WORLD NEWS
Australian Premier creates ministry in charge of “changing men’s behavior”!
The development of totalitarian governments always coincides with sweeping efforts to socially engineer the population to adhere to less rebellious behaviors. Specific groups that present a threat to the regime are usually identified and targeted with propaganda or indoctrination. In tandem, the rest of the population is also conditioned to fear those groups and treat them with suspicion. In this way, the establishment elites mold the more submissive public into a shield that protects them from the revolutionaries that might dethrone them.
But what happens when the social engineers want to create tyranny on a global scale? The list of possible rebels grows exponentially larger and efforts to control them all or demonize them all become far more complex. How can the elites simplify their agenda and suppress the public with more efficiency?
The only answer is to attack and cripple the largest subset of the population that is most likely to give them problems in the future. Which monolithic group is more likely to fight back against the system? Obviously, the answer is masculine men. Therefore, this new global regime seeks to undermine and sabotage men, labeling masculinity an existential danger to society, like nuclear weapons or global warming.
In recent years Australia has been at the forefront of many authoritarian experiments. Their egregious violations of citizen liberties during the covid hysteria were astonishing. Perhaps even worse has been the complete takeover of DEI within the Australian government along with the infestation of radical feminism. Australia, it would seem, is all but lost to the nightmare of the woke religion.
That’s why it’s not at all surprising that the the Premier of the Australian state of Victoria has created a new ministry tasked with the purpose of changing and perhaps even controlling men.
Jacinta Allan announced this month that state MP Tim Richardson would serve as the inaugural Parliamentary Secretary for Men’s Behavior Change – the first position of its kind in the country. The appointment was in response to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling gender-based violence a “national crisis” and promising greater government action. First, Australia blamed guns for violent crime; now they are blaming men in general.
NATO Chief says West should impose a cost on China for supporting Russia!
Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), said on Monday that China should be penalized for supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Beijing cannot have it both ways. At some point — and unless China changes course — allies need to impose a cost. There should be consequences,” he said.
“China is fueling the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II, and, at the same time, it wants to maintain good relations with the West,” he pointed out.
Stoltenberg was speaking at the Wilson Center in Washington, DC. His remarks were dismissive of “isolationism,” which he saw as illogical in a deeply interconnected world.
“The vast Atlantic and Pacific Oceans do not protect the U.S. in an age of rising global challenges: intercontinental ballistic missiles, strategic submarines, the weaponization of space, and increased cyber and terrorist attacks,” he observed.
Stoltenberg saw Chinese dictator Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin joining forces to oppose NATO and the United States, using the invasion of Ukraine as a hammer blow to shatter the post-World War II international order. He suggested the best way to make Putin look for an exit from Ukraine was to make it clear that he cannot outlast NATO’s resources or wear down its resolve.
“It may seem like a paradox, but the path to peace is, therefore, more weapons for Ukraine. I strongly welcome the $60 billion package that the U.S. Congress passed in April. This is significant and complements efforts by other NATO allies,” he said.
Stoltenberg blasted China for “sharing high-end technologies, like semiconductors and other dual-use items,” with Russia. He suggested China’s support was a major factor in Putin’s calculations that he might be able to outlast NATO and Ukraine.
Stoltenberg said some of the European NATO allies were “a bit slow” to see China as a global threat, but the U.S. persuaded them to adjust their thinking at the end of the last decade. He was “optimistic” that the “agile and adaptable” NATO could rise to the challenge of handling two hostile great powers.
The Chinese government denounced Stoltenberg’s remarks on Tuesday, accusing the NATO chief of “shifting blame” for the war in Ukraine and “sowing discord.”
Putin, Kim agree to develop strategic fortress relations, KCNA says!
The leaders of North Korea and Russia signed an agreement on Wednesday that deepens their military cooperation to include a mutual defense pledge to help each other if attacked, with the North’s Kim Jong Un calling the new ties an “alliance”.
Kim spoke at a rare press conference following his meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang, announcing the signing of a “comprehensive strategic partnership” that the Russian leader said included defensive elements.
Putin’s visit, which is likely to reshape decades of Russia-North Korea relations at a time when both face international isolation, is being watched closely by Seoul and Washington, which have expressed concern about their growing military ties.
The reaction from China, the North’s main political and economic benefactor and an increasingly important ally for Moscow, has been muted.
Kim said the pact would expand cooperation in the areas of politics, economy and defence, calling it “strictly peace-loving and defensive” in nature.
NATO is worried that Russia may support North Korea’s nuclear missile programs!
