Jul 21

Today’s News 21st July 2022

  • The Wuhan 'Disinformation'
    The Wuhan ‘Disinformation’

    Authored by Pete Hoekstra via The Gatestone Institute,

    • These are startling reversals by both organizations: the WHO and the Lancet Commission. They have consistently ridiculed and downplayed the possibility that the virus originated and escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. Now, nearly three years after COVID-19 began devastating the world as we knew it, there is just this collective “Oops!”?

    • For two years the WHO, the Lancet and others have been stooges for the Chinese Communists. It is time to identify them all and hold them accountable for their grave errors. Their actions probably cost the lives of millions and have so far allowed China to escape accountability.

    • It seems that while covering for the Chinese Communists since the beginning of the pandemic, Sachs also decided to absolve them of accountability, and instead point the finger of responsibility at the U.S.

    • Sachs may have a point, but he is not the one in any position to deliver more messages. The U.S. Congress must thoroughly investigate the U.S. government’s role and cooperation with China in biotechnology research, including the coordination between U.S. labs and labs around the world engaged in further, reportedly even more dangerous types of research.

    • The Chinese government must be held to account for the Wuhan lab leak, the coverup, hoarding vital medical supplies, damage to the global economy, and most importantly, the deaths of more than 6.3 million people worldwide.

    “My sources,” read the incoming email on January 24, 2020, “received reliable information according to which the situation related to corona virus infection is very serious and it’s hundreds the people who drop in the streets like flies both in Wuhan and in other 12 provinces.”

    The message continued:

    “The information given by Chinese government don’t represent the huge risk linked to new corona virus.

    “My sources confirm the new corona virus escaped from National Bio-safety Laboratory, in Wuhan, which is BSL-4 lab, through a laboratory technician who went in touch with this new corona virus.

    “My sources say Chinese Authorities are covering this ‘incident’ happened inside the laboratory. So, it’s extremely urgent to understand and to face the situation like a lethal threat for US National Security and the rest of the world.”

    The message came from a reliable European intelligence source with whom I had worked after leaving Congress and who had shared information on multiple issues. Like all intelligence sources, his material always needed to be vetted and confirmed, and, as happens in the intelligence world, results sometimes vary.

    Over the next two years, he sent hundreds of additional emails about the COVID pandemic. Some of the information was clearly out of the mainstream. The World Health Organization (WHO) and mainstream medical professionals made it very clear that the only accepted explanation for the source of the pandemic was via natural transmission from some wet market or lost bat.

    There was little-to-no consideration given — in fact there was only outright dismissal and derision given — to the possibility that the virus might have been scientifically manipulated and released — or had escaped from — a laboratory.

    That all officially changed in a stunning set of events within the last few days. First it was reported that WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus believes COVID most likely leaked from the Wuhan laboratory. The WHO revised its earlier position, that a natural explanation was the most likely, to now saying that all options for the origins of COVID should be on the table.

    In addition, Jeffrey Sachs, the lead of the Lancet COVID 19 Commission, has stated that he now is convinced that the pandemic started in the lab. These are startling reversals by both organizations: The WHO and the Lancet Commission. They have consistently ridiculed and downplayed the possibility that the virus originated and escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. Now, nearly three years after COVID began devastating the world as we knew it, there is just this collective “Oops!”?

    These two organizations had from the start been at the forefront of promoting — insisting on — the natural origin of the virus. As my source indicated in his correspondence, there were those who suspected in late 2019 and early 2020 that the virus had escaped from the Wuhan laboratory, that it was far more dangerous than the Chinese were telling the rest of the world, and that the Chinese were firmly trying to cover it up.

    The key points made by my source on January 24, 2020, have proven to be totally accurate. With the recent admissions by Tedros and Sachs and the organizations they represent, the prevailing origin theory now rests on the Wuhan laboratory. The virus has proven to be more deadly than the Chinese have ever let on, and to this day, the Chinese Communist Party government has not cooperated with international organizations to contain the virus or determine its exact origins.

    China has instead done the exact opposite. In the initial stages, it cleansed the Wuhan wet market, refused to allow outside investigators in, refused to share information with the international community, and as the virus developed, allowed people to flee Wuhan on flights to the outside world as the city itself was being locked down.

    For two years the WHO, the Lancet and others have been stooges for the Chinese Communists. It is time to identify them all and hold them accountable for their grave errors. Their actions probably cost the lives of millions and have so far allowed China to escape accountability.

    One would think that the WHO and the Lancet would be reserved in making any more statements and observations about COVID, but that is not what is happening. Sachs, his credibility now in tatters, has been making a new pronouncement: that the COVID virus was created with the aid of U.S. biotechnology.

    It seems that while covering for the Chinese Communists since the beginning of the pandemic, Sachs also decided to absolve them of accountability, and instead point the finger of responsibility at the U.S.

    Sachs may have a point, but he is not in any position to deliver more messages. The U.S. Congress must thoroughly investigate the U.S. government’s role and cooperation with China in biotechnology research, including the coordination between U.S. labs and labs around the world engaged in further, reportedly even more dangerous types of research.

    If, as seems possible, U.S. research dollars and information might have found its way into places it never should have been, it is time for the American people to demand action. More than one million Americans have died, yet Congress has done somewhere between little and nothing to determine the origins of or accountability for the virus.

    While Congress needs to examine what role, if any, the U.S. government had in the research leading to the deadly virus, America’s role is surely minor when compared to that of the government of the Chinese Communist Party. The Chinese government must be held to account for the Wuhan lab leak, the coverup, hoarding vital medical supplies, damage to the global economy, and most importantly, the deaths of more than 6.3 million people worldwide.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 23:40

  • Portland Parents Encouraged To Send Their Kids To “Social Justice Summer Camp”
    Portland Parents Encouraged To Send Their Kids To “Social Justice Summer Camp”

    Watch out for those groomers.  Hard left ideologues have long sought to target other people’s children as a means to indoctrinate the next generation while they are young, naive and easily manipulated.  Frankly, it’s the only way to effectively spread what amounts to cultural Marxism – Most adults with normal upbringings are going to ask too many questions and have too many criticisms.  Leftists see the stalking and grooming of young people as fair game, because in their minds the ends justify the means and their agenda is viewed as sacrosanct.

    In other words, mentally enslave the children of today and you own the adult voters of tomorrow.  The latest attempt is a relatively new camp program in Portland, Oregon operated by a group called ‘Budding Roses’ (a rather unsettling name considering the topic).  The group was founded as a part of the Black Rose Anarchist Foundation and the camp is open to students from 4th to 8th grade. 

    The curriculum of Budding Roses has a mix of online and camp lessons, but they appear to all have the same basic bent:  

    Black As Resistance: 4 Kids – Your children can learn all about white colonialism, anti-blackness, “self defense,” and more!

    Police Abolition – Imagining a world without police.

    Transformative Justice – Individuals “affected by injustice” address their grievances and demand reparations.  

    White Supremacy Reflection – Terms like “white supremacy.” “intersectionality,” and “privilege” are explained.  Learn about the original sin of being white!

    Writing People In Prison – Want your children to start a correspondence with convicted criminals?  Budding Roses will teach them how!

    The list continues, but you get the general idea.  

    We have seen many such indoctrination attempts over the past few years, including a woke sex education camp for children based out of Hazard, Kentucky which covered such fun topics as the different methods for masturbation.  Numerous other camps across the US have adopted the gender identity insanity, allowing biological males to be housed with biological females as long as they identify as “trans.”  This same philosophy has led to some horrible incidents of manipulation and victimization in public schools.

