March 19, 2024

The Power Hour

Knowledge is Power

Today’s News: July 22, 2022

WORLD NEWS
Food Wars: ‘The Dark Cult Of Davos Is Trying To Destroy These Farmers’

Those familiar with the most recent farmer protests in the Netherlands are saying that the Dutch government’s climate nitrogen-reduction policies targeting farmers, actually have a nefarious goal. Dutch farmers see it as an effort to seize their land and experts say these climate policies are a part of a global agenda to control the means of food production, that if allowed to play out will end in a global food crisis.

Michael Yon, a journalist who has covered numerous major events and who is currently in the Netherlands covering the farmer protests, told The Epoch Times that the Dutch government is not alone in targeting their farmers, many other countries’ farmers are also experiencing the same threat.

“The dark cult of Devos [World Economic Forum] is trying to destroy these farmers, and obviously, this has major security consequences, not just for the Netherlands, but for all of Europe and the world,” Yon said during a recent interview with Epoch TV’s Crossroads program. “They’re trying to put these farmers out of business and trying to confiscate their land.”

Hundreds of Dutch farmers and many truckers are trying to bring attention to the government’s proposed policies which if implemented would effectively handicap the farmers and many would be financially ruined. In an effort to capture the public’s attention, the Dutch farmers are blocking roads and infrastructure that distribute their goods, leaving Netherlands’ store shelves empty.

“Many people are not tracking, many are and tend to be highly supportive of the farmers, but many are just going about their daily lives just like Americans and Canadians and others do,” Yon said.

“They need to get that wake-up call, like listen, you are going to get hit sooner or later; would you rather have your shelves empty now for just a really short time, or be under the thumb of the beast [World Economic Forum] forever,” he said.

Pope Francis: ‘Humanity Must Repent For Abuse Of Mother Earth’

We humans “must repent and modify our lifestyles” because of our abuse of Mother Earth, Pope Francis states in a message released Thursday.

In his Message for the Celebration of the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, the pontiff decries the “mistreatment” of our common home stemming from “our consumerist excesses,” “tyrannical anthropocentrism,” “predatory economic interests,” and “short sighted and selfish actions” leading to “the collapse of our planet’s ecosystems.”

“In the first place, it is our sister, mother earth, who cries out. Prey to our consumerist excesses, she weeps and implores us to put an end to our abuses and to her destruction,” Francis declares in his Message.

Because of human irresponsibility “countless species are dying out and their hymns of praise silenced,” the pope laments, while the ancestral lands of indigenous peoples “are being invaded and devastated on all sides, ‘provoking a cry that rises up to heaven.’”

Because of the “climate crisis,” the poor disproportionately suffer the impact of “the drought, flooding, hurricanes and heat waves that are becoming ever more intense and frequent,” the pope asserts.

Where’s the Beef? Ask Bill Gates

In early June 2022, the government of The Netherlands announced it would cut the size of livestock herds in the country by 30% to meet European Union nitrogen and ammonia pollution rules

According to Dutch Parliament member Thierry Baudet, the government is following the script of The Great Reset, which requires weakening the country, making it more dependent on food imports, and diluting nationalism by taking in more immigrants. To make room for immigrant housing, they need to take land from the farmers

The newly assigned Minister for Nature and Nitrogen Policy, Christianne van der Wal-Zeggelink, is married to Piet van der Wal, who together with his brother are heavily invested in the major online grocery retailer Picnic. In September 2021, Bill Gates invested an estimated half-billion dollars into Picnic, thereby becoming one of its lead investors. Gates’ involvement has raised questions about government corruption

At the same time the Dutch government is preparing to radically restrict livestock farming and meat production, Gates is gobbling up farmland back home. Despite land prices being at a record high, Gates purchased a 2,100-acre potato farm in North Dakota in June 2022, bringing the total land share held by the Gates’ Red River Trust above 270,000 acres

Gates claims he intends to lease the farmland to farmers. Viewed from the perspective of The Great Reset, it would then appear Gates may be engaged in the same kind of wealth-shift scheme as BlackRock and other investment groups that are buying up single-family homes and turning them into rentals. The end goal is to eliminate all private ownership and turn the population into serfs

China Had Biological Weapons Six Years Ago

In 2015, Chinese military scientists wrote a paper titled “The Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons”

It suggests that coronaviruses are a good material from which to generate a new bioweapon that can cause more damage than traditional bioweapons

The document, which was also obtained by investigators with the U.S. State Department, describes that a third world war would be “biological,” with bioweapons “the core weapon for victory”

The document goes into disturbing detail about how to best release a bioweapon to cause the maximum amount of carnage

MP Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the foreign affairs committee, stated the document “raises major concerns” as “even under the tightest controls these weapons are dangerous”

U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT

Republican Party Attracting More Diverse Candidates Than Ever

While the GOP has often been labeled by opponents as a fraternity of “old white men,” a new cohort of minorities, first-generation immigrants, and moms are bringing a fresh wave of diversity, youth, and a whole new perspective to the Republican Party.

A recent report (pdf) by the Congressional Research Service showed that as of June 22, the average age of U.S. House members was 58.4 years. The average age for U.S. Senators was 64.3 years. The average age of Congressional Democrats was slightly higher than that of Republicans at 60 over 58, respectively.

But that landscape is shifting as young, tech-savvy people who gained success outside of the political arena prepare to bring a new perspective to Washington.

Another study (pdf) of the 2020 election cycle shows that while white men make up about 30 percent of the nation’s population, they make up 62 percent of America’s political officeholders, dominating both chambers of Congress and 42 state legislatures, as well as controlling a multitude of other statewide positions like governor, mayor, sheriff, and school superintendent.

By contrast, while women and minorities constitute 51 percent and 40 percent of the American population respectively, only 31 percent of women and 13 percent of minorities hold elected offices, and incumbents usually win their primary elections.

Among the 2020 Republican primary candidates, 72.3 percent were white men and 20.2 percent were white women. Only five percent were minority men and even fewer, 2.6 percent, were minority women. By comparison, 38.4 percent of the Democrat 2020 primary candidates were white men and 30.1 percent were white women.

The Democrat Party had more candidates who were minority men and minority women, 17.6 percent and 14 percent, respectively.

All of that is beginning to change.

Vaccine-Derived Polio Case Discovered in NY as Officials Issue Alert to Hospitals

The New York State Health Department on July 21 confirmed a polio case and called on health care providers to look for more infections.

