WORLD NEWS
NHS England Bans Puberty Blockers for Transgender Children, Activists Denounce
The National Health Service (NHS) England has issued a ban on puberty blockers for
children who identify as transgender.
NHS England based its decision to ban puberty blockers for children this week on there not being enough evidence on the procedure’s safety or clinical effectiveness. The U.K. government also endorsed the “landmark decision,” hailing at as being in the “best interests of children.” NHS England proposed a ban on the procedure last June and issued the definitive decision following a review from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
“NHS England has carefully considered the evidence review conducted by NICE and further published evidence available to date,” an NHS England spokesperson said. “We have concluded that there is not enough evidence to support the safety or clinical effectiveness of puberty-suppressing hormones to make the treatment routinely available at this time.”
The new ruling means that “the new regional services caring for under-18s with gender dysphoria, which open next month, will not use them as part of the treatment.”
“From now on, children and young people will only be able to get them if they are taking part in a clinical trial. At least one such trial is due to start later this year, but no details, such as who will be eligible to join it, have been published,
Maria Caulfield, the health minister, also celebrated the decision.
“We welcome this landmark decision by the NHS to end the routine prescription of puberty blockers and this guidance which recognises that care must be based on evidence, expert clinical opinion and in the best interests of the child,” said Caulfield.
‘Everyone Is Afraid’: Haiti’s Armed Militias Terrorize Christians in Barbecue’s ‘Bloody Revolution’
Violent gangs in Haiti have kidnapped “a lot” of Catholic priests and churchgoers in the past week as the Caribbean nation descends deeper into gang-led chaos, Christian outlets reported on Monday.
Catholic organizations have urged the faithful to pray for “restored order” in Haiti as organized armed militias led by Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier take control of the country. Cherizier, who in recent years has repeatedly demanded the ouster of all Haitian politicians, publicly made calls for a “bloody revolution” on Monday.
“We’re not in a peaceful revolution. We are making a bloody revolution in the country because this system is an apartheid system, a wicked system,” Cherizier said.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry, stranded in Puerto Rico as the gangs surrounded the Port-au-Prince airport, announced his planned resignation on Monday.
Amy Balog, a member of the Aid to the Church in Need, a Catholic charity organization, recounted the ongoing desperation faced by Christians in Haiti to Premier Christian News on Monday.
“There have been a lot of abductions of church personnel, priests religious [sic] in the last few months,” Boleg said. “And sometimes these people are kidnapped and then released a few days later, but a number of religious people kidnapped last month are still in captivity.”
“They were kidnapped by an armed gang, but no one knows where they are being kept,” Boleg explained, “and the motivation for these abductions is not clear, either.”
“There is this general sense of insecurity, people are just not feeling safe, roads are blocked, it’s impossible to get in and out of the capital,” she continued. “So it’s complete chaos.”
The Vatican News reported on Monday that five of the seven members of the Congregation of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart abducted in Port-au-Prince in February were released. The seven men were kidnapped on February 23 as they traveled to the Jean XXIII School, located in Port-au-Prince’s gang-controlled Bicentenary neighborhood.
“The struggle is not over because Brothers Pierre Isaac Valmeus and Adam Montclaison Marius are still held captive,” a statement issued by the organization reads.
Archbishop Max Leroy Mésidor of Port-au-Prince told Aid to the Church in Need on Friday that pastoral work has been “very badly affected” by the ongoing wave of violence, and that “no place in the country is safe.”
“There is a real danger of civil war breaking out,” Mésidor said. “The armed gangs act like an organized army. The police cannot keep up with them.”
x-Parliamentarian Sentenced to Year in Prison in Belgium over Group Chat ‘Hate Speech’
Court rules group chat “jokes” were actually “Nazi ideology… white supremacy” hate speech, and that a group chat constitutes a public space, sentencing Flemish former parliamentarian to prison.
The Ghent Criminal Court determined that former Parliamentarian Dries Van Langenhove “was infatuated with Nazi ideas” and “wanted to undermine democratic society”, while sentencing him to a year in prison, barring him from holding public office for 10 years, and ordering him to pay a fine of €16,000 ($17,500/£13,700).
