WORLD NEWS
Discussion of sending NATO troops into Ukraine itself has suddenly broken into the open for the first time, prompting Russia to warn that “a direct military conflict between NATO and Russia will be inevitable” if Western troops became engaged.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg issued a denial that the alliance was planning to send troops to fight in Ukraine on Tuesday morning, following 24 hours of public discussion among member states on the move, which also triggered a dark threat from Moscow about their response to any such deployment.
The discussion came around an emergency meeting on Ukraine called by French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, who appears the most publicly supportive of a NATO deployment directly against Russia. President Macron said yesterday that sending Western soldiers to Ukraine “could not be ruled out” and that “we must do whatever we can to obtain our objective”.Noting there was no consensus in favor of going to war with Russia at the moment, Macron compared that reluctance to all of the many other ‘red lines’ crossed by NATO in the past two years, which had gone from European nations just giving Ukraine “sleeping bags and helmets” in 2022 to donating battle tanks and cruise missiles in 2023 and preparing to hand over advanced jet fighters in 2024.
“Nothing should be excluded. We will do everything that we can to make sure that Russia does not prevail”, Macron said, while expressing his belief Russia was preparing to take more territory not just in Ukraine, but in other countries too, reports The Times.
Inevitably, the discussion around NATO troops being deployed to Ukraine has elicited a response from Moscow. Seemingly unable to resist threatening enormous retribution, the Kremlin warned of a civilisation-ending nuclear war in response to Western interest in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday it wasn’t a matter of “probability, but rather the “inevitability” of a massive Russian retaliation against the West if its troops came to Ukraine.
Peskov said Western leaders should “ask themselves whether this corresponds to their interests, and most importantly, to the interests of the citizens of their countries”. Russian state media characterized Peskov’s comments as a warning that a “direct military conflict between NATO and Russia will be inevitable if Western troops are sent to Ukraine”.
Only In China: Like A Giant Ant Farm Housing 30,000 Humans
The Regent International apartment building in Qianjiang Century City, Hangzhou’s central business district, is like nothing you’ve ever seen before.
Initially designed as a hotel, this mammoth structure has been turned into thousands of high-end residential apartments.
The S-shaped Regent International now accommodates for up to 30,000 residents, although its current inhabitants stand at around the 20,000 mark.
Nonetheless, the remarkable congregation of locals crammed under one roof makes it one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
But the impressive building, which stands at 675 ft tall, is more than just a place to call home.
Also located across its 36 to 39 floors, depending on what side of it you’re on, are a variety of amenities and businesses – just like any normal town would have.
Available for the 20,000 residents is a giant food court, as well as swimming pools, barber shops, nail salons, medium-sized supermarkets, and internet cafes.
With everything quite literally on your doorstep, there aren’t many reasons for people to leave the building.
It’s highly likely that some people never step foot outside at all.
The building was inaugurated in 2013 and designed by Alicia Loo, the chief designer of the world’s second seven-star hotel, the Singapore Sands Hotel.
It is said to be primarily occupied by graduates, or students who are about to graduate.
Young professionals, such as influencers and those in charge of small businesses, are also popular tenants.
According to an article by Chinese news agency Sina, smaller apartments without windows usually rent for around 1,500 RMB (£167) per month, Oddity Central report.
It’s added that larger units with balconies can rent for up to 4,000 RMB (£445) per month or more.
With more than 260,000 square meters of space on offer, the Regent International building is one of the largest in China.
Pictures and footage of the impressive facility have been doing the rounds on social media, with people left dumbfounded as to how so many people can live in one place.
But the innovative approach to urban living, which has quite literally created a self-contained ecosystem, has garnered plenty of praise.
Having seamlessly blended residential, commercial, and recreational spaces, it’s even been described as “the most sustainable living building on earth” by some.
It bears similarities to the remote Alaskan city of Whittier, where all 272 residents live in the same 14 floor tower.
Located at the top of the Passage Canal, the Begich Towers building has everything a town would have, including a church, a post office, a market, a clinic, a police station and a school.
Chinese Communists Urge Xi Jinping to End Child Limits as Birth Rate Continues to Plummet
A member of the influential Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee suggested recently that China should shore up its collapsing demographics by lifting all restrictions on how many children families can have and by extending equal recognition and benefits to the children of single parents.
An advisor to the National Committee said it was no longer appropriate to restrict family size because China’s birth rate is declining sharply enough to put its future social and industrial plans in doubt. The political advisor also put forward suggestions on reducing social costs borne directly by enterprises due to female employees’ childbirth. The proposals include improving cost-sharing mechanisms for maternity leave, significantly reducing the social security costs borne by enterprises for female employees during maternity leave and extended prenatal check-up periods. For enterprises that hire women of childbearing age, certain income tax reductions can be granted and that local governments provide subsidies for families with multiple children, and accelerate the building of public kindergartens and nursing homes, in order to relieve the burden of parents.
While Chinese officials and state media tend to treat population decline as an annoyingly stubborn problem the Communist Party will soon address with the perfect mix of policies, foreign analysts believe China is approaching an event horizon of demographic decline from which no industrial nation has ever escaped.
In January, the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) warned that China’s population decline is “getting close to irreversible.” China has already passed Japan, the early harbinger of Asian population decline, and is approaching the astonishing fertility crash of South Korea.
PIIE speculated that 2024 might present China’s best chance to pull out of the population nosedive because “some marriages postponed by now-lifted Covid restrictions may take place,” and the Year of the Dragon is “often considered a fortuitous year to have children.” However, both of those factors would probably be marginal and temporary.
Ukraine demands compensation from Poland over dumped grain
Protesting farmers have reportedly offloaded Ukrainian produce from freight cars onto the ground
Kiev has demanded compensation from the Polish farmers who dumped onto the ground about 180 tons of Ukrainian grain from freight cars transiting the country during a recent blockade, RBK Ukraine reported on Wednesday, citing first Deputy Agriculture Minister Taras Visotsky.
Polish truckers and farmers have been blocking checkpoints at the border with Ukraine, calling for a ban on imports of non-EU agricultural products. Similar blockades have appeared elsewhere in the bloc as farmers argue that countries such as Ukraine don’t have to abide by EU regulations or pay the bloc’s taxes, meaning their products are cheaper and possess an unfair advantage.
Last week, protesting Polish farmers spilled Ukrainian grain from train cars to protest what they view as unfair competition. Earlier this month, they also offloaded produce from trucks trying to enter Poland onto a road near border crossings with Ukraine.
