WORLD NEWS
Russian Legislature Approves Suspension of Nuclear-Arms Treaty With US
Less than a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that Russia was suspending participation in its nuclear weapons treaty with the United States, the Russian Federation’s State Duma unanimously agreed to formally suspend participation in the treaty.
The rubber-stamp approval by the parliamentary body of Putin’s announcement that Moscow was disengaging from the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) also gives the Russian president exclusive authority to determine when—or if—it will resume participating again.
“As of today, Russia is suspending its participation in the strategic offensive arms treaty,” Putin said in a Feb. 21 national address to the Federal Assembly that was delivered nearly one year after the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“We’re not withdrawing from the agreement. We’re just suspending [our participation in] it.”
Putin Confirms Xi to Visit Moscow Amid Deepening China-Russia Ties
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has confirmed that Chinese communist leader Xi Jinping will visit Moscow in the coming months.
Putin said that the Kremlin looked forward to welcoming the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during a Feb. 22 meeting in Moscow with China’s highest-ranking diplomat, Wang Yi.
“We await a visit of the president of the People’s Republic of China to Russia, we have agreed on this,” Putin said during the meeting.
“Everything is progressing, developing. We are reaching new frontiers.”
Xi’s visit to Russia will be the Chinese leader’s first since 2019, though he and Putin have met in person since then.
The leaders met in Beijing in February of last year, where they agreed to a “no limits” partnership ahead of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,
The pair met again during a security conference in Uzbekistan last September, where they vowed to promote a new, multipolar world order against the United States and the liberal international order.
VIDEO: Russia Deploys Nuclear Armed Ships; China Nears Red Line on Arming Russia
For the first time in close to 30 years, Russia has deployed ships armed with tactical nuclear weapons. The claim comes from an annual report from the Norwegian Intelligence Service, and was reported by the Independent. The ships from Russia’s Northern Fleet were allegedly deployed to the Baltic Sea. The incident comes as Russia also backs out of a nuclear arms agreement with the United States, just following President Joe Biden’s visit to Ukraine.x
US Pledges ‘Consequences’ for China If It Provides Military Aid to Russia
The United States is prepared to impose consequences on China’s communist regime should it provide lethal military aid to Russia for the ongoing war in Ukraine.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price, during a Feb. 22 press briefing, said that the regime would not escape sanctions if it attempted to further assist Russia’s conquest.
“We have been clear with the PRC that consequences would befall them if they were to provide lethal assistance,” Price said using an acronym for the official name of communist China, the People’s Republic of China.
“We have been clear. We will not hesitate to target Chinese companies or individuals who violate sanctions.”
Biden Administration Admits Asylum Fraud Crisis, Border Advocates Say
The Biden administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a proposed asylum rule change, which border security advocates at the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) say concedes that the “majority of migrants” coming into America are trying to “defraud” our asylum system.
FAIR responded to a 153-page proposed rule change from President Biden’s DHS, saying in a press release that it offered a “remarkable admission” about the true nature of the crisis on our southern border.
Japan, Technically Still at War with Russia, Goes All-In on Ukraine
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio said on Monday that he will invite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to participate in the Group of Seven (G-7) online summit, which begins on Friday.
Kishida’s government said on Wednesday that it will guarantee a loan for $5.5 billion to Ukraine from the World Bank, fulfilling Kishida’s pledge of financial assistance for “people who were robbed of their daily lives by the war.” Kishida topped off this bout of all-in support for Ukraine by proposing that he might visit Kyiv soon.
Franklin Graham: World Is Inching Closer and Closer to ‘Armageddon’
Celebrated Evangelical pastor Franklin Graham said on Ash Wednesday the world seems to be drawing closer to Armageddon as tensions escalate between Russia and Ukraine.
“It seems as if our world is inching closer and closer every day to Armageddon,” Rev. Graham wrote on a Facebook post. “We need to pray that God would open up a door for Russia’s President Putin and Ukraine’s President Zelensky to find a resolution to this war.”
In 2020, NASA approved plans for the U.S. to drill on the moon for increasingly controversial “conflict minerals”. Naturally, it’s to be expected that other countries including China would want to do the same and perhaps more while they’re up there.
From Full Measure:
The recent U.S. conflict with China over mystery objects in the sky is a reminder that we are in an economic and political rivalry with the Communist nation, one that extends into space, as Lisa Fletcher reports.
The December splashdown of the most powerful rocket NASA has ever made, Artemis, was the successful conclusion to a mission laying the groundwork to take Americans back to the moon and beyond.
And while Artemis has fortified U.S. resolve to go back to the lunar surface, the real question is, what do you do when you get there?
Because our biggest rival is putting a tremendous amount of energy into launching a new space station, building bigger rockets, and developing plans that make ours seem a little small.
U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
Biden administration plans to quadruple U.S. troop presence in Taiwan against rising China threat
The U.S. is markedly increasing the number of troops deployed to Taiwan, more than quadrupling the current number to bolster a training program for the island’s military amid a rising threat from China.
The U.S. plans to deploy between 100 and 200 troops to the island in the coming months, up from roughly 30 there a year ago, according to U.S. officials. The larger force will expand a training program the Pentagon has taken pains not to publicize as the U.S. works to provide Taipei with the capabilities it needs to defend itself without provoking Beijing.
US Kills Seven Al-Shabab Militants in Somalia, AFRICOM Says
US military eliminated seven al-Shabab* militants in an airstrike in Somalia, the Africa Command (AFRICOM) said on Wednesday.
“The strike occurred in a remote area near Galmudug, Somalia which is approximately 510 km northeast of Mogadishu. The initial assessment is the strike killed 7 al-Shabaab fighters,” the statement read.
The strike was carried out on February 21 at the request of the government of Somalia, it added.