NATO is concerned about support Russia could provide for North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs, the alliance’s head said on Tuesday as Russian President Vladimir Putin began his first trip to the reclusive nuclear-armed country in 24 years.
Putin, on a state visit for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, vowed to deepen trade and security ties and to support the North against the U.S., a close ally of its bitter rival South Korea.
The U.S. has accused North Korea of supplying “dozens of ballistic missiles and over 11,000 containers of munitions to Russia” for use in Ukraine.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a joint press briefing after talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Russia’s war in Ukraine was being propped up by China, North Korea and Iran, who all wanted to see the Western alliance fail.
Soaring temperatures scorch pilgrims Hajj in Saudi Arabia; over 550 died of heat stroke!
Hundreds of visitors have died during the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca amid scorching heat, according to press reports and foreign ministries.
At least 550 people have died on haj, diplomats told French outlet Agence France Presse (AFP) on Tuesday. Three hundred and twenty-three of the dead were Egyptians, most of whom perished due to heat-related illness, AFP reported, citing two Arab diplomats.
Reuters was not able to immediately verify those numbers.
Stampedes, tent fires and other accidents have caused hundreds of deaths during haj to Saudi Arabia in the past 30 years. The pilgrimage began on Friday.
Saudi state TV said temperatures rose on Monday as high as 51.8 degrees Celsius (125.2 Fahrenheit) in the shade at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
A 2024 study by the Journal of Travel and Medicine found that rising global temperatures may outpace strategies to deal with the heat. A 2019 study by Geophysical Research Letters said that as temperatures rise in arid Saudi Arabia due to climate change, pilgrims performing haj will face “extreme danger”.
Deadly Strep Bacteria Is Spreading in Japan
A deadly bacterial infection known as streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) is spreading across Japan, officials in that country report.
In March, Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases issued its first warning that STSS cases were on the rise. As of June 2, Japan’s health ministry has reported 977 cases for 2024 — a count that already surpasses last year’s total of 941 cases.
That’s also nearly two and a half times the number of cases reported in the United States so far this year: 395 cases have been reported, not far off from the 390 seen at this time last year.
U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
Historical perspective of this 4-year-old holiday, in celebration of the Summer of 2020 …
Juneteenth, a combination of the words June and 19th, is also known as Emancipation Day. It commemorates the day in 1865 – after the Confederate states surrendered to end the Civil War – when a Union general arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform a group of enslaved African Americans of their freedom under President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Emancipation Proclamation.
Texas officially declared Juneteenth a holiday in 1980. At least 28 states and the District of Columbia now legally recognize Juneteenth as state holidays and give state workers a paid day off.
Although in part a celebration, the day is also observed solemnly to honor those who suffered as a result of slavery in the 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived in the colonies that would eventually become the United States.
Now in its fourth year as a federal holiday, all U.S. government employees and any private business that participates have the day off from work.
Not all state governments recognize the holiday, however, meaning state employees in those states are expected to work. To enshrine Juneteenth in any state, its legislature would have to pass bills to make it a permanent holiday.
Juneteenth goes unobserved by Florida’s state government …
Today, June 19, or “Juneteenth,” commemorates the end of slavery in the defeated South. The date reflects the timing of the announce- ment by Union General Gordon Granger in Galveston, Texas, the day after he’d arrived to occupy the city.
A similar announcement had already happened in Florida’s capital city on May 20, 1865 — the different timing reflecting the uncertainties surrounding the end of the Civil War and diffIculties of communications as rebel states fell under federal control.
“In Florida, the process began in May 1865. Union General Edward M. McCook arrived in Tallahassee to receive the surrender of Florida’s Confederate troops on May 10th. On May 20th, McCook formally announced President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation from the steps of the Knott House, effectively ending slavery in the state. As a result, many Floridians celebrate May 20th as Emancipation Day.”
The Knott House sits on Park Avenue in Tallahassee, about an eight-minute walk from Florida’s Old Capitol, then the seat of government and now a museum.
President Joe Biden signed legislation in 2021 recognizing Juneteenth National Independence Day as a federal holiday. However, Florida does not recognize Juneteenth as a holiday for state workers — not even as an unpaid day of commemoration, although
it does marks Robert E. Lee’s birthday on Jan. 19th, Confederate Memorial Day on April 26th, and Jefferson Davis’s birthday on June 3. Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on Feb. 12th is not a paid holiday but Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday on Jan. 15th is.
Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a proclamation in 2020 recognizing Juneteenth but hasn’t done that since then.