“As a result of protests by Polish farmers on the border with Ukraine, between 160 and 180 tons of Ukrainian grain were spilled from freight cars along the way, which was being sent to Morocco. Those who caused the damage must compensate for it. This can be decided by a court decision or voluntarily” RBK Ukraine quoted Vysotsky as saying.
Gene-edited mosquitos get released, now dengue fever rockets by 400%
Program got $50 million from Bill Gates, now populations urged to vax up
Dengue fever, carried by mosquitoes, is swamping the populations of Brazil and Peru, Argentina, Laos and causing major concerns in other parts of the world.
It has spiked fourfold in Brazil just this year following the release of millions of gene-edited mosquitos by the World Mosquito Program run by the United Nations.
Vaccines are being produced and distributed on a timetable pushed by the urgency of the events, and multiple deaths already are being reported.
The Guardian reported there have been nearly a million cases in Brazil, and almost the same number in Peru.
Government officials say there already have been dozens of deaths.
“Brazil has bought 5.2m doses of the dengue vaccine Qdenga, developed by Japanese drugmaker Takeda, with another 1.32m doses provided at no cost to the government,” the report said, explaining three Brazilian states are in a state of emergency.
The ailment is spread by mosquitoes, which were described in an International Business Times report as the “most dangerous animal in the world.”
It was the United Nations that previously cited a World Health Organization warning that more than half of the world was at risk from mosquito-transmitted dengue fever.
The U.N.’s response was to work with technology to create millions of “sterilized pests” and then release them, a campaign which reached Brazil only months ago.
“Countries have already started like Italy, Greece and Mauritius, and others are on the point of doing it, for example the United States, France and Brazil,” said Jeremy Bouyer, medical entomologist at the Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, a joint International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) / Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) initiative.
“We already have evidence that SIT is able to reduce the density of mosquitoes very significantly and now we must prove that it will also impact the transmission of the disease.”
The WHO effort was intended to reduce the mosquito population globally, and thus cut back on the number of cases of malaria, Zika, Chikungunya and yellow fever, too.
Brazilian military members have in recent days been hunting through junkyards and home roofs to find stagnant water puddles, in which mosquitoes breed.
Officials were blaming “global warming” as well as El Nino rain patterns that have brought extra moisture to Brazil this year.
“Dengue fever symptoms include a high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pains, and an itchy skin rash. In some cases, the disease can cause a more severe haemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding that can lead to death,” the Guardian reported.
Jamie White reported at Infowars that the U.N.’s mosquito program was funded partially by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
That report pointed out that dengue fever reports are up by four times this year “following the release of millions of gene-edited mosquitoes by the United Nations’ World Mosquito Program,” which got $50 million in funding from the foundation.
Harvard Public Health reported late last year, “Brazilian health officials in five cities have been releasing clouds of lab-grown Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria, which prevents dengue virus transmission to humans.”
“The country will be the first to launch a nationwide program to release Wolbachia-modified mosquitoes, which are expected to protect up to 70 million people from dengue fever over the next 10 years. And it’s building a factory to scale up mosquito production: Beginning 2024, the factory will mass-produce five billion mosquitoes a year,” the report said.
At AgenciaBrasil, a report said the current dengue incidence rate was 453 per 100,000 residents.
U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
Blaze News investigative journalist Steve Baker says the FBI want him to self-surrender to the agency two days from now in Dallas, all because of his January 6th reporting related to potential false testimony at the Oath Keepers’ trials by a capitol police official. Baker has been told to show up in shorts and sandals because the feds are going to go the “humiliation” route, putting him in an orange jumpsuit, handcuffing him and doing the perp walk thing before a federal magistrate at 10 a.m. central time.
Baker said his legal team was told there was no request to the court for detention and no need for bail and the expectation is he’ll be released after the proceedings, which are for only misdemeanors, yet, neither he nor his legal team know what the charges exactly are or what restrictions are going to be placed on Baker, like gag orders, travel restrictions, etc.
Baker’s attorneys responded to his question of why the feds are treating him like this and their response was … “You know why. You’ve been poking them in the eye for three years.”
Trump Scores 6th Straight Primary Win With Triumph in Michigan
Former President Donald J. Trump has soundly defeated former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in Michigan’s Feb. 27 Republican presidential primary, notching his sixth-straight primary victory as he marches towards the GOP nomination. The result is another blow to Ms. Haley, coming days after a double-digit defeat in her home state of South Carolina. Despite this, she has vowed to stay on through Super Tuesday on March 5, when numerous delegate-heavy states will hold their primaries.
The main event will be in Grand Rapids, where former Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.) will oversee a convention at which party insiders will vote on how to divvy up the remaining delegates.
Yet, while Mr. Hoekstra has the backing of President Trump and the Republican National Committee (RNC), his accession to leader of the Michigan GOP has not been universally recognized by Republicans in the state.
Many in the party maintain that Kristina Karamo was improperly removed from her role as state GOP chairwoman. She’s staging her own convention in Detroit.
An ongoing lawsuit against Ms. Karamo could end the standoff before March 2. On election day itself, the judge in the case ruled that her ouster from the leadership role was legal.
Meanwhile, President Biden handily won the Democratic presidential primary in the state, garnering 78.6 percent of the vote.
Armageddon is Just Four Days Away
Elements of the United States government will “shut down” midnight Friday — absent bipartisan resolution to keep it in funds.
Some 20% of the federal apparatus will be padlocked and chained.
And as Uncle Samuel’s doors swing shut… Pandora’s hellish box will swing open.
The remaining 80% of the federal apparatus will join the harrowingly idle 20% the following Friday, March 8 — again, in the absence of bipartisan resolution.
Can you imagine it? The entire government of the United States plunging into coma?
Yet take some measure of comfort. That is because fragments of federal enterprise would proceed without hinder.
By law, federal workers declared essential to the Republic’s safety will remain in post — the snoozing customs official at Ketchikan, Alaska — for example.
The Transportation Security Administration will continue guarding the aerial ways against infants, great-grandmothers, wheelchair-riders and related cutthroats.
Air traffic controllers of the Federal Aviation Administration will continue setting aircraft on colliding courses.
In event of armed invasion, the 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army will thunder from their barracks.
Meantime, Social Security checks will still go issuing through the mails.
We are nonetheless warned that the nation perches upon Satan’s shovel… unless the two political parties at Washington can sink their differences… and consent to keep the United States government pegging along.
Who is to blame for the impossible impasse?
“It’s their fault,” shriek Democrats. “It’s their fault,” howl Republicans.
We hazard both are correct. We further hazard both are incorrect.
Will the United States government partially — or fully — shutter its doors?
Partially perhaps. Yet not fully.
