Today’s News 13th March 2024

• Russia Producing 3 Times More Shells Than US, Europe Combined: NATO Report
  Russia Producing 3 Times More Shells Than US, Europe Combined: NATO Report

  Authored by Will Porter via The Libertarian Institute,

  Russia’s defense industry is turning out nearly three times more artillery shells than its American and European counterparts, according to a NATO intelligence report obtained by CNN. Western powers have scrambled to ramp up production as Ukrainian troops face dire ammunition shortages.

  While the US and Europe have the capacity to produce a combined 1.2 million shells annually, Russia’s output has now reached 3 million, the NATO estimate said. Though Washington aims to boost production to 100,000 155mm shells each month by 2025 – up from just 28,000 last September – that target can only be met with a resumption of American aid to Kiev, and would still put US output at less than half of Moscow’s.

  

  According to US officials, Russia is burning through around 10,000 shells per day, vastly outgunning Ukraine’s daily average of just 2,000. The Estonian Defense Ministry has estimated that Kiev would need 200,000 rounds every month to match Russia’s firepower.

  The European Union has also raced to step up shell production to help close the gap, pledging last year to provide 1 million shells by March. However, the bloc later acknowledged it would fall short of that goal by half, estimating it would supply a little over 500,000 by the deadline.

  Though Europe’s production capacity has lagged to meet Ukraine’s needs, a group of Western states has reportedly agreed to purchase 800,000 artillery shells that could be “delivered within weeks,” according to Bloomberg. The Czech Republic would act as a middleman in the deal, while Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and the Netherlands are expected to foot the bill.

  Persistent ammo shortages likely help to explain recent battlefield setbacks for Ukrainian forces, including a withdrawal from the key Donbass city of Avdeevka, as well as a lackluster summer counteroffensive which failed to make significant gains.

  Though the United States has supplied Kiev with more than 2 million 155mm rounds and a vast array of other munitions since 2022, American military assistance has largely dried up thanks to congressional gridlock over the latest aid bill. Part of a larger spending package that would supply arms to Israel and other US partners, $60 billion for Ukraine remains blocked by House Republicans, who have demanded reforms to US border policy before approving additional aid. 

  The Pentagon announced that it had run out of money for Ukraine last December, while a senior defense official recently told Politico that Washington is already $10 billion in the hole, unable to backfill US stocks unless the new aid bill is passed.

  With the Russo-Ukrainian war now in its third year, Kiev’s prospects appear increasingly bleak as its troops beat fighting retreats across a vast front line, incurring heavy losses in the process. Almost entirely reliant on foreign largesse, the country’s fate is likely to be decided in Western capitals, where public support for continued aid has declined significantly since the start of the conflict.

  Tyler Durden
  Wed, 03/13/2024 – 02:00

• Trump vs. Biden Rematch Virtually Assured After Former President Becomes Presumptive GOP Nominee
  Trump vs. Biden Rematch Virtually Assured After Former President Becomes Presumptive GOP Nominee

  To no one’s surprise, former President Donald Trump became the presumptive GOP nominee after making a clean sweet of three more Republican presidential primaries – Georgia, Mississippi and Washington.

  

  While it’s not technically a done deal just yet – between the three states there are 142 delegates, of which Trump needed 137 to secure a majority within his party, and an overall count of 1,215, and positioning him to become the Republican party’s presidential nominee once a vote is held at the convention in Milwaukee.

  President Biden, meanwhile, cleared his party’s 1,968-delegate threshold earlier in the evening after AP projected him to win Georgia.

  Nikki Haley, the longest-lasting Trump challenger for the GOP nomination, secured 94 delegates, while Ron DeSantis scored 9 and Vivek Ramaswamy had 3.

  As the Epoch Times notes, things may get exciting in a few months.

  On the streets of Chicago, Illinois, which will host the Democratic National Convention Aug. 19–22, stickers labeling President Biden a “terrorist” are a foreshadowing of protests that could rock that event, barring a ceasefire brokered by the Biden administration or similar policy moves.

  Yet, the forces arrayed against President Biden do not amount to a serious challenge within his own party, at least not when it comes to racking up delegates.

  In Mississippi’s Democratic primary, 35 delegates were at stake, while contests in Georgia and Washington had 108 and 92 up for grabs, respectively.

  Going into March 12, President Biden had a total of 1,872 delegates, 96 short of the 1,968 required to have a majority of delegates to the DNC.

  That meant he needed less than half the 235 delegates in play in the Democratic races taking place across the country on March 12.

  On both the left and right, speculation has persisted that President Biden will be replaced by another candidate.

  “Gavin Newsom is doing everything he can to position himself as the Democratic Party’s presidential heir-apparent should Biden, in the face of daunting poll numbers, step aside later in the election season—or, alternatively, come the 2028 electoral cycle,” wrote The Nation, a left-leaning periodical, in a March 9 post on X.

  On March 7, Roger Stone posted his prediction on X:  “Joe Biden will be replaced as the Democratic nominee. In fact, he will withdraw shortly before the convention.”

  Tyler Durden
  Wed, 03/13/2024 – 00:00

• The State Of Our Nation No One's Talking About: Tyranny Is Rising As Freedom Falls
  The State Of Our Nation No One’s Talking About: Tyranny Is Rising As Freedom Falls

  Authored by John & Nisha Whitehead via The Rutherford Institute,

  “Never has our future been more unpredictable, never have we depended so much on political forces that cannot be trusted to follow the rules of common sense and self-interest—forces that look like sheer insanity, if judged by the standards of other centuries.”

  – Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism

  Day by day, tyranny is rising as freedom falls.

  

  The U.S. military is being used to patrol subway stations and police the U.S.-Mexico border, supposedly in the name of national security.

  The financial sector is being used to carry out broad surveillance of Americans’ private financial data, while the entertainment sector is being tapped to inform on video game enthusiasts with a penchant for violent, potentially extremist content, all in an alleged effort to uncover individuals subscribing to anti-government sentiments

  Public and private venues are being equipped with sophisticated surveillance technologies, including biometric and facial recognition software, to track Americans wherever they go and whatever they do. Space satellites with powerful overhead surveillance cameras will render privacy null and void.

  This is the state of our nation that no is talking about—not the politicians, not the courts, and not Congress: the government’s power grabs are growing bolder, while the rights of the citizenry continue to be trampled underfoot.

  Hitler is hiding in the shadows, while the citizenry—the only ones powerful enough to stem the authoritarian tide that threatens to lay siege to our constitutional republic—remain easily distracted and conveniently diverted by political theatrics and news cycles that change every few days.

  This sorry truth has persisted no matter which party has controlled Congress or the White House.  

  These are dangerous times.

  Yet while the presidential candidates talk at length about the dangers posed by the opposition party, the U.S. government still poses the gravest threat to our freedoms and way of life.

  Police shootings of unarmed individuals, invasive surveillance, roadside blood draws, roadside strip searches, SWAT team raids gone awry, the military industrial complex’s costly wars, pork barrel spending, pre-crime laws, civil asset forfeiture, fusion centers, militarization, armed drones, smart policing carried out by AI robots, courts that march in lockstep with the police state, schools that function as indoctrination centers, bureaucrats that keep the Deep State in power: these are just a few of the ways in which the police state continues to flex its muscles in a show of force intended to intimidate anyone still clinging to the antiquated notion that the government answers to “we the people.”

  Consider for yourself the state of our nation:

  • Americans have little protection against police abuse. The police and other government agents have been generally empowered to probe, poke, pinch, taser, search, seize, strip and generally manhandle anyone they see fit in almost any circumstance, all with the general blessing of the courts. It is no longer unusual to hear about incidents in which police shoot unarmed individuals first and ask questions later. What is increasingly common, however, is the news that the officers involved in these incidents get off with little more than a slap on the hands.

  • Americans are little more than pocketbooks to fund the police state. If there is any absolute maxim by which the federal government seems to operate, it is that the American taxpayer always gets ripped off. This is true, whether you’re talking about taxpayers being forced to fund high-priced weaponry that will be used against us, endless wars that do little for our safety or our freedoms, or bloated government agencies with their secret budgets, covert agendas and clandestine activities.

  • Americans are no longer innocent until proven guilty. We once operated under the assumption that you were innocent until proven guilty. Due in large part to rapid advances in technology and a heightened surveillance culture, the burden of proof has been shifted so that the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty has been usurped by a new norm in which all citizens are suspects. Indeed, the government—in cahoots with the corporate state—has erected the ultimate suspect society. In such an environment, we are all potentially guilty of some wrongdoing or other.

  • Americans no longer have a right to self-defense. While the courts continue to disagree over the exact nature of the rights protected by the Second Amendment, the government itself has made its position extremely clear. When it comes to gun rights in particular, and the rights of the citizenry overall, the U.S. government has adopted a “do what I say, not what I do” mindset. Nowhere is this double standard more evident than in the government’s attempts to arm itself to the teeth, all the while viewing as suspect anyone who dares to legally own a gun, let alone use one in self-defense. Indeed, while it still technically remains legal to own a firearm in America, possessing one can now get you pulled over, searched, arrested, subjected to all manner of surveillance, treated as a suspect without ever having committed a crime, shot at, and killed.

  • Americans no longer have a right to private property. If government agents can invade your home, break down your doors, kill your dog, damage your furnishings and terrorize your family, your property is no longer private and secure—it belongs to the government. Likewise, if government officials can fine and arrest you for growing vegetables in your front yard, praying with friends in your living room, installing solar panels on your roof, and raising chickens in your backyard, you’re no longer the owner of your property.

  • Americans no longer have a say about what their children are exposed to in school. Incredibly, the government continues to insist that parents essentially forfeit their rights when they send their children to a public school. This growing tension over whether young people, especially those in the public schools, are essentially wards of the state, to do with as government officials deem appropriate, in defiance of the children’s constitutional rights and those of their parents, is at the heart of almost every debate over educational programming, school discipline, and the extent to which parents have any say over their children’s wellbeing in and out of school.

  • Americans are powerless in the face of militarized police forces. With local police agencies acquiring military-grade weaponry, training and equipment better suited for the battlefield, Americans are finding their once-peaceful communities transformed into military outposts patrolled by a standing military army.

  • Americans no longer have a right to bodily integrity. The debate over bodily integrity covers broad territory, ranging from abortion and euthanasia to forced blood draws, biometric surveillance and basic healthcare. Forced vaccinations, forced cavity searches, forced colonoscopies, forced blood draws, forced breath-alcohol tests, forced DNA extractions, forced eye scans, forced inclusion in biometric databases: these are just a few ways in which Americans continue to be reminded that we have no control over what happens to our bodies during an encounter with government officials.

