Today's News: January 19, 2024

WORLD NEWS

Dr. David Martin: The Next Terror Campaign on the World Is Already Being Planned

It turns out the next world-wide terror campaign is also up for discussion, as Dr. David Martin explained in the video we’ve included in this news story. Dr. David Martin mentioned that his organization, M•CAM International, “continues to maintain vigilance on all the 64 scheduled and funded pathogens that are in the queue for release against humanity.”

Genetic Scientists On Track To Create A Genetically Engineered Doomsday

These genetic scientists have egregiously abused science by already contaminating the gene pool of every living thing on this planet. Collectively, they have been plotting the takeover of all genetic material since 1992. The only way to stop them is to take away their keycards and their containment suits, immediately escort them out of their laboratories, permanently ban them from any other scientific research for life, and then raze the buildings to the ground.

Bayer’s modiﬁed soil microbes could trigger a genetically engineered doomsday for agriculture
If you don’t like the toxic pollution from industrial agriculture’s synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides, Bayer and its partner Ginkgo Bioworks have a solution
They say they’re going to swap out some of the old fossil-fuel-based agrochemicals for genetically engineered microbes
The uncontrolled spread of genetically engineered microbes could contaminate soil on such a vast scale that it could be the end of farming!

Bayer’s modiﬁed soil microbes could trigger a genetically engineered doomsday for agriculture. Is that what Bayer wants? If you don’t like the toxic pollution from industrial agriculture’s synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides, Bayer and its partner, Ginkgo Bioworks, have a solution for you.

They say they’re going to swap out some of the old fossil-fuel-based agrochemicals for genetically engineered microbes. We’re no fan of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, but let’s not jump from the frying pan into the ﬁre! The uncontrolled spread of genetically engineered microbes could contaminate soil on such a vast scale that it could be the end of farming!

You don’t have to take our word for it, just read Ginkgo’s own report to the Securities andExchange Commission. It’s like a sci-ﬁ writer’s brainstorm of plots for a disaster movie:

“The release of genetically modified organisms or materials, whether inadvertent or purposeful, into uncontrolled environments could have unintended consequences …

The genetically engineered organisms and materials that we develop may have significantly altered characteristics compared to those found in the wild, and the full effects of deployment or release of our genetically engineered organisms and materials into uncontrolled environments may be unknown.

In particular, such deployment or release, including an unauthorized release, could impact the environment or community generally or the health and safety of our employees, our customers’ employees, and the consumers of our customers’ products.

In addition, if a high profile biosecurity breach or unauthorized release of a biological agent occurs within our industry, our customers and potential customers may lose trust in the security of the laboratory environments in which we produce genetically modified organisms and materials, even if we are not directly affected.

Any adverse effect resulting from such a release, by us or others, could have a material adverse effect on the public acceptance of products from engineered cells and our business and financial condition …

We could synthesize DNA sequences or engage in other activity that contravenes biosecurity requirements, or regulatory authorities could promulgate more far-reaching biosecurity requirements that our standard business practices cannot accommodate, which could give rise to substantial legal liability, impede our business, and damage our reputation.

The Federal Select Agent Program (FSAP), involves rules administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that regulate possession, use, and transfer of biological select agents and toxins [a euphemism for bioweapons] that have the potential to pose a severe threat to public, animal, or plant health or to animal or plant products …

[W]e could err in our observance of compliance program requirements in a manner that leaves us in noncompliance with FSAP or other biosecurity rules … Third parties may use our engineered cells materials, and organisms and accompanying production processes in ways that could damage our reputation.

… [W]hile we have established a biosecurity program … to ensure that third parties do not obtain our engineered cells or other biomaterials for malevolent purposes, we cannot guarantee that these preventative measures will eliminate or reduce the risk of the domestic and global opportunities for the misuse or negligent use of our engineered cells materials, and organisms and production processes …”

Ginkgo’s SEC ﬁling makes clear how unleashing Frankenmicrobes into the environment might wreak havoc.

Federal Appeals Court Reverses Position, Allows Texas Floating Barrier to Remain

The State of Texas secured a rehearing before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that will allow the floating buoy barrier installed in the Rio Grande to remain in place until the full court hears the case. The en banc court hearing will take place in May 2024 and reverses a prior ruling ordering the state to remove the barrier system.

Wednesday’s ruling issued by the Fifth Circuit is a part of several legal battles between the state and the Biden Administration over steps Texas is taking to reduce migrant crossings at its border with Mexico. The announcement of the ruling by the Texas Attorney General comes on the heels of another potential legal battle between the Biden Administration and Paxton over the recent seizure of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass by the Texas Military Department.

Iran Evades Nuclear Watchdogs to Stockpile More Uranium

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Thursday that Iran stymied nuclear inspectors as it tripled its uranium enrichment rate and increased its stockpile of near-weapons-grade material.

“It is a very frustrating cycle. We don’t understand why they don’t provide the necessary transparency,” Grossi told Bloomberg News at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

“While inspectors haven’t detected diversion of Iran’s uranium inventory for weapons, the manufacture and storage of so much material is raising concern,” Bloomberg noted. “Iran tripled its rate of uranium enrichment in December, rolling back measures which had been implemented amid backchannel diplomacy with the U.S.”

In another interview from Davos with the National, Grossi said Iran is clearly stretching the terms of its non-proliferation commitments.

“Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state which is enriching uranium at this very, very high level — very close to weapons grade,” Grossi said.

“I’m not saying they have a nuclear weapon; I’m saying this is sensitive,” he added, urging Iran to “abide by the rules” if it insists on building an inventory of near-weapons-grade material.

“A snapshot shows a program which is galloping ahead, moving ahead with ambitious goals. We have nothing against that. But we say the visibility of the international inspectorate, the IAEA, must be commensurate with those activities,” he said.

Grossi was especially peeved at Iran for banning some of the IAEA’s most experienced nuclear experts in September. Iran did not provide an official explanation for the ban, but observers noted that all of the German and French inspectors working for the IAEA were included.

Iran has accumulated an enormous stockpile of uranium that is enriched far beyond any conceivable civilian need but just below the threshold for weaponization.

Secretary Blinken Forced To Deplane After Boeing 737 Oxygen Leak

Secretary of StateAntony Blinken was forced to change planes while attempting to fly back to the U.S. from Switzerland on Wednesday after his modified Boeing 737 jet reportedly suffered an oxygen leak.

Blinken was preparing to depart Zurich after attending the World Economic Forum in Davos when the malfunction was discovered on his C-40 military plane, Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller said at a press conference.

Miller did not offer specifics, though the incident was described by NBC and CNN, citing the press pool traveling with Blinken, as a “critical failure” related to an oxygen leak.

The incident resulted in an hours long delay, though it did not cause any disruptions to Blinken’s meetings in Washington. A smaller jet was ultimately flown in from Brussels to complete Blinken’s return, said Miller. The rest of the staff had to fly back on commercial airliners.