The founder and leader of the Flemish nationalist youth organization Schild & Vrienden, which advocates for independence for the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders to break away from the rest of Belgium, was reported in 2018 by public broadcaster VRT to have been involved in a Facebook group that shared alleged racist memes and messages as well as expressing sympathy for Nazi ideology. Belgium, like many countries in Europe, has criminal penalties for denying or celebrating the Holocaust.
During his trial, Van Langenhove’s legal team argued that many of the messages shared in the group were merely jokes, but the court was not convinced by this argument, claiming that the use of humour served to solidify racist beliefs among those sharing the jokes.
“The forums repeatedly and systematically mocked groups of the population on the basis of so-called race, skin color, nationality, national or ethnic origin or descent, and presented a negative image of these groups or communities and insulted them,” the court added.
The former member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives also argued that because the messages were shared in a private group, it could not be argued that he was publicly inciting racism, discrimination, segregation, or hatred to others. However, the court found that because the private Facebook group had around 750 members, it could be regarded effectively as a public space.
U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
Biden and Trump Clinch Nominations, Kicking Off General Election
Joe Biden secured the Democratic nomination after an overwhelming win in swing-state Georgia, as his rival, former President Donald Trump, won enough delegates to clinch the Republican nomination when several primaries were called later that evening.
President Trump also easily won the Georgia, Mississippi, and Washington Republican primaries yesterday to clinch more than the required 1,215 votes for the GOP nominee.
Trump Vows to Free Jan. 6 ‘Hostages’ in First Act as President
Former President Donald Trump has vowed to release individuals imprisoned over the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol if he wins the 2024 election in November.
President Trump made the comments in a statement on Truth Social on March 11, noting that it would be among one of his first acts upon taking office in the White House. The Republican said shutting down the U.S.-Mexico border and increasing oil drilling as part of efforts to make America more energy independent would also be among his first actions as president.
“My first acts as your next President will be to Close the Border, DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and Free the January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!” President Trump said.
President Trump said during a rally in Texas in 2022 that he would consider pardoning those convicted of their involvement in the Jan. 6 breach, noting that his administration would treat them “fairly.”
“If it requires pardons, we will give them pardons, because they are being treated so unfairly,” he said at the time.
House Republicans Say They’re Investigating Fani Willis Collusion With Jan. 6 Panel
Republicans on a House committee said Monday they are now investigating Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is prosecuting a case against former President Donald Trump, over communications she had with the House Jan. 6 committee that was dissolved last year.
A report Monday largely went into details about details and evidence allegedly omitted by the Democrat-controlled House Jan. 6 select committee, but they found that the Jan. 6 committee had communicated with Ms. Willis, a Democrat, before she launched her case against President Trump.
The Jan. 6 committee, which was led by then-Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), sharply criticized the former president and effectively blamed him for the breach at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Republicans and the former president say the panel was highly partisan and omitted significant details.
Monday’s report said that the select committee shared records with Ms. Willis and her office, including claims that were made about the former president and his advisers in connection to the 2020 Georgia election results.
In a letter sent by Ms. Willis on Dec. 17, 2021, to the select committee, it was found that she had “requested access to any Select Committee records relevant to her investigation into President Trump’s actions to challenge the 2020 presidential election, including ’recordings and transcripts of witness interviews and depositions, electronic and print records of communications, and records of travel.’”
US Readiness ‘At Some Risk’ as Pentagon Sends $300 Million to Ukraine: Defense Official
The Pentagon is surging $300 million in arms to Ukraine after saving money on negotiated contracts, but it has dramatically overdrawn from U.S. stockpiles, defense officials say.
The new security package will allow Ukraine to bolster its defenses for a few weeks amid an increased Russian operational tempo, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder. told reporters during a March 12 briefing.
This package is the United States’ 55th tranche of security assistance to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022 to demilitarize the nation. It includes artillery munitions, air defense systems, anti-tank rounds, and other equipment.
The Department of Defense (DoD) was able to cobble the package together by using savings from negotiated contracts first budgeted when U.S. assistance to Ukraine began.