  • Americans no longer have a right to the expectation of privacy. Despite the staggering number of revelations about government spying on Americans’ phone calls, Facebook posts, Twitter tweets, Google searches, emails, bookstore and grocery purchases, bank statements, commuter toll records, etc., Congress, the president and the courts have done little to nothing to counteract these abuses. Instead, they seem determined to accustom us to life in this electronic concentration camp.

  • Americans no longer have a representative government. We have moved beyond the era of representative government and entered the age of authoritarianism, where all citizens are suspects, security trumps freedom, and so-called elected officials represent the interests of the corporate power elite. This topsy-turvy travesty of law and government has become America’s new normal.

  • Americans can no longer rely on the courts to mete out justice. The U.S. Supreme Court was intended to be an institution established to intervene and protect the people against the government and its agents when they overstep their bounds. Yet through their deference to police power, preference for security over freedom, and evisceration of our most basic rights for the sake of order and expediency, the justices of the Supreme Court have become the architects of the American police state in which we now live, while the lower courts have appointed themselves courts of order, concerned primarily with advancing the government’s agenda, no matter how unjust or illegal.

  I haven’t even touched on the corporate state, the military industrial complex, SWAT team raids, invasive surveillance technology, zero tolerance policies in the schools, overcriminalization, or privatized prisons, to name just a few, but what I have touched on should be enough to show that the landscape of our freedoms has already changed dramatically from what it once was and will no doubt continue to deteriorate unless Americans can find a way to wrest back control of their government and reclaim their freedoms.

  This steady slide towards tyranny, meted out by militarized local and federal police and legalistic bureaucrats, has been carried forward by each successive president over the past seventy-plus years regardless of their political affiliation.

  The more things change, the more they stay the same.

  We are walking a dangerous path right now.

  Having allowed the government to expand and exceed our reach, we find ourselves on the losing end of a tug-of-war over control of our country and our lives. And for as long as we let them, government officials will continue to trample on our rights, always justifying their actions as being for the good of the people.

  Yet the government can only go as far as “we the people” allow. Therein lies the problem.

  The pickle we find ourselves in speaks volumes about the nature of the government beast we have been saddled with and how it views the rights and sovereignty of “we the people.”

  Now you don’t hear a lot about sovereignty anymore. Sovereignty is a dusty, antiquated term that harkens back to an age when kings and emperors ruled with absolute power over a populace that had no rights. Americans turned the idea of sovereignty on its head when they declared their independence from Great Britain and rejected the absolute authority of King George III. In doing so, Americans claimed for themselves the right to self-government and established themselves as the ultimate authority and power.

  In other words, in America, “we the people”— sovereign citizens—call the shots.

  So when the government acts, it is supposed to do so at our bidding and on our behalf, because we are the rulers.

  That’s not exactly how it turned out, though, is it?

  In the 200-plus years since we boldly embarked on this experiment in self-government, we have been steadily losing ground to the government’s brazen power grabs, foisted upon us in the so-called name of national security.

  We have relinquished control over the most intimate aspects of our lives to government officials who, while they may occupy seats of authority, are neither wiser, smarter, more in tune with our needs, more knowledgeable about our problems, nor more aware of what is really in our best interests.

  The government has knocked us off our rightful throne. It has usurped our rightful authority. It has staged the ultimate coup. Its agents no longer even pretend that they answer to “we the people.”

  Worst of all, “we the people” have become desensitized to this constant undermining of our freedoms.

  How do we reconcile the Founders’ vision of the government as an entity whose only purpose is to serve the people with the police state’s insistence that the government is the supreme authority, that its power trumps that of the people themselves, and that it may exercise that power in any way it sees fit (that includes government agents crashing through doors, mass arrests, ethnic cleansing, racial profiling, indefinite detentions without due process, and internment camps)?

  They cannot be reconciled. They are polar opposites.

  We are fast approaching a moment of reckoning where we will be forced to choose between the vision of what America was intended to be (a model for self-governance where power is vested in the people) and the reality of what it has become (a police state where power is vested in the government).

  We are repeating the mistakes of history—namely, allowing a totalitarian state to reign over us.

  Former concentration camp inmate Hannah Arendt warned against this when she wrote:

  “No matter what the specifically national tradition or the particular spiritual source of its ideology, totalitarian government always transformed classes into masses, supplanted the party system, not by one-party dictatorships, but by mass movement, shifted the center of power from the army to the police, and established a foreign policy openly directed toward world domination.”

  So where does that leave us?

  Aldous Huxley predicted that eventually the government would find a way of “making people love their servitude, and producing dictatorship without tears, so to speak, producing a kind of painless concentration camp for entire societies, so that people will in fact have their liberties taken away from them, but will rather enjoy it, because they will be distracted from any desire to rebel by propaganda or brainwashing, or brainwashing enhanced by pharmacological methods. And this seems to be the final revolution.”

  The answer? Get un-brainwashed, as I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People and in its fictional counterpart The Erik Blair Diaries,

  Stop allowing yourself to be distracted and diverted.

  Learn your rights.

  Stand up for the founding principles.

  Make your voice and your vote count for more than just political posturing.

  Never cease to vociferously protest the erosion of your freedoms at the local and national level.

  Most of all, do these things today.

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 23:40

• Spring Break Chaos Is Back
  Spring Break Chaos Is Back

  It’s that time of year when spring breakers invade Miami Beach, marking the first high-impact weekend of this month. Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies are increasing their security presence across South Florida as the parties are expected to continue for several weeks. 

  X user “Joel Franco” posted a video of the traffic coming into South Breach on Friday evening. He said license plate readers were placed along the highway, and traffic lanes were condensed into one. 

  License Plate Readers on EB MacArthur Causeway scanning each car coming into South Beach. Only one lane getting by so expect major delays #SpringBreak pic.twitter.com/EWjQjZwXje

  — Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) March 9, 2024

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  Franco said “significant delays” were seen on the highway heading into Miami Beach Saturday night. 

  License plate readers on MacArthur and Julia Tuttle Causeways heading into Miami Beach. Significant delays 🚓 pic.twitter.com/0AHjAAr4u8

  — Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) March 10, 2024

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  Franco said several police agencies, from Miami Beach Police to the Florida Highway Patrol to the FBI, are patrolling the streets. 

  Law enforcement agencies I saw on South Beach last night during #SpringBreak:

  – Miami Beach Police
  – Florida Highway Patrol
  – Miami Police
  – Miami-Dade Police
  – FBI
  – FDLE
  – Hialeah Police pic.twitter.com/jkL9KZIOoj

  — Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) March 9, 2024

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  Last week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that he was increasing the number of troopers throughout the Sunshine State ahead of Spring Break. 

  “Florida is a very welcoming state. We welcome people to come and have a good time. What we don’t welcome is criminal activity. What we don’t welcome is mayhem and people that want to wreak havoc on our communities,” DeSantis told reporters Tuesday. 

  He said, “Make no mistake about it: If you’re coming here in order to enjoy Florida and have a good time, fine. If you’re coming for these other reasons, if you’re committing crimes, causing havoc, you are going to pay the price and we will hold you accountable.”

  BREAKING: Gov. Ron DeSantis is deploying law enforcement officers, drones, license readers and more across the state and in Miami to guard against spring break chaos

  “That is not gonna fly in the Sunshine State […] We stand by ready to support even more.” pic.twitter.com/cP9qWYAZkz

  — Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) March 5, 2024

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  On the city level, Miami Beach has increased fines, extended curfews, restricted beach access, set up DUI checkpoints, and conducted bag checks. 

  CYBERTRUCK in the South Beach DUI checkpoint pic.twitter.com/DdU7a4AIQh

  — Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) March 9, 2024

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  DUI checkpoint has started here in South Beach pic.twitter.com/xg0rdRFQNy

  — Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) March 9, 2024

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  And the chaos begins. 

  Spring break is 🔥 in Florida pic.twitter.com/oeIap0xBA0

  — Clown World ™ 🤡 (@ClownWorld_) March 10, 2024

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  Locals are fed up. 

  🇺🇸MIAMI BREAKS UP WITH SPRING BREAKERS

  “It’s not us; it’s YOU.”

  Miami has formally broken up with college kids coming to party their brains out over Spring Break.

  Source: Fox News pic.twitter.com/n0QKYOmMfW

  — Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 9, 2024

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  Are the spring breakers causing mayhem really college kids? 

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 23:20

• Shilajit: The Ancient Remedy Making Modern Health Waves
  Shilajit: The Ancient Remedy Making Modern Health Waves

  Authored by Sheramy Tsai via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

  With a history as rich as its mineral content, shilajit offers a glimpse into nature’s pharmacy, offering benefits from enhanced fertility to increased energy. As science begins to unravel the mysteries of this ancient elixir, questions arise about its efficacy and potential as a natural health solution.

  

  Nature’s Ancient Elixir

  High in the Himalayas, shilajit seeps from the rocks, a tar-like byproduct of centuries-old decomposed plant matter. With a composition rich in minerals, fulvic acid, and humic acids, it occupies a revered spot in Ayurvedic medicine as a “Rasayana,” aimed at promoting longevity and revitalizing the body and mind.

  Ayurvedic doctor Sruthi Bhat praised shilajit for its broad spectrum of health benefits, telling The Epoch Times, “The unique composition of shilajit provides a plethora of health benefits.” According to Ms. Bhat, shilajit supports cardiovascular health, aids digestion, and balances hormones, among other benefits. “Shilajit serves as a versatile tonic for overall health and well-being, targeting multiple systems of the body to promote vitality and resilience,” she shared.

  Scientific scrutiny supports these claims, revealing shilajit’s composition to be incredibly diverse, with over 85 minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients. Fulvic acid, a key component of shilajit, is noted for its ability to improve nutrient absorption, elevate energy levels, and facilitate the body’s detoxification. Fulvic acid is critical in transporting nutrients into the cells and expelling toxins, significantly enhancing energy and overall health.

  Shilajit, also called salajit, shilajatu, mumie, mineral pitch, and mummiyo, is sourced from diverse locations such as India, Nepal, Russia, and Chile. Research suggests that its health benefits differ based on the geographical origin of the substance.

  Dubbed the “destroyer of weakness,” shilajit is prominent in many cultures. According to an ancient Ayurvedic text, the Cha raka Samhita, “There is no curable disease in the universe that is not effectively curable by shilajit, when administered at the appropriate time, adopting the prescribed method.”

  Ayurveda’s Golden Elixir for Modern Wellness

  In Ayurvedic tradition, shilajit is classified into four types: svarna (gold), rajat (silver), tamra (copper), and loh (iron), each valued for specific therapeutic benefits. Gold shilajit, known for its rejuvenating effects, is especially esteemed. “This form of shilajit is believed to promote vitality, longevity, and overall well-being by balancing the doshas and stimulating cellular regeneration,” Ms. Bhat notes.