Officials said a resident of Rockland County, located about an hour from New York City and next to the highly populous Westchester County, tested positive for the virus. The New York health agency said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the infection.

The person is infected with a Type 2 vaccine-derived poliovirus, which would have come from a type of polio vaccine that’s taken orally and isn’t used in the United States but is used in many other countries. The United States stopped using the oral vaccine in 2000.

No cases of polio have originated in the United States since 1979, according to the CDC. Health officials in New York said the lone case originated outside the country, and it’s the first polio case reported in the state in nine years.

The Health Department statement didn’t provide the name, age, or ethnicity of the individual. The agency also didn’t say if the person recently traveled outside the country in recent days.

“This is indicative of a transmission chain from an individual who received the oral polio vaccine (OPV), which is no longer authorized or administered in the U.S., where only the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) has been given since 2000,” the department said in a July 21 statement. “This suggests that the virus may have originated in a location outside of the U.S. where OPV is administered, since revertant strains cannot emerge from inactivated vaccines.”

Health officials told The Associated Press that the infection was transmitted from someone who got the oral vaccine and that the case involved a person who wasn’t vaccinated for polio. They told AP the infected person is a young man from Rockland County but provided no other details.

DC Rally Urges ‘Aggressive Actions’ by Congress to End CCP’s Forced Organ Harvesting of Falun Gong Practitioners

More than 1,500 Falun Gong practitioners gathered on the National Mall on July 21 to call for an end to the Chinese communist regime’s persecution of the faith group.

With the U.S. Capitol in the background, speakers at a rally highlighted the growing awareness of the forced organ harvesting of detained Falun Gong practitioners and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s threat to the United States.

“Forced organ harvesting is one of the most barbaric practices in human history. And it’s past time for real accountability,” Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) said, noting that Congress must take “aggressive actions” against the crime. “America is finally waking up to the threat posed by China. And we all need to hear your story, understand how brutal the CCP has been to you, and learn from your experience.”

July 20 marked 23 years since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched its sweeping campaign to eradicate Falun Gong, a spiritual practice involving meditative exercises and a set of moral teachings based on the tenets of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. The practice’s popularity, with an estimated 70 million to 100 million adherents in China by 1999, was perceived by the Party as a threat to its authoritarian control over society.

Former First Lady Melania Trump Breaks Silence on Jan. 6

Former First Lady Melania Trump said Thursday that she was not aware of the events taking place during the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021.

“On January 6, 2021, I was fulfilling one of my duties as First Lady of the United States of America, and accordingly, I was unaware of what was simultaneously transpiring at the U.S. Capitol Building,” Trump told Fox News.

She added that “it was my obligation to record the contents of the White House’s historic rooms, including taking archival photographs of all the renovations.”

“Several months in advance, I organized a qualified team of photographers, archivists, and designers to work with me in the White House to ensure perfect execution,” she continued. “As required, we scheduled January 6, 2021, to complete the work on behalf of our Nation.”

Trump also cast doubt on claims made by her former press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, who has often criticized former President Donald Trump and the former first lady after they left office.

“Ms. Grisham was not in the White House on January 6, and her behavior in her role as Chief of Staff ultimately amounts to dereliction of duty,” Trump said, while adding that normally, the first lady’s chief of staff “provides detailed briefings surrounding our Nation’s important issues.”

“In fact, Ms. Grisham failed to provide insight and information into the events surrounding January 6 as she had abandoned her post in Washington, D.C.,” she said. “Shamefully, this behavior has only partially become public knowledge; yet was consistent for Ms. Grisham.”

Trump added: “It is evident that Grisham’s recent betrayals are a last-ditch attempt to resuscitate her ruined career and reputation.”

Steve Bannon Chooses Not to Testify in Own Defense

Former White House adviser Steve Bannon will not testify in his contempt of Congress trial, his attorneys said in federal court on July 21.

Bannon “very much wanted to do so since the day he was indicted,” lawyer David Schoen told the court. But Bannon “would be barred from telling the true facts,” he added.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee overseeing the case, has in recent days rejected a number of arguments the defense wanted to make, including references to former President Donald Trump’s exercise of executive privilege after Bannon was subpoenaed by the House of Representatives committee probing the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.

Bannon was charged with two counts of contempt of Congress after declining to comply with the subpoena, which asked for documents and testimony relating to the breach. The panel said that Bannon had information that would inform its investigation into what happened.

Bannon worked for the White House in 2017. He currently hosts a podcast called “War Room.”

Bannon’s refusal to obey the subpoena stemmed from his respecting Trump’s privilege claim, according to defense lawyers. Prosecutors say Bannon broke the law by not complying and is guilty.

Progressive prosecutors are encountering pushback

When Alvin Bragg Jr. ran for district attorney of New York County last year, he broadly promised to decline prosecuting some defendants arrested for low-level crimes, prioritize treatment for mental illness and drug abuse, and to end the use of cash bail.

Two days after officially becoming the Manhattan district attorney in January, Bragg, a former federal prosecutor and deputy state attorney general, issued a memo instructing assistant district attorneys to decline to prosecute people arrested for farebeating, certain trespasses, resisting arrest and additional crimes unless the defendant also allegedly committed a felony in the same incident. It also said certain armed robberies of commercial establishments should be prosecuted as misdemeanors.

The memo sparked immediate and widespread condemnation by the police, conservative-leaning New York Post and other critics, some of whom urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to remove Bragg.

Bragg formalized a rollback in a new memo a month later said defendants who rob commercial establishments with guns will be charged with felonies, regardless of whether the gun is operable, among other policies.

Bragg isn’t the only reform-minded district attorney to encounter public pressure. In San Francisco, District Attorney Chesa Boudin, elected in 2019 on a progressive platform, was recalled June 7. In Los Angeles, not only are critics attempting to recall District Attorney George Gascón, who took office in December 2020, but the union that represents prosecutors in his office is suing him on the grounds that his policies violate the state’s tough sentencing laws.

Prosecutors have to work with the police, the courts and their own staff, including longtime attorneys for whom a “progressive” approach represents a turnaround from the way they have practiced in the past, says criminal law professor David Alan Sklanksy of Stanford Law School. No matter their pledges, he adds, almost all have experienced pushback.

Melba Pearson, a former prosecutor in Miami-Dade County and current co-chair of the ABA Criminal Justice Section’s Prosecution Function Committee, says supporters of a progressive approach have sometimes been frustrated with the slow pace of change.