One defense official told reporters on a press call that the nation’s purchase of some 120,000 rounds of 25mm ammunition, for example, was executed at a cost of $93 per unit instead of the original $130 allotted.
Not all is well for the Pentagon despite the savings, however.
The package was delivered through Presidential Drawdown Authorities (PDA) authorized in 2022. Such PDAs authorize the Pentagon to deliver weapons to Ukraine directly from U.S. stocks. Those stocks then need to be replenished, though, and the DoD has significantly overdrawn from U.S. stores.
Gen. Ryder told reporters that the Pentagon had, in fact, overdrawn from U.S. stockpiles by about $10 billion, meaning that the DoD will need to come up with that amount just to restore American stockpiles to normal levels, to say nothing of funding Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
Federal Judge Sides With Trump, Allows More Time to File Motions
The federal judge overseeing the Trump classified documents case handed defense lawyers a win on Monday, allowing a 10-day extension to file motions. In a paperless order on Monday, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon granted former President Donald Trump a 10-day extension, meaning that he shall file a reply to their pretrial motions by March 24. His lawyers had made the request this week, arguing that they are preparing for a separate criminal trial in New York over state charges that he allegedly falsified business records at the end of the 2016 election. The former president’s attorneys wrote that both President Trump and his attorneys “are currently preparing for a trial in New York, New York that is scheduled to begin on March 25, 2024, and the need to simultaneously devote attention to that case.
During a recent court hearing in Florida, federal prosecutors asked Judge Cannon to schedule the Trump documents trial for July, while the former president’s lawyers argued that it should be held off until after the November election. The judge didn’t set a date but appeared to shoot down the July suggestion.
The case had been scheduled to reach trial on May 20, but Judge Cannon signaled months ago that she intended to reconsider that date.
Colorado’s Ken Buck Resigning from Congress at End of Next Week in Blow to GOP Majority
Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) announced on Tuesday that he will resign from Congress at the end of next week, further eroding the already razor-thin GOP majority in the House of Representatives.
Buck made his announcement Tuesday in a press release shared on X.
“It has been an honor to serve the people of Colorado’s 4th District in Congress for the past 9 years,” Buck wrote. “I want to thank them for their support and encouragement throughout the years.”
“Today, I am announcing that I will depart Congress at the end of next week,” he continued. “I look forward to staying involved in our political process, as well as spending more time in Colorado with my family.”
Buck was one of eight Republicans who voted in favor of the motion to vacate former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). He also opposed Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan’s (R-OH) bid to be McCarthy’s successor and announced soon thereafter that he would not seek reelection. In late December, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) revealed she would be running for reelection in Buck’s district, blaming Democrat “dark money” for trying to unseat her in the Third Congressional District, which she currently represents.
Republicans will hold a five-seat majority of 218-213 once Buck is gone. His looming resignation is accompanied by several other Republican departures in the 118th Congress, including those of McCarthy and expelled Rep. George Santos (R-NY).
After being ousted from the speakership in a motion to vacate in October, McCarthy left Congress in December. McCarthy’s exit followed Santos’s expulsion on the heels of a damning November ethics report about his campaign and a 23-count federal indictment in October. And former Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) resigned from his seat in January. It remains vacant.
Never Trump Republicans to Spend Millions on Ads in Effort to Turn Voters Against Trump
Never Trump Republicans are still unable to accept the fact that former President Donald Trump will be the Republican Party’s nominee for president in the general election and are spending roughly $50 million to run ads featuring Republicans who say they can no longer support the presumptive nominee.
While Trump undoubtedly stood as the frontrunner throughout the entirety of the Republican Primary race, winning state after state, his status as the presumptive nominee was solidified after Super Tuesday when former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) opted to drop out of the race, presumably seeing no viable path forward. Unlike some of her fellow challengers, such as Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), she did not formally back Trump, despite admitting that “in all likelihood, Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee when our party convention meets in July.”
“I congratulate him and wish him well. I wish anyone well who would be America’s president,” she said, failing to endorse him, instead stating that it is “up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him.”
