March 29, 2024

The Power Hour

Knowledge is Power

Today’s News: March 16, 2023

WORLD NEWS

US releases footage of Russian jet crashing into drone

Declassified footage from the US military shows the moment a Russian jet crashed into a US drone on Tuesday.

The American military says the collision meant it later had to bring down the drone into the Black Sea.

Russia Will Retrieve Wreckage of Crashed U.S. Drone, Spy Chief Claims

The U.S. Reaper drone that crashed in the Black Sea Tuesday will be recovered and studied, a Russian spy chief claims, as the two countries tousle over how exactly the unmanned aircraft was brought down.

An MQ-9 Reaper attack-reconnaissance drone crashed into the Black Sea on Tuesday morning, prompting the United States Air Force (USAF) to accuse Russia of having acted in an “environmentally unsound” manner by dumping aviation fuel onto the drone before striking its propeller, causing it to lose power and crash. Russia for their part denied having come into contact with the drone, stating it crashed by itself without their help.

China ‘Sanction Proofing’ its Economy From US: Expert

According to Anders Corr, publisher of the Journal of Political Risk, China is ‘sanction proofing’ its economy from the United States in preparation for the potential invasion of Taiwan.

After the 14th National People’s Congress, the nation’s top legislature, closed its first session on March 13, China’s premier Li Qiang said that China would align with high-standard international economic and trade rules and further expand opening up this year, the state-controlled media, China Daily reported.

“China, which is open and in the constant process of development, welcomes everyone to invest and develop,” Qiang is quoted as saying.

However, Corr said, “What China’s really doing in terms of their so-called opening up is they’re refocusing on their domestic economy, which is really a form of sanction-proofing the economy.”

“We should see it as a risk indicator in terms of they’re attempting to not only sanction proof their economy, but they’re attempting to rocket their technological development in order to make it independent, so that when they do invade Taiwan, which is their stated plan, at some point in the future, if Taiwan doesn’t peacefully ‘reunify,’ the country will be sanction proof, the country will be independent technologically, and so be able to carry on,” Corr said on “China in Focus” on NTD, The Epoch Times’ sister media outlet, on Monday, March 13.

Credit Suisse to Borrow up to 50 Billion Swiss Francs from Swiss National Bank  

Credit Suisse announced it would borrow up to 50 billion Swiss francs from the Swiss National Bank in a move to strengthen its liquidity amid dwindling stock prices.

Fifty billion Swiss francs is the equivalent of $53.68 billion. Credit Suisse is the country’s second biggest lender.

U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT

Pentagon’s $842 Billion Budget Focuses on China Threat

President Joe Biden’s $886.3 billion Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) defense budget request includes $842 billion for the Pentagon, a $26 billion, or 3.2 percent, increase over this year’s military spending plan with the “growing multi-domain threat posed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC)” again named the nation’s most pressing “pacing challenge.”

Both Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III used the same phrase in describing the proposed military budget’s emphasis on China, each calling it “the most strategy aligned military budget” in the nation’s history.

“Nowhere is that alignment more pronounced than in the seriousness with which this budget treats strategic competition with the People’s Republic of China,” Hicks told reporters in Washington on March 13. “Our greatest measure of success—and the one we use around here most often—is to make sure the [Chinese] leadership wakes up every day, considers the risks of aggression and concludes, ‘Today is not the day.’”

“As our national defense strategy makes clear, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is our pacing challenge,” Austin said in a March 13 statement. “As the PRC races to modernize its military, this budget will sharpen our edge by making critical investments across all timeframes, theaters, and domains. Among numerous important actions that bolster our combat credibility in the short term, this budget makes the department’s largest-ever investments in readiness and procurement–and our largest investment in research and development.”

Barney Frank Defends Signature Bank Gig: ‘I Need to Make Some Money’

“I need to make some money,” former Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) told the Financial Times while defending his role as a board member of Signature Bank, which was shut down by New York state regulators on Sunday.

Frank had no regrets over his role on Signature Bank’s board of directors, reported the Financial Times. He said:

I worked as a member of Congress for a certain objective. And then having retired, not having a pension by my choice, not wanting to be a lobbyist for reasons personal, I need to make some money.

I do it in part by writing. But I also do it by joining boards. Logically, I’m asked to join boards on subjects with which I was identified.

The former congressman said the U.S. banking system is in “very good shape,” partially crediting the Dodd-Frank Act with what he said was the industry’s current state of well-being.

California Governor Expands State of Emergency Due to Another Storm

Several counties were added to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s state of emergency March 14 enabling them to receive storm and relief response, as Southern California braces for more rainfall.

Alpine, Trinity, and Orange joined 40 other counties that are already under a state of emergency since March 1 as a result of heavy winter storms since last month.