    For example, in Loudoun County, VA, a boy claiming to be a transgender girl was allowed to frequent the girls bathrooms at Loudoun High School in the name of inclusion, only to have him rape a 15-year-old girl at the school.  The Loudoun School Board attempted to ignore and then hide the event while having the father of the victim arrested at a school board meeting when he argued the issue.  The mainstream media has since tried to claim that conservatives “lied” about the Loudoun incident because the girl had allegedly had two encounters with the assailant in the past, yet the boy in question was CONVICTED of sexual assault in juvenile court.  This is not in question.  

    The point is, social justice proponents often overlook the highly negative effects associated with exposing children to their ideology.  They don’t care about the children, they only care about how those children can be used as tools for the furtherance of their cause.  

    Set aside the fact that the majority of lessons that are taught as a part of woke curriculum are based in faulty logic, misrepresentations of history and outright lies.  The risks go well beyond the mental grooming and delve into the potential for sexual grooming as well.  With no attempt to separate children according to biological sex, these camps are just asking for trouble.  Perhaps they even welcome such trouble.  

    Woke lessons within camp settings are much more pervasive than many people realize.  It’s not just the dedicated Anarchist/socialist brainwashing camps, it’s bigger venues as well.  Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts of America have seen a dramatic plunge in their membership numbers since they began adopting leftist talking points and lessons.  The Girl Scouts in particular have gone full bore SJW with their “anti-racism” programs which teach about diversity, equity, inclusion and racial justice.

    It’s the same old made-up buzzwords used as a cover for collectivism, conformity and socialism/communism.  When they said they’re coming for your children, they were quite serious.      

     

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 23:20

  • 'A New World Order Is Coming' – Putin Blasts "Globalist" Ideology As "Totalitarian"
    ‘A New World Order Is Coming’ – Putin Blasts “Globalist” Ideology As “Totalitarian”

    Authored by Paul Joseph Watson via Summit News,

    Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted earlier today that the “globalist” world order is “totalitarian” and is “holding back creative pursuit.”

    Putin made the comments during a forum in Moscow.

    The notorious leader claimed that the west had only achieved its global preeminence due to the historic plunder of other nations and had no moral right to enforce a unipolar model on the planet.

    “The model of the total dominance of the so-called ‘golden billion’ is unjust. Why should this ‘golden billion’ among the planet’s population dominate others, impose its own rules of conduct?” Putin asked.

    “Based on the illusion of ‘exclusivity,’ this model divides people into first and second class status, and is therefore racist and neo-colonial in its essence,” he added.

    “And the globalist, supposedly liberal ideology which underlies it is increasingly acquiring the features of totalitarianism, holding back creative pursuit, free historical creation,” Putin claimed.

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    The Russian President went on to stress his view that the globalist world order was built off the exploitation of other countries.

    “Of course, this ‘golden billion’ did not become ‘golden’ by accident. It has achieved a lot. But it did not only take up its positions thanks to the realization of some ideas, but to a large extent due to the robbery of other peoples – both in Asia and Africa. That’s what happened.”

    He then proclaimed that western elites are terrified that their global order is being dismantled.

    “No matter how much Western and so-called supranational elites strive to preserve the existing order of things, a new era is coming, a new stage in world history. And only truly sovereign states can ensure high dynamics for growth and become an example for others,” said Putin.

    As we have previously highlighted, Putin has consistently blamed the west for its own downfall.

    Back in March, he gave a speech in which he blamed the ‘western ruling elite’ for creating the economic hardships impacting people in Europe and the United States.

    Last year, the controversial strongman blasted the west as “completely insane” for allowing children to be taught there is no biological sex, saying the woke crusade against traditional gender roles was “subverting human nature.”

    *  *  *

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    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 23:00

  • Macau To Ease Lockdown Saturday If Virus Conditions Allow
    Macau To Ease Lockdown Saturday If Virus Conditions Allow

    The world’s largest gambling hub, Macau, will reopen businesses as soon as this weekend “if the current pandemic situation remains stable or improves,” reported Macau Business. 

    Macau authorities revealed lockdowns would ease on July 23 and end on July 30, with essential and non-essential businesses allowed to resume limited operations. All casinos and non-essential businesses were shuttered on July 11 after the autonomous region on the south coast of China reported a flare-up in COVID-19 infections. 

    “The reduction in daily reported cases allowed for the advancement of a new consolidation period and the relaxation of some restrictions. We hope we can quickly regain normal life,” Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U said in a press conference on Wednesday.

    There was no mention of when casinos would reopen via the Macau Business report. However, sources with direct knowledge of reopening plans told Reuters that casinos “will reopen on Saturday.” 

    Macau adopted China’s disastrous COVID Zero strategy of lockdowns and mass testing — one way to crush the economy. The quick, partial reopening appears to be a move by the local government to protect the casino industry since many jobs in the city are directly or indirectly dependent on gaming resorts. 

    The government still recommends that residents stay home and avoid crowded areas for “necessary reasons,” such as work or grocery shopping when restrictions ease Saturday. 

    News the gambling hub will reopen sent shares of Macau casino stocks listed in the US higher premarket. Wynn Resorts climbed 2.5%, and Las Vegas Sands rose nearly 2%. 

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 22:40

  • ECB Preview: First Rate Hike In 11 Years, And Another Major Policy Mistake
    ECB Preview: First Rate Hike In 11 Years, And Another Major Policy Mistake

    Submitted by Newsquawk

    Summary:

    • ECB policy announcement due Thursday 21st July; rate decision at 13:15BST/08:15EDT, press conference from 13:45BST/08:45EDT
    • The ECB is set to finally pull the trigger on rates; discussion will be over 25bps or 50bps
    • Policymakers are expected to unveil details of the anti-fragmentation tool

    OVERVIEW: After standing pat on rates in June, the ECB is finally set to pull the trigger and commence its rate-hiking cycle for the first time since June 2011 (when it sparked a sovereign debt crisis and cut rates three months later). This particular rate hike will be an even bigger policy error as it comes just as Europe’s economy slams the breaks into a big recession and ahead of what will be a freezing winter.

    Up until this week, analysts had been near unanimous in their view that the hike would be by 25bps given the explicit nature of the June statement. However, recent reporting has suggested that policymakers will now discuss the possibility of a 50bps move. Accordingly, markets now assign a 60% chance to such a move vs. around 33% at the start of the week. If policymakers opt for a 25bps move this time around, the statement will likely reaffirm the pledge to raise rates by a larger increment in September, depending on the medium-term inflation outlook.

    The July meeting will also likely see the Governing Council present details of its new anti-fragmentation tool – Transmission Protection Mechanism (TPM). It remains to be seen how much in the way of details the ECB will provide on its new tool as policymakers might prefer to use a “whatever it takes” approach rather than tempt bond-sellers with a specific number. Furthermore, the issue of conditionality will also be key when assessing the efficacy of such a tool, particularly in lieu of recent events in Italy whereby domestic politics has seen the IT/GE spread widen; something which Northern nations will likely impress is not as a result of ECB monetary policy.

    PRIOR MEETING: As expected, the ECB opted to stand pat on rates whilst announcing its intention to tighten by 25bps at the July meeting. Beyond July, policymakers stated they will consider larger increments if the medium-term inflation outlook persists or deteriorates. On the balance sheet, as expected, the Governing Council announced its decision to end net asset purchases under the APP as of July 1st. Note, the policy statement offered no fresh guidance on how it could deal with the issue of market fragmentation as it commences its rate hiking cycle. The 2022 inflation outlook was upgraded to 6.8% from 5.1%, with 2024 inflation seen above target at 2.1% vs. prev. view of 1.9%. At the accompanying press conference, President Lagarde was pressed further on how the Bank intends to deal with fragmentation, to which she noted that it can utilise existing tools, such as reinvestments from PEPP and, if necessary, deploy new instruments. Later in the press conference, Lagarde noted that there is no specific level of yield spreads that would be a trigger for an anti-fragmentation policy. From a more medium-term perspective, the President was questioned about where the Governing Council judges the neutral rate to be, however, she remarked that this issue was deliberately not discussed.

    RECENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS: June’s Eurozone inflation metrics saw headline Y/Y CPI rise to 8.6% from 8.1%, whilst the core (ex-food and energy) reading ticked higher to 4.6% from 4.4%. In terms of market-based expectations, the Eurozone 5y5y inflation rate has fallen to around 2.09% vs. 2.26% seen at the prior meeting. On the growth front, Q2 GDP metrics will not be released until 29th July. However, in terms of timelier survey data from S&P Global, June’s PMI figures saw the EZ-wide composite metric slip to 52 from 54.8 with the report noting that the data suggests “that risks have increasingly tilted towards the economy slipping into a downturn at the same time that inflationary pressures moderate, but remain elevated”. On the employment front, the unemployment rate continues to decline with the May print easing to 6.6% from 6.7%. Also of note for the Eurozone economy has been the performance of the EUR with EUR/USD falling from a 1.13 handle at the start of the year to just below parity (briefly) last week; a decline of roughly 12.5% peak-to-trough. From a broader perspective, the ECB’s nominal effective exchange rate (NEER) has fallen around 3.9%.

    RECENT COMMUNICATIONS: Since the prior meeting, President Lagarde said she expects the ECB to raise the key ECB interest rates again in September after a 25bp hike in July, adding that the calibration of the September hike will depend on the updated medium-term inflation outlook. On fragmentation, Reuters sources suggested that the President told EZ Finance Ministers that the goal of anti-fragmentation is not to close spreads. but to normalise spreads. In terms of the hawk-dove divide at the Bank, Germany’s Nagel warned the ECB against lowering borrowing costs for the Eurozone’s southern members, stating that the focus should be on fighting off inflation, which may require more rate hikes than now projected. Nagel is of the view that the anti-fragmentation tool should only be activated in exceptional circumstances with narrowly defined conditions and duration. Latvia’s Kazaks has suggested that a 25bps hike in July and 50bps in September is the base case, but it is worth looking at 50bps in July. At the other end of the spectrum, Italy’s Panetta has continued to stress that normalisation should be gradual, adding that the surge in inflation does not reflect excess demand in the Eurozone. Furthermore, Panetta notes that the anti-fragmentation tool is needed for  the ECB to hit its mandate. Elsewhere, Greece’s Stournaras has stated that he sees no signs of second-round effects in the Eurozone. On the FX rate, France’s Villeroy has stated that the ECB watches the EUR closely as it is important for prices, adding that it is not the EUR that is weak, but the USD that is strong. These comments (13th July) were later followed up by a statement from an ECB spokesperson noting that “we are always attentive to the impact of the FX rate on inflation, with our mandate for price stability. ECB does not target a particular exchange rate”.

    RATES: Analysts surveyed by Reuters (8th-15th July) look for the ECB to hike the deposit, main refi and marginal lending rates by 25bps to -0.25%, 0.25% and 0.5% respectively. In terms of the breakdown of analyst views for the deposit rate, all 63 analysts expect the Bank to move on rates with 62/63 looking for a 25bps hike and just one looking for a larger hike of 50bps. This view appeared to be relatively well cemented given how explicit ECB comms had been over the possibility of a 25bps move for the upcoming meeting. However, source reporting by Reuters and Bloomberg has revealed that policymakers are now set to debate the possibility of a 25bps or 50bps hike at the upcoming meeting. In terms of market pricing, at the start of the week 33bps of tightening was factored in, which implied that a 25bps hike was fully priced with a 32% chance of a 50bps hike. Following the aforementioned reporting, this has now risen to a 60% chance. Reporting has suggested that the Governing Council could be granted cover to shift away from its prior guidance given comments by President Lagarde on June 28th that there are “clearly conditions in which  gradualism would not be appropriate”. That said, it remains to be seen whether or not there is sufficient support for a 50bps move on the Governing Council. Some desks suggest that a 50bps move would make sense given that the Bank is already clearly behind other major central banks in their effort to tame inflation and a 25bps hike seems relatively minor compared to the magnitude of some of the ECB’s peers. ING believes there is a small chance of a 50bps move this week given that some members already wanted to commence the hiking cycle in June. Furthermore, by the time of the September meeting, policymakers could be “looking a recession into the eyes”, which would be an unconventional time to increase the pace of hikes. Also, the recent weakening of the EUR could bolster the case for a 50bps move, albeit Rabobank is of the view that it is doubtful whether such a move would provide much in the way of support for the EUR at this current juncture. Rabobank also makes the point that if the ECB does unveil its ‘Transmission Protection Mechanism’ this month, it could move by 50bps to get the hawks on board. However, Rabo believes that the ECB would prefer to wait and see how its new instrument is received by markets before moving by larger increments. Looking beyond the upcoming meeting, a 50bps hike is fully priced in for September with the year-end deposit rate seen rising to 1% which would imply 75bps of tightening beyond September.

    BALANCE SHEET: After offering no fresh guidance at the June meeting on how it could deal with the issue of market fragmentation as it commences its rate hiking cycle, the ECB was forced to carry out an ad-hoc meeting to address the matter. At which, policymakers decided to flexibly reinvest redemptions from PEPP whilst mandating staff to accelerate the completion of an anti-fragmentation tool. In the aftermath of the meeting, reporting via Reuters suggested that the bond scheme would come with loose conditions and aimed at bringing yield spreads back into line with fundamentals. It was also later reported that officials were unsure whether or not the size or duration of such a bond-buying scheme would be announced. One argument for announcing the size would be that it could help show the ECB’s commitment to avoiding fragmentation, whilst not being seen as giving governments a blank cheque. That said, if the number underwhelmed, it could place pressure on bond markets. Note, any purchases under such a tool would likely be sterilised whereby the scheme could be paired with auctions aimed at draining cash from the banking system. On July 7th it was reported that the new tool would be named the Transmission Protection Mechanism (TPM), however, a lot of
    work was still yet to be done and it was uncertain if it would arrive in time for July. More recently (19th July) reporting from Reuters has suggested that conditionality for the tool could “include the targets set by the Commission for securing money from the European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility as well as the Stability and Growth Pact”, whilst some wanted involvement from the ESM, but this option was now likely discarded. Note, it remains to be seen whether or not the tool will be announced at the upcoming meeting with President Lagarde reportedly “redoubling efforts to get a deal done”. Should the tool be unveiled at the upcoming meeting, analysts at ING highlight that the main issues would be “how to define a ‘neutral’ or ‘economically justified’ spread, the size of such a tool and the degree of conditionality”.  However, a mere “whatever it takes” pledge could present optics that “such a commitment when starting a rate hiking cycle is like hitting the brakes and the accelerator simultaneously“. From a rates perspective, it is likely that hawks would try and negotiate a more aggressive hiking cycle if the conditionality of the TPM is seen to be generous to southern nations. On which, investors will be mindful of the recent political turmoil in Italy, which, at the time of writing could see current PM Draghi leave government and possibly trigger early elections. The prospect of such an outcome has seen the IT/GE 10yr spread widen to in excess of 230bps from sub-200bps levels at the beginning of the month. Given the clear impact of domestic politics on the spread in this instance, there is likely to be increasing tensions between southern and northern nations on the conditionality and implementation of the tool than there otherwise would have been. If the conditionality is perceived to be too strict as a result, it may fail to act as a deterrent for spread-widening.

    Finally, in terms of the market reaction, ING writes markets – by a small majority – exect policymakers in Frankfurt to deliver the previously announced 25bp rate hike on Thursday and leave the door open for a 50bp increase in September (although it wouldn’t be a shock if the ECB goes all the way with 50). The overnight index swaps market is pricing in 30bp for this week and nearly 200bp of tightening by June 2023. The Bank’s message may fall slightly below market expectations, and trigger some dovish re-pricing across the EUR curve.