And we hazard Republicans will blink their eyes before Democrats blink their eyes.
Why? Because this is an election year. And Republicans quake in fear. Fear, that is, of absorbing blame.
The late Joseph Sobran labeled Democrats “the evil party.” He labeled Republicans “the stupid party.”
Thus he concluded that “bipartisanship” yields outcomes both evil and stupid.
We believe this Sobran fellow landed his ax upon the root of the dilemma.
Under stupid and evil bipartisanship the nation gutters beneath $34.2 trillion of debt.
This debt gallops by the hour, by the day, by the week, by the month, by the year.
The nation’s economic output meantime does not. Its debt-to-GDP ratio runs at 122%.
McConnell Says GOP Won’t Allow Government Shut Down
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on Monday that GOP lawmakers in the upper chamber are “not going to allow the government to shut down.”
He made the comment to reporters before entering the Senate chamber at the start of a week in which lawmakers will labor to reach a deal to fund the government beyond Friday. Without the deal, a partial government shutdown may occur.
In remarks on the Senate floor on Monday, Mr. McConnell emphasized the urgent need for timely action on government funding to prevent a partial lapse that could shutter federal departments and agencies.
“Shutting down the government is harmful to the country. And it never produces positive outcomes—on policy or politics,” Mr. McConnell said.
Witness Confronted With Texts, Key Details He Shared About Wade-Willis Relationship
Terrence Bradley, former law partner and attorney to special prosecutor Nathan Wade, testified about Mr. Wade and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s relationship in a public court hearing on Feb. 27, responding to attorneys that accused him of misleading the defense with his representations of the relationship.
Mr. Wade and Ms. Willis’s relationship has been at the center of a motion to disqualify the prosecutors from the high-profile election case naming former President Donald Trump and 14 others in an alleged racketeering scheme.
During the testimony, several texts between Mr. Bradley and Ashleigh Merchant, representing defendant Michael Roman, were read aloud in court.
Among other things, Mr. Bradley had texted Ms. Merchant that he believed the relationship between Mr. Wade and Ms. Willis began after they met at a judicial conference in 2019, that they had gone on several trips together, that he wanted to review the motion to disqualify for accuracy, and that Mr. Wade was “absolutely” hired after he and Ms. Willis were already in a relationship. However, Mr. Bradley testified that this had all been “speculation.”
Shown some of the text messages, Mr. Bradley said, “I see that message, but I do not recall that.”
“And when I asked you if you thought it started before she hired him, and you responded ‘absolutely,’” Ms. Merchant added before being interrupted by an objection from state attorneys that the source of information was in question.
The testimony came after two tries during which Mr. Bradley invoked attorney-client privilege on the witness stand, only to have state attorneys inadvertently reveal before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee that Mr. Bradley seemed to have improperly interpreted what was covered by attorney-client privilege.
The judge called for a closed-door meeting with Mr. Bradley after his Feb. 16 testimony and later determined that he had information about Mr. Wade and Ms. Willis’s relationship that should be heard in court, calling the Feb. 27 hearing.
“I found that neither Mr. Wade nor Mr. Bradley had met their burden in establishing that the attorney-client privilege applied specifically as it relates to Mr. Bradley’s knowledge of any relationship that existed between Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade,” Judge McAfee said.
This marks the end of witness testimony for the motion to disqualify prosecutors based on conflict of interest and an alleged financial benefit for Ms. Willis in the hiring of Mr. Wade.
The judge has also scheduled a March 1 hearing on the motion to disqualify, during which attorneys are expected to make their arguments before the judge.
Jack Smith Pushes Back on Trump Allegations of Bias in Response to Demand for Documents
Special counsel Jack Smith responded to former President Donald Trump’s attorneys’ motion to compel evidence from the prosecution by attempting to push back on allegations that the prosecution is selective and vindictive.
The former president is being prosecuted for allegedly mishandling classified documents and also not properly responding to a subpoena, as the case has been mired in millions of pages of documents and months of video shared in discovery—much of which, the defense claims, the prosecutors have still not handed over.
Monday’s argument was filed after obtaining express permission from the court, as prosecutors argued that the defense had brought up new arguments in their reply to the prosecution’s initial response and that they should be given the opportunity to rebut the new legal arguments.
In fact, some of the documents requested have to do with pursuing a defense based on selective and vindictive prosecution. The defense revealed in a previous court filing that emails released through the Freedom of Information Act allegedly showed that the White House coordinated with the Department of Justice on matters related to the case. They have demanded additional related material as they seek to have the case dismissed.
Trump Asks Judge to Block Testimony From Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels
Former President Donald Trump has asked the judge in his so-called “hush money” case to issue pretrial rulings that would block certain evidence and witness testimony that the former president says his opponents want to exploit to undermine his 2024 presidential campaign.
The case centers on allegations that President Trump falsified business records to hide $130,000 in payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels (whose real name is Stephanie Clifford) in exchange for keeping quiet about her allegations about an affair.
President Trump has repeatedly denied any affair or wrongdoing, while calling the case a politically-motivated ploy to hurt his chances of winning the race for the White House.
With trial scheduled to start on March 25, President Trump is now ramping up his rhetoric, accusing prosecutors in a 47-page motion filed on Monday of planning to put forward “improper arguments” and “inadmissible evidence” in order to bolster their “listless ‘zombie’ case” and interfere in the upcoming presidential election.
At the top of the list of what President Trump wants New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan to block is any new testimony from his former personal attorney Michael Cohen, who has admitted to lying to Congress.
Other demands include blocking testimony from Ms. Clifford, former Trump doorman Dino Sajudin, and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, as well as other requests related to evidentiary and procedural matters.
President Trump’s motion challenges the credibility of the witnesses, including calling Mr. Cohen a “liar” and suggesting Ms. Clifford would offer “false” testimony.“The People should be precluded from suborning additional perjury by Michael Cohen,” President Trump’ attorney, Todd Blanche, wrote in the filing. He said Mr. Cohen lied to lawmakers in 2017 and, more recently, perjured himself while testifying at President Trump civil fraud trial in October.
The judge in President Trump’s civil fraud trial said that Mr. Cohen’s testimony was “significantly compromised” by his misleading statements to Congress and by some “seeming contradictions” in what he said at trial.
Still, New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, who fined President Trump $355 million for supposedly inflating the value of his properties to get better loan terms, said he found Mr. Cohen’s testimony “credible.”
Gavin Newsom Targeted by 2nd Recall Effort
After nearly 5 million Californians voted to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2021, organizers of the effort are again seeking to remove him from office.
