Jun 28

Today’s News 28th June 2024

  • German Politician Hit With Hate Crime Investigation For Demanding Migrant Criminals Be Deported
    German Politician Hit With Hate Crime Investigation For Demanding Migrant Criminals Be Deported

    Authored by Paul Joseph Watson via Modernity.news,

    A CDU politician in Germany is under investigation for hate crimes after he reacted to a knife attack by an Afghan migrant by calling for the expulsion of foreign criminals from the country.

    On the opening day of the Euro 2024 football tournament, a knife-wielding Afghan migrant went on a stabbing spree in Wolmirstedt which left one person dead and multiple others injured.

    Detlef Gürth, a state lawmaker for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Saxony-Anhalt, reacted by posting on X, “This pack has to get out of Germany.”

    And that was literally it.

    That’s all he said before subsequently deleting the tweet.

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    However, it was enough for left-wing state politician Henriette Quade to file a criminal complaint against Gürth for allegedly committing a hate crime, which is now being investigated by the Halle public prosecutor’s office

    “The description of Afghans as a ‘pack’ who are denied the right to live in Germany is an insult to parts of the population,” Quade ludicrously claimed.

    “Those designated in this way are denied their basic right to life as equal individuals in the community and their human dignity is thus attacked. Furthermore, the post cannot be interpreted with any understanding other than that all Afghans living in the country are (potential) murderers. The post also incites hatred against parts of the population,” she added.

    Gürth was clearly referring to migrants who engage in violence, not all Afghans, but his relatively tame comment was reported to authorities anyway in another stunning example of how many in the German political establishment are more concerned about not hurting the feelings of migrants than they are stopping the wave of migrant-driven violence that has plagued the country for years.

    Statistics released by the German government revealed that around 6 in 10 violent crimes recorded in Germany are committed by migrants.

    “According to some criminal statistics, Afghans are five times more likely to commit a criminal act than native Germans,” reports Remix News.

    “However, in some categories, such as sexual assaults, they are 12.5 times more likely to commit an offense than the rest of society. However, this is only a fraction of the problem that Germany has been forced to endure with regard to migrant crimes, many of which are committed by repeat offenders.”

    As we document in the video below, German authorities are now handing out prison time to people who insulted a bunch of convicted gang rapists, in at least one case giving a woman more prison time than almost all of the gang rapists themselves.

    Yesterday we highlighted another case of migrant violence where a 20-year-old man in the North Rhine-Westphalia town of Bad Oeynhausen was beaten into a coma by a migrant gang and later died from his injuries.

    *  *  *

    Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 06/28/2024 – 02:00

  • Japan Fires Its Top Currency Diplomat As Yen Disintegrates, Another Intervention Looms
    Japan Fires Its Top Currency Diplomat As Yen Disintegrates, Another Intervention Looms

    It is hardly a coincidence that literally minutes after the USDJPY hit 161 for the first time in almost two generations…

    … that Japan’s Nikkei reported the man who had been tasked to explain away Japan’s absolutely catastrophic currency policy, one which has made the yen the worst performing currency of the world and the envy of banana republics everywhere…

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    … i.e., Japan’s top currency “diplomat”. Masato Kanda, has been fired.

    Kanda will be replaced with Atsushi Mimura, a director-general of the Finance Ministry’s international bureau, who will take over as vice finance minister for international affairs on July 31.

    Atsushi Mimura is set to take over as Japan’s top currency diplomat at the end of July

    Incumbent Kanda has been the main figure in handling the government’s catastrophic interventions in the foreign exchange market, which have been meant to arrest the yen’s slide against the dollar, yet despite spending a record $60+ billion two months ago on halting the yen’s implosion, the yen is now at the lowest level since the Plaza Accord.

    And while no amount of intervention will prevent the yen from imploding further – to do that the BOJ will have to raise rates to 4% or higher, setting of a cataclysmic collapse of the entire Japanese bond market – the outrage among the populace at the runaway inflation in Japan in large part due to the plunging currency, is finally being addressed now that Japan is facing election in a few months, and scapegoat time has arrived.

    We fully expect another intervention round in the coming days, one which sends USDJPY back to the low 150s before the pair resumes it trek higher until such time as Japan finally loses control over both its currency and bond markets. That will be the beginning of the end of the current doomed experiment in neoliberalism.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 23:40

  • CCP Hires Western Military Aviators To Prepare For War With Taiwan: Taiwanese Military Expert
    CCP Hires Western Military Aviators To Prepare For War With Taiwan: Taiwanese Military Expert

    Authored by Xin Ning and Cindy Li via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    The Five Eyes (FVEY) alliance announced steps earlier in June to prevent Western military aviators from training Beijing’s military and naval aviators, capabilities that military experts say are key for Beijing to be able to attack Taiwan.

    A Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy J-11 fighter pilot performs an unsafe maneuver during an intercept of a U.S. Air Force RC-135 aircraft, which was lawfully conducting routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace, on Dec. 21, 2022, in a still from video. (Courtesy of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

    On June 5, the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC), representing the FVEY (the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand), issued a joint bulletin warning evolving the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) efforts to recruit current and retired Western service members to train its military.

    “To overcome their shortcomings, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been aggressively recruiting Western military talent to train their aviators, using private firms around the globe that conceal their PLA ties and offer recruits exorbitant salaries,” said NCSC Director Michael C. Casey.

    Actions by the United States and its Western partners to counter this threat include commercial restrictions on the Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA), Beijing China Aviation Technology Co. (BCAT), Stratos, and other PLA providers exploiting Western and NATO personnel, as well as legal and regulatory changes to prohibit former military members from engaging in post-service employment with China.

    Tony Xia, a military expert and commentator, noted that pilots with real combat experience are rare in China.

    “It takes at least five years to train a fighter pilot. In fact, the pilot is required to fly for the rest of his or her service life,” he told The Epoch Times.

    He added that the main reason for the CCP to hire experienced aviators from Western militaries is to plagiarise Western training systems, methods, and experience.

    “In the past few decades, China’s fourth-generation fighters have hardly experienced any real-world combat experience,” he said.

    CCP Preparation to Attack Taiwan

    Zhang Yanting, the former deputy commander of Taiwan’s Air Force and currently a professor at the Political Warfare College of Taiwan’s National Defense University, believes that these CCP actions are preparation for a real war in the Taiwan Strait.

    Retired pilots bring combat experience, which the PLA lacks. They can pass on to the CCP military their valuable experience of the whole real-world combat scenario, threats, and how to give full play to their combat power, he told The Epoch Times.

    Moreover, each of them has different expertise: some of them fly fighter planes, some fly anti-submarine warfare aircraft, and some fly carrier planes.

    Taiwan’s armed forces hold two days of routine drills to show combat readiness ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays at a military base in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on Jan. 11, 2023. (Annabelle Chih/Getty Images)

    Qi Leyi, a senior media figure and military commentator in Taiwan, noted that the CCP values practical operational experience from recruited retired Western officers.

    The people on the front line are especially needed. Apart from acquiring skills, they can also get some intelligence and information, he told The Epoch Times.

    CCP’s History of Recruiting Western Military

    The CCP’s recruitment of Western retired pilots has been known since 2022, including cases such as the TFASA in South Africa, which was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Commerce in June 2023.

    While TFASA denied involvement in confidential military training and employing American and British citizens, Daniel Duggan, a former pilot for the U.S. Marine Corps and Australian citizen who would be extradited to the United States, was indeed a trainer for TFASA and trained Chinese pilots in the art of landing on aircraft carriers.

    Mr. Duggan moved to Australia after more than 10 years of service in the U.S. military and founded a company called Top Gun Tasmania, which employs former U.S. and British military pilots to provide tourists with jets for joyriding.

    Former U.S. military pilot Daniel Edmund Dugga is seen as a pilot in Tasmania, Australia, on Feb. 13, 2023. (AAP Image/Supplied by Duggan family)

    Mr. Duggan, with an Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence issued by the United States and Australia, has flown the AV-8B Harrier, T2C Buckeye, and A4J Skyhawk. In May, he admitted to working with Chinese spy Su Bin, who stole U.S. military secrets but denied knowing he was a spy.

    In the United Kingdom, it was exposed in 2022 that as many as 30 retired British pilots have been recruited by the Chinese military with high salaries (up to about $270,000 a year). The recruitment has been carried out through third parties, including a flying academy based in South Africa, and the pilots had served across the British military, not just in the Royal Air Force.

    France is also targeted by the CCP, which actively seeks skilled French instructors to guide Chinese pilots in carrier landings and learn NATO air force strategies. Other than the United States and China, France is among the few nations with catapult-equipped aircraft carriers.

    The CCP recruits retired Western carrier-based aircraft pilots to train its own carrier pilots and absorb the experience of carrier combat tactics from Western countries, Ou Si-Fu, who heads the Division of Chinese Politics, Military, and Warfighting Concepts at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taiwan, told The Epoch Times.

    Landing a fighter jet on a narrow carrier deck is a highly challenging task. The CCP is starting from scratch in terms of combat operations, necessitating training from Western nations, he said. Carrier combat strategies are national secrets that no country is willing to teach Beijing directly, prompting the regime to entice retired Western pilots with hefty salaries.

    Mr. Xia said that in their pursuit of developing aircraft carriers, the CCP aims to realize its “Deep Blue Dream,” which is “a way to compete for regional and world hegemony.”

    “For the CCP, the training of carrier pilots is basically blank. Western experience is of course very important for it,” he said. “The U.S. Navy, when observing the take-off and landing of Chinese carrier aircraft, exclaimed about their dangerous [amateurish] maneuvers.”

    Mr. Ou believes that the CCP penetrates Taiwanese society with a similar approach, absorbing retired military personnel to steal Taiwan’s military secrets and enticing semiconductor professionals for advanced industrial secrets.

    Taiwan and democratic Western nations must remain vigilant against these illegal measures by the CCP to steal defense military and advanced industrial secrets, he said.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 23:35

  • Judge Awards Over $1 Million To 2 US Citizen Children Detained Crossing Border
    Judge Awards Over $1 Million To 2 US Citizen Children Detained Crossing Border

    Authored by Katabella Roberts via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    Two American children who were detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents while trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border to go to school will be awarded over $1 million in compensation, a federal judge in California has ruled.