“People don’t understand that progress doesn’t happen overnight,” she says.

Some conservatives, Pearson adds, support progressive policies due to the high cost of incarceration, but others argue that anything other than a traditional law-and-order approach will endanger the public.

Bragg, Boudin and Gascón are part of a wave of “progressive” prosecutors who were elected after running on platforms that include reducing incarceration rates, which swelled as a result of tough-on-crime policies of prior decades.

Some of the first of these progressive prosecutors, such as Marilyn Mosby in Baltimore, were elected in the mid-2010s. The movement spread quickly, and by 2021, progressive prosecutors could be found in cities and towns across the country, according to Sklansky. The term “progressive” itself is fluid, and the prosecutors’ platforms weren’t uniform. For instance, some campaigned on promises to avoid seeking the death penalty, while others have promised to end cash bail.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Directed Supporters to Zeldin Campaign Event Hours Before Failed Attack

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) sent out a press release urging her supporters to “RSVP” to her Republican challenger Rep. Lee Zeldin’s (R) upcoming campaign stop, just hours before a man rushed the stage at one of Zeldin’s events in a failed attack.

While Zeldin spoke at a campaign event in Fairport, New York, a man reportedly rushed the stage with a weapon in an apparent attempt to stab him on Thursday evening. Fortunately, Zeldin grabbed the attacker’s wrist long enough for other event attendees to step in and subdue the attacker.

However, as people like GOP strategist Arthur Schwartz and New York GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy pointed out, Hochul’s campaign sent out a press release just hours before the failed attack on Zeldin that blasted out the time and location of several of Zeldin campaign’s upcoming stops.

Hochul claimed that Zeldin and his team would spread “dangerous lies, misinformation, and his far-right agenda at these campaign events.”

“‘Big Lie’ Lee and his entourage of extremists kick off the statewide ‘MAGA Republican’ Bus Tour, which will make stops across the state peddling dangerous lies, misinformation, and his far-right agenda,” Hochul’s release read.

White House Says It Doesn’t Matter Where Biden Got COVID-19

It doesn’t matter where President Joe Biden contracted COVID-19, according to the White House.

“I don’t think that matters. Right? I think what matters is we prepared for this moment,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on July 21, shortly after it was announced Biden tested positive for the illness.

An antigen test from Thursday morning returned positive and a Polymerase Chain Reaction test confirmed the result, according to Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s doctor.

Biden reported feeling “mild symptoms,” primarily a runny nose and fatigue, which began on Wednesday evening, the doctor added.

Biden had a “restless sleep” and a dry cough, along with a runny nose and fatigue, which triggered the testing, Jean-Pierre said.

“I don’t know the exact, like, hour that he developed—that he became aware of his symptoms,” Dr. Ashish Jha, coordinator of the White House COVID-19 response, told reporters.

Biden spent time with others before testing positive. On Wednesday, for example, he was accompanied by multiple members of Congress and White House staff like Jean-Pierre on Air Force One while traveling to Massachusetts. He met with Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s first lady, this week.

“We’re starting the process” of figuring out who was in close contact with Biden and communicating with them, Jean-Pierre said.

Some of those in contact with the president took tests, which came back negative, spokespeople said. They included Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.).

Florida Attorney General Urges Biden to Declare Fentanyl a Weapon of Mass Destruction

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody sent a letter urging President Biden to declare fentanyl a “weapon of mass destruction.”

If the president acts on Moody’s letter by either using his executive authority or urging Congress to designate fentanyl as a WMD, the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department, and the Pentagon would have to work to wage a war against the deadly drug.

Moody, in her letter, urged the president to invoke this designation under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) or urge Congress to pass the “Fentanyl is a WMD Act.”

“Given how many Americans are being murdered, the whole federal government and every tactic and capability that we have should be utilized to stop the death and destruction that fentanyl is causing,” she said in her letter.

Moody cited several incidents in Florida where fentanyl has been responsible for recent deaths including nine in Gadsden County during the weekend of July 4.  Police reports state that 19 people in Gadsden County overdosed on “illegal drugs that were believed to have been tainted with fentanyl.”

The U.S. government defines a weapon of mass destruction as a “nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological, or other device(s) that is intended to harm a large number of people.”

Moody described fentanyl as a “very likely viable option for a chemical weapon attack.”

“Relying on non-state criminal actors and terrorists to think or act as expected is a losing proposition. The reality is that the deadliness of fentanyl combined with its sheer availability in Mexico to criminal cartels and non-state actors makes it an increasingly likely weapon for use,” Moody stated in her letter.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS 

Workers in Red States Are Quitting Their Jobs at Higher Rates and Why That May Be a Good Sign

Employees in Republican states have a higher quitting rate than those governed by Democrats, potentially indicating a more secure job environment in the red states.

Among the top 10 states with the highest resignation rates during the past 12 months, all 10 are Republican. This includes Alaska with a 12-month resignation rate of 4.18 percent, followed by Georgia with 3.86 percent, Kentucky with 3.74 percent, Montana with 3.69 percent, Wyoming with 3.66 percent, Mississippi with 3.53 percent, Idaho with 3.48 percent, South Carolina with 3.48 percent, Indiana with 3.42 percent, and Arizona with 3.37 percent, according to data from WalletHub.

Employee quitting rates tend to be higher when workers are confident about finding another job, which demands a robust economy.

“Higher quit rates are a sign of worker confidence,” Julia Pollak, chief economist at job site Zip Recruiter, told MarketPlace in a recent interview.

“When there are more jobs out there, it’s more likely that you’ll take a leap and apply for a new one,” she added, per the outlet.

In a July 5 article, The Wall Street Journal reported that the COVID-19 pandemic “changed the geography” of the American economy as red states recovered economically more quickly than blue states. Workers moved from the coasts to the middle of the United States and Florida.

The share of jobs in Republican states has risen by over half a percentage point since February 2020, according to an analysis conducted by the Brookings Institution. As of May 2022, red states added 341,000 jobs, while blue states lost 1.3 million jobs.

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a shift in employment structure as more businesses opted for remote work. This allowed many employees to move to red states that have cheaper housing, lower taxes, and less traffic.

Inflation a ‘Huge Problem,’ Democrat House Leader Admits

In the latest Democrat acknowledgment of America’s cost-of-living squeeze, House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told Fox News that red-hot inflation is a “huge problem” for households.

Hoyer made the remarks in an interview on Fox News’ “Your World” program that aired on July 20.

