prevent green energy takeover
Several blue states have deprived rural counties of the ability to reject the massive green energy projects that corporations want to site in their communities, while green industrial interests and environmentalist groups have poured money into state capitals.
Michigan, California, New York and Illinois have all passed legislation that consolidates authority over land use issues and rules with state-level bureaucrats at the expense of local governments that could have altered their own zoning codes to stem the tide of industrial green projects like solar and wind farms. These policies deprive rural residents in these states of their freedom and local autonomy, while also benefiting the corporate interests that line the pockets of the states’ Democratic governors, state policy experts and lawmakers told the Daily Caller News Foundation
Jail Time For Operators Of Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers, Edgers, Mowers?
The war on gas-powered garden equipment is spreading. Now, Washington state wants to jail offenders for contributing to climate change. This follows a 2021 California law that takes effect in 2024, banning all leaf blowers, lawnmowers, and weed trimmers. Al Gore warned us in 2015 that “deniers deserved to be punished.”
UNESCO wrote in 2019,
Criminal sanctions are the most potent tools we have to mark out conduct that lies beyond all limits of toleration. Criminal conduct violates basic rights and destroys human security. We reserve the hard treatment of punishment for conduct that damages the things we hold most fundamentally valuable. Climate change is causing precisely such damage.⁃ TN Editor
Democrat lawmakers in Washington State want to jail residents for using gas-powered landscaping tools such as leaf blowers and edgers.
State Rep. Amy Walen (D-Kirkland) has pre-filed legislation which would radically alter the state’s Clean Air Act, according to Jason Rantz of MyNorthwest, who reports that HB 1868 would ban “gasoline-powered and diesel-powered landscaping and other outdoor power equipment” for “contributing to climate change.”
As Rantz further explains, the bill contains a laundry list of unintended health consequences tied to the tools as well, including a claim that they cause asthma.
The bill gets to the ban by empowering the Department of Ecology to “adopt rules to prohibit engine exhaust and evaporative emissions from new outdoor power equipment” by either January 1, 2026 or sooner, if the state determines it’s feasible to do so earlier. Washingtonians are expected to upgrade their equipment to zero-emission alternatives. Government work, however, is partly exempt.
To make the transition more palatable, the zero-emission alternatives would not be subject to a sales tax. But it would still be prohibitively expensive for many small businesses. -MyNorthwest
If a resident violates the law, they could face up to a year in jail and/or a hefty fine.
Of course, as Rantz further notes, the new law wouldn’t apply to government agencies or contractors working for the government under emergency circumstances.
GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING
Hand Pumps: An Option for Back-Up Water Pumping
Last month Jerelyn and I enjoyed a four-day vacation in Maine—a combined trip to visit family, explore Acadia National Park, and go to the Common Ground Fair—my first visit there in two or three decades!
The highlight of the Common Ground fair for me was coming across a little company, Bison Pumps, based up near Fort Kent, Maine (in WAY northern Maine) that makes really slick hand pumps. These pumps are sort-of like the ones our grandparents used, but they’re built with much greater precision and work much better.
Why hand pumps are important
Here in rural Vermont—like rural areas everywhere—the biggest challenge when power is lost is often access to water. Living beyond the reach of municipal water systems, we have drilled wells with deep-well submersible pumps to pump water into pressure tanks in our basements. Without power there’s no water. If those wells aren’t too deep, hand pumps can be used as a back-up pumping option.
After returning from Maine I learned that my colleague at BuildingGreen, Tristan Roberts, who lives off-grid, has used a Bison Pump for several years (see photo).
He also told me about another company, Simple Pump, that’s been making hand pumps since 1999—the same year Bison Pump was founded—and their pumps can work with greater static head are highly rated in various reviews I read.
With either of these deep-well pumps, the same well can house both a standard electric submersible pump and the in-well components of the hand pump. With a 6” well casing (the most common size) there’s plenty of room for the two pumps, and the portion of the Bison or Simple pump that is above-ground fits right onto the well casing, replacing the standard sanitary cap.
These hand pumps are popular for people living off-grid, but they also make sense for those of us connected to the power grid who want to achieve greater resilience—who want access to clean, potable water (albeit with a little work) during power outages.
How to Drill Your Own Water Well
85 web pages and 52 videos entirely devoted
to helping you drill your own well
How To Build a Chicken Coop: 11 Steps From Design to Maintenance
Here’s how to plan and build a chicken coop that’s perfect for your brand-new flock! We’ll also cover the basic requirements for a safe coop, discuss ideal materials, and talk about some basic coop maintenance.