U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT

Senate Passes Bill Averting Shutdown, Sends to House for Imminent Vote

The Senate advanced another short-term spending bill Thursday afternoon. The continuing resolution (CR) passed 77-18 over objections from conservatives, including Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who insisted on a vote to amend the bill, which failed.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) immediately moved to set up an afternoon vote in the House. Passage would extend funding levels and priorities originally set by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in December 2022.

Even some Democrats voiced concerns with Congress’s inability to perform its most basic duty of passing timely appropriations bills, although they voted in favor of the extension.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), who voted for the CR despite his frustration, said the House should pass the bill and “then [get] to work on actual bipartisan government funding bills.”

In the House, Speaker Johnson resisted a last-minute push from conservatives to spurn the Senate CR and instead advance its own bill that includes border security measures, opting to postpone that battle. Johnson’s strategy has drawn ire even among those who generally vote with the Speaker.

“We’ve waited long enough, we’ve kicked the can long enough, and we’ve ‘held out for a bipartisan solution’ long enough,” tweeted Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI), pledging to oppose any CR without border security included. The Senate CR extends government funding until March, setting up yet another shutdown showdown.

Trump prosecutor Fani Willis faces hearing on misconduct claims, tries to weasel out of grilling by alleged lover’s ex-wife

The judge overseeing the GTrump prosecutor Fani Willis faces hearing on misconduct claims, tries to weasel out of grilling by alleged lover’s ex-wifeeorgia election fraud case against former President Donald Trump has called a hearing over accusations District Attorney Fani Willis and her lead prosecutor had an inappropriate relationship.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee scheduled the hearing for Feb. 15 – and set a deadline for Willis to respond to the allegations by Feb. 2, the Washington Post reported, citing a court order.

The accusation that Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade allegedly had an inappropriate relationship was made last week in a filing from Trump co-defendant Mike Roman, who served as Trump’s director of Election Day operations in 2020, calling for the judge to disqualify the entire prosecution team.

“…The District Attorney chose to appoint her romantic partner, who at all times relevant to this prosecution has been a married man,” the filing claimed.

He also accused Wade – a private attorney with the Atlanta-based Wade & Campbell Firm – of using some of the nearly $654,000 in legal fees he collected from the Fulton County DA’s Office for his work on the Trump case to take Willis on vacations to “California, Florida and the Caribbean. ”However, despite his assertions, the motion offered no solid evidence of the alleged relationship. Wade has been involved in divorce proceedings since 2021, which have to be completed.

In a speech at Big Bethel AME Church on Sunday, Willis called Wade “a great friend and a great lawyer,” along with a “superstar,” but failed to mention him by name. She also suggested the accusations against Wade were race-related.

“Isn’t it them playing the race card when they constantly think I need someone from some other jurisdiction in some other state to tell me how to do a job I’ve been doing almost 30 years?” she said, noting that the other two prosecutors on the case, who are white, emerged unscathed.

Roman hit back at that claim, pointing out the other two special prosecutors were “not in a relationship” with Willis.

Roman is of the 14 remaining co-defendants in the high-profile racketeering case that alleges Trump and his associates tampered with the 2020 presidential election.

The Feb. 15 hearing now threatens to publicly humiliate Willis in televised court proceedings – and could perhaps completely derail the investigation, the Washington Post noted.

Top Fulton County Prosecutor’s Sealed Divorce Filings Sought by Media Outlets

Multiple media outlets this week have filed court papers seeking the release of a Fulton County, Georgia, prosecutor’s divorce court papers amid allegations that the county district attorney engaged in an improper relationship with that prosecutor.

Fifteen media outlets, including local newspaper The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, asked a judge in Cobb County, Georgia, to unseal Fulton Count special prosecutor Nathan Wade’s divorce case. Those outlets stated that the court papers involving Mr. Wade and his wife are of significant public interest because of his role as a top prosecutor involved in the case against former President Donald Trump, Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, and many more.

Last week, a defendant in that case, Michael Roman, filed a potential bombshell court motion that accused Mr. Wade and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who brought the charges against President Trump and the others, of engaging in an “improper, clandestine personal relationship during the pendency” of the case. The court filing offered few details and little evidence to back up the allegations.

In the new filing, attorneys for the media outlets contend that the “public interest in this matter cannot be overstated.”

They noted that the Georgia Supreme Court recognizes a “sweeping presumption of access” regarding court records, even including matters involving family issues and divorce proceedings.

“The Court has reiterated time and again that open judicial records and proceedings are an integral part of our democratic form of government,” their attorneys argued.

The Cobb Superior Court judge overseeing the divorce case scheduled a hearing for Jan. 31 to determine whether those court materials should be unsealed. It was also reported that Ms. Willis was subpoenaed for a deposition with Mr. Wade’s wife’s attorneys on Jan. 23, while her office was told to hand over materials in the divorce proceedings.

Other media outlets seeking details about the divorce case include The Associated Press, CNN, CBS News, ABC, Bloomberg News, The Wall Street Journal, Court TV, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, WSB-TV, Scripps News, and WXIA-TV, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“The allegation that records in this action reveal a legally improper relationship between Special Prosecutor Wade and D.A. Willis must be answered in a transparent manner to preserve public confidence in our judicial system,” attorneys for the outlets said in a court filing.

Neither Mr. Wade nor Ms. Willis have publicly denied the claims, while the Fulton County district attorney’s office told media outlets that it will respond in court filings. The Epoch Times contacted the Fulton County district attorney’s office and Mr. Wade’s private law firm for comment last week.

In a lengthy speech over the past weekend at an Atlanta church, Ms. Willis suggested that racial animus against her was the reason for the accusations that she engaged in the relationship. However, she provided no evidence to back up her assertion.

“First thing they say, ‘Oh, she’s going to play the race card now,’” Ms. Willis, a Democrat, said at the event. “Isn’t it them that’s playing the race card when they only question one? Isn’t it them playing the race card when they constantly think I need someone from some other jurisdiction in some other state to tell me how to do a job I’ve been doing for almost 30 years?

Former Attorneys General File Amicus Brief Insisting Trump Constitutionally Qualified for Ballot

WASHINGTON, DC – Three former U.S. attorneys general — including Bill Barr, who does not support Donald Trump’s campaign for the Republican nomination — insist that Trump is constitutionally qualified to be on the presidential ballot, in a U.S. Supreme Court brief their lawyers filed on Thursday.

Along with Barr, former Republican Attorneys General Edwin Meese III and Michael B. Mukasey, as well as several law professors, comprised the amicus in the Trump v. Anderson brief. After the Colorado Supreme Court ruled in a 4-3 decision that Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment, colloquially known as the “Insurrection Clause,” bars Trump from the ballot, his legal team and the Republican Party of Colorado challenged the effort.

The brief, filed by counsel Gene Schaerr of Schaerr Jaffe LLP, argues that the Colorado court’s decision is a “misrepresentation” of the clause and, if upheld, the “ruling would create a precedent with ruinous consequences for our democratic republic.”