US military assesses that no civilians were injured or killed.
Al-Shabab is linked to the al-Qaeda* terrorist group. The former has long engaged in an insurgency campaign against the Somalian federal government and staged numerous terror attacks.
Nearly 1,500 flights have been canceled throughout the country as the massive Winter Storm Olive hits multiple U.S. states this week.
FlightAware data indicates 1,421 flights within, into, and out of the United States have been canceled as of 1:50 p.m. Wednesday. An additional 2,629 U.S. flights have been delayed.
At Denver International Airport alone, 9 News reported, nearly 200 flights had been canceled as of 6:45 a.m.
Report: Bill Clinton Aide Linked to Jeffrey Epstein Found Hung, Shot Dead
Former President Bill Clinton’s special advisor Mark Middleton, who reportedly signed Jeffrey Epstein into the White House 7 out of the 17 times he visited, was found in May hung from a tree and shot dead in the chest in Perryville, Arkansas, according to a sheriff’s report.
The details of the police report were previously blocked by a judge at the family’s request. The family feared the photo would be too horrific for public viewing. The judge eventually ruled the report could be released without the photos.
Norfolk Southern Lawsuits, Accident Reports Show Rail Tragedy a Common Hazard
Rail operator Norfolk Southern Railway Company faces multiple class-action lawsuits alleging negligence in the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. But past lawsuits and accident reports from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) show that Norfolk Southern doesn’t operate in a vacuum.
Unions, contractors, rail customers, and government regulations all have a hand in the operation of this massive system that transports vital—and often dangerous—goods across the nation. A look at completed investigations into past incidents provides a window into the rail industry and how things may play out in Ohio.
It will take time, possibly years, to understand the cause and costs of the East Palestine disaster that resulted in a fire, toxic chemical spill, and lingering environmental concerns. The NTSB is conducting a safety investigation to determine the probable cause of the derailment.
Joe Biden Releases Executive Order Promoting Woke AI
Critics have claimed that the new executive order signed by President Joe Biden will lead to the further creation of woke AI that will promote “racial division and discrimination” in the name of an “equity action plan.”
The Electronic Privacy Information Center reports that President Joe Biden has approved an executive order directing federal organizations to create an annual “equity action plan” to support underserved communities. The order instructs organizations to use AI in a way that promotes equity and complies with the law. The decision has caused debate, with opponents expressing concern about the development of woke AI that encourages racial animosity and discrimination.
A Jan. 6 defendant asked U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras to unseal a video allegedly showing an undercover Metropolitan Police Department officer shouting “drain the swamp!” and “our house!” and encouraging protesters to climb barricades and enter the U.S. Capitol.
William Pope of Topeka, Kansas, filed a motion on Feb. 21 that would also unseal video shot by two other MPD undercover officers who trailed Ashli Babbitt up the northwest exterior of the Capitol.
One of those officers repeatedly predicted that someone would get shot on Jan. 6, Pope contended in another motion filed in November 2022.
“While my descriptions of the undercover MPD officers are accurate, the media and the public should not have to rely on my descriptions alone,” Pope wrote.
“It is in the interests of justice that this exhibit in support of my motion be seen by all.”
Pope also asked the court to remove the seal from a wider sampling of the MPD video shot by undercover operatives.
The undercover video is among 41,000 hours of footage held under court seal by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Pope and other Jan. 6 defendants who are representing themselves in court are seeking more complete access to evidence databases controlled by federal prosecutors.
DeSantis Discloses Timeline of 2024 Decision
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday indicated that he still has unfinished business in the coming months before he could officially enter the 2024 presidential race.
The “two big things” he has at hand are a book tour promoting his upcoming memoir, “The Courage to be Free,” and the 2023 legislative session spanning from early March to early May, the Republican governor said on “Fox & Friends.”
The book talks about “Florida’s blueprint for American revival,” DeSantis said. “We’re going to go on a tour on that. We’re going to sell some books. We’re going to spread the message of Florida.”
Once the legislative session kicks off on March 8, Floridians will be seeing a Republican “supermajority” working to advance his agenda, DeSantis added. The 60-day session will conclude on May 5.
“You ain’t seen nothing yet. This is going to be the most productive legislative session we have had across the board, and I think people are going to be really excited,” the governor told the hosts. “So those are what we’re going to be doing over these next few months as we get beyond that, then we can decide from there.”
Two Republicans—former President Donald Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley—have so far announced their 2024 White House bid.
Kyle Rittenhouse Hit With Lawsuit From Man He Shot During 2020 Riots
One of the men Kyle Rittenhouse shot during the 2020 riots has sued the teenager, arguing that the shooting caused emotional distress and humiliation.
Rittenhouse shot Gaige Grosskreutz and two others in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during riots that took place after the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges in 2021.
Grosskreutz was the only one who survived.
“But he must live with the physical and emotional wounds inflicted by Defendant Rittenhouse,” the new suit reads.
The suit also names the City of Kenosha, Kenosha County, and several law enforcement officials.
It alleges that the defendants conspired to deprive Grosskreutz of his constitutional rights and to obstruct justice, as well as inflict retaliation against Grosskreutz for participating in protests.
The officials “allowed Defendant Rittenhouse and other illegally armed individuals to patrol the streets of downtown Kenosha with deadly weapons, inviting those individuals to use police powers, deputizing them, conspiring with them, and ratifying their actions,” it states. That allegedly led to Rittenhouse shooting Grosskreutz.
Trump GA Grand Jury Foreman Kohrs: We Recommended Indictment for More Than a Dozen People
Fulton County grand jury foreman Emily Kohrs said Tuesday on MSNBC’s “The Last Word” that the Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ grand jury investigation of former President Donald Trump’s call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger recommended indictments for over a dozen people.