    Customs and Border Protection agents check pedestrians as they exit Mexico into the customs area of the United States on the east side of the San Ysidro port of entry in Tijuana, Mexico, on Nov. 19, 2018. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

    U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of California Gonzalo Curiel issued the order on June 21.

    The order stems from a lawsuit involving Oscar Amparo Medina and his sister Julia Isabel Amparo, who were 14 and nine years old, respectively, in March 2019, when they were detained by border patrol agents at the Tijuana-San Ysidro, California, border crossing.

    According to the lawsuit—filed by their parents on their behalf—the two children lived with their parents and siblings in Tijuana, Mexico, and had been on their way to school in San Ysidro when the incident occurred.

    Julia was detained by officers for approximately 34 hours, and Oscar for roughly 14 hours, because officers suspected them of lying about their identities, with officers initially believing Oscar may have been attempting to smuggle or traffic his younger sister.

    The plaintiffs in the lawsuit had sought to hold the United States liable under the FTCA for false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence.

    “Common sense and ordinary human experience indicate that it was not reasonable to detain Julia for 34 hours to determine her identity or to detain Oscar for about 14 hours to determine whether he was smuggling or trafficking his sister when multiple means of investigation were available and officers unreasonably failed to pursue them,” Judge Curiel wrote in his ruling.

    In a statement provided to media outlets, a CBP spokesperson said the agency “takes all complaints seriously and makes a good faith effort to resolve all complaints justly and fairly, including complying fully with orders issued by the federal district courts.”

    Identification Issues

    According to the lawsuit, both children were born in the United States and are U.S. citizens; however, their mother, Thelma, is a Mexican citizen who possesses a valid U.S. Border Crossing Card, and their father does not have the legal status or a visa to enter the United States.

    The two children showed their valid U.S. passport cards to agents when attempting to cross the border into the United States via the pedestrian border crossing in March 2019, the complaint states.

    However, when presenting their identification cards to border agents, one of the agents noticed a “dot on Julia’s photo that appeared to be a mole on her upper lip, which was not visible on Julia in person.”

    Julia also showed agents a school identification from her former elementary school in Mexico, which also “did not resemble Julia,” according to court documents.

    During further interrogation, an officer then allegedly “came up with the idea that Julia was her cousin Melany, and then pressured Julia into agreeing,” the lawsuit claims.

    Lawyers for the United States vehemently rejected that claim and argued that “Julia and Oscar stated that Julia was Melany unprompted and then continued to say that throughout their interviews.”

    A man crosses into the United States from Mexico into San Ysidro, Calif., on Feb. 2, 2024. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

    Conduct Was ‘Extreme and Outrageous’

    The mother of the two children was not contacted when they were detained, according to the lawsuit.

    After the children were released by border agents, they suffered mental stress, grief, anxiety, humiliation, and emotional distress, lawyers for the plaintiffs wrote in the lawsuit.

    In his ruling, Judge Curiel concluded that the United States’ conduct was “extreme and outrageous” and that it had violated the rights of the two children.

    The judge also noted that one of the CBP officers who interviewed Julia in private did so without a witness or a recording of the incident, violating CBP policy. This led to a “false confession,” he said.

    “Since the confession was not recorded, witnessed or even recounted in any written detail, it will never be known why a 9-year-old U.S. citizen falsely confessed to being someone she is not,” the judge wrote.

    “CBP violated the directive that its officers not interview minors alone,” he added.

    “Although reasonable suspicion may have existed initially to believe that Julia was making a false claim of citizenship by fraudulently using the passport card of another, the duration of her and Oscar’s detention was unreasonable and in violation of the Fourth Amendment because officers repeatedly failed to take available steps to investigate their suspicions and failed to follow CBP’s own policies and precautions regarding the treatment of detained minors,” the judge concluded.

    Judge Curiel awarded $1.1 million in damages for Julia, $175,000 for Oscar, and $250,000 for Thelma.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 23:10

  • Scholars To Study Milk's Ties To "Colonialism" In Tax-Funded Project
    Scholars To Study Milk’s Ties To “Colonialism” In Tax-Funded Project

    By Micaiah Bilger of The College Fix

    This one doesn’t appear to be a hoax.

    A new research project, “Milking it: colonialism, heritage and everyday engagement with dairy,” comes out of the University of Oxford’s History of Science Museum.

    Leading the project are JC Niala, head researcher of the museum, and Johanna Zetterström Sharp, associate professor of archaeology at the University College London, according to an announcement on the museum’s Facebook page.

    Their goal is to “examine the milk-related collections of the History of Science Museum to understand scientific knowledge production and the impact of colonial legacies on contemporary issues,” the announcement states.

    “Through milk diaries, archival research, and participatory podcasting, it will investigate historical engagement with milk, building networks with consumers and producers in Britain and Kenya,” it states.

    Niala and Sharp “will question both the imagined and real aspects of milk,” including the “political nature of this everyday substance,” according to the announcement.

    The research project is new, and it’s taxpayer funded through the British Arts and Humanities Research Council, The Telegraph reports.

    But the topic is not new to either scholar.

    In 2022, Sharp participated in a panel discussion on the topic of “Milk and Whiteness” hosted by the Wellcome Collection in London. The event “explor[ed] milk’s associations with purity and whiteness and the racialised politics of diet and nutrition,” according to the collection website.

    The Telegraph reports more:

    In the panel discussion, the professor outlined a “Northern European obsession with milk” which has led to an assumption that it is a “vital part of any human diet”, and should be produced and provided on a vast scale.

    Such an assumption, she argued, “may be understood as a white supremacist one”.

    She explained: “Northern European needs and the science the technology devised to address them are the needs that pertain and are most important for global majority populations.”

    Additionally, Niala lists “milk” as a key subject of her research work in her biography on the museum website.

    For their new project, “the ultimate goal is to develop new methodologies for investigating our relationship with milk over time” and to “learn from the histories and global forces shaping milk today to envision more sustainable futures,” according to the museum.

    Milk, coffee, and racism were the subject of a student’s hoax research essay in 2021.

    As The College Fix reported at the time, the Swedish university student wrote about “how the marketing of the coffee has been characterized by highlighting ‘black and exotic elements’ of the drink. When it comes to milk, it has instead been ‘the local and white’ that has been emphasized.”

    Arvid Haag said he wrote the paper as a joke for a class about critical race theory, and was surprised when people took it seriously.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 22:45

  • Supreme Court Blocks EPA's Plan To Limit Ozone Pollution From Power Plants
    Supreme Court Blocks EPA’s Plan To Limit Ozone Pollution From Power Plants

    The Supreme Court blocked the Biden administration “pollution-fighting” plan that would mean crippling new emissions requirements on power plants and pipelines in parts of the country to stem ozone pollution that wanders into downwind states.

    It would also mean choking off US power supply at a time when AI data centers are draining the electrical network at record levels with little pushback from the same Biden administration which is oh so very concerned about the environment… but not when ultra liberal corporations are to blame.

    The justices, voting 5-4, and which was split men vs women as Trump appointee Barrett voted along with socialists Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson, put the Environmental Protection Agency’s “good neighbor” rule on hold while courts consider challenges pressed by upwind states, industry groups and companies led by Kinder Morgan.

    In doing so, they rejected arguments by the Biden administration and Democratic-controlled states that the plan was cutting air pollution and saving lives in 11 blue states where it was being enforced and that the high court’s intervention was unwarranted.

    The rule is intended to restrict smokestack emissions from power plants and other industrial sources that burden downwind areas with smog-causing pollution.

    It will remain on hold while the federal appeals court in Washington considers a challenge to the plan from industry and Republican-led states.

    The delay could be a lengthy one given that litigation over the rule is in its early stages. The focus now shifts to a federal appeals court, which will take the first look at the challenges.

    The Supreme Court order halts a rule that would have applied to 11 states, a number that had already been cut from 23 because of separate legal battles. A key issue in the fight was whether the EPA had adequately considered whether its approach was warranted even if it applied to only a subset of upwind states. The rule was originally scheduled to take effect last August.

    The challengers — Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia — contended the rule would impose billions of dollars in costs in the first year alone and threaten the reliability of the electricity grid by forcing generators into early retirement.

    The Biden administration said the rule would protect the health of people in downwind states suffering from emissions by their neighbors.

    The administration was backed by a group of downwind states led by New York.

    The rule is part of a two-pronged EPA approach that relies on the rejection of state plans to curb ozone followed by the imposition of a federal alternative.

    A number of states have managed to freeze the rejection component of EPA’s plan, reducing the reach of the alternative.

    The justices took the unusual step of holding an argument session in the case even though they were considering only a request for an interim order as part of the court’s emergency docket.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 22:20

  • With Rates Dropping, Operating Costs For Truckers Hit Record High In 2023
    With Rates Dropping, Operating Costs For Truckers Hit Record High In 2023

    By David Hollis of TruckersNews

    Operating expenses for trucking companies increased in 2023, according to the results of a new study released today.

    The American Transportation Research Institute’s 2024 Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking found the overall marginal costs of operating a truck hit $2.270 per mile in 2023, a new record high. While the increase was only 0.8 percent over the previous year, when surcharge-protected fuel costs are excluded, marginal costs rose 6.6 percent to $1.716 per mile, according to the study.

    ATRI’s annual report analyzes line-item costs, operating efficiencies, and revenue benchmarks by fleet sector and size.

    Overall, 2023 expenses rose moderately across most categories, with average costs across line-items increasing at less than half the rates experienced during 2021 and 2022, according to the study. It found:

    • Truck and trailer payments grew by 8.8 percent to $0.360 per mile

    • Driver wages grew by 7.6 percent to $0.779 per mile

    • Repair and maintenance costs grew by 3.1 percent to $0.202 per mile

    • Insurance premiums grew by 12.5 percent to $0.099 per mile after two years of negligible change

    ATRI said the soft 2023 freight market — which continues in 2024 — posed many challenges for operational efficiency. Deadhead mileage rose to an average of 16.3 percent for all non-tank operations, and driver turnover rose by five percentage points in the truckload sector.

