Today’s News 27th October 2023

• Antiviral Drug May Shorten COVID-19-Induced Loss Of Taste And Smell
  Antiviral Drug May Shorten COVID-19-Induced Loss Of Taste And Smell

  Authored by Mary Gillis via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

  New data suggest scientists have discovered a medication first designed to treat COVID-19 may also lessen the time it takes for two common symptoms of the disease: loss of taste and smell—to disappear.

  

  The oral antiviral drug ensitrelvir (brand name Xocova) was granted a Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be investigated as a potential treatment for COVID-19 in April. Soon after, results from randomized clinical trials published in Clinical Infectious Diseases showed ensitrelvir was safe, effective, and successful in suppressing viral replication in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

  Ensitrelvir is now gaining traction as a potential solution to address COVID-19’s symptoms of loss of taste and smell—two sensory problems that can linger for up to years after the acute infection has subsided. The drug’s multipurpose use is based on the results of a study by researchers from the drug’s co-developer, pharmaceutical giant Shionogi Inc., a United States subsidiary of Shionogi & Co. Ltd. based in Osaka, Japan.

  Ensitrelvir Improves Taste and Smell Symptoms

  In a poster presentation, Shionogi presented data demonstrating that patients given ensitrelvir within three days of the onset of symptoms may have benefited from the medication by preventing or reducing the loss of taste and smell. Researchers also presented their analysis of the phase 2/3 clinical study results, showing a “significantly smaller proportion of patients had taste disorder or smell disorder on Day 7 when treated with 125 [milligrams] of ensitrelvir versus a placebo,” according to a news release.

  “As an investigator who has evaluated both clinical data and real-world experience with ensitrelvir, I am optimistic about its potential to become an important tool in managing the unpredictability of COVID-19,” said Dr. Yohei Doi, a professor of medicine at Fujita Health University in Japan, said in the news release. “The new data … offer another reason to have confidence in this investigational agent and its potential to be a meaningful treatment option for patients.”

  The findings were presented in Boston at the October 2023 IDWeek meeting, an annual conference that brings together infectious disease specialists and epidemiologists from around the globe.

  Ensitrelvir remains an investigational drug, having received emergency approval in Japan in November 2022 to treat COVID-19. It has not been approved for use outside of Japan. However, Takeki Uehara, senior vice president of drug development and regulatory science at Shionogi, hopes this will change.

  “The data we are seeing in Japan are promising as we work to meet unmet medical needs of COVID-19 and make ensitrelvir available worldwide, pending regulatory approvals,” he said in the same news release.

  Loss of Taste and Smell in US Adults

  A 2023 paper published in Laryngoscope showed 35.8 million U.S. adults—or 14 percent of the population—were diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2021. Among those, an estimated 60.5 percent reported losing their sense of smell, while 58.2 percent reported loss of taste.

  Most patients (over 72 percent) completely recovered their sense of smell post-infection. However, about 1 in 4 people affected recovered only partially. Approximately 4 percent said their sense of smell had not yet returned.

  Taste function recovery was similar, with most (about 77 percent) regaining their sense of taste, while 1 in 5 reported partial recovery. Under 3 percent reported no recovery.

  “The majority of adults infected with COVID-19 in 2021 experienced olfactory or gustatory dysfunction with a non-negligible population reporting incomplete or no near-term sensory recovery,” the authors wrote in the 2023 paper. “Our results are useful for providers counseling patients and suggest that interventions lessening overall COVID-19 symptom burden may prevent prolonged sensory dysfunction.”

  Other Treatments

  COVID-related loss of smell can negatively affect people in several ways, including significantly altering a person’s overall quality of life and leading to poor nutrition. Mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem have also been linked to loss of taste and smell.

  Fortunately, smell recovery is possible through smell retraining therapy (SRT). The treatment involves repeated exposure to smells to elicit memories of familiar scents like flowers, fruits, spices, and essential oils.

  Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Health, an organization powered by the American Academy of  Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, recommends patients sniff individual scents for at least 10 to 20 seconds once or twice a day. The four best scents are rose, lemon, cloves, and eucalyptus. Being entirely focused on the task is critical to stimulating memories of each smell. This should be followed by a few deep breaths before moving on to the next scent. Perform this exercise for at least three months.

  Regaining taste is also possible. Experts at the University of Texas MD Anderson Center recommend the following:

  • Introduce lemon into your diet because the tart flavor stimulates saliva and taste buds.
  • Integrate sweet, salty, spicy, and sour foods like pickles, olives, hot sauces, and a variety of salad dressings.
  • Play around with foods that provide texture, like apples, celery, or sticky peanut butter.
  • Alternate between hot and cold foods.

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 23:50

• Doomsday Prepping Is Trendy All Of A Sudden
  Doomsday Prepping Is Trendy All Of A Sudden

  In the days before Covid, doomsday preppers were ridiculed and shunned as part of the fringe minority. Now, they’re being celebrated with their own spread in the The Wall Street Journal entitled: “Who Counts as a Disaster Prepper These Days? Lots of Us”.

  In the article, the Journal points out that there is a “renewed interest in self-reliance” in stocking for emergencies. The article asks whether it has to do with supply chain shortages and empty grocery shelves. 

  We can’t help but ask if it could be people want to front load items before additional 10% annual price hikes? Or if it could possibly have anything to do with the fact that we appear to be on the brink of World War 3? They don’t mention in so many words and we…well, we digress.

  What the article does note is that increasing sales of ready-made emergency kits and recent surveys suggest that Americans are now more inclined to maintain emergency provisions than they were in the past.

  The Journal writes that approximately 33% of the 2,179 U.S. adults polled by financial-services firm Finder in April reported spending an average of $149 over the last year on essentials like non-perishable food, medical supplies, and bottled water. This marks an increase from the roughly 20% who indicated doing so in 2020.

  

  One 39 year man told the Journal: “I’m a PlayStation 5, love-my-comfort guy” and swore he wasn’t a prepper. Yet he has 4 bags packed with “snacks, flashlights, water and coloring books for his two young sons” in case of emergency now hanging in his closet. 

  “It’s taking rational steps to ensure we have the ability to act quickly in those moments,” he added. He cited natural disasters mostly, but also the war in Ukraine as reasons for his prepping: “It’s less that we’re trying to survive the end of the world, and more that we have no idea when an earthquake or tornado is going to happen.” 

  “People are becoming more and more aware of the problems in the world and how fallible things are,” added John Ramey, founder of self-reliance training site The Prepared. “It’s a totally new market,” added Marlon Smith, who runs a $300 Urban and Outdoor Survival class.

  In New York City, Alexjandria Edwards, said she keeps a tent, sleeping bag and water-filtration system in her apartment. She admits it “feels silly” sometimes but wound up purchasing disaster packs off Amazon for about $100 each. 

  “It’s actually for a family of four, but I was like, ‘You know what? Better to be safe,’” she concluded. She has also been watching videos online about “homeopathic healing and learning to grow her own windowsill vegetable garden” because she worries about food availability.

  Good luck with that. You can read the Journal’s full report here. 

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 23:30

• SBF Trial Should Spur Dark Money Legislation
  SBF Trial Should Spur Dark Money Legislation

  Authored by Greg Orman via RealClear Wire,

  Last week, in the trial of former crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried, details emerged about how the now–disgraced entrepreneur attempted to co-opt U.S. senators from both the Republican and Democratic parties.

  

  With $50 million in donations to secretive dark money vehicles linked to both party’s respective Senate leaders, Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell, Bankman-Fried presumably sought to influence future crypto regulations.

  Had the 31-year-old former “crypto king” not run afoul of the law, we might never have learned of the donations. The only reason the American people are aware of this influence-buying is because Bankman-Fried allegedly made the donations with stolen investor money. Had Bankman-Fried not been the head of a company engaging in criminal acts, the dark-money contributions to Schumer, McConnell, and other members of Congress would presumably have been legal and likely never come to light.

  While the crypto market is still just a fraction of the size of the global stock market, it has grown exponentially over the past decade. At current market prices, there’s roughly $2 trillion of crypto assets in circulation. That’s about the size of France’s annual GDP.

  The $50 million that Bankman-Fried spent to secretly buy influence was small in comparison to the size of the industry, but it likely would have given him outsized control over the writing of crypto regulations. Senators from both sides of the aisle would have been encouraged to take his calls and meet with his lobbyists. The Senate majority leader and ranking Republican might have made calls to various regulatory bodies to check up on proposed regulations or provide “feedback” to rules being considered.

  Drafts of potential legislation would have been shared with Bankman-Fried and his team before they were shared with the full Senate. Objectionable provisions would have been crossed out and replaced with more favorable terms. Rules that benefited Bankman-Fried’s company, FTX, at the expense of competitors, would have mysteriously made their way into the legislation.