Host Lawrence O’Donnell said, “Emily Kohrs sat with NBC’s Blayne Alexander for an extraordinary 42-minute interview.”
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Trying to Give Norfolk Southern $15 Million in Taxpayer Funds
Democrat Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reportedly wants to give disgraced rail company Norfolk Southern $15 million in taxpayer dollars even after it had two disastrous derailments this past month.
According to GOP Michigan Rep. James DeSana, as much as $15 million could go to the Norfolk Southern Railway Company out of a $750 million proposal in corporate welfare money from her administration. Per The Midwesterner:
Fentanyl Crisis Spurs Pennsylvania County to End ‘Sanctuary’ Status for Illegal Aliens
A Pennsylvania county has ended its “sanctuary” status for illegal aliens as the nation’s fentanyl crisis has hit the community, spilling over from the United States-Mexico border.
Officials in Butler County, Pennsylvania — which has consistently voted Republican in the last few election cycles — have ended the area’s sanctuary county status that helped keep illegal aliens from being arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Gov. Greg Gianforte: ATF Pistol Brace Rule Cannot Be Enforced in Montana
Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) sent a February 8, 2023, letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland making it clear that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive’s (ATF’s) pistol brace rule will not be enforced in Montana.
Breitbart News reported that the pistol brace rule was published in the Federal Register on January 31, 2023, placing said braces under the purview of the National Firearms Act (NFA) and giving owners of said braces 120 days from that date to comply with ATF criteria for legally possessing the devices.
Arkansas committee greenlights bill creating obscenity standards for libraries
The Arkansas Senate Judiciary Committee gave a “do pass” recommendation Monday to a bill that would penalize librarians who knowingly distribute what is deemed obscene material.
Senate Bill 81 would require school and public libraries to create committees that would determine what library material is considered obscene. The bill doesn’t change the federal definition of obscenity, according to the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro.
If the bill passes, a librarian knowingly distributing material deemed obscene could be charged with a felony. A librarian who simply possesses the material could face a misdemeanor charge.
“Right now, librarians — public school and public libraries — are excluded from obscenity law,” Sullivan said. “I don’t think there’s anyone that’s above the law. I don’t think we should have people who have special stature, including our librarians.”
HEALTH
16 More Reasons Black Seed Is “The Remedy For Everything But Death”
Known since ancient times as a “remedy for everything but death,” an increasingly vast body of scientific research reveals that it is indeed one of nature’s most potent and versatile healing agents.
A few years ago, we wrote an article about nigella sativa (aka black seed) titled, ‘The Remedy For Everything But Death.’ It described the research on the many ways in which black seed (nigella sativa) is a potentially life-saving medicinal food, and is one of our most popular articles, with over 700K social media shares and close to 2 million views.
Opening with, “This humble, but immensely powerful seed, kills MRSA, heals the chemical weapon poisoned body, stimulates regeneration of the dying beta cells within the diabetic’s pancreas, and yet too few even know it exists,” the article summarized the peer-reviewed and published research on 10 of the seed’s remarkable health benefits:
- Type 2 Diabetes: Two grams of black seed a day resulted in reduced fasting glucose, decreased insulin resistance, increased beta-cell function, and reduced glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in human subjects.
- Helicobacter Pylori Infection: Black seeds possess clinically useful anti-H. pylori activity, comparable to triple eradication therapy
- Epilepsy: Black seeds were traditionally known to have anticonvulsive properties. A 2007 study with epileptic children, whose condition was refractory to conventional drug treatment, found that a water extract significantly reduced seizure activity.[iv]
- High Blood pressure: The daily use of 100 and 200 mg of black seed extract, twice daily, for 2 months, was found to have a blood pressure-lowering effect in patients with mild hypertension.
- Asthma: Thymoquinone, one of the main active constituents within Nigella sativa, is superior to the drug fluticasone in an animal model of asthma.[vi] Another study, this time in human subjects, found that boiled water extracts of black seed have relatively potent antiasthmatic effect on asthmatic airways.
- Acute tonsillopharyngitis: characterized by tonsil or pharyngeal inflammation (i.e. sore throat), mostly viral in origin, black seed capsules (in combination with Phyllanthus niruri) have been found to significantly alleviate throat pain, and reduce the need for pain-killers, in human subjects
- Chemical Weapons Injury: A randomized, placebo-controlled human study of chemical weapons injured patients found that boiled water extracts of black seed reduced respiratory symptoms, chest wheezing, and pulmonary function test values, as well as reduced the need for drug treatment.
- Colon Cancer: Cell studies have found that black seed extract compares favorably to the chemoagent 5-fluoruracil in the suppression of colon cancer growth, but with a far higher safety profile.Animal research has found that black seed oil has significant inhibitory effects against colon cancer in rats, without observable side effects.
- MRSA: Black seed has anti-bacterial activity against clinical isolates of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
- Opiate Addiction/Withdrawal: A study on 35 opiate addicts found black seed as an effective therapy in long-term treatment of opioid dependence
Since then, the biomedical research on black seed has continued to flourish, with dozens of new articles published and cited on the National Library of Medicine’s biomedical database MEDLINE available to peruse.
Here are 16 additional potential health benefits to add to the growing list:
- Prevents Radiation Damage: Nigella sativa oil (NSO) and its active component, thymoquinone, protect brain tissue from radiation-induced nitrosative stress.
- Protects Against Damage from Heart Attack: A thymoquinone extract from nigella sativa has a protective effect against damage associated with experimental heart attack.
- Prevents Morphine Dependence/Toxicity: An alcohol extract of nigella sativa reduces morphine-associated conditioned place preference, an indication of morphine intoxication, dependence and tolerance.
- Prevents Kidney Damage Associated with Diabetes: A thymoquinone extract from nigella sativa has protective effects on experimental diabetic nephropathy.