    These pressures combined with low freight rates strained profitability across the industry, said ATRI in a statement announcing the release of its study.

    Average operating margins were 6 percent or lower in all fleet sizes and sectors other than LTL. The truckload and specialized sectors experienced drops in per-mile or per-truck revenue, and most saw “other costs” – expenses outside of the core marginal line-items – increase as a share of total revenue.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 21:55

  • Bill Gates Is Investing "Billions" In The New Wave Of Nuclear Power
    Bill Gates Is Investing “Billions” In The New Wave Of Nuclear Power

    It isn’t often Bill “Mr. I Know What’s Best For The Entire World” Gates comes up with an idea that we aren’t immediately skeptical of, but his recent pledge to promote next generation nuclear power sounds to us to be a common sense solution to multiple problems we’ll be facing in coming years. 

    Gates is pledging billions of dollars to promote nuclear through startup TerraPower LLC, OilPrice.com wrote this week. And it looks like that number could grow. 

    Gates recently told Bloomberg: “I put in over a billion, and I’ll put in billions more.”

    OilPrice.com notes that nuclear power is gaining global traction as a key player in decarbonization strategies. In addition to TerraPower, companies like Sam Altman-led Oklo are also focused on modernizing nuclear with small modular reactors. 

    Advocates emphasize its immense clean energy potential, proven technology, and existing infrastructure. Although not renewable, nuclear energy emits zero carbon and could help meet global emissions targets.

    As we have been noting for months, urgency for clean energy has intensified due to the tech sector, especially Artificial Intelligence, consuming massive amounts of energy. This surge in demand has reversed the trend, with developed countries now experiencing faster energy demand growth than developing nations.

    The IT industry currently accounts for about 2% of global CO2 emissions, according to Science Alert in 2023. Gartner predicts the AI sector alone will consume 3.5% of global electricity by 2030 without significant changes.

    In response, tech giants are seeking carbon-free energy sources, with many turning to nuclear power. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett’s TerraPower aims to supply nuclear energy for Microsoft’s AI needs and is developing safer, less controversial reactors using liquid sodium coolant, which reduces water usage and may recycle spent nuclear fuel, addressing hazardous waste concerns.

    Recall, at the start of April, we penned a lengthy report for premium subs discussing why artificial intelligence data centers, the electrification of the economy, and onshoring trends will result in a major upgrade of the nation’s power grid. We followed the note up on Monday with a report titled Everyone Is Piling Into The “Next AI Trade.” 

    In May, Larry Fink jumped on the trade: “I do believe to properly um build out AI. We’re talking about trillions of dollars of investing. So data centers today could be as much as 200 megahertz – and they’re now talking about data centers being one gigawatt. That powers a city.”

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 21:30

  • Enrollment Loss, Financial Woes An Increasing Problem At US Colleges
    Enrollment Loss, Financial Woes An Increasing Problem At US Colleges

    Authored by Aaron Gifford via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    Before Cazenovia College in Upstate New York closed in May 2023 because of decreasing enrollment and financial problems, students were given a list of comparable schools in the same region with similar tuition fees, major courses of study, financial aid availability, and athletic programs.

    The administration building at Cazenovia College has remained vacant since the four-year school in Upstate New York closed in May 2023. A portion of the campus has since been leased to the New York State Police, which operate a training academy there. (Aaron Gifford / The Epoch Times)

    One of the schools on that list, Wells College, shut down one year later for the same reasons—low enrollment (354 students) and financial problems.

    “It’s pretty crazy when that happens with two schools in two years,” Carter Matus, who transferred to Elmira College from Cazenovia College, said. Some of his classmates had considered Wells but chose different schools.

    “Luckily they didn’t have to go through this again,” he said.

    What Mr. Matus went through was a brief but “semi-stressful” episode of finding another small higher learning institution at about the same costs that would accept his credits and allow him to continue playing varsity baseball. He changed his major from art to business and still maintains his custom trade and proprietorship, Art by Carter J. Matus.

    “It’s been an OK experience,” he told The Epoch Times on June 25, “but I do miss being closer to a city [Syracuse].

    “If I had to do it all over again, I probably would have stayed in Florida.”

    These are uncertain times for upstate colleges. Along with Wells, the College of Saint Rose in Albany and St. John’s University Staten Island campus also graduated their final classes in May. Medaille College in Buffalo shut its doors last summer. Clinton County Community College survived only by closing its campus and using space at neighboring SUNY Plattsburgh. And several other schools, private and public, made deep budget cuts.

    The decline is not limited to the Empire State.

    According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, college and university enrollment has decreased by about 1.5 million students, or 7.4 percent, in the past decade.

    Notable closings in other parts of the country this year include Notre Dame College in Ohio, Birmingham Southern University in Alabama, University of Saint Katherine in California, and Hodges University in Florida.

    The main reason is that, with declining birth rates, there won’t be enough students for every school, according to Adam Kissel, visiting fellow in the Center for Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation.

    College and university decision makers across the nation must have known about this population trend 20 years ago, he said, yet too few of those representing private schools had conversations about merging or sharing services to survive.

    “Too many colleges have their heads in the sand,” Mr. Kissel said.

    Other Contributing Factors

    Mr. Kissel added that there are a number of other factors contributing to these enrollment trends and the likelihood of more campus closings.

    Americans are increasingly questioning whether a college degree is worth the money at a time when interest is rising in vocational trades and career and technical education programs, which involve smaller commitments of time and money.

    “You hear about the massive student debt, and a lot of them [prospective students] are saying, ‘I could go into plumbing or electrical work,’“ Mr. Kissel said. ”Why would I need a bachelor’s for that?”

    There are also cultural changes across U.S. campuses. The college culture of drinking and partying isn’t as attractive as it used to be. As students become more serious about their courses of study when they realize the cost of attending colleges and universities, there’s also a growing distaste for progressive ideologies that have become commonplace in higher education, Mr. Kissel said.

    In 2022, the Harvard Crimson student newspaper reported that 80 percent of school faculty identified themselves as politically liberal. In September 2023, Inside Higher Education published an opinion piece, “Higher Ed Can’t Afford its Left-Wing Bias Problem.”

    “Students ask themselves if they want to be in that environment,” Mr. Kissel said. “Many people no longer trust colleges to educate students well.”

    The “final jolt” was the much delayed release of the 2024–2025 federal student aid (FAFSA) application, which affected $1.8 billion in federal student aid and caused some students to not apply for college who otherwise would have. Mr. Kissel said this debacle will cause many more struggling higher learning institutions to close in 2025.

    Depending on the state and type of school, the total cost of annual tuition, room and board, and fees across the nation this past academic year ranged from $11,000 to more than $80,000, according to the College Board. However, the net cost that students pay after scholarships and work-study initiatives might be a fraction of that.

    National Conference of State Legislature (NCSL) Senior Policy Analyst Andrew Smalley estimates that the number of higher education institutions that closed in the United States this year was as high as “one a week,” though that would include even the smallest of online certificate or degree programs that don’t have a campus.

    Mr. Smalley, speaking during NCSL’s June 16 podcast “Making Higher Education Accountable,” said data still support that college graduates earn more than high school graduates, by an average of $30,000 a year.

    Mr. Smalley said the pressing concern is that fewer than 20 percent of students who attend an institution that closes will actually finish a degree or certificate program at another school.

    “This is a huge derailer for students, and there’s a lot states can consider around financial monitoring, mergers, consolidations, and closure procedures should an institution close,“ he said. ”And states are really considering how to think about those challenges, and what they can do to support students earning their credential or degree from those institutions.”

    Much like the students who were displaced by the recent closings of New York state colleges and universities, faculty and staff members also had to become mobile and flexible if they wanted to continue their passion for education.

    David Rufo was a childhood education professor at Cazenovia College before the announced closing. He had hoped to obtain tenure and thought he’d finally found the perfect fit in a tight-knit community with plenty of academic freedom following prior jobs at Syracuse University and Fordham University in New York City.

    Within a matter of weeks, Mr. Rufo secured a tenure-track teaching position at Utica University. The move increased his commute from two minutes to one hour, but the trade-off is job security in an institution where enrollment is growing and more support staff are there to help him with research and publications.

    “Both places seemed to really appreciate innovation,” Mr. Rufo told The Epoch Times on June 25. “Cazenovia was really rewarding, but this has been rewarding so far as well. New challenges can be part of the experience.”

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 21:05

  • "My Retribution Is Going To Be Success" – 'Presidential' Trump Dominates Stuttering Biden In Debate
    “My Retribution Is Going To Be Success” – ‘Presidential’ Trump Dominates Stuttering Biden In Debate

    Well that backfired on the Democrats…

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    You know it’s bad when you lose Brian Stelter:

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    And others…

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    All the restrictions, all the hiding Biden away, all the bias… and all it did was help Trump and hurt Biden. Former President Trump was forced to be disciplined and precise, as his son noted on X:

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    President Biden was exposed as a frail old man, stuttering and stumbling through various faux pas…

    “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence — I don’t think he knows what he said, either.”

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    …falling back on propaganda lies to attack his opponent.

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    Whatever he was on, they needed more of it…

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    …and not just water, Jack!

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    And against all odds, the CNN moderators were surprisingly good (although there were a couple of very odd cuts early on in the debate as Biden stammered):

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    There are too many moments of note so we will cherry pick a few here:

    He did keep reaching for his ear…

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    Biden repeated the claim that Trump slandered dead veterans, turning to him and saying:

    “You’re the sucker, you’re the loser.”

    Trump did not rise to the bait and responded calmly.

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    Biden claimed the border was secure and that Border Patrol endorsed him… they responded…

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    President Biden kept repeating some claim about ‘nazis coming out of the woods holding torches’ and claimed that Trump said “Hitler did some good things.”

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    Biden on the economy:

    “We provided thousands of millions of jobs.”