    The deployment of the anti-fragmentation tool will be all the more interesting as the recent Italian political crisis has increased the chances of a sharp re-widening of Italian sovereign spreads. Here, the details about the conditionality to access the anti-spread tool will be key and may drive part of the market’s reaction.

    ING identifies four different scenarios (with the second being its base case) and include its estimated impact on EUR/USD and German 10Y yields.

    The bank notes that while there is no doubt that the ECB is unhappy with the recent weakness of the euro – not only against the dollar, but on a trade-weighted basis – recent hawkish surprises by the ECB have, however, failed to offer sustained support to the euro, and a larger-than-expected move (a 50bp rate hike) or more hawkish-than-expected forward-looking language may fail to generate enough lift to the euro, a view shared by JPMorgan (which writes that gas supply concerns will undercut the euro, even if the ECB hikes interest rates by 50 basis points Thursday, as developments on Nord Stream 1 are likely to be “the single most important issue for FX markets this week” and A 50bp ECB hike wouldn’t support the common currency if it’s followed by curtailed gas supplies).

    This is especially due to the mounting downside risks in the eurozone, mostly related to the threat of a gas supply crunch in the coming months (or during winter) and more recently about Italy falling back into political uncertainty.

     

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 22:20

  • "Its Critical": Police Departments Across US Struggling With Staffing Shortages
    “Its Critical”: Police Departments Across US Struggling With Staffing Shortages

    After years of supporting BLM activists who succeeded in defunding police departments in major American cities, CNN is now reporting that there are ‘critical staffing shortages’ in precincts across the country.

    Police departments from Atlanta to Kansas City to Portland are coping with critical staffing shortages and struggling to fill their ranks from patrol officers to 911 operators, as the warm weather historically portends bursts of violence in many parts of the United States. -CNN

    “The people (who) work here are working long hours, extra overtime to cover other shifts,” said Kansas City Police Interim Chief Joseph Maybin. “But we have to have someone answering the call. We have to have someone dispatching otherwise we can’t get officers to people. It’s critical.”

    “We’re stretched thin,” Maybin added – while dealing with a shortage of around 100 crucial non-law enforcement positions such as 911 dispatchers, mechanics and analysts, as well as more than 200 officers. “But the one thing that we can’t take away from is … emergency response.”

    Meanwhile, Dallas is down around 550 officers, Portland needs 100 more, and Seattle’s shortage of officers has led to the reassignment of detectives from sexual assaults to fill gaps in other areas.

    On Monday, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown asked for the city’s “continued support and prayers” after the department’s third suicide of an officer in the last month.
     
    Brown also addressed concerns over the department’s canceling of days off during the summer, noting that “historically the most violent weekends of the year” in the city have been Memorial Day, Father’s Day, July Fourth and Labor Day weekends. -CNN

    As Michael Shellenberger wrote last Novermber; In response to anti-police protests, many officers quit, resulting in shortages and a spike in avoidable deaths, from homicides to heart attacks, of innocents…

    Before a vaccine mandate took 100 police officers off the street in mid-October, the Seattle police department was short at least 400 police officers to be at the minimum considered necessary to protect public safety. Why is that?

    The overwhelming and unavoidable reason is anti-police protests by Black Lives Matter activists. This happened nationwide, but was worse in Seattle, where Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and progressive members of the Seattle City Council allowed anarchists to briefly take over the downtown Capitol Hill neighborhood in the summer of 2020. Durkan did so to show solidarity with anti-police protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis.

    The anti-police protests in Seattle were surprising because in 2018 the City Council had hired a black woman, Carmen Best, for the first time to serve as the city’s police chief. Best opened up for the first time about what happened last summer in an interview with me for my book, “San Fransicko,” earlier this year. Best is also one of the candidates NYC’s Mayor-Elect Eric Adams is considering for NYPD Commissioner.

    “I refuse to work for this socialist City Council and their political agenda,” said one officer. “It ultimately will destroy the fabric of this once fine city.” Another said the city’s progressive City Council “will be the downfall of the city of Seattle.” 

    *  *  *

    To entice more people to join the force, police departments have started offering bonuses to new officers, as well as ‘educational stipends’ and other incentives to current members.

    “I’m looking for 250 officers and we’re finding them. People are answering the call,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “They’re saying they want to serve their city.”

    A June 2021 national survey found a 45% increase in retirements and an 18% jump in resignations over the previous year. And with the average new officer requiring an 8-month training program before they can patrol the streets alone, it will take years to fill the officer shortfall across the country.

    The reasons for the recruitment and retention crisis are attributable to “multiple social, political, and economic forces,” including generational differences, negative perceptions of policing and the long hiring process of many agencies, according to a September 2019 survey by the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
     
    additionally, low pay and the so-called great resignation — in which workers voluntarily left their jobs in unprecedented numbers after the pandemic — hit policing as it did other professions. -CNN
    “Things will not be perfect tomorrow,” said Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas. “We will not have enough officers tomorrow. What we can let people know … (is that) we’re responding to 911 calls for service. We’re continuing to try to prioritize the best ways that we can help prevent crime throughout our city. But more than anything, that we need to all try to make sure we’re helping other folks know that policing is a good path.”

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 22:00

  • NBA Champion Says He Regrets Getting COVID-19 Vaccine
    NBA Champion Says He Regrets Getting COVID-19 Vaccine

    Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    Golden State Warriors forward and NBA Champion Andrew Wiggins suggested he regrets getting the COVID-19 vaccine during the 2021–2022 season, even though he won a championship.

    “I still wish I didn’t get it (the vaccinate), to be honest with you,” Wiggins, 27, told FanSided this week.

    Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors poses for a portrait during the Golden State Warriors Media Day at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. on Sept. 27, 2021. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

    Wiggins said that the only way he would be able to play last season is if he got the shot due to San Francisco’s COVID-19 rules around vaccines. Throughout the season, he refused to get the shot and claimed a religious exemption before he was ultimately denied and had to receive the vaccine in October in order to play.

    “I did it,” he said, referring to getting the shot. “And I was an All-Star this year and champion, so that was the good part, just not missing out on the year, the best year of my career,” Wiggins added, but he stated that he was forced to get the shot against his will.

    “But for my body, I just don’t like putting all that stuff in my body, so I didn’t like that. … It wasn’t my choice. I didn’t like that it was either get this or don’t play,” Wiggins said.

    Wiggins previously said he is the only member of his family that received the COVID-19 vaccine, saying that “it’s not really something we believe in.”

    Other Players

    Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving, because he wouldn’t take the vaccine, was denied the ability to play for his team during home games throughout much of the season. Several months ago, New York City Mayor Eric Adams rolled back the city’s vaccination requirement for athletes, allowing him to play.

    Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) walks onto the court after a time-out during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Barclays Center. (Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)

    “I can really say that I stood firm on what I believed in, what I wanted to do with my body,” Irving told ESPN earlier this year. “I think that should be not just an American right, I think that should be a human right.”

    Irving added that “I was called so many different names. … It was part of a struggle of mine to look at the season, a game that I love—my job.”

    “I can’t even keep calling it a game, it’s my job—[for] that to be stripped away based on a mandate or something that was in place,” he said.

    Jonathan Isaac #1 of the Orlando Magic stands as others kneel before the start of a game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Orlando Magic on July 31, 2020. (Ashley Landis/Getty Images)

    The Orlando Magic’s Jonathan Isaac, meanwhile, similarly declined the vaccine, remarking that “it felt forced.”

    “Viewing it, it seemed forced,” Isaac said during an interview. “It seemed that there was so much pressure in doing it. I don’t see the wisdom in putting something into my body that’s not going to stop me from getting the virus or transmitting it. That is why I decided to be the only player on my team to not get vaccinated.”