  Journalists, unaware of Bankman-Fried’s philanthropy to Club McConnell and Club Schumer, would be producing feel-good stories about the way Congress came together to enact bipartisan legislation to protect the public from unscrupulous operators.

  Fortunately, none of that came to pass. But what does it say about our system that it could have happened and would have been considered perfectly legal? Without full disclosure of all campaign spending, reporters and, more importantly, the American people, would have no way of knowing the motivations of their elected leaders. And no politician could be held accountable for conflicts of interest.

  With all the talk over the past several months of the ethically challenged behavior of various Trump and Biden family members, the American people are clamoring for Congress to pass rules to fix our broken and corrupt political system.

  This isn’t a new issue. In a polling project first commissioned by Jimmy Carter’s pollster, the late Patrick Caddell, the problem of government ethics and corruption has been one of the top two voter concerns for more than a decade. The behavior of the first families of the Democratic and Republican parties has brought the issue into focus for even more Americans to see.

  In the polling done by Caddell, over 80% of Americans agreed with the statement, “Washington, DC is a rigged game that only benefits those people who can buy access to power.”

  Sam Bankman-Fried’s behavior only reinforces that belief. While the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission confers the right of billionaires to spend millions buying influence through election spending, it doesn’t guarantee them the right to anonymity.

  Bankman-Fried’s trial is expected to last into the middle of next month. No doubt, more details of his political spending will emerge. Congress should use this backdrop to enact legislation requiring full disclosure of all political spending and end the era of special interest and mega–donor dark money influence in America.

  Greg Orman is a Kansas entrepreneur, author of “A Declaration of Independents,” and a former independent candidate for governor and senator of his state. His website is www.greg-orman.com.

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 23:10

• Gaetz Says Johnson Speakership Proves 'MAGA Is Ascendant' In GOP, 'Swamp Is On The Run'
  Gaetz Says Johnson Speakership Proves ‘MAGA Is Ascendant’ In GOP, ‘Swamp Is On The Run’

  Authored by Caden Pearson via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

  Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on Wednesday declared the election of Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) as House speaker a sign of the strength of the “MAGA movement” in the GOP and the waning power of the “swamp.”

  

  After a three-week leadership void in the House, the GOP conference chose Mr. Johnson as their speaker nominee; he went on to win 220 votes in the first floor ballot on Wednesday.

  Mr. Gaetz, who led the motion to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the former speaker, touted Mr. Johnson’s victory as exemplary of the growing power of the “MAGA movement” on Capitol Hill.

  “The swamp is on the run. MAGA is ascendant. If you don’t think that moving from Kevin McCarthy to MAGA Mike Johnson shows the ascendance of this movement and where the power in the Republican Party truly lies, then you’re not paying attention,” Mr. Gaetz declared during an interview on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast on Wednesday.

  The Floridian congressman shed light on the internal party deliberations that led to Mr. Johnon’s election following the short-lived race of Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), who withdrew his name hours after receiving the GOP nomination on Tuesday.

  Mr. Johnson was runner-up to Mr. Emmer, who was the third speaker nominee after Reps. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) failed to garner the needed support.

  

  Mr. Gaetz said that following Mr. Emmer’s withdrawal, Mr. McCarthy was the sole GOP member to object to a request by Rep. Marcus Molinaro (R-N.Y.), a freshman congressman, for unanimous consent to waive the rules and take a non-binding poll on whether Mr. Johnson “could be our speaker nominee.”

  Mr. McCarthy’s objection, in Mr. Gaetz’s view, was evidence that the former speaker “was worried that there was going to be this great, unifying moment” of rallying behind Mr. Johnson that would hurt Mr. McCarthy’s chances of being reelected, so “he scuttled the unifying moment.”

  Mr. McCarthy had not put his name in the ring to run again for the speakership.

  The Epoch Times contacted Mr. McCarthy’s office for comment.

  Gaetz Says He ‘Wasn’t the Force for Chaos’

  Mr. Gaetz said that Mr. McCarthy sought write-in votes, nominating himself. However, he received only 33, according to Mr. Gaetz.

  “So, they flame out terribly,” Mr. Gaetz said. “Mike Johnson’s gaining momentum. Ultimately, McCarthy gets 43 to vote for him on a secret ballot. But Mike Johnson gets a majority.“

  Mr. Johnson then requested a roll-call vote, said Mr. Gaetz. “So that those 43 would have to announce themselves as being for a candidate who wasn’t even running, instead of a unifying force like Mike Johnson,” he added.

  “And when we called for the roll call, do you know how many people voted for Kevin McCarthy? Zero,” said Mr. Gaetz.

  Mr. Gaetz accused the former Californian speaker of attempting to sabotage the chances of the last four speaker nominees, including Mr. Scalise, Mr. Jordan, Mr. Emmer, and Mr. Johnson, while maneuvering in the shadows to be reelected himself.

  “Everyone in the room knew at that moment that I wasn’t the force for chaos; I wasn’t causing disunity; that for the last three weeks, the reason the House of Representatives has been paralyzed is because, for his own selfish gain, Kevin McCarthy was sabotaging the candidacy of anyone else because he was plotting a return,” Mr. Gaetz charged.

  

  Mr. Johnson received a prolonged standing ovation from fellow Republicans upon his nomination by Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.).

  Mr. Gaetz hailed Mr. Johnson’s election to the speakership as a victory over “the swamp,” the term made popular by former President Donald Trump, the creator of the MAGA movement, which stands for Make American Great Again, his 2016 campaign slogan.

  “They are crying, they are hand-wringing, they are bed-wetting over on K Street because we have an honorable, righteous man who is about to take this position. He’s going to do great things for the country,” Mr. Gaetz said, referring to “the swamp.”

  Mr. Gaetz, who has been “seat mates” with Mr. Johnson on the House Judiciary Committee for seven years, praised the newly-minted speaker.

  “He is sharp. He will be as respected in the homes of our most meaningful, righteous, and patriotic donors as he will [be] at the rallies with our most enthusiastic and meaningful activists,” Mr. Gaetz said.

  Mr. Johnson’s election was praised by the former speaker nominees, Mr. Emmer and Mr. Scalise.

  “I know Mike will keep our majority united as we continue to deliver on the commitments we’ve made to our constituents,” Mr. Emmer said.

  Mr. Scalise praised Mr. Johnson’s commitment “to things bigger than himself.”

  Mr. Johnson, 51, is an attorney and former radio host. He carried a Bible when he accepted the gavel on Wednesday.

  In his first speech as speaker, he said the House is “ready to get to work again” to solve the problems at home and abroad affecting Americans.

  “Our mission here is to serve you well, to restore the people’s faith in this House, in this great and essential institution,” he said.

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 22:30

• US Warplanes Conduct Major Strikes On 'Iranian Proxies' In Syria
  US Warplanes Conduct Major Strikes On ‘Iranian Proxies’ In Syria

  Update(22:25ET): In the overnight and early morning hours in Syria (local time), US forces carried out airstrikes on what it said are Iran-linked militants and installations in eastern Syria. Multiple targets have been hit. 

  According to a statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, “Today, at President Biden’s direction, U.S. military forces conducted self-defense strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups.” The attacks were reportedly done by US warplanes, likely operating out of either the Gulf or Mediterranean areas where new US naval assets have recently been positioned, keeping a watch on fast moving events in Gaza. Fox issued the following breaking detail: 

  F-16s and F-15s were used to strike targets in Syria earlier tonight in retaliation for the attacks on US troops in the region.

  Earlier in the day there were reports, though with few details, that US forces in the same northeast region of Syria came under attack, as has been happening in the last several days. The Pentagon had also earlier announced that over a dozen US troops in Iraq and Syria have suffered Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in the aftermath of drone and rocket attacks on US bases in the region. 

  JUST IN — U.S. warplanes have conducted air strikes against Iranian proxies in multiple locations in Syria. pic.twitter.com/agKA4sc0Kx

  — Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 27, 2023

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

  Below is the full Pentagon statement, which seeks to emphasize that this new, high-risk military aggression is supposedly “separate” from the Israel-Gaza conflict…

  BREAKING: Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin released a statement regarding the US Airstrikes on sites used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and other Iranian-proxies in Northeastern Syria pic.twitter.com/MdCvMPRNMz

  — Global Conflict Watch (@GloballyWatch) October 27, 2023

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  The United States is also seeking to reassure a region which is clearly at heightened risk for breaking out into major war that it “does not seek conflict”. But the long-running military occupation of Syria’s oil and gas region suggests otherwise. 