The governor was served with recall documents Feb. 26, and signature gathering is underway, according to Anne Dunsmore with Rescue California, the group that launched the recall campaign. Mr. Newsom criticized the effort on social media platform X.
“Trump Republicans are launching another wasteful recall campaign to distract us from the existential fight for democracy and reproductive freedom,” the governor wrote. “We will defeat them.”
About 1.5 million signatures are needed to ensure that enough will qualify for the ballot, said organizers—a sharp drop from the more than 2 million needed in 2021 to satisfy the threshold of 12 percent of the previous gubernatorial election.
Such will be much easier to accomplish with more than 400 volunteers and organizers currently helping to lead the effort, according to the group.
One reason given for the recall effort is the state’s looming budget deficit of up to $73 billion, according to last week’s projection by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office, though the governor estimates the number is closer to $38 billion.
Organizers point to the approximately 700,000 illegal immigrants newly eligible for free health care—which could cost taxpayers about $3 billion annually, according to recent estimates by state and federal lawmakers. Such could come at a cost to Californians, veterans, students, the homeless, and those living with disabilities, the group contends.
After Mr. Newsom’s recent appearances across the nation to support President Joe Biden’s campaign, some are questioning the governor’s perceived lack of focus on issues affecting the state. Critics argue that he is potentially running a shadow campaign to replace Mr. Biden if the 81-year-old president’s health disrupts his reelection efforts.
“We don’t have the income base to fund his campaign for president,” Ms. Dunsmore said. “His political ambitions are going to be his undoing, and unfortunately, it’s already been the undoing of the greatest state in the nation.”
Top 2 Senate Republicans Call for Senate to Take Up Mayorkas Impeachment Trial
The top two Republicans in the U.S. Senate, Mitch McConnell and John Thune, are calling for the chamber to proceed to an impeachment trial against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas after the Republican-led House of Representatives approved two impeachment articles against Mr. Mayorkas over his handling of U.S. border security.
“The House of Representatives has determined that Secretary Mayorkas has committed impeachable offenses,” Republican Senate Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters at a press conference yesterday. “That issue will come before the United States Senate. I believe the Senate needs to hold a trial.”
The two House impeachment articles, which were approved in a 214–213 vote on Feb. 13, charge Mr. Mayorkas with willful and systemic refusal to enforce existing U.S. immigration and border security, and breaching public trust by making false statements and obstructing congressional investigations into the state of America’s border security.
US Army Cutting 24,000 Job Openings in Future Force Design
The U.S. Army has decided to cut about 24,000 positions from its ranks as the service attempts to refocus its warfighting efforts and adjust to ongoing recruiting challenges.
This week, the Army finalized a plan to reduce its force structure by about 5 percent by fiscal year 2029. The plan comes about following extensive consultations between Army leaders and members of Congress over the past year.
According to a presentation on the force structure transformation, the Army seeks to reduce its current goal force structure from a 494,000-troop active force to a 470,000-troop force by 2029.
Federal judge affirms MyPillow’s Mike Lindell must pay $5M in election data dispute
A federal judge on Wednesday affirmed a $5 million arbitration award against MyPillow chief executive Mike Lindell in favor of a software engineer who challenged data that Lindell said proves China interfered in the 2020 U.S. presidential election and tipped the outcome to Joe Biden.
Lindell said he plans to appeal. Asked if he can afford to pay, he pointed out that the breach-of-contract lawsuit was against one of his companies, Lindell Management LLC, and not against him personally.
“Of course we’re going to appeal it. This guy doesn’t have a dime coming,” Lindell said.
The city of Denver has been struggling for weeks now to pay for services for illegal border crossers. Early in February it was announced that the city would start cutting some services for taxpayers, and unsuccessfully tried to blame Republicans.
Now the city is going to start cutting the hours of city employees, in some cases down to zero, in order to keep paying for services for illegals.
This is simply not sustainable and anyone with an ounce of common sense knows it.
A few days ago, CBS News reported that Parks and Rec services are cutting back over this:
Cuts to Denver Parks & Rec services begin Tuesday with reduced days, hours
Reductions in days and hours at Denver Parks and Rec centers began on Tuesday. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston announced the cuts earlier this month.
The cuts in service to Denver Parks and Recreation do not involve layoffs for current employees. However, hourly workers can expect fewer hours, and on-call and seasonal workers will be most impacted.
Beginning Feb. 20, Denver Recreation Centers will begin to reduce hours. Regional Centers open 7 days a week will only be open 6 days a week. Those open 6 days a week will stay open for the same number of days but the hours of operation will be reduced.
Summer Recreation Programming in Denver will be reduced by 25% across the program. The city will also forgo planting annual flower beds this year.
It’s amazing that the taxpayers of Denver are putting up with this. They are the people who pay the bills for the city and they’re getting shafted.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
VIDEO: Macy’s to Shutter 150 Stores Across U.S. in Massive Reorganization
Macy’s said Yesterday it is planning to close about 150 stores across the nation to reorganize
and refocus its business. The company explained the initiative will close down “underproductive” stores to put more emphasis on luxury sales, according to news reports.
“The closures will leave approximately 350 Macy’s locations, as well as Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury beauty and skincare stores,” the outlet said.
“It is those latter brands that the company sees as its future: It said it plans to take advantage of its leadership position in the luxury market, where it said Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury have been ‘outperformers’ within the Macy’s portfolio,” the report continued.
In the coming three years, the company’s leadership plans to build out 15 Bloomingdale’s locations, 30 Bluemercury stores, and remodel 30 Bluemercury locations.
The news comes about a month after Macy’s said it was planning to slash 2,350 jobs and shut down five stores. Reports indicate that “Macy’s has been under pressure from investor activists seeking an outright sale of the company due to its decade-long underperformance, with Macy’s real estate considered its most valuable asset,” the outlet said, adding the company has refused a takeover offer.
Macy’s is the biggest department store chain in America, KTVU reported Tuesday, noting the locations of the 150 stores that are set to close have not yet been revealed.
In September, high-end stores in the Beverly Hills area of California reportedly began closing because of rampant smash-and-grab robberies.
Earlier in 2023, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and other major stores were closing some of their locations across America due to a rise in thefts.
“In 2021, retailers lost a combined $94.5 billion from theft and inventory loss, according to the 2022 National Retail Security Survey. California has seen 35 retail outlets close while New York closed 23 and Illinois closed 18. Florida also closed 21 stores.”
Migrants Handed Spacious Apartments for Free as New Yorkers Left Paying Thousands for Tiny Rooms
Illegal border crossers in New York City continue to be afforded thousands of dollars monthly in free rent for apartments and hotel rooms as Big Apple citizens are forced to pay thousands a month for tiny apartments.
