Today’s Top 5:
1.US Destroys Last of Its Chemical Weapons Stockpile
The United States has destroyed the last of its declared chemical weapons stockpile at a military installation in Kentucky.
President Joe Biden said in a White House statement that the final munition in the country’s stockpile was “safely destroyed.” The disarmament milestone brings the country “one step closer to a world free from the horrors of chemical weapons,” the president said.
Former secret service agent Dan Bongino is claiming that the only explanation for the presence of cocaine in the White House is that President Joe Biden or his family members brought it inside.
The White House is an 18-acre complex surrounded by magnetometers and checkpoints, Mr. Bongino said in a recent Rumble video, adding that there were only specific ways into the White House, and all of them go through the checkpoints. “Whether it (cocaine) was found in the Lincoln bedroom or in the diplomatic reception room, it doesn’t matter. Somebody had to bypass the security magnetometer checkpoint to get that in there.”
“The 18-acre complex is like a ring surrounding the whole thing. The only way to get in is to go through one of the checkpoints,” he pointed out. There could be “no one” who could have just gotten through the checkpoint and brought cocaine in. “It’s someone who would have bypassed the checkpoints.”
3.Supreme Court Rules for Christian Bakers in First Amendment Case
The Supreme Court ruled on June 30 in favor of Christian bakers who said Oregon’s law requiring them to make cakes to celebrate same-sex weddings infringed on their constitutional rights.
The decision came hours after the nation’s highest court issued a landmark 6–3 ruling in favor of Christian website designer Lorie Smith of 303 Creative, who said a Colorado law that punished her for refusing to create websites for same-sex weddings violated her First Amendment rights.
“The First Amendment protects the rights of all Americans to speak freely and live according to their sincere religious beliefs,” said the bakers’ attorney, Trent McCotter of Boyden Gray and Associates in Washington.
“As the Supreme Court has recognized, carefully guarding these rights is all the more important when the beliefs expressed are controversial,” he said in a statement.
4.The Left’s New Sugar Daddy Alex Soros Had 20 Meetings at Joe Biden’s White House (So Far)
Alex Soros, the son and heir apparent to billionaire left-wing philanthropist George Soros, had 20 meetings at President Joe Biden’s White House with Biden administration officials, according to the latest White House visitor logs.
According to the visitor logs, the younger Soros has visited the Biden White House 15 times, met with officials 20 times, and attended a state dinner for French President Emmanuel Macron at which President Biden was in attendance.
5.US Appeals Court Revives Lawsuit Accusing Cisco of Aiding Beijing in Persecuting Falun Gong
A lawsuit that accuses California-based tech giant Cisco of facilitating the Chinese regime’s violent persecution of Falun Gong can move forward to trial, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled on July 7.
Adherents of Falun Gong, a faith group that’s been heavily persecuted in China since 1999, filed a lawsuit in 2011 against Cisco along with its two former executives, longtime CEO John Chambers and Fredy Cheung, Cisco’s then-vice president for greater China. The firm, the lawsuit alleges, supplied technology to help China’s communist officials build a vast surveillance network to identify and track Falun Gong practitioners, and facilitate their subsequent arrest and torture.
Reversing a 2014 lower district court decision to dismiss the case, the federal appellate court found the plaintiffs’ allegations sufficient for the case to proceed.
“We conclude that Plaintiffs’ allegations, accepted as true, are sufficient to state a plausible claim that Cisco provided essential technical assistance to the “douzheng” of Falun Gong with awareness that the international law violations of torture, arbitrary detention, disappearance, and extrajudicial killing were substantially likely to take place,” U.S. Circuit Judge Marsha Berzon wrote in the majority in the 2–1 opinion reinstating the suit. “Douzheng” refers to a Chinese term used by the Communist Party for the violent political campaigns it instigates against perceived enemies.
Ms. Berzon said that the company’s actions, many of which took place on U.S. soil, constitutes “aiding and abetting” the Chinese regime’s abuses.
WORLD NEWS
Dutch Government Collapses Over Immigration Policy
The Dutch government collapsed on July 7 after failing to reach a deal on restricting immigration, which will trigger new elections in the fall.
The crisis was triggered by a push by Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s conservative VVD party to limit the flow of illegal immigrants to the Netherlands, which two of his four-party government coalition refused to support.
“It’s no secret that the coalition partners have differing opinions about immigration policy. Today we unfortunately have to conclude that those differences have become insurmountable. Therefore, I will tender the resignation of the entire cabinet to the king,” Mr. Rutte said during a televised news conference.
Tensions came to a head last week, when Mr. Rutte demanded support for a proposal to limit the entrance of children of war refugees who are already in the Netherlands and to make families wait at least two years before they can be reunited.