The argument at the center of the brief –of which law professors Steven Calabresi and Gary Lawson and the group Citizens United are also Amici Curiae– is that the clause does not pertain to candidates for the presidency:

This is evident in Section 3’s text, which omits the President, instead specifying certain offices such as Senator and Representative. Earlier versions of the proposed text included President and Vice President, but later versions excluded those offices, and instead disqualified presidential electors who would choose the occupants of the presidential and vice presidential offices.

electors who would choose the occupants of the presidential and vice presidential offices. The amicus cites the historical record of the Fourteenth Amendment, which was passed soon after the United States Civil War in 1868.

“Historical records, moreover, reveal that the Framers and ratifiers of the Fourteenth Amendment were not concerned that a Confederate leader could attain the presidency,” the brief noted. Instead, the framers and ratifiers harbored worries “that former Confederates might be elected to the House or Senate, which explains why those offices are enumerated in Section 3.”

“Winning offices in States of the former Confederacy was the only realistic risk, and Section 3 was tailored to address that concern,” the brief adds.

What is more, the language of the text lists a hierarchy ranking of public officials, beginning with U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives, as the brief highlights, and makes no explicit mention of the office of the presidency. The brief argues that other language included in the section was not understood historically to include the presidency:

The text speaks to a hierarchy of public offices in descending rank order, and its reference to an “officer of the United States” low in that hierarchical list cannot include a President because an office “under the United States” and “officer of the United States” did not include the presidency as those terms were historically understood.

The amicus goes on to assert that “even if the conclusion that he engaged in an insurrection were correct, President Trump cannot be excluded from any presidential election ballot on that basis.”

Under the second key argument, they note that Section Three is not self-executing and, therefore, led to Congress eventually establishing a federal insurrection statute, 18 U.S.C. § 2383, which bars someone convicted of rebellion or insurrection from serving in any political office.

“But President Trump has never even been charged with violating Section 2383, much less convicted under it,” the brief reads.

Thirdly, the amicus argues the “Court should resist any interpretation of Section 3 that empowers partisan public officials to unilaterally disqualify politicians from the opposing party.” Notably, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has followed the Colorado Supreme Court’s move and unilaterally ruled that Trump is ineligible for the Maine ballot, citing the “Insurrection Clause.”

The brief proposes “a hypothetical in which the partisan shoe is on the other foot,” reading:

If the Colorado decision were correct, the Georgia Secretary of State, a Republican, could unilaterally disqualify President Biden, a Democrat, from that swing State’s ballot one day before the ballot certification deadline—perhaps finding that some of President Biden’s policies were lawless in such a manner as to constitute, in the Secretary’s view, an “insurrection.” Other Republican officials are threatening to do just that.

Ultimately, the brief concludes that without a new statute to Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment passed by the U.S. Congress, it bars no American from running for the presidency.

The full text of Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment is below:

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice- President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

The case is Trump v. Anderson, No. 23-719, in the Supreme Court of the United States of America.

‘Cascading Failures’: DOJ Finds Police Botched Response To Uvalde Shooting

The Department of Justice (DOJ) released a highly anticipated report Thursday that sharply criticized the law enforcement response to the May 2022 school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

The report detailed “cascading failures of leadership” in the police response to the situation as it unfolded, establishing that officers did not breach the classroom where the shooter was located for 77 minutes after first responders arrived on the scene. Nineteen elementary school students and two adults were murdered in the shooting, while an additional 17 people were injured but lived.

“The most significant failure was that responding officers should have immediately recognized the incident as an active shooter situation, using the resources and equipment that were sufficient to push forward immediately and continuously toward the threat until entry was made into classrooms 111/112 and the threat was eliminated,” according to the report.The report further outlined a breakdown in communication among responding officers and agencies as the shooting unfolded, with Uvalde School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo, the designated incident commander on-site, ordering officers not to breach the classroom to neutralize the gunman.

“Leadership … demonstrated no urgency for establishing a command and control structure, which led to challenges related to information sharing, lack of situational statuses, and limited-to-no direction for personnel in the hallway or on the perimeter,” according to the DOJ’s report.

The report also explains how family members of the students descended upon a reunification center as word of the tragedy spread, with some family members being told initially that their child had survived the shooting when they had not.

“The response to the May 24, 2022, mass casualty incident at Robb Elementary School was a failure,” the report concludes.

The massacre ultimately ended when several law enforcement officers entered the classroom and engaged the gunman, shooting and killing him. The final breach of the classroom commenced approximately 27 minutes after multiple gunshots were heard inside classrooms 111 and 112, according to the report.

“I think it’s a step in the right direction,” Kim Rubio, whose daughter Lexi Rubio was killed in the shooting, told ABC News about the report’s release. “I think for the first time we felt respected – we felt treated with respect, and I believe we’re going to get the answers we’re looking for.”

FBI Arrests Radical Transgender Person Suspect over Threats to ‘Kill Transphobes’

The FBI has arrested a trans person for allegedly posting social media threats against

“transphobes” and other people who oppose the transgender agenda.
FBI agents arrested male-born transgender person, Elizabeth Ballesteros West, in Oregon last week

after reports of online threats that included photos of guns, according to Newsweek.

According to the Gazette, West’s bio on social media read that he is a “A Nazi dominatrix from Hell, who is tired of the blackening of America and Europe and ready to stand up to the Black orcs and the Jewish Wizard.”

Some of the threats were posted to a Facebook group called the “Trans Woman Support Group,” one post of which featured an image of several guns and a complaint that West was being misgendered by “trans phobic” detractors.

The 56-year-old West, who reportedly has a history of bipolar disorder, allegedly admitted to being “at the end of my rope” and may be fired from his job due to his frustration over those who oppose the trans agenda, the Oregonian reported.

“I’m too old to keep looking for jobs and I’ve had it up to here being bullied by trans phobic a**holes I am left with no alternative. I’ll probably have to go out in a blaze of glory. I’ve been preparing for this moment a long time at least then I’ll be remember I have no family no friends,” West’s post allegedly said.

A criminal complaint states that West was arrested in Jan. despite being identified in Sept.

The posts highlighted by the federal documents seem to show West railing about illegal aliens who are being afforded trans drug therapies and surgeries for free, even as he had to pay for his. One post reportedly revealed his frustration over those who had gender reassignment surgery and didn’t have to reportedly revealed his frustration over those who “had gender reassignment surgery and didn’t have to pay anything out-of-pocket for it.”

The complaint goes on to say, “From November 27 through December 15, 2023, agents frequented West’s page as it was available to the public. Agents observed that West posted and reposted multiple memes, videos and statements that contained violence toward Black and Jewish people and immigrants, images of weapons owned, idolizing of Hitler and the Nazi flag, and a live-streamed video of the Christchurch Mosque shooting in New Zealand.”

In another post, West apparently made racist comments about blacks because many blacks do not support transgenderism. He also slammed white women for the same reason.

Other posts targeted Jews, the feds said.

In one post, West reportedly said “Your days are numbered. Your people are now under the microscope, and most of the civilized world is revisiting the Jewish question,”The National Desk (TND) reported.