The New York Times, for instance, published a lengthy article on Feb. 25 celebrating the “resettlement” of 170 migrant families who have been moved from city-paid hotel rooms to suburban Central Islip and other areas where they are being given upwards to $2,500 a month in free rent.
One illegal from Venezuela, who moved from a Manhattan hotel — where she and her children had one room, a microwave, a mini-fridge, and a table and chair — into a spacious, two-bedroom apartment in the near eastern suburb, gushed about the program.
“To come from where we have come from, and to be here,” she marveled to the paper. “For some people this may be a small apartment, but for me this is huge.”
Martha Maffei, executive director of SEPA Mujer, one of the NGO groups working with the government to spread migrants across the region, told the Times that they are working to build relationships with landlords. But added, “it’s difficult because of how expensive it is.”
Many landlords worry that they will be stuck with indigent illegals once the government subsidies end. Expense is also a problem for actual American citizens in the Big Apple.
Even as illegals are being handed free rent worth thousands, some New Yorkers are being expected to pay over a thousand dollars a month for an “apartment” that is barely bigger than a bedroom, one without a kitchen, and one that forces tenants to use a communal bathroom several yards down the hall.
While the above tiny room for $1,200 a month may not be the norm, other apartments that are not too much larger are going from $2,000 per month to more than $4,000 for cramped quarters with tiny bathrooms, little more than a breakfast nook for a kitchen, and small, narrow space connecting them.
Sony is laying off 900 employees from its PlayStation unit
Sony is laying off around 900 employees in its PlayStation division, the company announced on Tuesday. The cuts will impact 8% of the division’s global workforce, as Sony becomes the latest company to announce major cuts in recent weeks and months. Sony also announced that it will be closing its London Studio in the U.K.
The layoffs come two weeks after Sony cut its sales forecast for the PlayStation 5 after warning of decreasing demand. Sony said it expects to sell 21 million units of the console in its fiscal year, down from its previous forecast of 25 million consoles. Sony shares plunged following the news.
HEALTH
New study reveals risks of excessive protein intake on arterial health
Protein plays a crucial role in a balanced diet, offering strong satiety and supporting muscle synthesis and cellular repair. Modern dietary recommendations lean towards higher protein intake, especially amidst long-standing concerns about fats and contemporary criticisms of carbohydrates.
However, recent studies suggest that excessive protein consumption may promote the development of atherosclerosis. Although, we should mention that these clinical trials are usually looking at factory-farmed sources of protein rich foods that tend to be much more toxic to human health vs. 100% grass fed, pasture raised (organic) counterparts. And, bottom line, the more toxic your food, the higher the risk of poor arterial health.
Small-scale clinical trials involving humans indicate that surpassing a certain calorie threshold can elevate the risk of plaque formation in arterial walls. While this doesn’t negate the overall benefits of protein, it prompts further investigation. Let’s dive deeper into this study to gain a better understanding.
How arterial health can be linked to toxic fats, protein and too much sugar in the your diet
When discussing macronutrients linked to heart disease, our attention usually gravitates towards trans fats or (toxic) saturated varieties plus the hazards of excessive sugar consumption. Rarely do we consider protein as a potential contributor to dietary concerns. In fact, lean protein often stands as the cornerstone for weight management and muscle building, and this perspective isn’t entirely misplaced.o
Protein constitutes the building blocks of nearly every cell in your body and is indispensable for numerous vital functions. Specific amino acids play a role in regulating the behavior of immune cells, such as macrophages, which are involved in forming arterial plaque. Initially, protein’s role in these cells may seem neutral, but emerging evidence suggests that there exists a critical threshold in terms of protein-derived calories.
Could too much protein be blamed for clogged (damaged) arteries?
The above-referenced study examined the dietary intake of a small number of human subjects along with a robust animal trial. The subjects were divided into different groups of varying protein intakes, with markers for atherosclerosis measured via blood draws.
Naturally, as you know, atherosclerosis is a complex disease that usually takes years or decades to develop. Over the years, chronic inflammation in the arterial wall signals immune cells to accumulate in the area, which in turn causes a deposit of these immune cells in the damaged arterial wall. Over time, these immune cells attract cholesterol (and other substances) to help stabilize damaged arterial walls, and this sticky plaque accumulation leads to a narrowing of the arteries that we call atherosclerosis.
The study suggests that exceeding 22% of daily calorie intake from protein may serve as a tipping point, hastening the accumulation of macrophages in arterial walls. For instance, if you’re an adult male aiming for a daily calorie intake of 2,200, 22% of these calories from protein would amount to approximately 484 calories, equivalent to roughly 128g of protein. While this constitutes a considerable protein intake, it may not be excessive for individuals prioritizing protein intake over carbohydrates or fats, particularly physically active individuals or those focused on weight loss.
Benefits of Dandelions & How to Use Them
The name of Common Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale, translates to dent-de-lion in French, meaning “the lion’s tooth”.
What does dandelion do for your body?
First up, if you eat it like a veggie, it’s a very nutritious veggie. The leaves are loaded with vitamins and minerals, including the antioxidant beta carotene. Dandelion roots are high in inulin, a soluble fiber that acts as a probiotic, feeding good gut bacteria.
The bitterness of dandelion increases stomach acid, improving digestion. (Contrary to popular belief, acid reflux is often due to inadequate stomach acid.) Dandelion increases the flow of bile from the gallbladder into the duodenum and increases bile production.
You can try some dandelion tea before meals, or steeping some chopped greens in white wine to accompany your meal, or add the greens to your salad.
The inulin of dandelion roots helps to bulk up stool, while the potassium and magnesium in the leaves may help relieve bloating and constipation. Susun Weed suggests covering freshly picked dandelion blossoms in boiling water. Cover your container and let steep for one hour. Strain and reserve liquid.
Place warm flowers on your target skin areas, and relax for ten minutes. Remove flowers and rinse with the flower liquid. Treat before bedtime and leave the dandelion water residue on overnight for best results.
Apply the sap from the flower stalk directly to warts, calluses corns and rough skin. Rub in and repeat as needed. (The sap is antimicrobial.)
Is dandelion good for diabetes?
Initial studies say “yes”, dandelion may be helpful for regulating the blood sugar of type 2 diabetics. Volunteers in a 2016 study who consumed 5 g of dandelion root and leaf powder for nine days significantly reduced their fasting blood glucose levels
This may be because dandelion contains a source of levulin, which allows the liver to convert fructose in glycogen without insulin secretion. (From The Wild Wisdom of Weeds: 13 Essential Plants for Human Survival.)