The proposal went too far for the small Christian Union and liberal D66, triggering a stalemate.
Biden Approves Banned “Cluster Bombs” For Ukraine
United States ruler Joe Biden has approved sending banned “cluster bombs” to Ukraine with NATO’s (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) support. Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO also doesn’t see a problem with internationally banned cluster munitions as long as it’s the U.S. or its allies that deploy them.
If anyone but Ukraine or the U.S. were to deploy “cluster bombs”, NATO would have a big problem with it. As ZeroHedge noted, if cluster bombs were being deployed by Russia or official U.S. enemies, NATO would condemn it (and has in the past). But becasue the Biden administration is now reportedly moving forward with sending cluster munitions to Ukraine, Stoltenberg has said that “NATO does not have a position on them” as some allies have signed up to prohibit their use.
Biden defends ‘difficult decision’ to give Ukraine cluster bombs amid congressional pushback
President Joe Biden defended what he called his “very difficult decision” to provide cluster munitions to Ukraine in an interview that aired Sunday, saying the war-torn country “needed” the controversial weapons to fight off invading Russian troops.
“It took me a while to be convinced to do it. But the main thing is, they either have the weapons to stop the Russians now from their — keep them from stopping the Ukrainian offensive through these areas — or they don’t. And I think they needed them,” Biden said in an interview on CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS.”
The administration’s announcement Friday that it would be sending cluster munitions to Ukraine in a U.S. military aid package was met with pushback from some of Biden’s fellow Democrats, who noted the surface-to-surface warheads, which disperse small munitions or bombs over wide areas, can explode after battle and sometimes injure or kill innocent people.
The weapons have been banned in more than 100 countries, and the White House suggested last year that Russia’s use of the weapons in Ukraine was a potential war crime.
Biden said the move was necessary now because the Ukrainian military is low on ammunition, emphasizing that it’s a temporary measure.
“The Ukrainians are running out of ammunition, the ammunition that they used to call them 155-millimeter weapons. This is a— this is a war relating to munitions, and they’re running out of those— that ammunition, and we’re low on it. And so what I finally did, took the recommendation of the Defense Department, to not permanently, but to allow for [their use] in this transition period,” he said in the interview, conducted Friday.
Biden said the bombs would not be used in civilian areas.
EU Police Biometric Databases Will Grow With New Data Exchange Policy, Says Rights Group
The European Union’s new law on exchanging data between national law enforcement authorities is set to increase the amount of data being shared with Europol, including biometric data, according to UK monitoring group Statewatch.
The new law, called Directive (EU) 2023/977 entered force in June and is meant to eliminate inconsistencies and harmonize existing regulations. This includes the Prüm regulation that allows police forces to share records, including face biometrics, to enable cross-country searches of criminals and suspects.
The Directive also replaces provisions on cross-border data exchange of two legal frameworks, the Schengen Implementation Agreement (SIA) and the Swedish Framework Decision. The two frameworks were used by law enforcement agencies to cross-check their data with DNA or fingerprint biometric databases of another member state.
French Cops Can Now Secretly Activate Phone Cameras, Microphones And GPS To Spy On Citizens
Cops in France have been granted the authority to remotely activate a suspect’s cellphone camera, microphone and GPS, after the passage of a provision in a wider “justice reform bill” on Wednesday night.
The bill allows the geolocation of crime suspects, covering other devices like laptops, cars and connected devices, just as it could be remotely activated to record sound and images of people suspected of terror offences, as well as delinquency and organised crime. –People’s Gazette
Wind Industry Blackmails U.K., Demands Huge Increase In Subsidies
In a move that gives the lie to years of propaganda claiming falling costs, the wind industry’s leading lobbyists have written to the Government threatening to abandon the U.K. unless subsidies for their companies are hugely increased.
The industry lobbyists claim that unforeseen rising costs now require three actions:
- A revision to the auction rules so that the winners are not determined by lowest bids but by an administrative decision that weights bids according to their ‘value’ in contributing towards the Net Zero targets.
- Special new targets and thus market shares for floating offshore wind, one of the most expensive of all forms of generation;
- A vast increase in the budget for the fifth auction (AR5) of Contracts for Difference subsidies, with an increase of two and half times the current levels for non-floating offshore wind alone;
Such changes, were the Government to agree to them, would not only increase the total amount of subsidy to an industry that was until recently claiming no longer to need public support, but also provide the industry with protected shares of the energy market, eliminating risks for investors at the expense of the paying public. It would also clearly be an open invitation to corruption.
Climate lobby group Net Zero Watch has urged the Government to stand up for consumers by rejecting the wind industry’s latest demands.