  * * *

  Update(1520ET): In the Pentagon’s latest move to bolster US defenses in the Middle East against the ‘Iran threat’ – given the increased instances of Tehran proxies attacking US troop installations in Iraq and Syria over the last week – some 900 more Americans soldiers will be dispatched to the region. 

  A CBS correspondent has cited Pentagon Press Secretary, Gen. Patrick Ryder, who says 900 US troops have deployed or in process of deploying to bolster missile defense in CENTCOM’s mideast region of operations. They are expected to man Patriot, THAAD and Avenger missile systems. Earlier this week US defense officials said these extra missile batteries are being deployed to the theatre ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive in Gaza. 

  The CBS reporter noted “This comes as Iranian-backed groups continue to attack US miliary in Iraq and Syria.” Fears are growing that a major IDF push into the Gaza Strip would unleash broader retaliation strikes on US bases in the region. This could include Hezbollah, which operates both in Lebanon and Syria. 

  Israel’s “preparation” strikes for the “next stage of war” – according to its officials – have continued to grow in intensity…

  🇮🇱🇵🇸 The power of those missiles, and the speed in which a building can be taken down, is hard to imagine.

  Over 8,000 of those missiles have been dropped on Gaza since Oct 7. pic.twitter.com/wkci28WxE0

  — Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 26, 2023

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  * * *

  Iran has become more vocal in its threats against Israel, in response to the soaring death toll in Gaza, which has surpassed 7,000 Gazans killed. Prime Minister Netanyahu has at the same time announced “thousands” of terrorists have been eliminated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Israel has further said it took out three top Hamas commanders in the last several hours.

  On Thursday, Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that if Israel sends ground forces into the Strip, the IDF will be “buried”. He stated: “If the Zionists launch a ground attack in Gaza, they will be buried. If the enemies think that the Muslims will watch these crimes from the sidelines, they are gravely mistaken,” according to a translation in regional media. He also aimed the comments at Washington, saying “the US will be buried by the fire they lit.”

  

  “If the evil people of the world want to carry out a foolish act such as invading the Palestinian territories, they will face a miserable failure and receive a decisive response from the resistance front,” the IRGC statement added.

  The US has already parked one carrier strike group in waters off Israel, with another en route, and has been repeatedly warning Tehran not to get involved. National security spokesman John Kirby this week said the US administration stands ready to mount a “decisive response” if Iran or its proxies attack US bases.

  However, this appears to already be happening. There has been well over a dozen drone and missile attacks on bases in Iraq and Syria over the past week, with the latest happening Thursday.

  There are fresh reports that Iraqi Shia militia groups have launched cross-border attacks on a US installation in northeast Syria. These sporadic attacks now threaten to become a daily event. And now this from Politico on Thursday…

  Nineteen American service members stationed in Iraq and Syria have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury after rocket and drone attacks from Iran-backed militants last week. https://t.co/dRkEbclN1U

  — Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) October 26, 2023

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  Adding further to tensions between Washington and Tehran, fresh Wall Street Journal reporting this week has found that Hamas operatives behind the Oct.7 terrorist attack were given specialized training in Iran. According to the report, this involved up to 500 militants:

  In the weeks leading up to Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, hundreds of the Palestinian Islamist militant group’s fighters received specialized combat training in Iran, according to people familiar with intelligence related to the assault.

  Roughly 500 militants from Hamas and an allied group, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, participated in the exercises in September, which were led by officers of the Quds Force, the foreign-operations arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the people said.

  Senior Palestinian officials and Iranian Brig. Gen. Esmail Qaani, the head of Quds Force, also attended, they said.

  But then strangely, the same report quotes US officials as saying they can’t verify whether the training on Iranian soil was directly in preparation for the Oct.7 attacks (or else possibly “routine”), which took the lives of at least 1,400 Israelis and foreigners. 

  “U.S. officials said Iran has regularly trained militants in Iran and elsewhere, but they have no indications of a mass training right before the attack,” WSJ writes. “U.S. officials and the people familiar with the intelligence said they had no information to suggest Iran conducted training specifically to prepare for the events of Oct. 7.”

  🚨BREAKING – IRANIAN ARMY:

  ‘The start of large-scale maneuvers for all ground forces formations starting tomorrow’

  These exercises are typically conducted to enhance readiness, test strategies, and improve the overall operational capabilities of the military, but could also be… pic.twitter.com/bA4PhZ3ww3

  — Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 26, 2023

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  Given the fact that the terror assault involved paragliders, militants on motorcycles, coordinated assault teams with explosives, and other capabilities not used this effectively in the past – many analysts believe the planning for the attack had to have taken many months or even years.

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 22:25

• Show Me The Money: Comer Demands White House Prove $200K Biden-Brother Loan
  Show Me The Money: Comer Demands White House Prove $200K Biden-Brother Loan

  House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Thursday says his panel doesn’t have a money trail showing that President Biden ever loaned his brother James $200,000, after a suspicious payment took place the same day James received $600,000 in loans from rural hospital operator, Americore.

  

  The $200,000 check, written in 2018, was explained by the White House as the repayment of a loan – however Comer has his doubts, according to Just the News.

  pic.twitter.com/tJUMLMD5iu

  — Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) October 20, 2023

   “The White House has claimed Joe Biden loaned James Biden $200,000, and this check was repayment,” Comer wrote to White House counsel Edward Siskel. “Records obtained by the Committee do show numerous large incoming transactions into the personal account of James and Sara Biden from various entities. Some of these transaction records may have obscured the identity of the true payer, but no records in the Committee’s possession state that Joe Biden made a large loan payment to his brother.”

  “If Joe Biden did personally loan James Biden an amount that was later repaid by the $200,000 check, please provide the loan documents, including the loan payment, loan agreement, and any other supporting loan documentation,” Comer continued.

  James Biden allegedly received $600,000 in loans from Americore after convincing the firm he could use the family name to “open doors” and secure a large investment from the Middle East, the Kentucky Republican claimed last week. Comer has since suggested that, even if the president did give his brother the money in the form of a loan, the transaction was nonetheless evidence of personal benefit from his family’s business activities. -Just the News

  “Whether it was a loan or not, James Biden’s March 1, 2018, check to Joe Biden aptly demonstrates one way he personally benefited from his family’s shady influence peddling of his name and their access to him,” Comer wrote to Siskel. “Even if the transaction in question was part of a loan agreement, we are troubled that Joe Biden’s ability to recoup funds depended on his brother’s cashing-in on the Biden brand.”

  See Comer’s letter below:

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 22:10

• Intruder Arrested At RFK Jr.'s LA Home… Twice In Same Day
  Intruder Arrested At RFK Jr.’s LA Home… Twice In Same Day

  Authored by Rudy Blalock via The Epoch Times,

  An intruder was arrested on the morning of Oct. 25 at Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Los Angeles property, after being detained by Mr. Kennedy’s security detail, according to police.

  A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) told The Epoch Times officers responded to a burglary call around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, and when they arrived, a blonde, white male wearing a green t-shirt was detained by security at Mr. Kennedy’s home in the Brentwood neighborhood.

  Authorities said the man, Jonathan Macht, 28, was taken into custody at a nearby police station where he was cited for trespassing and then released.

  Police said he then returned to the Kennedy’s home and was arrested a second time at 5:45 p.m. for violating a protective order.

  

  He is currently being held on $30,000 bail.

  According to a Thursday press release by Mr. Kennedy’s campaign, the presidential candidate was at home at the time of both arrests.

  “After being released from police custody, the man immediately returned to Kennedy’s residence,” states the release.

  According to the press release, the intruder entered the property by climbing a fence and is known to the U.S. Secret Service and Mr. Kennedy’s security Gavin de Becker and Associates (GDBA).

  “GDBA had notified the Secret Service about this specific obsessed individual several times in recent months, and shared alarming communications he has sent to the candidate,” states the release.

  In September, an armed man accused of posing as a federal marshal at an event attended by Mr. Kennedy was arrested and charged with misdemeanors, according to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office.

  At the time of the arrest, Mr. Kennedy was scheduled to speak at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, at 4401 W. 8th St. in Los Angeles, to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. The event ran from 4 to 8 p.m on Sept. 15.

  According to the LAPD, a call was received reporting a male in front of the event venue with “a badge on [his] lapel, a gun, and a shoulder holster,” who “claimed to be a U.S. Marshal,” a spokesperson told The Epoch Times. The suspect, Adrian Paul Aispuro, 44, was initially booked on a felony gun charge, before later being charged with carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a concealed firearm, and impersonating an officer, all misdemeanors.

  Police said the suspect claimed to be employed for the event but wasn’t recognized by Mr. Kennedy’s security team.