  According to Ayurvedic principles, the various forms of shilajit target distinct health issues. Silver shilajit is used for its cooling effects, while copper shilajit is favored for its warming properties that boost vitality and metabolism. Iron shilajit is credited with grounding and is often recommended for fighting fatigue and improving endurance.

  Ancient Ayurvedic methodologies emphasize the critical role of purifying shilajit. It undergoes extensive purification to remove contaminants, such as heavy metals, and to enhance its therapeutic effects. Dr. Bhat points out, “Purification of shilajit stands as a pivotal step before its medicinal use.” A common purification process for shilajit includes heating it in an herbal decoction called triphala or in cow’s urine, then filtering and drying the mixture.

  “Shilajit can be administered with various anupanas (carriers) to enhance its therapeutic effects,” explains Ms. Bhat. These carriers may include milk, ghee, and or honey.

  Six Potential Benefits of Shilajit

  Although shilajit has been a staple in traditional medicine for centuries, modern science is just beginning to explore its reported health advantages. Beyond its potential to address cancer, cardiovascular disease, and insomnia, shilajit is also making strides in these six key areas:

  1. Enhances Energy and Athletic Performance

  Shilajit is making waves for its ability to bolster physical and mental energy. The secret lies in its capacity to enhance mitochondrial efficiency, essentially turbocharging the body’s cellular engines.

  Shilajit’s active components optimize mitochondrial function, enabling a more effective conversion of nutrients into energy. When combined with CoQ10, an antioxidant found naturally in the body, shilajit may significantly enhance stamina and endurance.

  Sidney Stohs, who holds a doctorate in biochemistry, highlights in his research, “Animal and human data support its use as a ‘revitalizer,’ enhancing physical performance and relieving fatigue with enhanced production of ATP.”

  Athletes and individuals enduring fatigue have noticed as evidence mounts in favor of shilajit’s role in enhancing physical performance and tackling conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome.

  A study with 63 participants demonstrated that consuming 500 mg of shilajit daily for eight weeks can significantly help maintain muscle strength after exertion and minimize tissue damage, highlighting its importance as a supplement for energy enhancement and recovery.

  2. Improves Brain Health

  Research suggests shilajit could play a role in supporting brain health. Studies indicate that fulvic acid in shilajit may help prevent the buildup of tau protein, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s that leads to brain cell degeneration.

  Additional research supports the broader cognitive advantages of shilajit, particularly when used alongside other nutritional supplements or dietary measures. Notably, a study showed that when paired with a vitamin B complex, shilajit might benefit individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.

  3. Reduces Bone Loss

  Shilajit is being explored for its potential benefits in bone health, particularly among postmenopausal women. Recent scientific research suggests that shilajit extract could play a significant role in maintaining bone mineral density, offering hope for those at risk of osteoporosis.

  In a detailed study involving sixty women aged 45 to 65, findings indicated that daily doses of 250 milligrams (mg) and 500 mg of shilajit extract significantly preserved bone mineral density over 48 weeks. The study’s authors attribute this effect to shilajit’s rich antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and collagen-enhancing properties, which may help offset increased bone turnover and oxidative stress associated with estrogen deficiency.

  4. Boosts Fertility

  Shilajit has the potential to influence hormonal balance and enhance fertility. In a comprehensive study, men aged 45 to 55 who took 250 mg of purified shilajit twice daily for three months saw a remarkable increase in both total and free testosterone, along with dehydroepiandrosterone levels, outperforming those on a placebo.

  Further research has underscored shilajit’s effectiveness in improving sperm quality, particularly for those with low sperm counts. Taking 100 mg of shilajit twice a day led to significant enhancements in sperm movement and a 61.4 percent rise in overall sperm count, with a notable 18.9 percent increase in healthy sperm. Moreover, this treatment reduced oxidative stress in semen and boosted blood testosterone levels by about 25 percent.

  Shilajit’s fertility-enhancing properties are not limited to men. Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman has noted shilajit’s ability to increase follicle-stimulating hormone, which is essential for egg development, suggesting its broad applicability in fertility treatments. Shilajit is “pro-fertile,” Mr. Huberman stated in a YouTube video titled “Ashwagandha & Shilajit Benefits, Huberman Lab Podcast.”

  Beyond aiding in egg growth, shilajit also boosts libido and supports reproductive health, making it a promising natural supplement for those looking to increase their chances of conception.

  5. Irons Out Anemia

  Thanks to its rich mineral content, shilajit may combat anemia. Animal studies have revealed its capability to raise hemoglobin levels and augment red blood cell counts—essential indicators of blood health. These outcomes are notably relevant given widespread iron deficiency anemia and the quest for natural remedies.

  The fulvic acid in shilajit has been found in a study on rats to enhance the body’s ability to absorb and utilize iron, addressing the root cause of anemia by ensuring that iron intake translates into tangible improvements in blood health. Shilajit shows promise as an effective supplement in managing anemia by increasing iron levels and its uptake. Yet, further research is necessary to fully establish its benefits for human anemia treatment.

  6. High-Altitude Ally

  Known in Sanskrit as the “conqueror of mountains,” Shilajit lives up to its name by aiding those navigating the challenges of high altitudes. This natural substance is celebrated for its ability to address a range of health issues common to mountain explorers.

  Research points to shilajit’s effectiveness in fighting altitude sickness, with symptoms such as hypoxia, fatigue, and insomnia being alleviated by its rich fulvic acid and mineral content. These components enhance the transport of nutrients and energy production while bolstering the immune system. Its adaptogenic qualities enable faster acclimatization to high altitudes.

  Integrating Shilajit Into Your Health Regimen

  In the crowded wellness market, finding authentic shilajit is like searching for a gem among stones. Its promise of natural health benefits makes it a sought-after remedy, yet the risk of counterfeit products means buyers must navigate with caution.

  “Authenticity and quality are vital factors to consider,” asserts Ms. Bhat, underscoring the importance of selecting genuine shilajit. Unlike its liquid or pill counterparts, true shilajit is a resin, representing the most potent form of its health-enhancing properties. This natural resin transforms in warmth, becoming pliable and sticky, and dissolves into a golden or reddish hue in warm liquids.

  Yet, acquiring shilajit is just the beginning. Integrating it into a daily health regimen requires knowledge and care, especially since it lacks U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval and established dosing guidelines. “Start with small dosages and gradually increase intake,” Ms. Bhat recommends, to allow the body to adjust without adverse reactions. Clinical trials often suggest a daily intake of 200 to 500 mg, divided into two doses, though individual preferences may vary due to its distinctive taste.

  Mindfulness in its use is key, particularly for those with pre-existing conditions or those taking other medications. “Consulting a health care professional before commencing any new supplement regimen is paramount,” Ms. Bhat advises, highlighting the need for personalized guidance—especially for pregnant women or individuals with specific health concerns.

  As research into shilajit’s efficacy and safety progresses, its potential for improving well-being gains recognition. However, fully integrating this age-old remedy into modern health practices remains a work in progress, calling for further investigation.

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 23:00

• "Major Measles Outbreak" Reported In US As Migrant Shelters Become Infectious Disease Breeding Grounds
  “Major Measles Outbreak” Reported In US As Migrant Shelters Become Infectious Disease Breeding Grounds

  The radical progressives in the Biden administration are responsible for the greatest migrant invasion this nation has ever seen but also an emerging public health crisis, as millions of unvaccinated and undocumented illegals (some with infectious diseases) are being piled into migrant shelters nationwide like cattle. 

  Daily Mail reports the US is on the verge of a “major measles outbreak,” with cases in the first two months of the year nearly eclipsing those in the previous year. 

  ” … as doctors warn many young physicians have never even seen a patient infected with the virus. Hundreds of people are already feared to be infected in California and Arizona after cases were confirmed in people in the states who visited local hospitals,” the media outlet said. 

  It’s important to recognize that migrant shelters are becoming breeding grounds for the spread of infectious diseases. Notably, it’s the Democrats, often referred to as the ‘party of science,’ who are enabling this public health crisis to materialize while the pharma-industrial complex secretly cheers as the next crisis will need more vaccines. 

  Earlier on Tuesday, Elon Musk responded to Fox News’ Bill Melugin’s post on X. The billionaire said “!” in response to a CNN report that a measles outbreak in a Chicago migrant shelter is quickly worsening. 

  !

  — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 12, 2024

  https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

  New data from the CDC shows 45 measles cases were recorded in the first two months across 17 states, nearly surpassing the 58 cases recorded in the full year of 2023. 

  

  Besides corporate media blaming a low vaccination rate, maybe – just maybe – overcrowded shelters with migrants from third-world countries are the most likely root cause of the public health crisis. None of these migrants were screened at the border for contagious diseases – and were able to walk right over – some were even flown in on airplanes, and others were bussed into sanctuary cities by a shadowy network of taxpayer-funded governmental organizations. Besides future Democrat voters, you’ll never guess the reason why migrants were shipped in by the millions (that answer is found here: “Shadowy Network Of NGOs Supplies …”). 

  The open southern border is a major national security crisis that is quite literally a ticking time bomb about to go off. It’s also quickly morphing into a public health crisis.  

  Just wait until Democrats start pushing measles vaccines. 

  Or Stephen Colbert gets another advertising deal from big pharma. 

  Sigh. 

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 22:40

• Japanese Stocks Would Collapse If Yen Gains More Than 5%
  Japanese Stocks Would Collapse If Yen Gains More Than 5%

  By Ven Ram, Bloomberg markets live reporter and strategist

  Japanese stocks can withstand a quick bounce in the yen, but will start to feel the pinch if the currency’s advance goes deeper and becomes more entrenched.

  Gains in the Nikkei 225 Index will start slowing if the yen begins to advance sustainably against its major trading partners and in particular the dollar. That could turn into losses should the currency strengthen more than 5% this year.

  The following chart shows how a strengthening of the yen against the dollar may affect the Nikkei’s fortunes, based on data going back almost a quarter of a century. The results are similar when the dollar is substituted with a trade-weighted basket of Japan’s major trading partners.

  

  The Nikkei almost doubled in value over the past five years as Deutsche Bank’s trade-weighted yen slumped more than 20% over that period. A weaker yen is a tailwind for Japanese exporters, in particular automobile makers, whose overseas earnings morph into bigger gains after the currency translation.

  The yen and the Nikkei have generally moved in inverse directions, with the correlation significantly negative.