Dr. John Constable, Net Zero Watch’s Energy Director, said: “It would be both absurd and counterproductive for Government to bail out the wind industry in spite of the evident failure to reduce costs. A refusal to learn from mistakes will be disastrous.”
In a press release, the organisation argued the Government should “reject the self-serving demands” because the U.K. economy should not be expected to continue to subsidise a sector “that is still uneconomic after nearly 20 years of above-market prices and guaranteed market share”.
“The wind experiment has failed and must be wound down,” it adds.
Three Journalists Kidnapped, One Found Murdered in Mexico
Authorities in Mexico confirmed the apparent kidnapping of three journalists in the state of Nayarit. Police found one of the victims murdered over the weekend. While the cases appear unrelated, the common denominator is the victims are all journalists, authorities revealed.
On Saturday, authorities in Nayarit found the body of Luis Martin Sanchez Iniguez, a reporter for La Jornada Newspaper. The discovery in a rural community happened in the morning near the state capital of Tepic.
U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
Biden Admin Launches New Immigration Pathway for People From Central America, Colombia
The Biden administration has launched a new immigration program to allow some nationals of Central America and Colombia to enter the United States.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on July 7 announced it’s implementing “new family reunification parole (FRP) processes” for Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The program was first announced in April.
The FRP processes allow certain migrants with U.S. relatives to enter and work legally while they await their U.S. immigration visas.
“Specifically, nationals of these [four] countries can be considered for parole on a case-by-case basis for a period of up to three years while they wait to apply to become a lawful permanent resident,” the DHS stated on July 7.
Potentially eligible migrants are those from the four countries who have family members that are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents in the United States.
Yellen bows to CCP official during Beijing trip
Yellen was meeting her Chinese counterpart, Vice Premier He Lifeng
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen made an unusual gesture Saturday when she bowed to a Chinese official during her visit in Beijing.
Footage shows Yellen approaching Vice Premier He Lifeng — her Chinese counterpart — and bowing multiple times while enthusiastically shaking his hand.
Former White House staffer Bradley Blakeman, who served during President George W. Bush’s administration, told the New York Post that the gesture was unseemly.
“Never, ever, ever…an American official does not bow. It looks like she’s been summoned to the principal’s office, and that’s exactly the optics the Chinese love,” Blakeman said.
Whistleblower charges U.S. now a ‘middleman’ in ‘child trafficking’
The United States government, under the leadership of Joe Biden, has become a de facto “middleman” in a massive “child trafficking” scheme, according to a damning new report compiled by journalist and Gatestone Institute Senior Fellow Uzay Bulut.
“The criminal practice of trafficking and abusing hundreds of thousands of migrant children who cross the southern border,” Bulut writes on the organization’s website, “is now, thanks to the open-border policy of the Biden administration, apparently ‘normal’ inside the U.S.”
He cites federal statistics about the millions of illegals encountered at the border in recent years, but pointedly notes that “at least 85,000 children are believed to be missing.”
“Many of those children are raped,” he explained, “used for forced labor, and forced to undertake brutal jobs ostensibly to ‘work off’ their debt by the criminal cartels who reportedly now control the Mexican side of the border and brought the children in.”
And he cites the comments from whistleblower Tara Lee Rodas, who told the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement just weeks ago, “Whether intentional or not, it can be argued that the U.S. government has become the middleman in a large scale, multi-billion-dollar, child trafficking operation run by bad actors seeking to profit off the lives of children.”
DC Bar Panel Recommends Rudy Giuliani Lose Law Licence Over 2020 Election Fraud Claims
A District of Columbia disciplinary panel has recommended that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani should be disbarred over a lawsuit he filed challenging the 2020 election results.
A hearing committee of the D.C. Board on Professional Responsibility said in a 38-page decision (pdf) that Mr. Giuliani, who was once former President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, violated two legal ethics rules in what it described as a “frivolous” lawsuit.
The board’s decision stems from a lawsuit Mr. Giuliani filed challenging Pennsylvania’s 2020 election results that was ultimately rejected by several courts. The lawsuit sought to invalidate hundreds of thousands of votes following Mr. Trump’s defeat in the swing state.
Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder Arrested While Protesting the Case Against Julian Assange
Ben Cohen, co-founder of popular American ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s, was arrested Thursday outside the Department of Justice while protesting in support of Wikileaks publisher Julian Assange.
Cohen had shared in a tweet on Wednesday that he planned to “protest the criminalization of the free press and the prosecution” of Assange, acknowledging that the move would “risk arrest.”