- Prevents Post-Surgical Adhesions: Covering peritoneal surfaces with Nigella sativa oil (NSO) after peritoneal trauma is effective in decreasing peritoneal adhesion formation in an experimental model
- Prevents Alzheimer’s Associated Neurotoxicity: A thymoquinone extract from nigella sativa has protective effects on experimental diabetic prevents neurotoxicity and Aβ1-40-induced apoptosis in the cell model.
- Suppresses Breast Cancer Growth: : A thymoquinone extract from nigella sativa inhibits tumor growth and induces programmed cell death (apoptosis) in a breast cancer xenograft mouse model.
- Exhibits Anti-Psoriasis Properties: The alcohol extract of nigella sativa seeds exhibit anti-psoriatic activity, consistent with its medicinal use in traditional medicine.
- Prevents Brain Pathology Associated with Parkinson’s Disease: A thymoquinone extract from nigella sativa protects cultured neurons against αSN-induced synaptic toxicity, a pathology observed in the brains of patients with Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies.
- Kills Highly Aggressive Gliobastoma Brain Cancer Cells: A thymoquinone extract from nigella sativa exhibits glioblastoma cell killing activity.
- Kills Leukemia Cells: A thymoquinone from nigella sativa induces mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in vitro.
- Suppresses Liver Cancer Growth: A thymoquinone extract from nigella sativa prevents chemically-induced cancer in a rat model
- Prevents Diabetic Pathologies: A water and alcohol extract of nigella sativa at low doses has a blood-sugar lowering effect and ameliorative effect on regeneration of pancreatic islets, indicating its value as a therapeutic agent in the management of diabetes mellitus
- Suppresses Cervical Cancer Cell Growth: A thymoquinone extract from nigella sativa exhibits anti-proliferative, apoptotic and anti-invasive properties in a cervical cancer cell line
- Prevents Lead-Induced Brain Damage: A thymoquinone extract from nigella sativa ameliorates lead-induced brain damage in Sprague Dawley rats
- Kills Oral Cancer Cells: A thymoquinone extract from nigella sativa induces programmed cell death (apoptosis) in oral cancer cells
Why is such a powerful seed not yet on the radar of most medical and nutrition communities? We know sesame seed can beat Tylenol in reducing arthritis pain and can reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors in a manner that makes statin drugs envious, and we know flaxseeds shrink breast and prostate tumors, but black seed’s benefits are still largely under reported and underutilized.
—> Get the finest, truly cold-pressed, whole food black seed oil @ www.thepowermall.com
Note: we have Black Seed available in CAPSULES & OIL
Dangerous Skin-Rotting Drug Spreading Across Country
Xylazine, a drug used to sedate large animals, has been linked to an increasing number of overdose deaths across the country. The drug, also known as “tranq,” “tranq dope” and “zombie drug” is being used to cut heroin, fentanyl and other illicit drugs, says the New York Post. And its side effects can be horrifying ─ it can literally rot a user’s skin.
The Food and Drug Administration approved xylazine, a non-opioid, for veterinary use. It is not safe for humans and, frighteningly, those who overdose do not respond to naloxone, or Narcan, the most common overdose reversal treatment.
Xylazine results in excessive sleepiness, slows breathing and heart rate, and causes raw wounds that can become severe and spread quickly throughout the body, says the Post. The crusty ulcerations, which can turn into dead skin called eschar, may result in amputation if untreated.
The drug is hitting big cities across the country, especially Philadelphia, New York, and Los Angeles. In Philadelphia, 90% of lab-tested dope samples from 2021 contained xylazine, which increases the risk of overdose when combined with other illegal substances. According to Insider, Philadelphia is regarded as ground zero for the drug, and it has traveled to the west, infiltrating California’s drug trade. Xylazine is used to cut the opioid fentanyl to lower dealer costs and extend the effects of the drug.
“The main concern is that we’re already amid the worst overdose crisis in history, nationally and locally,” Tsai told the Los Angeles Times.
Experts say that xylazine extends the high enjoyed by opioid users, but that the skin-rotting side effects kill any pleasure associated with the drug.
“Tanq is basically zombifying people’s bodies,” said one 28-year-old user, according to a graphic investigation by Sky News. “Until nine months ago, I never had wounds, now there are holes in my legs and feet. Just cleaning them is painful.”
Sauna Use as an Exercise Mimetic for Heart Health
Sauna bathing can be used as an exercise mimetic (i.e., an exercise-mimicking tool) to increase your longevity and health span. Men using Finnish-style, dry heat sauna seven times per week cut their risk of death from fatal heart problems in half, compared to those who used it only once a week
Compared to once-a-week sauna use, those who have four to seven sessions per week have a 61% lower risk for stroke. Heat stress from sauna bathing has also been shown to lower your risk of high blood pressure
Heat stresses your heart and body similar to that of exercise, and produces many of the same results. As your body is subjected to heat stress, it gradually becomes acclimated to the heat, prompting a number of beneficial changes and adaptations
Recent research has demonstrated that sauna bathing also helps modulate your autonomic nervous system, which governs your stress responses
Many of the life extending benefits of sauna bathing are related to the workings of heat shock proteins, which protect protein structures and prevent protein aggregation
63% of Young American Men Are Single; Most Young Women Are in Relationships
An unsettling majority of young American men are single, while most of their female counterparts are in a relationship.
According to Pew Research Center, 63 percent of men between the ages of 18 and 29 are single, while only 34 percent of women in the same age range are single.
Overall, adults in the lowest age cohort are the most likely to be single, “meaning they are not married, living with a partner or in a committed romantic relationship.” Forty-seven percent of all U.S. adults under the age of 30 are single, whereas the next-highest age range — 30-to-49-year-olds — are the least likely to be single at 21 percent.