  Requests for Protection

  According to Mr. Kennedy’s campaign, two requests for Secret Service protection as a presidential candidate have been denied by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in recent months.

  “Every presidential administration for 55 years has afforded early protection to candidates who requested it. The Biden administration is the sole outlier,” the campaign stated.

  This is the Kennedy campaign’s third formal request, according to the release.

  “Since the assassination of my father in 1968, candidates for president are provided Secret Service protection,” Mr. Kennedy wrote on X. “But not me.”

  According to U.S. law under “18 USC 3056A,” the U.S. Secret Service is tasked to provide protection to “major presidential and vice presidential candidates and, within 120 days of the general Presidential election, the spouses of such candidates.”

  The secretary of the DHS, currently Alejandro Mayorkas, is tasked with identifying “major” candidates in a presidential race in consultation with the speaker of the House, the House minority leader, the majority and minority leaders of the Senate, and one additional member selected by the other members of the committee, which as a whole isn’t answerable to the incumbent president.

  DHS has yet to comment on its decision.

  Mr. Kennedy called for the Biden administration to provide protection in early August, after one of Ecuador’s presidential candidates, Fernando Villavicencio—who vowed to fight corruption in the country—was assassinated.

  After Mr. Kennedy’s father was assassinated, the U.S. Secret Service expanded its protection coverage to presidential and vice presidential candidates, according to its website.

  Following the Sept. 15 incident, Mr. Kennedy wrote on X, “I’m still entertaining a hope that President Biden will allow me Secret Service protection.”

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 21:50

• "These Kids Have Sh*t For Brains": Billionaire Leon Cooperman Slams Columbia Protesters, Halts Donations
  “These Kids Have Sh*t For Brains”: Billionaire Leon Cooperman Slams Columbia Protesters, Halts Donations

  Hedge fund Billionaire and Columbia alum Leon Cooperman says he’s pulling donations from his alma matter over its support of pro-Palestinian activists.

  In an interview with Fox Business, host Liz Claman said to Copperman:

  “You are a proud graduate of Columbia Business School, class of 67, son of Polish Jewish immigrants, first in your family to graduate from college,” asking “what do you make of what’s happening at Columbia and Harvard, Stanford, NYU as well?

  There was a student walkout at Columbia just a couple hours ago, driven by Columbia professor Joseph Massad, who called the Hamas attack ‘awesome.’ Where are we in the world when 1,300 Israeli civilians…”

  

  Cooperman interrupted her, exclaiming:

  “I think these kids at the colleges have shit for brains.“

  “We have one reliable ally in the Middle East,” Cooperman continued. “That’s Israel.”

  “We only have one democracy in the Middle East. That’s Israel, ok?”

  “And we have one economy tolerant of different people – gays, lesbians, etc. And that’s Israel. So, I have no idea what these young kids are doing.”

  Cooperman then said he’d pull donations.

  “Now, the real shame is I’ve given to Columbia, probably about $50 million over many years,” he continued.

  “And I’m going to suspend my giving. I’ll give my giving to other organizations.“

  Watch the full discussion below:

  Get woke…

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 21:30

• Anthony Fauci To Receive Prestigious 'Ethics Prize' For 'Saving Millions Of Lives'
  Anthony Fauci To Receive Prestigious ‘Ethics Prize’ For ‘Saving Millions Of Lives’

  Authored by Jordan Schachtel via The Dossier

  The Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence at Case Western Reserve University will award Dr. Anthony Fauci with its Inamori Ethics Prize, an annual honor given to international leaders “whose actions and influence have greatly improved the condition of humankind.”

  No, this is not a Babylon Bee article. This is really happening. Anthony Fauci, who is unparalleled as the most destructive government bureaucrat in American history, is being awarded with an ethics prize.

  Fauci, who presided over two White House administrations of catastrophic, draconian policymaking, which resulted in unparalleled levels of unnecessary human suffering, has “saved millions of lives,” a press release from Case Western said Wednesday.

  

  Fauci will be on campus Sept. 19, 2024 to deliver a “free public lecture” commemorating the honor, which comes with a monetary reward.

  “Dr. Fauci has cared not only for the nation’s health, but also the health of the world,” Case Western Reserve President Eric W. Kaler said Wednesday. “As a scientist, research leader and public health advisor, his contributions to scientific discovery have truly improved lives. His leadership through one of the most challenging times in history—the COVID-19 pandemic—serves as a model for us all.”

  Case Western long required all students to take several doses of mRNA shots to be eligible to enroll in classes. The school also enforced a mask mandate for multiple years. They finally dropped the abusive mandates when the Fall semester began.

  Despite “retiring” at the end of last year, Fauci continues to receive millions of dollars worth of taxpayer funded benefits, such as a 24/7 chauffeur and a fully staffed U.S. Marshals security detail.

  He is now affiliated with Georgetown University, where he has been awarded multiple lucrative professorships, but does not teach any classes at the D.C. institution.

  *  *  *

  Meanwhile…

  The Anthony Fauci Grift Tour offers much more than $300 sponsor tickets. Other levels:

  Partner $2,500
  Wine/Espresso Bar Sponsor $5,000
  Corporate Tables $7,500
  VIP Reception $20,000
  Fireside Chat $25,000
  Presenting Sponsor $50,000 https://t.co/Old2XSUsIg pic.twitter.com/9k2DkPtsId

  — Paul D. Thacker (@thackerpd) October 22, 2023

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

   

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 21:10

• Stellantis Makes $1.6 Billion Investment In Chinese EV Startup Leapmotor
  Stellantis Makes $1.6 Billion Investment In Chinese EV Startup Leapmotor

  While almost all other auto manufacturers, especially those from Japan, are mulling exits from China (where domestic brands are starting to dominate the EV market), Stellantis is doing the opposite and investing in an EV startup. 

  The U.S. based auto manufacturer who makes Jeep and Dodge brands said it would be investing 1.5 billion euros ($1.58 billion) into Chinese EV startup Leapmotor, CNBC reported this week. 

  Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said on Thursday morning: “Through this strategic investment, we can address a white space in our business model and benefit from Leapmotor’s competitiveness both in China and abroad.”

  Analyst Abhik Mukherjee of Couterpoint Research told CNBC: “This deal presents clear synergies for both Stellantis and Leap Motor. Stellantis stands to benefit by strengthening its presence in the Chinese market, while Leap Motor gains an easier entry into the European market.”

  

  Stellantis is forming the Leapmotor International joint venture with a 51% majority stake to enhance the Chinese brand’s electric car sales globally.

  The investment also grants Stellantis about a 20% equity in Leapmotor and two board seats. Amid stiff competition from companies like BYD and Tesla in China’s leading EV market, traditional automakers like Stellantis, which holds a mere 0.3% market share in China, are accelerating their shift to electric vehicles.

  Recall we just wrote days ago about how Mitsubishi was exiting China and how other Japanese automakers were considering following suit. 

  According to research by MarkLines cited by Nikkei this week, Japanese car manufacturers such as Toyota, Honda, and Nissan are lagging in the Chinese market this year. In the first three quarters of 2023, the trio’s combined new vehicle sales were 1.29 million, a 26% year-on-year decrease. Both Toyota and Nissan experienced declines in the ballpark of 30%.

  

  The rise in China’s EV adoption and the dominance of local brands like BYD and Great Wall Motor are challenging Japanese automakers. Electric vehicle sales in China soared 80% to 5.36 million last year, capturing about 20% of the new car market.

  Japanese companies, traditionally strong in gas-fueled cars, are falling behind in the fast-paced EV sector led by Chinese firms.

  Facing challenges, Japanese automakers are reorganizing their Chinese operations. Mazda plans to cut its dealership network by about 10% from 2022 levels, while Toyota terminated contracts for roughly 1,000 workers at a joint venture. Honda and Nissan have reduced local production, with Nissan’s output reportedly at half its peak. Estimates suggest Toyota, Nissan, and Honda have a combined 40% excess capacity in China, based on current sales forecasts.

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 20:50

• 65 Hospitals Closing Departments Or Ending Service
  65 Hospitals Closing Departments Or Ending Service

  By Andrew Cass of Becker’s Hospital Review

  A number of healthcare organizations have recently closed medical departments or ended services at facilities to shore up finances, focus on more in-demand services or address staffing shortages.

  Here are 65 department closures or services ending, announced, advanced or finalized that Becker’s has reported since Feb. 2:

  1. Albany, N.Y.-based St. Peter’s Health Partners delayed plans to shut down the maternity unit at Troy, N.Y.-based Samaritan Hospital by six months to address community members’ concerns about care access and transportation barriers. The system now aims to shutter the unit no later than June 30, 2024.