Indigenous Chief Wants Ben & Jerry’s to Return ‘Stolen’ Land on Which Its HQ Sits
A tribal chief with links to the Native American nation that originally inhabited the land in Vermont where Ben & Jerry’s is headquartered said he’s interested in getting the land back after the ice cream company called for the return of “stolen” lands.
Don Stevens, chief of the Nulhegan Band of The Coosuk Abenaki Nation, which is descended from the nation that once controlled parts of modern-day Vermont, told Newsweek in a recent interview that the nation has always been “interested in reclaiming the stewardship of our lands.”
Ben & Jerry’s hasn’t yet approached the nation, per the report, even though the ice cream company said in a statement ahead of Independence Day that the United States was founded on land stolen from Indigenous peoples and that called for a commitment to giving it back.
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Circle the Wagons: The Government Is On the Warpath
“Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear.”—Harry S. Truman
How many Americans have actually bothered to read the Constitution, let alone the first ten amendments to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights (a quick read at 462 words)?
Take a few minutes and read those words for yourself—rather than having some court or politician translate them for you—and you will be under no illusion about where to draw the line when it comes to speaking your mind, criticizing your government, defending what is yours, doing whatever you want on your own property, and keeping the government’s nose out of your private affairs.
In an age of overcriminalization, where the average citizen unknowingly commits three crimes a day, and even the most mundane activities such as fishing and gardening are regulated, government officials are constantly telling Americans what not to do.
Yet it was not always this way.
Attorney Departs From Trump Defense Team in New York Civil Fraud Case
Donald Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba is no longer on the former president’s legal defense team in the high-stakes New York state fraud case and will assume a new role with a political action committee.
Mr. Trump’s Save America leadership PAC on Friday announced in a press release that Habba will take over as their legal spokesperson and general counsel. Ms. Habba’s New Jersey law firm, according to the PAC, will still assist Mr. Trump with “certain legal matters.”
“Alina has worked diligently and tirelessly on many of the witch-hunt cases that have been unfairly brought against President Trump,” said Trump communications director Steven Cheung.
“It is an honor to be asked by such a leader as President Trump to help Save America. Being able to devote more time to addressing publicly his many legal matters is the privilege of a lifetime,” Ms. Habba said in her own statement.
Any specific reason behind her departure has not yet been revealed
Police: 3 Georgia Teens Murdered Man After Egging His House
Georgia authorities found a man dead in the middle of the road following an alleged egging incident at the man’s home.
Spalding County deputies responded to a call on July 3 of a man shot and killed in the 100 block of Dobbins Mill Rd., according to a statement from the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities could not find any identification on the body but took his fingerprints, revealing his identity to be Jonathan Gilbert also known as “Tyler Lane.”
REPORT: Accusations of Hazing at Northwestern Allege ‘Barbaric’ Forced Sex Acts
More information about the alleged hazing incidents in the Northwestern football program have emerged that reportedly involved coerced sex acts between players.
An investigation into the allegations headed by Maggie Hickey of ArentFox Schiff, a former inspector general of Illinois, determined that the allegations were credible. The school subsequently suspended head coach Pat Fitzgerald for two weeks without pay and made several other changes to the football program to mitigate the problem.
2ND AMENDMENT
San Antonio police say that they believe the man acted in self defense when he shot and killed the attempted robbers
Authorities in Texas believe a man who shot and killed two people was acting in self-defense after two men allegedly attempted to rob him while he was taking money out of an ATM.
In a press conference, the San Antonio Police Department’s Chief William McManus said that on Friday, July 7 at approximately 1 p.m., a man in his 20s went to a Chase Bank about 15 minutes from downtown San Antonio, Texas.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Mortgage rates jump to 6.81%, their highest level this year
US mortgage rates jumped up this week as recent economic data showed inflation remains sticky and the job market is still red hot.
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.81% in the week ending July 6, up from 6.71% the week before, according to data from Freddie Mac released Thursday. A year ago, the 30-year fixed-rate was 5.30%.
“Mortgage rates continued their upward trajectory again this week, rising to the highest rate this year so far,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “This upward trend is being driven by a resilient economy, persistent inflation and a more hawkish tone from the Federal Reserve. These high rates combined with low inventory continue to price many potential homebuyers out of the market.”
World Economic Forum Speaker Reveals the True Power Behind Governments’ Digital Currencies
The global elites who run the World Economic Forum are slowly but surely revealing how they will be able to manipulate digital currencies, and it is rather concerning — to say the least.
Over the last three years, the WEF has been promoting its “Great Reset”, a plan for a complete and radical restructuring of the global economy in response to the pandemic and climate change. The idea of this “Great Reset” was summed up by the infamous phrase, “You will own nothing and be happy.”