    Oh and Biden claimed he “inherited 9% inflation”… Nope!

    On taxes, yes he said it: “fair share”…

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    President Biden claimed that America is the “most admired” nation under him… well no…

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    Trump was the “grown up” when they discussed Biden’s age and fragility:

    Biden: “Look I’d be happy to have a driving contest with him. I got my handicap when I was vice president down to a six. By the way, I told you before I’m happy to play golf with you if you carry your own bag. Think you can do it?”

    Trump: “That’s the biggest lie, that he’s a six handicap, of all.”

    Biden: “I was a eight handicap–“

    Trump: “Let’s not act like children.”

    Biden: “You are a child.”

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    Trump’s best line of the night when confronted with the ‘projection’ that he will weaponize the government against his opponents:

    “My retribution is going to be success.”

    Finally, as Rogan O’Handley noted on X,

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    And the market knows it, with stocks and the dollar bid and bonds selling off (as Goldman suggested) as PredictIt’s odds soared for Trump and crashed for Biden…

    Source: Bloomberg

    …and cue the excuses for Biden’s performance? A cold or COVID?

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    Working so much for the American people? Or will we get pure gaslit: “Actually, we think Biden killed it in the debate…and Trump sucked”. But hey if by victory you mean he stood up for 90 minutes, you’re right, well done (well there was a half-time break)

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    We doubt anyone is falling for that shit…

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    Paging Gavin Newsom!!

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    *  *  *

    Watch live

    * * *

    So, here we go, Trump-hating-CNN-anchor-hosted ‘debate’ in a TV studio with a one-to-two-minute (not 7 second) delay on the feed, with no audience, no press allowed in (seriously), and outside of the boundaries of the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates… what could possibly go right?

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    Here’s where the odds lay before the debate started…

    It sounds like some of the Biden team are getting nervous. Former Obama Advisor David Axelrod on Joe Biden:

    “If he spends the whole night extolling his record… he will lose this debate, and he may lose this election.”

    Here’s some last minute tips:

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    Oh, and we suspect you’re going to need a drink to get through this one.

    Here’s the best drinking game rules that we have found, courtesy of Matt Taibbi:

    TAKE A SIP ONLY WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD/WORDS:

    1.    Felon.
    2.    Insurrection.
    3.    “Christians.” Double for “Persecuted Christians.”
    4.    Any of: Rigged, Crooked, Marxist, “Religions Freedom,” “Weaponizing,” “World war.”
    5.    Any of: Existential, Threat, “Our Democracy,” “At Stake,” or “Soul of a Nation.”
    6.    Any of: “C’mon, man,” MAGA, “Not a Joke,” “We’re the United States of America,” “President Obama and I.”

    As for the rest: look, this game is not going to be for the faint of heart. I’m not doing shots for this (I’ll be going with a beverage, man, i.e. a pitcher of White Russians) and strongly recommend everyone stick to beer or even weed, because if you actually play by these rules, you’ll get into a medical situation quickly. “Felon” alone is a hospital rule. So, watch responsibly.

    One evergreen rule is that YOU MUST DRINK EVERY TIME A CANDIDATE LIES.

    Beyond that, DRINK EVERY TIME:

    7.    Either CNN host brings up January 6th. If they use the word “insurrection,” you don’t have to drink twice.
    8.    Trump says he won in 2020 or warns that 2024 will not be honest, e.g. “If I knew there would be no corruption, I’d stop campaigning now.”
    9.    Biden says something unintelligible, turns his back on the camera, begins undressing, or generally does anything suggesting he’s forgotten where he is.
    10.    Trump accuses Biden of being on performance-enhancing drugs. Double shot if he sniffles while doing it.
    11.    Trump brings up Hunter.
    12.    Biden says, in response, “I love my son.” Double if he non-answers the actual question about Hunter.
    13.    Trump compares himself to a great president or unassailable historical figure: Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson, Joan of Arc, etc. A double if it’s Jesus, or a long-incarcerated political prisoner like Mandela, Sakharov, or Solzhenitsyn.
    14.    On the ropes, Biden evokes Beau.
    15.    Trump mentions “Al Capone” or someone who is “my friend.”
    16.    “You’re fired, Joe.”
    17.    Biden evokes “Detention camps.”
    18.    Biden pulls a J.J. Redick and drops a quasi-profanity in there, e.g. “We got to remember who the hell we are.”
    19.    Trump brings up someone who was killed by “Biden migrant crime.”

    Finally – If the debate has to be halted for medical reasons, FINISH YOUR BEVERAGE.

    We’d take the over on ‘dementia’…

    Enjoy! (due to start at 2100ET):

    There is, of course, one man missing from tonight’s debate… and RFK Jr decided to host a ‘real debate’ here on Rumble instead.

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    *  *  *

    In a highly anticipated showdown, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump square off tonight in the first of two scheduled debates. The battle of wits comes extraordinarily early in the campaign, which — as we’ll explain below — could be something the Trump campaign regrets. 

    This combination of photos shows Donald Trump, left, and Joe Biden during the first general-election presidential debate in 2020, on Sept. 29 in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

    Here are the essentials: 

    • The debate in Atlanta will air at 9 pm ET on CNN and on the streaming platform Max. If you don’t have either of those, you can watch without a cable log-in at CNN.com  

    • Moderators are Jake Tapper and Dana Bash

    • The contest will last 90 minutes, and have two commercial/rest breaks. Candidates are not allowed to interact with their staff during the breaks

    • No prepared notes are allowed, but will have pads for making notes during the debate.

    • The contenders’ microphones will be muted when it’s not their turn to talk

    That last wrinkle could be a major help for the challenger: Trump’s performance in the crucial first debate of the 2020 election was a certified disaster, thanks to his incessant interruptions of Biden, which only served to annoy audiences and reinforce Trump’s reputation for supposedly “lacking civility.”  

    In anticipation of a train wreck on either side, will tonight’s debate viewership top 2016’s Clinton/Trump battle?

    Infographic: Which Presidential Debates Drew The Biggest TV Audiences? | Statista

    You will find more infographics at Statista

    Then again, the muted microphones may be a redundancy, as Trump is reportedly well aware that his tactics backfired in the last election. “He has said to people, multiple times, that he knows that he interrupted too much in the first debate with Biden in 2020,” the New York Times‘ Maggie Haberman told CNN’s Anderson Cooper last week. In any event, here’s a CNN demonstration of what it will sound like if a muted candidate tries to speak during the opponent’s turn: 

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    With the latest New York Times/Siena College poll showing Trump leading Biden in all seven battleground states, the pressure is clearly on the incumbent. At the same time, Biden’s increasing pace of verbal miscues makes the debate a risky proposition for him. Rather than closing the gap, a performance that confirms the public’s worst beliefs about Biden’s mental acuity could spell disaster. 

    That’s why Trump may come to regret agreeing to a debate that’s far earlier in the presidential election calendar than normal — indeed, before either party has even had its nominating convention. If tonight’s debate puts Biden’s mental decline under the national spotlight, the Democratic Party — already deeply worried about Trump outperforming among blacks, Hispanics and young people — may scramble to persuade Biden to leave the race with dignity and replace him with someone else.

    Of course, Biden has the uncanny ability to go from confused nursing home patient to invigorated octogenarian – which has prompted Trump and many others to suggest they take blood tests before the debate. Of course, that’s not going to happen.

    As Andrew Ross Sorkin notes in the NY Times dealbook, the economy will be a big topic of debate.

    The economy is the big question. Various measures show strong growth under Biden, but many voters feel differently. What will Biden and Trump say about some of the key issues?

    • Inflation: This is clearly a challenge for the president, as Americans complain about what they’re paying in the grocery store, at the pump and on their rent. Biden can say that price increases are slowing down, and will most likely emphasize his administration’s efforts to crack down on “corporate greed,” like taking on so-called junk fees. Trump will probably stress how good things were when he took office in 2017 — an economy many Americans want back.

    • Taxes: Biden’s proposals for higher corporate taxes will hit profits: “It’s simple math,” David Bahnsen, the founder and chief investment officer of the Bahnsen Group, told DealBook. Many business leaders don’t like Biden’s plan to increase taxes on the wealthy, either. Trump will probably stress his desire to extend his 2017 tax cuts and lower the corporate rate to 20 percent. But questions about corporate earnings and the economy may eclipse those concerns.

    • Protectionism: Both candidates want to increase tariffs on Chinese goods, but Biden has been more targeted in how he has done it during his presidency. Trump has proposed significantly higher across-the-board levies, though it’s unclear how serious he is about it. Economists have warned that Trump’s potential approach could aggravate inflation and hurt the economy.

    • Markets: The S&P 500 set 31 records this year; investors will hope neither party messes with that momentum. In tonight’s debate, “markets probably care more about presentation than policy pledges,” Paul Donovan, an economist at UBS, wrote in a client note. Biden may have a slight edge, he added, since investors would prefer keeping “some continuity.”

    The Democratic convention in Chicago is set for Aug. 19 to 22; however, there are plans to nominate Biden ahead of time via a “virtual” online roll call, but the party has not yet announced a date. The Republican convention in Milwaukee will run from July 15 to 18. The second debate, will be hosted by ABC News on Sept. 10.

    Two of Trump’s three opponents tonight: CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash (via The Hill)

    And with expectations for Biden so low, the Trump campaign has been working to shape the evaluation framework ahead of time. “We believe that many in the media are already prepared to give Joe Biden a participation trophy if he can simply stand upright for 90 minutes,” senior Trump campaign advisor Jason Miller told reporters. 

    Trump will be in hostile territory tonight, with the risk of it becoming a de facto 3-v-1 battle. Not only is it being hosted by CNN, but moderators Tapper and Bash are some of the network’s harshest critics of Trump.

    As if we needed a reminder of the extent to which CNN is an extension of the Biden campaign, over the weekend Kasie Hunt kicked Trump 2024 press secretary Karoline Leavitt off her show when she dared to call out Tapper’s obvious animus against the former president: 

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    Biden’s handlers cleared his schedule for the week, so he could focus on debate prep at the Camp David presidential retreat. Speaking in Philadelphia, Trump said much of the prep was likely coming in the form of “sleeping…because they want to get him good and strong.” While Biden’s prep includes mock debates with a Trump stand-in, Trump’s preparation has centered on receiving policy briefings from a variety of allies. 

