May 14, 2024

The Power Hour

Knowledge is Power

Today’s News: July 28, 2023

Today’s Top 5:

1.Biden Admin Cancels $130 Million in Loans for ‘CollegeAmerica’ Students

The Biden administration will cancel $130 million in federal student loans for 7,400 borrowers who attended a now-defunct college in Colorado, the Education Department said on Tuesday.

2.COVID-19 Vaccines and Boosters Were Never Made With mRNA

Health Viewpoints – For the first time in human history, the gene regulatory program of healthy people has been manipulated on a massive scale.

Despite everything we’ve been told, RNA-based COVID-19 injections were manufactured with modified RNA—not messenger RNA (mRNA).

Modified RNA (modRNA) poses substantial risks to our health.

These risks come not only from COVID-19 injections and boosters but—unless we speak up now—also from all future RNA-based vaccines.

3.Trump hit with more charges as Mar-a-Lago worker added to documents case

Federal prosecutors have added more charges against former president Donald Trump for allegedly obstructing the investigation into whether he unlawfully retained national defence information at his Palm Beach, Florida property.

In a superceding indictment filed late on Thursday, prosecutors alleged that Mr Trump and co-defendant Walt Nauta conspired with another Mar-a-Lago worker, Carlos De Oliveira, to attempt to have surveillance footage from the club deleted so it could not be provided to the grand jury investigating the presence of classified documents at his property.

Mr Trump was also newly charged with specifically posessing the classified document which he is alleged to have shown to a group of people at his Bedminster, New Jersey club.

4.Report: China Looks to Flood U.S. Market with Cheap Electric Vehicles

Chinese automakers are looking to flood the United States market with cheap Electric Vehicles (EVs) as President Joe Biden’s administration has made a rapid all-electric, green energy push without having first ensured domestic manufacturing capacity.

According to Axios, Chinese automakers like BYD Co. Ltd., Li Auto, Xpeng Motors, Nio Inc., and Geely are looking to the U.S. market to sell cheap EVs to Americans as the Biden administration makes its push for an all-electric economy.

5.DOJ Drops Campaign Finance Charge Against Sam Bankman-Fried

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) informed a federal judge late Wednesday it did “not intend to proceed” with a campaign finance charge against disgraced FTX founder and Democrat super donor Sam Bankman-Fried.

Consultation with the Bahamas on the campaign finance charges in Bankman-Fried’s original extradition document last year were behind the decision as part of an effort to adhere to the legal obligations therein, Forbes reports.

WORLD NEWS

Farage Brings Down Second Bank Boss: Coutts CEO Resigns in Wake of Debanking Scandal

The CEO of Coutts, the exclusive bank that terminated Nigel Farage’s accounts for political reasons has said he bears “ultimate responsibility” and is consequently resigning, the second top banking figure to go over the Farage scandal in as many days.

The consequences for the politicisation of banking, manifesting itself as the debanking of Brexit leader Nigel Farage for his views, friendships, and Twitter usage, continue, with a second bank CEO resigning in two days.

MoD accidentally sends classified emails meant for US to Russian ally

The Ministry of Defence has launched an investigation after officials unwittingly sent emails containing classified information to a close Russian ally because of a typing error.

A “small number” of emails intended for the Pentagon were sent to Mali because of the accidental omission of an “i” from an email address.

British officials sent the messages to an address ending with the west African country’s “.ml” domain, rather than the US military’s “.mil”.

The same error in the US was revealed earlier this month to have resulted in millions of military emails going to Mali.

It was argued that the scale of the British mishap, first reported by The Times, paled in comparison.

News Reports Mourn Shortage of Housing For Renters, But Ignore What’s Driving Soaring Demand

The housing crisis will never be resolved without first tackling soaring the mass migration driving demand, Alp Mehmet told Breitbart in reaction to new reports decrying the property market.

Data commissioned by the BBC from the property website Rightmove has revealed that in the past three years, there has been a threefold increase in the number of requests to view rental properties, soaring from just six in 2019 to an average of 20 per letting today. In some areas, it has climbed even higher, such as in the North West of England where the average currently sits at 30 people per rental.

