WORLD NEWS
BIDEN EXECUTIVE ORDER EXTENDS NATIONAL EMERGENCY FOR 1 YEAR … BECAUSE OF UKRAINE??? (…feckin’ eejit!)
UN: Transforming How We Eat, ‘A Critical Accelerator’ To SDGs
Countries will review progress towards transforming food systems worldwide at a three-day meeting in Rome this July, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister announced on Friday, in the Italian capital.
The so-called UN Food Systems Stocktaking Moment is the first global follow-up to a 2021 summit convened to change how the world produces, consumes and thinks about food.
The high-level event falls at the halfway point for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development (SDGs), which provide a blueprint for a more fair, equitable and “green” world.
China Expands Military Budget, Reportedly Buys Russian Uranium
China’s defense budget for 2023 will be unveiled on Sunday at the National People’s Congress (NPC) half of the annual “Two Sessions” legislative event.
Chinese state media touted the new budget as a substantial increase in military spending – and China is reportedly spending some of its money to buy a disturbing amount of Russian uranium, with an eye to producing weapons-grade nuclear material.
China’s Increasing Aggression Is ‘Generational Challenge,’ Austin Says in Message to Armed Forces
The U.S. military must prepare to confront China and prevent its communist regime from reshaping the international order in its image, a new memo from the secretary of defense says.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin wrote that communist China seeks to force the international community to acquiesce to its authoritarian demands and must be stopped.
“An increasingly aggressive China is trying to shape the international rules-based system to suit its authoritarian preferences,” Austin wrote in a March 2 message to the U.S. Armed Forces. “This is a generational challenge, and the Department will rise to meet it.
“To do so, we must embrace integrated deterrence, which charges us to coordinate our efforts across all war-fighting domains, theaters, and the spectrum of conflict to create new and more complex dilemmas for our adversaries.”
U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
LIVE STREAM LINK: LIVE 8:55 AM ET: CPAC 2023 in Washington
Mom Slams Biden For Dismissing Allegations He’s To Blame For Her Sons’ Fentanyl Deaths
The Michigan mom whose two sons died from a fentanyl overdose tore into President Joe Biden on Thursday for chuckling after dismissing allegations his administration bore some responsibility for their deaths.
Rebecca Kiesling testified on Tuesday before a House Homeland Security committee about the fentanyl crisis. Kiesling testified how her two sons, Caleb, 20, and Kyler, 18 overdosed in 2020 on fentanyl that came from Mexico. Kiesling blamed Democrats for allowing “drug dealers across our border” and giving migrants protections.
Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene then suggested Biden was partially responsible.
Joe Biden Knocked for Laughing While Discussing Fentanyl Deaths of Mother’s Sons
President Joe Biden sparked criticism Wednesday night after he laughed briefly while discussing a mother who lost her two sons to fentanyl.
As Breitbart News reported, Michigan mother Rebecca Kiessling testified before the U.S. House this week about how the fentanyl epidemic claimed the life of her two sons — Caleb and Kyler.
Democratic College Park Mayor Arrested On 56 Counts Of Child Porn
A Democratic Maryland mayor was arrested Thursday morning on child porn charges.
College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn, 47, was arrested and charged with 40 counts of possession of child exploitative material and 16 counts of distribution of child exploitative material, according to Prince George’s County Police Department.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children contacted authorities Feb. 17 about a social media account pinged in the county that had child porn that had been uploaded an early as January 2023. Authorities were then able to discovered the social media account belonged to Wojahn
Biden Builds Amnesty Push with Parole Pipeline for 1.7 Million Migrants
President Joe Biden is building a left-wing push for amnesty with his administration’s massive parole pipeline that has helped resettle 1.7 million border crossers and illegal aliens to the United States in two years.
Months ago, Biden loosened his administration’s expansive Catch and Release network to include forms of so-called humanitarian parole, meant to be used on a case-by-case basis.
DOJ Argues Trump Shouldn’t Have Absolute Immunity in Jan. 6 Lawsuits
The U.S. Department of Justice has stated that it doesn’t back former President Donald Trump’s argument that he has absolute immunity from civil lawsuits in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol breach.
In a court filing submitted (pdf) on March 2 to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, DOJ lawyers wrote that Trump’s lawyers “advance only a single, categorical argument: A President is always immune from any civil suits based on his ‘speech on matters of public concern’ … even if that speech also constitutes incitement to imminent private violence.”
“The United States respectfully submits that the Court should reject that categorical argument.” the DOJ wrote. “And because that is the only argument the former President has pressed on appeal, the Court could affirm the district court’s order on that narrow ground without attempting to comprehensively define the boundaries of the President’s immunity for his speech on matters of public concern—including when and how to draw a line between the President’s official a
3 Points of Focus for Supreme Court in Student Loan Forgiveness Arguments
On Tuesday, Feb. 28, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments for and against the Biden administration’s contested student loan forgiveness program.