Some Republicans, however, are making it clear that they cannot be convinced and are not only opposing him individually but launching a nationwide campaign to convince other Republicans to ditch the former president as well. The group Republican Voters Against Trump, led by Never Trumper Sarah Longwell, is spending $50 million to air ads featuring former Trump backers who explain in a series of videos why they will not support Trump in this election.
According to the Hill, “The ads featuring the former Trump voter testimonials will be deployed on TV, streaming platforms, billboards, radio and digital media” and run in key swing states including Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
“These are former Donald Trump voters. They supported him and his policies in the past. But now, they refuse to support him for president again. Watch them explain in their own words why they’re voting against their party to ensure that Trump never holds office again,” the website reads, with many of the individuals offering classic leftist-style critiques, pointing to January 6 and accusing Trump of wanting to be an “authoritarian.”
Seemingly ignoring the big picture and potential impact this could have on Republicans defeating Biden and his agenda this November, Longwell told the New York Times that they are “not building a pro-Joe Biden coalition.”
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Inflation Comes Hotter Than Expected for Second Straight Month
The U.S. annual inflation rate has risen to a higher-than-expected 3.2 percent, underscoring the challenges policymakers face in reducing it to the 2 percent target.
Economists had projected the consumer price index (CPI) to climb 0.4 percent in February, up from the previous month’s 0.3 percent reading.
The two biggest contributors to the hotter-than-expected inflation reading were gasoline and shelter.
Since the beginning of the year, the price for a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil has surged 10 percent to around $78. The average cost of a gallon of gasoline has also risen nearly 10 percent to $3.39.
Shelter continues to remain elevated despite forecasts that it would ease by now. Instead, shelter increased 0.4 percent monthly and is up 5.7 percent year-over-year.
Meanwhile, there continues to be progress on food inflation, with the index unchanged at 0 percent month-over-month. Both supermarket and food away-from-home prices were flat.
New vehicles dipped 0.1 percent, while used cars and trucks increased 0.5 percent. Apparel surged 0.6 percent.
The services index, which continues to be a driving factor behind the reacceleration in inflationary pressures, rose 0.5 percent. On an annualized basis, it is up 5.2 percent.
Transportation services rocketed 1.4 percent last month and soared 9.9 percent in the 12 months ending in February.
John Deere to Lay Off 150 Workers at Iowa Factory
Approximately 150 workers at the John Deere Des Moines Works in Ankeny, Iowa, will
experience layoffs soon.
Factory leaders notified workers about the layoffs on Friday, KTVO reported Monday.
“The company said about 150 production employees will be placed on ‘indefinite layoff effective over the months of April and May,’” the outlet continued.
Details regarding the decision are still a mystery. In a statement, John Deere noted that “Each John Deere factory balances the size of its production workforce with the needs of the individual factory to optimize the workforce at each facility.”
There are reportedly 1,700 workers at the Ankeny factory and over 1,000 of them hold positions in production and maintenance.
It is interesting to note that in June 2022 John Deere planned to move part of its Tractor and Cab Assembly Operations facility located in Waterloo, Iowa, where about 1,100 people worked, to Mexico by the 2024 fiscal year.
A Dollar General in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, saw all of its workers quit at the same time
over the weekend, and a sign on the door explained why.
The walkout happened as the group of six employees that included managers claimed they were
underpaid, undervalued, and overworked, WKOW reported Sunday.
One of the signs read, “We Quit! Thank you to our amazing customers. We love you and we will miss
you!”
An image shows the large neon-colored sign:
Another sign said, “The store is CLOSED. The whole team has walked away due to a lack of appreciation, being overworked, and being underpaid.”
Former store manager Trina Tribolet said the group of workers did not agree with the company’s donation policy that said employees must trash items near expiration or the store did not sell anymore.
The group wanted the items to go to local charities, therefore, they tagged items set to be thrown away as damaged and handed them off to the charity groups.
Even though the group also said they were understaffed and overworked, Dollar General’s directive to cease donating unlisted items brought the decision to walk off the job to a boiling point. A similar instance happened in 2021 when a photo of a Burger King sign in Lincoln, Nebraska, got lots of attention for its blunt message that informed potential customers the entire staff had quit, Breitbart News reported.