El Salvador: Congress Approves Mass Trials for Gang Suspects

The Congress of El Salvador approved transitory provisions and reforms to the nation’s criminal code on Wednesday that will allow courts to conduct mass trials for the tens of thousands arrested in President Nayib Bukele’s crackdown on criminal gangs.

The changes, approved by the overwhelming pro-Bukele majority in Congress with 67 votes in favor and six against, will allow Salvadoran courts to hold trials for groups of defendants based on their area of residence and what “clique” gang group they stand accused of belonging to. The changes also allow for prison sentences for those found to be gang leaders going from 45 to 60 years.

Singapore executes a woman for first time in almost two decades

Singapore has hanged Saridewi Djamani, the first woman to be executed in the city state in almost 20 years, amid an outcry from human rights groups.

The 45-year-old Singaporean national, who was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking about 30g of heroin, was executed early on Friday, the Central Narcotics Bureau said.

She is believed to be the first woman executed in Singapore since 2004 when a 36-year-old hairdresser, Yen May Woen, was hanged for drug trafficking, according to the local rights group Transformative Justice Collective.

Saridewi had argued that she was not able to give accurate statements to the police because she was suffering from drug withdrawal at the time. However, this was rejected by a high court judge who found that Saridewi had “at most been suffering from mild to moderate methamphetamine withdrawal during the statement-taking period” and that this had not impaired her ability to give statements.

U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT

Trump Confirms Attorneys Met With DOJ, Says ‘No Indication of Notice’ of Indictment Was Given

Attorneys representing former President Donald Trump met with prosecutors from the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Washington on July 27. They pleaded his case that he committed no wrongdoing in connection with the violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Mr. Trump, in a statement posted to his Truth Social platform, verified that the meeting took place. But he said there was “no indication of notice” that an indictment would be imminent, disputing some news reports.

“Do not trust the fake news on anything,” the former president wrote.

“My attorneys had a productive meeting with the DOJ this morning, explaining in detail that I did nothing wrong.”

He noted that many lawyers had advised that “an indictment of me would only further destroy our country.”

Supreme Court Issues Order Allowing Work to Resume on West Virginia Gas Pipe

The U.S. Supreme Court on July 27 allowed Equitrans Midstream Corp. to resume the building of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, granting what some described as a win for Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) by lifting a lower-court order that blocked work on the project.

In a brief order (pdf), the high court suggested that it would possibly consider lawsuits issued by environmental groups. “Although the Court does not reach applicant’s suggestion that it treat the application as a petition for a writ of mandamus at this time, that determination is without prejudice to further consideration in light of subsequent developments,” it said.

Oregon prison nurse guilty of sexually abusing nine women in custody

A former nurse at women’s prison in Oregon was found guilty of sexually abusing nine women while they were in custody.

Tony Klein, 38, was convicted of 21 of the 23 federal charges, including 17 counts pertaining to sexual assault and four of making false statements under oath in a deposition.

The federal jury’s verdict in the case came after nearly two days of deliberations, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.

Jurors found he deprived the women of their constitutional right to not face cruel and unusual punishment while they served time at the Coffee Creek correctional facility in Wilsonville, which lies to the south of Portland.

Senate Passes NDAA, Sets Up Clash With House Bill

The Senate passed a sweeping bill setting policy for the Department of Defense on Thursday, setting up a showdown with legislation passed by the Republican-led House of Representatives with amendments eliminating abortion rights and diversity protections.

The Democratic-controlled Senate passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, by 86-11, with strong support from both Democrats and Republicans.

The fiscal 2024 NDAA, which authorizes a record $886 billion in spending, is one of the few major bills Congress passes every year. It governs everything from pay raises for the troops — this year’s will be 5.2% — to purchases of ships and aircraft to policies such as support for Ukraine.

Exclusive — Rep. Eli Crane: Potential Impeachment Inquiry into Joe Biden Is ‘Step’ in Right Direction

Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) exclusively told Breitbart News that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) signal of a potential impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden is a step in the right direction.

Crane, a member of the Freedom Caucus, upped the ante and argued the House should absolutely impeach Joe Biden, along with DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Police dog use scrutinized after violent attack on unarmed Black man in Ohio

A shocking case of an Ohio police officer who released a police dog on an unarmed Black man who had his hands raised has thrown the use of canines by law enforcement back into the national spotlight in the US.