Additionally, President Joe Biden issued a Presidential Emergency Declaration March 10 authorizing federal assistance to regions impacted by the storms.

“With storms forecasted to continue through mid-March, California continues to mobilize personnel and resources to impacted communities across California,” Newsom said in a release Tuesday.

On the same day, the Orange County Board of Supervisors announced a local state of emergency, over concerns about landslides of some coastal homes in Newport Beach. Hillsides in the beach town began collapsing last month due to excessive rainfall.

Meanwhile, the Orange County Register reported that the Orange County Sheriff’s Department yellow-tagged four apartment buildings in San Clemente—about 30 miles south of Newport Beach—due to possible landslides on March 15.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/fbi-state-department-miss-deadline-to-produce-covid-origin-information-to-house-panel_5118375.html?utm_source=Morningbrief&src_src=Morningbrief&utm_campaign=mb-2023-03-16&src_cmp=mb-2023-03-16&utm_medium=email&est=e1GR9prZnGeU4ELA2sypfFbd14mQWCSxIZRJ5aBfr6zvXcKHoU%2FQAHXwvuZCsbcIfQ3M

‘An All-Out Assault on the Second Amendment’: Gun Rights Groups Respond to Biden’s New Executive Order

Second Amendment advocates have responded to President Joe Biden’s newest executive order designed to advance his gun control agenda and his repeated call for a ban on so-called “assault weapons” and high-capacity magazines.

“Crimes are committed by criminals. Until President Biden and his allies decide to go after violent criminals, violence will continue to spiral out of control as it has. The focus of our laws and efforts should be on the criminal element and not on law-abiding Americans,” a statement from the National Rifle Association reads.

Biden’s order will require background checks on more than just retail firearms sales, promote the adoption and use of “Red Flag Laws,” make gun dealer inspection reports public, call for stricter enforcement of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and request that the Federal Trade Commission issue a report on the marketing of firearms to children by gun makers.

“The executive order ramps up our efforts to hold the gun industry accountable. It’s the only outfit you can’t sue these days,” Biden said while in California on March 14.

Failed Silicon Valley Bank Gave Black Lives Matter over $73 Million

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), whose collapse last week has triggered a global banking crisis, donated over $73 million to the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement — but found itself unable to pay depositors in a cash crunch.

Maricopa County Files Response in Kari Lake’s Supreme Court Lawsuit

Attorneys with Arizona’s Maricopa County filed a response to GOP candidate Kari Lake’s lawsuit that she took to the state Supreme Court, arguing that Lake’s team has failed to present any new arguments after the state Court of Appeals rejected her case several weeks ago.

“Lake’s Petition utterly fails at fulfilling its limited task,” Maricopa’s lawyers stated. “It does not present any argument illustrating a need for this Court to review the court of appeals’ opinion. It does not identify a single novel legal issue that this Court needs to clarify. And it does not identify any legal precedent that should be overturned or abrogated. Instead, the Petition is almost entirely a regurgitation of petitioner Kari Lake’s failed arguments before the trial court and the court of appeals.”

Earlier this month, the Arizona Supreme Court agreed to expedite hearing Lake’s election lawsuit and set a March 21 date to consider whether it will accept the petition. During that conference, the court will also decide on whether to hear oral arguments, according to a brief order.

14 Migrants Found Stacked Like Firewood in SUV in Arizona near Border

Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents found 14 migrants stacked like cordwood in an SUV near Rio Rico, Arizona, last Wednesday. Agents arrested the 17-year-old driver in connection to the smuggling incident, officials reported on March 15.

Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent John R. Modlin tweeted photos showing 14 migrants packed like sardines inside a blue SUV on March 8. Agents observed the overloaded vehicle and carried out a traffic stop near Rio Rico. All of the migrants were wearing camouflage clothing to hide from detection while crossing the border from Mexico.

Border Patrol Chief: 1.5 Million ‘Gotaway’ Migrants During Biden’s Term

About 1.5 million migrants have sneaked across the border as President Joe Biden opened the doors to a rush of southern migrants, according to testimony from Raul L. Ortiz, Chief of U.S. Border Patrol.

The new estimate includes the 1.3 million successful “gotaways” who were spotted by the border patrol’s agents and surveillance systems, plus roughly 200,000 additional untracked migrants, he told a hearing in Texas organized by the House’s Homeland Security Committee.

HEALTH

Mediterranean diet may lower dementia risk by a quarter, study suggests

A Mediterranean diet of nuts, seafood, whole grains and vegetables could lower the risk of dementia by almost a quarter, according to promising early research that could pave the way for new preventive treatments.