    Oh, and posting hilarious clips to his Instagram channel, like this one made by Jimmy Failla (@jimmyfailla):

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    Part of the debate set-up was decided by a coin toss, in which the winning campaign earned the privilege of choosing either their podium location or the sequence of closing statements. The Biden campaign won, and elected to choose the podium on the right side of viewer screens. The Trump campaign then opted to have the last word.  

    Speaking of last words, if history is any guide, no matter how terrible Biden may look tonight, we can expect major media outlets to gush about him beating expectations. However, having seen one Biden gaffe after another, the American people are increasingly less likely to fall for that kind of orchestrated snow job.

    Will Biden go full mask-off?

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 20:40

  • New U Of Arizona DEI Course Requirement Hit With Criticism: "Academically Unserious"
    New U Of Arizona DEI Course Requirement Hit With Criticism: “Academically Unserious”

    By Ellie Cameron of The College Fix

    As universities nationwide scale back diversity, equity and inclusion policies, Arizona’s flagship public institution is preparing to implement a new mandate for students — two courses with a DEI emphasis as a graduation requirement.

    Through the two courses, students will focus on themes of diversity, power, equity, privilege, oppression and marginalization, learn “how historical and contemporary populations have experienced inequality,” and “theorize how to create a more equitable society,” the university’s website states.

    “…Classes with the Diversity & Equity Attribute will focus on issues such as racism, classism, sexism, ableism, imperialism, colonialism, transphobia, xenophobia, and other structured inequities,” the university states.

    The DEI mandate is part of a general education curriculum update at the University of Arizona and takes effect in fall 2026. In the meantime, it has prompted criticisms from a high-profile conservative think tank in the state.

    Students “will be forced to take courses with academically unserious content that adds nothing to their education,” Timothy Minella, a researcher with the Goldwater Institute, told The College Fix.

    Minella authored the institute’s report criticizing the DEI mandate. Published this month, it argues “general education programs were originally intended to help students gain knowledge and skills essential for thoughtful citizenship and successful careers.”

    But the new DEI requirements “instead promote politically activist ideologies to a captive audience of students, who must complete the programs in order to receive a degree,” it adds.

    Susan Miller-Cochran, professor of English and executive director of UA’s general education, said the courses are in response to an Arizona Board of Regents policy “to contribute to a society that values ‘equality under the law, diversity, inclusion, and constructive dialogue through civil discourse.’”

    She said she strongly disagrees with the institute’s report.

    “It’s about reflection and theorization. Understanding theories about diversity and equity, and to cultivate habits of mind that help to meet the requirements that the Arizona Board of Regents gave us in their general education policy,” she told The College Fix in a telephone interview.

    The Goldwater report was the result of a wide-ranging public records act request from last fall, and it picks apart several courses that meet the DEI focus after obtaining about 1,000 pages of syllabi.

    Among the classes it highlights is one that requires students to “live like a bug” in “ENTO 160D1: Busy Bees and Fancy Fleas: How Insects Shaped Human History.” In one assignment, students will create “tissue paper wings” to understand the experience of “immigrants” or people “from a different social class.”

    Minella told The Fix that UA students “could graduate having ‘lived like a bug,’ but without learning about the Constitution, the Civil War, or landmark Supreme Court cases.”

    “This isn’t just bad policy. It’s a blatant violation of a clear directive to educate students in American civics from the Arizona Board of Regents, the body that oversees Arizona public universities,” he said via email.

    Another DEI class highlighted in the report is an anthropology one called “Race, Ethnicity, and the American Dream.”

    “Racism is deeply embedded in US history, society, and institutions. It is systemic,” the syllabus states. “You’ll learn [in] this unit that racism is a system of advantage, and disadvantage, based on race. White people hold unearned privilege while people of color have not had equal access to the ‘American Dream.’”

    Another DEI class includes “Constructions of Gender,” where students have the opportunity to participate in a “Safe Zone Training” through the campus LGBTQ center for extra credit.

    Minella called the courses “emblematic of the broader academic failings” of the DEI requirement.

    Mieczyslaw Zak, a spokesman for the university, said Minella did not discuss the courses with UA scholars and his report misses the mark.

    “The goal is absolutely not activism,” he told The Fix. “The goal is understanding, so that students can develop their own perspective and decide how they want to move forward.”

    Zak and Miller-Cochran also said they disagree the general education requirement runs afoul of Board of Regents policy. They said the regents acknowledged their curriculum policy does not provide a specific list of courses, and leaves the decision to the state universities.

    Asked about the entomology course highlighted in the Goldwater report, Miller-Cochran said “I’m not an entomologist.”

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 20:20

  • Atrial Fibrillation, Eliquis, And The Inflation Reduction Act
    Atrial Fibrillation, Eliquis, And The Inflation Reduction Act

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

    Atrial fibrillation, often referred to as “AFib,” is the most commonly treated type of heart arrhythmia. This condition is now considered the new cardiovascular disease epidemic. In the United States, an estimated 3 to 6 million people have AFib, with projections suggesting that this number could reach 16 million by 2050.

    (Raihana Asral/Shutterstock)

    AFib is an irregular, sometimes rapid heart rhythm that occurs when abnormal electrical impulses override the heart’s natural pacemaker. Having AFib puts people at a three-to-five-times greater risk for ischemic stroke from a blood clot traveling from the heart to the brain. One of the primary ways to prevent a clot is to take an anticoagulant or blood-thinning medication.

    “AFib contributes to turbulent flow inside the heart. The irregularity of the blood flow allows for a pause in the blood flowing through the heart, allowing the blood to clot. This then can be sent to the brain[,] causing strokes,” Dr. Ken Perry, an emergency physician in Charleston, South Carolina, told The Epoch Times via email.

    The 2023 published clinical guideline for anticoagulant therapy to prevent stroke for AFib patients recommends a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC), specifically the medication Eliquis (apixaban), because it has a lower risk of gastrointestinal bleeding than other DOACs.

    Patients taking Eliquis for AFib must continue taking the medication if they’re experiencing an abnormal rhythm or at risk of going back into it. Missing even one dose could significantly increase the risk of having a stroke.

    Unfortunately, for many people in the United States with AFib, Eliquis, the most commonly prescribed anticoagulant to prevent blood clots, can cost a patient up to $594 per month, depending on their insurance, Medicare Part D plan, or other type of coverage.

    In 2022, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which includes several provisions to help lower prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries. One of those provisions allows the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to negotiate the prices of some medications with drug manufacturers. In August 2023, CMS selected 10 Medicare Part D drugs for negotiation, and Eliquis was first on the list.

    CMS Negotiations

    According to a CMS factsheet, about 3.7 million Medicare Part D enrollees used Eliquis from June 2022 to May 2023. The total Part D gross covered prescription cost to Medicare for the same period was $16.5 billion.

    A CMS representative told The Epoch Times via email that “The IRA helps people who take anticoagulant medications through Medicare Negotiation. Any negotiated prices agreed to between Medicare and participating drug companies will be announced by September 1, 2024, and become effective beginning in 2026.”

    However, many AFib patients and health professionals believe the IRA will have several unintended consequences, including higher prescription costs and limited access to medications. They argue for oversight of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), as these managers have the authority to remove drugs from formularies or switch them to higher-cost tiers while securing larger rebates from more expensive drugs.

    Who Are the Pharmacy Benefit Managers?

    Pharmacy benefit managers are often overlooked intermediaries between drug and insurance companies. Three major PBMs—CVS Caremark, Optum RX, and Express Scripts—account for approximately 80 percent of medication fulfillment in the United States. They play a central role in pricing drugs for insurers, deciding which drugs will be most accessible to consumers, and determining how much pharmacies are paid for these medications.

    Mellanie True Hills, a patient advocate and the founder and CEO of the American Foundation for Women’s Health and StopAfib.org, spoke at the CMS Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Patient-Focused Listening Session in October 2023. She and many others voiced concerns about the impact of the IRA and CMS drug negotiations on the pricing and accessibility of Eliquis.

    “There is a misperception by the White House and patients that the problem is the drug companies. What they don’t realize is the pharma companies are over the barrel, just like we are,” Ms. Hills told The Epoch Times.

    However, J.C. Scott, president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, stated in an op-ed titled “Elevating the Value of the Employer-PBM Relationship” that “Contrary to the narrative that some pharmaceutical companies want policymakers to believe, employers and health plan sponsors hire PBMs because they provide a wide range of pharmacy benefit options that help payers offer high-quality, cost-effective prescription drug benefits.”

    Drug pricing in the United States is complex. It begins with the drug companies developing a drug and making a list price. The drug wholesalers make the drugs and transport them to the pharmacies. The patient pays a copay, and the pharmacy sends a bill the insurance company pays. Although the flow sounds simple, it doesn’t account for the PBMs, which add further complexity to the chain.

    PBM Rebates

    PBMs work on behalf of insurance companies, large employers, and government agencies. One of their main responsibilities is lowering drug costs for these organizations. They achieve this by negotiating rebates with drug manufacturers. The rebates are paid to the PBMs, who retain a portion of the savings and pass the remainder on to the insurance companies or employers.

    In exchange for rebates, PBMs include a drug on their formulary, the list of drugs that pharmacies offer. PBMs utilize a tiered system to manage these drugs. Medications with a higher tier typically have a lower patient copay, motivating drug companies to provide higher rebates in exchange for a favorable tier placement. PBMs can remove a drug from the formulary altogether, potentially limiting patient access to that drug.

    Theoretically, rebates and formulary placement should lower drug costs for consumers, yet unfortunately, the opposite often occurs. According to an issue brief published by the Commonwealth Fund, PBMs report that 90 percent of rebates are passed on to health plans and payers. However, small payers and employers often report that they don’t receive these savings, and the drug-specific rebates are kept confidential between manufacturers and PBMs, making it difficult for commercial plans to assess the actual cost savings for their members.