Federal investigators also said that West repeatedly refused to talk to them during the early phase of their investigation.

A subsequent raid of West’s residence revealed a number of firearms and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition. After the subpoena search, federal agents arrested West.

The criminal complaint added that the suspect showed a “clear violent animus toward specific minority groups” indicating a “willingness to elevate her original threat of violence towards minority groups,” an agent wrote.

TND added that insiders who wished to remain anonymous also said that West had been arrested in 1993 for sticking a shotgun in his father’s mouth and threatening to pull the trigger.

George Soros Groups Helping Sneak Longtime Dem John Rust Into Indiana GOP’s Senate Primary

Two George Soros-funded voting rights groups are supporting a longtime Democrat and his lawsuit to get on the ballot for U.S. Senate in Indiana after he did not qualify for the Republican ballot due to the state’s election law, the Daily Caller has learned.

Indiana election law requires candidates to have voted in the party primary they’re running in for the last two primaries they cast a vote in. John Rust, who is a longtime Democrat voter, only voted in one GOP primary and did not qualify for the Republican ballot. However, Rust sued the state in September to overturn the election law, won and the lawsuit is now headed to the Indiana Supreme Court on appeal.

Now, two Soros-funded voting rights groups, Common Cause and League of Women Voters, are supporting Rust and his lawsuit. The two groups filed a motion to appear as Amicus Curiae in Rust’s lawsuit.

League of Women Voters helped extend the mail-in-ballot deadline in Arizona in 2020 and recently sued Florida over its recent election integrity law. Common Cause strongly supported former President Donald Trump’s impeachment.

“Across the country, George Soros is financing groups to get Donald Trump kicked off the ballot, but in Indiana, he’s funding efforts to get a Democrat on the Republican ballot. It’s more clear than ever that John Rust is the Democrats’ Trojan Horse intended to disrupt the Republican primary in Indiana and keep a true conservative from representing Indiana in the United States Senate,” Republican Indiana Rep. Jim Banks, who is running for Senate, told the Caller.

“Hoosiers are not fooled,” Banks added.

The Caller contacted Rust about the support from Soros-funded voting rights groups, to which he responded by calling it “fake news.” However, Rust did not answer what was “fake” about the amicus briefs and the support from the two groups.

“This is fake news peddled by the insiders and the Jim Banks campaign who lack a winning record. It’s clear Jim Banks lacks the support to win in May, and they’re doing whatever they can to protect themselves. I know it. You know it. And they know it,” Rust told the Caller.

Rust is not a stranger to legal controversy. In November of 2023 his family company, Rose Acre Farms, was part of a group of egg suppliers found liable for $17.7 million in damages for conspiring to inflate prices.

The Caller also contacted Common Cause and League of Women Voters, but they did not immediately respond.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Renting a Home Still More Affordable Than Owning Across U.S. Even as Both Remain Financial Stretch

ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property and real estate data, today released its 2024 Rental Affordability Report, which shows that median three-bedroom rents in the U.S. are more affordable than owning a similarly-sized home in nearly 90 percent of local markets around the nation.

WATCH: ATTOM’s 2024 Rental Affordability Report

The report shows that both renting and owning a three-bedroom home continue to pose significant financial burdens for average workers, consuming more than one-third of their wages in the vast majority of county-level housing markets. But median rental rates still require a smaller portion of average wages than major home-ownership expenses on three-bedroom properties in 296, or 88 percent, of the 338 U.S. counties with enough data to analyze.

That gap extends trends from 2023 even as rents have commonly risen faster than home prices over the past year around the U.S.

The analysis for this report incorporated 2024 rental prices and 2023 home prices, collected from ATTOM’s nationwide property database, as well as publicly recorded sales deed data licensed by ATTOM (see full methodology below). Those two data sources were combined with average wage figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The current situation favoring renting over buying reflects a combination of housing market trends that offer limited straightforward options for home seekers but ultimately lean towards the advantage of rentals.

Over the past year, both rental rates and home prices have continued to rise in most of the country. Rental rates have climbed even faster in a majority of counties with enough data to analyze.

Orange County, CA (outside Los Angeles) (88 percent for renting versus 136 percent for owning).

The only two counties with a population of more than 1 million where it is more affordable to buy than rent in 2024 are Riverside County, CA (median rents consume 101 percent of average local wages while typical home ownership costs consume 91 percent) and Wayne County (Detroit), MI (22 percent for renting versus 19 percent for owning).

That has happened as elevated home prices have become further and further out of reach for average workers, preventing those with marginal finances from obtaining mortgages and leaving them with few options other than renting. Home prices kept going up in 2023 despite rising mortgage rates, in part because of a tight supply of homes for sale.

Still, despite renting and ownership consuming more than a third of average wages in most local markets, rents haven’t escalated enough to keep them from being the more affordable option for average workers. That trend has held throughout the country but remains most pronounced in the most populous urban and suburban markets.

Median rents for three-bedroom homes have increased more over the past year, or declined less, than median prices for single-family homes in 210, or 62 percent, of the 338 counties analyzed in this report. Counties were included in the report if they had a population of 100,000 or more, at least 100 sales from January through November of 2023 and sufficient data showing changes in three-bedroom rents from 2023 to 2024.

Changes in three-bedroom rents commonly have ranged from 3 percent decreases to 15 percent increases while changes in median sale prices for single-family homes last year typically ranged from 3 percent losses to 7 percent gains.

Renting a three-bedroom home, while still difficult for average workers, is most affordable in 2024 compared to owning a median-priced single-family home in the nation’s largest counties. In almost three-quarters of markets with populations of at least 1 million, the portion of average local wages consumed by renting is at least 10 percentage points lower than the portion required for typical major home ownership expenses. (Comparisons assume a home-purchase mortgage based on a 20 percent down payment. Major ownership expenses include mortgage payments, property taxes and insurance).

Among 45 counties with a population of at least 1 million included in the report, the biggest gaps are in Honolulu, HI (median three-bedroom rents consume 67 percent of average local wages while typical single-home affordability consume 134 percent); Kings County (Brooklyn), NY (72 percent for renting versus 136 percent for owning); Alameda County (Oakland), CA (51 percent for renting versus 108 percent for owning); Santa Clara County (San Jose), CA (29 percent for renting versus 83 percent for owning) and Orange County, CA (outside Los Angeles) (88 percent for renting versus 136 percent for owning).

HEALTH

Please note: The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional.

Plastic Chemicals Causing Infertility, Diabetes Found ‘Widespread’ in Common Food Items: Report

Many of the foods consumed by Americans are contaminated with harmful plastic chemicals that contribute to health complications such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and infertility, according to a recent report by the nonprofit group Consumer Reports (CR).

The group tested 85 food items from 11 categories—beverages, canned beans, condiments, dairy, fast food, grains, infant food, meat and poultry, packaged fruits and vegetables, prepared meals, and seafood, according to the Jan. 4 report.

Researchers examined the foods for the presence of plasticizers—a chemical used to boost the durability of plastics. The group analyzed two to three samples from each food item, looking for two types of common plasticizers—bisphenols and phthalates—as well as some of their substitutes.