The restaurant’s sign said, “WE ALL QUIT, SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.”
A pair of former workers claimed management was the reason for leaving the job.
Employees had reportedly complained of having to work in the kitchen without air conditioning for weeks at a time in temperatures that reached over 90 degrees, and one of the staffers apparently suffered from dehydration.
HEALTH
Poll Reveals Aspirin Overuse Despite New Guidelines Warning of Bleeding Dangers
Millions of seniors pop aspirin every day, hoping to stave off heart attacks, but mounting evidence suggests many are needlessly putting themselves at risk of potentially life-threatening bleeding.
A new poll reveals that over half of older Americans taking aspirin have no history of cardiovascular disease, taking the over-the-counter drug based on antiquated advice that the benefits outweigh the dangers for most older adults.
The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging found that 57 percent of people aged 50 to 80 who take aspirin have no history of cardiovascular disease, which includes several heart and blood vessel problems. Only 11 percent of those taking aspirin as a preventative measure had such a history.
For decades, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), an independent panel of medical experts, recommended low-dose aspirin for people at considerable risk of heart attack. Over time, research has demonstrated that aspirin benefited high-risk patients who were older, had diabetes, or additional cardiovascular conditions.
Moreover, across multiple studies, the findings showed aspirin provided minimal clinical benefit for most people, as the modest potential advantages were outweighed by an increased risk of bleeding complications.
Recommendations on aspirin use have recently changed. In 2022, the USPSTF advised against routine aspirin use for heart attack prevention in adults aged 60 and older. Furthermore, the independent group stated that even for those aged 40 to 59, the “ net benefit of aspirin use in this group is small.”
3 Alternatives to Statins Might Target the Root of Heart Disease
Statins have been the go-to treatment for preventing heart disease, the leading cause of death worldwide, for decades. But they may not be the cure-all they’ve been made out to be.
These cholesterol-lowering drugs fail to address one of what experts say is the actual root causes of cardiovascular issues: inflammation from oxidized blood lipids.
Studies since the 1980s have explored whether nattokinase supplements could help prevent cardiovascular events and strokes.
While some studies found nattokinase did not provide meaningful cardiovascular protection, more recent research found higher-dose nattokinase improved biomarkers in people with atherosclerosis and high blood lipids.
One 2022 study published in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine found that supplementing nattokinase for a year effectively managed atherosclerosis and high lipid levels. Another study showed nattokinase reduced plaque buildup by 36.6 percent compared to 11.5 percent for statins.
Nattokinase prevents plaque buildup, a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes, according to Dr. David Brownstein, a board-certified family physician. Statins are often ineffective for this, he added.
Mounting research indicates natural supplements like berberine, nattokinase, and bergamot may succeed where statins fall short.
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HPV Vaccine May Increase Risk of Several Autoimmune Diseases: Study
A new study suggests the quadrivalent vaccine against human papillomavirus (qHPV) may increase the risk of developing several autoimmune diseases.
A retrospective cohort study published on March 7 in Vaccine found that adolescent women who were vaccinated were 4.4 times more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than those who were not vaccinated. Similarly, vaccinated adolescent women had a 2.76 times higher chance of developing juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
The study found that females who received the qHPV vaccine had a 2.86 times higher risk of developing thyrotoxicosis, while the risk of developing idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) was 2.54 times higher in the vaccinated group. Thyrotoxicosis causes inappropriately high levels of circulating thyroid hormone, and ITP is a blood disorder characterized by an abnormal decrease in blood platelets.
The results showed that qHPV vaccination affected the development of four diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, thrombocytopenic purpura, and thyrotoxicosis. However, the researchers said their results should be interpreted with caution, as further study is needed, and these diseases could occur in the same population without vaccination.
According to the paper, the HPV vaccine is one of the most studied vaccines in the history of vaccination for adolescents, and it is touted as safe and effective. Yet, local studies supporting this claim are lacking, which could explain low vaccination rates, researchers wrote.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Roku Terms of Service Update Locks Users’ TVs Until They Agree
A Roku Terms of Service (ToS) update reportedly locks up users’ televisions until they agree. The only way to opt out of the new “Dispute Resolution Terms” is to write the streaming service a letter by March 21.