While young men are far more likely to be single than middle-aged men, the same pattern does not persist among females. Young women report being single at the same rate as women 65 and older.
Not only are young men in America significantly more likely to be single, they are also more likely to be friendless, lonely, and sexually uninvolved.
Think a housekeeper cleans everything in a hotel room? Wrong!
For those of us who’ve never donned a housekeeper’s uniform, we might assume that the precision and crispness of how a bed is made might be repeated at every other spot in a hotel room.
But, a new narrative by former hotel housekeeper Tara Richardson for Well + Good might have you bringing your own sanitary wipes and disinfectants the next time you head out on vacation.
Richardson says that when you consider that a housekeeper is expected to clean 15 to 20 rooms in an eight-hour shift, they’ve only got 30 minutes per room, tops. And once the bed is turned into a masterpiece, that leaves restocking the mini-bar, putting up new towels, dumping out the trash cans, refreshing the soap and shampoo supplies, vacuuming the floor, etc.
And Richardson claims that by the time the 30-minute limit dings, there are a number of things that are qualifiable “we’ll do that later” items that could send a clean freak overboard.
The five things that guests should avoid
The first item that Richardson says a germaphobe should avoid is the coffeemaker.
“Coffee makers are generally only superficially cleaned (a quick spray and wipe), as most hotels care more about appearance and speed as opposed to actual cleanliness,” Richardson said. “Coffee makers are rarely deep cleaned, meaning there are lots of bacteria and sometimes even mold growing inside because of stagnant water and improper cleaning.”
Avoiding the ice bucket might be a good move, too, because that plastic liner is nothing more than a prophylactic.
“I’ve personally seen ice buckets used as dog dishes, puke buckets, etc., and generally, the buckets are only superficially cleaned,” she said. “The water or ice is dumped, and then it’s just a quick dry with your dusting rag and maybe a spray with whatever all-purpose cleaner the hotel provides housekeeping staff with.”
And what goes hand in hand with the ice bucket? Glasses! And, those, too, made Richardson’s things-to-avoid list.
“Where I worked, drinking glasses and coffee cups were simply rinsed and wiped in the bathroom sink,” says Richardson. “We were not given dish soap nor was the glassware collected and taken to be properly washed in a dishwasher.”
Popular Sleep Aids Increase Dementia Risk, Study Finds
Recent data (pdf) show that nearly one-third of Americans have insomnia, and about one-third may be self-medicating to treat the condition. New research finds the price they pay for a good night’s sleep might be very high.
Sleep Aids Linked to an 80 Percent Increased Risk of Dementia
The study followed approximately 3,000 older white and black adults without dementia over an average duration of nine years, to find that white participants who frequently used sleep medications had a 79 percent increased risk of developing dementia compared to those who rarely used them.
During the study, 20 percent of participants developed dementia, and researchers discovered that whites were three times as likely as blacks to take sleep medications often.
Whites were also much more likely to use sleep aids like benzodiazepines, trazodone, and “Z-drugs,” which include zopiclone, eszopiclone, zaleplon, and zolpidem (Ambien).
“We’ve known for a while that certain sleep medications like benzodiazepines are associated with an increased risk of dementia,” Percy Griffin, who holds a doctorate in molecular cell biology and is the Alzheimer’s Association director of scientific engagement, told The Epoch Times.
“Benzodiazepines have been found to have anticholinergic activity, which increases the risk for dementia,” he said.
Anticholinergics are terrible for both sleep and brain function.
“Acetylcholine signaling is already deficient in people with Alzheimer’s, and further blocking these receptors has caused delirium in patients I have seen and may increase dementia risk as well,” said Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine.
“For everyone else, short-term use is okay, but ideally avoided,” he continued. “Anticholinergic medications can alter sleep architecture, and reduce REM sleep.”
Research shows that patients with dementia who were prescribed higher-dose Z-drugs were also more likely to be hospitalized, visit their primary care doctor, and be prescribed antipsychotics, antidepressants, and even antibiotics.
—> HERBAL ZZZS – All natural, non habit forming, sleep-aid available at The Power Mall
Study: Drinking oolong tea can help reverse aging
According to a study published in the journal Aging, drinking oolong tea regularly can help improve longevity.
For the 2021 study, researchers conducted a randomized controlled clinical trial of 43 healthy adult men. The volunteers were between the ages of 50 and 72.
Results of the study suggest that making evidence-based lifestyle changes could help reduce biological age.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
US Fed warns of more rate hikes
The February meeting minutes show that officials are still concerned with inflation despite the recent slowing
US inflation is showing signs of slowing, but not enough to allow the Federal Reserve to ease monetary policy, the regulator’s February meeting minutes released on Wednesday show.
According to the document, inflation in the country “remained well above” the 2% target, while labor markets “remained very tight, contributing to continuing upward pressures on wages and prices.”
“Participants noted that inflation data received over the past three months showed a welcome reduction in the monthly pace of price increases but stressed that substantially more evidence of progress across a broader range of prices would be required to be confident that inflation was on a sustained downward path,” the minutes said, noting that “ongoing” rate hikes will be necessary. At the meeting, the Fed approved yet another 25-basis point increase, bringing the rate to a target range of 4.5%-4.75%.
The extent of the upcoming rate increases has not been revealed, and the minutes show that officials are divided on the issue. However, in an interview with CNBC, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard suggested that a more aggressive hike would give the regulator a better chance to rein in inflation at a faster pace.
“It has become popular to say, ‘Let’s slow down and feel our way to where we need to be.’ We still haven’t gotten to the point where the committee put the so-called terminal rate… You’ll know when you’re there when the next move could be up or down. Our risk now is inflation doesn’t come down and reaccelerates, and then what do you do? Let’s be sharp now, let’s get inflation under control in 2023,” he said.