As previously reported by The Epoch Times, the Biden administration announced its three-pronged Student Debt Relief program in a Fact Sheet on Aug. 24, 2022, just a little over two months before the Nov. 8, 2022, midterm elections.
A number of legal challenges followed.
On Sept. 27, 2022, a complaint against the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) (pdf) argued that the HEROES Act only authorizes the secretary of education to “waive or modify any statutory or regulatory provision applicable to” student aid programs when “necessary in connection with a war or other military operation or national emergency.”
Then, Biden v. Nebraska (pdf), filed by Republican attorneys general from six GOP-led states on Sept. 29, 2022, asked the Supreme Court to consider the legality of the student debt relief program, asserting that the plan exceeds the secretary of education’s authority.
Student-loan borrowers Myra Brown and Alexander Taylor on Oct. 10, 2022, also argued in the case DOE v. Brown (pdf) that they were unlawfully deprived of a notice-and-comment period, as required by federal law (pdf), and that the Biden administration’s program was unfair to them.
The Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments regarding the legality of the Biden administration’s contested program to forgive billions of dollars in federally-backed student loan debt on Dec. 1, 2022.
In January 2022, the Biden administration filed its own legal brief, asserting that the HEROES Act of 2003 authorizes the secretary of education to “waive or modify any statutory or regulatory provision applicable to” student aid programs when “necessary in connection with a war or other military operation or national emergency.”
However, the three former Republican House members who drafted the HEROES Act—John Boehner, Howard “Buck” McKeon, and John Kline—filed their own amicus brief (pdf) insisting that “Congress never intended anything like the loan cancellation effort” when the HEROES Act was passed.
Now that the Supreme Court has heard arguments on both sides, here are three of the important points of focus the Justices will consider in rendering their verdict.nd electoral speech.”
Biden Doubts Future of His Student Loan Cancellation Plan
President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he’s not sure whether the Supreme Court would block his plan to “forgive” hundreds of billions of dollars in federal student loan debt.
“I’m confident we’re on the right side of the law. I’m not confident about the outcome of the decision yet,” the president told reporters when asked whether he was confident that the nation’s highest court would rule in his administration’s favor.
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Tuesday in two cases challenging Biden’s use of executive power. At the core of the cases is the question of whether Biden has the authority to implement the $400 billion plan, which would cancel up to $10,000 in student loan debt for every borrower who earns less than $125,000 a year while canceling up to $20,000 for each Pell Grant recipient who meets that income standard.
In oral arguments, a conservative majority on the high court expressed
Rep. Comer Says He’s Delaying Hunter Biden Subpoena to Ensure Win If It Goes to Court
President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, has ignored a House Oversight Committee request for records of his business activities and potential access to classified information, but Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is holding off on a subpoena for now.
On Feb. 8, Comer sent Hunter Biden a letter (pdf) requesting that he turn over a variety of records, including any communications with his father about his various foreign business activities and associates and any classified documents he may possess. Comer gave Hunter Biden a Feb. 22 deadline to respond to the information request.
Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, outright rejected the information request in a Feb. 9 response letter shared with the Washington Post.
Despite Lowell’s rejection letter and the missed deadline, Comer has yet to follow up his information request with a more forceful request through a legal subpoena. In comments with Punchbowl News, which were published on Wednesday, Comer said he is holding back on a subpoena for now, in order to ensure better odds that the subpoena will succeed if Hunter Biden’s legal team challenges the legal demand in court.
“It’s not just issuing a subpoena, it’s about winning,” Comer said.
“We give people plenty of time. When you do subpoenas, if you want to win in court, you have to show good faith effort that you tried to get the information. So we’re checking some boxes,” Comer continued.
“When we do subpoena, if we have to, then we’re going to win the subpoenas in court,” Comer added.
Biden’s DHS Funnels $350M to Illegal Aliens Released into U.S. Communities
President Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is funneling hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to border crossers and illegal aliens directly released into American communities after arriving at the United States-Mexico border.
This week, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that the agency would be spending some $350 million on the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, specifically to fund support services for border crossers and illegal aliens arriving in various U.S. towns and cities.
Senate Unanimously Passes Bill to Declassify COVID-19 Wuhan Lab Leak Intelligence
The U.S. Senate on March 1 unanimously passed a bill requiring the Biden administration to declassify intelligence related to the origins of COVID-19.
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) made a request for unanimous consent of the bill, which was granted “without objection.” Unanimous consent enables a bill to pass without a recorded vote if no senator objects.