On Wednesday, the Circleville police department announced that the officer, who has been identified as Ryan Speakman, had been terminated “effective immediately”, New 5 Cleveland reported.

“Circleville police officer Ryan Speakman’s actions during the review of his canine apprehension of suspect Jadarrius Rose on July 4 show that Officer Speakman did not meet the standards and expectations we hold for our police officers,” the police department said.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS 
RECALL WARNING:  Trader Joe’s Says Broccoli Cheddar Soup Contains Bugs, Issues Recall In 7 States

Trader’s Joes has issued a recall of the company’s branded soup, affecting products across seven states, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Trader Joe’s Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup was recalled because it “has insects in the frozen broccoli florets,” according to the FDA’s recall notice. The product’s manufacturer, Winter Gardens Quality Foods, issued the recall. Cases with use-by dates between July 18 and Sept. 15, 2023, are directly affected, according to a Thursday announcement from Trader Joe’s.

The recall will affect 10,889 cases of the soup sold across seven states: Washington, Florida, Illinois, California, Texas, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, according to CBS News. 

Equity Improves For U.S Homeowners As Housing Market Boom Shows Signs Of Revival

ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property, and real estate data, today released its second-quarter 2023 U.S. Home Equity & Underwater Report, which shows that 49 percent of mortgaged residential properties in the United States were considered equity-rich in the second quarter, meaning that the combined estimated amount of loan balances secured by those properties was no more than half of their estimated market values.

The portion of mortgaged homes that were equity-rich in the second quarter of 2023 increased from 47 percent in the first quarter of 2023, to the highest point in at least four years. With home prices rebounding across the U.S., the report found that the level of equity-rich mortgage-payers went up from the first quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2023 in 45 of the nation’s 50 states.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 

Zuck’s Money Pit: Facebook’s Metaverse Division Records $3.7 Billion Loss in Q2, Total Losses Exceed $21 Billion

Reality Labs, the division of Facebook (now known as Meta) spearheading the development of virtual and augmented reality technologies for the metaverse, has reported a staggering loss of $3.7 billion in the second quarter, bringing its total losses to over $21 billion since the start of the previous year.

CNBC reports that the Facebook division in charge of creating virtual and augmented reality technologies for the metaverse, Reality Labs, has announced a startling operating loss of $3.7 billion for the second quarter, increasing is losses to nearly $21 billion since the beginning of 2022.

Former Tesla Employee Reveals Disturbing Footage of ‘Self-Driving’ Car Running Red Light

A former Tesla employee has released a video showing a Tesla vehicle in Full Self-Driving (FSD) Mode running a red light. The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of Elon Musk’s self-driving technology.

Jalopnik reports that John Bernal, who previously held the position of advanced driver assistance systems test operator at Tesla, was fired last year for posting a video of his private Model 3 Tesla car running into bollards while in FSD Mode Beta. Tesla stated that Bernal had violated the company’s social media use standards, leading to his dismissal and the revocation of his access to FSD Beta.

Tesla Secret Team Suppressed Thousands of Complaints

In March, Alexandre Ponsin set out on a family road trip from Colorado to California in his newly purchased Tesla, a used 2021 Model 3. He expected to get something close to the electric sport sedan’s advertised driving range: 353 miles on a fully charged battery.

He soon realized he was sometimes getting less than half that much range, particularly in cold weather – such severe underperformance that he was convinced the car had a serious defect.

“We’re looking at the range, and you literally see the number decrease in front of your eyes,” he said of his dashboard range meter. Ponsin contacted Tesla and booked a service appointment in California.

He later received two text messages, telling him that “remote diagnostics” had determined his battery was fine, and then: “We would like to cancel your visit.”

What Ponsin didn’t know was that Tesla employees had been instructed to thwart any customers complaining about poor driving range from bringing their vehicles in for service. Last summer, the company quietly created a “Diversion Team” in Las Vegas to cancel as many range-related appointments as possible.

The Austin, Texas-based electric carmaker deployed the team because its service centers were inundated with appointments from owners who had expected better performance based on the company’s advertised estimates and the projections displayed by the in-dash range meters of the cars themselves, according to several people familiar with the matter.

NASA, DARPA enlist Lockheed to build nuclear-powered spacecraft 

NASA’s ambitions to speed up space travel are about to go nuclear, as its joint project with military boffinry unit DARPA has found a builder for an experimental nuclear thermal rocket vehicle, or X-NTRV: Lockheed Martin.