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 21:40

  • Halliburton Warns Frack Growth "Almost Impossible" This Year
    Halliburton Warns Frack Growth “Almost Impossible” This Year

    Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is an oil extraction technique that involves high-pressure water blended with sand and chemicals, forced into underground rocks known as shale to capture oil and gas. The process was revolutionized by horizontal drilling in the 1980s and 2000s, transforming America into the world’s largest oil producer overnight. 

    American shale drillers have shown how quickly they can boost oil production over the years. But after several years of divestment and decarbonization, the days of fracking roaring back to life are over. 

    Halliburton Co.’s CEO Jeff Miller confirmed this to analysts during a conference call Tuesday. He said the oilfield equipment market is so tight that oil explorers are already discussing 2023 projects. 

    Miller said oil companies don’t have enough fracking equipment for newly leased wells this year. He said diesel-powered and electric equipment are in short supply, “making it almost impossible to add incremental capacity this year.” 

    This development is another setback for the Biden administration’s efforts to increase US oil production to ease the worst inflation in forty years ahead of the midterm elections in November. 

    A similar message was conveyed by Exxon Mobil, whose CEO said that global oil markets might remain tight for another three to five years primarily because of a lack of investment since the pandemic began.

    Chief executive Darren Woods said it’ll take time for oil firms to “catch up” on the investments needed to ensure enough supply.

    Back to the shale patch, where even if exploration companies were to obtain fracking equipment for drilling new or existing wells, the frack sand used to blast through shale rocks is in short supply across Texas.

    Russell Hardy, the CEO of the world’s largest independent oil merchant, Vitol, also believes oil prices will remain high because the market can’t see where additional supply is coming from to balance demand. 

    Meanwhile, Brent oil prices rose to $106 on Tuesday after President Biden returned from Saudi Arabia without an agreement on increasing output from OPEC+. 

    “The message is that it is OPEC+ that makes the oil supply decision, and the cartel isn’t remotely interested in what Biden is trying to achieve,” said Naeem Aslam, the chief market analyst at Avatrade.

    Neither US shale nor OPEC+ appears to be increasing output in the immediate future for their own respective reasons, indicating tight crude supplies will keep energy prices elevated and inflation high. 

    All the Biden administration can hope for now is a recession to curb consumer demand to rebalance markets. 

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 21:20

  • George Soros Gave $1 Million To Help Beto O'Rourke Unseat Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
    George Soros Gave $1 Million To Help Beto O’Rourke Unseat Texas Gov. Greg Abbott

    Authored by Caden Pearson via The Epoch Times,

    Left-wing Democrat mega donor George Soros has donated $1 million to help Beto O’Rourke’s efforts to unseat Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, filings show.

    Records filed with Texas Ethics Commission published Tuesday show the billionaire donated the sum to the Beto for Texas political action committee in June, according to The Hill. O’Rourke’s campaign confirmed the donation to the outlet.

    O’Rourke has benefited from laws in Texas that allow uncapped campaign donations. According to filings, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee has received a number of donations over six or seven figures.

    Soros, 91, frequently supports progressive causes. He has spent at least $40 million in support of liberal prosecutor candidates between 2014 and 2021, according to a report published by Virginia-based Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund.

    Additionally, the progressive investor gave more than $125 million to a Democrat-aligned super PAC to boost Democrat groups and candidates ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.

    Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) displays the “Beto Truth Response Unit” in Houston, June 16, 2022. The ambulance will follow his Democratic opponent on the campaign trail. (Darlene McCormick Sanchez/The Epoch Times)

    Soros handed over his donation to Democracy PAC, which he set up in 2019. Democracy PAC is his main political action committee to support Democrats in what was a “long-term investment” beyond the 2022 elections.

    He has also spent tens of millions of dollars funding media properties, including journalism schools and industry organizations, according to a report by the Media Research Center.

    Matt Palumbo, author of “The Man Behind the Curtain: Inside the Secret Network of George Soros,” said the billionaire funds many left-wing groups, media companies, and political candidates through his Open Society Foundation.

    Palumbo, during an interview for EpochTV’s “Facts Matter” program, also said Soros uses his influence to control what is written about him.

    Soros’s foundation claims to promote democracy and individualism, but in reality it supports a more radical agenda, said Palumbo.

    Abbott Leads O’Rourke

    According to a report by the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs, Abbott leads O’Rourke by 5 percent among likely voters (pdf).

    The report states that Abbott leads at 49 percent to O’Rourke’s 44 percent, with 5 percent undecided and 2 percent intending to vote for Libertarian Mark Tippetts.

    “More than nine out of 10 Abbott (95 percent) and O’Rourke (92 percent) voters are certain about their vote choice, while 5 percent and 8 percent indicate they might change their mind between now and November,” the report states.

    Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a press conference about the mass shooting at Uvalde High School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 27, 2022.(Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

    “Abbott holds a 27 percent (60 percent to 33 percent) lead over O’Rourke among white voters while O’Rourke holds a 72 percent (80 percent to 8 percent) lead over Abbott among Black voters, and a 9 percent (51 percent to 42 percent) lead among Latino voters.”

    Women prefer O’Rourke (6 percent) while Abbott outpaces O’Rourke with support of men (18 percent), according to the report.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 21:00

  • US Destroyer Enters China-Claimed Waters For 3rd Time In A Week Ahead Of Pelosi Taiwan Trip
    US Destroyer Enters China-Claimed Waters For 3rd Time In A Week Ahead Of Pelosi Taiwan Trip

    The USS Benfold has traversed China-claimed waters for the third time in a week, passing through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday after China complained about US Navy “illegal” maneuvers near islands under its control in the South China Sea.

    Beijing again blasted it as a serious “provocation” demonstrating that the US is a “destroyer of peace and stability” – in repetition of prior condemnations. It follows a more rare July 13 incident wherein the US destroyer entered waters off the Chinese military occupied Paracel Islands, and then last Saturday a sail-by of the Spratly Islands.

    US Navy image: Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG-65) on June 24, 2022

    The US Navy’s 7th Fleet again affirmed “commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” and that the US destroyer has challenged China’s “excessive maritime claims”. 

    A Navy spokesman, Lt. Nicholas Lingo Benfold, said the transit occurred “through a corridor in the strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state.”

    China in turn, said its Eastern Theater Command closely monitored the ship’s movement, citing “risks” to Chinese national security:

    “The frequent provocations and showing-off by the US fully demonstrate that the US is the destroyer of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the creator of security risks in the Taiwan Strait,” said Col. Shi Yi, spokesman for the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command.

    “The theater troops maintain high alert at all times and will resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

    The Navy’s interpretation is that it never violated the 12 nautical miles extending from China’s coastline; however, Beijing has over the last month begun openly questioning to US officials that the “international waters” designation doesn’t apply to the strait (given Chinese claims over the island of Taiwan).

    “Chinese officials have made such remarks repeatedly in meetings with US counterparts in recent months,” Bloomberg reported in June. The international legal status of the passageway wasn’t previously center of debate as it is now:

    While China regularly protests US military moves in the Taiwan Strait, the legal status of the waters previously wasn’t a regular talking point in meetings with American officials.

    Looming large in the background of all this is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s reported upcoming trip to Taiwan. Though not “official” yet, Politico and others are citing sources who say the trip will happen in August, after in April she canceled last minute, reportedly over a Covid diagnosis.

    Chinese state pundits are saying this alone could be the spark that ignites war…

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    Beijing is further demanding that the Biden administration cancel a proposed 5th arms package for Taiwan, announced worth an estimated $108 million, saying it violates the One China principle and risks dangerous escalation.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 20:40

  • Oath Keepers Seek Trial Delay Due To "Slurs" And "Outrageous Claims" From House Jan 6 Committee
    Oath Keepers Seek Trial Delay Due To “Slurs” And “Outrageous Claims” From House Jan 6 Committee

    Authored by Joseph Hanneman via The Epoch Times,

    A group of Oath Keepers defendants has renewed a call for a change of venue or a trial delay due to “undeniable prejudice” from the negative publicity generated by the House January 6 Select Committee.