76-million Americans under heat advisories as agencies warn of heat stroke potential …
The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned that tens of millions of Americans are currently under heat advisories as high temperatures continue to impact the Midwest and East Coast this week.
A tracker run by the NWS shows that some 76 million people are in areas where the agency declared either an Excessive Heat Warning, a Heat Advisory, or an Excessive Heat Watch.
Much of the Midwest and Northeast was under heat warnings or watches. Officials announced the opening of cooling centers and urged people to limit outdoor activities when possible and to check in with family members and neighbors who may be vulnerable to the heat.
Hung Cao has won the Virginia Senate GOP Primary race, besting 4 other candidates …
Hung Cao, a retired officer in the U.S. Navy, won the Virginia Republican primary for the U.S. Senate yesterday.
The Associated Press called the race for Mr. Cao shortly after polls closed in Virginia.
Mr. Cao, who earned an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, defeated four other Republican candidates: Jonathan Emord, Eddie Garcia, Scott Parkinson, and Chuck Smith.
Mr. Cao’s victory sets the stage for a November showdown with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), a popular incumbent who’s best known to most Americans as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 2016 running mate.
Mr. Kaine is a political powerhouse in the Old Dominion State, where he won his most recent election in 2018 by roughly 16 points.
Army Veteran and Trump impeachment candidate will vie for Spanberger’s seat in Virginia!
An Army veteran and a key figure in President Donald Trump’s first impeachment will vie for a Virginia congressional seat in November that may decide the next House majority.
On June 18, the 39-year-old Army veteran Derrick Anderson and the 48-year-old Yevgeny “Eugene” Vindman, a former ethics lawyer at the National Security Council, emerged as winners in their respective primaries for the 7th Congressional District.
They will be competing for an open seat left open by Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), the incumbent, who is leaving the House to run for Virginia governorship.
The 7th congressional district, a crucial battleground and one of the most diverse districts in the Commonwealth after a redistricting in 2021, stretches from northern to central Virginia and spans over 10 counties and Fredericksburg, an independent city.
Mr. Vindman defeated six other Democratic candidates thanks in part to his notoriety from his role in then-President Donald Trump’s first impeachment.
DOJ charges Texas doctor who exposed gender-affirming care for minors …
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has unsealed an indictment against Dr. Eithan Haim, who last year leaked evidence of cross-sex hormone procedures being performed at a Texas hospital despite the facility claiming to have halted them, with the surgeon facing four felony counts for alleged violations of a medical-records law that could land him in prison for up to 10 years.
The DOJ announced on June 17 that it had charged Dr. Haim for obtaining protected individual health information for patients who were not under his care, allegedly acting without authorization and with intent to cause malicious harm to Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH).
The controversy centers on the fact that TCH, the largest children’s hospital in the country, publicly declared in March 2022 that it was halting “hormone-related prescription therapies for gender-affirming services” for minors, citing potential legal and criminal liability after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton declared that prescription of puberty blockers was “child abuse” under Texas law.
Documents leaked by Dr. Haim purportedly showed that the hospital continued to perform some “gender-affirming” therapies after the announcement, including one procedure on an 11-year-old three days after it made the declaration.
Ultimately, Texas legislators adopted a ban on sex-change procedures and puberty blocker prescriptions for children, which went into effect in mid-2023 after a legal challenge. TCH declared that year that it would no longer offer any transgender medical procedures for children.
Dr. Haim, who was set to make a court appearance on June 17 before U.S. Magistrate Yvonne Y. Ho in Houston, faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine if convicted on charges of violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Federal judge blocks a rule requiring employers to accommodate employee abortions!
A federal judge in Louisiana has blocked enforcement of a rule in two states that required employers to provide accommodations to employees who want to undergo elective abortions, with the judge siding with plaintiffs who argued that abortions aren’t “medical conditions” that employers must facilitate.
U.S. District Judge David Joseph announced the ruling in an order filed on June 17 at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, granting a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit against the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which he found exceeded its authority in implementing the rule.
The EEOC “exceeded its statutory authority” in issuing the rule and “unlawfully expropriated the authority of Congress and encroached upon the sovereignty of the States Plaintiffs,” wrote Judge Joseph.
The temporary relief, which applies to Louisiana and Mississippi until a final judgment is entered in the case, blocks the EEOC from initiating any investigation into claims that a covered employer failed to accommodate an elective abortion that is not necessary to treat a medical condition related to the pregnancy.
The injunction also prevents the EEOC from taking any action that would allow employees to pursue legal action against their employers for not accommodating elective abortions.