They found that these chemicals remained “widespread” in our food products despite “growing evidence” of health risks. CR discovered that 79 percent of tested samples had bisphenols, while 84 out of 85 items had phthalates.

Exposure to such plasticizers can cause severe health issues, such as the potentially negative effects on the brain and prostate glands of children, as well as their behavior, caused by bisphenol A (BPA) exposure. BPA has also been linked with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and high blood pressure.

Phthalates have been associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, lower sperm motility and concentration, early puberty in girls, and cancer.

Both bisphenols and phthalates have been shown to be endocrine disruptors, meaning that they can interfere with the generation and regulation of hormones. Disruptions to hormone levels can lead to cardiovascular disease, infertility, diabetes, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Exposure to these chemicals can come from the environment, food, and packaging—from dust in a house to the printed receipt from a grocery store.

CR found that the levels of BPA and other bisphenols were “notably lower” compared to when the group last tested for BPA in 2009. This suggests that “we are at least moving in the right direction on bisphenols,” said James E. Rogers, director of food safety research and testing at the organization.

However, there wasn’t “any good news” on phthalates. Not only were they present in almost all of the tested foods, but their levels were also “much higher” compared to bisphenols.

Some of the top food items with the highest levels of phthalate contamination, as discovered by CR’s tests, were:

Beverages: Brisk Iced Tea Lemon, Coca-Cola Original, Lipton Diet Green Tea Citrus, and Poland Spring 100 percent natural spring water.
Canned Beans: Hormel Chili with Beans, Bush’s Chili Red Beans Mild Chili Sauce, and Great Value (Walmart) Baked Beans Original.
Condiments: Mrs. Butterworth’s Syrup Original and Hunt’s Tomato Ketchup.
Dairy: Fairlife Core Power High Protein Milk Shake Chocolate, SlimFast High Protein Meal Replacement Shake Creamy Chocolate, Yoplait Original Low Fat Yogurt, and Tuscan Dairy Farms Whole Milk.
Fast Food: Wendy’s Crispy Chicken Nuggets, Moe’s Southwest Grill Chicken Burrito, Chipotle Chicken Burrito, Burger King Whopper With Cheese, Burger King Chicken Nuggets, and Wendy’s Dave’s Single With Cheese.
Grains: General Mills Cheerios Original and Success 10-Minute Boil-in-Bag White Rice.
Infant Food: Gerber Mealtime for Baby Harvest Turkey Dinner, Similac Advance Infant Milk-Based Powder Formula, Beech-Nut Fruities Pouch Pear, Banana & Raspberries, and Gerber Cereal for Baby Rice.
Meat and Poultry: Perdue Ground Chicken Breast, Trader Joe’s Ground Pork 80% Lean 20% Fat, Premio Foods Sweet Italian Sausage, and Libby’s Corned Beef.
Packaged Fruits and Vegetables: Del Monte Sliced Peaches in 100% Fruit Juice, Green Giant Cream Style Sweet Corn, and Del Monte Fresh Cut Italian Green Beans.
Prepared Meals: Annie’s Organic Cheesy Ravioli, Chef Boyardee Beefaroni Pasta in Tomato and Meat Sauce, Banquet Chicken Pot Pie, Campbell’s Chunky Classic Chicken Noodle Soup, and Chef Boyardee Big Bowl Beefaroni Pasta in Meat Sauce.
Seafood: Chicken of the Sea Pink Salmon in Water Skinless Boneless, King Oscar Wild Caught Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Snow’s Chopped Clams.

Some of these foods had far higher levels of phthalates compared to others.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Why Cold Weather Kills a Tesla – and Every Other EV on the Market

Tesla owners in Chicago recently faced a significant issue when their vehicles were left dead, completely unable to charge in the frigid subzero temperatures, highlighting the fact that cold weather is a major Achilles’ heel for electric vehicles (EVs).

CBS News reports that electric vehicles, including popular models like the Tesla lineup of EVs, are experiencing massive performance drops in this year’s cold weather conditions. This issue was recently highlighted as Tesla owners in Chicago found their vehicles taking significantly longer to charge (if they could be charged at all), and some Tesla charging stations were reportedly not functioning correctly. These incidents have raised questions about the reliability of EVs in extreme weather conditions, especially considering their growing popularity, partly fueled by incentives like a $7,500 federal tax credit. The reasons for these ongoing cold weather problems stem from the battery systems at the heart of every EV.

The core problem lies in the fact that EVs are inherently less efficient in cold weather. Research has shown that EVs can lose up to 30 percent efficiency on average, impacting their driving range significantly. For instance, an EV with a range of 200 to 215 miles might only achieve 150 to 175 miles in cold conditions. Scott Case, the co-founder and CEO of battery research firm Recurrent notes that EVs “definitely lose some of their driving range in extreme cold.” This efficiency drop is attributed to the chemical and physical reactions inside an EV’s battery, which require more time in the cold, thereby reducing the power available to the vehicle.

“If you go skiing with your iPhone, you might notice that the battery will burn through more quickly, so halfway through the day it might run out of juice, where normally it would last all day,” Case said.

To understand what this limited range looks like in action, consider the case of siblings that had to stop six times in one day to charge their Tesla, as reported by Breitbart News in January 2023:

“We ended up having to stop every one to one and a half hours to charge for an hour, then an hour and a half, then two hours,” Xavier told the outlet.

“So beyond the lost time, it also got to the point it was between $25 and $30 to recharge. Just in one day, we stopped six times to charge at that cost,” he added.

When the siblings called Hertz to complain about the issues they were experiencing, the agent told them that all their calls that day were Tesla complaints.

In a statement to Insider, Hertz acknowledged that the cold weather was possibly a contributing factor to the battery draining faster than usual.

Another issue is the heating systems used in EVs. Most rely on supplemental heaters, often resistive heaters, which are less efficient in extremely low temperatures. Newer EV models may include heat pumps, which are more effective in such conditions. EVs can also take longer to charge in cold weather because most EV batteries are designed to charge slower as the temperature drops. This is a protective measure to preserve battery health, but it reduces the vehicle’s range as the battery needs to expend energy to heat itself up before charging efficiently.

According to Recurrent’s Case, while cold weather reduces range on individual trips, it doesn’t adversely affect the overall battery life. However, even in optimal conditions, some EVs have been found to fall short of their advertised ranges by as much as 50 miles, and a study suggests that EVs are generally less reliable than gas-powered cars.