If all goes according to plan, NASA’s Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations program (DRACO) will have its first test craft in orbit and ready to fire by no later than 2027, according to Lockheed, which NASA and DARPA enlisted to begin fabrication and design of the X-NTRV.

Nuclear thermal rockets (NTRs) have significant advantages over traditional chemical rockets, but that doesn’t mean they eliminate the need for propellant entirely. Using an onboard nuclear reactor fueled with high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), nuclear thermal propulsion systems heat hydrogen propellant and funnel released gasses through a nozzle. 

“​An NTR achieves high thrust similar to in-space chemical propulsion but is two-to-three-times more efficient,” said DRACO program manager Tabitha Dodson, meaning far less propellant would be needed to do things like transport supplies to the Moon – or further to Mars.  

SURVEILLANCE STATE 

Elon Musk Puts Brakes on CISA Censorship

On July 1, 2023, Elon Musk announced new limits to the number of Twitter posts users could view in a day

While much pushback has ensued from users, this move is actually a major win for your privacy and online freedom

Musk stated the view limits were applied “to address extreme levels of data scraping & system manipulation”

The lack of viewing limits on Twitter allowed censorship entities to scrape massive numbers of tweets so they could quickly and comprehensively control public conversations online

The limits cut off intelligence agencies’ “censorship death star” — AI — at the knees

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Propaganda at its finest … 

Biden announces new measures to protect Americans from extreme heat

Joe Biden announced new steps on Thursday to help Americans face the “existential threat of climate change” and extreme heat.

“We want the American people to know help is here, and we’re gonna make it available to anyone who needs it,” the president said, speaking in a summer of record-breaking temperatures in the US and globally.

The new measures will shield workers from high temperatures, improve weather forecasting, strengthen access to drinking water and otherwise improve heat resilience, Biden said.

Experts described the measures as positive but modest, and the president stopped short of declaring a climate emergency or directly addressing the need to phase out planet-heating fossil fuels.

Biden directed the Department of Labor to issue a hazard alert for workplaces such as farms and construction sites, where workers face a higher risk amid high temperatures. Heat has killed 436 workers since 2011, according to federal statistics.

Sectors including agriculture and construction also frequently see heat-related safety violations, so the labor department will also increase its inspections of high-risk workplaces, Biden said. He also took a veiled swipe at Greg Abbott, the Texas governor, who this year banned his state’s municipalities from requiring workers be offered water breaks.

“We should be protecting workers from hazardous conditions and we will, and those states where they do not, I’m going to be calling them out,” Biden said, later adding that when he played football as a young man, coaches would be fired for refusing players water breaks.

The president also said the US Forest Service will award more than $1bn in grants to help cities and towns plant trees, “so families have a place to go to cool off”. Tree coverage can help lower temperatures in urban areas by more than 15 degrees fahrenheit.

Biden added that the Department of Housing and Urban Development had set aside billions to help communities make their buildings more energy efficient and to open cooling centers. And he said the Department of Interior was boosting funding to “expand water storage capacity in the western states”, referring to the earmarking of $152m for water storage and pipelines for the drought-stricken western states, according to the White House.

Biden also highlighted $7m in funding from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will use to improve weather forecasts, thereby improving preparedness for extreme weather like heatwaves.

Global Warming Activism Targets Giant Global Livestock Industry And 1.3 Billion People

Combined together, meat, dairy, and eggs make up nearly 18% of the average person’s diet.

But, as Visual Capitalist’s Pallavi Rao details below, in order for these meat and animal products to reach consumers, a vast global livestock industry – one supporting the livelihoods of 1.3 billion people globally – operates in fields and farms largely unseen from major cities.

So where are the various types of livestock concentrated in the world? And how do national consumption habits influence animal husbandry?

These maps from Adam Symington help to answer these questions, using the Gridded Livestock of the World database from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which models livestock densities from 2010 around the world.

Fire that killed 4 at NYC e-bike store was caused by lithium ion batteries, fire commissioner says

The early-morning fire at an e-bike store in lower Manhattan that left four dead was caused by lithium-ion batteries, the city’s fire commissioner said Tuesday.