  2. Mayo Clinic on Dec. 12 will permanently close its clinic at Ridgeview (Minn.) Le Sueur Campus. Ridgeview had been leasing the space from Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic since 2018. After a non-renewable lease expired Aug. 31, both parties agreed to a Dec. 12 departure date. 

  3. Monroe County Hospital in Monroeville, Ala., will shutter its obstetrics unit due to a lack of staff. 

  4. Birmingham, Ala.-based Brookwood Baptist Health is closing obstetrics departments at hospitals in Birmingham and Shelby County. 

  5. Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica plans to close two home health locations and significantly scale back operations at a third as part of its strategy to exit the home healthcare business. ProMedica informed affected employees that it will close home health facilities in Clyde, Ohio, and Dundee, Mich. Operations will be pared back at its Sylvania, Ohio, facility, which will only serve pediatric patients in “greatest need of home healthcare.” The changes are expected to take effect by Nov. 1.

   6. Six clinics run by shuttered Williamston, N.C.-based Martin General Hospital closed Oct. 5. 

  7. Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare on Oct. 4 closed New Richey, Fla.-based HCA Florida Trinity West Hospital, which offered mental health services. The system consolidated those services to HCA Florida West Tampa Hospital and HCA Florida Largo West Hospital. The health system originally suspended services in August amid Hurricane Idalia. 

  8. West Reading, Pa.-based Tower Health closed five urgent care centers on Sept. 30 and sold eight others to Birmingham, Ala.-based American Family Care. 

  9. UMass Memorial Health closed the maternity unit at its Leominster, Mass., hospital at midnight Sept. 22 despite months of criticism and protests. UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital in May proposed a plan to close the unit. The unit has averaged 1.3 births per day through most of fiscal year 2023 and experienced staffing shortages, the hospital noted in its closure plan. 

  10. Dunn, N.C.-based Betsy Johnson Hospital, part of two-hospital system Harnett Health, ended labor and delivery services Oct. 15. 

  11. OhioHealth’s hospital in Van Wert, Ohio, ended inpatient maternity care on Sept. 30. 

  12. IU Health Blackford Hospital in Hartford City, Ind., ended inpatient and emergency department services Oct. 1. 

  13. Detroit-based DMC Sinai Grace Hospital closed its outpatient cancer clinic Oct. 1. 

  14. York (Maine) Hospital said it was closing its birthing center at the end of September. Hospital officials noted that the decision to do so is the result of a decline in births and a shortage of workers, Portland Press Herald reported Sept. 12.

  15. Inglewood, Calif.-based Centinela Hospital Medical Center is ending maternal child health services on Oct. 25 amid continued fallout over the death of a patient earlier this year. 

  16. UChicago Medicine AdventHealth GlenOaks hospital in Glendale Heights, Ill., plans to discontinue its obstetrics services because of low demand and community factors including the higher median age in Glendale Heights.

  17. Perry County Memorial Hospital in Tell City, Ind., will end labor and delivery services Jan. 1, 2024. Hospital officials cited low demand as the reason for the service line closure.

  18. Northfield (Minn.) Hospital will close its 40-bed, long-term care center in October due to staffing and financial challenges.

  19. Saranac Lake, N.Y.-based Adirondack Health closed its emergency department in Lake Placid, N.Y., Aug. 20 after receiving state approval. 

  20. The in-home care arm of Syracuse, N.Y.-based St. Joseph’s Health, part of Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health, is shut down October 23.

  21. The board of directors for Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside, Calif., voted July 27 to indefinitely suspend labor and delivery services.

  22. Charlotte, N.C.-based StarMed Healthcare announced it was closing two satellite locations July 19. In the announcement, CEO Michael Estramonte also said the system laid off 15 employees, or 10 percent of the workforce, as the centers shift from primary and urgent care to primary care.

  23. Vicksburg, Miss.-based Merit Health River Region closed its behavioral health unit on June 30. 

  24. Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) General Hospital moved up the date it planned to end childbirth services by about three weeks, with the care ending abruptly July 11. 

  25. Good Samaritan Hospital, operated by Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, closed the inpatient psychiatric facility at its Mission Oaks Hospital in Los Gatos, Calif., on Aug. 20.

  26. Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine shut down one of its urgent care centers, Penn Urgent Care South Philadelphia, on June 30, as more patients are turning to telehealth for care.

  27. The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board on June 27 unanimously approved a request from HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital to shutter four of its units. The Decatur, Ill.-based hospital will wrap up its advanced inpatient rehabilitation, obstetrics and newborn nursery, pediatrics and inpatient behavioral health services. 

  28. Catholic Health shared plans to eliminate several services at Mount St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston, N.Y., including surgery, dialysis, imaging, maternity and gastrointestinal care and some inpatient beds, Buffalo Business First reported June 13. 

  29. Jackson, Miss.-based St. Dominic Health Services is ending its behavioral health services unit, citing financial difficulties. The unit stopped taking admissions after June 6. 

  30. Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Lutheran Hospital is closing its heart transplant and inpatient burn units due to low patient volumes. The inpatient burn unit stopped accepting new patients June 2. 

  31. Vancouver, Wash.-based PeaceHealth closed its pediatric cardiology clinic, sleep clinic, optometry clinic and optical shop July 21. It also ended its comprehensive outpatient palliative care May 26 and reduced staff to one nurse and one social worker for in-home care.

  32. Milwaukee-based Froedtert Health closed the behavioral health unit at Froedtert Menomonee Falls (Wis.) May 12. 

  33. Welch (W.Va.) Community Hospital announced plans to close its long-term care unit. The closure of the 59-bed unit is part of the hospital’s transition to the West Virginia University Health System.  

  34. Peoria, Ill.-based OSF HealthCare is closing its labor and delivery services at OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, Ill. 

  35. Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent closed its obstetrics unit May 26. The move comes as birth rates decline in the area along with staffing trouble. 

  36. Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health ended acute care, general surgery and emergency services at Einstein Medical Center Elkins Park (Pa.) and converted the facility solely into a physical rehabilitation provider. 

  37. CoxHealth closed the labor and delivery unit at Cox (Mo.) Monett Hospital, citing difficulties recruiting obstetricians and family practice physicians.

  38. Warsaw, N.Y.-based Wyoming County Community Health System ended its birthing services June 1 amid financial challenges and declining births in the area.

  39. Alta Vista Regional Hospital in Las Vegas, N.M., ended intensive care unit services June 3. The hospital said the change would allow it to focus on its highly utilized medical-surgical unit. 

  40. Springfield, Ore.-based McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center closed its maternity health practice July 7. The for-profit McKenzie-Willamette hospital said the 11-employee midwifery program was “unsustainable.”

  41. Renton, Wash.-based Providence ended labor and delivery at Petaluma (Calif.) Valley Hospital May 1 until further notice.

  42. Gardner, Mass.-based Heywood Hospital closed its pulmonary unit in mid-April due to financial reasons.

  43. Yale New Haven (Conn.) Hospital “ceased use” of its emergency use annex April 11 amid discussions to extend its certificate of occupancy. 

  44. Chelsea (Mich.) Hospital closed its inpatient behavioral health unit and moved 12 of its beds to Trinity Health Ann Arbor.

  45. Danbury, Conn.-based Nuvance Health closed Thompson House, a 100-bed rehabilitation facility in Rhinebeck, N.Y., and laid off its 102 employees, effective April 12.

  46. Holly Springs, Miss.-based Alliance HealthCare System began transitioning to rural emergency hospital status March 31, meaning it will end all inpatient care services. 

  47. MercyOne North Iowa closed its hospice facility in Mason City April 17 amid industry pressures of inflation and high labor costs. 

  48. Brewer, Maine-based Northern Light Health is no longer providing cataract, glaucoma and oculoplastic surgeries at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. 

  49. Plymouth, Ind.-based St. Joseph Health System closed its New Beginnings Birthplace center because it has been unable to attract an obstetrician. It also closed its OB-GYN office March 31.

  50. Springfield, Mass.-based Baystate Health and medical services provider Shields Health closed their urgent care clinic locations in Feeding Hills, Longmeadow and Westfield, Mass., on March 31. 

  51. Palomar Medical Center Poway (Calif.), part of Escondido, Calif.-based Palomar Health, closed its labor and delivery unit, at least temporarily, in June. 

  52. A combination of a loss of pediatricians, changing demographics and some of the strictest abortion laws in the country forced Sandpoint, Idaho-based Bonner General Hospital to end obstetrics services. 

  53. Cabell Huntington (W.Va.) Hospital, part of Mountain Health Network, closed its CHH Surgery Center April 28 and is phasing out its home health services to better align its resources and reduce costs amid financial headwinds.