To add insult to injury, some Tesla owners find themselves unable to open their car doors in frigid temps and icy conditions thanks to Elon Musk’s unique door handle design. As Breitbart News previously reported:

The Daily Mail reports that numerous Tesla owners have reported being unable to access their vehicles due to frozen door handles during a severe winter storm in Canada and the United States. Rachel Modestino, a meteorologist from Ontario, experienced this issue firsthand on December 23 when temperatures reached a low of 5º F and her car’s door latch failed to function

Modestino’s situation gained significant attention on social media, as a video she posted of her struggle with the frozen door handle has garnered over 10.1 million views on Twitter. In the tweet accompanying the video, Modestino quipped, “Bet ya didn’t think of ice in the Tesla design.” The video shows the Tesla partially covered in ice, highlighting the severity of the winter storm.

https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2024/01/17/tesla-stock-pounded-by-bad-news-and-cold-weather-killing-elons-cars/

Elon Musk’s Tesla has faced a steep $94 billion reduction in market valuation in the initial weeks of 2024, based on bad news in China, Hertz fleeing the EV market, and reports of Tesla charging stations turning into “car graveyards” due to cold weather disabling electric cars.

Bloomberg reports that Elon Musk’s Tesla encountered a severe jolt at the start of 2024, marking a drastic shift from its remarkable success in 2023 when its shares more than doubled. In just the first two weeks of 2024, Tesla faced a staggering $94 billion reduction in market valuation, its worst beginning to any year since the company’s founding.

This drastic downturn can be attributed to several developments, including rental car company Hertz selling off tens of thousands of electric vehicles to buy gas-powered cars, further price reductions for Tesla vehicles in China, a reduction in range estimates for the company’s Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles, and recent reports of “car graveyards” across the midwest as Tesla vehicles are disabled due to cold weather.

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Economic Results of California Banning Gas Vehicles

As a result of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s executive order, gas-powered vehicles will be banned by 2035. This refers to new vehicles and existing gas-powered cars and trucks that will be allowed on California roads for the moment.

Other states are following California. But with electric vehicles (EVs) comes an investment. What are the economic ramifications of banning gas-powered vehicles? Can California afford it? Can America afford it?

Gov. Newsom’s executive order was announced in 2020 and was followed by the California Air Resources Board’s approval in August 2022. Automakers and car dealers will be restricted to selling only cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks that generate zero tailpipe emissions by 2035.

To prepare for this, California’s Advanced Clean Cars II rule requires 35 percent of new cars and light trucks to have zero emissions by 2026. Sixty-eight percent must reach that goal by 2030.

There are ramifications to the gas-powered ban. One of these is the need to upgrade the power grid.In the past, California residents have been plagued with planned rolling blackouts. Some of these were designed to cut the risk of wildfires. In high-risk areas, electric utilities are often preemptively shut off during windstorms, but many blackouts resulted from the strain on the power grid. Residents were asked to conserve energy.

California has experienced more outages in the last five years than any other state except Texas. On average, a California blackout lasted roughly 10 hours, with the longest lasting two and a half days.

Electric vehicles are dependent on the grid. If the power goes out, so does the car.

Preventative fire measures aside, California’s power grid will need to be upgraded to handle the increase in EV usage.In 2021, analytics firm Kevala conducted a study for the California Public Advocates Office. Kevala found that without load management of other mitigation measures, system-level peak load would increase as much as 56 percent between 2025 and 2035.

This increase would mainly be due to EVs. Kevala estimated that upgrading the grid would cost $50 billion.

However, the California Public Advocates Office created a different number using a different model. They estimated the usage based on the addresses of all vehicles in California to predict where EV increased usage would likely occur. They then modeled the expected charging load.

The Public Advocates Office estimated the figure was $15–20 billion. But as a caveat, they said, “No single study or pair of studies, particularly this early in the electrification process, can definitively answer such a complex question as what the costs of distribution grid upgrades will be.”

The bottom line is that billions of dollars will need to be invested to upgrade the power grid to handle the additional strain of EVs.

In 2022, at 14.3 million, California had more registered automobiles than any state nationwide. The overall number of registered motor vehicles was nearly 31.4 million. California also has the most new car sales. In 2022, new car sales amounted to $1,667,831 worth of vehicles.

With those million-plus potential EV sales, the need for charging stations will soar. Currently, there are approximately 51,000 public charging stations across the nation. As of March 2023, California has the most, with 14,040.

A report by the California Energy Commission shows that California needs 1.2 million electric vehicle chargers by 2030. This doesn’t take into the account the additional 157,000 chargers needed by 2030 for medium, heavy-duty and electric buses.

There are three types of chargers, and their cost ranges from $1,500 to $20,000. But that’s just for the equipment. There’s also the installation cost.

Regardless of which type of equipment is chosen, the installation can cost $100,000 to $200,000. These high-voltage items must have specialized electricians and laborers to install them.

Splitting the difference with $150,000 per charger, it would take roughly $180 billion to build the 1.2 million chargers needed to accommodate the 2035 mandate.

But California isn’t the only state with this on its agenda. Nine states have also announced a restriction on new gas-powered vehicle sales. These states are:

Connecticut
Massachusetts
Maryland
New Jersey
New York
Oregon
Rhode Island
Washington

These states eight states are following the Advance Clean Cars II.

In 2022, the ninth state, Vermont, lawmakers required zero-emissions by 2030.

GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING

Winter Greenhouse Growing – Which Vegetables To Grow

For gardeners, winter is pure torture. No fresh vegetables. No Vitamin D from working in the sun. No dirt under your nails. Even people who aren’t big vegetable fans dream about salad in the winter.

You shouldn’t expect to grow tomatoes in winter unless you have a hothouse. That said, you can grow a wide variety of vegetables in winter, in nearly any climate. All you need is a simple, unheated greenhouseor hoop-house.

Of course, extending the growing season in the spring and fall is the most common reason for getting a greenhouse, but you don’t have to limit yourself to that. With the right choices of vegetables and strategies like adding heat-sinks, you can grow and harvest vegetables from your greenhouse all winter in any growing zone.

In early fall, your greenhouse may be crowded with a variety of late tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. As you remove those plants, you can replace them with winter-hardy vegetable seedlings.You should plant most winter seeds in late summer. By doing so, you will give them time to mature before temperatures drop, and you transplant them into the greenhouse.

Before growing your winter crop, integrate compost or fertilizer into your soil. By doing so, you’ll compensate for the nutrients consumed by your summer greenhouse crops.

You’ll also need to pay attention to the temperature, ventilation, heat, humidity, and pests. Still, it will be worth the effort when you enjoy eating greens, herbs, brassicas, and other vegetables all winter long.

In the late winter and early spring, you can use your greenhouse in another way as a protected location to give your spring seedlings a jumpstart.

A greenhouse can make all the difference in winter gardening. However, there is a learning curve. If you don’t use a winter greenhouse correctly, you will have a disappointing harvest.

COVID RELATED NEWS

Chinese Lab Sequenced COVID-19 Weeks Before Beijing Disclosed Data

A China-based researcher had already mapped the COVID-19 sequence two weeks before China’s ruling communist regime revealed such details to the world, raising questions about what other crucial pandemic information Beijing may have buried from view.

Documents released by the House Energy and Commerce Committee reveal that Ren Lili, a current Beijing-based recipient of U.S. federal grants through the New York nonprofit research group EcoHealth Alliance, uploaded COVID-19 sequencing data to a U.S. government genetic database on Dec. 28, 2019.