“Inflation is a huge problem. It’s a huge problem for Americans. Supply shortages—particularly in grocery stores—a huge problem for Americans. We need to deal with that,” the Democrat leader said.

The remarks follow a recent admission by White House economic adviser Jared Bernstein that inflation in the United States is “unacceptably high,” although there’s some improvement in areas like gas prices, which Bernstein said were “moving in the right direction.”

After hitting a record-high of more than $5 a gallon last month, gasoline prices have trended downward, with the automotive association AAA reporting that, on July 21, the national average was $4.44 per gallon.

Hoyer insisted that the Biden administration was working to tame soaring inflation, touting such measures as the recently passed Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act, which Washington-based think tank R Street Institute panned as exacerbating “the very problems it claims to solve,” while also adding $700 million of public debt.

Gas Prices Could Soar Again as ‘Oil’s Second Act’ Is Coming, Expert Predicts

Even though gasoline prices have slid below $4.50 per gallon on average nationwide in what’s been a multi-week downward trend, an industry expert warns that the reprieve is likely temporary and that drivers should brace for pump pain as oil readies to rally in a “second act.”

The national average gasoline price on July 20 fell to $4.47 per gallon, according to AAA, as lower global oil prices combined with a drop in U.S. domestic gasoline demand.

“Global economic headwinds are pushing oil prices lower and less expensive oil leads to lower pump prices,” AAA spokesman Andrew Gross said in a statement. “And here at home, people are fueling up less, despite this being the height of the traditional summer driving season. These two key factors are behind the recent drop in pump prices.”

If these supply-demand dynamics hold, AAA predicts further price relief at the pump.

But one industry expert says drivers should brace for gas prices to reverse their falling trend as oil prices stage a possible rebound.

My Big Coin Founder Convicted in $6 Million Crypto Fraud Scheme

The founder of a purported cryptocurrency was convicted by a federal jury in New York on Thursday for defrauding investors who thought the virtual money was backed by commodities, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, 51-year-old Randall Crater from East Hampton offered virtual payment services through a fraudulent digital currency he called “My Big Coins,” the DOJ said.

Cryptocurrencies are digital money that takes the form of tokens, often referred to as “coins,” which are almost entirely intangible.

The digital currencies and their transactions are created and processed across decentralized systems. The digital currency system has been designed to be free from government control and makes tracking transactions almost impossible.

This has made cryptocurrencies popular with criminals on the black market.

According to Forbes, My Big Coin was created in 2013 by CEO John Roche, who retained Crater the following year to build the technology to support the business model.

Between 2014 and 2017, Crater falsely used the internet, social media, text messages, and emails to market My Big Coin to investors, all the while lying about the nature and value of the cryptocurrency.

With every false proclamation, My Big Coin upped the price of the digital coin, Forbes reported.

“Crater and his associates falsely claimed that Coins was a fully functioning cryptocurrency backed by $300 million in gold, oil and other valuable assets,” the DOJ said in a news release.

“Crater also falsely told investors that My Big Coin had a partnership with MasterCard and that Coins could readily be exchanged for government-backed paper currency or other virtual currencies.”

Instead, none of that was true, and Crater misappropriated over $6 million of investor funds for his personal gain, including spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on antiques, artwork, and jewelry, the DOJ said.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 

Automated Killing Machine: Robot Dog Fitted With Machine Gun

While Boston Dynamics show off their robot’s dance moves, others turn similar-looking devices into dystopian killing machines.

Much like their flesh-made cousins, robot dogs do not lack attention on the internet. Many have seen the footage of Spot, a high-tech quadruped developed by the US-based company Boston Dynamics, flaunting its dance moves.

However, the latest addition to the robot dog content stream looks like something out of a science fiction movie. Twitter user Sean Chiplock shared a video of someone in Russia firing a gun from a quadruped robot.

Even though the post’s author discusses robots Boston Dynamics make, the one seen in the video is not made by the American company. As Sean Gallagher, a Senior Threat Researcher at Sophos points out, the robot dog is of Chinese origin.

The design of the robot looks a lot like Go1 robot dog Unitree Robotics makes. For example, the back side of the device in the video exhibits a distinct pattern on a plastic covering between its hind legs. A similar design is visible on devices in Unitree’s promotional material.

The Hangzhou-based company is selling the Go1 model of the robot for $2,700 on its website, a fraction of over $75k that American-made Spot would cost its owner.

While the robot doesn’t seem to handle recoil very well with the gun on ‘burst fire’ mode, switching to a ‘semi-automatic’ setting allows the robot to hit targets without moving around too much.

The robot in the video has patches on its surfaces with insignia associated with the Russian military: a Russian flag on one side and what seems to be a Wolf, which Russian special forces use.

The original video was posted on Youtube by Moscow-resident Alexander Atamanov.


HEALTH

‘Brain Eating’ Amoeba Territory Is Expanding; Here’s How Swimmers Can Avoid Contact

A hidden danger is set to dampen the enjoyment of boating, swimming, and other aquatic sports in freshwater lakes and rivers during America’s summer months.

It is Naegleria fowleri—better known as a brain-eating amoeba—that lives within many of the nation’s waterways.

Hot summer temperatures and encounters with this organism tend to go hand in hand.

Historically, the amoeba has been found primarily in the southern United States, but research points to an expanding territory within the Midwest.

The good news: It’s pretty easy to avoid while swimming or enjoying other water activities.

On July 7, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reported its first case of Naegleria fowleri in 35 years. Officials declined to release details on the adult male patient who contracted the amoeba while swimming at the Lake of Three Fires in Iowa.

The health department later confirmed the Missouri patient died after exposure to primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) on July 15. PAM is the infection caused by contact with the organism through the nasal cavity that induces fatal brain swelling.

Of the 154 documented cases of PAM reported in the United States between 1962 and 2021, only four people have survived, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“We’re talking about a unicellular organism, an amoeba, and it lives in water, usually freshwater, that is rather brackish,” Dr William Schaffner told The Epoch Times.

Schaffner is a professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He explained that the warmer water in the summer provides an ideal environment for the amoeba to reproduce, which is why reports of contact with swimmers and other water enthusiasts generally happen during the hottest parts of the year.

Yet the presence of the amoeba isn’t limited to backcountry swimming holes and lakes. Naegleria fowleri has been detected in soil, tap water, heating units, and air conditioning units.

In September 2020, Texas governor Greg Abbott declared a disaster after the organism was detected in the city tap water supply in Brazoria County, where exposure caused the death of a 6-year-old boy.