The data suggests eating lots of plant-based foods may have a “protective effect” against dementia, regardless of a person’s genetic risk, which the researchers said could form the basis for future public health strategies if further research confirms their findings.

Joint lead author of the study Dr Janice Ranson, a senior research fellow at the University of Exeter, said: “The findings from this large population-based study underscore the long-term brain health benefits of consuming a Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.

“The protective effect of this diet against dementia was evident regardless of a person’s genetic risk, and so this is likely to be a beneficial lifestyle choice for people looking to make healthy dietary choices and reduce their risk of dementia.”

>>Related: What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean Diet is a way of eating that emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats.

In general, if you follow a Mediterranean Diet, you’ll eat:

  • Lots of vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils and nuts.
  • Lots of whole grains, like whole-wheat bread and brown rice.
  • Plenty of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) as a source of healthy fat.
  • A moderate amount of fish, especially fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
  • A moderate amount of cheese and yogurt.
  • Little or no meat, choosing poultry instead of red meat.
  • Little or no sweets, sugary drinks or butter.

6 Health Risks of Using Your Cell Phone While on the Toilet

Experts: Cell phones are 10 times dirtier than toilet seats

We’ve become more dependent than ever on our cell phones and many find it convenient to take them into the bathroom. However, using our phones while on the toilet could put our health at risk.

Health experts warn that using mobile phones when on the toilet is not only unsanitary, but may affect the health of our intestines, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular function, eyes, neck, and spine.

A 2021 consumer survey by Vioguard, a company manufacturing ultraviolet disinfection technology products, found that 73 percent of over 1,100 respondents, regardless of age or gender, admitted using their mobile phones while on the toilet or standing at a urinal. This increased to 93 percent for younger people ages 18 to 29.

A study published in the peer-reviewed journal GERMS revealed a high level of bacterial contamination on the mobile phones of high school students (ages 16 to 18) with potentially pathogenic bacteria.

Researchers found more than 17,000 bacterial gene copies per phone, with no differences between gender or phone types.

Scientists at the University of Arizona revealed that mobile phones carry 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats.

Biohacking – could strength training boost your brain power?

Could strength training boost your brain power? David Wiener, Training and Nutrition Specialist at AI-based fitness app Freeletics tells us everything you need to know about strength training for biohacking

Put simply, brain biohacking means making small, additive lifestyle changes to enhance your overall mental health and long-term cognitive function and abilities.

In recent years, biohacking has grown in popularity, with one major way to enhance mental performance being exercise and particularly strength training.

Just as we can work out our biceps, we can also strengthen the brain to become stronger and more flexible.

Research shows that 70 to 150 minutes of weekly physical activity, such as strength training, can help prevent cognitive decline and improve the mental condition of subjects with mild cognitive impairment.

“exercise promotes a protein in our brain call”ed Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor or BDNF

Study: Exercise Should Be First Treatment for Depression

An overview of 97 systematic reviews and meta-analyses found exercise is 1.5 times more effective for mental health than top medications or counseling, and benefits were seen in 12 weeks

The authors of the umbrella review call on mental health professionals and doctors to start prescribing exercise as a first line of treatment

Another systematic review, which analyzed the association between physical activity and the risk of depression, found there’s a dose-dependent response. Compared to those who did not exercise, people who got half the recommended volume of physical activity lowered their risk for depression by 18%. Those who got the recommended amount lowered their risk by 25%

Most health authorities recommend getting 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise each week

Previous research has also found that people who met or exceeded the weekly exercise recommendation lowered their risk of death. Men can lower their risk of cardiovascular disease death by as much as 34% and their all-cause mortality by up to 36%; women can lower their CVD death risk by as much as 44% and their all-cause mortality by as much as 55%

>>Video: Mental health benefits of exercise revealed in new Australian study |

Quercetin — A Far Better Flu Remedy Than Tamiflu

Your immune system is your first-line defense against all types of infections, be they bacterial or viral, so the most effective way to prevent infectious illness — including influenza — is a robust immune system

Quercetin, a plant flavonol found naturally in apples, plums, red grapes, green tea, elder flower and onions, packs a powerful antiviral punch, inhibiting several strains of influenza, hepatitis B and C and other viruses

Quercetin also combats inflammation and acts as a natural antihistamine

Quercetin reduces viral illness and boosts mental performance following extreme physical stress, which might otherwise undermine your immune function and render you more susceptible to infections

Its antiviral effects can be attributed to three main mechanisms of action: Inhibiting the virus’ ability to infect cells, inhibiting replication of already infected cells and reducing infected cells’ resistance to treatment with antiviral medication

—> Power Mall Product of Interest: Plant Based Quercetin

Surprising Health Benefits of Using a Sleep Mask

By using a sleep mask at night, your memory and alertness may improve

Study participants were better able to recall events and experiences, and had improved reaction times, when they wore a sleep mask at night

Wearing a sleep mask enhanced participants’ ability to learn new information and form memories

Use of sleep masks, as well as ear plugs, by ICU patients significantly improved subjective sleep quality

Exposure to light at night may increase your risk of cancer, obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes

ECONOMY & BUSINESS 

Yellen to tell Congress US banking system ‘remains sound’

A week after the second-largest bank collapse in U.S. history, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is set to tell the Senate Finance Committee that the nation’s banking system “remains sound” and Americans can feel “confident” about their deposits.