At the time, Chinese authorities were still calling the disease an unknown pneumonia and ordered health workers not to spread any information around it with threat of penalty.

It wasn’t until Jan. 12—more than two weeks later—that Beijing shared genetic makeup with the World Health Organization. It took two more days before the regime acknowledged the disease could spread from human to human.

National Institutes of Health’s (NIH’s) GenBank repository, which received the data from Ms. Ren, notified the Chinese virologist that the submission was “incomplete” and “lacked the necessary information required for publication,” the Department of Health and Human Services told the House committee in a letter.

Following a quality review process that screens for technical details, the GenBank asked for additional information from Ms. Ren, who works at the state-run Institute of Pathogen Biology, but never heard back, leading to the sequence’s removal from the database on Jan. 16, 2020. During this period, GenBank received a near-identical COVID-19 genetic sequence from a different submitter, which it published on Jan. 12, 2020, according to the letter that the Energy and Commerce Committee released on Jan. 17 this year.

In contrast with the Chinese regime’s insistence that it has been transparent on the COVID origin issue, the newly unearthed information suggested otherwise, Committee Republicans said.

“This significant discovery further underscores why we cannot trust any of the so-called ‘facts’ or data provided by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) and calls into serious question the legitimacy of any scientific theories based on such information,” committee chair McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Subcommittee on Health chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations chair Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), said in a joint statement.

“The American people deserve to know the truth about the origins of SARS-CoV-2, and our investigation has uncovered numerous causes for concern, including how taxpayers’ dollars are spent, how our government’s public health agencies operate, and the need for more oversight into research grants to foreign scientists.”

CANCEL CULTURE

Nolte: Executive Chaos and ‘Major’ Layoffs Hit Far-Left Los Angeles Times

The far-left Los Angeles Times is dealing with the “abrupt resignation” of its executive editor, Kevin Merida, and a coming round of “major” layoffs.The company and the Guild are currently in discussion about how to proceed. In simple terms, the Guild is asking for buyouts prior to any layoffs, and management is asking for more flexibility in how layoffs will be conducted. Management also shared with the Guild that more flexibility in how layoffs are conducted would allow the company to save 50 Guild positions.We don’t yet have a firm number of how many job cuts are on the horizon, but if how the layoffs are conducted (buyouts or not) might or might not save 50 jobs, we’re likely looking at one of two things: a lot of overpaid deadwood in top management on the chopping block, or a very high number of layoffs in the general staff.

Maine Bill Allows Authorities to Take Kids Away from Parents Who Resist Transgendering Children

A bill being debated in Maine’s state legislature would give authorities the power to take children away from parents who oppose allowing medical providers to impose “gender- affirming care” onto their children.

The bill, LD1735, is explicit about this startling new power.

In its summary, for instance, directly states, “The bill authorizes a court to take temporary jurisdiction because a child has been unable to obtain gender-affirming health care or gender-affirming mental health care.”

There seems to be no provision made for religious objection.

Parents would have no parental rights on the issue; either they allow their children to be exposed to dangerous and permanent transgendering drugs and surgeries, or they lose them to the state.

If the bill is passed and signed into law, Maine would join other states in eliminating parental rights in favor of the radical transgender movement.

A law passed last year in the state of Washington, for instance, prevents estranged parents of minors undergoing transgendering treatment from having any say in the medical treatment of their children.

Parents of boy suspended for wearing ‘warrior paint’ at football game sue principal and superintendent

An eighth-grade student in La Jolla, California, attended a high school football game in his free time on Oct. 13. In an effort to emulate his sports heroes, he donned warrior paint on his cheeks, temples, and chin. According to the principal of his school, this common practice amounted to a “hate incident” — at least when executed by this particular child.

The principal reportedly banned the 13-year-old from attending San Diego Unified School District sporting events for the remainder of the year and suspended him from school for two days, accusing him of hatred with “intent to harm.”

In an effort to clear the boy’s name, the Ameduri family is now suing Muirlands Middle School Principal Jeffrey Luna and Lamont Jackson, the superintendent of the SDUSD who denied the boy’s suspension appeal. The boy’s family has demanded a jury trial.

Painting a child as a villain

The boy, referred to as J.A. in court documents, donned the face paint for a game between La Jolla High School and Morse High School. The Center for American Liberty indicated the boy wasn’t alone: “Several other students put eye black in various designs on their faces.”

According to the lawsuit, the boy’s intent “in having his friend paint Warrior eye black on his face was to show spirit for the football team along with the many other fans in attendance. He was not familiar with the concept of ‘blackface’ at the time he put on the Warrior eye black. He had no intent to mimic or mock anyone when he donned the Warrior eye black, nor did he engage in any behavior that could be characterized as mimicking or mocking Black people while wearing it.”

Blaze News previously reported that the boy, referred to as J.A. in court documents, donned the face paint for a game between La Jolla High School and Morse High School. The Center for American Liberty indicated the boy wasn’t alone: “Several other students put eye black in various designs on their faces.”

The game was not sponsored or affiliated with J.A.’s school. Even if it was, the lawsuit further noted that the SDUSD has no rules or policies barring fans from wearing eye black or face paint at games.

“It was a normal day, everything was normal. No one said anything. It was a normal football game and La Jolla won,” the boy’s father, Daniel Ameduri, told “Fox & Friends” Wednesday. “I used to go to a lot of football games when I lived in Texas, and I used to play football and sometimes we put that on if one of the kids brought it.”

“Then the following Monday, Tuesday, nothing,” continued Ameduri. “Wednesday afternoon the principal called J.A. into the office, and the next morning my wife and I showed up and he said, ‘He did blackface,’ and he was suspended for two days and was gonna be banned from sports.”

The suspension notice said the boy “painted his face black at a football game” and categorized it as a “Hate Incident” with the “intent to harm.”

Ameduri recalled having showed the principal, Jeffrey Luna, a photograph of his boy in an effort to “vindicate” his son, but that did not sway Luna, who allegedly responded, “No, that’s blackface.”The family filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California Tuesday, accusing Luna and SDUSD superintendent Jackson of violating J.A.’s First Amendment rights, his right of due process, and the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.

The complaint noted that J.A. was within his constitutional rights when wearing eye black “to show spirit” at the game — constitutional rights students “do not shed … at the schoolhouse gate.”

By punishing J.A. “for his protected speech, Principal Luna and the SDUSD Office of Placement and Appeals exhibited oppression, malice, gross negligence, willful or wanton misconduct, and/or a reckless disregard for J.A.’s civil right,” said the lawsuit.

Furthermore, by suspending J.A. alone for wearing the “warrior eye black,” the complaint suggests Luna and other defendants “intentionally treated J.A. differently from other similarly situated football fans at the Game … among them Muirlands students, who were at the Game wearing eye black and face paint as their situations were directly comparable in all material respects.”

“J.A. was irrationally singled out for punishment,” according to the complaint.

The family wants J.A.’s sporting-event ban lifted; his disciplinary record pertaining to the incident expunged; a declaration on the part of the principal and superintendent that the actions taken against the boy violated his constitutional rights; and damages, in an amount to be determined at trial.