Oakland man arrested in connection with firebombing UCPD police car; arson incidents!
A man from Oakland, California, who is suspected of being involved with the firebombing of a University of California Police Department (UCPD) car and several other incidents was arrested on Monday.
Officials with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) revealed that Casey Robert Goonan, 34, had been arrested “in connection with the firebombing attack of a UC Berkeley Police Department vehicle,” along with three other arson-related incidents that have occurred on the University of California Berkeley’s (UCB) campus, according to the Berkeley Scanner.
Goonan is reportedly facing several felony charges, along with “the possession and use of destructive devices and multiple counts of arson,” according to officials.
Sen. Rand Paul slams ‘partisan’ DOJ for refusal to investigate Fauci
No action for 3 years after complaint submitted is ‘disappointing’
Sen. Rand Paul said Tuesday the Justice Department’s refusing his requests for a perjury investigation into former federal health official Dr. Anthony Fauci is proof of a two-tiered justice system following a Senate hearing on the origins of COVID-19.
Paul, R-Ky., told The Daily Signal on Tuesday that it’s “disappointing” to see no action taken almost three years after he began demanding such a probe. His accusations stem from the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director’s testimony to Congress about U.S.-funded virus research in China, a central topic of Tuesday’s hearing.
Fauci testified in May 2021 that his agency never funded risky “gain-of-function” experiments at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, but Paul has repeatedly highlighted records and emails suggesting otherwise.
“If you happened to walk in the Capitol on Jan. 6, [2021], you might get 10 years in prison,” Paul said. “But if you’re responsible for funding research that led to a pandemic and killed 15 million people, and then you lied about it to Congress, then nothing happens to you.”
Paul filed a criminal referral against Fauci in July 2021 and again in July 2023 over the perjury claims. The Kentucky lawmaker told The Daily Signal that the lack of a response from federal prosecutors indicates America has “two standards of justice.”
Paul added: “In some ways, I’m very disappointed, but it’s not that I don’t expect it.” The senator blamed President Joe Biden’s attorney general, Merrick Garland, whom he said is “probably the most partisan attorney general in our history.”
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
REPORT: Pizza Hut closes 15 locations in Indiana; 120 more at risk!
The restaurant chain Pizza Hut reportedly closed 15 eateries in Indiana on Friday while
120 other locations are in danger of the same fate.
The restaurant company is currently embroiled in a legal dispute with a franchisee, the New York Post reported yesterday.
EYM Group, which owns and operates 142 Pizza Hut locations in Illinois, Indiana, Georgia, South Carolina and Wisconsin, was accused of defaulting on millions of dollars in payments that were allegedly owed to Pizza Hut by a June deadline.
EYM has accused Pizza Hut of failing to modernize its menu as well as its digital ordering system — thus putting it at a disadvantage against the stiff competition in casual dining, including from Little Caesars and Domino’s.
In 2019, Pizza Hut planned to close over 500 locations amid its transition from dine-in to delivery, Click on Detroit reported at the time:
The Post said that in 2023, EYM Group filed suit against the restaurant and accused it of breach of contract after allegedly failing to “modernize” its menu and ordering system.
“Pizza Hut countersued earlier this month, alleging that EYM Group was beset by financial discrepancies and that it failed to make required payments — thus violating the franchise agreement,” the outlet said, noting the restaurant eventually entered a forbearance agreement with the franchisee.
FDA sends warning letter to Dollar Tree for selling lead-tainted product after recall …
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent a warning letter to Dollar Tree saying it failed to remove a recalled apple sauce product sold to children that was found to be contaminated with lead.
In the letter, the FDA said that Dollar Tree, which also operates Family Dollar, sold WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree pouches weeks after Wanabana USA initiated a voluntary recall of all the products.
“Subsequent recall audit checks of your Dollar Tree and Family Dollar-Dollar Tree combination stores revealed that you continued to offer the recalled WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree pouches on store shelves well after the recall was initiated, despite FDA’s numerous attempts to bring this serious issue to your attention,” the agency said in the letter, which was dated on June 11th but released on the FDA website on Tuesday.
The federal health regulator then noted that the selling of “adulterated food” violates the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938.
FDA officials held multiple calls with Dollar Tree company executives to discuss efforts to remove and destroy the lead-tainted children’s food items after the recall was initiated in November 2023, according to the letter.
Dollar Tree officials told news outlets on Tuesday that the company is operating under new management and will take steps to improve its rules around “quickly and effectively executing product recalls.”