The bill, known as the COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023, specifically aims to investigate the possibility that the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, leaked from a lab in Wuhan, China.
Sens. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) reintroduced the bill on Monday after the Department of Energy (DOE) provided a classified intelligence report to the White House and certain members of Congress, which concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic most likely arose from a lab leak. The FBI had previously come to a similar conclusion.
“Tonight the Senate UNANIMOUSLY passed my bill to declassify all the intelligence the government has on #covid origins. Let the people see the truth!” Hawley wrote on Twitter.
In further comments during an appearance on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime,” Hawley cited the importance of transparency and accountability in allowing the public to understand the origins of the pandemic.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein Hospitalized With Shingles
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the oldest member of the Senate, has been admitted to a California hospital after contracting shingles.
In a statement released to media Thursday, the 89-year-old Senator said she will hopefully recover and go back to work later this month.
“I was diagnosed over the February recess with a case of the shingles,” Feinstein said. “I have been hospitalized and am receiving treatment in San Francisco and expect to make a full recovery. I hope to return to the Senate later this month.”
Shingles, also called herpes zoster, is a disease that triggers a painful skin rash, according to the National Institute of Health. It is caused by the same virus as chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus.
The risk of developing shingles increases with age as a result of a weakened immune system. Shingles typically lasts three to five weeks and is not life-threatening, although it can be fatal to elderly people with compromised immune systems.
Feinstein, who was first elected to the Senate in 1992, said in February that she will not seek re-election in 2024.
Dianne Feinstein’s Hospitalization Leaves Senate Democrats Without Outright Majority
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) announced that she was hospitalized on Thursday and is receiving treatment for shingles, leaving Senate Democrats without an outright majority this week as two other senators are also away from the Capitol.
Feinstein confirmed her hospitalization on Thursday after her spokesperson announced she was leaving D.C. for California to focus on a “health matter.”
Buckhead City Bill Fails in Georgia Senate, Delivering Blow to Grassroots Movement
The Republican-controlled Georgia Senate rejected a bill Thursday that would have paved the way for residents of the wealthy Buckhead neighborhood to vote by ballot referendum on whether to deannex from Atlanta and create their own city.
The measure, SB 114, was shot down by all Democrats and ten Republicans in a 33–23 vote, which came as a disappointment to Buckhead City movement leaders, who have been working toward a ballot referendum for years in large part because of Atlanta’s crime issues.
New York-Based Chinese Gang Stole Identities of 3,000 Asian Texans for Illegal Aliens
A Chinese organization crime group, based in New York, is accused of stealing the identities of at least 3,000 Asian Americans living in Texas to provide “look-alike” illegal aliens with fake IDs.
Officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) revealed the massive identity breach late last month in testimony before the state’s House Appropriations Committee.
HEALTH
Half of the world on track to be overweight or obese by 2035
More than half of the world’s population will be overweight or obese by 2035 without significant action, according to a new report.
The World Obesity Federation’s 2023 atlas predicts that 51 percent of the world, or more than four billion people, will be obese or overweight within the next 12 years; of those, nearly two million, or one in four people, will have obesity.
Could Vitamin D Help Ward Off Suicide?
Suicide is a serious public health risk and the 12th leading cause of death in the U.S. A 2023 study of U.S. veterans found those with vitamin D deficiency who were prescribed vitamin D had a 64% lower risk of suicide when compared to those who didn’t take a supplement
This adds to the growing body of evidence that insufficiency or deficiency is linked to depression; other nutrients found to improve mental health include vitamin B6 and magnesium
Consuming refined sugar and a high carbohydrate diet may also increase your risk of depression as sugar primarily drives chronic inflammation, which is linked to depression. A 2019 study demonstrated that avoiding sugar, soft drinks, processed meat and refined carbohydrates lowered levels of depression and anger
Low levels of vitamin D also increase your risk of all-cause mortality by 25%, cancer mortality by 16% and lung-related illness by 96%. I firmly believe the data show that optimizing vitamin D can help prevent COVID and lower your risk of severe symptoms
Vitamin D Supports Oxidative Balance & A Healthy Inflammatory Response
You likely already know that antioxidants and healthy inflammatory balance are critical for whole-body health and longevity, but did you know that vitamin D can help support both? More research detailing vitamin D’s ability to promote oxidative balance and healthy inflammatory response has been emerging as of late.*
These beneficial biological actions support just about every physiological system in the body (think cardiovascular health, cognitive function, mood support, skin health, immune function, gut health, etc.), which, in turn, helps promote healthy aging and longevity as well.