Walmart Has ‘A Lot of Trepidation’ About Economy, as Consumers Feel ‘Very Pressured’
Walmart is concerned about the U.S. economic outlook this year after its latest earnings projections showed that consumers were under heavy pressure.
Shares of the retail giant rose 0.4 percent after the big-box retailer gave its weaker-than-expected outlook for the year ahead.
The world’s largest retailer saw its full-year earnings forecast (pdf) fall below estimates, as tight consumer spending due to high inflation, may lead to pressure on profit margins.
“The consumer is still very pressured,” Walmart CFO John David Rainey told CNBC.
“And if you look at economic indicators, balance sheets are running thinner and savings rates are declining relative to previous periods. And so that’s why we take a pretty cautious outlook on the rest of the year.”
Skyrocketing consumer, rental, and food prices are raising fears among investors that the Federal Reserve will continue to hike borrowing rates to slow the U.S. economy, which may lead to a recession by the end of 2023.
Desperate NYC stores turning to K-9s to fight shoplifting
Shoplifting has become so rampant that one of the Big Apple’s busiest commercial districts is turning to “man’s best friend” to sniff out thieves, The Post has learned.
The 34th Street Partnership — the trade group serving the neighborhood that includes Macy’s Herald Square, Penn Station and Madison Square Garden — is trying to take a bite out of crime by contracting with a firm that provides K-9 units.
The dogged pursuit was launched this month at the CVS at Eighth Avenue and West 34th Street in the heart of the district that has been plagued with thefts.
“We’ve had a lot of complaints. A lot of shoplifting occurs in drugstores,” said Kevin Ward, the vice president of security for the 34th Street Partnership.
“We’re trying to address the issue.”
The program — which the trade group says costs in the “low-five figures monthly” — was a necessary investment amid a flood of shoplifting complaints and lax enforcement tied to the state’s soft-of-crime laws, according to Ward.
“We decided to have a very visible deterrent,” said Ward, a retired police officer who was chief of staff to former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton.
NPR to cut about 100 workers in one of its largest layoffs ever
NPR plans to cut about 100 employees — roughly 10 percent of its workforce — in one of the largest layoffs in the nonprofit news giant’s 53-year history.
Tom Emmer Unveils Bill to Ban Fed from Issuing Government-Controlled Digital Currency
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) on Wednesday introduced legislation to prevent the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC), which he and others say could surveil Americans’ financial activity.
“Today, I introduced the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act to halt efforts of unelected bureaucrats in Washington, DC from stripping Americans of their right to financial privacy,” Emmer, a staunch cryptocurrency advocate, wrote.
Vanguard Chief Defends Decision to Leave Asset Manager Climate Alliance
Vanguard CEO Tim Buckley is now defending his position to remove the world’s second-largest asset manager from a climate alliance with asset managers, claiming his company is “not in the game of politics” and his “voice was being drowned out.”
Toward the end of 2022, Vanguard quit the Net Zero Asset Managers (NZAM), a coalition of 301 asset managers committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, citing the company’s desire to preserve its independence and provide clarity to investors. At the time, it was the most significant defection to date.
Poor People in Developing Countries Find Alternatives to Commercial Banking
Banking is a complicated process for working-class people who fail to comply with anti–money laundering regulations. Know your customer (KYC) requirements mandate prospective clients to provide their source of funding and possible employment history. Such policies make it difficult for working-class entrepreneurs to formalize and access funding. By restricting poorer people to informality, KYC requirements sap the growth potential of small businesses.
However, the ingenuity of working-class entrepreneurs has allowed them to compete by creating an alternative to the financial system. Due to the success of rotating savings and credit associations (ROSCA), informal entrepreneurs have managed to build lucrative businesses. In developing countries, these informal institutions are a pivotal source of capital formation. For example, in Nigeria, credit contribution clubs are quite popular, especially among the Igbo and Yoruba people.
Such associations have a formal structure and rules barring members from the arbitrary use of funds. In fact, payments to members are guided by a schedule and premature payouts only occur in the context of an emergency and are sanctioned by officers. Because of the vitality of these associations, working-class entrepreneurs have been able to procure capital for expansion, pay debts, and acquire properties.
In several cases, these informal groups in Nigeria function as a source of insurance and welfare. People use their contributions to cover medical expenses, get married, and educate their children. Likewise, in the Caribbean various versions of these programs exist, such as su-su and partner. Some sociologists argue that the entrepreneurial dominance of West Indian migrants in twentieth-century America is attributable to these informal banking networks.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Google blocks news content for some Canadians in response to online news bill
The tech giant recently launched a five-week test that will impact the way news results appear for a small percentage of users.
Google says it has started limiting what kinds of news content some Canadians see on its search engine as part of a test intended to inform the tech giant’s response to the federal government’s online news bill.
As first reported by The Canadian Press, the company confirmed to the Star late Wednesday that it is “briefly testing potential product responses” to the proposed legislation, affecting less than four per cent of Canadians who use the world’s most popular search engine.
At issue is Bill C-18, or the Online News Act, which would compel web giants like Facebook and Google to share some of the revenue they make from posting news content on their platforms with the media outlets that produce the stories.
But the company has long battled Ottawa over the bill, which was introduced last spring as a way to support a shrinking journalism industry that has seen tech titans dominate the digital advertising market.
“We’ve been fully transparent about our concern that C-18 is overly broad and, if unchanged, could impact products Canadians use and rely on every day. We remain committed to supporting a sustainable future for news in Canada and offering solutions that fix Bill C-18,” a statement from Google read.
The test, which began recently, a company source said, will run for approximately five weeks. Google would not discuss the exact changes made to the search engine for Canadians captured within the test.