A national recall of the WanaBana purees was announced by WanaBana in November 2023 after officials linked the products to dozens of lead poisoning cases in children. Testing later found that cinnamon used in the cinnamon flavor was the source of the lead.
Apple cinnamon products made by Schnucks, Weis, and several other companies also were found to have elevated levels of lead and chromium, said the FDA. Some 90 cases of lead poisoning were linked to puree pouches across 32 states, according to the FDA’s latest information.
HEALTH
Johnson & Johnson hit with new class action lawsuit over talcum powder …
Johnson & Johnson is facing a new proposed class action seeking damages and medical monitoring on behalf of women who have been diagnosed with cancer, or might develop it in the future, allegedly as a result of using the company’s baby powder and other talc products.
The lawsuit, filed in New Jersey federal court, is the first to seek medical monitoring, or regular testing meant to catch cancer early, on behalf of talc users. The proposed class could include thousands of women, but would not include the more than 61,000 people who have already filed personal injury lawsuits over J&J’s talc, claiming it contains cancer-causing asbestos.
J&J maintains its talc is safe, asbestos-free and does not cause cancer.
The law firms behind the new case are opposed to J&J’s proposal to settle nearly all talc claims against it for $6.48 billion through a prepackaged bankruptcy. The same firms are also pursuing a separate class action seeking a court order blocking the bankruptcy.
The bankruptcy proposal needs support from 75% of talc claimants, with a three-month voting period ending on July 26.
Both the proposed settlement and the new class action concern claims that talc caused ovarian and other gynecological cancers, which make up the vast majority of cases. A smaller number of claims have been brought by people who developed mesothelioma, most of which have settled.
J&J has already tried and failed twice to resolve current and future talc claims through bankruptcy.
The legal strategy, known as a Texas two-step, involves creating a subsidiary to absorb the company’s talc liability, which then declares bankruptcy to settle the cases. The previous efforts failed because courts found that the new subsidiary lacked the “financial distress” to justify bankruptcy.
Banana Peel for Skin: Unearthing The Research-Backed Benefits and Uses
Banana peels are often discarded after consuming the fruit. However, these peels contain a remarkable array of nutrients, phytochemicals, and natural enzymes that have been proposed to be beneficial for skin health. Recent research has begun to uncover the myriad of potential benefits and uses that banana peels have on our skin.
- Banana peels are rich in essential nutrients, phytochemicals, and natural enzymes beneficial for skin health.
- Research suggests that banana peels possess antioxidant, antimicrobial, and moisturizing properties that may potentially help improve skin conditions.
- Banana peels have been used for various purposes, such as acne management, reducing dark spots and blemishes, managing dry and irritated skin, and anti-aging and wrinkle reduction.
- Precautions and tips are needed when using banana peels on your skin to ensure effectiveness and avoid potential sensitivities or allergies.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
SURVEY: 52% of Americans are uneasy about news reports produced by AI!
The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism’s annual Digital News Report has revealed growing global concerns about the use of AI in news production and its potential to contribute to the spread of misinformation.
The report, based on surveys of nearly 100,000 people across 47 countries, highlights the fresh challenges faced by newsrooms already grappling with audience engagement and revenue generation. As tech giants like Google and OpenAI develop tools that can summarize information and divert traffic from news websites, newsrooms worldwide are working to address the new challenge posed by generative AI.
However, the report found that consumers are wary of the use of AI in creating news content, especially for sensitive subjects such as politics. In the U.S. and UK, 52 percent and 63 percent of respondents, respectively, expressed discomfort with news produced primarily by AI. The survey, which included 2,000 people in each country, noted that respondents were more accepting of behind-the-scenes AI use to enhance journalists’ efficiency.
Nic Newman, senior research associate at the Reuters Institute and lead author of the Digital News Report, expressed surprise at the level of suspicion, stating, “People broadly had fears about what might happen to content reliability and trust.”
Another challenge facing news organizations is the general reluctance of audiences to pay for news subscriptions. Despite some growth during the pandemic, the percentage of respondents across 20 countries who paid for online news has remained unchanged at 17 percent for the past three years. In the U.S., a significant proportion of news subscribers (46 percent) were likely paying discounted rates due to trials or promotions.
The report also highlights the growing role of news influencers in delivering news to users of popular online platforms like China’s TikTok. In a survey of more than 5,600 TikTok users who used the app for news, 57 percent said they primarily followed individual personalities, while only 34 percent mainly followed journalists or news brands.