—> Power Mall Product of Interest: Optivida Vitamin D – Plant based Vitamin D with magnesium for better digestion
Officials: Man Dies from Brain-Eating Amoeba After Possibly Rinsing Sinuses with Tap Water
An unidentified Florida man died from a brain-eating amoeba he possibly contracted while using tap water to rinse his sinuses, but health officials noted such infections are rare.
In a news release February 23, the Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County confirmed the infection of Naegleria fowleri, but noted it can only occur when water contaminated with the amoebae gets into a person’s nose.
Lawyer: ‘Havana syndrome’ patients feel ‘betrayed’
Patients that have been affected by “Havana syndrome” feel “betrayed” after a U.S. intelligence report that concluded the condition was not caused by a foreign adversary was made public this week, according to an attorney representing the patients.
“They feel betrayed, very much betrayed,” attorny Mark Zaid said on CNN on Thursday.
A report by the U.S. intelligence community concluded that it was unlikely that a foreign government was responsible for anomalous health incidents (AHI) that were affecting intelligence and diplomatic officials around the world.
The term was coined after employees at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, in 2016 reported illnesses, ranging from headaches to loss of balance and other neurological difficulties. Since then, officials have reported similar illnesses in a number of cities around the globe.
A popular theory surrounding the incidents is that the health ailments were the results of some type of interference by a foreign government.
But the intelligence report, conducted by several agencies for the Director of National Intelligence, concluded that the AHI were most likely not the result of foreign actions, concluding there was no evidence that a weapon that would cause such illnesses was in the possession of a U.S. adversary.
“Available intelligence consistently points against the involvement of U.S. adversaries in causing the reported incidents,” the redacted report states. “There is no credible evidence that a foreign adversary has a weapon or device that is causing AHIs.”
But Zaid argued that there was evidence that “goes well beyond what the public knows.”
“They feel that this has been completely ignored and whitewashed,” Zaid said. “This is something we’re going to continue to push until we get much deeper into the truth.”
Zaid said he and his clients have sued to obtain the full, unredacted report from the federal government.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Treasury Department developing tech for digital dollar as Congress debates crypto rules
The Biden administration is working to develop technology to help create a central bank digital currency (CBDC) as the policy debate as to how to do so continues, a Treasury official said Wednesday.
Nellie Liang, Treasury under secretary for domestic finance, gave the update as part of a speech about how the administration is advancing plans for a potential CBDC.
A CBDC would be used to issue a digital version of currency, meaning in the U.S. that the Federal Reserve would issue a digital dollar that could be used the same way regular dollars are used.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has said that the central bank won’t take action to create a digital dollar unless directed by Congress. Lawmakers are fiercely divided over the issue, making action on a CBDC unlikely this year.
Liang’s speech Wednesday indicated that the department is taking steps to be prepared for such a system if lawmakers and policymakers make the decision to proceed.
These are the products the US is most reliant on China
- Electric blankets
- Umbrellas with a telescopic shaft
- Video-game consoles
- Plastic artificial flowers
- Cooking appliances and plate warmers made of iron or steel
- Electric toasters
- Non-plastic artificial flowers
- Vacuum flasks (aka thermoses)
- Garden umbrellas
- Portable radio players and tape recorders
- Baby carriages and strollers
ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property, and real estate data, today released its fourth-quarter 2022 U.S. Residential Property Mortgage Origination Report, which shows that 1.52 million mortgages secured by residential property (1 to 4 units) were originated in the fourth quarter of 2022 in the United States. That figure was down 24 percent from the third quarter of 2022, marking the seventh quarterly decrease in a row, and down 55 percent from Q4 2021.
The ongoing decline in residential lending resulted from some of the largest downturns in both refinance and purchase loan activity this century along with the first drop in home-equity lending in a year. The contraction continued as the 11-year U.S. housing market boom stalled in the second half of last year amid rising mortgage rates, consumer price inflation and other signs of economic uncertainty.
During a period when average mortgage interest rates doubled to near 7 percent for 30-year fixed loans, lenders issued just $476 billion worth of mortgages in the fourth quarter of 2022. That was down quarterly by 27 percent and annually by 57 percent.
Elon Musk Unveils Plans for $10 Billion Tesla Gigafactory – in Mexico
Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently announced the construction of a new $10 billion Gigafactory to produce electric vehicles. But Tesla won’t be bringing jobs to the United States — his latest plant will be located in Mexico.
The Verge reports that Tesla has announced that it will be constructing its sixth Gigafactory in Mexico, where it will produce a new type of car. CEO Elon Musk announced the new plant at the company’s Investor Day event, where he also disclosed that the new facility will be situated in the Mexican state of Nuevo León.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Miss Car Payment? Future Ford Vehicles Could Repossess Themselves
Ford Motor Company filed a US patent application that shows autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles could potentially repossess themselves if their owners miss lease or loan payments.