    A motion (pdf) filed in U.S. District Court ripped the work of the Jan. 6 Select Committee as “highly inflammatory and prejudicial” for peddling “outrageous claims” about the Oath Keepers and defendants in the Jan. 6 prosecution.

    “The Rhodes defendants renew their request for a change of venue in this matter or, in the alternative, to continue the current trial date until 2023 based upon the undeniable prejudice that exists in this District’s jury pool following recent congressional hearings,” the motion reads, referring to Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes III.

    District Judge Amit Mehta previously denied an Oath Keepers motion to change the trial venue from Washington D.C. to Virginia.

    “These hearings—particularly the most recent one—have caused irreparable harm to the ability of the Rhodes defendants to obtain a fair trial in the District,” the motion said.

    A televised Select Committee hearing on July 12 focused heavily on the Oath Keepers and made a range of accusations against the group. This included assertions not made in any charging documents from the criminal case.

    Deny ‘Outrageous Claims’

    The motion was particularly critical of Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland), who said the Oath Keepers are “extremists who promote a wide range of conspiracy theories and sought to act as a private paramilitary force for Donald Trump.”

    Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes III previously said the Jan. 6 Select Committee is not looking for truth. (Epoch TV)

    In his opening statement at the hearing, Raskin contended that the events of Jan. 6, 2021, were perpetrated by “the dangerous extremists in the Oath Keepers, the Proud Boys and other far-right racist and white nationalist groups spoiling for a fight.”

    “To be clear, the Rhodes defendants dispute Raskin’s outrageous claims,” the motion said.

    “They dispute that they are ‘racists,’ ‘white supremacists,’ or ‘domestic extremists.’ They dispute that they had an alliance with the Proud Boys to attack the Capitol. They dispute that there was a plan to attack the Capitol. They dispute that there was an ‘insurrection’ on J6.”

    A superseding indictment filed on June 22 in Washington D.C. federal court accuses Rhodes and eight others of a variety of January 6-related crimes, including seditious conspiracy, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, civil disorder, and destruction of government property. The first group of Oath Keepers is scheduled for trial on Sept. 26.

    Defendants include Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins, Roberto Minuta, Joseph Hackett, David Moerschel, Thomas Caldwell, and Edward Vallejo. They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    ‘False and Incendiary’ Testimony

    The motion disputed “false and incendiary” testimony given at the July 12 hearing by Jason Van Tatenhove, a one-time spokesman for the Oath Keepers.

    Van Tatenhove claimed the Oath Keepers are a “violent militia” and a “very dangerous organization,” the motion said. Van Tatenhove claimed former President Donald Trump was “communicating, whether directly or indirectly” with Rhodes. The motion said Van Tatenhove has had no contact with Rhodes for five years.

    “Van Tatenhove’s claim that the Oath Keepers intended to start a ‘bloody revolution’ on J6 is now seared into the minds of the District’s jury pool as fact,” said the motion, written by attorney David Fischer. “Additionally, a two-minute search of his Twitter account reveals that Van Tatenhove is a staunch left-wing activist tied to causes such as gun control, feminism, and climate change, and who regularly does a ‘counter-culture’ podcast.”

    Former Oath Keepers member Jason Van Tatenhoven testifies before the Jan. 6 Select Committee on July 12, 2022. (Select Committee/YouTube)

    Van Tatenhove has admitted he joined the Oath Keepers so he could write a book about the organization, the motion said. He is selling an audiobook on the Oath Keepers, the document said.

    “Yet the D.C. jury pool knows none of this discrediting information, or even that Van Tatenhove has publicly claimed to have had multiple encounters with UFOs,” the motion read.

    The House committee’s meetings are not truly hearings, the motion said, because witnesses are not subjected to cross-examination and evidence includes “carefully edited excerpts” from videos and depositions.

    “The Committee’s witnesses are asked leading questions or questions to which the answer is clearly already known,” the motion said, “however, the Committee does not subject the witnesses to cross-examination nor does it even attempt to provide mitigation, context, or other information that might produce a neutralized or mitigated version.”

    ‘Likely Inadmissable’

    Oath Keepers defense attorneys also took aim at federal prosecutors for publicly filing a motion containing “incendiary, dubious spin” on “likely inadmissible evidence.”

    In a motion filed July 8, prosecutors said they will offer evidence that Oath Keepers member Jeremy Brown brought explosives to the area on January 6. Brown is not part of the Rhodes criminal case. Brown has said he was charged with January 6 crimes because he refused an FBI attempt to recruit him as an informant.

    Prosecutors also alleged that defendant Caldwell kept a “death list” of Georgia election officials. The motion said that the document “is not a ‘list’ but, rather, a doodle pad where the words ‘death list’ are written separate and apart from, and in different ink than, the names of Georgia election workers.”

    The January 6 Select Committee said it plans to release more than 1,000 transcripts of interviews and depositions from its investigation. “While a portion of the transcripts to be released by the committee will have no relevance to the Rhodes defendants, defense counsel predict that many transcripts will be highly relevant and potentially exculpatory in nature,” the motion said.

    The motion cited a delay granted to a group of Proud Boys defendants in June because of potential adverse effects from the Select Committee’s hearings. That trial was moved to December.

    “…Tuesday’s hearing generated a mountain of prejudicial press coverage that has served to prejudice further an already heavily biased jury pool,” the filing said. “Moreover, the committee will be holding an additional hearing and intends to issue a detailed report in September which, again, will thrust J6 and the prejudicial assertions about the Oath Keepers back into the spotlight, just before a jury is to be picked.”

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 20:20

  • 200 Million Americans Facing Brutal Heat Raises Alarm Over Power Grid Stability
    200 Million Americans Facing Brutal Heat Raises Alarm Over Power Grid Stability

    According to The Weather Channel, more than 200 million Americans will experience temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit through the end of the week. 

    At least 105 million people in 28 states across the Central and Northeast US are under heat advisories or warnings.

    “Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories are in effect this morning throughout 28 states, stretching from California to New Hampshire. High temperatures into the 90s and 100s will increase the risk of heat related illnesses,” the National Weather Service said. 

    Metro areas like Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa could be much hotter than the rest of the country. The three could record temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit. 

    “Another day of exceptional heat lies ahead with triple-digit highs forecast for all of North and Central Texas,” NWS in Fort Worth wrote in a weather note. 

    So what’s behind the scorching hot temperatures? We told readers two weeks ago that a strong heat dome was stuck over Central US, baking tens of millions of people in above-normal to new record high temperatures. Now the heat dome is broadening, headed to the Mid-Atlantic and North East. 

    The Washington–Baltimore metropolitan area to New York could see the hottest weather all summer this week. 

    With two-thirds of the country facing extreme heat, cooling demand is surging, which could strain power grids across the country. Texas has asked customers to restrict power usage several times, and factories have dialed back production to conserve power. 

    Natural gas futures jumped as high as 10% to $8/mmbtu on Nymex as millions of households and businesses turned down their thermostats, fueling demand for power-plant fuel.

    Before summer, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, a regulatory body that manages grid stability, released an alarming report about increasing heatwaves and risks of rolling blackouts across the country. 

    Will America’s power grids survive this brutal summer? 

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 20:00

  • ESG Funds Are Quietly Buying Oil Stocks
    ESG Funds Are Quietly Buying Oil Stocks

    By Tim Quinson, Bloomberg ESG reporter and analyst

    Managers of environmental, social and governance funds are starting to shift a larger portion of their assets to oil and gas producers, especially in Europe.

    European-based ESG equity funds have been increasing their investments in energy companies, including Shell Plc, Repsol SA, Aker BP ASA and Neste Oyj, according to analysts at Bank of America Corp. About 6% of the funds invested in Shell this year, compared with none in 2021.