McDonald’s scraps AI trial after bacon added to ice cream – media
The fast food giant will remove voice ordering tech from over 100 outlets by the end of July, the company has reportedly said
McDonald’s is scrapping its AI drive-through trial after videos went viral of order mix-ups, including bacon being added to ice cream.
The US fast food chain has been testing a voice recognition system developed by IBM to process orders since 2021. However, reliability of the AI-powered technology has been called into question after customers reported errors in their orders and shared comical mishaps on social media.
McDonald’s has instructed franchisees to remove the AI-assisted technology from the more than 100 outlets that have been using it by the end of July, as reported by trade publication Restaurant Business on Friday.
The fast food chain is abandoning the trial without any sort of expansion, the publication said, citing an email the company sent to franchisees on Thursday.
“After thoughtful review, McDonald’s has decided to end our current global partnership with IBM on AOT [Automated Order Taking] beyond this year,” the message read.
While the Chicago-based fast food giant didn’t give the exact reason for the move, it comes after customers shared videos showing drive-through AI picking up orders from the wrong cars, multiplying orders, and producing bizarre combinations of food ranging from bacon-topped ice cream to hundreds of dollars’ worth of chicken nuggets.
California law wants marketplaces to collect digital ID data from high-volume sellers
Democratic lawmakers in the golden state are fast-tracking a bill that would force online marketplaces to start collecting identity data such as bank account and tax ID numbers from high-volume sellers who advertise online but transact offline, according to a report from ABC News.
If SB 1144 passes, users who sell large volumes of goods through third-party websites such as Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and NextDoor will be required to provide identity verification. Data could include biometrics or personal information such as bank account details, Social Security numbers or drivers licenses.
The proposal has predictably raised the ire of tech lobby groups, including TechNet, “the national, bipartisan network of technology CEOs and senior executives that promotes the growth of the innovation economy,” which argues that unnecessary data collection will harm the economy.
The group’s Senior Vice President of State Policy and Government Relations David Edmonson says the imposition of identity verification rules will force businesses out of California. “I imagine most sellers will have to think long and hard about whether or not they want to provide that information to the online marketplace just to be able to sell, you know, household products,” he says.
The bill is ostensibly intended to crack down on the resale of stolen merchandise, and will apply to sellers who make at least $5,000 profit and engage in at least 200 transactions in a year. It is part of a legislative package of 14 bills to address retail theft in the state – which the California Retailers Association says has reached “crisis levels.” Its supporters, which include some big box retailers, say collecting sellers’ data would help prevent organized theft rings from reselling stolen goods and close a loophole in the rules around offline transactions.
Other arguments against the bill say it will benefit those same big box retailers at the expense of smaller online classified sites. Or, that the requirement is so vague that it could end up applying to sites and users it doesn’t intend to target. Or, that the exclusion of offline transactions is no loophole, but a design feature, intended to limit the scope of regulation.
2ND AMENDMENT
Senate GOP blocks Chuck Schumer’s political stunt bump stock ban!
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) pushed a unanimous consent vote on a bump stock ban for the purposes of using Republican opposition to paint the GOP as favoring mass shooters, according to sources on Capitol Hill.
A unanimous consent vote can be blocked with one Republican in opposition, and that one Republican vote is what Democrats would highlight to then claim Republicans as a whole are against stopping mass shootings, against keeping Americans safe, etc.
Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) called out Schumer for pressing for votes on “fake problems” instead of taking up serious issues that the Senate may play a role in solving.
Vance said, “This is week three of Chuck Schumer focusing on fake problems instead of real problems. We have real legislation. I have a rail safety bill that he promised he would bring up to the floor for a vote. Let’s do the things that actually have a chance of passing and actually making the country a better place.”
The Blaze’s Christopher Redford used an X post to echo Vance’s sentiment, saying, “Ridiculous and cynical. Saying the Senate should use its limited time on legislation that can actually pass and help Americans isn’t dishonoring the dead anymore than Schumer wasting time on Dem messaging votes honors the dead.”
Bump stocks were used in one high-profile shooting in American history: The October 1, 2017, Las Vegas shooting, if not at least two dozen other related prior shootings.
CANCEL CULTURE
Scientific American magazine says the federal government should regulate homeschooling!
Scientific American, a left-leaning legacy science magazine, called for the federal regulation of homeschooling on Monday, saying parents who homeschool should be subjected to a “background check.”
The editors of the magazine sent around their call in a June 17 newsletter, citing statistics showing 3% of American children are homeschooled and noting that the coronavirus pandemic saw the practice grow, saying the “true number is likely much higher.”