Karin Sweigart, a First Amendment specialist at the Dhillon Law Group who is representing J.A., told KFMB-TV why the success of the suit is critical: “[J.A.] might have to not only have short-term ramifications; he would have to have this on his student records when he’s applying for high schools. But also, potentially, this could come up with colleges with future job applications.”

Sweigart wrote on X,”Cheering at a football game is not blackface, and school administrators saying an innocent child committed an act of ‘hate violence’ with no investigation and no evidence to support the claim is despicable.”

“As an attorney, I have been dealing with in an alarming number of situations clients calling me with similar things. And these school districts need to stop. They need to stop throwing innocent children under the bus,” added Sweigart.

Late last year, liberal sports blog Deadspin vilified a 9-year-old Native American boy who turned up at a Kansas City Chiefs game with his face painted in the colors of his favorite team, accusing him of racial hatred.

PET NEWS

How Much Should You Feed Your Dog in Fall and Winter?

As temperatures fall, owners are less inclined to exercise their dogs due to their own discomfort in the colder weather. Less exercise means less calorie expenditure. When dogs are expending fewer calories they need less dietary calories and less food. Continuing to feed the same amount of food will result in “winter weight gain” that is unhealthy.

But what about the dog that is housed outdoors during the cold winter months? A key biological imperative of all animals and humans is to maintain a constant core body temperature. Shivering is a means of doing that. But shivering uses large amount of calories. Even non-shivering calorie expenditure increases in the cold. Fat deposits and fur density help insulate and decrease the calorie expenditure of shivering. Also, active animals and those acclimatized to the cold are better protected from the bitterness of cold.

Studies suggest that dogs subject to low temperature exposure need two to three times the normal calories as they need at a more moderate temperature. The increase in calories leads to more fat accumulation and insulation and decreases or compensates for the amount of calorie loss from shivering and non-shivering. Without the extra calories these pets actually lose weight.

Pets subjected to cold also have an altered metabolism. They use fat preferentially to glucose for metabolism. Dogs housed outside in the winter need more dietary fat. This may mean changing from their present dog food to a food higher in fat.

Decreasing daylight means less opportunity to exercise and has the same effect as lowered temperatures. Owners are more reluctant to provide the same level of exercise as when there was more daylight. Less exercise means less calorie expenditure. The quantity of food needs to be decreased.

But the shortening of daylight hours causes other change in your dog’s metabolism. Shorter days signal to the dog brain that winter is coming. This sets off hormonal changes to slow metabolism and conserve calorie expenditure. These changes also promote the deposition of fat. This phenomenon is a result of a genetic adaptation called the “thrifty gene.” The thrifty gene prepares the dog for the harsh winter and allows for normal performance in harsh conditions.

For dogs housed inside, this genetic adaptation is disadvantageous to their health. Inside dogs are not subject to the harshness of winter. A decreased metabolism will mean they gain weight if fed the same as other times of the year. Dogs protected from the harshness of winter need less food to compensate for this hormonal metabolic change.

Dogs (and cats) should be fed to their Body Condition Score, or BCS,year around. The BCS is an observational assessment of a pet’s fitness. The system has been proven to correlate with the most sophisticated X-ray technology for determining the percent body fat of pets. A dog or cat should be fed to maintain a perfect 4-5/9 BCS. These dogs have a nice hour-glass waist line when looking from above, a tight tummy tuck when looking form the side, and ribs that cannot be seen but can be felt. Dogs that are 1-3/9 are too thin and those 6-9/ are too heavy.

The recommendations that follow for feeding dogs during seasonal changes only apply to fit dogs. Any dog or cat with a BCS equal to or greater than 6/9 needs a supervised weight loss program no matter what the season.

If your dog progresses from a 4-5/9 to a 6/9 during the winter, then reduce the amount you feed by 10 percent. Continue the reduction in 10 percent increments until your dog is back to a 4-5/9. If your dog slips to a 3/9 then increase feed in 10 precent increments until he/she is back to a 4-5/9.

Make the appropriate changes and feed to maintain that perfect BCS. My motto is “score a four and live some more” and is based on research that has confirmed that dogs kept in a fit condition their whole life live almost two years longer than their overweight littermates. Embrace changes in seasons. Feed your dog differently as needed. Use the BCS.

GOOD NEWS

‘Bikers Against Predators’ Hunts Down Pedophiles in the Heartland, Leading to Multiple Arrests

In a series of events that has garnered attention from multiple communities in the Heartland, an organization of do-gooders has demonstrated an out-of-the-box approach to stopping pedophiles. The group, which is called “Bikers Against Predators,” has been conducting operations to catch sex offenders.The organization, which is comprised of motorcyclists, employs various methods to hunt these individuals down and aid law enforcement in apprehending them. Recently, the group proved instrumental in catching three different suspects.

There are open investigations in three Heartland communities after an organization held operations to catch sex offenders in each town.

The group “Bikers Against Predators” posted videos they say show Bootheel men who thought they were meeting with minors for sex.

These videos reportedly show men from the Bootheel region attempting to meet up with who they believed were underaged girls–but were really decoys set up by the organization.

“We are more than willing to work with any organization that’s out here trying to protect the citizens of the United States,” said Caruthersville Chief of Police Terry Privett.

Chief Privett said his department responded to a call from Bikers Against Predators this past weekend.

“Officers responded to that location, made contact with members of Bikers Against Predators and basically that organization turned over evidence to the officers that allowed them to initiate a criminal investigation against the suspect,” he said.

Now, the suspect has been charged.

According to online court records, Stephen M. Eubanks of Kennett, Missouri faces one felony count of enticement or attempted enticement of a child (actor 21 years of age or older and child less than 15 years of age) and one misdemeanor of furnishing pornographic material or attempt to furnish to a minor. His bond was set at $25,000 cash only.

In another case, the organization helped to catch a suspect in the same manner.

A second investigation happened over the weekend. 50-year-old Joseph James Craig of Dexter, Mo. is now in custody.

Bikers Against Predators called the Bernie Police Department to report property damage after Craig ran into some guide wire with his truck as he abruptly left after the group confronted him on the property of a local school.

According to the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Office, Craig is now facing charges for leaving the scene of an accident, first-degree property damage and driving while revoked/suspended. His bond was set at $10,000 cash only.

On Tuesday, another suspect was apprehended after local police received information from the organization.

McKenzie Q. Surritte, age 29, has been charged with felony enticement or attempted enticement of a child and is being held on a $25,000 cash or surety bond.

According to the probable cause statement, people working for Bikers Against Predators had contacted West Plains Police about a potential sexual predator. Bikers Against Predators is a group that locates potential sexual predators using fake accounts, typically pretending to be a minor. The group member showed police messages between the fake account and Surritte where the suspect attempted to set up a sexual meeting with the fake minor.

In post-Miranda interviews with authorities, Surritte allegedly noted he knew the person he was messaging was a 13-year-old female and asked for photos and sexual favors of the minor.