“It is very clear that this was caused by lithium-ion batteries and e-bikes. There is a very large number of both batteries and e-bikes. This location is known to the fire department, we have written violations at this location before, and we have conducted enforcement in this location before,” Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said.

Kavanagh called lithium-ion batteries “incredibly deadly” because so much fire is created when they ignite. “It can often be too late, as soon as the fire has begun,” she said.

GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING

Golden Comet Chickens for Max Brown Egg Production

Do you want lots of brown eggs? Check out Golden Comets, chickens that were developed in the 1950s by crossing a New Hampshire rooster with a White Plymouth Rock hen. The result was a bird that is known for its golden-red feathers, friendly personality, and high egg production.

These birds are known to lay up to 300 brown eggs per year, making them a popular choice for those who want to raise chickens for egg production. Additionally, Golden Comet chickens are known for their docile nature, which makes them a good choice for families with children or for those who are new to chicken keeping.

While the Golden Comet is a hardy breed that can adapt to a variety of climates, it is important to provide them with proper care and nutrition. These birds thrive on a diet of high-quality chicken feed, supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables. With proper care, the Golden Comet chicken can provide families with a steady supply of fresh eggs and a friendly, easy-to-raise backyard pet.

Who Wants to Raise Geese on the Homestead?

Once upon a time, I said I would never have pigs or geese. Well, you know my stance on pigs turned around 180 degrees. Today I’m a huge advocate of having pigs on the homestead, and especially American Guinea Hogs. But what about geese? Until I received a review copy of Kirsten Lie-Nielsen’s new book, The Modern Homesteader’s Guide to Keeping Geese, I didn’t realize I had never written about geese on here! I changed my opinion of geese at least 12 or 13 years ago. Sadly I had bought into the notion that geese are mean and attack people. Luckily I learned fairly quickly that it was a myth.

7 Tips for Success with a Farm Dog

Many people think a dog is a dog, but when it comes to working dogs on farms, nothing could be further from the truth. Just as you would never hire an unqualified person to do a job in an office, you should not get an unqualified dog to do a job on your farm.

While you might laugh at the idea that a chihuahua could herd sheep, plenty of people have gone to the local animal shelter to get a large dog to “guard” their livestock. The results can be anywhere from merely disappointing to completely devastating.

Just as every dog cannot herd sheep, many dogs have no interest in guarding livestock, and some will even kill or injure them. Many dogs will chase and attempt to play with chickens, ultimately causing the death of the bird.

HEALTH

Nearly half a million in US may have been affected by tick-bite meat allergy

Up to 450,000 Americans may have been affected by a potentially life-threatening red meat allergy caused by ticks as many doctors remain unaware of what it is or how to treat it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In new reports released on Thursday, the CDC found that between 96,000 and 450,000 Americans since 2010 may have been affected by alpha-gal syndrome. The syndrome, also known as a red meat allergy or tick-bite meat allergy, stems from alpha-gal, a sugar molecule not naturally present in humans. Instead, it is found in meat including pork, beef, rabbit, lamb and venison, as well as products made from mammals including gelatin and milk products.

Available in today’s newsletter:

An interview with Dr. Cass Ingram, author of The Lyme Disease Cure

Taking the Sting out of Summer (Naturally) Doc says: Forget toxic sprays for mosquitos, ticks, fleas and mites -Spice oils offer non-toxic protection and relief from biting insects of all types

Power Mall product of interest: OREGASPRAY (4 OZ) – all natural insect repellant  

Smell Loss Early Sign in Those With Alzheimer’s Gene

People who carry a gene that’s associated with Alzheimer’s disease may lose their sense of smell long before memory and thinking problems occur, a new study suggests.

This early sign of potential dementia is not seen in people who don’t carry this gene, called APOE e4, researchers report July 26 in the journal Neurology.

“Testing a person’s ability to detect odors may be a useful way to predict future problems with cognition,” said researcher Dr. Matthew GoodSmith, a resident at the University of Chicago.

Reports of Stomach Paralysis From Weight Loss Drugs

The stories are pouring in. People who jumped on the bandwagon to take the blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy are reporting life altering side effects after using the drugs for weight loss. Some have been diagnosed with severe gastroparesis, or stomach paralysis, which their doctors believe may have resulted from, or been exacerbated by, taking Ozempic.