“Most states don’t require the same assessment of homeschooled kids that are required for their public school peers,” the editors stated in the newsletter while acknowledging that homeschooled children typically excel in academics.
“Parents are not required to have an education themselves to direct instruction,” the editors explained, identifying this as a problem. “And in most states, no one checks to see that children are receiving an education at all. In the worst cases, homeschooling can hide abuse.”
The newsletter called for “some basic federal mandates,” including that parents “undergo a background check — the same as K-12 teachers.” The editors also called for homeschool parents to submit documentation to authorities that proves “children are learning.”
“Education is a basic right,” the editors wrote. “We need to make sure kids have chances to investigate what makes them curious, study history and science and reading.”
“We don’t just shut up and dribble!” WNBA player issues stark warning to new fans!
If you thought WNBA players would be happy about the newfound attention and success
that has recently come to their league, you thought wrong.
DiJonai Carrington, a player for the Connecticut Sun who no one knew about before she mocked Caitlin Clark for embellishing a foul, sounded off Sunday in apparent distress after the Caitlin Clark-led Fever beat the Chicago Sky in what was the most-watched WNBA game in 23 years.
“Unfortunately for yall new fAnS, we do not just ‘shut up and dribble’ here. Ya picked the wrong league,” Carrington wrote.
Reaction to her post flowed in rapidly.
Actively wishing people would not watch your league is a curious marketing strategy. We’ll see how it plays out, Cotton.
Carrington need not worry, though. No one knew who she was before she mocked Caitlin Clark. Remember this?
In fact, Carrington got booed on her home court during that game. So, she needs not worry about “the fAnS.” The next time someone buys a ticket or turns on a TV to specifically watch her (other than friends and blood relatives) will be the first time.
The WNBA has existed off of corporate welfare for so long that some of these players have genuine disdain for someone who brings in money. They actually resent the attention that’s come to their league. Because the pressure of having to behave like professionals is now being impressed upon them for the first time. Instead of acting like they were doing the world a favor by playing women’s basketball that no one ever watched, they actually have to act like grown-ups.
Sorry about your life, DiJonai.
Obviously, given the behavior of their players, this league was not ready for the limelight.
But no matter, Caitlin Clark was ready, and that’s really the only person in that whole organization who matters.
Zerohedge reports it’s watching the gutting of the Daily Beast; unionized staffers leaving!
The journalism industry is in a severe downturn, with over 8,000 job cuts reported across the US, UK, and Canada last year alone. The first half of this year has already seen more than 1,000 layoffs from traditional newspapers, online media outlets, and even leftist nonprofit watchdog journalism organizations. The industry is crumbling in an election year as some conservative media outlets thrive.
A new report from The Wrap says leftist media outlet The Daily Beast is “gutting its senior editorial team after implementing voluntary buyouts last month, with nearly 70% of unionized staffers leaving the outlet.”
According to people with direct knowledge of the situation, some of the senior staffers taking buyouts include reporter Justin Baragona, political investigations reporter Jose Pagliery, senior national reporter Pilar Melendez, senior reporter Emily Shugerman, and many others. About 25 unionized staffers received the buyouts, which equates to about 70% of unionized staffers.
The people expect upcoming layoffs later this month to impact non-union editorial staffers.
“We’re currently watching the collapse of The Beast,” one person told TheWrap, adding, “There is no doubt the site won’t be able to recover from this.”
“One of the first lessons of any company: Don’t alienate your core customer and piss them off so much they begin to call for a boycott against your firm,” the person continued.
The source is likely referring to the Daily Beast’s radical leftist reporting and boycotting of President Trump over the years. This type of reporting and commentary on Trump has made some readers highly skeptical of its stories. Remember when the outlet was sued for pumping disinformation about Hunter Biden’s laptop?
More recently, website tracking firm Similarweb has shown steep declines in Daily Beast’s website traffic in recent months.
Layoffs at the Daily Beast come as Press Gazette estimates total journalism industry job cuts in the UK, US, Ireland, and Canada total at least 1,000 in January, 615 in February, 30 in March, and 77 in April. Last year, at least 8,000 media job cuts were seen across the three countries.
PET NEWS
Fort Myers, Florida man arrested for leaving his dogs out in the heat; 1 of them died!
66-year-old Thomas Byers of Fort Myers, Florida has been arrested after allegedly leaving two dogs outside in the heat for multiple days, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
On Sunday, deputies responded to a home on Third Avenue to investigate an animal cruelty case where they found an unconscious Chihuahua. Deputies tried to save the dog, but unfortunately, it did not survive.