  54. The only hospital in Manitowoc, Wis., a city of nearly 35,000 — Froedtert Holy Family Memorial Hospital — stopped all obstetrics care June 1.

  55. Citing a lack of provider coverage, Ocean Springs, Miss.-based Singing River Health System said it would end obstetric services, which include labor and delivery, at Singing River Gulfport (Miss.), at least temporarily. The move became effective April 1. 

  56. Astria Toppenish (Wash.) Hospital is one of many rural hospitals closing labor and delivery care due to costs, creating maternity deserts in areas that need care most, The New York Times reported.

  57. Cleveland-based University Hospitals ended labor and delivery services at UH Lake West in Willoughby, Ohio, April 15. The hospital said services would be consolidated at TriPoint in Concord Township, which is about 15 miles away.

  58. Jefferson, Mo.-based Capital Region Medical Center closed two clinics in Holts Summit and St. Elizabeth, Mo., April 15. 

  59. Trinity Health Muskegon (Mich.) announced plans to temporarily close a 30-bed surgical floor due to staffing shortages. 

  60. St. Mark’s Medical Center in La Grange, Texas, cut nearly half its staff and various services as it looks to survive amid significant financial challenges. Service cuts include inpatient and surgical services, post-acute skilled rehab care, its orthopedic clinic, speech therapy and ambulatory care.

  61. OhioHealth’s Shelby Hospital stopped providing maternity services Feb. 28. Maternity services are provided 13 miles away at OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital.

  62. Arcata, Calif.-based Mad River Community Hospital cut 27 jobs as it suspends its home health services program. The program will be suspended upon the completion of services to the hospital’s existing patients, which was expected to be in April.

  63. Oroville (Calif.) Hospital closed Golden Valley Home Health, the hospital’s home health business. 

  64. Ascension Providence Hospital-Southfield (Mich.) ended midwifery services in February. 

  65. Rumford (Maine) Hospital closed its maternity program March 31 after 97 years in service.

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 20:30

• Topgolf Bubble? Baltimore And Philadelphia Locations For Sale After A Year Of Operation
  Topgolf Bubble? Baltimore And Philadelphia Locations For Sale After A Year Of Operation

  Almost a year after its opening, a Topgolf location in downtown Baltimore City is on the market. Situated adjacent to the M&T Bank Stadium and in the heart of the crime-ridden metro area, the three-tiered sports entertainment complex has been listed for nearly $60 million this week. 

  According to the Baltimore Business Journal, South Carolina-based Matthews Real Estate Investment Services listed Topgolf Baltimore for $59.3 million, which includes a 20-year “absolute net lease with Topgolf.” 

  The seller is MD Baltimore Warner LLC, an entity with a mailing address in Greenville, South Carolina. The property is featured in an investor deck on land owned by Caves Valley Partners and Caesars Entertainment and situated down the street from M&T Bank Stadium. 

  “It’s confirmed for sale. Can’t comment any further,” Josh Ein, First Vice President of Matthews Real Estate Investment Services, told CBS News. 

  The timing of the sale is what piques our interest. The facility is not even a year old and is already on the chopping block.

  

  It’s possible that after nearly a year of demonstrating its revenue and expenses, the decision was made to cash out and move on, allowing someone else to assume the risk of operating the venue for two decades. 

  Or maybe it’s more complex, such as the geniuses who built the facility placed it in an imploding progressive-run metro area where Democrats in City Hall have refused to enforce common sense law and order. The facility is also situated blocks away from where the HBO hit The Wire was filmed two decades ago. 

  Perhaps an interest rate shock spiraling parts of commercial real estate into a bust cycle is the reason. Topgolf, in general, also might be just a fad and or bubble, as Topgolf Philadelphia (opened in the summer of 2022) was just recently listed for sale. 

  

  Meanwhile, Callaway Golf Company, which purchased Topgolf in 2021, has seen shares tumble 63% since the acquisition. 

  

  It’s still unclear why the Baltimore Topgolf is up for sale. What raises eyebrows further is the listing of the Philadelphia location. 

  Could Topgolf be facing challenges? Or, more broadly, has the popularity of golf reached its peak?

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 20:10

• "The Face Of The Digital Censorship Movement": Matt Taibbi Calls Out Amy Klobuchar
  “The Face Of The Digital Censorship Movement”: Matt Taibbi Calls Out Amy Klobuchar

  Authored by Matt Taibbi via Racket News,

  If you read this morning’s Racket article about Senator Amy Klobuchar’s letter to Jeff Bezos asking for “proactive measures” to suppress sites like Substack or Rumble, you probably gathered I’m in a mood.

  I’ve had it.

  

  Whether it’s NewsGuard slapping “anti-US” labels on Joe Lauria and Consortium News, or Drs. Jay Bhattacharya, Aaron Kheriaty, and Martin Kulldorff censored on multiple platforms for being right on Covid, or podcaster Alison Morrow fired from a state job for interviewing Kheriaty, or friend CJ Hopkins in Germany criminally convicted for a book cover, or the FBI asking Twitter to remove Aaron Mate for the Ukrainian Secret Police, or ballooning budget requests of “counter-disinformation” enforcement agencies, or the new jailing even of Owen Shroyer for having “helped create January 6th” with speech, or of course the forever-detention of Julian Assange, and above all the total indifference of legacy media to all of it, it’s over. I’ve lost patience. Time for a more focused approach.

  A problem when grappling with the censorship hydra is that it has no public face, no Tipper Gore or Jerry Falwell to personify the topic. Klobuchar, for reasons listed this morning and beyond, is right for this role. She needs to be Red Pencil Amy, Blacklist Amy, Amy “Thought Police” Klobuchar. And longshot or not, removal of her from office in next year’s election or even from Senate leadership positions is a worthwhile goal. The rest of Washington needs to read public sentiment about this issue through a colleague’s public relations dilemma.

  I’ve already got a lot on my plate, but I’ll make Klobuchar a personal branding project, even if it takes time. I’ll write up any move she makes in this direction, or not in this direction. Her lesser-known partner in the bid to make Amazon a “verified sources only” zone, congressman Joseph Morelle of the Rochester, New York area, can be thrown in. Think of Morelle as the VP half of the censorship movement’s ticket. It’s nothing personal. At earlier times this person could have been anyone from Rick Stengel to Adam Schiff (especially him) or Mark Warner. Klobuchar and Morelle just picked the wrong time in my personal downward spiral to pull this stunt.

  T-shirting, postering, meming ideas very welcome.

  Incidentally, I’m still planning town halls on the speech subject, and in fact have one confirmed at my old college in the third week of November. (Details to come). Willing to do more if anyone can help on the venue side. Although perhaps these events would be best held in Minnesota now.

  For readers who might be concerned I’m losing my mind, you’re not wrong. What can I say? Even my dog flashes worried looks at me these days. But I was pushed. Pushed I say! And so were many, many others. A la bataille!

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 19:50

• Deep Partisan Divide Over Trust In Media
  Deep Partisan Divide Over Trust In Media

  According to polling company Gallup, only 32 percent of adults in the U.S. have a great deal or a fair amount of trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately and fairly.

  As Statista’s Katharina Buchholz reports, this marks a slight decline compared to 2022 and is identical to the historical low of 2016.

  Meanwhile, the share of those not trusting the media at all reached a new all-time high of 39 percent. The number had stood at 27 percent in 2016.

  

  You will find more infographics at Statista

  Gallup also reports that the level of trust in the media varies greatly depending on political preference.

  While Republicans have traditionally viewed the media more critically than Democrats, the divergence between both sides of the political spectrum in terms of how the press is regarded remains at an historical high – despite a drop in trust among Democrats this year.

  

  You will find more infographics at Statista

  While 58 percent of Democrats expressed a fair amount of trust in the mass media this year, only 11 percent of Republicans did the same. This makes the gap between both parties a whopping 47 percentage points. It had been as large as 63 percentage points in 2020 and as low as 6 in the year 2000, the same result as 1972.

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 19:30

• Oregon Schools Eliminate Proficiency Requirements In Math & English For Students
  Oregon Schools Eliminate Proficiency Requirements In Math & English For Students

  Authored by Jonathan Turley,

  Two years ago, we discussed how Oregon schools solved declining scores by eliminating their requirements that graduates actually attain levels of proficiency in basic subjects like math and English.

  In 2021, the changes were portrayed as just a temporary measure due to the pandemic.

  However, the state just extended it five more years.  It declared that such proficiency tests are unfair to students of color.

  So, rather than give these students the level of education needed to excel in the modern workplace, schools will now process them out with degrees and call it social progress. 

  

  Public schools across the country continue to fail inner city children and appear to be be giving up on reversing this trend. 