    The allocations are driven by the outperformance of fossil-fuel stocks — the S&P 500 Energy Index is up 30% this year — along with optimism that the world’s biggest oil and gas companies will spend more to make the transition to cleaner energy.

    Shell, TotalEnergies SE and Equinor ASA are among the companies that have evaluated the suitability of European utilities for takeovers, according to people familiar with the matter. Potential targets include some of the region’s largest wind and solar producers, such as Iberdrola SA, Orsted A/S and SSE Renewables Ltd.

    The Robeco QI Emerging Conservative Equities fund, which adheres to Article 8 of the EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, holds shares of carbon-intensive companies China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) and PetroChina Co.

    Managers of the $2.2 billion fund justify those holdings based on their three-year plan to actively encourage Sinopec and PetroChina to boost their sustainability performance. If that engagement works, Robeco says it will raise its equity position in each of the companies. If not, it probably will divest.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 19:40

  • First Responders At Fatal PA Tesla Wreck Disassemble Vehicle Before Moving It "To Avoid Electrocution"
    First Responders At Fatal PA Tesla Wreck Disassemble Vehicle Before Moving It “To Avoid Electrocution”

    Yet another day, yet another Tesla wreck – the latest comes from Pine Township, PA, north of the Pittsburgh suburbs. 

    A local doctor was killed on the 300 block of Wexford Bayne Road in the township last weekend after the Tesla they were driving “hit a mailbox, went airborne and then landed, overturning into a creek in nearby woods,” according to 11 News. 

    The doctor who was killed was a passenger at the time of the accident. 

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    Perhaps just as alarming as the crash were first responders’ reactions in dealing with the electric vehicle, which had been badly mangled due to the wreck.

    The report says it took two hours for a towing company to get the car out of the ditch and that crews had to disassemble the car before removing it, in order to avoid electrocution. 

    As of right now, speed is listed as a “contributing factor” in the crash, but no further details have become available. Local reporting from 11 News on the wreck can be viewed at the embedded video at this link. 

    We will update this story as developments occur…

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 19:20

  • Current Flu Season More Severe Than COVID: Australian State Premier
    Current Flu Season More Severe Than COVID: Australian State Premier

    Authored by Rebecca Zhu via The Epoch Times,

    New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet has called for a reduction in the seven-day isolation period adding that the winter influenza virus currently posed a bigger issue than COVID-19.

    “In many cases at the moment, the current strand of influenza is more severe than the current strands of COVID,” the premier told 2GB radio.

    He later added that the state was currently experiencing “one of the worst flu seasons we’ve ever had” and urged people to get a flu shot.

    Perrottet also advocated for reducing the mandatory isolation period after a person tests positive for COVID-19, noting that health advice states COVID will remain for at least a “couple of years.”

    “So in those circumstances, we need to look at isolation requirements in a way that puts downward still maintains downward pressure on our health system,” he said.

    The premier said considerations for other competing health issues, educational outcomes, and opportunities to go to work also need to be balanced as the country moves to the next phase of the pandemic.

    In response, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was “not the time” to for the changing of the COVID-19 isolation period.

    “Well, we had that discussion. And the advice that is there from the chief medical officer, Professor [Paul] Kelly, was that now is certainly not the time for that to be reconsidered,” Albanese told FiveAA radio.

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (L) and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet meet with emergency response leaders at the NSW Rural Fire Service headquarters in Homebush Bay in Sydney, Australia, on July 6, 2022. (James Brickwood-Pool/Getty Images)

    Returned Pandemic Leave Payments

    The comments come after the prime minister capitulated to reinstate pandemic leave payments that originally ended on June 30.

    “I want to make sure that people aren’t left behind, that vulnerable people are looked after, and that no one is faced with the unenviable choice of not being able to isolate properly without losing an income and without being put in a situation that is very difficult,” Albanese told reporters on July 16.

    Treasurer Jim Chalmers defended the extension of the program after the federal government previously ruled it out due to budget pressures.

    He said the decision was made due to a change in health advice following a new wave of COVID-19 cases.

    The payment scheme will be funded in a 50-50 split between state and federal governments.

    There are also renewed calls for the return of mask mandates, however, the prime minister previously indicated that it would be up to the discretion of the states.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 19:00

  • Feds Eye Criminal Charges For Hunter Biden As Probe Reaches 'Critical Stage'
    Feds Eye Criminal Charges For Hunter Biden As Probe Reaches ‘Critical Stage’

    The Department of Justice is weighing possible charges against Hunter Biden, after investigations into his business dealings and false statements involving his purchase of a gun have reached a ‘critical juncture,’ CNN (!?) reports.

    Sources say that the probe has intensified in recent months ‘with discussions among Delaware-based prosecutors, investigators running the probe and officials at Justice Department headquarters.’

    While no final decision has been made, the possibility of dropping charges on Hunter would put a longstanding guideline to avoid bringing politically sensitive cases close to an election.

    Discussions recently have centered around possibly bringing charges that could include alleged tax violations and making a false statement in connection with Biden’s purchase of a firearm at a time he would have been prohibited from doing so because of his acknowledged struggles with drug addiction.

    …

    Adding to the pressure, Republicans in Congress have already announced that if they take over the House of Representatives after the midterm elections, they plan to launch new investigations and hold hearings to examine the conduct of Hunter Biden and others in the Biden family. -CNN

    The debate over whether to bring the case this close to midterms has revolved around the fact that Joe Biden isn’t on the ballot. 

    While the DOJ probe initially focused on Hunter Biden’s financial and business activities in foreign countries while his father was vice president, investigators had expanded the scope to include whether Hunter and associates violated money laundering, campaign finance, tax and foreign lobbying laws – and whether he broke federal firearm and other regulations, according to multiple sources.

    These matters have been narrowed down to tax and gun-related charges – which means the Biden family will likely be shielded from scrutiny over improper business dealings which leveraged Joe Biden’s position of power – and which Joe Biden provably lied about discussing with Hunter.

    So Hunter gets a pass on all this?

    In March, CBS News‘ Catherine Herridge reported that two associates of the younger Biden testified before a grand jury last fall about a shady, now-bankrupt Chinese energy company linked to the infamous “10 for the big guy” from Hunter’s emails.

    “Federal officials are looking at his foreign business dealings, including his ties to a Chinese energy company,” said “CBS Mornings” host Tony Dokoupil.

    “The investigation began as a tax inquiry years ago and has expanded into a federal probe involving the FBI and IRS,” Herridge added. “A source familiar with the investigation now tells CBS News, two men who worked with Hunter Biden when his father was Vice President were called to the grand jury last fall.”

    According to records reviewed by CBS along with congressional documents, the feds are looking at “multiple financial transactions involving an energy company called CEFC. Republicans accuse the business of being an arm of the Chinese government. In 2017, the year Joe Biden left the Vice Presidency, a $1 million retainer was signed with a Chinese energy company for Hunter Biden’s services as a lawyer.

    His client, a CEFC official, Patrick Ho, was later convicted on international bribery and money laundering charges on unrelated work in Africa.”

    For those who’ve been keeping up with our reporting since October 2020 when the Hunter Biden laptop story broke (and was immediately suppressed by the media), CEFC was the company that the Bidens allegedly accepted a $5 million interest-free loan that enraged their business partner, Tony Bobulinski – who flipped on the Bidens following a Senate report which revealed the $5 million ‘loan.’

    According to the former Biden insider, he was introduced to Joe Biden by Hunter, and they had an hour-long meeting where they discussed the Biden’s business plans with the Chinese, with which he says Joe was “plainly familiar at least at a high level.”

    Text messages from Bobulinski also reveal an effort to conceal Joe Biden’s involvement in Hunter’s business dealings, while Tony has also confirmed that the “Big guy” described in a leaked email is none other than Joe Biden himself.