  

  The analysis suggests that a short-lived gain in the yen would be less punitive for stocks than a currency that stays stronger — meaning a one-off bounce that is quickly reversed will have less of an overall impact.

  A key reason for that is that major exporters typically assume a stronger yen level than we have been accustomed to in the past couple of years, shielding them from reporting poorer earnings stemming from fleeting gains in the currency.

  The potential for a sustained appreciation in the yen can’t be overstated. Japan’s real effective exchange rate is more than two standard deviations below its historical average, a circumstance so rare as to occur less than 2% of the time.

  That suggests the yen has considerable scope to appreciate in the months to come, especially if the Bank of Japan continues to raise interest rates beyond the zero-bound, and inflation in the US mellows sufficiently to allow the US to loosen policy as priced by the markets.

  As of Monday, traders were pricing some 25 basis points of tightening from the BOJ this year and about 90 basis points of rate cuts from the Fed.

  The median street forecast is for the yen to end the year at 139 per dollar, implying an appreciation of about 6% from current levels.

  The Nikkei’s valuations also make the index vulnerable to a correction, independent of the yen. Japanese stocks rank among the worst in global markets given a low return on equity and demanding price-to-cash-flow metrics.

  All told, the Nikkei’s stellar run-up over the past two years faces an acid test should the BOJ exit negative rates and spur gains in the yen.

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 22:20

• Hannibal Run: Biden Admin Warns Florida May Get Swamped By "Mass Migration" Wave From Haiti
  Hannibal Run: Biden Admin Warns Florida May Get Swamped By “Mass Migration” Wave From Haiti

  If only someone had given the Clintons a few more billion to vaporize as they “fixed” Haiti using a criminal combo of toxic  construction, failed investments and the promotion of deadend macroeconomic policies before its president was assassinated in broad daylight, and before the whole island turned into a anarchic, warlord ridden, Mad Max wasteland of cannibals, maybe things could have turned out different. Or maybe not.

  With the world still shocked at the whirlwind events taking place in the formerly quaint Caribbean island, on Tuesday Department of Defense officials testifying in Congress discussed the possibility of a “mass migration” into Florida as conditions in Haiti continue to deteriorate. Call it a… Hannibal Run?

  

  Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz said during the House Armed Services Committee hearing that he was “deeply concerned” about the possibility of a large number of Haitian migrants amid the chaos in the Caribbean, coming to the Sunshine State “as a Florida man.”

  At Tuesday’s hearing, Gaetz asked what President Joe Biden’s administration was doing to prepare for a “wave” of migrants fleeing Haiti, prompting DoD official Rebecca Zimmerman to say that preparations were being made for a potential increase in refugees.

  “Congressman, we’re doing a number of things to ensure that we’re keeping track of the situation and we’re prepared,” said Zimmerman. “At the moment, we have not yet seen large numbers—what we would characterize as a maritime mass migration.”

  Gaetz then interjected: “Do you anticipate a mass migration, though?”

  “We are alert to that possibility,” Zimmerman responded. “I think you’re right that the driving conditions in Haiti could very well press more people. So, we’ve recently approved some additional assistance that we can provide to the Coast Guard.”

  BREAKING: Biden admin. officials testify they’re preparing for a massive surge of Haitian migrants after thousands of inmates escaped the country’s prisons

  It’s an invasion pic.twitter.com/uMyyu0N5G8

  — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 12, 2024

  https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

  Gaetz then asked Army General Laura Richardson, commander of U.S. Southern Command, whether the government should “activate the authorities, anticipating a mass migration.”

  “I think that we need to be postured appropriately for that,” Richardson said. “I have put in a request for increase capability to do exactly that. And we are ready if we need to deal with a mass migration.”

  Conditions in Haiti have been becoming increasingly dire in recent months due to widespread gang violence and civil unrest. Armed gangs now reportedly control around 80% of Port-au-Prince, with Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry announcing his resignation on Tuesday.

  While the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince remains open, some personnel have recently been evacuated from the facility due to the ongoing violence in the Haitian capital.

  The embassy said in a release on Monday that “the U.S. military conducted an operation” to bolster security, allow “operations to continue,” and help “non-essential personnel to depart.”

  Last week, the embassy warned U.S. citizens to “depart Haiti as soon as possible by commercial or other privately available transportation options, in light of the current security situation and infrastructure challenges.”

  While the resignation of Henry had been demanded by the gangs occupying Port-au-Prince, it is unclear whether the situation will soon improve in Haiti as a result of the resignation being announced.

  Henry said that he would leave office following the formation of a transitional council, although concerns remain that the gang leaders may reject a new interim leader chosen by the council and demand they control the government instead.

  As for anyone expecting the Biden admin to actually do something – for once – about the next migration flood of cannibals undocumented carnivores, don’t hold your breath for the following simple reason…

  Biden about to surge in the polls https://t.co/5333KrB9o3

  — zerohedge (@zerohedge) March 12, 2024

  https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 22:00

• Medicinal Mushrooms: Cordyceps, Reishi, And Lion’s Mane
  Medicinal Mushrooms: Cordyceps, Reishi, And Lion’s Mane

  Authored by Allison DeMajistre via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

  Medicinal mushrooms have captured the attention of researchers, health enthusiasts, and medical practitioners because of their taste and remarkable therapeutic potential.

  

  As consumer demand grows, so do the variety of products incorporating medicinal mushrooms. You can now find teas, coffee replacements, supplements, and other food products featuring three of the most popular medicinal mushrooms: cordyceps, reishi, and lion’s mane.

  Each mushroom has a unique list of bioactive compounds, many with anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antioxidant, immunomodulatory properties, and other potential health benefits.

  When choosing a mushroom-based product as a supplement for a specific health benefit—whether to relieve stress, boost immunity, or improve energy—it’s important to consider what part of the mushroom to use, its bioactive compounds, and their therapeutic properties.

  Therapeutic Properties

  Mushrooms are a part of the fungal kingdom, which includes simple single-celled yeasts, complex fruiting bodies, and mold—all of which play crucial roles in our ecosystem. Fungi are a source of several major drugs, including antibiotics and statins. A mushroom has several parts, including the fruiting body, mycelium, and spores—each with different properties.

  The fruiting body is the top of the mushroom, or what most people call the mushroom cap, and is typically above ground.

  Mushroom mycelium is the underground colony of branching structures similar to a plant’s roots. It consists of microscopic formations called hyphae that absorb nutrients from the soil and transport them to other parts of the mushroom. Mycelium enables the mushrooms to connect, send, and receive nutrients from one another to enhance environmental survival. Some fungi species have extensive mycelium, such as the Armillaria species, which has hyphae that can cover more than 1,000 acres in the right conditions.

  The spores are the equivalent of seeds and are the mushroom’s reproductive organs. A single mushroom can generate microscopic spores in the billions. These initiate the mushroom life cycle.

  The therapeutic properties vary for different mushroom parts, so checking whether the fruiting body, mycelium, or both are listed on the label is important.

  

  In a College of Naturopathic Medicine podcast, Hania Opienski, a naturopathic nutritionist, acupuncturist, and energy medicine specialist, was asked which part of the mushroom is the most therapeutic. “Ideally, you would use a fruiting body product, and that’s the thing that takes the longest to grow; it’s going to have the highest concentration of active compounds,” she said.

  According to Ms. Opienski, although the fruiting body typically contains higher levels of therapeutic bioactive compounds, many commercial mushroom products are made from mycelium because it is quicker to get to an end product rather than waiting for the fruiting body to reach maturity and harvest to make a supplement.

  The structural complexity and bioactive compounds packed inside each type of mushroom play an integral role in its mechanisms of action within the body to produce its therapeutic benefits.

  Mechanisms of Action

  According to Martin Powell’s “Medicinal Mushrooms: A Clinical Guide,” there are about 14,000 species of mushrooms. About 5 percent are known to produce compounds with widespread physiological activity and therapeutic benefits.

  The medicinal properties and mechanisms of action come from these bioactive compounds that vary in content from one mushroom to another.

  Beta-Glucans

  The most significant bioactive compounds in mushrooms are beta-glucans, polysaccharides characterized by their ability to modulate the immune system. Beta-glucans have anti-inflammatory, metabolic, and gastrointestinal effects.

  The molecular structure of beta-glucans can vary widely in shape and size, depending on the species and what part of the mushroom they come from. Different beta-glucans found across the fungal kingdom can have a variety of effects on the human body.

  Triterpenes

  Triterpenes are a class of compounds that are alcohol soluble and responsible for mushrooms’ antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and even hypnotic properties.

  There are unique triterpenes, most notably the ganoderic acids in reishi mushrooms and the betulinic acid in chaga mushrooms. Research has uncovered more than 300 triterpenoids in reishi alone, many of which are not found in other mushroom species.

  Sterols

  Mushrooms also produce sterols—principally ergosterol—that have been shown to act against several different types of tumors in animal studies. Sterols work and act like cholesterol, but can lower cholesterol levels in the body. Additionally, ergosterol derivatives are reported to have anti-aging activity similar to resveratrol.

  Ergosterol is also a precursor to vitamin D, so when a mushroom is exposed to the sun for long periods, it increases the vitamin D content, which is why some vitamin D supplements are made from mushrooms.

  Statins

  Researchers have discovered that some mushrooms can lower cholesterol because they possess statins such as lovastatin, which is used in cholesterol-reducing drugs. However, it’s important to note that high amounts of mushroom powder would be necessary to affect an impact.

  3 Remarkable Medicinal Mushrooms 

  Three mushrooms are in high demand because of their remarkable medicinal properties: cordyceps, reishi, and lion’s mane. These mushrooms have medicinal effects and possible side effects for people on various medications. You should discuss any supplements, including medicinal herbs and mushrooms, with your health care provider.

  1. Cordyceps

  Cordyceps may be the most famous type of mushroom of all. It’s the fungus responsible for infecting civilization in the HBO series “The Last of Us” and was also the subject of discussion on Joe Rogan’s podcast, where he claimed to take cordyceps before workout sessions.

  “It gives you an extra gear,” Mr. Rogan said in the podcast.

  About 750 species of cordyceps originate from China’s high-altitude regions.

  Cordyceps are unique because they begins as a spore, infecting and growing inside various insects, depending on the specific type of cordycep. Eventually, these mushrooms kill their hosts and start sprouting through the remains.

  Cordyceps Sinensis

  Cordyceps sinensis (C. sinensis), also known as caterpillar fungus, parasitizes the ground-dwelling ghost moth larva to begin its life cycle, technically making it a parasitic fungus rather than a mushroom.