Now, speakers at WEF conferences are sharing the details of how exactly this “Great Reset” will be carried out.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
IN-DEPTH: Court Order Halts Government-Instigated Censorship by Big Tech
On July 4, 11 federal agencies and dozens of their officials were legally blocked from further interaction with more than 20 social media companies about the censoring of information deemed by the government as misinformation.
Communication about criminal activity, national security threats, attempted foreign influence, cyberattacks, illegal campaign contributions, and voter suppression are exempt from the ban.
The preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order were issued by Judge Terry Doughty, a Trump appointee, in the U.S. District Court of Western Louisiana.
Apple will permanently delete photos in July — how to keep yours safe
A picture is worth a thousand words — as long as it doesn’t get deleted.
Apple announced it will permanently do away with the My Photo Stream album next month. The feature automatically stores pictures taken in the last 30 days.
Due to the impending shutdown, My Photo Stream stopped uploading snaps on June 26 — and everything in the album will be deleted when the service ceases July 26.
However, any pics that were uploaded to My Photo Stream before June 26 will remain in iCloud for 30 days from the date of upload and will be available on devices where My Photo Stream is enabled.
To ensure you do not lose any pictures, go into the My Photo Stream album in your camera roll and save your pictures to your device or to iCloud.
Zuckerberg’s New ‘Threads’ App Already Censoring Speech
Mark Zuckerberg’s new Threads app, billed by some as the “Twitter-killer,” has barely launched and it’s already being accused of censoring speech.
The Meta CEO’s new platform has racked up 70 million sign-ups within a day of its launch, apparently putting it on track to threaten the dominance of Elon Musk’s Twitter.
“70 million sign ups on Threads as of this morning, ” Mr. Zuckerberg said in a post on his Threads account. “That’s way beyond our expectations.”
Some analysts say Mr. Zuckerberg’s new offering, which has been described as a text-based version of the photo-sharing app Instagram, could be a big headache for Twitter, which has threatened to sue Meta over what it described as a “copycat” app that exploited Twitter’s trade secrets and intellectual property to accelerate its development.
But barely a day after its launch, concerns have already been raised about the Zuckerberg-backed app’s restrictions on speech.
“When Mark Zuckerberg—the owner of Meta, Facebook, Threads, and WhatsApp—announced Threads, he said it would be a free and open platform,” said author and investigative reporter Michael Shellenberger, who was one of those who broke some of the “Twitter Files” instalments that exposed the inner workings of Twitter’s censorship machine prior to the Musk takeover.
“Well, right away, there were users who showed that they had been censored,” Mr. Shellenberger added in an interview on Fox News late Thursday.
‘Already Flagged Me For Censorship’
Mr. Schellenberger gave as an example the apparent action taken against the new Threads account of known conservative commentator Rogan O’Hanley, who goes by the handle @DC-Draino on Twitter.
Mr. O’Hanley took to Twitter to say that he had just downloaded Threads and “posted once about wanting to expose Biden’s corrupt government and they’ve already flagged me for censorship.”
A screenshot shared by O’Hanley shows a warning label on his Threads profile for anyone that wants to follow him.
“Are you sure you want to follow dc_draino?” the Threads app asked users, per the screenshot. “This account has repeatedly posted false information that was reviewed by independent fact-checkers or went against our Community Guidelines,” it added.
Elon Musk Says Tesla Could Reach ‘Level 4 or 5’ Autonomous Driving This Year
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the electric-vehicle maker is “very close” to achieving fully autonomous driving, predicting the advanced driving system will be ready this year.
“In terms of where Tesla is at this stage, I think we are very close to achieving full self-driving without human supervision,” Mr. Musk said via video link at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China, on July 6.
“This is only speculation, but I think we’ll achieve full self-driving—maybe what level you would call 4 or 5—I think later this year,” he said.
The billionaire admitted that he had been wrong in predicting the timeline regarding autonomous driving previously, but he added that he feels the automaker is “closer to it than we ever have been.”
‘Not Worth Your Life’: Alabama Official Warns Against Deadly TikTok ‘Boat Jumping’ Trend
Officials in Alabama say at least four people died over the past few months while performing a deadly TikTok trend involving speeding boats.
The individuals jumped or flipped off the backs of the vessels while they were moving, breaking their necks and drowning, the New York Post reported Saturday.
SURVEILLANCE STATE
Is Your Phone Spying on You? Computer Scientists Reveal What’s Hiding in Your Apps
People love their smartphones, but did you know they could be spying on you? A recent study by computer scientists from New York University and UC San Diego uncovered the hidden dangers of spyware apps. These apps are not only difficult to detect, but they can also leak your sensitive information without your knowledge. The team warns that it’s important to be aware of this issue and take steps to protect yourself and your privacy.