Yellen will be the first Biden administration official to face lawmakers over the decision to protect uninsured money at two failed regional banks, a move that some observers have criticized as a bank “bailout.”

“The government took decisive and forceful actions to strengthen public confidence” in the U.S. banking system, Yellen says in prepared testimony released before her appearance. “I can reassure the members of the Committee that our banking system remains sound, and that Americans can feel confident that their deposits will be there when they need them.”

Investor Carl Icahn Issues Grim Warning on US Economy

Billionaire investor Carl Icahn said that the U.S. economy is at a breaking point, blaming “worse than mediocre” leadership and warning that soaring inflation threatens to topple America’s position on the world stage.

Icahn made the remarks during an interview on CNBC’s “Closing Bell” program on Tuesday.

“The system is breaking down, and we absolutely have a major problem in our economy today,” Icahn told the outlet, while labeling the United States as “one of the worst countries in the world as far as corporate governance.”

The renowned investor then warned about the dangers of persistently high inflation in the United States, which at last count came in at 6 percent in February, in annualized terms.

“Inflation is the worst thing an economy can have, and I think people underrate that,” he said, adding that, historically, “every hegemony has been destroyed by inflation.”

Behind the Banking Crisis That Shook the Financial System

Sudden bank failures set off a crisis, eroding public trust in the US financial system for the first time since 2008

For the first time since the financial crisis of 2008–09, confidence in the U.S. banking system has eroded as three major banks shuttered in one week: Silvergate, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), and Signature Bank. As experts brace for the next domino to fall in the unfolding turmoil, the federal government and the Federal Reserve are trying to prevent a contagion effect that could devastate the broader economy.

But will these efforts be enough?

A “Too Big To Fail” Bank In Europe Is Literally On The Brink Of Collapse

Do you remember when wealthy people all over the world would stash their money in Swiss banks because there were so strong and so private?  Well, the second largest bank in Switzerland is literally on the brink of collapse.  As I discussed yesterday, Credit Suisse is a prime candidate to be one of the next dominoes to fall.  It has been on very shaky ground for a long time, and now the global banking panic has greatly accelerated the outflow of assets from the bank.  So why should you care if it fails?  Unlike Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, Credit Suisse is so critical to the worldwide banking system that it has officially been designated “as being systemically important by the international Financial Stability Board”

Credit Suisse is one of just 30 global financial institutions designated as being systemically important by the international Financial Stability Board. In other words, it’s too big to fail.

A “too big to fail” bank has not collapsed in more than a decade.

Central Banking Continues To Fail

The Federal Reserve, or the United States central bank, continues to show why totalitarian control over anything, especially a money supply, is little more than slavery. Sadly, too many are still stuck not only believing the myth of “authority” but are caught up in the slave system so fully that they cannot even imagine not having a master.

According to a report by CNN, the shocking implosion of Silicon Valley Bank should not deter the Federal Reserve from its war on inflation, according to former FDIC and Fed official Thomas Hoenig.

“The Federal Reserve is in the hot seat. It’s a no-win situation for them,” Hoenig, the former vice chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, told CNN in a phone interview on Monday.

As Gregory Mannarino said, parading Joe Biden out to sell the public another lie about how strong the economy is will do more harm than good.

“This may wake up some people,” Mannarino says. If the ruling class can “hit people in the pocketbook,” they may begin to see the slave system for what it is. Or, they could beg their master to save them and the solution will be nothing short of permanent slavery. The illusion that there’s any freedom at all in this system will be gone. “[The central banks] are the enemy. They are public enemy number one,” he added. They will stop at nothing to make sure humans are fully controlled tax cattle.

Raising interest rates at the Fed’s monetary policy meeting next week could add to the financial pressure facing the banking system, in part by further depressing the value of the bonds that banks are sitting on, CNN further reported.  But Hoenig, who led the Kansas City Fed during the 2008 financial crisis, urged the Fed to keep hiking rates because inflation hasn’t gone away.