Abbott called the amoeba “an imminent threat to public health and safety, including loss of life,” in a press statement.

Further, research has established a “statistically significant northward trend” in the geographic range of the amoeba within the United States since 2010, according to the CDC.

Research published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases analyzed data from 85 cases of the brain-eating amoeba from 1978 to 2018 and discovered that while the majority were reported in southern states, six occurred in the Midwest.

These included Minnesota, Kansas, and Indiana. All but one of the cases took place after 2010.

And now Iowa can be added to the list.

Additionally, researchers noted the maximum latitude had shifted by about 8.2 miles northward per year during the period studied.

Naegleria fowleri is a common environmental protozoan parasite with worldwide distribution in warmer climates. Yet the vast majority of encounters between humans and this amoeba are benign.

“They don’t normally bother us,” Schaffner explained.

“However, if they are driven into the upper reaches of our nose, it can get stuck there and then kind of eat their way into those membranes that surround our brain, and then they can cause meningitis.”

Schaffner says the best way to avoid getting the amoeba lodged inside your nasal cavity is to avoid jumping feet first into bodies of water. Alternatively, holding your nose or using a swimmer’s nose clip can help keep the parasite outside the “danger zone.”

When asked if some people were at greater risk of developing the deadly PAM infection than others, Schaffner said, “It’s behavioral. It’s the folks who jump in and let the water get up their nose.

“Those are the folks at risk. Not enough of these cases have occurred to see whether people with diabetes, or are obese, or immune compromised are at greater risk.”

How to Remove Warts With Duct Tape

Warts are a benign skin growth triggered by a viral infection. Research finds covering the wart with duct tape and replacing the tape every six days is more effective than cryotherapy or salicylic acid treatments, less painful and more cost effective

Warts are triggered by the human papilloma virus (HPV); although some sexually transmitted strains are linked to cancer, those causing skin warts are not

Most come in contact with HPV repeatedly, but not everyone develops warts; several activities may increase your risk, including skin breaks often associated with childhood play, nail biting, shaving pubic hair, weakened immune system and sexual activity, which is associated with genital warts

Other effective home remedies include salicylic acid available in over-the-counter preparations, garlic, banana peel, pineapple juice and aloe vera; genital warts are different and should be treated by a medical professional to avoid permanent damage

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Exclusive — Steve Milloy: Biden’s ‘Climate Agenda’ Is ‘a Hoax,’ ‘a Lie,’ ‘All About Controlling Us’

The Biden administration’s “climate agenda” is a “hoax” designed to increase government control over Americans, Steve Milloy, senior legal fellow at the Energy and Environment Legal Institute, said on Wednesday’s edition of the Breitbart News Daily podcast with special guest host Jerome Hudson.

“The globe is only about less than a half a degree Fahrenheit warmer today than the 1979-to-2000 average,” Milloy stated. “That’s not even really measurable to start with.”

Americans must be wary of “falling for [the Biden administration’s] climate agenda,” Milloy warned.

“The whole thing is a hoax. It’s a lie. It’s all about controlling us. It’s not about controlling the climate or the environment or the weather,” he remarked.

GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING
>> Check out Homesteading groups near you!

Why You Should Acquire Manually Operated Kitchen Tools

That’s easy. No electricity. Especially long-term.

This list likely includes things some of you use already for everyday cooking. That’s great!

However, the idea here is that these tools will still function in a long-term situation where you don’t have power or need to ration your power. Under those circumstances, your favorite electric kitchen gadgets like the instant pot miracle meal maker may not be an option, or at least not for long. Therefore, even though you may consider it a must-have kitchen item, it’s not included on this list.

Also, suppose you don’t already know how to cook from scratch. In that case, you should prioritize learning now, when stakes are lower, and you can order pizza delivered if your efforts on any given evening are not entirely edible.

Let’s get to this list now, shall we?

First, we’ll cover the basics. Then, we’ve got some suggestions if you want to take off-grid cooking up a notch.

Basic Must-Have Kitchen Items

These manual kitchen tools allow you to perform most common cooking and baking tasks in an off-grid, short or long-term situation.

  • Matches 

If you’re going to learn to cook like granny, you’ll need matches.

  • Can Opener

As an off-gridder, I’m definitely not talking about the can opener that plugs into a wall. Have at least two good, sturdy hand-operated can-openers.

The newer ones from China do wear out. We’ve worn out quite a few.

  • Hand Grain Mill

You’ll need a hand grain mill to grind wheat, rice, barley, oats, rye, and lentils into flour. 

It can also make nut butter, like pinion butter, walnut butter, and chestnut butter. Oh, and cornmeal. The uses are virtually endless, especially if you eat a lot of whole, natural foods.

  • Cast Iron/Stainless Steel Cookware

If you are cooking over a wood stove of any kind, you need durable stainless steel or cast iron cookware. Aluminum (besides not being good for your health) tends to warp on wood cook stoves.

  • Roasting Pans

Enamelware is best, and so is stainless steel. Make sure the roasting pan will fit into your oven! Wood cook stoves don’t have the same huge ovens as gas or electric stoves.

  • Tea Kettle

Stainless steel or copper works best for this archaic kitchen appliance. In the winter, a steaming tea kettle on the wood stove not only serves as an at-the-ready for tea or coffee, but the steam also warms and moisturizes the air. Just don’t let it boil down before refilling it.

  • Colanders

Metal (stainless steel) is best. However, if you have or want some plastic colanders, understand that they will break over time, and most of them are made with BPA in the plastic.

  • Cookie Sheets

These versatile sheets can be used for breads, biscuits, cookies, and drying fruits or veggies. Avoid Teflon coatings or aluminum cookie sheets – get stainless steel.

  • Hand Utensils

Again, my recommendation is metal (stainless steel). It’s much better than plastic, and with stainless steel and cast iron cookware, you don’t have to worry about scratches.

  • Spatulas
  • Ladles
  • Serving spoons
  • Serving forks
  • Slotted spoons
  • Pastry cutter (easier than two knives, in my opinion, but those work, too)
  • Rolling pin
  • Sharpening steel
  • Cheese grater/slicer
  • Whisk
  • Potato/vegetable peeler
  • Meat tenderizing hammer
  • Measuring Cups and Spoons

Once again, stainless steel is the best choice for these. A 4-cup glass measuring cup with a pour-spout would be a nice addition, too.