It Begins: Sports Illustrated To Use AI For Articles
One of the nation’s longest-running sports news outlets, Sports Illustrated, has announced that it is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to generate articles and story ideas.
he Arena Group Holdings, publisher of the nearly 70-year-old magazine, has announced that it has contracted with AI startups Jasper and Nota to generate stories and pull facts from its own past library of content, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Along with that new contract, SI will also work with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, in the future.
The publisher has already put the new procedures in place in one of its other magazines, Men’s Journal, the Wall Street Journal added.
These articles are reportedly reviewed and fact-checked by human editors, the publisher explained. And a disclaimer is added to each story using the new content creation programs, reading, “This article is a curation of expert advice from Men’s Fitness, using deep-learning tools for retrieval combined with OpenAI’s large language model for various stages of the workflow.”
Arena insisted that it was not looking to eliminate human writers and journalists.
“It’s not going to replace the art of creating content. It’s giving the content creators, whether they’re writers or social creators, real efficiency and real access to the archives we have,” Ross Levinsohn, Arena Group’s chairman and chief executive, exclaimed.
Arena Group added that it would use AI tools in all its magazines, encompassing more than 50 titles.
Joe Allen: How AI Carves Out Out Space In Your Brain
AI like ChatGPT will be totally disruptive on many levels, from white collar worker displacement to journalism. The worst danger is what it will do to the mind and its container, the brain. AI is neither sentient nor human, but billions will take it that way and turn it into objects of worship.
Keep in mind that Technocracy, Inc. defined itself as “The science of social engineering”. It is almost perfected and threatens to change humanity forever.
Transhumanism: What Is It And Why Is It Evil?
This article is a deep dive into the history and background of Transhumanism. It underscores the title of my latest book, The Evil Twins of Technocracy and Transhumanism. Transhumanism is an ideological pseudoscience that cannot possibly succeed, but will leave a wake of human destruction and harm in its path.
SURVEILLANCE STATE
The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear a challenge to the federal government’s mass surveillance program. In affirming the dismissal of the Wikimedia v. NSA lawsuit, the Supreme Court has allowed the government to assert a state secrets privilege related to its domestic and international Upstream surveillance program, which gives the NSA access to massive amounts of communications data.
The lawsuit was originally filed on behalf of a coalition of educational, legal, human rights and media organizations, including The Rutherford Institute, the ACLU, the Wikimedia Foundation, Amnesty International USA, Human Rights Watch, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
“On any given day, the average American going about his daily business will be monitored, surveilled, spied on and tracked in more than 20 different ways, by both government and corporate eyes and ears,” said constitutional attorney John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute and author of Battlefield America: The War on the American People. “Revelations about the NSA’s spying programs only scrape the surface in revealing the lengths to which government agencies and their corporate allies will go to conduct mass surveillance on Americans’ communications and transactions.”
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Brutal winter storms are expected to deliver snow, blizzard conditions or icing across strips of the US from California to the Northeast on Thursday, part of a multiday event that has already closed roads and caused numerous power outages – even as the Southeast basks in unseasonably high temperatures.
More than 60 million people are under winter weather alerts Thursday morning from the West into the northern Plains, Great Lakes region and New York and New England. That’s part of storms that already have left more than 850,000 homes and businesses without power, mainly in Michigan – struck partly by freezing rain and ice that’s damaged utility lines and trees – and other parts of the Midwest, according to tracker PowerOutage.us.
GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING
Growing Sweet Potatoes In Containers
Sweet potatoes are a great food to learn how to grow. They are nutrient-dense and have a significant amount of calories. Plus they’re easy to start from scraps, and easy to grow! Even if you don’t have much space, growing sweet potatoes in containers is totally an option!
Start With Sweet Potato Slips
Just like growing sweet potatoes in the ground, growing sweet potatoes in containers starts with what’s called slips. These are the vines that grow from the actual sweet potato root.
Use an organic sweet potato from the store, a sweet potato from a friend’s garden or your last harvest, or order one from a seed supplier. Place the sweet potato halfway in water and let the vines begin to grow.
Once the slips form, gently pinch them off and place them in water to grow their roots. Change the water regularly. Once they have a nice little set of roots it’s time to put them into their permanent containers!
Planting Sweet Potato Slips in Containers
Sweet potatoes are warm weather loving plants. If you were planting outdoors, you would need to wait until all chances of frost were gone before planting. But because you can keep your containers indoors in a bright location, or move them indoors at night or cold days, you can plant any time!
Any garden pot will work for the vines. I recommend something the size of a five gallon bucket or larger for harvesting roots. Make sure your pot has drainage holes so your potatoes won’t rot. Fabric bags will work too!
Keep the potting soil very moist after planting, and gradually stretch out watering sessions one day at a time until you only need to water once a week. (If you live in a very hot area and they are in full sun you may still need to water every few days.)
COVID RELATED NEWS
Congress Prepares to Investigate COVID-19 Vaccines
Members of Congress are preparing to probe COVID-19 vaccine development and other issues related to the shots.
The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic is planning to investigate how possible side effects are being studied, the regulatory process of authorizing and approving the vaccines, and why the vaccines were mandated, members told The Epoch Times.
One goal of the committee is making sure the United States is prepared for future pandemics, “and that includes perfecting our vaccine development,” Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) told The Epoch Times via email. “In order to do so, we must have complete transparency in vaccine research, clinical trials and adverse reactions, and manufacturing.”
“I expect our oversight hearings will shed light on the FDA approval process, the potential for side effects, and ultimately the success rate and safety of the vaccine—each of which will help us to navigate future global health emergencies,” she added.
Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), another member, said the panel “will be performing a comprehensive review of how the vaccines were developed, approved, and mandated.”