“It says to the world inflation is still the problem,” said Hoenig, who is now a distinguished senior fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Virginia. “Get inflation down. Then you can have a long period of stability, hopefully. If you don’t get inflation down, you get a long period of instability.”

The central banks are doing nothing but navigating an agenda that they’ve had in place for over a century. The goal is a central bank digital currency or CBDC which they will use to make sure the slaves stay in line and from which they will have a hard time breaking free.

“This whole thing is going to get a lot worse,” said Mannarino in a video posted today.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 

Microsoft Cuts AI Ethics Team as It Invests Billions More Into AI Technology, Report Says

The last remaining members of an ethics and society team within Microsoft’s artificial intelligence (AI) department didn’t survive a recent round of mass layoffs, according to a report.

The change comes as Microsoft signs a “multi-year, multi-billion-dollar investment” deal with OpenAI, the startup behind AI-powered image and text generators like DALL-E and ChatGPT, and upgrades its Bing search engine and Edge internet browser to incorporate a “new, next-generation OpenAI large language model that is more powerful than ChatGPT.”

The team, as reported by tech news site Platformer, was tasked to make sure Microsoft’s ethical standards regarding AI were actually reflected in product designs. The team was also reportedly working to identify potential risks posed by integrating OpenAI’s technology into a range of Microsoft products.

ChatGPT May Have Irreversible Consequences For Learning And Decision-making

There are two aspects of the mind. One concerns what you think, and AI can stuff your brain full of nonsense in the blink of an eye. The second aspect is how you think, or how you arrive at conclusions, beliefs, etc. ChatGPT and look-a-likes have the potential to rewire your brain and quietly change your decision-making pathways. This is particularly dangerous for youth up to age 25, as brains are being set for life. 

Pentagon UFO Chief Intrigued by Possible Alien ‘Dandelion Seeds’ in Our Solar System

It’s possible that an extraterrestrial spacecraft is sending mini-probes to study the planets of our solar system, in a way similar to what human space agencies do, the head of the Pentagon’s unidentified anomalous phenomena research office said in a recent draft report.

The characteristics of certain unusual, unexplained interstellar objects have prompted researchers to consider the possibility of “a parent craft that releases many small probes during its close passage to Earth, an operational construct not too dissimilar from NASA missions,” Sean Kirkpatrick, director of the Defense Department’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), wrote in the report co-authored by Abraham “Avi” Loeb, chairman of Harvard University’s astronomy department.

Kirkpatrick, who previously served as the chief scientist at the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Missile and Space Intelligence Center, has been leading the AARO since its founding in July 2022. The office is tasked to, among other things, evaluate reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena filed by all service members, according to the Pentagon.

Loeb, on the other hand, is known for his work studying the “Oumuamua” interstellar object, which was first discovered in October 2017 by a telescope in Hawaii and sparked much speculation that it could have been a probe sent by an alien civilization. He launched and directs Harvard’s Galileo Project, which aims to identify and examine “extraterrestrial technological signatures” using standard scientific methods.

Their draft report (pdf), released on March 8, specifically discusses two objects: Oumuamua, which appears to have an extremely flat shape and curiously lacks the kind of cometary tail of gas and dust an asteroid typically has; and IM2, a meter-size interstellar meteor that collided with Earth in March 2017.

Chinese app TikTok to be banned on UK government phones

Chinese-owned social media app TikTok is set to be banned on phones and other devices used by government ministers and civil servants on security grounds.

Cabinet Office Minister Oliver Dowden will make a statement to MPs later.

There has been no official comment – but Security Minister Tom Tugendhat had asked the National Cyber Security Centre to review the issue.

TikTok has strongly denied allegations that it hands users’ data to the Chinese government.

SURVEILLANCE STATE 

John Whitehead’s Commentary – Geofence Surveillance: First, They Spied on Protesters. Then Churches. You’re Next

“I know the capability that is there to make tyranny total in America, and we must see to it that this agency and all agencies that possess this technology operate within the law and under proper supervision, so that we never cross over that abyss. That is the abyss from which there is no return.”—Senator Frank Church on Meet The Press, 1975

If you give the government an inch, it will always take a mile.

This is how the slippery slope to all-out persecution starts.

Martin Niemöller’s warning about the widening net that ensnares us all, a warning issued in response to the threat posed by Nazi Germany’s fascist regime, still applies.

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

This particular slippery slope has to do with the government’s use of geofence technology, which uses cell phone location data to identify people who are in a particular area at any given time.

First, police began using geofence warrants to carry out dragnet sweeps of individuals near a crime scene.