Pay attention to the measuring spoons and cups you use most and have at least one or two backups. Those also come in handy on days when you’re doing a lot of cooking and/or baking and repeatedly reach for the same measuring tools.

  • Good Knives

Good knives keep a sharp edge for a reasonable amount of time and won’t go dull instantly upon use. If you can find old, carbon-steel knives in yard sales or flea markets, they are best. Old Hickory, Old Timers, and Imperial are some brands to look for.

  • Hand Crank Grinder and Coffee Press or Percolator

The best part of waking up when there’s no power is remembering that you can still make coffee. With a tool to grind the coffee beans and another to coax a mind-altering beverage from them, you’re set.

  • Mechanical Timer

You don’t know how much you use something until you don’t have it. I use the timer on my oven or my microwave every. single. day. Multiple times. It can at least ease the pain of learning how to “read” the food as I cook.

Diesel Prices Continue To Spike Harming Truckers and Farmers

Sky high diesel prices continue to impact the trucking and farming industry. Diesel-powered equipment helps farmers get their crops harvested and it help truckers get that food to the stores. With prices continually going up, we can expect a horrific increase in food prices in the coming months.

Regular everyday people are absorbing the impact of much costlier diesel fuel. That’s because the goods consumers buy (from cereal and orange juice to Amazon deliveries of diapers) are delivered by trucks, trains, or ships that run on diesel. Those inflated prices are then passed on from company to company until they reach consumers in the form of costlier goods, according to The Associated Press. 

If they’re not rejecting jobs, many truckers are choosing lighter loads or working longer hours to make up for money lost on fuel, according to interviews with truckers and industry executives. Farmers harvesting hay and planting corn with diesel-fired tractors are absorbing a financial hit. Delivery companies are installing their own fueling pumps to cut costs. Ultimately, consumers are left bearing the burden. –The Associated Press

This is all becoming obvious that it’s being orchestrated. Damaging the trucking and farming industry makes sense when you are trying to take down the food supply chain.

COVID RELATED NEWS

Biden promised 1 year ago today shots would prevent COVID

It was one year ago today when President Biden promised Americans that if they got vaccinated they would not contract COVID-19.

On Thursday, after four COVID-19 shots, the White House announced that the president had tested positive for the disease and was experiencing mild symptoms while isolating from his staff.

Nevertheless, Biden said Wednesday in response to a reporter’s question that his plan to address a rise in COVID-19 cases was that Americans should be “getting vaccinated.”

The administration finally, reluctantly, has acknowledged the shots don’t stop infection or transmission but continues to insist they prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death.

Biden’s top coronavirus adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci – who tested positive for COVID-19 last month after being quadruple vaccinated – acknowledged in a recent interview that the COVID vaccines “don’t protect overly well” from infection. But he maintained they still have virtue.

“One of the things that’s clear from the data [is] that even though vaccines – because of the high degree of transmissibility of this virus – don’t protect overly well, as it were, against infection, they protect quite well against severe disease leading to hospitalization and death,” Fauci said.

Joe Biden Breaks Mask Habit After Coronavirus Infection — Even in Close Proximity to Photographer

President Joe Biden broke CDC guidelines on Thursday by refusing to wear a mask around others while infected with the coronavirus.

The CDC website states, “It is important to wear a mask or respirator when you are sick or caring for someone who is sick with COVID-19.”

Biden shared a photo and video of himself, seemingly alone, on social media. In order to capture those images, he had to be in close proximity to an individual holding a camera — and chose to go maskless.

CANCEL CULTURE

HSBC banker resigns and rips into former employer and ‘cancel culture’

HSBC Holdings PLC (LSE:HSBA) executive Stuart Kirk, who was suspended earlier this year for attacking climate activists, has quit his job in protest of what he terms “cancel culture” and “virtue signalling”. 

After he attacked climate “nut jobs” during a London city event in May and asked, “Who cares if Miami is six metres underwater in 100 years?”, the UK’s largest bank reportedly put Kirk on paid leave. 

In a blog post on LinkedIn, Kirk announced his decision to step down from his post at HSBC Asset Management as global head of responsible investing.

“Ironically given my job title, I have concluded that the bank’s behaviour towards me since my speech has made my position, well, unsustainable,” he wrote.

He added “cancel culture destroys wealth and progress” and there is “no place for virtue signalling in finance”.

“I will continue to prod with a sharp stick the nonsense, hypocrisy, sloppy logic and group-think inside the mainstream bubble of sustainable finance,” he noted, adding “most of what’s out there is bonkers”.

As people in the finance sector are increasingly keen to burnish their green credentials, Kirk’s initial comments about climate change – in which he also said there was “always some nut job telling me about the end of the world” – surprised many. 

During his presentation earlier this year, he reportedly wrote in a slide “unsubstantiated, shrill, partisan, self-serving, apocalyptic warnings are ALWAYS wrong”. 

In his LinkedIn post, he said he has brought a “crack group of like-minded individuals together to deliver what is arguably the greatest sustainable investment idea ever conceived” and claimed the new project would “underline the central argument in my speech”.

PET NEWS

Best Family Watch Dogs: 5 Breeds That Are Ideal For Family Homes

How do you go about choosing a family watchdog? Which breeds will protect your home and family and not put either at risk from the dog’s inherent characteristics? Let’s go through five watchdog breeds that will give you a number of options to consider.

Towering Great Dane ‘Zeus’ Claims Record for ‘World’s Tallest Dog Living,’ Guinness Confirms

Zeus, king of the pantheon of Greek gods, was said to reign atop Mount Olympus, according to myth.

Now, that name also belongs to a Great Dane, who’s claimed the record for the “tallest dog living (male)” in the world.

The 2-year-old gray and brown American Great Dane from Bedford, Texas, stands at a whopping 1.046 meters (3 foot, 5.18 inches), according to Guinness World Records, who published the gentle giant’s colossal feat on May 4.

The enormous pooch is owned by Brittany Davis and her family. She says Zeus is “very laid back” and “loves everybody,” adding that he’s also “very stubborn” and “doesn’t do anything unless he wants to.”

GOOD NEWS

Family Left Stunned When Their Dog Escaped–Only to Return Later With a Ribbon From a Dog Show

An English family was left stunned when their dog escaped only to return later that day with a ribbon won at a local dog show.

Peter and Paula Closier became sick with worry when their five-year-old beagle-mix vanished on Sunday morning.