The idea of self-driving cars repossessing themselves might sound dystopian, but it is not surprising that automakers are considering this technology to ensure payment. Repossession is a common practice, and as we’ve described recently, cracks are beginning to form in the subprime auto loan market (read: here & here).
While this patent application was first filed in Aug. 2021 and formally published on Feb. 23, it could be years before Ford implements such a technology.
The patent, titled “Systems and Methods to Repossess a Vehicle,” explains how a future lineup of Ford vehicles would be capable of “[disabling] a functionality of one or more components of the vehicle.”
If a driver misses a car payment, the vehicle will disable air conditioning, radio, GPS, and cruise control to irritate the driver.
If the owner misses more payments, the repossession cycle will worsen. The car would emit an “incessant and unpleasant sound.” Worse, the vehicle might lock out the driver on certain days until payments are made.
And still, if the lockout doesn’t work and payments are missed, the vehicle could drive to a safe, nearby location for a repo team to seize it and avoid confrontation with the owner.
It is worth noting that filing a patent application does not necessarily mean the technology will be implemented, but the takeaway is a glimpse of the dystopic future.
Nearly 70 percent of motorists nervous about self-driving cars: AAA survey
Almost 70 percent of motorists are nervous about the use of self-driving cars, according to a new poll from the
American Automobile Association (AAA).
The AAA poll released Thursday showed 68 percent of respondents said they are afraid of fully self-driving vehicles, up from the 55 percent who said so in the association’s poll last year. The 13-percentage point increase is the largest since 2020, though the group’s methodology for gathering data for the poll changed in 2021.
“We were not expecting such a dramatic decline in trust from previous years,” Greg Brannon, the director of automotive research for AAA, said in a release. “Although with the number of high-profile crashes that have occurred from over-reliance on current vehicle technologies, this isn’t entirely surprising.”
The percentage of those who said they trust self-driving vehicles dropped from 30 percent last year to 23 percent this year, while 9 percent said this year that they were unsure.
SURVEILLANCE STATE
Discover Card to Begin Tracking Gun Purchases in April
Beginning in April 2023, Discover will become the first credit card issuer to track gun purchases made by their cardholders.
On September 11, 2022, Breitbart News noted that Visa caved to pressure from gun control groups and New York Democrats, agreeing to flag gun and ammo purchases via a new sales categorization. The Associated Press observed that Mastercard and other major credit cards also agreed to flag gun sales.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Electric Vehicle Companies See Fall in Demand
American electric vehicle (EV) start-ups are dealing with falling demand, as buyers look elsewhere, or put off purchases entirely.
High costs, quality-control issues, and supply-chain problems are taking a toll on the EV sector, according to the latest quarterly reports.
Several EV companies reported a declining interest for some of their latest vehicles, while production costs for each product rose even higher. For example, Rivian Automotive reported mixed quarterly results after a second recall in less than six months, reported Fox Business.
The company previously saw a net loss of $1.72 billion for the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to the $2.46 billion loss during the same period in 2021.
Over 12,000 electric trucks and SUVs were recalled, or almost 89 percent of all of those produced through September, after a faulty sensor in the front passenger seat was discovered, according to The Wall Street Journal.
GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING
10 Ways To Grow Food On A Budget
It is spring now, the perfect time to plant those crops, for homegrown, organic, non GMO and pesticide-free food. Gardening can be done anywhere, even sprouts on the kitchen counter. Growing your own food does not have to be expensive. In fact, you can re-grow plants from scraps of fruits and veggies in your kitchen. I have put together a list of kitchen scraps that I have regrown.
Plants you can regrow from kitchen scraps?:
Potatoes: Plant those sorted potatoes right in the dirt and watch them grow into many potatoes.
Garlic: Take the garlic bulb apart into cloves. Plant each clove in the ground and water. It’s that easy. One garlic bulb can make 10 or more new garlic bulbs.
Ginger: Ginger can be grown in the ground or in pots. Take a piece of ginger root and plant it straight in the ground. Watered regularly the ginger will be ready to harvest in about six months.
Pineapple: Pineapple is one of the most unique fruit usually grown in tropical environments. However it is possible to grow pineapples in more temperate environments too. Firstly, obtain a pineapple, one that has an inside crown. Pull the entire top of the pineapple off and put in a cup of water. Once roots appear, plant the top in dirt. It two months you should see the plant established. The original top will slowly brown and fall. Continue letting the pineapple grow making sure it is not subject to cold temperatures. Water weekly.
Dry beans and legumes: Dry beans and legumes such as garbanzo, lentils, bush beans, etc. are so easy to grow at home. They are an excellent source of major nutrients including protein and fiber. Just plant them in the soil and water regularly.