COVID RELATED NEWS
Apparent Coverup by the FBI and CDC of a Threat to National Security
Disturbing new details exposed by this investigation include: The ability of a CA Biolab operator to acquire dangerous pathogens without raising suspicions…
In December of 2022, a local Code Enforcement Officer discovered the presence of an illegal biolab in Reedley, California. After entering the facility, the officer observed several Chinese nationals working in a warehouse filled with thousands of vials of pathogens and biological substances
While many of the vials were unlabeled, some were labeled in Mandarin, and others were labeled by codes. Only a few of the vials were labeled in English
Investigators later concluded the facility contained a minimum of 20 potentially infectious agents including Covid, HIV, Tuberculosis, the “deadliest known form of Malaria,” and Ebola – “one of the deadliest viruses known to humanity”
The illegal laboratory housed about 1,000 transgenic mice, genetically modified to catch and carry Covid as well as to simulate the human immune system. Aside from the pathogens stored in the facility, the mice, which were kept in filthy, overcrowded, and inhumane conditions, presented a potential biohazard
CANCEL CULTURE
Fresh Images Emerge of Bill Gates with Jeffrey Epstein Trafficking Victim
A Wall Street Journal bombshell report has revealed that Microsoft founder Bill Gates was pictured in 2014 with a victim of convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Gates consistently downplays his connection to Epstein, but reports of their connection continue to emerge.
The Journal reported that Epstein took his private jet to Seattle, Washington, to visit Gates at his office. Epstein brought with him a Polish model Gates he had met a few months earlier.
This interaction happened after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution.
A spokesperson for Gates said that he did not interact with the model when she visited his offices. According to the model, Epstein promised her a job with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
“Epstein tried, unsuccessfully, to connect himself to Mr. Gates by any means possible, including spontaneously bringing in people for photos with Bill, whom Bill did not know or interact with further. Mr. Gates only ever met with Epstein for philanthropic purposes, which he regrets,” the Gates spokeswoman said.
A Russian model associated with Epstein showed a Journal reporter three pictures of her with Gates in three places, which includes a hotel and Epstein’s house.
The Polish model stopped associating herself with Epstein in 2015 when his career promises were never fulfilled.
PET NEWS
Are You Unwittingly Poisoning Your Pet?
If you do this daily or weekly activity as many pet owners do, you may be doing just that. If you share your home with one or more beloved pets, be sure to take a close look at your routine to make sure you’re not creating a toxic environment that can severely injure your pet.
Most pet parents do more housecleaning than is typical, because living with animal companions means dealing with lots of pet hair, drool deposits, and other messes
Since we do so much cleaning, for the sake of our furry family members, it’s important not to load up our indoor environment with potentially toxic cleaning chemicals
The good news is there are inexpensive, nontoxic, homemade cleaning solutions that can handle a wide variety of jobs just as effectively as chemical cleaning agents
If you’re using commercial “green” household cleaners, it’s important to know how safe they really are for households with pets
GOOD NEWS
Idaho Secret Santa Surprises Widow Without Running Water with $10K Gift
The now-viral “Secret Santa” of Idaho is still shocking locals with his generosity, this time surprising a struggling widow without running water for her children.
“Sierra is such a light in the Blackfoot community and especially to the dance class she teaches,” East Idaho News reported Sunday. “The kids all love and adore her as she puts in countless hours helping them achieve their goals and taking them to competitions. She volunteers many hours helping others.”
Unfortunately, Sierra has been going through hard times since her husband died in a car crash just a few months before their youngest child was born.
Before he passed away, her late husband was about to renovate the family’s bathroom to put in a bathtub for the kids and fix the water line to the house. However, that work never got done, leaving Sierra and her children without running water,
The hardworking mom has to go “out in the cold to fill water jugs many times a day to have drinking water, water for cooking, washing and showering,” according to the local outlet.
Fortunately, an anonymous donor who teamed up with the East Idaho News team to give out $1 million to deserving people this Christmas season heard of Sierra’s story.
Reporter Nate Eaton and his camera crew paid the single mother a visit at a cheerleading practice where she was volunteering.
“I’ve been watching these!” Sierra said upon seeing the camera crew.
The Secret Santa has been surprising Idaho residents since November, including a struggling widow, a grieving mother, and a father of a newborn with a severe heart defect.
“I’m shaking,” the dance coach said as she opened the present Eaton handed her.
The team of young girls gathered around Sierra, and gasped when she revealed a check for $10,000.
“Thank you so much,” the mom said through tears as she held her toddler daughter.
She then hugged Eaton, before the entire group bid an emotional farewell to the news crew.
Alaska Mystery Donor Dropping South African Krugerrands, Worth $2K Each, in Salvation Army Kettles
Alaska is a different kind of place, even where charity and the spirit of Christmas are concerned. For several years, in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, someone has been dropping South African Krugerrands, worth about $2,000 each, into Salvation Army kettles here and there around the Valley. And they are doing so anonymously; no one knows from whom the gifts are coming.
It’s becoming quite the tradition, but one that remains shrouded in mystery. Maj. Kevin Bottjen, the officer for The Salvation Army Mat-Su Valley Corps, learned Dec. 9, that another Krugerrand had made its way into one of the organization’s red kettles.
This marks the seventh consecutive year the gold, 1 ounce coin made its way into the bottom of a kettle in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. Bottjen said he was excited when he got the call from his colleague Janet Kincaid.
“She said ‘Kevin, we got another one!’ and I instantly knew what she was talking about,” Bottjen said.