They called the police, the dog warden, and looked all over their house in West Sussex—and their neighbors also joined in the search for little Bonnie.

When Peter saw that the gate had swung open, he thought ‘oh no’.

Little did they know that John Wilmer had spotted Bonnie by the side of the road while on his way to a dog show in Surrey where he was entering his own two dogs.

Soon after, the family’s fears were eased when Paula spotted a Facebook post by John hoping to locate the pet’s owners. He was running late for the dog show and asked, ‘does anyone know this dog’?

John then decided to enter Bonnie into the competition. He thought “I might as well enter her into the ‘best rescue dog’ category”.

And she returned to her family with a third place ribbon!

“We couldn’t believe it,” says Peter. “You could not make it up.”

When she was just one-year-old, the couple rescued Bonnie from the streets of Crete, in Greece, but they had never entered the pup into any competitions.

“We never pursued it with Bonnie, but we should now.”

Gallery experts shocked to find an unseen Van Gogh painting hiding behind one of his works

The National Galleries of Scotland made an incredible announcement on July 14. Experts at the Edinburgh gallery discovered a self-portrait by Vincent Van Gogh after taking an X-ray of his 1885 painting “Head of a Peasant Woman.”

To find another painting by Dutch master Vincent Van Gogh 132 years after his death is an incredible discovery not only for the art world, but humanity. It’s like digging up a hidden track by the Beatles, a secret notebook by Isaac Newton or unreleased poems by Langston Hughes.

“Hidden from view for over a century, the self-portrait is on the back of the canvas with Head of a Peasant Woman and is covered by layers of glue and cardboard,” the museum said in a statement.

The discovery is historic but it makes sense given the fact that Van Gogh was known for using both sides of a canvas to save money. The artist only sold one painting in his lifetime and became famous after his death in 1890 at the age of 37. He would go on to become one of the most influential painters in Western art history.

Lesley Stevenson, the gallery’s senior conservator, says that she felt “shock” to “find the artist looking at us,” she told the BBC. “When we saw the X-ray for the first time, of course we were hugely excited.”

The Edinburgh gallery describes the painting as “a bearded sitter in a brimmed hat with a neckerchief loosely tied at the throat. He fixes the viewer with an intense stare, the right side of his face in shadow and his left ear clearly visible.”

Even though it will take countless hours of delicate restoration for the new painting to be separated from “Head of a Peasant Woman,” the museum has a good idea of what it looks like thanks to the X-ray image.

Van Gogh famously cut off his ear in 1888, two years before his death, and in what is presumed to be a self-portrait, the artist’s ear is still attached to his head. He lopped off the lower part of his ear during a bout of depression while staying in Arles, France. He later documented the experience in a painting titled, “Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear.”

“Later in date than the Head of a Peasant Woman, the hidden painting is likely to have been made during a key moment in Van Gogh’s career, when he was exposed to the work of the French impressionists after moving to Paris,” the gallery wrote on its blog.

Museum visitors will be able to see an X-ray of the image in a lightbox at a new exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery entitled, “A Taste for Impressionism: Modern French Art from Millet to Matisse.”

“Moments like this are incredibly rare,” Frances Fowle, a senior curator at the National Galleries of Scotland, said according to ABC News. “We have discovered an unknown work by Vincent Van Gogh, one of the most important and popular artists in the world.”

Mindfulness Meditation Reduces Pain by Separating it From the Self

For centuries, people have been using mindfulness meditation to try to relieve their pain, but neuroscientists recently showed it does actually work—by interrupting communications from the pain to the brain.

Researchers measuring the effects of mindfulness on pain perception and brain activity showed that meditation interrupted the communication between brain areas involved in pain sensation and those that produce the sense of self.

The study, published in PAIN, details a proposed mechanism whereby pain signals still move from the body to the brain, but the individual does not feel as much ownership over those pain sensations, so their pain and suffering are reduced.

“One of the central tenets of mindfulness is the principle that you are not your experiences,” said senior author Fadel Zeidan, PhD, associate professor of anesthesiology at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

“You train yourself to experience thoughts and sensations without attaching your ego or sense of self to them, and we’re now finally seeing how this plays out in the brain during the experience of acute pain.”

On the first day of the study, 40 participants had their brains scanned while painful heat was applied to their leg. After experiencing a series of these heat stimuli, participants had to rate their average pain levels during the experiment.

Participants were then split into two groups. Members of the mindfulness group completed four separate 20-minute mindfulness training sessions. During these visits, they were instructed to focus on their breath and reduce self-referential processing by first acknowledging their thoughts, sensations and emotions but then letting them go without judging or reacting to them.

Members of the control group spent their four sessions listening to an audio book.

On the final day of the study, both groups had their brain activity measured again, but participants in the mindfulness group were now instructed to meditate during the painful heat, while the control group rested with their eyes closed.

Researchers found that participants who were actively meditating reported a 32% reduction in pain intensity and a 33% reduction in pain unpleasantness.

“We were really excited to confirm that you don’t have to be an expert meditator to experience these analgesic effects,” said Zeidan. “This is a really important finding for the millions of people looking for a fast-acting and non-pharmacological treatment for pain.”

RELATED: 10 Easy Ways You Can Practice Mindfulness

Have you ever wondered what it means to live in the present? Aren’t we all here, now, in the present?

Technically, yes, but for so many of us, we are only ten percent here.

We are really living in our minds. We exist from day-to-day in a dream-like state where we’re not really connected to the world around us, nor centered in our own body or being. Instead, we’re preoccupied with memories of the past, churning thoughts and worries about the future, and judgments and reactions to the few things we do see.

We’re literally missing out on most our own lives, which leaves us feeling shallow, empty and deeply unsettled.

The great news is you can learn to be more present and mindful. Here are 10 easy ways you can practice mindfulness in your daily life.

  1. Eat mindfully.

When you scoff down your meal on autopilot while distracted by the television, computer, or constant conversation, you miss out on the delicious taste and smell of your food. You’re also less likely to feel satisfied and nourished, because you ‘missed out’ on the fact that you ate.

It can be helpful to remember this phrase: When you eat, eat. When you drink, drink.

In other words, don’t attempt to do fifty other things when you sit down to a meal, coffee or green juice. Simply focus all of your attention on what is in front of you.

  1. Walk mindfully.

Take a beautiful tip from spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh and “walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet.”

In others words, when you are out and about, pay attention occasionally to the movement of your body and your surroundings.

Notice as your feet connect with and leave the ground. Feel your muscles moving and supporting you.