Dandelion has a long history of use as a liver tonic. Studies, though limited, suggest they provide a range of hepaprotective effects, including:
- Antioxidant effect – reducing oxidative stress
- Antifibrotic effects – promoting regression of fibrosis
- Antisteatotic effect – Taraxacum officinale has been linked to improvement in fatty liver disease symptoms
- Anticancer activity
Dandelion is also know for its diuretic effect, clearing excess water weight without depleting potassium like many commercial diuretics.
Infuse dandelion flowers in oil to make an ointment for sore muscles, stiff joints or dry skin. Gather enough blossoms to fill a jar, and cover with olive oil. Infuse for a week or two and then strain. See How to Infuse Herbs for more detailed instructions.
Long used as a general tonic and treatment for chronic illness, recent studies show that dandelion root extract (DRE) may be an effective and non-toxic anti-cancer alternative.
Although generally considered safe, like any food/herb it may cause allergic reactions or contact dermatitis in some individuals. Dandelion is not recommend for use while on diuretics or antibiotics. Consult with your doctor before taking herbal supplements if you are on medications, or nursing or pregnant.
Whistleblower exposes popular weight-loss drug’s hidden dangers
Turn on the television, and you’re likely to catch a mention of Ozempic or another weight-loss drug. Celebrities such as Amy Schumer, Oprah Winfrey, and Keke Palmer have been associated with Ozempic. However, behind the glitz and glamour lies a darker side that the mainstream media ignores to protect the financial interests of the pharmaceutical industry.
Thankfully, a Big Pharma whistleblower is sounding the alarm on Ozempic and similar weight-loss drugs. Calley Means, who previously worked as a pharmaceutical consultant, has turned against the industry’s touted miracle weight loss medication. No doubt, many people will be shocked with what they discover from this information below.
Behind the glitz: Ozempic’s dark side ignored by mainstream media
The mainstream media has acted as an Ozempic cheerleader largely because it is financially incentivized to do so. Cable and network channels receive millions of dollars from the Big Pharma companies behind Ozempic and other drugs in exchange for airing commercials. Yet, if you turn on your TV, you’ll hear nothing about Calley Means’ conversation with former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson.
Means sat down with Tucker to discuss the risks posed by Ozempic. According to Means, Ozempic presents both mental health and gastrointestinal risks. Moreover, Means also highlighted how Ozempic fails to address what is most important: the underlying cause of metabolic conditions that lead to weight gain and, in some cases, obesity.
Ozempic’s purpose is to “treat” obesity and diabetes. However, Means insists that the drug’s manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, is concealing the truth about the product. Some individuals who use Ozempic have reported experiencing suicidal thoughts alongside digestive complications. Moreover, these digestive issues persist long after discontinuing the drug.
Means even suggests that Ozempic might potentially paralyze the stomach, hindering proper food digestion. Consequently, food remains in the digestive system post-Ozempic use, ultimately contributing to weight regain. Not surprisingly, after discontinuing the drug, many individuals find themselves regaining the weight they lost.
Addressing the real cause of the rise in obesity and diabetes
The food industry shoulders significant responsibility for the widespread obesity epidemic. As Means points out, obesity stems from deteriorating metabolic health, a condition no current prescription drug, including Ozempic, can address or reverse. Yet, companies like Novo Nordisk and other creators of weight-loss pills persist in promoting their drugs as superior alternatives to preventative care. In truth, obesity is a multifaceted issue far more complex than what Big Pharma portrays.
Clearly, the food industry’s advancements have reached a point where most items on grocery store shelves are incredibly toxic and addictive. Food scientists have honed their craft, deliberately engineering products to maximize taste, palatability, and addictiveness. This deliberate manipulation exacerbates the challenge of maintaining a healthy diet and contributes significantly to the obesity crisis.
The sad truth is that 80% of adults are overweight. Even half of all teens are overweight. Moreover, 60% of people have symptoms of pre-diabetes. The increasing addictiveness of food combined with sedentary lifestyles has created a problem that requires a holistic approach instead of Big Pharma pills that turn out to be net negatives for the human condition.
Potential solutions to humanity’s growing obesity problem
It’s vital to recognize that relying on governmental oversight for protection and guidance toward healthy living is a failed strategy. Unfortunately, the influence of Big Pharma extends far and wide, highlighting the crucial importance of your vigilance and activism as consumers.
As Means emphasizes, the highly addictive and unhealthy foods we consume not only disrupt cellular function but also contribute to dysfunction within our bodies. The good news is you have the power to make informed decisions with your purchasing habits. Take the time to carefully read food labels before making purchases. If you have the means and space, consider starting your own outdoor or indoor garden for a fresh supply of nutritious produce.
Simply put, stay away from heavily processed, sugary foods loaded with unwanted chemicals and maintain a physically active lifestyle for a much healthier life.
And finally, don’t underestimate your ability to enact change. Reach out to lawmakers, including your state’s representatives in Congress, and voice your concerns about food safety regulations. Your advocacy can make a significant difference in shaping a healthier future for yourself and your community.
WATCH: The Tucker Carlson Encounter: The Case Against Ozempic
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Yahoo Mail is down: Email service crashes for millions of frustrated Britons
It’s one of the go-to email services for users around the world, but it appears that Yahoo Mail has crashed.
According to Down Detector, the problems first started yesterday afternoon, and continue on into this morning.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Yahoo said: ‘Some users may be experiencing issues with the Yahoo Mail app.
‘We are investigating and will update as needed.’
According to Down Detector, the problems first started yesterday afternoon, and continue on into this morning. At 07:00 BST, around 2,000 issues had been loggedCommenters have taken to X, formerly Twitter, to criticise Yahoo’s response to the outage, claiming it has not been fixed quickly enough
The issue began last night as the app began crashing for thousands affected by an unknown bug.
Of those who reported issues with Yahoo Mail, 77 per cent said the problem was with the app, while 13 per cent said it was an issue with login.
The remaining 10 per cent said they were struggling with server connection.
However, Yahoo says that customers should begin to regain access to their accounts throughout the day.
Technocensorship: When Corporations Serve As a Front for Government Censors
Nothing good can come from allowing the government to sidestep the Constitution.
Unfortunately, the government has become an expert at disregarding constitutional roadblocks intended to protect the rights of the citizenry.
When these end-runs don’t suffice, the government hides behind the covert, clandestine, classified language of national security; or obfuscates, complicates, stymies, and bamboozles; or creates manufactured diversions to keep the citizenry in the dark; or works through private third parties not traditionally bound by the Constitution.