Then the FBI used geofence warrants to identify individuals who were in the vicinity of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

It wasn’t long before government officials in California used cell phone and geofence data to track the number and movements of churchgoers on church grounds during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

If we’ve already reached the point where people praying and gathering on church grounds merits this level of government scrutiny and sanctions, we’re not too far from free-falling into a total surveillance state.

Dragnet geofence surveillance sweeps can and eventually will be used to target as a suspect every person in any given place at any given time and sweep them up into a never-ending virtual line-up in the hopes of matching a criminal to every crime.

There really can be no overstating the danger.

The government’s efforts to round up those who took part in the Jan. 6 Capitol protests provided a glimpse of exactly how vulnerable we all are to the menace of a surveillance state that aspires to a God-like awareness of our lives.

Ubiquitous AI Cameras To Surveil Travelers’ Every Move, Mood, Behavior

Cameras take images but AI interprets them for every conceivable characteristic: identity, mood, intention, compliance, direction of travel, handicaps, etc. This shows the Technocrat lust for data in order to practice Technocracy’s so-called “science of social engineering”. Manipulating human behavior is more achievable today than ever before in history.

The digital slave-system of the Fourth Industrial Repression is being imposed on us by stealth.

Various aspects of the sinister technology have gradually crept in over the years under the excuse of fighting crime or terrorism or, more recently, of combating the spread of a so-called pandemic.

As we saw in our recent article on “15 Minute Cities”, we are now being told that it is all about urban planning and making life generally more pleasant for everyone by reducing traffic congestion and pollution.

Anyone who sees through this greenwashing attempt is dismissed as a paranoid fool or as a dangerous conspiracy theorist spreading fear and disinformation.

And yet the whole premise of this official spin is blown out of the water by the fact that smart infrastructure (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) is being rolled out in contexts that have nothing to do with private vehicle use.

We have got hold of a very interesting document from Transport for London on the current testing of smart surveillance at Willesden Green tube station, which is due to continue until March 31, 2023.

If this project were really about “providing the best possible service” to passengers on the British capital’s underground railway network, as claimed, then you would think that it would be loudly and proudly announced and discussed, with information widely available in a democratic public consultation.

But the fact that the document, entitled “Smart Station Proof Concept”, is marked “restricted” for internal TfL use reveals the secrecy being deployed to sneak through this new stage of the incremental theft of our freedom.

In the public interest, we have decided to publicise its contents.

The “exciting” project for the Jubilee Line station combines existing CCTV cameras with “visual analytics technology” to provide 24-hour real-time monitoring, via a “Smart Stations Dashboard”.

As well as counting everyone entering and leaving the station, the smart spies will be issuing “notifications” for a range of “triggers” including not just gate-jumping or smoking, but also “loitering” or a “person sat on a bench (Excessive Time)”, which turns out to be anything more than ten minutes!

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Giant Seaweed Blob Carrying Harmful Algal Bloom Heads Toward Florida Coast

A seaweed blob spanning 5,000 miles, nearly twice the width of the United States, is heading toward the Florida Gulf coast, with officials warning that the thick mat of algae poses environmental and health concerns as it approaches the shore.

Known as sargassum, the brown seaweed floats in open oceans, and is considered mostly harmless—while serving as a habitat for fish and crustaceans. Sargassum blooms are not a unique phenomenon, but the current one is noteworthy, mainly owing to its enormous scale: it is so big that it can be seen from space.

Another aspect that makes the giant blob currently heading for the Gulf of Mexico dangerous is the presence of harmful algal blooms  caused by the microscopic algae species Karenia brevis, commonly known as the “red tide.” The red tide can lead to respiratory illnesses and cause eye irritations, while killing marine life, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

“Over the next 36 hours, some beaches may experience a moderate to high risk of respiratory irritation from Karenia brevis (red tide) in Collier, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties,” said the agency in a forecast on Tuesday. The red tide “is also present along the coast at concentrations that may cause respiratory irritation with onshore winds in Charlotte, Monroe and Pasco counties.”

Biden approves controversial oil drilling project in Alaska

The Biden administration approved a massive drilling project in Alaska, allowing oil company ConocoPhillips to move ahead with the 30-year project over objections from environmental groups.

While not a surprise, the move to greenlight the Willow Project is expected to rankle President Biden’s liberal and climate-minded allies, who have opposed the move. 

EPA issues final rule cutting interstate smog 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued its final Good Neighbor Rule, mandating cuts to smog pollution that affects downwind states.

GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING

Note: Articles for Mike Knocks today

How to Start Seeds 

A comprehensive guide to growing vegetables and flowers from seed

Seven Steps, from Seed to Garden

  1. Get the timing right
    The goal with seed starting is to have your seedlings ready to go outside when the weather is favorable. Start by looking at the seed packet, which should tell you when to start seeds inside. Usually, it will say something like, “Plant inside six to eight weeks before last frost.”
    Some types of vegetables, such as beans and squash, are best started outdoors. There is little benefit to growing them indoors because they germinate and grow quickly. Some flowers, such as poppies, are best planted outdoors, too. These seeds are usually marked “direct sow”.
  2. Find the right containers
    You can start seeds in almost any type of container, as long as it’s at least 2-3″ deep and has some drainage holes. If you are the DIY type, you might want to grow seedlings in yogurt cups, milk cartons or paper cups. I prefer the convenience of trays that are made especially for seed starting. It’s easy to fill the trays, the watering system ensures consistent moisture and I can move them easily.
  3. Prepare the potting soil
    Choose potting soil that’s made for growing seedlings. Do not use soil from your garden or re-use potting soil from your houseplants. Start with a fresh, sterile mix that will ensure healthy, disease-free seedlings.
    Before filling your containers, use a bucket or tub to moisten the planting mix. The goal is to get it moist but not sopping wet; crumbly, not gloppy. Fill the containers and pack the soil firmly to eliminate gaps.
    Remember that most mixes contain few, if any, nutrients, so you’ll need to feed the seedlings with liquid fertilizer a few weeks after they germinate, and continue until you transplant them into the garden.
  4. Start planting
    Check the seed packet to see how deep you should plant your seeds. Some of the small ones can be sprinkled right on the soil surface. Larger seeds will need to be buried. For insurance, I plant two seeds per cell (or pot). If both seeds germinate, I snip one and let the other grow. It’s helpful to make a couple divots in each pot to accommodate the seeds. After you’ve dropped a seed in each divot, you can go back and cover the seeds.
    Moisten the newly planted seeds with a mister or a small watering can. To speed germination, cover the pots with plastic wrap or a plastic dome that fits over the seed-starting tray. This helps keep the seeds moist before they germinate. When you see the first signs of green, remove the cover.
  5. Water, feed, repeat
    As the seedlings grow, use a mister or a small watering can to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Let the soil dry slightly between waterings. Set up a fan to ensure good air movement and prevent disease. I use a fan that’s plugged into the same timer as my grow lights. Remember to feed the seedlings regularly with liquid fertilizer, mixed at the rate recommended on the package.
  6. Light, light, light!
    Seedlings need a lot of light. If you’re growing in a window, choose a south-facing exposure. Rotate the pots regularly to keep plants from leaning into the light. If seedlings don’t get enough light, they will be leggy and weak. If you’re growing under lights, adjust them so they’re just a few inches above the tops of the seedlings. Set the lights on a timer timer for 15 hours a day. Keep in mind that seedlings need darkness, too, so they can rest. As the seedlings grow taller, raise the lights.
  7. Move seedlings outdoors gradually
    It’s not a good idea to move your seedlings directly from the protected environment of your home into the garden. You’ve been coddling these seedlings for weeks, so they need a gradual transition to the great outdoors. The process is called hardening off. About a week before you plan to set the seedlings into the garden, place them in a protected spot outdoors (partly shaded, out of the wind) for a few hours, bringing them in at night. Gradually, over the course of a week or 10 days, expose them to more and more sunshine and wind. A cold frame is a great place to harden off plants.

Seed Starting Basics

With the warmer, longer days on tap, many gardeners are setting their sights on spring and their gardens. Here are some helpful tips on ways to start your garden now rather than later.

What gets started first? 

Start early on these items because these seeds take longer to germinate:

  • Tomatoes
  • Peppers
  • Eggplant
  • Onions
  • Lavender

Everything else can be directly sown into the garden plot or containers later. Most seed packets have a “germination time.” If it’s 2 weeks, add 3 weeks to that, and subtract back from your Zone (See Average Frost Dates here.). That will give you the proper timeframe to start the above listed, without having to re-pot before going outside. For example, if you live in an area where April 6th is last average frost date, subtract 5 to 6 weeks from that to be set up by the first of March.

Ventilation is an important component to consider when starting your seeds. For proper ventilation, a pencil under one corner of the flat is enough to let air circulate. In the open, a small fan on low for about an hour each day is OK as well. Make sure there is no heating vent blowing directly on them, or they will dry out too fast.

To avoid fungus gnats, try mixing a simple solution of one teaspoon of Dawn dish soap in a spray bottle with water, for a perfect insecticidal soap. The Dawn will also help with the perk of your soil, breaking the cohesion.

Be sure to:

  • Water properly. This is perhaps the most challenging part of growing plants from seeds, because seedlings are so delicate, you can kill them by under or over watering. There is very little room for error. You want to keep your seed starting medium damp, but not wet.
  • Check on your plants at least once a day.
  • Label your seedlings so you know what’s what.
  • Check seed packets for planting and germination information. Some seeds need to be planted deep, in total darkness, others need light. So be sure you follow the directions for each item you’re planting.