Sunflower seeds: Throw a few in the garden. They will turn into gorgeous sunflowers!
Onion: Onions can be planted whole or part of the onion that has the root mass on the bottom. Once planted in the dirt and watered regularly, the roots at the bottom of the onion will begin to grow. Green onions will form at the top. Onions can also be re-grown in water with roots submerged in water, top stick out and placed in front of a window. You can also grow green onions in a cup of water and cut off the tops as you need them. They will continue to grow.
Basil: Growing basil couldn’t be easier. Take a stalk of basil and simply put it in a jar of water. Roots will begin to grow out the bottom in about a week. Transplant into the soil. You will never have to buy basil again! You can also do this with other herbs.
Celery: Every time you buy a celery stalk replant the bottom and watch an entire new celery plant grow. Plant the celery base straight in the soil or begin the re growth process in a bowl of water, changing the water daily and planting once the celery begins growing which happens in about a week. The same can be down with romaine lettuce. Just cut off the base and plant again!
Avocado: Avocado trees can be grown from the pit of the avocado. The pit will re grow if you put it in the soil and water regularly. However, many prefer to start the avocado sprouting indoors. To do this you place toothpicks (4) in the sides of the avocado pointy side up and rest in a glass of water, keeping the bottom half below the tooth picks wet. Put by a window. In about three weeks the pit will split open. About two weeks later, the stem should sprout and then leaves will begin to sprout from there. This takes about three months. When the tree is about eight inches, pinch the top leaves off and plant in the soil
NASA says these 18 plants are the best at naturally filtering the air in your home
Back in the late ’80s, NASA was looking for ways to detoxify the air in its space stations. So it conducted a study to determine the most effective plants for filtering the air of toxic agents and converting carbon dioxide to oxygen.
In 1989, their results were published in a clean air study that provided a definitive list of the plants that are most effective at cleaning indoor air. The report also suggested having at least one plant per every hundred square feet of home or office space.
What’s in our air?
Trichloroethylene – Found in printing inks, paints, lacquers, varnishes, adhesives, and paint removers. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: excitement, dizziness, headache, nausea, and vomiting followed by drowsiness and coma.
Formaldehyde – Found in paper bags, waxed papers, facial tissues, paper towels, plywood paneling, and synthetic fabrics. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: irritation to nose, mouth and throat, and in severe cases, swelling of the larynx and lungs.
Benzene – Used to make plastics, resins, lubricants, detergents, and drugs. Also found in tobacco smoke, glue, and furniture wax. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: irritation to eyes, drowsiness, dizziness, headache, increase in heart rate, headaches, confusion and in some cases can result in unconsciousness.
Xylene – Found in rubber, leather, tobacco smoke, and vehicle exhaust. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: irritation to mouth and throat, dizziness, headache, confusion, heart problems, liver and kidney damage and coma.
Ammonia – Found in window cleaners, floor waxes, smelling salts, and fertilizers. Symptoms associated with short-term exposure include: eye irritation, coughing, sore throat.
Please note: Some of these plants may be toxic for your pets, so please do your research to ensure your furry friends stay safe.
We often tend to overlook water, because it seems to be so plentiful. But when your regular water supply becomes unavailable or tainted, you quickly realize how important this “elixir of life” is to daily survival. At Lehman’s, we carry a big selection of water pumps, parts and tools to make sure your source of pure, clean water never runs dry. An old-fashioned well hand pump requires no electricity, so it is perfect for remote cabins and camps or anyplace you want a reliable backup source of water during power outages.
9 Surefire Ways to Control Ants in the Compost Bin
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced when composting is keeping ants out of the bin.
Ants are rarely helpful for your compost, usually doing more harm than good. Once they get a foothold they can quickly overrun the contents and generally make a mess of things.
But not to worry: In this article I will tell you about nine proven ways to control ants in your compost bin. So read on, and learn how to keep your compost ant-free.
How to outsmart the food shortages – nutritionist shares her hacks
How to outsmart the current food shortages – Harley Street nutritionist and weight loss specialist Kim Pearson, shares her expert advice
The environment secretary, Therese Coffey, has revealed that shortages of some fruit and vegetables will take two to four weeks to be resolved.
We all know that it’s important to get our (minimum) 5-a-day. But with vegetable shortages hitting supermarkets nationwide, how can you ensure you keep your kitchen, and your nutrient supply, stocked up?
Food shortages hack #1 Go for the frozen vegetables
As a general rule, frozen fruit and vegetables are fully vine ripened and undergo minimal processing before freezing. Many frozen fruit and veg have a similar nutritional content to fresh produce.