This last tactic is increasingly how the government gets away with butchering our freedoms, by having its corporate partners serve as a front for its nefarious deeds.
This is how the police state has managed to carry out an illegal secret dragnet surveillance program on the American people over the course of multiple presidential administrations.
Relying on a set of privacy loopholes, the White House (under Presidents Obama, Trump and now Biden) has been sidestepping the Fourth Amendment by paying AT&T to allow federal, state, and local law enforcement to access—without a warrant—the phone records of Americans who are not suspected of a crime.
The government used a similar playbook to get around the First Amendment, packaged as an effort to control the spread of speculative or false information in the name of national security.
As the House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on Weaponization of the Federal Government revealed, the Biden administration worked in tandem with social media companies to censor content related to COVID-19, including humorous jokes, credible information and so-called disinformation.
Likening the government’s heavy-handed attempts to pressure social media companies to suppress content critical of COVID vaccines or the election to “an almost dystopian scenario,” Judge Terry Doughty warned that “the United States Government seems to have assumed a role similar to an Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth.’”
Restricting access to social media has become a popular means of internet censorship.
Dare to voice politically incorrect views in anything louder than a whisper on social media and you might find yourself suspended on Twitter, shut out of Facebook, and banned across various social media platforms. This authoritarian intolerance masquerading as tolerance, civility and love is what comedian George Carlin referred to as “fascism pretending to be manners.”
Social media censorship runs the gamut from content blocking, throttling, and filtering to lockouts, shutdowns, shadow banning and de-platforming.
In fact, these tactics are at the heart of several critical cases before the U.S. Supreme Court over who gets to control, regulate or remove what content is shared on the internet: the individual, corporate censors or the government.
Yet what those who typically champion the right of corporations to be free from government meddling get wrong about these cases is that there can be no free speech when corporations such as Facebook, Google or YouTube become a front for—or extensions of—government censors.
SURVEILLANCE STATE
Vending machine error reveals secret face image database of college students
Canada-based University of Waterloo is racing to remove M&M-branded smart vending machines from campus after outraged students discovered the machines were covertly collecting facial-recognition data without their consent. The scandal started when a student using the alias SquidKid47 posted an image on Reddit showing a campus vending machine error message, “Invenda.Vending.FacialRecognitionApp.exe,” displayed after the machine failed to launch a facial recognition application that nobody expected to be part of the process of using a vending machine.
“Hey, so why do the stupid M&M machines have facial recognition?” SquidKid47 pondered.
The Reddit post sparked an investigation from a fourth-year student named River Stanley, who was writing for a university publication called MathNEWS.
Stanley sounded the alarm after consulting Invenda sales brochures that promised “the machines are capable of sending estimated ages and genders” of every person who used the machines—without ever requesting their consent.
This frustrated Stanley, who discovered that Canada’s privacy commissioner had years ago investigated a shopping mall operator called Cadillac Fairview after discovering some of the malls’ informational kiosks were secretly “using facial recognition software on unsuspecting patrons.”
Only because of that official investigation did Canadians learn that “over 5 million nonconsenting Canadians” were scanned into Cadillac Fairview’s database, Stanley reported. Where Cadillac Fairview was ultimately forced to delete the entire database, Stanley wrote that consequences for collecting similarly sensitive facial recognition data without consent for Invenda clients like Mars remain unclear.
Stanley’s report ended with a call for students to demand that the university “bar facial recognition vending machines from campus.”
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Video by Dane Wiggington: “Square” Clouds?
OSHA: Elon Musk’s Las Vegas Underground Transit System Is Filled with Toxic ‘Tunnel Muck’
Elon Musk’s underground transit system in Las Vegas is falling far short of his lofty promises, plagued by construction delays and concerning safety violations. Workers have reported unsafe conditions including tunnels filled with two feet of toxic chemical wastewater.
Bloomberg reports that The Boring Company’s Vegas Loop was meant to showcase Elon Musk’s vision for high-speed “hyperloop” transit, whisking people between hotels and casinos at lightning speeds. But years into construction, the system consists only of two short tunnels linking the Las Vegas Convention Center to nearby hotels. Expansion plans to other major destinations on the Strip have stalled and even the existing limited system faces major problems.
According to an investigation by Nevada’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), employees have reported unsafe working conditions and alarming construction incidents. Workers described spending entire 12-hour shifts inside the muggy tunnels, forbidden even to take lunch breaks outside, and were forced to wade through chemical-laden wastewater that pooled up to two feet deep inside, resulting in painful burns. The accelerant chemicals splashed on workers’ arms, legs and faces as they maneuvered hoses, scarring some permanently. One employee narrowly avoided being crushed when a two-ton concrete bin collapsed from being overloaded with tunnel muck.
OSHA cited Musk’s Boring Company with eight “serious” violations and fined the company over $112,000 last fall. But the company contests the findings, claiming the agency “failed to establish that the alleged violations occurred.”
Apple cancels work on electric car, source says
Apple (AAPL.O) has canceled work on its electric car, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday, a decade after the iPhone maker kicked off the project.
The move draws the curtain on a plan that would have helped Apple break out into a new industry and potentially replicate the success of the iPhone.
The project had seen uneven progress throughout its life and its end comes as global automakers cut back their investments in electric vehicles, whose demand has dropped significantly.
Several employees working on the project will be shifted to the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) division, according to Bloomberg News, which first reported the development.
Apple declined to comment.
“If it is true, Apple will put more focus on GenAI and that should give investors more optimism about the company’s efforts and ability to compete at a platform level on AI,” said Ben Bajarin, CEO of consulting firm Creative Strategies.
Apple has so far held back from any big moves in AI, in stark contrast to tech giants such as Alphabet (GOOGL.O) and Microsoft (MSFT.O), which have first-mover advantage in incorporating the breakthrough technology.
Its quiet approach has sparked worries the iPhone-maker could be behind in integrating the technology into its products.
That was reflected in Apple’s share gain last year, which at nearly 50% was the smallest among the so-called Magnificent Seven stocks.
GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING
Home of Ozarks Homesteading Exp (Updates on this year’s expo in Missouri!)
2ND AMENDMENT
Supreme Court Hears Texas Gun Store Owner’s Lawsuit Against Bump Stock Ban
Central Texas Gun Works owner Michael Cargill’s lawsuit against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) bump stock ban went to the Supreme Court of the United States on Wednesday.
In November 2023, Cargill told Breitbart News his goal was to stop federal agencies from being weaponized against the American people.
He said, “The federal government, they initially started out with just the bump stock. They focused on this little part, this little piece here. But since then, it’s grown to other things. Federal agencies are using the exact same verbiage, the exact rule they used to ban the bump stock to go after everything else.”