Detectives say they discovered that Byers had been leaving the dogs outside for multiple days in a kennel without food or water. Byers was found at his home, where a second Chihuahua was found outside in a kennel.
The second puppy was surrendered. Byers has been charged with two counts of animal cruelty.
Homemade Chicken Jerky Strips: Chewy Treats for Dogs and Cats
If your dog or cat loves the taste and texture of chicken jerky, don’t risk feeding potentially toxic store-bought brands. Making your own at home is incredibly simple using this recipe.
- Free-range organic chicken is a protein- and vitamin-rich treat for cats and dogs
- Many pets love the texture of a chewy dehydrated chicken jerky treat
- Store-bought chicken jerky, especially brands sourced from China, have been implicated in a shocking number of pet illnesses and deaths, so it’s best to make your own at home
ICYMI
Justin Timberlake arrested; had bloodshot and glassy eyes; banned from driving in New York!
Pop star Justin Timberlake was reportedly arrested in the early hours of Tuesday in Long Island, New York, and charged with driving while intoxicated. The “Bye Bye Bye” singer was arrested in Sag Harbor, a village on Long Island, and was released without bail after being charged with one count of driving while intoxicated, according to police.
The pop star’s lawyer, Ed Burke, told US Weekly that Timberlake had been charged with “a single count because he refused the breath test.”
“Mr. Timberlake was also charged with two other court citations, running a stop sign and not traveling in the correct traffic lane,” Burke added.
Upon refusing to take a breathalyzer test, Timberlake told officers, “No, I’m not doing a chemical test. I refuse. I refuse,” according to a police report obtained by Daily Mail.
The police report also noted that Timberlake had “bloodshot and glassy” eyes, smelled strongly of alcohol, had slowed speech, and was unable to pay attention.
The “What Goes Around… Comes Around” singer was also charged with one count of running a stop sign and failing to stay in his lane, and was banned from driving for one year in New York, according to Daily Mail.
Timberlake, who is also headlining the “The Forget Tomorrow World Tour,” was reportedly arrested after he was seen running a stop sign and veering across the road while driving his BMW X7 after spending a night out with friends at The American Hotel bar on Monday night.
“He was wasted,” a witness told the New York Post.
“At one point, just before closing, somebody got up to go to the bathroom and left his drink on the table,” the witness continued. “When [the man] came back, [Timberlake] was drinking his drink. The guy goes, ‘Justin, that’s my drink!’”
The pop star also told arresting officers that he had just “one martini,” New York Post reported. This appears to be the first time Timberlake has been arrested.
Willie Mays, Giants’ electrifying “Say Hey Kid”, has died at age 93!
Willie Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, has died. He was 93.
Mays’ family and the San Francisco Giants jointly announced last night he had “passed away peacefully” yesterday afternoon surrounded by loved ones.
The center fielder was baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer. His signature basket catch and his dashes around the bases with his cap flying off personified the joy of the game. His over-the-shoulder catch of a long drive in the 1954 World Series is baseball’s most celebrated defensive feat.
Over 22 seasons, virtually all with the New York/San Francisco Giants, Mays batted .302, hit 660 home runs, totaled 3,283 hits, scored more than 2,000 runs and won 12 Gold Gloves.
He was Rookie of the Year in 1951, twice was named the Most Valuable Player and finished in the top 10 for the MVP 10 other times.
Mysterious monolith similar to the column seen in 2020 appears in the Las Vegas desert …
A reflective monolith, similar to one that became an Internet sensation during the height of the pandemic in 2020, was seen in Las Vegas in what local officials are dubbing a mystery.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department took to X on Monday to share two photos of the long, vertical slab of metal that allegedly appeared over the weekend on a hiking trail near Gass Peak on the northern side of the Las Vegas area.
A similar monolith appeared in downtown Las Vegas in December 2020, standing under the Fremont Street Experience canopy.
Before that, a seemingly identical monolith was discovered in a remote area of Utah in November 2020, before it vanished a few days later.
Monoliths have also been seen internationally in the United Kingdom, Romania, and other locations, adding to the intrigue.
While online detectives work to solve the mystery of the latest monolith, the LVMPD reminded the public to stay safe while visiting the area’s trails, especially as summer temperatures rise.
In the photos, the tall, geometric figure reflects the rocky desert and perfectly aligns with the horizon.
More Stories
Today’s News:
Today’s News: June 26, 2024
Today’s News: June 27, 2024