In fact, if you’re not eating the freshest produce, frozen could even be a better way to go. Fresh peas were found to lose 15 per cent of their vitamin c after seven says when stored in the fridge, compared to 60 per cent when stored at room temperature.
However, when frozen, they only lost 10 per cent after 12 months. Spinach stored in the fridge lost 75 per cent after seven days but after 12 months frozen, only 30 per cent was lost.
How to embrace frozen fruit and veg:
- Make a berry smoothie using mixed frozen berries, frozen avocado, available from Tesco, frozen cauliflower (it sounds weird but you really can’t taste it), and Sun Warrior vegan berry protein powder. Add water and blend. This is great for breakfast or post workout.
- Frozen diced onion, available from Tesco, is really easy to use for tomato sauces, curries and Bolognese and the bonus is you don’t have to peel, chop or cry yourself.
- This pea and bean mix from Waitrose is great mixed with good quality pesto, I like Seggiano. It works well as a side for fish.
- These grilled veggies from Waitrose make for a colourful plate of mixed vegetables. You can roast them or cook in a tomato sauce:
- Tesco sell sliced mixed peppers which work in stir fries and tomato sauces. Cook up a big batch of tomato and veg sauce with tinned tomatoes, onion, peppers, etc and then use it to poach eggs, fish etc in.
Food shortages hack #2 Check out the tinned vegetables too
Tinned fruit and vegetables tend to have a bad reputation, and not all of this is without good reason. Some tinned foods undergo a lot of processing to lengthen their shelf lives, such as blanching and the addition of salt, syrup or additives. These processes can also compromise essential nutrients, particularly water soluble nutrients like vitamin C.
In addition, some cans are lined with bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical associated with an increased risk of cancer, so opt for BPA-free tins wherever possible.
There are instances that tinned are best, however. The heating process used in preserving tinned tomatoes makes the powerful antioxidant lycopene more bioavailable. And at times, few things beat the convenience of grabbing a tin from the cupboard.
How to embrace tinned fruit and veg:
- Choose brands like Suma and Biona which are BPA free.
- Waitrose sell a tinned Ratatoullie which contains a variety of different vegetables in one tin.
- Tinned sweetcorn works well in a winter salad or salsa. Choose one tinned in water.
- Try Suma organic chopped tomatoes with basil for tinned tomatoes with a tasty twist.
- While most fruit is tinned in syrup, not all is. Try Waitrose canned granny smiths apples.
US Cattle Inventory Sinks To Lowest Level Since 1962
The beef cattle inventory in the United States is at its lowest point since 1962, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The USDA’s biannual cattle report showed that, as of Jan. 1, 2023, there is a 89.3 million head inventory — which is three percent lower than the total from a year ago and the lowest since 2015. Of that number, 38.3 million cows and heifers have calved.
Additionally, there are 28.9 million beef cows, which are those explicitly bred for slaughter and meat sales, as of the start of this year — which is down nearly four percent from last year and the lowest the agency has recorded since 1962.
According to Beef Magazine, some challenges and reasons for the decline in beef cows appear to be the input prices and the drought last year. The magazine’s Ryan McGeeney wrote:
For many producers throughout the country, 2022 had offered a perfect storm of economic and weather-related challenges: input costs such as diesel and fertilizer doubling or even tripling, and a hot, dry summer that only increased reliance on groundwater in the absence of rainfall. For cattle producers in particular, drought conditions offered no replenishment of dwindling forage supplies, leaving many producers to cull deeper into their herds than they might have otherwise preferred. Elevated beef cull prices contributed to an 11% increase in beef cow slaughter, according to USDA.
COVID RELATED NEWS
There’s a growing trend to label long COVID and injuries from COVID-19 shots “functional neurological disorders” (FND), making some patients feel like the medical community thinks their symptoms are “all in their head”
Half of people with long COVID symptoms fit the criteria to be diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which often flares up after viral infection
There’s a lack of consensus and definitions when it comes to FND and its potential treatments, even among those who are considered experts in the field
FND has also been used as a diagnosis to explain away adverse reactions to COVID-19 shots
Long COVID symptoms share many similarities with post-jab injuries, and it’s likely both are rooted in mitochondrial dysfunction; improving your mitochondrial function will help reverse the problems caused by the jab or the virus
House Subcommittee Announces First Hearing on COVID-19 Origins
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic has announced that it will hold its first hearing on the origins of COVID-19 on March 8.
The committee’s chairman, Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), said in a March 1 statement announcing the hearing that Americans “deserve real answers” on the origins of the virus, having suffered through the pandemic and the government policies related to it.
“This investigation must begin with where and how this virus came about so that we can attempt to ‘predict, prepare, protect, or prevent’ it from happening again,” he said.