    In a 2023 Congressional Oversight Committee hearing addressing the role of PBMs in prescription drug pricing, members and witnesses highlighted how PBMs monopolize the drug market to drive up prices. Despite bipartisan agreement that PBMs increase consumer costs and adversely affect patient care, no decisive action was taken against them. In December 2023, a Senate bill with only a few provisions was introduced.

    “Congress cannot risk leaving employers to fend for themselves against pharmaceutical giants or restrict flexibility, options and savings that help businesses design benefits that work best for their unique needs, achieve savings that supports [sic] their ability to sponsor, and invest in high-quality benefits and unlock better health outcomes for their employees,” Mr. Scott stated in his op-ed.

    PBMs and Drug Access

    When PBMs have to pay more for a drug without receiving a substantial rebate from the drug manufacturer, it negatively affects their margins. According to the Alliance for Patient Access, the PBMs will sometimes remove the drug from their formulary, forcing patients to either pay the total price out-of-pocket or switch to a different drug that may be similar but not the one prescribed by their doctor.

    Ms. Hills said a similar situation happened in December 2021, when many patients received word that CVS Caremark was dropping Eliquis from its formulary. This allowed patients to either take another anticoagulant—rivaroxaban or warfarin—or pay the total out-of-pocket cost for Eliquis.

    The American College of Cardiology and patient advocacy groups pressured CVS Caremark to reverse its decision. In July 2022, CVS Caremark reinstated Eliquis on its formularies, stating that the drug was re-added after securing a lower net cost from the drug manufacturer.

    Despite CVS Caremark’s decision to reinstate Eliquis, concerns persist about the potential loss of affordable access to the medication. These concerns are fueled by the possibility that CMS negotiations might force drug companies to lower prices, resulting in inadequate rebates for PBMs and potentially affecting the drug’s formulary status.

    Nonmedical Drug Switching Risks

    Nonmedical switching, especially with a medication like Eliquis, can be harmful to patients.

    “One of the problems is that patients taking Eliquis twice a day, switching to Xarelto (rivaroxaban), which is only taken once a day, could cause confusion and a potential overdose, putting them at risk for bleeding. When a patient is stable, they should be left on that medication,” Ms. Hills said.

    An article published in Research and Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis detailed a letter from CVS Caremark to Beth Waldron, a patient advocate for the National Blood Clot Alliance, who also takes Eliquis. The letter informed her that they were removing Eliquis from the formulary.

    “The stated approval criteria required that I first take and fail Xarelto or have another clinical indication, which was undefined,” Ms. Waldron wrote. “And if the exemption was approved, it would be at a higher coverage tier, making it subject to coinsurance and deductible. For me, this would mean an additional US$2400 a year.” The failure of Xarelto could also result in developing a potentially deadly blood clot.

    According to Ms. Hills, when a medication is removed from the formulary and a patient is forced to switch medications, they can ask their doctor to submit a prior authorization to the insurance company stating the patient’s need for one medication over another. However, some patients don’t have time for the prior authorization process.

    The American Society for Preventive Cardiology published a 2022 report on the impact of nonmedical switching on patients taking a blood thinner. According to the report, patients forced into nonmedical switching by health insurers indicated that the switch took a toll on their overall health. Specifically, 28 percent reported side effects, 22 percent reported resurfacing of symptoms, 7 percent had a heart attack, and 4 percent had a stroke.

    CMS Initiatives and Updates

    The Epoch Times emailed CMS and asked if any stipulations would be in place to ensure that PBMs don’t interfere with Eliquis’ accessibility and pricing for Medicare beneficiaries and people with private insurance.

    CMS did not answer the question about PBMs. However, it did offer specific details about the IRA price negotiations and the Extra Help program, available for people with incomes up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level. The IRA has expanded eligibility for the program, which can lower premiums and reduce out-of-pocket costs for prescription drug coverage.

    Ms. Hills said she recently received encouraging news from CMS. The agency has asked patients for comments about incorporating patient input into revising the negotiation process for the second round of talks with drug companies to ensure patient access to medications under Part D.

    “Within that, there are two things they’re asking about,” said Ms. Hills. “No. 1 is considering concerns around patient access disruption under Part D due to the combination Part D redesign would lead to coverage restrictions.”

    CMS also wants patient input about reviewing Part D sponsor formularies annually to evaluate and address instances where selected drugs are unfavorably placed on tiers or subjected to more restrictive utilization management than nonselected drugs in the same class. “CMS is actually recognizing that this is a problem, and they’re asking for input on it,” she said. “Apparently, they heard us.”

    The pharmaceutical industry is currently engaged in a legal battle with the federal government, attempting to block the negotiations by alleging that the program violates federal law and is unconstitutional. Despite these efforts, negotiations are ongoing and are expected to continue until August 1. The maximum fair price for the first 10 drugs, including Eliquis, will be announced on Sept. 1 and will take effect at the beginning of 2026.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 20:00

  • Russia Appears To Be Amassing A Dark Fleet To Ship LNG
    Russia Appears To Be Amassing A Dark Fleet To Ship LNG

    By Tsvetana Paraskova of OilPrice.com

    Russia appears to have started to amass a dark fleet of tankers to ship its LNG in vessel ownership transfers similar to the moves that Moscow began after the invasion of Ukraine to create a shadow fleet to export oil and products in the face of Western sanctions.

    Russia has already amassed a large shadow fleet of oil tankers, and it’s now working on a similar plan for LNG to circumvent current and future sanctions on its LNG, according to data from shipping database providers cited by Bloomberg.

    The analysis by Bloomberg has found that little-known shipping firms operating from Dubai’s free trade zone have assumed ownership of at least eight vessels in the past three months, per data from shipping database Equasis. Of these, four ice-class LNG carriers have already received approval from Russia’s authorities to pass through the Arctic route in Russia this summer. Moscow also appears to have issued a record number of permits for this route, the Northern Sea route. Some of the tankers with new ownership don’t have listed insurers—another sign of a vessel now part of a “dark fleet.”.

    “There are several indications pointing to efforts by Russia to create a dark fleet for LNG,” Malte Humpert, founder of the Washington D.C.-based think tank Arctic Institute, told Bloomberg.

    The transfer of ownership of vessels to little-known entities in little transparent jurisdictions outside Russia bears a striking resemblance to the Russian moves from two years ago when Moscow started amassing the dark fleet for its oil, Bloomberg notes.

    Russia has been seeking a larger share of the global LNG market, but U.S. sanctions have delayed the start-up of the Arctic LNG 2 project, while the EU just this week banned new investments, as well as the provision of goods, technology, and services for the completion of LNG projects under construction, such as Arctic LNG 2 and Murmansk LNG.

    The EU is also banning transshipment operations of Russian LNG to third countries in EU territory after a transition period of 9 months. This first EU move against Russia’s LNG could speed up the creation of a shadow Russian LNG fleet.  

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 19:40

  • Arby's Franchisee Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
    Arby’s Franchisee Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

    By Julie LIttman of RestaurantDive

    • Miracle Restaurant Group, a 25-unit Arby’s franchisee, declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 20, according to court filings.

    • The company, which has been an Arby’s operator since 2005, has restaurants in Illinois, Indiana, Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana, Donald Moore, manager and member of Miracle Restaurant Group, said in a court filing.

    • In addition to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the operator cited inflationary pressures, negative same-store sales, an inability to sell underperforming locations and the failure of the IRS to timely refund over $3 million to the company as part of Employee Retention Tax Credits as reasons for filing for bankruptcy protections, Moore said.

    This isn’t the first time the chain has filed for Chapter 11. In 2010, the company operated over 60 stores, but filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11, leading to closures of a number of stores. Creditors were paid in full under its restructuring plan, Moore said in the court filing. 

    Economic conditions appear to be more dynamic this time around for the operator. Negative same-store sales compressed profit margins that have not helped cover fixed costs. Price increases also couldn’t adequately compensate for a rise in labor and commodity expenses, resulting in an erosion of its cash position, Moore said. 

    Restaurants developed over the last three years also have had disappointing store sales.

    “The negative same store sales and lower than anticipated sales from newer stores have resulted in certain stores that operate at extremely low or (at times) negative cash flow on a weekly and monthly basis,” Moore said. 

    To help offset its declining financial situation, the operator approached its landlords and Arby’s for relief, but the responses were not enough to keep the franchisee from bankruptcy, Moore said. 

    Miracle also tried to sell some of its Texas and Chicago-land area locations, but has not been able to secure offers. Moore said overall declines in Arby’s systemwide same-store sales and low sales to fixed cost ratios of certain Miracle restaurants contributed to the bankruptcy. Last September, it sold three stores in Indiana and used those proceeds to pay down debt. 

    As part of its bankruptcy filing, the operator plans to sell seven Texas stores, eight Illinois stores and two Indiana stores and to focus on operating its Louisiana and Mississippi stores leaving it with eight remaining locations, Moore said. Miracle has retained Peak Franchise Capital to advise in marketing the sale of these restaurants. 

    The company said it has 200 to 999 estimated number of creditors, $1 million to $10 million in assets and $1 million to $10 million in liabilities in a court filing. 

    Bankruptcies have been on the rise among QSR franchisees. Since the start of 2023, franchisees of Burger King, CKE, McDonald’s, Popeyes, Subway and Wendy’s have sought bankruptcy protection. Operators have been under increased financial pressure due to rising labor and food costs, difficulty raising capital to fund expansions or remodels to help drive sales and falling consumer traffic, among other factors.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 19:20

  • What Are Libraries For?
    What Are Libraries For?

    Authored by Roger L. Simon via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    When I was a kid in New York, the 96th Street library was a focal point of my life. Even though I was perpetually losing my library card and amassing fines for overdue books I didn’t want my parents to know about, it (as well as the movie theaters on 86th) was my home away from home.

    People work at desks in the Rose Main Reading Room at the New York Public Library in New York City on Oct. 5, 2016. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

    It had also, I was given to understand, served the same function for the young James Baldwin (although Wikipedia cites the 135th Street library in Harlem) and other esteemed writers of the past and had a history of spawning authors, something even then I dreamed of being.