Others have experienced cyclical vomiting syndrome, which makes sufferers throw up several times a day, causing emotional, as well as physical, distress. People also say they are experiencing other stomach ailments, such as nausea, after taking the drugs.

According to CNN, the diabetes drug Ozempic, and its sister drug for weight loss, Wegovy, are made up of the same medication, semaglutide. These drugs and others in that family, like tirzepatide and liraglutide, work by imitating a hormone that is naturally made in the body, GLP-1. This hormone slows the passage of food in the body, but if the stomach slows down too much, there may be problems.

COVID RELATED NEWS

LeBron James breaks silence after son Bronny’s cardiac arrest: ‘Everyone doing great’

LeBron James has spoken out for the first time since his 18-year-old son, Bronny, suffered cardiac arrest during a basketball workout at USC on Monday.

The Lakers superstar, 38, took to Twitter on Thursday to address the serious medical emergency and shared that he and his family are “doing great.”

“I want to thank the countless people sending my family love and prayers,” James wrote.

“We feel you and I’m so grateful. Everyone doing great. We have our family together, safe and healthy, and we feel your love. Will have more to say when we’re ready but I wanted to tell everyone how much your support has meant to all of us! #JamesGang.”

Renowned Physicians and Members of Congress Gather at Supreme Court with 100,000 Petition Signatures, Demanding Investigation into Fauci and Goverment’s Misdealings and Corruption During COVID-19 (VIDEO)

Founder and President Dr. Simone Gold and America’s Frontline Doctors convened the “White Coat Summit: The Reckoning” on Thursday, July 27, at the United States Supreme Court, calling for justice and accountability concerning the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Crimes Against Humanity have been committed,” according to its press release.

“Millions of innocent people harmed & killed by lockdowns, hospital protocols, and experimental injections. Now, allegations & evidence will be presented. Due process will be upheld.… and so will the law. Retribution will be demanded–and justice must be served. It is time for THE RECKONING,” it added

CANCEL CULTURE

Teacher fired by Texas Christian school for attending drag show

A veteran teacher was fired by a private Christian school in Texas for attending a drag show in her own time and posting about in on social media.

Drag performances have become a popular recent target for numerous Republican-controlled states that have proposed or enacted laws restricting or criminalizing such shows.

The Texas governor, Greg Abbott, signed into law last month a bill that outlaws drag performances in the presence of children.

Emmys 2023: awards likely postponed to next year due to Hollywood strikes

Fox is expected to announce soon that the Emmy awards will be rescheduled to January next year due to the ongoing writers and actors strikes in Hollywood.

Variety first reported on Thursday that vendors for the ceremony have been informed of an imminent date change, but not given an exact date, while the Los Angeles Times cited an unnamed source familiar with the plans, who said Fox was planning to move the telecast date to January.

The Emmys – the highest honours in television – were originally slated to be telecast on 18 September. The LA Times reported that the January 2024 date is contingent on a resolution to disputes between the studios and guilds before then.

PET NEWS

How to Keep Your Dog Safe At the Beach

Beach days are even better when you can bring your dog. But as much fun as it is to enjoy the sand and sun with your pup, it’s also important to keep safety in mind. The beach can pose hazards for dogs like getting sick from drinking salt water and even sunburns. Here’s how to help your dog have fun in the sun — safely.

GOOD NEWS

Meet Lawsuit Barbie: She’s been busy at Barbie’s courthouse

Tom Forsythe, a Utah photographer, created dozens of images depicting nude Barbie dolls posed with kitchen appliances. His “Food Chain Barbie” series included “Malted Barbie,” showing Barbie placed on a vintage Hamilton Beach malt machine. Another, which Forsythe titled “Barbie Enchiladas,” showed four Barbies in a lit oven wrapped in tortillas and covered with salsa in a casserole dish.

Mattel Inc., owner of various rights to the iconic doll, sued for infringement. But Forsythe prevailed. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in Mattel Inc. v. Walking Mountain Productions (2003), concluded that the photographer’s work, being social criticism and parody, was “fair use” of Mattel’s copyright and protected by the First Amendment.