  Historically, C. sinensis has been used to treat several ailments, including lung, kidney, liver, and cardiovascular diseases. It was also a known treatment for male sexual dysfunction and has been used to boost the immune system. Interestingly, in 1993, the Chinese market for C. sinensis exploded when China’s female track team had a series of world-record-breaking times attributed to a tonic made from caterpillar fungus.

  The cost of C. sinensis has also exploded, and a 2020 study reported a cost of $20,000 per kilogram, making it “the most expensive mushroom in the world.”

  Genuine C. sinensis, cultivated by parasitizing ghost moth larvae, is found exclusively on the Tibetan Plateau. It isn’t found in supplements but can be purchased in its whole form in some Asian countries.

  Cordyceps Militaris

  Cordyceps militaris can be cultivated with or without insects. The non-insect, grain-based cultivation leads to improved quality control and affordability, and the chemical profiles of C. sinensis and C. militaris are clinically interchangeable, as they have several of the same bioactive compounds. However, studies show that C. militaris has a much higher content of cordycepin and adenosine than C. sinensis, possibly making C. militaris the better choice.

  

  Cordyceps Health Benefits

  Because C. sinensis is not readily available, the following references to Cordyceps pertain to Cordyceps militaris.

  Cordyceps have been gaining attention in the scientific community because of their cordycepin content. Cordycepin is a potent bioactive metabolite created in Cordyceps. Research indicates that cordycepin has anti-cancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has potential pharmacological actions in the liver, kidneys, and cardiovascular systems.

  Researchers believe that cordyceps and cordycepin may eventually be used commercially in the pharmaceutical industry.

  Cordyceps are probably best known for their energy-producing qualities and ability to increase the body’s ability to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy source at the cellular level. Cordycepin is chemically similar to adenosine.

  A study of 28 adults who consumed a mushroom blend containing cordyceps while participating in high-intensity exercise over three weeks showed a significant improvement in VO2 max, the oxygen that the body absorbs during vigorous exercise, which indicates cardiovascular fitness.

  If you’re healthy and want to take something that will increase your cellular energy and oxygenation, cordyceps are great for people who wish to improve athletic performance, Ms. Opienski said.

  Cordyceps Risks and Side Effects

  Cordyceps are well-tolerated by most people but can cause gastrointestinal upset, such as nausea, diarrhea, and dry mouth. This fungus has hypoglycemic and antiviral effects, so it’s essential to use caution when taking antiviral or anti-diabetic medications.

  2. Reishi

  Global annual sales of reishi were about $4.3 billion in 2023, and the market is expected to grow to about $6.4 billion by 2028, making it one of the most popular medicinal mushrooms in the world today. Reishi is known as the “mushroom of immortality” in Japanese culture. In China, it goes by the name lingzhi instead of reishi and is known as the “herb of spiritual potency.” For thousands of years, people have used it to increase vitality, support immune function, promote cardiovascular health, and improve longevity.

  Reishi’s scientific name, Ganoderma lucidum, describes its shiny, fruiting body—“gano,” meaning shiny, and “derma,” referring to skin.

  It usually grows on the side of dead or decaying trees in a shelf-like manner. Reishi produced for supplementation is cultiva

  Reishi Health Benefits

  Reishi’s health benefits result from the high beta-glucans, triterpenes, and sterols packed into its cell walls. Extracting these three compounds from the mushroom isn’t easy, and eating them isn’t beneficial because they are locked inside the cell walls and must be extracted with either hot water or alcohol.

  The reported health benefits of reishi are impressive, making it one of the world’s most commonly used medicinal mushrooms. Scientists continue to research the actual mechanisms of action that make it so powerful. Although it has many potential benefits, such as lowering cholesterol, blood glucose, and high blood pressure, reishi is best known for its other properties.

  According to Ms. Opienski, reishi is one of the most potent immunomodulating mushrooms. It’s also known as a nervous system balancer and has been used for millennia in traditional medicine for sleep, stress, anxiety, and depression. “It’s one that is kind of known for calming the nervous system and helping to slow down or reduce the stress response,” she explained on the podcast.

  Ms. Opienski also said that reishi is considered the mushroom of eternal youth because of its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

  “Oxidation and inflammation are two of the things that cause cellular aging,” she said, noting that reishi could help to prevent these.

  Although all mushrooms possess adaptogenic effects, reishi is one of the best-known adaptogens that can help the body adapt to stress. An adaptogen helps to calm the body and lets it adapt to stress. If someone is anxious or overstimulated, taking reishi may help to calm down their nervous system.

  Reishi’s fruiting bodies have high levels of triterpenes that contribute to their anti-cancer properties, reducing the expression of matrix metalloproteinase, an enzyme that facilitates the spread of cancer cells. Reishi mushrooms also limit the attachment of cancer cells to the lining of blood vessels to stop their spread throughout the bloodstream.

  The anti-tumor effects of reishi can help to treat lung, soft tissue, liver, white blood cell, breast, ovarian, colon, and bladder cancers.

  Ms. Opienski said that because of its anti-inflammatory effect, reishi can be used in treating either benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer.

  A systematic review found that patients on anti-cancer regimens containing reishi were 1.27 times more likely to respond to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. One study found that 65 percent of patients with advanced lung cancer reported an increased quality of life after taking reishi.

  Reishi Risks and Side Effects

  Mild side effects of reishi include nausea and insomnia. More severe side effects, while rare, include liver toxicity, chronic diarrhea, pseudo-parasitosis (the delusion that one is infested with parasites), and increased eosinophils, a type of white blood cell.

  People taking anticoagulants should use caution when using reishi mushroom products because of the increased risk of bleeding. Reishi can also increase the immune response and is contraindicated for people taking immunosuppressants.

  Because reishi can lower blood pressure, taking it with medication for hypertension may cause blood pressure to go too low.

  Taking reishi with anti-diabetic medications may also cause blood glucose levels to go too low.

  3. Lion’s Mane

  Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) isn’t the typical mushroom with a cap and stem. Instead, it has “teeth” instead of gills, where it releases its spores. It is a saprophytic mushroom, which grows on dead trees or fallen logs and is relatively common to find when walking around in the woods during the late summer and fall.

  Research shows that lion’s mane has unique bioactive compounds with several health benefits.

  

  Lion’s Mane Health Benefits 

  Two bioactive compounds exclusive to lion’s mane, hericenones and erinacines, help to support brain health, the immune system, and the digestive tract. Traditionally, lion’s mane was known for improving digestive health by preventing the bacteria that cause gastric ulcers, but recently, it has become better known for its potential benefits to support brain health.

  1. Potential Brain Benefits

  Bioactive components hericenones and erinacines set lion’s mane apart from all other mushrooms because they can easily cross the blood-brain barrier and stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF) production. NGF has a critical role in developing neurons and can protect parts of the brain from damaging inflammation responsible for neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

  Lion’s mane may also help to improve symptoms of dementia. One study showed that adults ages 50 to 80 who took 250 milligrams of lion’s mane three times daily for 16 weeks scored higher on cognitive tests than the placebo group and had overall better cognitive ability during supplementation. However, their test scores decreased four weeks after the study group discontinued lion’s mane.

  There is also evidence that lion’s mane may help to relieve the symptoms of depression and help to reduce anxiety and stress. In a 2010 study, participants who ate cookies with 0.5 gram of a lion’s mane fruiting body supplement for four weeks reported less anxiety than those who consumed the placebo cookies. Researchers believed that the increase in NGF contributed to the anti-anxiety effects.

  2. NGF and the Gut–Brain Axis

  NGF isn’t limited to neurological health. It plays a significant role in regulating several actions within the body, and when it’s lacking, it can be associated with heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and other inflammatory diseases.

  Lion’s mane was traditionally used to treat gastrointestinal problems such as gastric ulcers and chronic gastritis. New evidence suggests that lion’s mane’s association with NGF is critical in rebalancing and improving the gut microbiota. Stimulating NGF can balance gut bacteria, which helps to heal the gut lining. Increased NGF can also heal the enteric (intestinal) and nervous systems, promoting the “gut–brain axis,” the two-way communication between the central nervous system (brain) and the gastrointestinal tract’s enteric nervous system (gut). When the gut–brain axis is disrupted, it can result in physical and mental health conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and anxiety.

  Lion’s Mane Risks and Side Effects

  Lion’s mane has a few side effects, including stomach upset and skin rash in higher doses. It can also slow clotting times and should be taken with caution by anyone taking a blood thinner. Lion’s mane may also lower blood sugar and shouldn’t be taken with hypoglycemic medications.

  The Bottom Line

  There are many types of medicinal mushrooms growing in the fungal kingdom. Cordyceps, reishi, and lion’s mane are among the most popular but are definitely not the only ones with potential therapeutic benefits.

  Mushrooms are unique. Neither plant nor animal, they produce unique compounds and metabolites that will continue to spark consumer enthusiasm and interest in the scientific community. As more studies emerge, we’ll learn even more about how to use these medicinal mushrooms as potent allies in our quest for well-being and vitality.

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 21:40

• China Steps Up Military Spending
  China Steps Up Military Spending

  According to SIPRI data, China has increased its military expenditure by almost 900 percent since 1992.

  As Statista’s Katharina Buchholz notes, at around $300 billion in 2022, the Chinese spent significantly more than the Russians (around $72 billion), but their spending was still well below that of the U.S. (around $812 billion).

  China is the second-biggest spender in total military budget after the United States.

  

  You will find more infographics at Statista

  Still, the Chinese spending spree has raised eyebrows worldwide.

  It came back into the spotlight last week when the reference to a “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan was dropped from a government report presented at the Chinese National People’s Congress. At the same event, it was announced that the Chinese defense budget was to grow another 7.2 percent in 2024. 

  The South China Morning Post out of Hong Kong reports that the Chinese military budget has pivoted towards combat readiness and preparation for war.

  Part of the increased Chinese military investment is going towards more “advanced technology, science, logistics and key weaponry and equipment”, the newspaper reports.

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 21:20

• South Carolina Becomes 29th State To Allow Carrying Firearms Without A License
  South Carolina Becomes 29th State To Allow Carrying Firearms Without A License

  Authored by Michael Clements via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

  South Carolina is now the 29th state to allow any resident who is legally able to carry a firearm to do so without a permit—so-called constitutional carry.

  

  On March 7, Gov. Henry McMaster signed H 3594 into law, which eliminates the requirement for a concealed weapons permit, sets the minimum age to receive a license to 18, and sets a comprehensive list of “sensitive areas” where guns are prohibited.

  The list includes schools, government buildings, health care facilities, places of worship, law enforcement centers, and any place where guns are prohibited by federal law.

  It leaves the current permitting process in place for those who wish to get a permit to carry in states that recognize South Carolina’s license. South Carolina’s concealed carry permit requires eight hours of training.