    It was also a place for stimulating the mind as only books can.

    According to its website, the 96th is currently undergoing a rehab. Simultaneously, I was interested to read, a new library here in my present hometown—six years now—of Nashville is opening.

    From Axios Nashville: “Musical performances, a puppet show and appearances from Nashville political leaders marked the long-awaited grand opening of the Donelson library branch Monday.”

    But wait, as they say, there’s more: “The new 24,000-square-foot library has three dedicated spaces to host community events, six study rooms, artwork by local artists and a mobile kitchen on wheels sponsored by the Stones River Woman’s Club.”

    They also do vehicle registrations. Seriously. No word on a bowling alley.

    The local official who has been sponsoring this project for years said: “Libraries are not about just going to check out a book. They’re modern multimedia centers and places for all kinds of community programming.”

    I disagree. Libraries should be primarily about the one thing that is among the most sorely missed in contemporary society—books, books, books, and more books.

    Now, I have to admit something: Though I am an author now working on his 15th book, I have rarely been in a library in recent years, except to give an occasional talk to promote my work.

    This aversion began several years ago when we had a second home in the Seattle area. I watched with interest, even excitement, as a new city library was erected. Designed by highly regarded Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, it was certainly stylistically cutting edge, utilizing all sorts of geometric shapes and colors.

    But when I first entered the new edifice shortly after opening, what seemed to dominate the building, beyond the trendy architecture—you could barely see any bookshelves—were computer banks. Seated at those banks were, largely, the homeless. What they had up on their screens wasn’t Dostoevsky.

    Not to overly disparage the well-meaning local official quoted above, but the one thing libraries should not be is a “modern multimedia center.” We, especially our children, get enough of that virtually everywhere else. In fact, we can hardly escape it. Nor should libraries be centers of  “community programming” that invite their use for ideological or lifestyle purposes that are inherently exclusionist. (These last have become all too common, with librarians too often the culprits.)

    Libraries should be what they were always intended to be, what the first ones were—temples of books.

    I assume that those who are expanding the concept of a library are doing so, in their minds, to induce people to read books. My guess is they are unwittingly doing the reverse. They are implying that reading a book is not sufficient unto itself, virtually the opposite of the truth.

    Reading a book is the point. It is the brain’s best food, no matter the topic, since the days of the Bible and even before. That is the message a library should deliver.

    What reading a book does for us as nothing else is create a mind-meld with the author or authors and, especially when it is good, allows us, whether fictionally or non-fictionally, to examine its subject in all its complexities and draw sophisticated conclusions. In short, we grow from the experience.

    Largely because of the internet and the ADHD that it so often causes, people are losing the attention span it takes to read a book through. Though I write them myself, I read fewer than I did at 25 when there were no computers or cell phones to distract me. Has this technology rotted my brain? I think, to some degree, yes.

    Having noticed this, I am making an effort to put away the phone—the latest from Ukraine can wait—and read some of a book every night. I don’t always succeed, but I’m trying. I recommend this, if you’re not already doing so. You will find it is also an antidote to the stress of these times.

    Meanwhile, I wish we could get some help in this by making libraries what they used to be—monuments to books and therefore public inspirations for a lifetime of learning.

    Roger Simon’s latest book is “American Refugees: The Untold Story of the Mass Migration from Blue States to Red States.” He is currently working on a novel.

    Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 19:00

  • Nike Shares Crash Near COVID Lows After Warning Sales Slump Is Worsening
    Nike Shares Crash Near COVID Lows After Warning Sales Slump Is Worsening

    Nike shares are down over 11% after-hours following an ugly earnings picture that saw Q4 revenues disappoint and more notably, a sizable cut in guidance for the first half of this fiscal year.

    Building on a slew of reports that suggest pain is finally hitting the consumer’s wallet, Nike’s revenue for Q4 fell 1.7% YoY to $12.61 billion (notably below the $12.86 billion consensus estimate).

    • Direct Revenue (via the company’s website, app and stores) $5.1 billion, -7.3% y/y, well below the estimate of $5.68 billion

    • Wholesale revenue $7.1 billion, +6% y/y, estimate $6.6 billion

    Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Poonam Goyal said the underperformance at Nike’s own sales channels “comes by surprise and is a reason for concern, as the activewear giant could be turning its core shoppers away due to lack of newness.”

    She added that the performance in wholesale, which beat estimates, is a “positive indicator for its revived and existing wholesale relationships.”

    Geographically, Asia was steady while European revenues fell. North America saw the biggest disappointment to expectations:

    • North America revenue $5.28 billion, -1.4% y/y, weaker than the estimated $5.44 billion

    • EMEA revenue $3.29 billion, -1.7% y/y, estimate $3.31 billion

    • Greater China rev. $1.86 billion, +2.9% y/y, estimate $1.83 billion

    • Asia Pacific & Latin America rev. $1.71 billion, +0.5% y/y, estimate $1.74 billion

    Across the product-lines, footwear and most notably ‘Chuck Taylor’ brand Converse saw revenues plunge…

    • Converse revenue $480 million, -18% y/y, estimate $545.6 million

    • Footwear revenue $8.24 billion, -3.6% y/y, estimate $8.64 billion

    • Apparel revenue $3.32 billion, +2.8% y/y, estimate $3.25 billion

    • Equipment revenue $578 million, +34% y/y, estimate $446.4 million

    But then, during the earnings calls, Nike management said that it sees 1Q revenue down about 10% (dramatically worse than the 3% decline consensus had expected).

    This comes after Nike said in March that it expected revenue to fall by a low-single-digit percentage in the first half of its fiscal year.

    “A comeback at this scale takes time,” Chief Financial Officer Matt Friend said during the company’s call with analysts.

    He added the company is transitioning its product lineup to reignite consumer interest. 

    NKE shares are trading down almost 12% in the after hours, almost back to COVID lockdown levels…

    …almost back to COVID lockdown levels…

    Nike Chief Executive Officer John Donahoe is cutting $2 billion in costs and slashing 2% of the workforce, with layoffs recently hitting the company’s European headquarters near Amsterdam and its Boston-based Converse brand.

    “We are taking our near-term challenges head-on, while making continued progress in the areas that matter most to NIKE’s future – serving the athlete through performance innovation, moving at the pace of the consumer and growing the complete marketplace,” said John Donahoe, President & CEO, NIKE, Inc.

    “I’m confident that our teams are lining up our competitive advantages to create greater impact for our business.”

    If Americans can’t afford a new set of sneakers – despite the record number of jobs that Joe Biden has ‘created’, then maybe, just maybe, those jobs weren’t as ‘created’ or ‘well paid’ as some would like you to believe… and maybe, just maybe, the sentiment signals and poll numbers are true about the state of the economy, no matter what all those Nobel laureate economists would prefer that you think.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 18:40

  • Odds Are High You're Going To Need Your Survival Supplies In The Next Few Years
    Odds Are High You’re Going To Need Your Survival Supplies In The Next Few Years

    Authored by Brandon Smith via Alt-Market.us,

    In 2020 at the onset of the covid pandemic scare and right before the lockdowns I’ll never forget going on a grocery run on a Friday afternoon only to find near empty roads and near empty stores. The few other people shopping had a glassy stare in their eyes, like they were dazed or shell-shocked. For me and those I know that prep, it was just another day; for those that hadn’t prepped it was a nightmare of uncertainty.

    In Montana we didn’t pay much heed to the lockdowns after the first month.  In three months everything was basically back to normal except for the mask mandates which most people ignored. With more data available on the virus it was clear that the chance of death was greatly exaggerated. What scared us far more was the pervasive talk of vaccine passports in 2021. The proposed state and federal restrictions on people that refused to take the jab were familiar – This was the beginning of full blown tyranny unless we stood firm.

    In the meantime there was a public rush to buy up as many necessities as they could afford. And of course, the covid stimulus measures helped to trigger a stagflationary crisis that had already been building in the US for many years.

    In the face of so many potential threats, preppers were still well protected. If vaccine passports became the norm and access to public places was blocked then we had food storage to get us through for a long time to come. If the buying panic and inflation led to a supply chain disaster then we were ready, along with the guns and ammo and training needed to keep what we had. If a fight was coming then we had the means to defend ourselves.

    I have long been convinced that it was the prepper factor that caused the government to rethink their strategy of perpetual medical lockdowns and give up on vaccine passports. Recent surveys show that over 30% of the adult population of the US is involved in prepping.  We’re an unknown element, something they can’t predict, a possible monkey-wrench in the gears of the machine.

    With our own supplies we are not dependent on the system to keep us alive, and the harder they push the more we are compelled to organize into an even greater obstacle. Just as NATO sanctions have pushed Russia, China and the BRICS closer together, openly authoritarian policies in the west during covid have pushed liberty movement people together. The establishment backed away because they had to.

    That’s why I have to laugh whenever I see some idiot online say: “What’s the point of prepping when nothing ever happens?”

    These people must have been living under a rock since 2020. 

    We just dodged one of the biggest Orwellian bullets in our nation’s history with the defeat of the pandemic mandates. Or, maybe they don’t realize that the pandemic was just the beginning.

    If that’s the case then it pains me to remind everyone that nothing has fundamentally changed. Yes, we beat back the mandates but all the same elites are still in power, all the same globalist institutions that exploited covid to create a panic still exist, and the event has acted as a domino in a chain leading to other crises. Here’s just a few reasons why you’re definitely going to need your survival preps in the next few years…

    The Stagflation Crisis That Wouldn’t Die

    The stagflationary problem is persistent despite all the media claims that it’s under control. Readers familiar with my economic analysis know that I predicted stagflation several years ago as the inevitable outcome of the Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing and near-zero interest rates (See my article published in 2018 titled ‘Stagflationary Crisis: Understanding The Cause Of America’s Ongoing Collapse’ for reference). I also predicted the Catch-22 problem of rate hikes vs inflation and debt (read my my article from 2021 titled ‘The Fed’s Catch-22 Taper Is A Weapon, Not A Policy Error’). And when I said a couple years ago that the Fed wasn’t going to return to rate cuts for some time, I was right about that too.