A Krugerrand is a South African coin valued at about $2,000. Bottjen said they received two of them last year, meaning the donor – or donors – have given The Salvation Army about $16,000 in gold over the years.
Bottjen said he has no idea who is doing this, but he appreciates the anonymity.
“They’re doing it because they believe in what we’re doing, and that we can assist the Valley,” Bottjen said.
There’s generosity, and there’s generosity, and five figures in South African gold is generosity indeed. And someone has been reading the book of Matthew, specifically Matthew 6:1-4:
Tennessee sues BlackRock citing ‘misleading’ ESG strategy
The U.S. state of Tennessee has sued BlackRock (BLK.N) alleging the world’s largest asset manager breached consumer protection laws by making “misleading” statements about its environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) investment strategies.
According to a court filing, the state of Tennessee has alleged BlackRock downplayed the extent to which ESG considerations drive the firm’s investment strategies and their affect on companies’ financial performance and outlook.
BlackRock said they rejected Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti’s claims. “BlackRock fully and accurately discloses our investment practices and our approach to proxy voting,” the asset manager said in an emailed statement to Reuters.
Earlier this year, Skrmetti had demanded ten major asset managers provide information over how they seek to tackle climate change, as part of an investigation into potential breaches of consumer law.
Skrmetti and 20 other Republican state attorneys general also wrote to asset managers in March suggesting they are breaching their fiduciary duties in their handling of environmental or social issues.
Companies and investors increasingly consider factors such as climate change and workforce diversity, which they say can affect company performances and reputations. The approach has received backing from Democratic leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, who used his first veto of his presidency to defend a rule on ESG investing.
Meanwhile, Republicans, many from energy-producing states, have joined a growing chorus challenging ESG.
Victory: Utah Supreme Court Upholds Right to Refuse to Tell Cops Your Passcode
Last week, the Utah Supreme Court ruled that prosecutors violated a defendant’s Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination when they presented testimony about his refusal to give police the passcode to his cell phone. In State v. Valdez, the court found that verbally telling police a passcode is “testimonial” under the Fifth Amendment, and that the so-called foregone conclusion exception does not apply to “ordinary testimony” like this. This closely tracks arguments in the amicus brief EFF and the ACLU filed in the case.
The Utah court’s opinion is the latest in a thicket of state supreme court opinions dealing with whether law enforcement agents can compel suspects to disclose or enter their passwords. Last month, EFF supported a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review People v. Sneed, an Illinois Supreme Court opinion that reached a contrary conclusion. As we explained in that brief, courts around the country are struggling to apply Fifth Amendment case law to the context of compelled disclosure and entry of passcodes.
EPA takes a stand: Toxic PFAS-leaching plastic production must stop
Even though plastics revolutionize almost every aspect of our lives by providing a cheap and stable material for a variety of goods, PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are a type of chemical associated with plastic production that has been known to cause a myriad of health problems. Thankfully, many Western nations have cracked down on the proliferation of PFAS in products sold to the general population.
Unfortunately, one company in particular – Inhance Technologies (which claims to be “the science of better”) – has been using a specific fluorination technique resulting in PFAS, even though the substances were largely banned in 2015. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finally cracking down on Inhance Tech and halting this practice, which will benefit Americans in multiple ways.
EPA rules against Inhance Technologies
Inhance Technologies not only violated the stop order on PFAS but also marketed a diverse range of products, spanning skincare, beauty items, and condiments like ketchup or mayonnaise. Their plastic containers posed risks to consumers through ingestion, topical absorption, and even during transportation – EPA investigations revealed significant PFAS leaching from Inhance shipping containers in the brief period from manufacturing to bottling.
This landmark ruling against PFAS is groundbreaking, underscoring the EPA’s proactive stance in pursuing individual companies for regulatory violations.
ICYMI
Travis Kelce Is Officially the Champion of Game-Day Advertising
The NFL tight end (and Taylor Swift’s love interest) is starring in more ads during games than any other celebrity
Poll: Most Americans Want Businesses Prosecuted for Hiring Illegal Aliens
The overwhelming majority of American voters want employers in the United States to be prosecuted for hiring illegal aliens, a Fox News poll revealed.
The poll, which surveyed more than 1,000 registered voters and was conducted from December 10 through December 13, found that 64 percent of Americans want the federal government to penalize and fine employers that hire illegal aliens for U.S. jobs — akin to enacting mandatory E-Verify nationwide.
A recent incident involving a Tesla Cybertruck getting stuck carrying a Christmas tree in a California forest has become a viral sensation, especially because the stranded electric vehicle was rescued by a gas-powered Ford F150.
The Los Angeles Times reports that a Tesla Cybertruck became the center of attention after sliding down a snowy embankment while carrying a Christmas tree on its roof. Much to the embarrassment of fans of Elon Musk’s odd-looking electric vehicles, the stranded EV was rescued by a Ford F150 that pulled the Cybertruck to safety. The post was originally made to Facebook but quickly went viral on other platforms including X/Twitter.
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