  The new law also sets steeper penalties for those convicted of carrying a gun in a sensitive area without a permit as an incentive to get licensed.

  Mr. McMaster released a statement celebrating the new law.

  “This bill expands the Second Amendment rights of our law-abiding citizens and will keep violent criminals behind bars with increased penalties for illegal gun use and possession,” Mr. McMaster’s statement reads.

  Supporters of the measure say the proposed law enables South Carolinians to finally exercise their Second Amendment right.

  Gun rights advocates hailed the new law as another step toward fully restoring Americans’ Constitutional rights.

  “We’re excited that South Carolina Finally did the right thing. We’re grateful to see the expansion of Second Amendment rights,” Chris Stone, state and local affairs director for Gun Owners of America, told The Epoch Times.

  The National Rifle Association also weighed in on the development.

  “The NRA celebrates another significant milestone as South Carolina becomes the 29th state to enact the landmark NRA-backed Constitutional Carry legislation. This pivotal move ensures South Carolinians are no longer required to obtain permission to defend themselves and their families, reinforcing the fundamental right to self-defense,” Randy Kozuch, the executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, said in an email to The Epoch Times.

  Everytown for Gun Safety, which the South Carolina Chapter of Moms Demand Action is affiliated with, didn’t respond to an email seeking comment. The group has opposed this and similar legislation in the past.

  

  Dan Roberts, outreach director and media liaison for South Carolina Carry, said he has been working with other South Carolinians to institute constitutional carry in the state for 10 years.

  “It’s been quite a slog,” he told The Epoch Times.

  Mr. Roberts said that while he’s pleased with the bill overall, there are some parts he would change if he could. He said he doesn’t see why a person who carries a gun into a sensitive area without a license should face a stiffer penalty than someone who has a permit.

  Although the law does away with the training requirement, the permitting process still mandates eight hours of training. Mr. Roberts said that both provisions should be changed to provide incentives for training. He said it would be more effective to offer tax breaks for the purchase of gun safes or to allow carry in certain sensitive areas for those who receive training.

  “If you incentivize it, that’s the way you motivate people to get the training,” Mr. Roberts said.

  Focus On the Good

  Still, he said that in his political career, he has learned one valuable lesson.

  “Never let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” he said.

  Republican state Sen. Rex Rice was an early proponent of the legislation. He said he also favors the training element of the law. He strongly encourages even those who choose not to get a license to get some training if they are going to carry a gun.

  “You need to be proficient with the weapon you’re carrying, and you need to know what the law says,” Mr. Rice said.

  Mr. Rice said that many of his constituents supported constitutional carry because they don’t trust the government. He said they are concerned their personal information would be used to compile a registry of gun owners.

  “People don’t want to give the government their information,” he told The Epoch Times.

  Mr. Roberts said the new law is more than just an expansion of gun rights. He pointed out that a majority of states have expanded gun rights. He said that in an election year, it would do federal incumbents well to pay attention to the message he said is being sent by state legislatures: Gun control as crime prevention is not working.

  “People are tired of being demonized, villainized, and scapegoated for the criminal acts of people that they had nothing to do with.”

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 21:00

• One Career Economist Exposes The Lies Of Modern Economics
  One Career Economist Exposes The Lies Of Modern Economics

  By Michael Every of Rabobank

  Damascene Conversion

  Today is all about US CPI. I’m not sure why given markets, and President Biden(!), believe G7 central banks –except Japan– are going to cut rates soon, despite: sticky services inflation; the Red Sea crisis not being ‘In Deep Blip’; other brewing geopolitical crises, from fears of Iranian nukes to Armenia asking to join the EU(!); our base case of a Trump election victory, with inflationary higher tariffs forcing the Fed to stop cuts; and what’s trying to play out in the global financial architecture, which gold and Bitcoin point to.

  Nonetheless, when you get messages like this:

  • *ECB’S KAZIMIR: UPSIDE RISKS TO INFLATION ARE “ALIVE AND KICKING.”

  • *ECB’S KAZIMIR: DISCUSSIONS ON EASING SHOULD ALREADY START, THE ECB WILL USE THE WEEKS AHEAD FOR THAT.

  … it’s clear what the direction of travel is, regardless of how logical that is.

  Pre-CPI, there are things to think about. Like the Boeing whistleblower who apparently decided to shoot himself dead in-between damaging testimony underlining why their planes keep falling apart. Or former US Attorney General Lynch allegedly lobbying the Pentagon on behalf of a Chinese drone maker. Or former senior Trump aide Conway lobbying Congress on behalf of TikTok. Or Peter Turchin, of Cliodynamics fame, telling the Financial Times that the US is in a much more “perilous state” than Russia.

  Bridging the thrust of those stories and CPI itself, allow me to share news of a Damascene conversion from Angus Deaton, Emeritus Professor of Economics and International Affairs at Princeton. Writing on the IMF website, he argues ‘Questioning one’s views as circumstances evolve can be a good thing.’ As Keynes put it, by contrast, “what do you do?” (‘Become a lobbyist’ appears one answer.)

  Specifically, Deaton notes, “The [economics] profession knows and understands many things. Yet today we are in some disarray. We did not collectively predict the financial crisis and, worse still, we may have contributed to it… Recent macroeconomic events… have seen quarrelling experts whose main point of agreement is the incorrectness of others. Economics Nobel Prize winners have been known to denounce each other’s work at the ceremonies in Stockholm.” Yes, and some of us laugh at the Stockholm Syndrome process. As a result, he adds, “I have recently found myself changing my mind, a discomfiting process for someone who has been a practicing economist for more than half a century.”

  Notably, he does not include “the corruption allegations that have become common… Even so, economists, who have prospered mightily over the past half century, might fairly be accused of having a vested interest in capitalism as it currently operates.” Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely: who knew?

  Yet Deaton notes economics is clearly wrong on:

  • Power: “Our emphasis on the virtues of free, competitive markets and exogenous technical change can distract us from the importance of power in setting prices and wages, in choosing the direction of technical change, and in influencing politics to change the rules of the game. Without an analysis of power, it is hard to understand inequality or much else in modern capitalism.” 100% true. 100% ignored.

  • Philosophy and ethics: “In contrast to economists from Smith and Marx through Keynes, Hayek, and even Friedman, we have largely stopped thinking about ethics and about what constitutes human well-being. We are technocrats who focus on efficiency. We get little training about the ends of economics…. When pressed, we usually fall back on an income-based utilitarianism. We often equate well-being with money or consumption, missing much of what matters to people… when efficiency comes with upward redistribution…our recommendations become little more than a license for plunder.” I’m shocked there is gambling in Casablanca!

  • Empirical methods: “Historians, who understand about contingency and about multiple and multidirectional causality, often do a better job than economists of identifying important mechanisms that are plausible, interesting, and worth thinking about, even if they do not meet the inferential standards of contemporary applied economics.” It depends on the historian, but absolutely.

  • Humility: “We are often too sure that we are right. Economics has powerful tools that can provide clear-cut answers, but that require assumptions that are not valid under all circumstances. It would be good to recognize that there are almost always competing accounts and learn how to choose between them.” Wouldn’t it!

  So, Deaton is having second thoughts.

  He’s now pro-, not anti-union, and notes they “need to be at the table for decisions about AI. Economists’ enthusiasm for technical change as the instrument of universal enrichment is no longer tenable (if it ever was).”

  He’s sceptical of the benefits of free trade to US workers and “the claim… that globalization was responsible for the vast reduction in global poverty over the past 30 years. I also no longer defend the idea that the harm done to working Americans by globalization was a reasonable price to pay for global poverty reduction because workers in America are so much better off than the global poor. I believe that the reduction in poverty in India had little to do with world trade. And poverty reduction in China could have happened with less damage to workers in rich countries if Chinese policies caused it to save less of its national income… I had also seriously underthought my ethical judgments about trade-offs between domestic and foreign workers. We certainly have a duty to aid those in distress, but we have additional obligations to our fellow citizens that we do not have to others.”

  Deaton is also rethinking immigration. “I used to subscribe to the near consensus among economists that immigration to the US was a good thing, with great benefits to the migrants and little or no cost to domestic low-skilled workers. I no longer think so. Economists’ beliefs… are shaped by econometric designs that may be credible but often rest on short-term outcomes. Longer-term analysis over the past century and a half tells a different story. Inequality was high when America was open, was much lower when the borders were closed, and rose again post…1965 as the fraction of foreign-born people rose back to its levels in the Gilded Age.”

  He then concludes that “Economists could benefit by greater engagement with the ideas of philosophers, historians, and sociologists, just as Smith once did.” Except Smith was a moral philosopher we paint as an economist. There’s a big difference. Deaton adds, “The philosophers, historians, and sociologists would likely benefit too.” But only if economists think in the broader terms the authors of the Classical period did – or like Turchin does today.

  As an example of how this isn’t the case –on top of the downsizing > outsourcing > “Oops, no national security!”, or “Oops, my products fall apart!” news around us– a leading UK university just shut down an associate professor for asking questions with an internal email rejecting her appeal to freedom of speech that read: “Note that I am an economist and modeller and have no idea who John Stuart Mill is”(!) Indeed, how many working economists today know Mill, Marx, Smith, or any of the classical economists?

  Keeping it neoclassical instead, could we draw a correlation between those who don’t read the classics and how inaccurate their long-run economic forecasts keep proving to be? I know what the R2 there is. But no time to do it, of course. We have CPI to wait for.

  That’s as Portugal shifts to the right, with one in five voting for the far right; The Economist runs an op-ed from Trump’s former USTR Lighthizer arguing in favour of US tariffs, pointing out the faulty mainstream economic assumptions saying they don’t work; China ups the ante on its own mercantilism further, to G7 pushback and Global South applause; and Australians are spending half their income on their mortgages, yet rate cuts will likely see house prices rise to offset (someone needs to read Henry George).

  Yes, ‘Questioning one’s views as circumstances evolve can be a good thing‘. And what do you do?

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 20:44

• Mapping Population Growth By Region (1900-2050F)
  Mapping Population Growth By Region (1900-2050F)

  In fewer than 50 years, the world population has doubled in size, jumping from 4 to 8 billion.

  In this visualization, Visual Capitalist’s Marcus Lu maps the populations of major regions at three different points in time: 1900, 2000, and 2050 (forecasted). Figures come from Our World in Data as of March 2023, using the United Nations medium-fertility scenario.

  

  Population by Continent (1900-2050F)

  Asia was the biggest driver of global population growth over the course of the 20th century. In fact, the continent’s population grew by 2.8 billion people from 1900 to 2000, compared to just 680 million from the second on our list, Africa.