Roku customers are threatening to stop using their TVs and streaming tools after the company allegedly locked devices for people who don’t agree to its recently updated terms of service (ToS), according to a report by Ars Technica.
“We’ve made an important update,” read a message from Roku this month. “We’ve updated our Dispute Resolution Terms. Select ‘Agree’ to agree to these updated Terms and to continue enjoying our products and services.”
“Press * to view these updated Terms,” the message adds.
Underneath the pop-up message is a large button labeled “Agree,” with no option to disagree. Moreover, users are unable to access their devices unless they click on “Agree.”
Customers were “furious” and left pages of complaints on Roku’s community forum, with some even questioning the legality of the matter.
“Anyone else ticked off at these worthless POS?” one customer wrote. “Changing the rules after we’ve bought the TV and then lock us out. I’m certain someone would be more than happy to take up [a class action lawsuit].”
“ROKU wants us to forfeit our rights to continue using our product? That is extorsion isn’t it?” the customer asked. “They have some ‘legal’ language in case the ‘agreement’ doesn’t hold up in court — which would only be there if THE[Y] KNOW it won’t.”
“Roku is implementing a revised terms of service agreement. If you don’t agree to it, your device is rendered inoperative,” another said. “When I asked for my money back, since they made the device inoperative they refused.”
“I can’t watch my TV because I don’t agree to the Dispute Resolution Terms. Please help,” another lamented.
“Are you kidding ?? My Roku TV is now unusable because your software has gone rouge,” another commented.
Another customer threatened that they were “unplugging right now,” while another wrote, “FURIOUS!!!!”
“Roku seems to be on the way out,” another stated.
In order to opt out of Roku’s ToS update, users must send the company’s general counsel in California a letter, and be sure to mention, “the name of each person opting out and contact information for each such person, the specific product models, software, or services used that are at issue, the email address that you used to set up your Roku account (if you have one), and, if applicable, a copy of your purchase receipt.”
This, however, is not new, as Roku reportedly required all of that information in order for users to opt out of its previous terms.
Notably, the verbiage in Roku’s ToS update suggests that users could agree to the terms on their device and then write a letter asking to opt out later. But many say it is unreasonable to have to opt into an agreement only to use a device under terms one doesn’t agree with.
Moreover, Roku’s ToS states that users only have “within 30 days of you first becoming subject to” the company’s updated terms — which was February 20 — to opt out. Otherwise, users are opted in automatically.
A Roku spokesperson shared a statement, saying: “Like many companies, Roku updates its terms of service from time to time. When we do, we take steps to make sure customers are informed of the change.”
SURVEILLANCE STATE
Automakers Are Feeding Your Trip Data To Insurance Companies
If data exists anywhere, Technocrats will lay claim to it. It is their right, not yours. It is their lifeblood, their existence, their reason for being; without data, they are lifeless, empty, barren. Stealing your data is no ethical or moral concern to them because they need it to figure out how to better control you for the “greater good.”
We already know that there is a Agenda-21-esque plan to get cars off the road. The Technocracy Study Course (1934) spelled it out:
“The Automotive Branch of Transportation would provide a network of garages at convenient places all over the country from which automobiles could be had at any hour of the night or day. No automobiles would be privately owned. When one wished to use an automobile he would merely call at the garage, present his driver’s license, and a car of the type needed would be assigned to him. When he was through with the car he would return it either to the same garage, or to any other garage that happened to be convenient, and surrender his Energy Certificates in payment for the cost incurred while he was using it.”
The details of this cost accounting for automotive transportation are significant. The individual no longer pays for the upkeep of the car, or for its fueling or servicing. All this is done by the Automotive Branch of the Division of Transportation. In this manner a complete performance and cost record of every automotive vehicle is kept from the time it leaves the factory until the time when it is finally scrapped, and the metal that it contains is returned to the factory for re-fabrication. In this manner the exact energy cost per car-mile for the automotive transportation of the entire country is known at all times. Similar information is available on the length of life of automobiles and of tires. With such information in the hands of the research staff, it becomes very definite as to which of various designs is the superior or the inferior in terms of physical cost per car-mile.