“In some of Forsythe’s photos, Barbie is about to be destroyed or harmed by domestic life in the form of kitchen appliances, yet continues displaying her well-known smile, disturbingly oblivious to her predicament,” the court observed. “It is not difficult to see the commentary that Forsythe intended or the harm that he perceived in Barbie’s influence on gender roles and the position of women in society.”

Fans have flocked to theaters to catch the new Barbie live-action film since it opened Friday. The blockbuster is the story of Barbie and fellow Barbies who reside in Barbieland. Barbie suffers an existential crisis and travels to the real world to learn the truth about the universe.

Photo courtesy of ABA Journal

‘A Trending Color’: Pink is a brand for Barbie-loving lawyer

An immigration lawyer who uses pink to brand her law firm says she was “elated” and “excited” when Inside Edition approached her for a story that compared her and her employees to the pink-loving Barbie featured in the new movie released July 21.

“I’ve never shied away from the color pink and how I appear,” lawyer Kathleen Martinez told the ABA Journal.

The all-female staff at the Martinez Immigration firm wears all pink, all the time, according to Inside Edition. Like the movie Barbie, the firm has “beauty, brains and a sparkle of pink,” one employee told the television show.

PHOTO — ‘Meant to Be’: Rare Pearl Found in Clam Dinner Becomes Woman’s Engagement Ring

A woman in Westerly, Rhode Island, is feeling like a million bucks thanks to finding something incredible…in her food.

Sandy Sikorski and Ken Steinkamp are regulars at the local Bridge Restaurant and Raw Bar, where they enjoy eating clams, WJAR reported Tuesday.

Couple Buy Tiny Vase for $3 at Thrift Shop, Have No Idea That It’s Worth Over $10,000 at Auction

The English couple, who particularly enjoy wandering through local thrift shops in Surrey, are open to unusual finds; Karen always heads straight for the used books, her significant other for the vintage antiques. Today, they stumbled on something rarer than usual.

Karen’s fella, Ahmet, had found plunder—or so he suspected—and walked over to allow her a gander: a ceramic vase, smallish, 10 centimeters (approx. 3.9 inches) tall, that fit in the palm of a hand, covered in smoothly-polished, colored enamel decorated with hens and cockerels.

The tiny vase set them back a mere 2 pounds 50 pence (US$3.00).

They would be shocked to discover its actual value.

They did some Googling and contacted Canterbury Auction Galleries and soon made a revelation. The vase was confirmed as the work of Namikawa Yasuyuki—the most famous Japanese cloisonné artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, alongside Namikawa Sōsuke, the auction house stated.

ICYMI

Three U.S. Marines Found in Car at Gas Station Died of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Sheriff

The three U.S. Marines found dead inside a parked vehicle at a North Carolina gas station on the weekend died from carbon monoxide poisoning, the Pender County Sheriff’s Office revealed Wednesday in a press release.

Autopsies were performed earlier in the day and the medical examiner determined all three deaths are consistent with carbon monoxide poisoning, authorities said, per ABC News.

North Dakota Woman Accused of Slapping Her Baby Repeatedly and Recording It

A North Dakota woman is accused of slapping her baby in the face repeatedly and recording it, Valley News Live reported.

Fargo resident Macy Bellecourt was arrested on Tuesday and is facing charges for child abuse and drugs. Court documents show that police began investigating Bellecourt after a man called saying she had sent him videos of her slapping the baby. The man showed the videos to police, according to the report.

Randy Meisner, a founding member of the Eagles, dies aged 77

Randy Meisner, a founding member of the Eagles, has died at age 77, the band said on Thursday.

Meisner died on Wednesday night in Los Angeles of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the Eagles said in a statement.

I’m singing this song for my sister Sinéad

Concerning the god awful mess that she made

She told them her truth just as hard as she could

Her message profoundly was misunderstood

There’s humans entrusted with guarding our gold

And humans in charge of the saving of souls

And humans responded all over the world

Condemning that bald headed brave little girl

And maybe she’s crazy and maybe she ain’t

But so was Picasso and so were the saints

And she’s never been partial to shackles or chains

She’s too old for breaking and too young to tame

It’s askin’ for trouble to stick out your neck

In terms of a target a big silhouette

But some candles flicker and some candles fade

And some burn as true as my sister Sinead

(by Kris Kristofferson)

Social Share Buttons and Icons powered by Ultimatelysocial