  

  China was the main source of Asia’s population expansion, though its population growth has slowed in recent years. That’s why in 2023, India surpassed China to become the world’s most populous country.

  Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines and Indonesia have also been big drivers of Asia’s population boom to this point.

  The Future: Africa to Hit 2.5 Billion by 2050

  Under the UN’s medium-fertility scenario (all countries converge at a birthrate of 1.85 children per woman by 2050), Africa will solidify its place as the world’s second most populous region.

  Three countries—Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Egypt—will account for roughly 30% of that 2.5 billion population figure.

  Meanwhile, both North America and South America are expected to see a slowdown in population growth, while Europe is the only region that will shrink by 2050.

  A century ago, Europe’s population was close to 30% of the world total. Today, that figure stands at less than 10%.

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 20:40

• If Biden Is Serious About Border Security, He Must Start With Venezuela
  If Biden Is Serious About Border Security, He Must Start With Venezuela

  Authored by Douglas Schoen via RealClear Wire,

  The tragic killing of 22-year-old Laken Riley in Georgia two weeks ago by Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan migrant in the country illegally and with a criminal record, is the latest example of a much larger problem: Criminal gangs are brazenly taking advantage of America’s broken immigration policies to invade our country. 

  

  Quite simply, the stream of criminals pouring over the nation’s Southern border is now a tsunami with potentially disastrous implications, not only for America’s national security but also for President Biden’s reelection chances. Unless the president takes bold action to seriously strengthen the border, voters are likely to punish him in November. 

  That being said, any attempt to address the border issue is doomed if the president does not confront the problem at its source. 

  Venezuela, the largest source of illegal immigrants, is rapidly becoming a failed state, and its strongman leader, Nicolás Maduro – who has deepened economic and military ties between his oil-rich nation and other hostile regimes such as Russia, China, and Iran – is reportedly emptying the country’s jails, pushing criminals and gang members north, right over our porous border.  

  According to a former Venezuelan official, Maduro “is releasing convicted criminals on the condition that they would emigrate from the country to the United States.” Unsurprisingly, these criminals are establishing local cells of the same criminal gangs, particularly Tren de Aragua, which is notorious for drug trafficking, human smuggling, and kidnappings for ransom. 

  Law enforcement is sounding the alarm, with a senior FBI agent recently warning that Tren de Aragua is “rapidly expanding its criminal empire,” particularly in New York and Miami, where the FBI says gang members are behind a series of robberies and at least one murder. 

  Given the 340,000 Venezuelans encountered at the Southern border last year alone, the FBI is seriously concerned that these gangs will have little problem finding new recruits to further their expansion.  

  A South American dictator opening his jails and dumping criminals in American cities sounds more like a movie than real life, but the data is clear. Coinciding with a surge in Venezuelan migration to the U.S. is a drop in violent crime in Venezuela to levels not seen in nearly a quarter-century. 

  Notably, violent deaths in Venezuela declined from 35.3 for every 100,000 people in 2022 to 26.8 per 100,000 in 2023 – the lowest since 2001, according to a Bloomberg report. Meanwhile, the same report quotes the director of the Venezuelan Violence Observatory, who points out that “gangs have emigrated due to the lack of opportunities to commit crimes.”  

  For his part, last year President Biden struck a deal with Maduro, offering sanctions relief in exchange for increased political liberalization – specifically, holding free and fair elections – and consenting to deportation flights of migrants from the U.S. to Venezuela. The deal was supposed to be a victory for Biden, who could claim to be taking a tougher approach. 

  Early last month, however, those flights abruptly stopped after deporting just 1,300 migrants. Some speculated that the move owed to Biden’s reimposition of sanctions after Maduro reneged on his promise to hold free and fair elections. 

  While the attempt to stop the uncontrolled flow of migrants may have been admirable, the president should have known better. Never close to anything resembling an ally, Venezuela under Maduro has solidly aligned itself with the new “axis of evil” alongside Russia, China, and Iran. 

  The relationship between these countries should deeply worry the White House, particularly in light of intelligence reports indicating that Iran is looking to build a naval base in Venezuela, China’s increasing investment in the country, a massive influx of Russian weapons into Caracas, and Maduro’s strong support for Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 – critical for helping both countries skirt U.S.-led sanctions. 

  Additionally, Venezuela’s role in hosting Russian troops and advanced air defense systems, not to mention the deep connections between Maduro and Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah, which has a heavy presence in the South American country, cannot be overstated, particularly in light of Hezbollah’s daily attacks on Israel since its war with Hamas began on Oct. 7.  

  Viewed in this light, it is clear that Venezuela represents more than just an immigration problem, but an extreme foreign policy and national security challenge. The Venezuelan threat extends far beyond the typical debate over immigration – and solving it lies squarely within the president’s remit. 

  It also constitutes a rapidly expanding political vulnerability for Biden, one that he has so far failed to address. 

  Indeed, last month, Americans ranked immigration as the most important issue facing the country, the first time since 2019 that it has topped the list. Nearly 3 in 10 (28%) Americans chose immigration, 8 points ahead of the second-place issue, the “government,” and more than double the portion identifying the economy (12%) and inflation (11%), per Gallup polling. 

  Worse still for Biden is that while the president’s general approval rating is a substandard 40%, his approval on immigration is a dismal 31%, according to the RealClearPolitics Average.

  Voters do not trust Biden to address the issue. A majority (52%) of swing state voters say that they trust Donald Trump – rather than Biden – to handle immigration, while just 30% trust the president, per Morning Consult polling. 

  To be sure, while Biden does not bear full responsibility for the recent collapse of a border security deal in Congress, he is not powerless to deal with the issue, even if through executive order. 

  Even passing a border security bill would do little to stem the problem, anyway. Many solidly blue states and cities define themselves as “sanctuary cities,” barring them from cooperating with immigration officials – even when illegal migrants commit felonies, as Mr. Ibarra did in New York prior to killing Ms. Riley. 

  To be clear, unless President Biden takes concrete steps to strengthen the border and deal with Venezuela, his reelection would – justifiably – be in serious jeopardy.  

  Ultimately, Biden must close our Southern border and make it unmistakably clear to Maduro that dumping criminals on American shores will not go unpunished. Nor will Maduro’s deepening ties with hostile nations, which include hosting an Iranian naval base in the Americas.  

  Next, Biden should put America’s full economic, political, and diplomatic weight behind free and fair elections in Venezuela. The carrot and stick: the promise of much-needed sanction relief, or the threat of increasingly tough sanctions.   

  If Biden doesn’t do so, he will have to explain to the nation why he could not bring a South American dictator to heel and therefore endangered the safety of all Americans. That’s hardly a winning campaign strategy. 

  Douglas Schoen, a Democratic consultant, is the co-author of “The Threat Closer to Home: Hugo Chavez and the War Against America” (Free Press, January 2009)

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 20:20

• Obama's Attorney General Secretly Lobbied On Behalf Of China Over US Drone Blacklist
  Obama’s Attorney General Secretly Lobbied On Behalf Of China Over US Drone Blacklist

  Former US Attorney General Loretta Lynch tried to quietly push the Department of Defense to remove Chinese drone maker SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd from a list of Chinese military companies, a damning Reuters report has revealed.

  The Obama-era official lobbied the DoD on behalf of the firm when it came under US government scrutiny over ties to China’s People’s Liberation Army. The Shenzhen-based company turned to Lynch as well as former Assistant United States Attorney Michael Gertzman and Associate White House Counsel in the Obama administration Roberto Gonzalez.

  

  The Pentagon starting in 2021 named DJI as constituting a potential threat to US national security for its military ties. A DoD statement at the time made clear that “The Department of Defense (DOD) position is that systems produced by Da Jiang Innovations (DJI) pose potential threats to national security.” 

  And further, “Existing DOD policy and practices associated with the use of these systems by U.S. government entities and forces working with US military services remain unchanged contrary to any written reports not approved for release by the DOD.” Of big concern was that some of Chinese company’s products were making their way into highly sensitive military programs, including used by special forces. 

  Lynch’s efforts have been described as technically legal, as they fall within a “loophole” inherent in The Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA. The decades-old law requires that current and former US officials publicly disclose work, especially lobbying efforts, done on behalf of foreign entities and governments. But there’s also a not insignificant list of exemptions which is increasingly coming under scrutiny.

  Congressional leaders are outraged, and some have vowed to end the type of loopholes which allow former officials like Lynch to secretly work on behalf of China:

  Almost a dozen critics of FARA told Reuters the law’s loopholes have allowed less transparency for other companies with alleged ties to China’s military, including surveillance technology firm Hikvision and biotech firm WuXi AppTec.

  Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says reforms to the law are needed, given the blurry lines between many Chinese companies and the Chinese government, and to keep former members of the U.S. government from effectively lobbying on their behalf.

  Risch said: “It is appalling that former senior U.S. officials use their connections to serve the interests of U.S. adversaries.”

  China’s State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun meets US Attorney General Loretta Lynch in Washington on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/DDz9GA9xU7

  — China Daily (@ChinaDaily) December 8, 2016

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  While it might be easy to dismiss this as the usual D.C. beltway revolving door of foreign interests and willing US politicians and K Street operatives lining their pockets… that a US Attorney General has been engaged in these kinds of top level and hidden dealings with China is a massive scandal in and of itself.

  Lynch has previously simply claimed that because the Chinese drones in question were already in “wide use” in the US, the company’s “threat to national security” designation should be dropped.

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 20:00

• Wyoming Poised To Do Away With Gun-Free Zones
  Wyoming Poised To Do Away With Gun-Free Zones

  Authored by Michael Clements via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

  Whether the state of Wyoming gets rid of its gun-free zones is in Gov. Mark Gordon’s hands.

  

  On March 8, the Legislature passed and sent to Mr. Gordon HB 125. The bill’s primary sponsor, state Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, a Republican, said he is cautiously optimistic that Mr. Gordon will sign the bill but that he knows there are no guarantees.

  The bill repeals the designation for most places currently listed as gun-free zones, including public schools, colleges, and public buildings. This includes the state capitol, legislature, and other government buildings. It also makes it a crime to prevent a legal gun owner from carrying a concealed weapon anyplace but in areas that remain off-limits.

  Those off-limits areas include hospitals, mental health facilities, and jails.

  The law allows private property owners to prohibit weapons on their property and prohibits students of elementary and secondary schools from carrying weapons in their schools.

  School administrators can set policies for employees to carry on school property. This includes required training, certification, and annual recertification.

  The law also vests all authority for regulating firearms in the state, taking that authority away from county and municipal governments.