     “You can imagine my shock when reading the report yesterday put out by the Senate committee.  The fact that you and HB were lying to Rob, James and I while accepting $5 MM from Cefc is infuriating,” wrote Bobulinski to Jim Biden. (Via the Daily Caller‘s Chuck Ross):

    CEFC was paying Hunter $850,00 per year according to an email from Biden business associate James Gilliar to Bobulinksi – which is also the source of the “10 held by H for the big guy” email.

    Emails obtained by the New York Post show that Hunter “pursued lucrative deals involving China’s largest private energy company — including one that he said would be “interesting for me and my family.”” according to the report.

    You can read more on Hunter and the CEFC here. As an aside, but of course not coincidental we’re sure, the Clinton Foundation accepted a donation between $50,001 and $100,000 from CEFC.

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    But yes, let’s focus on Hunter’s tax evasion and gun issues.

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    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 18:51

  • Biden Approval Rating Hits New All-Time Low Of 31%, Now 'Underwater' With Own Party
    Biden Approval Rating Hits New All-Time Low Of 31%, Now ‘Underwater’ With Own Party

    Just when you thought President Joe Biden’s approval rating couldn’t get any worse, a new Quinnipac University poll released Wednesday reveals it’s dropped to all-time lows, 71% of voters don’t want him to run again in 2024 – including a majority of Democrats (54%). 

    Comparatively speaking, 60% of voters don’t want to see former President Donald Trump run again, though this figure includes just 27% of Republicans.

    Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy stated alongside the polling results, “There’s scant enthusiasm for a replay of either a Trump or Biden presidency. But while Trump still holds sway on his base, President Biden is underwater when it comes to support from his own party.“

    When asked if the election were held today which party the voters would like to see control the U.S. House of Representatives, they were torn between parties with a roughly 50-50 split. –Fox News

    Just 28% of those polled said they approve of Biden’s handling of the economy, with 66% disapproving. 

    The top concern among Americans, as with most recent polls, has been inflation – which is currently at a 40-year high of 9.1%.

    And when one looks at an aggregate of polls from RealClear Politics, it’s abundantly clear that Biden is absolutely cratering here.

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    Perhaps Biden’s gaffes (or accidental truth-telling) should be of greater concern as well – as the 79-year-old president said on Wednesday that he has cancer because his mother used windshield wipers to remove oil from their car’s windshield.

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    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 18:40

  • Battery Replacement Of Family's EV Ford Focus Would Cost More Than Car Itself
    Battery Replacement Of Family’s EV Ford Focus Would Cost More Than Car Itself

    Authored by Lorenz Duschamps via The Epoch Times,

    A Florida family who just a few months ago purchased a battery-powered vehicle learned an unforgettable lesson after their car suddenly stopped working.

    The parents of Avery Siwinski, a 17-year-old of St. Petersburg, spent $11,000 on a used 2014 Ford Focus Electric that had 60,000 miles at the time it was bought, WTSP-TV reported.

    “In March, it started giving an alert,” Siwinski told the network.

    “And then we took it to the shop and it stopped running.”

    After taking the car to a local Ford dealership, the family learned that the mechanical issues were linked to the vehicle’s battery, which apparently needed to be replaced.

    The repair bill for the battery was a whopping $14,000, said Siwinski’s grandfather, who stepped in to help her with the car problems because her father passed away in June due to cancer.

    He also noted that the figure presented by mechanics wasn’t even the total, as it didn’t include labor costs.

    However, the family found out that all the hustle they went through was in vain, as there weren’t any batteries of that type available anymore because the Ford model is discontinued.

    “Then we found out the batteries aren’t even available,” Siwinski said.

    “So it didn’t matter. They could cost twice as much and we still couldn’t get it.”

    The family shared the story to issue a warning to people who were thinking about buying an electric vehicle.

    “If you’re buying a new one, you have to realize there is no second-hand market right now because the manufacturers are not supporting the cars,” Siwinski’s grandfather told WTSP-TV.

    According to a recent Consumer Reports survey, the vast majority of the driving public in the United States prefers to use traditional gas-powered vehicles, citing charging logistics, driving distance, and maintenance costs as the biggest reasons why they wouldn’t want to own an electric car.

    Meanwhile, a recent report from data analysis and advisory firm J.D. Power found that electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids may have more problems than internal combustion engines.

    While internal combustion engine vehicles averaged 175 problems per 100 vehicles, this jumped to 239 among plug-in hybrids and 240 among electric vehicles, a June 28 press release of the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Initial Quality Study stated. Lower scores represent higher-quality vehicles.

    Tesla models, which were included in the industry calculation for the first time, averaged 226 problems per 100 vehicles, according to the report.

    “Automakers continue to launch vehicles that are more and more technologically complex in an era in which there have been many shortages of critical components to support them,” said David Amodeo, director of global automotive at J.D. Power, according to the press release.

    Amid elevated gas prices, White House officials have continued to suggest that Americans buy an electric car as Republicans have criticized the Biden administration’s policies for the spike in gas prices.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 18:20

  • Russia Declares War Goals Have Expanded After West Pumped More Arms Into Ukraine
    Russia Declares War Goals Have Expanded After West Pumped More Arms Into Ukraine

    With the Donbas region now largely under control of Russian forces five months into the invasion… is Moscow setting its sights on the rest of Ukraine? It appears this could be the case, based on provocative Wednesday remarks by Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, captured in a fresh FT report.

    “Russia’s foreign minister said Moscow had expanded its war aims for its invasion of Ukraine, the strongest sign yet that it seeks to annex parts of the country currently under its control,” FT introduces, citing that:

    Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that Russia’s goals were more ambitious than Moscow had declared at the start of the war in February, when it claimed its goal was to “liberate” the eastern Donbas border region. Moscow’s war aims now extend to the provinces of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, which are mostly occupied by Russian forces, Lavrov said.

    Source: EPA/Shutterstock

    Lavrov also said a “number of other territories” are additionally included in the new war aims, though without naming them.

    President Vladimir Putin and his top generals within the opening two months of the war made it clear that a central goal was to “liberate” the Donbas region, but speculation has since abounded over whether the Kremlin would keep going beyond this territory.

    Some political analysts in the West – the University of Chicago’s John Mearsheimer foremost among them – have stated their belief that Moscow initially sought to limit operations to the East, in defense of the pro-Russian breakaway republics; however, Mearsheimer has argued that many variables have likely caused Putin to expand beyond these initial goals. Chief among the battlefield variables remains Washington and the West’s continually escalating involvement, especially in weapons shipments – including longer range missile systems.

    Lavrov alluded to this in his Wednesday comments, “If the west continues to pump Ukraine full of weaponry out of impotent rage or a desire to exacerbate the situation [ . . .] then that means our geographical tasks will move even further from the current line,” he said.

    The conditional, ‘warning message’ nature of his wording suggests that the Kremlin may not have extended the goal posts just yet. Lavrov referenced that the conflict is “an ongoing process” during the statements.

    On Tuesday a White House statement condemned what it called Russia’s “annexation playbook” amid reports the Kremlin is installing pro-Russian officials and administrations in towns and cities now under its control. Russian media has also previewed potential “referendums” in these territories akin to Crimea in 2014.

    And on Wednesday the Pentagon confirmed it is sending Ukraine four more High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) as part the next round of security assistance, according to the words of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

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    Thus the ongoing proxy war looks to grow hotter in at least the near term before any possibility of compromise is taken seriously by either side. The Ukrainian government responded to Lavrov’s latest words by reasserting that it will not sit down with the Russians at the negotiating table. “Russians want blood, not talks,” FM Dmytro Kuleba said, and urged yet more sanctions, more pressure to ramp up on Moscow from the West.

    Tyler Durden
    Wed, 07/20/2022 – 18:00

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