  In Baltimore, a survey found that forty percent of schools did not have a single student proficient in math. Rather than reverse that trend, the schools are just waiving the tests and graduating the students.

  What is so frustrating is reading about failing school systems waiving proficiency and claiming that it is better for minority students.

  American education faces the perfect storm.

  Despite record expenditures on public schools, we are still effectively abandoning students, particularly minority students, in teaching the basic subjects needed to succeed in life.

  We will then graduate the students by removing testing barriers for graduation. Then some may go to colleges and universities that have eliminated standardized testing for admission. At every stage in their education, they have been pushed through by educators without objective proof that they are minimally educated. That certainly guarantees high graduation rates or improved diversity admissions. However, these students are still left at a sub-proficient state as they enter an increasingly competitive job market and economy. Any failures will come down the road when they will be asked to write, read, or add by someone who is looking for actual work product. They will then be outside of the educational system and any failures will not be attributed to public educators.

  If we truly care for these students, we cannot rig the system to just kick them down the road toward failure. It is like declaring patients healthy by just looking at them and sending them on their way. We have the ability to measure proficiency and we have the moral obligation to face our own failures in helping these kids achieve it.

  Oregon board members said proficiency is now unnecessary and harmed minority students since higher rates of students of color failed to reach these levels, The Oregonian reported. The question is how the board is defining what is necessary. If any of these students hope to escape cycles of poverty, they have to be able to do better than the status quo. These boards are condemning them to the same endless cycle.

  These proficiency standards were developed by academics to establish what they viewed as the education needed to excel in our society. Now, the boards are simply downgraded to meet their own lack of academic performance. State Sen. Michael Dembrow told the Oregon Capital Chronicle insists “I think there’s an assumption here that teachers are just graduating students, who don’t have the necessary competencies and I don’t know what the justification is for that.”

  The point is that these students do not need to meet some low level of competence in order to be able to aspire to more than menial or low-level positions.

  The move in Oregon occurs at the same time as a national effort to eliminate standardized testing and scores on every level of our educational system. For example, the University of California system joined the “test-blind” movement and said it would end the use of the SAT and ACT in its admissions decisions. The move followed a decision of California voters not to lift the long ban on affirmative action in education under state law.  Many have decried standardized testing as vehicles for white supremacy.

  University of California President Janet Napolitano sought to eliminate standardized testing by assembling the Standardized Testing Task Force in 2019. Many people expected the task force to recommend the cessation of standardized testing. However, the Task Force surprised many (most notably Napolitano herself) by releasing a final report that concluded that standardized testing was not just reliable, but that “at UC, test scores are currently better predictors of first-year GPA than high school grade point average (HSGPA), and about as good at predicting first-year retention, [University] GPA, and graduation.” It even found that “test scores are predictive for all demographic groups and disciplines … In fact, test scores are better predictors of success for students who are Underrepresented Minority Students (URMs), who are first generation, or whose families are low-income.”

  Despite those conclusions, Napolitano simply announced a cessation of the use of such scores in admissions.

  I previously wrote how some teachers and administrators are rapidly killing public education.

  Many of us have advocated for public education for decades. I sent my children to public schools, and I still hope we can turn this around without wholesale voucher systems. Yet teachers and boards are killing the institution of public education by treating children and parents more like captives than consumers.

  As public schools continue to produce abysmal scores, particularly for minority students, board and union officials have called for lowering or suspending proficiency standards or declared meritocracy to be a form of “white supremacy.” Gifted and talented programs are being eliminated in the name of “equity.”

  Once parents have a choice, these teachers lose a virtual monopoly over many families, and these districts could lose billions in states like Florida.

  This is precisely why school systems like the Seattle public schools are facing budget shortfalls as families vote with their feet. These families want a return to the educational mission that once defined our schools.

  The lowering of these standards reflect a lack of proficiency in public education. Rather than meet the standard previously set for success in society, Oregon will now codify pandemic measures to allow students to graduate with lower levels of math, English, and science knowledge. The people of Oregon are clearly not going to stop this trend and they are entitled to set school policy. Just don’t claim it is good for these students.

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 19:10

• Panera Sued For Wrongful Death After 21 Year Old Suffers Cardiac Arrest After Drinking "Charged Lemonade"
  Panera Sued For Wrongful Death After 21 Year Old Suffers Cardiac Arrest After Drinking “Charged Lemonade”

  Panera Bread is on the receiving end of a lawsuit after the parents of a University of Pennsylvania student claim that its “Charged Lemonade” drink led to the wrongful death of their daughter.

  Their 21 year old daughter already had a heart condition, a report from 6ABC noted, but may have been led to believe that the chain’s “heavily caffeinated energy drink” was just regularly lemonade. 

  Sara Katz experienced cardiac arrest while at the restaurant with friends in September 2022, the report says. She passed away after she was transported to the hospital, where she suffered a second arrest.

  Panera said in a statement: “We were very saddened to learn this morning about the tragic passing of Sarah Katz, and our hearts go out to her family. At Panera, we strongly believe in transparency around our ingredients. We will work quickly to thoroughly investigate this matter.”

  The autopsy report said her cause of death was “cardiac arrhythmia due to long QT syndrome”, which is a disorder that can cause fast and irregular heartbeats, which can be life-threatening. 

  

  Katz was diagnosed at age 5 and actively limited her caffeine intake. The Panera drink included” sugar, caffeine, coffee extract and guarana extract, which are both sources of caffeine,” 6ABC wrote. 

  The lawsuit claims that Katz was “reasonably confident it was a traditional lemonade and/or electrolyte sports drink containing a reasonable amount of caffeine safe for her to drink.” It charges that Panera misled consumers by not properly labeling the drink as an energy drink. 

  “Instead, Defendants market, advertise, and sell Panera Charged Lemonade as a product that is ‘Plant-based and Clean with as much caffeine as our Dark Roast Coffee,'” the suit continues. Despite the comparison, the suit claims that because Panera doesn’t say what size the coffee it’s like, the comparison is vague and unhelpful.

  The “Charged Lemonade” in a large 30-oz cup has nearly 390 mg of caffeine. The FDA considers 400 mg of caffeine daily as safe for adults. The lawsuit alleges that the drink’s caffeine level is unregulated and could vary dangerously.

  Elizabeth Crawford, the lawyer for Katz’s parents, says Katz drank from the large cup, but due to a Panera membership offering free refills, the exact amount consumed is unknown. Crawford added: “We want to make sure that the drink includes a warning, or is taken off the shelf. It’s a dangerous energy drink and it’s not advertised that way. We want to make sure this does not happen to someone else.”

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 18:50

• Massachusetts Lawmakers Pass Sweeping Gun Bill Months After 6–3 Supreme Court Decision
  Massachusetts Lawmakers Pass Sweeping Gun Bill Months After 6–3 Supreme Court Decision

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

  The Massachusetts state House of Representatives approved a sweeping gun law that aims at restricting more firearms and cracking down on AR-15-style rifles—after a unanimous coalition of police chiefs in the state publicly opposed it.

  

  The measure, which passed in a 120–38 vote on Oct. 18, prohibits people from carrying firearms into other people’s homes without their consent. It also would force major gun components to have serial numbers, which would be registered with the state of Massachusetts, while also expanding the state’s “red flag” law that allows a judge to suspend the firearms license of someone who is considered a risk to harming others.

  The legislation advanced in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in 2022 that Americans have the Second Amendment-enshrined right to carry firearms in public for self-defense, according to Democrats in Massachusetts, a state that has long had stringent gun laws.

  “The Supreme Court’s Bruen decision nullified existing components of our gun laws, threatening the safety of the Commonwealth’s residents. With the passage of this legislation, the House has once again displayed an unwavering commitment to ensuring that Massachusetts remains one of the safest states in the country,” state House Speaker Ronald Mariano, a Democrat, said in a recent statement about the measure and the landmark high court decision.

  The proposal would create new laws that bar firing guns at or near homes and outlaw carrying firearms while intoxicated. It would also prohibit carrying firearms in schools, polling places, and government buildings.

  The bill expands the state’s ban on certain types of rifles, prohibiting new purchases of AR-15-style firearms. It would also ban someone from turning a legal firearm into an automatic weapon.

  The proposal includes an enhanced system to track firearms used in crimes to help curb the flow of illegal guns into the state. It would also modernize the existing firearm registration system while increasing the availability of firearm data for academic and policy use, lawmakers said.

  The state Senate has yet to release its version of a gun bill. It will be up to both Democrat-led chambers to hammer out a single bill to ship to Democrat Gov. Maura Healey’s desk for her signature before it can become law.

  State Rep. Michael Day, the Democrat who authored the bill, claimed that “we are in the midst of a public health crisis and it is unrelenting” before blaming firearms.