The 1934 Technocrats planned to charge you for the time that the car wasn’t actually driving, limiting you to point A to Point B transport only. You wouldn’t want to be seen as inefficient, would you?
The Technocrat mind hasn’t changed since then. The forces of globalization have unleashed them on the earth to control every aspect of your life.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Steve Goreham, who recently appeared on The Power Hour, just penned this story …Exploding Energy Prices in California
Energy prices are skyrocketing in California. The state’s electricity, gasoline, and natural gas prices are amongst the nation’s highest and rising. Green energy policies are the primary cause for high and escalating California energy prices.
California electricity prices increased by 98.2 percent over the last 15 years, the highest rise in the nation. No other state comes close in terms of price increases. US average electricity prices rose 30.6 percent over the same period. California power prices rose to a level that is the second highest in the nation, only lower than Hawaii. In contrast, prices in Texas have actually declined since 2008 due to a focus on retail competition and a sharp decrease in natural gas prices, more than offsetting wind and solar additions.
Over the last two decades, the state retired 11 coal-fired power plants and converted three other coal plants to burn biomass fuel. The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station closed in 2013, and the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, the state’s last nuclear plant, has been scheduled for closure.
In 2022, natural gas provided 42 percent of California’s in-state electricity generation, with other sources providing: solar (27%), nuclear (8%), hydroelectric (8%), wind (7%), geothermal (6%), and biomass (2%). The state imports about one-fifth of its electricity from surrounding states.
Solar and wind generators are more expensive than traditional coal, gas, and nuclear generators. Wind and solar occupy huge amounts of land, perform poorly during winter months, and suffer from intermittent output.
February 29 found California regular gasoline prices at $4.74 per gallon, the highest in the nation. California drivers pay 40 percent more than the national average. The state has its own blend of gasoline, and claims that the blend will emit fewer greenhouse gasses when burned. Higher gasoline taxes and a shortage of local refineries also factor into the high prices.
California also consistently ranks in the top 10 in natural gas prices. Prices are high because the state has long discouraged local production, importing more than 90 percent of its gas from other states. There is a also a shortage of gas storage facilities.
Housing prices are rising because of green energy mandates. The 2020 California Solar Mandate requires newly constructed homes to have solar panels and wiring for electric appliances. The California Building Standards Commission enacted standards that require electrical conduit for level two EV charging in single-family homes and parking facilities with EV chargers for multi-family homes and hotels. These additional requirements make the cost of housing less affordable for low-income residents.
California leaders know that rising prices are a huge problem. The state is now considering a plan to tie utility rates to personal income so that the rich pay more and low-income residents pay less.
But affordable energy is clearly not as important as efforts to try to stop global warming. Costly California looms as an example of poor energy policy.
GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING
10 Complete Self Sufficient Garden Plans You Can Copy
2ND AMENDMENT
Armed citizens have formed a group called the Self-Defense Brigade and have started to patrol the violent areas of Hartford, Connecticut — but the mayor reportedly isn’t thrilled with the group’s efforts.
“We are legally armed, and we are patrolling,” Cornell Lewis, founder of the Self-Defense Brigade, told WVIT-TV. “The people on Garden Street came to us and asked us for help.”
The station said Garden Street has seen its share of gun violence, including a double homicide in February, which is what prompted the push for civilian armed patrols.
Organizers told WVIT the group members legally carry as they walk around violent parts of the city.
The station said the Self-Defense Brigade on Saturday was patrolling and even cleaning up Garden Street in Hartford’s North End.
“It was important to come out here because we believe that we have to keep the community safe, keep the community clean,” Marcus Long of Hartford told WVIT. “And we’re doing this by being out here for a few hours [to] clean up the community, pick up the trash.”
The station noted that the group members didn’t appear to be open carrying, which is banned in Connecticut; rather, organizers earlier told WVIT that armed patrollers would be licensed and carrying concealed weapons.
“We are not vigilantes,” Lewis told the station. “We are a group of people that are disciplined and trained. We go to the shooting range.”