Autopsies Confirm COVID Jab Hazards in Youth
When the COVID shots were first introduced, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made several claims about them that have since been proven completely false, including the claim that the mRNA would remain in the injection site, and that both the mRNA and resulting spike protein would rapidly be eliminated from your body
The mRNA goes everywhere and can remain intact for a month of more. Ditto for the spike protein your cells produce
Spike protein has been found in the brains of people with encephalitis (brain inflammation) and in jab-induced shingles lesions. Both mRNA and spike protein have been found in lymph nodes more than 60 days post-jab. Full-length mRNA has also been shown to circulate in people’s blood for up to 28 days post-injection, and it’s been detected in breastmilk
Research shows the primary difference between those who developed symptoms of myocarditis and those who didn’t was that symptomatic patients had markedly elevated levels of full-length spike protein unbound by antibodies in their plasma. Those who remained asymptomatic had no free spike protein in their blood. This would suggest that free-floating spike protein is a problem
Autopsies of two teenage boys found dead in their beds three and four days after their second dose of Pfizer concluded jab-induced heart damage was to blame. The myocarditis described in these instances did not have the typical histopathology of myocarditis. Instead, both cases resemble catecholamine-induced injury, similar to the cytokine storm experienced in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection
What’s Driving the Sharp Increase of ADHD?
One survey found a 26.5% increase in diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adults during the pandemic lockdown; additionally, 22% of adults and 17% of children took medication for ADHD for the first time
Increasing demand for Adderall, a medication used to treat ADHD, has led to shortages. The FDA and DEA limit how much medication can be produced based on historical data, which has led to shortages based on demand and not disruptions in the supply
During lockdowns, dietary pattern changes included increases in snack frequency, a preference for sweet and ultraprocessed foods and an increase in alcohol consumption. Yet, the No. 1 dietary rule to reduce symptoms of ADHD is to stop sugar spikes
A randomized, double-blind study showed saffron can reduce ADHD symptoms. Reports from social media suggest brown noise can help improve focus and productivity, which should be practiced with safe listening habits to lower the risk of hearing loss
Exercise can improve cognitive function and executive control. Dietary modifications can reduce symptoms, such as avoiding sugar and refined carbohydrates, promoting a healthy gut microbiome and avoiding food additives and genetically engineered ingredients
CANCEL CULTURE
Chelsea Clinton’s ‘She Persisted’ Series Pushes ‘Transgenderism’ on Children
The latest edition of Chelsea Clinton’s She Persisted book series is pushing “transgender” ideology on children by propping up Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Rachel Levine — a man — as a woman.
The children’s book, written by Lisa Bunker — who is also a man — and Clinton, tells the story of Levine being the “first openly transgender government official to hold an office that requires Senate confirmation, the first openly transgender four-star officer in uniform service, and the first female four-star admiral in the commissioned corps.”
https://www.technocracy.news/it-begins-sports-illustrated-to-use-ai-for-articles/
PET NEWS
Can You Feed Portobello Mushroom to Your Pets?
I’ve previously written about the many benefits of edible medicinal and culinary mushrooms for your pet’s health, as I believe this type of food is one of the best to share with your dogs and cats. Just remember this rule: Only feed your pets mushrooms that you would eat yourself. All mushrooms sold at the grocery store or market that are intended for human consumption are also safe for pets.
One of the most popular mushroom varieties in the culinary world is portobello, and it is enjoyed by humans in many ways.
CLA in Portobellos May Have Anticancer Properties
Mushrooms like portobello are dense in nutrients because, as fungi, they scavenge organic matter — they absorb the nutrients from the ground and from decaying wood, and even manure. The nutrients have various benefits to human and animal health, such as eliminating toxins from the body and scavenging disease-causing free radicals.
One of the nutrients in portobello mushrooms is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA),7 which has “anticarcinogenic, antiobese, antidiabetic and antihypertensive properties.”8 A 2008 animal study supports the notion that this fatty acid may be beneficial for cancer prevention, as it was found to help inhibit prostate tumor growth in mice subjects. According to the study authors:9
“The data provided by this study illustrate the anticancer potential of phytochemicals in mushroom extract both in vitro and in vivo and supports the recommendation of white button mushroom as a dietary component that may aid in the prevention of prostate cancer in men.”
In companion animals, CLA may also help manage weight, which may be especially helpful for obese or overweight pets. Rodent studies found that CLA helped enhance fatty acid oxidation, leading to as much as 60% lower body fat and 14% increased lean body mass.
How to Safely Give Portobello Mushrooms to Your Pets
“Whatever the mushroom variety, make sure to always steer clear of mushrooms growing in the wild.”
Unless you are an expert wild forager of mushrooms, I recommend only feeding those that come from reputable growers and farmers markets. Opt for spray-free organic mushrooms, whenever possible, to ensure that they’re truly sustainable and free of potentially harmful chemicals.
Wash portobello mushrooms under cold running water quickly before preparing them. Research suggests the nutritional properties of mushrooms, including beta-glucans, are more accessible if mushrooms are gently cooked prior to serving.35 Steaming or sautéing them quickly in coconut oil is suggested. Since portobellos are a bit large, make sure to chop or slice them before sharing with your pet.
When using as treats or toppers, serve the mushrooms plain, without any seasonings. They can make for a wholesome training treat or a tasty meal topper to your pet’s nutritionally balanced, species-appropriate homemade diet. You can puree them and spread on lick mats, slice and stuff in an interactive toy, or use them as an ingredient in homemade training treats or homemade meals.
My easy and nourishing mushroom broth recipe provides a simple way to incorporate portobellos into your pet’s diet. You can also add other medicinal mushroom varieties like porcini and maitake.
More Stories
Today’s News: April 23, 2024
Today’s News: April 22, 2024
Today’s News: April 19, 2024