“Government scientists and government funded researchers have so far been less-than-forthcoming in their knowledge and actions, including work with the Wuhan Institute of Virology and potential pandemic pathogens,” he added, without mentioning names.
The announcement comes as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is facing renewed scrutiny that its Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) could be the origin site of the virus.
Fate of the Pfizer Whistleblower Case to Be Decided by Federal Judge in Texas
Attorneys for a whistleblower alleging violations occurred during the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial argued in federal court on March 1 that their case should advance to the discovery phase.
Attorneys for the defendants—Pfizer and two subcontractors, Ventavia Research Group and ICON—tried to convince the judge to dismiss the case. If successful, their clients would avoid depositions under oath.
Defense attorneys told the judge Wednesday that whether protocol violations occurred was ultimately irrelevant because the federal government was made aware of them but still granted emergency authorization to Pfizer’s vaccine.
They pointed out that the federal government backed the defendant’s motions, asserting that even if rules were violated, the problems only affected a small number of trial sites.
Lawyers for Brook Jackson, the whistleblower, countered by saying the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the vaccine before reviewing the information Jackson provided.
U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale, the Trump appointee overseeing the case, said he would not issue a ruling from the bench, and a decision has not been handed down as of March 2.
Truncale said he did not usually allow oral arguments on motions to dismiss but felt it was necessary for due process in a case that had captured the public’s attention.
UV Radiation Protects Against Coronavirus
Research suggests ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure lowers COVID-19 mortality rates even when the exposure is insufficient to produce vitamin D
UVA measures and COVID-19 death statistics were obtained for 2,474 U.S. counties, 6,755 Italian municipalities and 6,274 areas in England between the months of January and April 2020, which is when vitamin D production due to low sun exposure tend to be minimal
Researchers hypothesize UV irradiation may have a direct effect on the viability of SARS-CoV-2 virus in airborne droplets, as well as the virus’ ability to stay viable on various surfaces, thus reducing overall infection rates
UVA radiation also triggers release of nitric oxide, which lowers blood pressure. Nitric oxide also mitigates endothelial damage, improves immune function, thins your blood and decreases platelet aggregation (thus reducing clotting risk), and inhibits replication of the SARS virus
Since high blood pressure and cardiometabolic disease increase COVID-19 mortality risk, nitric oxide can help explain how UV exposure lowers COVID-19 mortality even in the absence of vitamin D production
CANCEL CULTURE
AOC Likely Violated Federal Law With Met Gala Theatrics, Ethics Office Says
The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) said Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York may have violated “standards of conduct” and “federal law” over “impermissible gifts” relating to her appearance at the 2021 Met Gala, according to a release by the House Ethics Committee.
“Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may have accepted impermissible gifts associated with her attendance at the Met Gala in 2021,” the OCE report said. “If Rep. Ocasio-Cortez accepted impermissible gifts, then she may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.”
Schumer: Fox News Is ‘Number One Cause’ of ‘Erosion in Our Democracy’
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said Thursday on CNN’s “The Lead” that Fox News was the “number one cause” of “erosion in our democracy” while discussing the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit against FNC for defamation.
Schumer said, “The threat to our democracy may be greater than it ever has been before because when people doubt that the elections are for real, democracy is on edge. After all, the wellspring, the heart of our democracy, is that we trust the elections. You know, I worry that if this erodes, our democracy will erode, and my children and grandchildren will not grow up in the grand democracy that gave me, the son of an exterminator, the opportunities that I have had. What caused this? Number one was Fox News and their commentators spreading the big lie day after day, night after night, hour after hour, week after week, year after year. They’re the number one cause that there is such erosion in our democracy.”
He added, “It’s something that I feel. I love this democracy. We line up every November for 200 years and change. We go vote. And the next day, everyone abided by the election, whether we won or lost, even remember Bush v. Gore. And now, all of a sudden, you have this network spreading the lies, doing it very effectively and making a third of the people, two-thirds of the Republican Party, believe this democracy ain’t on the level. You know, when you study dictatorship, this is the beginning of the end. I don’t think it’ll be that here because the American roots of democracy are strong. But I worry about it, and there’s a demand to push back.”
GOOD NEWS
VIDEO: Texas Repairman Defends Himself with Tool Bag from Roof During Alleged Attempted Robbery
A video shows three men allegedly attempting to rob a Texas air conditioner repairman at gunpoint while he was working on the roof of a gas station.
Donald Burns told KTRK he was on the roof of a gas station at the 500 block of Berry Road in Houston, Texas, attempting to repair a cooler at around 2:00 a.m. on February 7 when three men on the ground came up to the store and demanded the keys to his truck.
More Stories
Today’s News: April 26, 2024
Today’s News: April 25, 2024
Today’s News: April 24, 2024