The brigade also met to discuss gun rights as well as how to get a permit and the practices of safe carry, personal use, and storage of guns, WVIT said.
Lewis added to the station that the brigade is planning on conducting the patrols a few times a week: “We’ll be patrolling at night. So it’s not just a one-time thing. It’s going to be on a consistent basis.”
While organizers have argued the patrols are needed and say they plan to expand the patrols to other parts of the city, WVIT said their efforts face opposition, including from an anti-violence group and Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam.
“Our community has seen so much pain and trauma, and what we need is for those who love this city to do the hard work of healing that pain,” the mayor wrote in part regarding the Self-Defense Brigade, according to the station.
The Democratic mayor added to WVIT that Hartford doesn’t need people walking the streets with guns and trying to take the law into their own hands.
CANCEL CULTURE
School officials in Southeastern Indiana apologized to parents after a student was asked not to fly an American flag from the back of his truck on school grounds.
Cameron Blasek was asked by school staff at East Central High School to remove the flag from his truck. The school district later explained that the concern was due to the idea that should one flag be flown, all other flag types would be allowed.
This was not explained to Blasek when he was approached by a vice principal and counselor.
Later in the same day, Blasek was called to the office to discuss the situation again. He showed school officials that he was following both laws related to the flag and the school’s code of conduct.
“I read through the Central 2023/2024 handbook, and the word ‘flag’ wasn’t even mentioned in the parking lot or driving section. The only section it’s mentioned in is the flag twirling section,” the teenager told WCPO 9.
After the boy told his parents, his father appeared to make a lengthy post on Facebook regarding the incident.
“In my opinion, if you are offended by the American flag, then leave the United States of America! If this was any other flag, would something have been said?” the father asked. “I don’t know, but we can not be offended by Freedom of Speech, and why does someone in the position that a high school principal is in think it is okay [to] take away our freedom of speech? We stand by our son.”
The father also claimed that the school intended to change its rules regarding flags the following school year.
“[My son] was also told it will be in the student handbook next year that students cannot fly the American flag.”
Missouri Teen Arrested After Footage Shows Her Brutally Beating Girl Into A Seizure
Police in St Louis, Missouri have arrested a teenage girl after footage emerged of a confrontation showing a savage beating of a student from Hazelwood East High School.
The disturbing video shows the girl repeatedly smashing the other student’s head into the concrete while repeatedly calling her a “bitch,” and then leaving her having a seizure on the ground, later diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. The girl is still in critical condition in an area hospital.
A group of students then began an all out brawl before police were called to the scene close to the school this past Friday. The assailant was arrested on assault charges over the weekend and taken to the St. Louis County Family Court and held in custody through to Sunday. Social media content suggests that the victim had been the target of bullying at the school. James Clark, vice president of public safety and community response at the Urban League, described the incident as “a glimpse into the mentality and the culture of our young people.”
“The social pressure is to be socially dysfunctional,” he told KSDK, adding “Who can be the loudest? Who can be the most disruptive?”
“Bullying and fighting in the community is an issue for which we all need to take ownership and work towards a resolution for the sake of our children,” school officials said in a statement.
ICYMI
Boeing Whistleblower Found Dead in Car by Apparent Suicide
John Barnett, a whistleblower who had been involved in a lawsuit against Boeing, died of an apparent suicide, according to officials in South Carolina.
The 62-year-old was found dead “from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” the Charleston County Coroner’s office told The Epoch Times in a statement.
The coroner did not release additional details surrounding Mr. Barnett’s death, and the Charleston City Police Department is currently investigating the incident.
Mr. Barnett, who had served over 30 years at Boeing until 2017, had become a vocal critic of the company’s safety and production quality practices. At the time of his death, he was a key witness in a whistleblower lawsuit against Boeing, in which he claimed the company retaliated against him for repeatedly reporting defects.
His body was discovered in a vehicle on the same day he was scheduled to appear in court.
Boeing expressed its condolences in a statement to The Epoch Times, saying, “We are saddened by Mr. Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.” The aircraft manufacturer did not comment on the allegations made by Mr. Barnett.
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