“This is a real-life problem and we want to raise awareness for everyone, from victims to the research community,” says Enze Alex Liu, the first author of the paper, in a university release.
Spyware apps are often marketed as tools to monitor children or employees, but they can also be used by abusers to secretly spy on their partners. These apps are designed to record everything that happens on a victim’s device, including text messages, emails, photos, and even phone calls. The abusers can then access this information remotely through a web portal. The use of spyware apps has been on the rise, with a significant increase in their usage in recent years.
To find out if your device has been infected with a spyware app, you can check your privacy dashboard and the list of all apps in your device’s settings. However, these apps are specifically designed to remain hidden, making them difficult to detect.
The study focused on analyzing 14 leading spyware apps for Android phones. While Google does not allow the sale of these apps on its official app store, they can still be downloaded separately from the web. This is in contrast to iPhones, which do not allow such “side-loading” of apps, making spyware apps less prevalent on this platform.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Geoengineering Watch Global Alert News, July 8, 2023, #413
US Utilities Lobby Congress to Keep Gas Stoves Legal
American gas utilities are lobbying support for bills to keep gas stoves operational, as the Biden administration recommends their elimination for climate change purposes.
Natural gas companies are gathering their political allies in Congress to ward off any attempts that gas stove use be curtailed, according to federal records.
Gas utility companies fear that gas stove bans are the start of a broader phaseout of natural gas, as climate change activists aim to electrify more of the energy system.
Leftist climate change activists are now going after natural gas consumption after destroying the U.S. coal industry under the Biden administration.
The Stupidity of Ethanol as Green Energy
Carbon neutrality refers to a product that has net zero carbon emissions. The manufacture and use of corn-based ethanol has expanded based on the assumption that it’s carbon neutral and therefore far better for the environment than gasoline. However, several studies have shown that such assumptions are categorically false
A 2016 study found corn grown for ethanol only offset 37% of carbon dioxide emissions produced by burning biofuels, resulting in net-positive carbon dioxide emissions that are greater than gasoline
One of the primary reasons why growing corn for ethanol has a net-positive CO2 impact is because farmers are plowing up native grasslands to make more room for corn; 60 tons of carbon dioxide are released into the environment per acre of grassland plowed
Ignoring water consumption further underestimates CO2 emissions from land-use change by 28%. When corn plants’ water needs are considered, corn ethanol is worse for the environment than gasoline
A five-year study published in 2022 concluded the CO2 emissions from corn-based ethanol are at least 24% greater than that of gasoline. On top of that, it has led to increased fertilizer use, resulting in greater water pollution and a growing dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico
Saharan Dust Could Reach South Florida
Residents could experience less rain and higher temperatures because of the dust, and it might affect air quality.
Extreme Heat Wave Coming for Southwest: Arizona, New Mexico, California
Forecasters are warning of a long and intense heat wave coming for the U.S. Southwest that could rank among the most severe in recent history.
The focal point of the blistering heat will fall mostly in Arizona, California, and New Mexico, with peak intensity expected later in the week, according to regional offices of the National Weather Service (NWS).
The forecasts came at the tail end of a week that hit an average global record high temperature, according to the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer project.
GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING
Gene Editing Found to Cause Chaos in the Genome of Tomatoes
Recent scientific findings have revealed chromothripsis-like effects after the application of CRISPR/Cas gene editing in the genome of tomatoes, reports Testbiotech in an article commenting on a just-published preprint study by scientists based in Israel and the US.
Chromothripsis refers to a phenomenon in which often several hundred genetic changes occur simultaneously in a catastrophic event. Many sections of the genetic material can be swapped, recombined, or even lost if this occurs, GMWatch recently reported
Source: GMWatch
As Testbiotech explains, it has been known for some time that “CRISPRthripsis” occurs in mammalian (and human) cells. But now this effect has also been demonstrated in plants after gene editing applications. The findings show that gene editing applications cause unintended genetic alterations much more frequently than previously thought, affecting large parts of the genome.
HEALTH
Research Shows Kids Increasingly Getting Kidney Stones
There are rising instances of children and teens with kidney stones, particularly girls, according to research data, leading doctors to question why.
The age-old reasons for kidney stones – metabolic syndrome, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes – are not factors either, piquing the interest of the medical researchers, NBC News reported.
“In children, we’re not seeing that,” Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Dr. Gregory Tasian told NBC. “They’re otherwise healthy and simply come in with their first kidney stone for unclear reasons.