  An email from Mr. Gordon’s communications director, Michael Pearlman, confirmed on March 8 that the governor had received the bill. But Mr. Pearlman did not indicate the law’s future.

  “HB 125 was received by the Governor today,“ Mr. Pearlman told The Epoch Times. ”As our legislative session is scheduled to conclude today, he will have 15 days to act on this bill. He will give this bill careful consideration, as he does all legislation that reaches his desk.”

  Under Wyoming law, if the Legislature had remained in session, Mr. Gordon would have had three days to either sign or veto the bill. Since the Legislature completed its work on the state budget and ended the session, Mr. Gordon has 15 days. If he does nothing, the bill becomes law without his signature.

  Mr. Haroldson said the bill has been vehemently opposed by teachers unions and the state’s colleges and universities.

  The Epoch Times was unable to contact a representative of the Wyoming Educators Association by press time, but the group posted a guide on its Facebook page on how to ask state senators to vote against the legislation.

  The guide states that guns on school grounds would undermine students’ confidence in teachers, create a dangerous environment, and create liability for districts, educators, and students. The guide also claims that a majority of law enforcement agencies oppose such laws.

  “Arming teachers places a life-and-death liability on educators, who typically lack the proper training to use a firearm in defense of students at school effectively,” the information reads.

  

  According to Mr. Haroldson, the bill will enable Wyoming gun owners to protect themselves in places where they are currently disarmed. He said this is why a majority of Wyoming residents support the bill.

  He would not speculate on what Mr. Gordon might do.

  “It’s a dangerous place to be to veto a bill of this nature,” Mr. Haroldson told The Epoch Times.

  Chris Stone, state and local affairs director for Gun Owners of America, expresses optimism that the bill will become law because it has broad public support.

  “Public perception is behind us. We believe Gov. Gordon will do the right thing and sign that into law,” he told The Epoch Times.

  Mr. Stone said people support the measure because research indicates that most mass shootings happen in gun-free zones.

  On its website, the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC) shows data indicating that between 1998 and October 2023, 82 percent of mass shootings occurred in gun-free zones.

  The CPRC also posted a report indicating that many mass shooters wrote in their manifestos that they selected gun-free zones so they could maximize the number of victims.

  Sailed Through the House

  According to the Wyoming Legislature’s website, the legislation entered the Senate after leaving the House on a 54–7 vote on Feb. 27, 2024.

  Mr. Haroldson said the bill got a cooler reception in the Senate.

  Wyoming has short legislative sessions, only 20 days in even-numbered years, when the Legislature is writing the budget, so the bill was on a tight deadline. He said the bill was sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it died under the weight of amendments that would have neutralized the bill.

  But on March 7, the bill’s supporters were able to use parliamentary procedure to revive the bill and vote it out of committee and onto the Senate floor with no amendments. The bill passed the Senate by a 22–8 vote.

  Mr. Haroldson credited public support for the bill with encouraging senators to give it a second chance. He said his constituents are fully aware of what’s at stake.

  “The Second Amendment is the one amendment that protects all others. I think people know that,” he said.

  “I just think that’s something that red state people understand.”

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 19:40

• China Dumping US Wheat Shipments At Record Pace
  China Dumping US Wheat Shipments At Record Pace

  China, the world’s top agricultural importer, has canceled half a million tons of wheat from the US over the past week, adding to the record number of cancellations that have weighed on Chicago futures, according to Bloomberg. 

  On Monday, private exporters exited purchases of 264,000 metric tons of US soft red winter wheat to China. This is the third consecutive day with such an announcement, and cancellations total 504,000 metric tons—the most in USDA history dating back to 1999. 

  

  Early last week, speculation about China canceling US wheat orders pushed wheat futures in Chicago lower. There have been mounting concerns that Brazil and the Black Sea markets will have increased wheat production. 

  Rumors that China may cancel open U.S. wheat sales hovered of SRW futures, while increased production prospects in Brazil & looming Black Sea competition cast an additional pall over the wheat complex.

  — Pro Farmer (@profarmer) March 6, 2024

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  There are rumors that #China may cancel open US #wheat sales, pushing the May Chicago wheat contract to new contract lows. pic.twitter.com/a3bbbgSxlf

  — Jim McCormick (@jpmccormick3) March 6, 2024

  https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

  Wheat futures dropped 6% from last Tuesday to Monday morning. However, futures quickly erased losses and surged 4% by early afternoon. 

  

  Farm Journal’s Michelle Rook spoke with ag trader Kevin Duling about the cancellations. He said China “could still have more to go, and they can have another half million tons to go.” 

  Rook asked: “Are they going to cancel the rest of what they bought from the United States, and why are they doing this – is it just because prices have gotten much cheaper?” 

  Duling runs through several possible factors, including China might have “overshopped” last fall. 

  Is China just manipulating ag markets, or have they found a buyer elsewhere? 

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 19:20

• Trump Vows To Free Jan. 6 'Hostages' In First Act As President
  Trump Vows To Free Jan. 6 ‘Hostages’ In First Act As President

  Authored by Katabella Roberts via The Epoch Times,

  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.

  Last year, President Trump told a town hall hosted by CNN at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire that he was inclined to pardon a “large portion” of those charged with crimes relating to the breach.

  However, the Republican stressed he would not pardon all of those imprisoned, telling the audience that “a couple of them, probably they got out of control.”

  Jan. 6 ‘Hostages’

  At a rally in Iowa on the third anniversary of the breach at the start of this year, President Trump referred to the individuals arrested in the wake of the Jan. 6 breach as “hostages” who had suffered enough.” He then urged President Joe Biden to release them adding: “You can do it real easy, Joe.”

  President Trump’s latest comments mark the first time he has suggested that releasing those imprisoned over the Jan. 6 breach would be a top priority and that he will take immediate action to do so if he wins the November election.

  According to the most recent statement from the Department of Justice (DOJ), more than 1,358 individuals from nearly all 50 states have been charged with crimes linked to the breach of the U.S. Capitol.

  This includes more than 486 individuals who were handed felony charges for assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

  Most recently, a 43-year-old Maryland man was arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges—including offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers—in relation to the events of Jan. 6.

  President Trump himself has been indicted over allegations related to his actions on Jan. 6 and alleged attempts to challenge the results of the 2020 election, including conspiring to defraud the country and obstructing an official proceeding.

  He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

  

  Demonstrators entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress debated the 2020 presidential election. (Brent Stirton/Getty Images)

  Trump Claim ‘False’

  President Trump’s comments came on the same day that a Republican-led House committee released a report on its investigation into work done by a Democrat-dominated select committee that probed Jan. 6.

  According to the GOP committee report, four individuals who served in the Trump administration did not corroborate testimony made by former aide Cassidy Hutchinson before the Jan. 6 committee in 2022.

  Ms. Hutchinson, a former White House official, testified that she was told by Secret Service agent Anthony Ornato that he was informed by a fellow agent that, on the day the U.S. Capitol was breached, President Trump tried to grab the steering wheel of the SUV he was in after being told he could not go to the Capitol.

  However, according to the Republican-led House committee, the Secret Service agent who was driving President Trump at the time of the breach denied the claim. However, this testimony was allegedly concealed by the Democrat-led committee.

  “Despite the driver of the president’s SUV testifying under oath that the Hutchinson story was false, the select committee chose to validate and promote Hutchinson’s version of the story as fact,” House Republicans said in the new report.

  “The select committee hid the driver’s full testimony and only favorably mentioned his testimony in its final report, it did not release the full transcript,” the report added.

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 19:00

• US Spent More Than Double What It Collected In February, As 2024 Deficit Is Second Highest Ever… And Debt Explodes
  US Spent More Than Double What It Collected In February, As 2024 Deficit Is Second Highest Ever… And Debt Explodes

  Earlier today, CNBC’s Brian Sullivan took a horse dose of Red Pills when, about six months after our readers, he learned that the US is issuing $1 trillion in debt every 100 days, which prompted him to rage tweet, (or rageX, not sure what the proper term is here) the following:

  We’ve added 60% to national debt since 2018. Germany – a country with major economic woes – added ‘just’ 32%.   

  Maybe it will never matter.   Maybe MMT is real.   Maybe we just cancel or inflate it out. Maybe career real estate borrowers or career politicians aren’t the answer.

  I have no idea.  Only time will tell.   But it’s going to be fascinating to watch it play out.

  He is right: it will be fascinating, and the latest budget deficit data simply confirmed that the day of reckoning will come very soon, certainly sooner than the two years that One River’s Eric Peters predicted this weekend for the coming “US debt sustainability crisis.”

  According to the US Treasury, in February, the US collected $271 billion in various tax receipts, and spent $567 billion, more than double what it collected.

  

  The two charts below show the divergence in US tax receipts which have flatlined (on a trailing 6M basis) since the covid pandemic in 2020 (with occasional stimmy-driven surges)…

  

  … and spending which is about 50% higher compared to where it was in 2020.

  

  The end result is that in February, the budget deficit rose to $296.3 billion, up 12.9% from a year prior, and the second highest February deficit on record.

  

  And the punchline: on a cumulative basis, the budget deficit in fiscal 2024 which began on October 1, 2023 is now $828 billion, the second largest cumulative deficit through February on record, surpassed only by the peak covid year of 2021.

  

  But wait there’s more: because in a world where the US is spending more than twice what it is collecting, the endgame is clear: debt collapse, and while it won’t be tomorrow, or the week after, it is coming… and it’s also why the US is now selling $1 trillion in debt every 100 days just to keep operating (and absorbing all those millions of illegal immigrants who will keep voting democrat to preserve the socialist system of the US, so beloved by the Soros clan).

  

  And it gets even worse, because we are now in the ponzi finance stage of the Minsky cycle, with total interest on the debt annualizing well above $1 trillion, and rising every day

  

  … having already surpassed total US defense spending and soon to surpass total health spending and, finally all social security spending, the largest spending category of all, which means that US debt will now rise exponentially higher until the inevitable moment when the US dollar loses its reserve status and it all comes crashing down.

  We conclude with another observation by CNBC’s Brian Sullivan, who quotes an email by a DC strategist…

  

  .. which lays out the proposed Biden budget as follows:

  The budget deficit will growth another $16 TRILLION over next 10 years. Thats *with* the proposed massive tax hikes.

  Without them the deficit will grow $19 trillion.

  That’s why you will hear the “deficit is being reduced by $3 trillion” over the decade.

  No family budget or business could exist with this kind of math.

  Of course, in the long run, neither can the US… and since neither party will ever cut the spending which everyone by now is so addicted to, the best anyone can do is start planning for the endgame.

  Tyler Durden
  Tue, 03/12/2024 – 18:40

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