Observe what is going on around you — the sights, sounds and life unfolding. You may be amazed to find a whole new world you hadn’t even noticed before.

  1. Observe your breathing.

As Echkart Tolle once said, a single breath in and out is a meditation.

Your breathing occurs naturally and rhythmically. When you pay attention to it, it takes you out of your mind and into your body.

You momentarily free yourself from your churning thoughts, worries and fears, and you remind yourself of who you really are — your inner spirit, not your thoughts.

  1. Connect with your senses.

Your senses — touch, smell, taste, sound and sight — are your gateway into the present moment.

But when you are lost in thought, you don’t experience what your senses are picking up.

Pause to soak up the beautiful aroma of your coffee. The salty ocean air. The beauty and diversity of flowers in your neighborhood. The mouth-watering waft of wood-fire pizza coming from your local Italian restaurant as you pass it.

Notice how your clothing feels against your body. The soft clean bed sheets on your skin in the morning. The comforting warmth of your lover’s kiss. The grass under your feet. The sensation of water and suds on your hands as you do the washing up.

Put love and attention into the simple tasks of your day, and you will be amazed how much joy and peace they can bring you.

  1. Pause between action.

Pause and listen to the sound of the phone ringing before answering it.

Pause and feel the weight of your body in your chair before beginning your work for the day.

Pause and feel the door handle of your home before you open it at the end of the day.

Putting mini pauses between actions in your day can ground you in your inner being, clear your mind, and provide you with fresh energy for the new task ahead.

Think of it like putting energetic bookends at the start and end of each activity.

  1. Listen wholeheartedly.

Most of us never truly listen to people when they are speaking to us, because we’re too busy planning what to say next, judging what they are saying, or getting lost in daydreams altogether.

Next time you’re in a conversation, make it your goal to fully listen to what the other person is saying to you, without getting lost in your thoughts.

Trust that you will intuitvely know the right thing to say next when it’s your turn to speak.

  1. Get lost in the flow of doing things you love.

We all have certain activities we love doing — they connect us with our inner spirit and bring us fully alive.

For you it could be cooking, dancing, singing, gardening, writing, painting, bushwalking, swimming, or building Ikea furniture.

We love doing these things so much that we often lose ourselves in them. That is, we lose our smaller self — our churning thoughts and worries – because we are pouring all of our love and attention into the present moment.

Incorporate more flow activities in your weekly routine, and your happiness will skyrocket.

  1. Mediate daily.

There’s no getting around it — meditation has huge benefits and increases your levels of energy, happiness, inspiration and inner peace.

It doesn’t have to take long. Even 10 minutes a day can have a positive impact on your life. It will also strengthen your mindfulness muscles, so you’ll find it much easier to become present throughout the day.

  1. Travel or mix up your routine.

There’s more than one reason you feel amazing on holidays. When you’re in a new place, you automatically become more present and mindful — simply because there are so many new sights, sounds and smells to soak up.

Your senses take over for a short while and it frees you from your mind.

No travel plans? That’s fine. Mix up your routine — it will have the same effect.

Take a different route, stop at a new coffee shop, visit a new place locally or try something you’ve done done before like paddle boarding, cooking a new recipe or writing calligraphy.

  1. Observe your thoughts and emotions.

You are not your thoughts — you are the observer of your thoughts. The fact that you can listen to them shows that they are not you. You are something higher and separate.

By simply becoming aware of your thoughts and non-judgmentally observing them as they come and go — like clouds passing in the sky — you are being more present. You are not getting caught up in your thoughts and forgetting that they are not you.

As you observe, resist the temptation to get carried away by a particular thought down a tunnel into the past or future. Picture your thoughts like trains at the station – you’re on the platform watching them come and go, but you’re not going to jump on and go for a ride.

Before you leave this article, I encourage you to take a moment to pause, take a deep breath, and sense what it’s like to be alive in this very moment. This moment is your life.

15-year-old thought his town needed a veterans’ memorial. So he raised $77,000 to make it happen.

The Eagle Scout Service Project is the culmination of a Scout’s leadership training and requires considerable effort. The project is to demonstrate the Scout’s leadership abilities while also creating something that benefits their local community.

Boyd Huppert’s “Land of 10,000 Stories” highlighted the incredible leadership skills of Eagle Scout Dominique Claseman of Olivia, Minnesota, who, at the age of 15, realized that his hometown needed a veteran’s memorial. So he decided his Eagle Project would be to build one.

“I wanted to show more appreciation in a bigger way,” Claseman, who comes from a long line of people who served their country, told Huppert.

Olivia’s mayor Jon Hawkinson was a little skeptical when the 15-year-old presented his plans for the memorial. “He had architect drawings, he had the space picked out,” the mayor told Huppert. “He knew there would be people in our community who would want to donate to something like this.”

Claseman got to work selling paving stones to veterans’ families and soliciting donations from local businesses and organizations. All his hard work paid off and he wound up raising a whopping $77,000 for the monument. “It was more than I could imagine,” Claseman told the West Central Tribune.

Claseman broke ground on the project at Kubesh Park on April 27 and the memorial was finally ready for the community for the dedication ceremony on Memorial Day.

“Dom, on behalf of the community of Olivia, thank you for your Americanism, dedication to decency and vision,” Hawkinson said at the ceremony.

“The memorial before you is a result of the generous support I and the veterans of our community have received,” Claseman said, according to the West Central Tribune

“Memorial Day is our nation’s solemn reminder that freedom is never free,” National Guard Major Andrew Lang said at the ceremony. “It is a moment of collective reflection of the noblest of sacrifices of those who gave their very last measure of devotion in service to our ideals and in defense of our great nation.”

The memorial marker reads:

“Dedicated to the courageous brothers and sisters from our community who served our country in times of peace and war. We thank them for their service, especially those who gave their lives in that service. May God grant them all eternal peace.”

The memorial features a walk of honor with footprints from a soldier’s boots. On both sides are black and gray slabs that feature the names of 280 people from the Olivia area who served their country as well as those who donated to the project. The walkway ends at a 21-foot circle with the memorial stone surrounded by four benches where people can commemorate those who sacrificed for their country.

Behind the memorial are three flags, the American flag, a POW flag and the flag of the state of Minnesota.

The memorial is a beautiful tribute to those who served their country but Claseman says it isn’t finished yet. He hopes that his two younger brothers will one day expand the memorial for their Eagle Scout projects.

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