  “It’s time for the House to once again act in this area and ask for your support on this bill,” he said.

  Republicans and gun rights groups say the law overreaches.

  State Rep. Peter Durant, a Republican, said on the floor that he sees only “one goal” in the bill, which is to target law-abiding citizens who own firearms.

  “When the listening tours were going on, when we were having the informational sessions, when this bill was being written, we were all told that the legal gun owner is not the not the target here. We’re not going after them,” Mr. Durant said, according to a local NBC affiliate station. “But it certainly seems to be that that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

  Another GOP state lawmaker, Rep. David Muradian, said that the “legislation is an egregious infringement on all lawful gun owners, and frankly, all residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”

  “I have had interactions with hundreds if not thousands of constituents within my district on this matter. The resounding question remains: What is the new proposal trying to solve?” he said.

  A coalition of all the Bay State’s police chiefs issued a statement saying the bill would affect only lawful gun owners.

  “Although disappointed in this very predictable vote—in a proceeding where the House failed to follow their own rules—we applaud those Legislators who recognized that this bill makes no one safer. As we’ve said, the answer lies in the vigorous prosecution of criminals, who have no regard for gun laws, whether old or new. We look forward to addressing this matter with our Senate,” Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association director Mark Leahy told the Boston Herald.

  Gun owners opposed to the bill have said that the measures outlined in the legislation do more to target gun owners than to reduce crime. “All of it goes against us, the lawful people. There’s nothing in there that goes after the criminals,” Jim Wallace, executive director of the Gun Owners’ Action League, said, adding that the bill is merely an overreaction to the Supreme Court’s decision last year.

  The Supreme Court, in a 6–3 decision last June, ruled that a state law in New York was unconstitutional because it unlawfully restricted an individual’s right to carry a firearm in public.

  The majority affirmed that such a right is guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, adding that the states can enforce “shall-issue” permitting, meaning that applicants for concealed-carry licenses have to satisfy criteria. But their ruling stipulated that “may-issue” mandates that use arbitrary evaluations that are made by local officials are unconstitutional.

  The Associated Press contributed to this report.

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 18:30

• Watch: Gen-Zers Melt Down Over 9-5 Jobs Amid Criticism About 'Bidenomics'
  Watch: Gen-Zers Melt Down Over 9-5 Jobs Amid Criticism About ‘Bidenomics’

  Some Gen-Zers are having an emotional meltdown on social media about the world of work and struggles of surviving in the era of ‘Bidenomics.’ America’s youth appears to be done with President Biden, who could be their ‘great-great-grandfather,’ as a recent New York Times-Siena poll conducted over the summer showed the president’s approval rating with the youth is in the dumps. 

  Let’s begin with one Gen-Zer who describes the horrors of working a 9-5 job. 

  “I don’t have time for anything, and I’m, like, so stressed out,” she said near the end of the video. 

  🤡 pic.twitter.com/JXqZuHLM7o

  — Clown World ™ 🤡 (@ClownWorld_) October 25, 2023

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

  In a separate video, this Gen-Zer was fired up. She said, “Working a 9-5 is the biggest f*cking scam out there.” She said her numerous jobs “could not pay her f*cking bills.” 

  The struggle is real for the new generation, which is just now learning that working a 9-5 isn’t as easy as college. pic.twitter.com/FvAeYkTddt

  — Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) October 25, 2023

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

  Another Gen-Zer said, “I did the math – you can’t retire in this economy.” 

  A lot of people seem to think this mindset is unique to Gen Z. It’s not.

  Every generation goes through this. Watch Reality Bites, where a group of 20-somethings in the early 90s deal with the exact same struggles and emotions as described in this video.

  pic.twitter.com/7h1gAN3c7R

  — Matthew Kobach 🍕 (@mkobach) October 20, 2023

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

  A New York Times-Siena poll conducted from July 23 to 27 revealed that only 4% of individuals aged 18-30 hold a very favorable view of the president, compared to 17% among the general population. This outcome, stemming from what is perceived as Biden’s failures in the economy, indicates a significant shift in support among the younger working-class demographic, posing a potential crisis for the Democratic Party in next year’s presidential election cycle. 

  Also, Gen-Zers are making it clear they will not fight any wars for the military-industrial complex. 

  Your #GenZ nugget for the night.
  Prepare accordingly. 😆 pic.twitter.com/MgoMlkMcYC

  — T (@Krommsan) October 23, 2023

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  Seems like gender studies is not preparing these young folks for the real world. 

  Serious note, I started the magazine when I was a journalist and worked six days a week 12 hours a day!

  built it to $12m in revenue off my credit cards when I was her age — but whose counting 😂😂

  — @jason (@Jason) October 26, 2023

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

  … and these kids will one day be the leaders of the US. Empire in decline?

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 18:10

• Florida Hardened Its Electric Grid, California Should Follow
  Florida Hardened Its Electric Grid, California Should Follow

  Authored by Ron Brisé via RealClear Wire,

  The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the government regulator that oversees the state’s electric and gas utilities, is facing a critical decision on important investments PG&E has proposed to improve the resiliency of California’s electric grid. I have been in their position, and I know how it feels to balance badly needed upgrades to the grid that can help improve resiliency and safety versus increasing costs for customers as they are facing higher costs for everyday expenses. 

  

  As a former Public Service Commissioner in Florida, a state that is consistently besieged by severe weather and hurricanes, I want to share with Californians the actions we took in Florida, to make our electric grid more resilient. Indeed, these grid hardening efforts have meant a more reliable and cost-efficient electricity for every resident.  

  Consider when Hurricane Ian hit the southwest coast of Florida last year and moved across the state causing great destruction – most people in the path of the storm only lost power for a few days or less. For context, Ian stands as the costliest hurricane in Florida history. 

  Florida was able to rebound quickly because prior to Hurricane Ian, the Florida Public Service Commission made a tough decision to invest billions of dollars in hardening our electric infrastructure. Those investments helped the state be more resilient to storms and quicken the pace of restoration efforts. The good news is that Florida has continued to make these kinds of investments. Just last year, the Florida Public Service Commission approved four plans submitted by power companies to allow approximately $22 billion to be invested in hardening the state power grid. 

  What we’ve learned in Florida, is that performing emergency repairs on the power grid after every hurricane is a much greater financial burden than hardening the grid ahead of disasters. Or, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

  California was hit with a hurricane this year, but that was likely a unique event. By far, the greatest environmental threat to life, property and the power remaining on for customers is wildfires started by downed or damaged power lines. While there are ways to reduce that threat, like trimming vegetation around the power lines – by far the greatest preventative method is burying those lines known as undergrounding. 

  With this in mind, PG&E, the largest electric utility in the state, has proposed burying 10,000 miles of lines in the areas with the greatest fire risk. The company has made steady and significant progress toward this goal since announcing the target in 2021, and has pledged to increase the pace, while reducing the per-mile cost, as the years roll on.

  Recently, PG&E submitted plans to the CPUC to place roughly 2,000 additional miles underground in the next three years. This would result in customers paying about $3.40 per month in their electric bill in exchange for eliminating 98% of wildfire risk on these lines. However, the CPUC is currently considering limiting PG&E to just 200 miles of undergrounding, or as little as 50 miles per year.

  My hope is that the CPUC can learn from our experience in Florida. We had to balance the cost of hardening investments versus the cost of doing just the minimum or nothing at all. 

  As our climate continues to warm, it seems more likely than not that California will experience more wildfires, not fewer. And, if those fires occur, the loss of lives and property and damage to communities and the state’s economy will be a far greater price than the cost of undergrounding. 

  It’s also fair to say that PG&E’s undergrounding plan will help protect against wildfires and help reduce outages due to extreme weather conditions. 

  I understand firsthand how tough it is to ask customers to pay more. The district that I represented in the Florida House of Representatives held a significant number of low-income customers. What the CPUC must also acknowledge is that grid hardening is critical for the state and local economy and the most vulnerable residents. After all, those individuals are least likely to be able to evacuate until power is restored. These folks, including senior citizens, are the ones who suffer the most from a vulnerable power grid. Additionally, the commission must consider the long-term benefits of undergrounding that will help reduce the need for prolonged Public Safety Power Shutoffs, which can take a toll on the state’s most vulnerable communities.  

  Without the kind of infrastructure investments proposed by PG&E, California will still face risks from wildfires. It’s time for California to learn from our experience in Florida and make the critical decision to invest in undergrounding and grid hardening for the good of its citizens.

  Ronald Brisé is the former Chair of the Florida Public Service Commission, a former member of the Florida House of Representatives, and is an energy industry expert.

  Tyler Durden
  Thu, 10/26/2023 – 17:50

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