So, start swapping and buying your seeds now!  And of course, consult the Farmers’ Almanac Gardening Calendar for best days to do your planting.

COVID RELATED NEWS

Fauci: GOP Attacking Me Because I Fulfilled My Responsibility to Tell the Truth — ‘Don’t Know What They’re Talking About Covering Up’

Former NIAID Director and White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday night on NewNation’s “Cuomo” that Republicans are attacking him because he fulfilled his “responsibility to the American public to tell the truth.”

Host Chris Cuomo asked, “Why do you think that you are the target of so many accusations about covering up the source of COVID-19.”

Fauci said, “I think it is pretty clear it’s politically motivated. I don’t know what they’re talking about, ‘covering up.’ I have been totally transparent throughout.”

CANCEL CULTURE

Microsoft Scraps AI Ethics Team As It Rolls Out ChatGPT

Microsoft is doubling down on ChatGPT and related AI technologies, obviously intending to dominate the market as it transforms into a knowledge organ for humanity. The problem? Microsoft just disbanded its AI Ethics team that was originally assembled to guide the responsible development of AI. This is equivalent to Google erasing its credo “Don’t be evil” in 2018. 

Vermont School Responds to Sports Ban After Girls’ Team Refused to Compete Against Male Student

A girls’ basketball team in Vermont has been banned from competing after its decision to forfeit a game to a team with a male student.

The Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA), the entity in charge of high school sports in the Green Mountain State, wrote a letter Monday banning Mid Vermont Christian School from competing after it apparently violated policies related to a “commitment to racial, gender-fair, and disability awareness” and “gender identity.”

Women’s College Students Vote to Admit ‘Transgender’ Applicants, College Split

After students voted Tuesday to admit all “transgender” and “nonbinary” applicants, Wellesley College says “there is no plan” to change its all-women’s status.

The referendum sought to change Wellesley’s admissions policies regarding applicants who do not identify as women and use more “inclusive” language in communications from the college. Students would prefer to get rid of words like “women” and “alumnae” because some students and graduates feel excluded by those words. This would also include using “they/them” pronouns instead of “she/her” pronouns.

PET NEWS

4 of the Deadliest Foods for Dogs

In 2021, a group of veterinarians made an important connection between tartaric acid and potassium bitartrate (aka cream of tartar) and the toxicity of grapes in dogs

At the end of 2022, the team published the results of their research on this topic, concluding that tartaric acid is the likely toxic component in grapes and tamarinds

Questions remain, and other potential causes of grapes’ toxic effects in dogs also require investigation

Grapes, raisins, sultanas, currants, and any product containing them should not be fed to dogs, including grape juice, trail mix with raisins, raisin bread, and wine; also be aware that some cookies, bread, and protein bars contain raisin paste and/or raisin juice that can also be toxic

Can You Feed Cranberries to Your Pets?

Yes! Cranberries are known for helping reduce the risk of urinary tract infections, thanks to a special compound called D-mannose

These tart berries also contain other antioxidants that may support health, such as kaempferol, quercetin and ursolic acid

Another notable antioxidant found in cranberries is quercetin, which is renowned for its anti-inflammatory properties

Look for local, dry-grown varieties of cranberries in lieu of conventional cranberries, which have been sprayed with pesticides

GOOD NEWS

OMG: James O’Keefe Launches ‘O’Keefe Media Group’

James O’Keefe, the founder of Project Veritas, has founded a new venture called “O’Keefe Media Group,” or OMG.

O’Keefe, who was ousted by the Project Veritas board last month, announced his new project on Twitter:

O’Keefe Media Group

@OKeefeMedia

We are here to empower citizens through journalism. Subscribe & join us today! http://okeefemediagroup.com

NC Woman Performs CPR, Defibrillates 17-Year-Old Daughter Who Suffered Unexplained Cardiac Arrest

A North Carolina mother saved her daughter’s life by performing CPR after she collapsed and went into cardiac arrest while warming up for a cheerleading competition.

Keianna Joe, a cheerleader who was competing Sunday at Broughton High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, was participating in a stunt when her teammates noticed something was wrong, WRAL reported.

“They had just gotten finished with the very first stunt. At that point of the stunt, they come down to where the girls are holding her in a seated position. When she got to that position, she was unresponsive,” her mother, Andrea Joe, told the outlet.WRAL noted Keianna’s coach initially believed she was having a seizure before making the horrifying discovery that she did not have a pulse.

>> Watch the video HERE

ICYMI

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