Cargill added, “They’re going after AR-15 stabilizer braces. They’re going after triggers, after 80 percent frames and receivers, all with the same words and language as they used against bump stocks.”
The “language” referenced by Cargill is that by which the ATF re-defines or re-categorizes pre-existing guns, parts, or accessories.
For example, Nation Public Radio’s Martin Kaste noted the language of the ATF bump stock ban “reclassifies [bump stocks] as ‘machine guns,’ no matter when they were purchased, and owning one will become a felony.”
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit decided in Cargill’s favor in January 2023, noting that a bump stock is not a “machine gun.” That ruling was appealed to SCOTUS, where it will be heard Wednesday.
The Washington Times quoted Cargill saying, “Once you give them an inch, they will take a mile…If we win, we use this case law down the road for the Second Amendment community.”
The case is Cargill v. Garland in the Supreme Court of the United States.
COVID RELATED NEWS
Researchers allege that biases and manipulation of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine clinical data have exaggerated vaccine efficacy and underestimated vaccine adverse events.
While most clinical trials would evaluate the effects of a drug from the day it is administered, these COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are not being evaluated from the first day the vaccines are given. A later date is chosen, which inflates the vaccine’s perceived efficacy and safety, researchers say.
It could make an ineffective vaccine—a COVID vaccine with zero efficacy—have a perceived vaccine effectiveness of up to 48 percent, said researcher Raphael Lataster on Feb. 26, citing a paper co-authored by professor Peter Doshi from the University of Maryland.
Mr. Lataster, associate lecturer at the University of Sydney, spoke at Sen. Ron Johnson’s (R-Wis.) Feb. 26 roundtable discussion on COVID-19 vaccines and public health messaging. He summarized findings from a collection of four commentaries published in a peer-reviewed journal, of which two were authored by him.
“We have found in the studies varying definitions of fully vaccinated and unvaccinated. Generally what we find is that they are ignoring COVID infections in the partially vaccinated,” Mr. Lataster said.
“In randomized trials, it is customary to define ‘time zero’ as the point in time, for each trial participant, when eligibility criteria are met, treatment is assigned, and follow‐up begins,” Mr. Doshi and another author wrote in one of the papers.
Instead, COVID cases in vaccinated individuals are only counted weeks after a person is vaccinated. In Pfizer’s clinical trials, a person is considered vaccinated and their COVID cases are counted a week after they received the second dose, whereas in Moderna’s clinical trials, a person is considered vaccinated two weeks after their second dose.
CANCEL CULTURE
Taylor Swift Accused of Performing ‘Demonic’ Rituals at Her Concerts By Irish Singer Shane Lynch
Pop star Taylor Swift has been accused of performing “eic” rituals at her concerts during her Eras tour by Irish singer Shane Lynch, who said that the “Bad Blood” singer might not even realize what she’s doing.
“I think when you’re looking at a lot of the artists out there, a lot of their stage shows are Satanic rituals live in front of 20,000 people without them realizing and recognizing,” Lynch told Ireland’s Sunday World.
The former Boyzone singer added, “You’ll see a lot of hoods up and masks on and fire ceremonies.”
“Even down to Taylor Swift — one of the biggest artists in the world — you watch one of her shows and she has two or three different demonic rituals to do with the pentagrams on the ground, to do with all sorts of stuff on her stage,” he said.
“But to a lot of people it’s just art and that’s how people are seeing it, unfortunately,” Lynch added.
The Christian also told Sunday World that certain music is a danger to society, because musicians are channeling the Devil right before everyone’s eyes.
Lynch also noted that he has personally seen Satanic rituals during his time in the music industry that involved praying over albums to ensure they are successful.
The former Boyzone singer went on to say that he himself has stopped listening to certain music, as he believes that particular beats can have an impact on people.
“When it comes to a lot of the music that’s out there at the moment — more of the hip-hop side of things — there is a lot of hidden Satanic and a lot of evil within them, including down to the beats. It’s very real,” he said.
“Music attaches to your emotions,” Lynch added, “It has a connection to your spirit and how you feel. That’s why I’ve stopped listening to those types of music myself because it doesn’t suit my spirit.”
Lynch also claimed that certain music is damaging to society in general — especially when it comes to children.
“It 100 per cent has an effect on society,” he said. “I think our society has never been worse in many areas, and it starts from our children.”
“It’s coming in right at our children from the very beginning to get them to sway away from anything Godly, anything controlled or disciplined,” Lynch added. “It’s getting wilder and wilder out there for a reason.”
This is not the first time Lynch has made this type of claim.
Last year, the singer said that Sam Smith and Beyonce are “so demonic it’s unbelievable.”
The Podcast Tax: If You’re Paying Taxes, You’re Paying For Government Podcasts!
Just since 2020, the federal government paid $324 million in grants to projects that in some capacity deployed a podcast.
In Wichita, Kansas, the $4 million #FactsNotFear Covid-19 health information campaign used local podcasters to “heighten awareness while engaging residents, community organizations and community leaders in crafting a culturally sensitive message” around “health literacy.”
The University of Houston received $2.3 million to develop podcasts and study if those podcasts can reduce the spread of HIV.
And while some podcasts seem ideologically neutral, others push a left-wing framing of American life that some taxpayers may find objectionable.
Here are some examples:
- Regeneration Rising ($446,353 from Department of Agriculture), a podcast about agriculture, features an episode on “building a queer farmer community.”
- Subtitle ($227,420 from the National Endowment of the Humanities), about linguistics, has an episode called “the little pronoun that could” about a new gender-neutral pronoun being introduced in Swedish.
- Sacred & Profane ($199,663 from the National Endowment of the Humanities), about American religious life, has an episode on how “Satanists play an important role in American religious and political life, showing us how ideas about religion, pluralism, and the separation of church and state are changing in the U.S.”
- Fullbright Forward ($20,000 from the Department of State), about the Fullbright program, has an episode on “Exploring Identity, Language Teaching, and the Impact of Whiteness.”
- CalArts Center for New Performance Podcast ($20,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts), about new artistic works from UCLA, has an episode on “the specter of Emmett Till’s murder to create a nightmarish reverie on white violence and silence in America.”
- Artists and Hackers ($10,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts), about the intersection of art and technology, has episodes on “Erotic Ecologies and the Fluid Relationships Between Humans and AI,” and an “AI chatbot experiment trained on erotic literature, feminist and queer theory, and an ethics of embodiment.”
- Purple Royale ($5,000 from the Department of State), about “issues and stories affecting trans and intersex lives in Zimbabwe.”
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