New Book Reveals the Uncensored History of AIDS
Journalist Celia Farber is the author of “Serious Adverse Events: An Uncensored History of AIDS.” In it, she highlights the work of virologist and retrobiologist Peter Duesberg, who since 1987 has insisted that HIV doesn’t cause AIDS
According to Duesberg, retroviruses such as HIV are harmless and do not cause disease. And, up until Dr. Robert Gallo claimed he’d discovered HIV in his laboratory in 1984, and determined that it caused AIDS, this was the scientific consensus
Duesberg was vehemently attacked by AIDS researchers and activists, and internationally discredited by media for not going along with the AIDS narrative promoted by the medical establishment, led by Dr. Anthony Fauci
As with COVID-19, one of the key tools used to promote the “HIV causes AIDS” narrative was the use of the PCR test. There are also other similarities to what happened with COVID, including the vilification and discrediting of scientists and therapies that could effectively address the disease
Bactrim was an inexpensive generic drug that effectively treated AIDS-related pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, which was frequently fatal. This drug, like ivermectin, was withheld. Instead, Fauci insisted AIDS patients be treated with AZT, a horrendously toxic and expensive cancer drug that was never proven to work, and which killed an estimated 300,000 AIDS patients, most of them gay men
Judge Allows Tennessee Law Shielding Minors From Transgender Procedures to Take Effect
States are on the front lines in pushing back against federal efforts to normalize transgender procedures for minors
Rare fungal infection leaves Wisconsin woman dead
There’s a hidden danger in some soil that can be deadly – a fungus that, when disturbed, releases spores into the air.
Those spores can settle in people’s lungs and cause illness or even death. While cases are uncommon, Wisconsin sees some of the highest rates in the nation. A Kenosha family is warning others.
Can This Get Rid of Fruit Flies in Your Kitchen?
Fruit flies look like small flies or gnats, multiply quickly and can be a problem year-round. The best way to avoid the problem is to eliminate the source of food, which is ripened and fermenting fruit and vegetables
Some propose using an insecticide to eradicate a fruit fly problem, but there are definitely healthier ways to get rid of the annoying insects. Fruit fly traps can be made with apple cider vinegar and plastic wrap, but another that appears to have more success is made with a paper funnel, jar, fruit and tape
Household cleaners can be just as damaging to your lungs as cigarettes; consider white vinegar for a fabric softener, baking soda to clean your drains, oven and carpets, and rubber gloves to remove pet hair from your furniture
Did you know that denture tablets can help keep the toilet clean, you should never clean your shower tile with white vinegar, and you can make organic fertilizer using pasta water? Stay off ladders in the fall and still get your gutters clean by spending 10 minutes making a gutter wand that hooks to your garden hose
Getting small and large spaces organized can be challenging. Consider how to use magazine holders, hanging shoe organizers, ice trays and empty toilet paper rolls to organize your space. A pallet in the garage can keep long-handled garden equipment together and this simple dryer trick can eliminate a lot of ironing
COVID RELATED NEWS
‘Alarming’ Sevenfold Increase in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Linked to COVID-19 and Vaccine
A sudden increase in Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)—a rare and potentially fatal skin disorder—may be triggered by COVID-19, increased vaccination rates, or a lowered threshold caused by vaccines or previous infection, according to a large case series recently published in the medical journal Burns.
While SJS isn’t caused by fire, it is typically treated by burn units in hospitals because of its similarities to actual burns.
Researchers with the burns unit at Concord Repatriation General Hospital in Australia saw two to four cases of SJS, or toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), per year prior to COVID-19. In the first six months of 2022 alone, the same burn center observed a sevenfold rise in cases.
Of the 14 reported cases, five patients had COVID-19 a month before developing SJS/TEN, and three of 14 patients received a COVID-19 vaccine one month prior. Not a single case of SJS/TEN was reported in an unvaccinated individual.
Contaminated COVID Products and Monkey Virus DNA
It’s been assumed that the COVID shots contained only RNA, but researchers have also discovered the presence of DNA fragments. Not only should the DNA not be there—indicating a significant contamination issue—but the discovery has also exposed the entire proprietary blueprint of how the RNA is made.
CANCEL CULTURE
If you happened to be in Target during “pride” month, you may have wondered how the filth and blasphemy displayed in the children’s section could possibly be legal.
Well, it turns out — it may not be.
Seven U.S. state attorneys general have sent a letter to Target, raising concerns that the clothing and merchandise sold as part of the company’s “pride” month campaigns may potentially violate their states’ child protection laws.
Facebook confronted with condemnation of its censorship of pro-life speech
Oversight board reviewing multiple complaints
The American Center for Law and Justice has filed a brief with an oversight board for tech companies Facebook and Instagram that challenges their censorship of pro-life speech.
The fight is growing bigger and bigger in the U.S. these days just a year after the Supreme Court tossed out the fatally flawed Roe precedent from 50 years ago that created a “right” to abortion and inserted it into the Constitution.
Rolling Stone Has Meltdown Over ‘Sound of Freedom’, Film Continues to Destroy Expectations
If a person came up to you and immediately began extolling the “virtues” of white supremacy, and how Adolf Hitler wasn’t that bad, and how the holocaust was “grossly exaggerated,” you would rightly think you’re dealing with some unhinged neo-Nazi.
So imagine how this writer felt while reading a movie review from the once-reputable Rolling Stone magazine wherein the article … largely downplayed the horrors of child sex-trafficking and ridiculed those concerned about it.
The first thought that came to mind was sheer disgust, but the second thought that followed was: How in the world did Rolling Stone green light this debacle of an article?
The Rolling Stone review of the independent thriller, “Sound of Freedom,” violated the very first rule of any good review: objectivity.
Because the author, Miles Klee (keep this name in mind when Bart Simpson is mentioned later) makes it very clear that he hates everything about this movie — the movie itself, its fans, its star (“Passion of the Christ” star Jim Caviezel), and its entire underlying messaging that child sex-trafficking is a scourge on this planet.
Biden Admin Pressed Facebook About Censoring Tucker Carlson Post, Federal Lawsuit Alleges
Facebook complied with requests from members of President Joe Biden’s White House staff to throttle the reach of a 2021 video by then-Fox News host Tucker Carlson, according to a federal lawsuit, despite Facebook staff assessing that the video did not qualify for removal from the site.
On Tuesday, Judge Terry Doughty of Louisiana’s Western District federal court issued an injunction barring various Biden administration officials and government agencies from requesting social media companies to censor or suppress certain content. The injunction comes as attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri are suing the Biden administration, accusing it of government censorship-by-proxy by pressuring social media companies to suppress certain content.
In his ruling (pdf), Mr. Doughty noted several instances of alleged censorship action taken following Biden administration requests, including a video segment Mr. Carlson did about COVID-19 vaccines.
PET NEWS
The Wonder Oil You’re Probably Not Giving to Your Pet
This oil is a powerful anti-inflammatory, and a terrific way to support your pet’s immune system and overall health, but it’s been given a bad rap in recent years. Not only is it one of the best topical therapies, but it’s also excellent for brushing teeth, staving off doggy dementia and much more.
Carmina O’Connor and Charisa Antigua are twin sisters and the entrepreneurs behind CocoTherapy, a line of organic coconut oil products
In the Philippines, Carmina and Charisa were raised with an understanding of the nourishing and healing properties of coconut oil; now in the U.S., the sisters have grown their family’s third generation business into a flourishing enterprise
Coconut oil can be used to soothe and heal a wide range of skin issues in pets; given orally, it offers tremendous health benefits thanks to its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties
MCT oil is also beneficial for slowing canine cognitive decline and can help reduce seizure potential in epileptic dogs
GOOD NEWS
Beachgoer Sees Giant Pacific Octopus Washed Up on Beach in Oregon—Decides to Do Something Heroic
They spotted the beached giant octopus between two rock formations along the Oregon Coast on June 7.
Floundering in the receding tide, the rust-red cephalopod lay with legs splayed out helplessly in the sand between Haystack Rock and the Needles—another famous coastal formation.
ICYMI
Ruby Princess Cruise Ship Carrying 4,000 People Crashes Into San Francisco Pier
A Princess Cruises ship carrying nearly some 4,000 people smashed into a pier in San Francisco this week while the vessel was trying to dock, officials said.
Biden Agencies Gave Tourist Visa to Brazilian National Convicted of Murder
President Joe Biden’s State Department gave a B-2 tourist visa to a Brazilian national convicted of murder. The man ultimately overstayed his visa and had to be deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Transgender Model Crowned as ‘Miss Netherlands’, Will Compete for Title of Miss Universe
A biologically male transgender model was crowned as ‘Miss Netherlands’ and will compete for the title of Miss Universe later this year in El Salvador.
Rikkie Kolle, a 22-year-old model, has been selected as Miss Netherlands 2023, the first biological male to win the historically female competition.
Canadian Special Needs Teacher Fired over OnlyFans Page
A special needs teaching assistant in British Columbia, Canada, was fired after her OnlyFans account was discovered and she was told to close it down.
On April 28, Kristin McDonald got an email from School District 43 which told her to shut down all of her accounts related to the persona called “Ava James,” Fox News reported Saturday.
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Today’s News: April 26, 2024
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