    Given this track record, trust me when I say that stagflation is here to stay. Any move to cut rates will automatically trigger an even worse resurgence of inflation and the fed will be forced to hike once again. And, high interest rates will continue to create a national debt crisis as debt payments skyrocket.

    In other words, the economic situation is getting exponentially worse with each passing year. The US National debt was $28 trillion in 2021; by the end of 2024 it will be well over $35 trillion.  That’s $7 trillion added in four-years time.  There is already breakage in the system, but that’s nothing compared to what we face in the next four years. Any preparedness items you buy today should be considered an investment, because there’s no doubt all of those items will be far more expensive or harder to find in the future.

    Political Riots Are Assured

    Recent campus protests over Gaza (and the riots in France over gains by conservatives in government) have reminded people that they shouldn’t get too comfortable with the fading influence of BLM. The same leftists that rode the wave of racial division back in 2020 are going out and finding new causes to co-opt. They’re looking for any excuse to riot, even if it has nothing to do with them personally.

    With the 2024 election incoming we all know civil unrest will be the norm once again no matter who ends up in the White House. With riots follow the threat of looting, property destruction, political violence and even martial law. Then there is the public reaction to those circumstances, including the possibility of civil war. Don’t assume the country will calm down after the election. In fact, assume the opposite.

    The War In Ukraine Is About To Become A World War

    Again, I have mentioned in multiple articles the danger of western involvement in the war in Ukraine including the danger of a wider world war should NATO directly enter the fray. As I write this, France is pressing for “military advisers” to go to Ukraine to train recruits, which is exactly what the US did in Vietnam right before we officially went to war.

    Multiple NATO countries have also given Ukraine the green light to use long range NATO missiles against targets deep in Russia. If you are an avid student of history you know as I do that this only goes one way.

    That’s probably why officials in the US and in Europe are suddenly talking about draft procedures and forced conscription laws in order to shore up their ranks. How many people will actually submit to a draft? I don’t know, but I do know this is not the kind of talk that governments engage in when their goal is diplomacy. It’s the kind of talk they engage in when they’re getting ready to antagonize the enemy.

    A larger war with Russia comes with a host of difficulties that would take me too many pages to cover here. To summarize, war with Russia means war with China, war with North Korea, war with Iran and most of the Middle East, tragic supply chain disruptions, the end of the dollar’s world reserve status and a good chance of a limited (false flag) or regional nuclear exchange.

    I have serious doubts that global nuclear war is on the table because the establishment has nothing to gain and everything to lose from it. However, a war between East and West is more than enough to cause absolute havoc in every nation on the planet.

    The War Over Gaza Is Quickly Leading To A War For The Middle East

    I’m not going to cheer for either side in this conflict. My concern is America and Americans. That said, it’s clear that actions on both sides are forcing the war to expand well beyond Gaza. Recent Israeli strikes on Syria and scuffles with Egyptian troops are concerning. Lebanon is highly involved and Iran has already traded missiles with Israel. Israel has stated their offensive will continue through at least the end of 2024, and now they may be shifting to all out war on Lebanon.

    In terms of how this all affects the US or Europe, the immediate consequence will be a shut down of oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. That’s 30% or more of the world’s oil trade slowed down or eliminated. Energy prices will explode along with prices on everything else. The price of all the goods you buy daily is affected by the price of oil.

    Agriculture, for example, relies heavily on fuel and oil based fertilizers. This means high oil prices will trigger high food prices, and food supplies will be key in the next few years.

    Prepping Isn’t A Hobby, It’s A Duty

    Frankly, preparedness should be a social mainstay – An integral part of American life. It’s not a hobby, it’s a duty. The more prepared people there are the safer every American will be. Most prepared people don’t panic because there’s no need. And people who don’t panic are less likely to harm others out of fear and desperation.

    Think of food storage like a big battery. A battery is energy storage for later when you need it. Think about how much time and work and energy goes into growing just one month of food for your family. Isn’t it far better to store all that work in long term foods so that you don’t have to worry about it later during the worst of conditions? Every bucket of stored food is a battery that saves you precious time and labor.

    Growing food and living sustainably is great in peacetime or in the middle of a large, well organized community. Growing food at the onset of a national crisis in a place where too many people are unprepared is almost impossible. If a breakdown occurs then your best bet is to hunker down, work with family, friends and neighbors, and live on your preps until there is a large enough community in place to securely restart agriculture again.

    There are too many variables right now around the world that can cause catastrophe, and even events on the other side of the globe can cause serious problems for you at home. I see very little chance of the situation improving in the next few years and a very high chance of things spiraling out of control. Take your prepping seriously, even when oblivious naysayers claim “nothing’s going to happen.” Those will be the same people crying for help before long, and you don’t want to share their fate.

    *  *  *

    One survival food company, Prepper All-Naturals, has proactively dropped prices to allow Americans to stock up ahead of projected hikes in beef prices. Their 25-year shelf life steaks currently come at a 25% discount with promo code “invest25”.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 18:20

  • US Readies To Evacuate Americans From Lebanon If War Erupts, Marines En Route
    US Readies To Evacuate Americans From Lebanon If War Erupts, Marines En Route

    With Israel-Hezbollah tensions soaring and the US and European countries urging both sides against an all-out war, the US Embassy in Beirut has issued a new travel advisory warning American citizens to stay away from Lebanon. “We remind US citizens to strongly reconsider travel to Lebanon,” said the fresh notice which follows prior similar alerts. It warned in particular about travel to the south of Lebanon and in border areas with Syria, and to also avoid refugee settlements.

    In the event of a “sudden outbreaks of violence and armed conflict” the Lebanese government nor the US Embassy can ensure US citizens’ safety, the notice warned further. Some European countries have issued similar alerts, with the Netherlands and Germany being the latest to warn their nationals to evacuate the country.

    US Navy via AP

    Throughout more than eight months of war, both sides have kept the engagement ‘limited’ – but the last weeks have seen bigger and bigger tit-for-tat strikes conducted along the border. Israeli attacks are also reaching deeper into Lebanon, and are occurring more frequently.

    But the Pentagon clearly believes a big escalation is imminent, and has moved assets off the coast in preparation for a potential emergency evacuation of Americans in the event of all-out war:

    The Pentagon is moving U.S. military assets closer to Israel and Lebanon to be ready to evacuate Americans as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies, according to three U.S. defense officials and a former U.S. official familiar with the plans.

    The USS Wasp, an amphibious assault ship, and Marines from the 24th Expeditionary Unit, which is special operations capable, moved into the Mediterranean on Wednesday to join the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill and another ship in their amphibious ready group, according to the Marine Corps. The Wasp will operate in the eastern Mediterranean to be ready for a Military Assisted Departure and other missions, the officials said.

    Meanwhile, the Israeli military (IDF) is conducting major drills along its northern border with Lebanon, in some significant signaling just days after the Netanyahu government approved potential war plans against Hezbollah.

    The drills which simulate combat began last week, with the IDF only now publishing videos and photos of the exercises, which also feature scenarios of a bigger offensive.

    The IDF said the drills are for “responding to various threats with the cooperation of the infantry, armor and fire forces” – at a moment there continues to be daily Hezbollah drone and rocket launches into northern Israel.

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

    IDF forces also practiced combat scenarios “in a tangled terrain that simulates combat on a northern route, progress along a mountain route and the use of gradual fire,” the statement said further.

    Among the units present for the drill included the 55th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade, which strongly points to Israel gearing up for a major invasion of south Lebanon.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 18:00

  • Justice Alito Dissent Says Majority "Shirks" Duty in Free Speech Case
    Justice Alito Dissent Says Majority “Shirks” Duty in Free Speech Case

    Authored by Sam Dorman via The Epoch Times,

    Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said the high court shirked its duty in rejecting a challenge brought over the White House’s communications with social media companies over political content, a case he described as “one of the most important free speech cases to reach this Court in years.”

    Justices Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Clarence Thomas, dissented from the majority in the June 26 decision while six justices held that the state and individual plaintiffs involved lacked standing to even bring speech-related claims to the court.

    The plaintiffs had claimed, among other things, that the Biden administration illegally coerced social media platforms to moderate certain election-related content and posts related to COVID-19.

    Justice Alito’s dissent disputed the majority’s arguments about standing while detailing communications between the Biden administration and Facebook. He said administration officials’ actions were “blatantly unconstitutional, and the country may come to regret the Court’s failure to say so.”

    Majority ‘Shirks’ Its Duty: Alito

    Alito wrote that there was “more than sufficient” evidence that Jill Hines, one of the plaintiffs, had standing to sue “and consequently, we are obligated to tackle the free speech issue that the case presents.”

    “The Court, however, shirks that duty and thus permits the successful campaign of coercion in this case to stand as an attractive model for future officials who want to control what the people say, hear, and think,” Justice Alito added.

    The dissent warned that the majority, whose opinion was written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, sent a message to government officials that if a “coercive campaign is carried out with enough sophistication, it may get by.”

    He suggested the outcome should have been the same as in National Rifle Association v. Vullo, which was heard on the same day as Murthy and ultimately held that New York state’s government plausibly violated the First Amendment by pressuring companies to cut ties with the gun rights group.

    The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Court ruled last year that the administration’s communications constituted the type of coercion of social media companies that betrayed its duty not to violate the First Amendment.

    Three judges signed onto the September 2023 opinion that cited communications in detail. For example, it pointed to how a White House official “responded to a moderation report by flagging a user’s account and saying it is ‘[h]ard to take any of this seriously when you’re actively promoting anti-vaccine pages.’ The platform subsequently ’removed‘ the account ’entirely‘ from its site, detailed new changes to the company’s moderation policies, and told the official that ’[w]e clearly still have work to do.’”

    “The official responded that ’removing bad information‘ is ’one of the easy, low-bar things you guys [can] do to make people like me think you’re taking action.‘ The official emphasized that other platforms had ’done pretty well‘ at demoting non-sanctioned information, and said ’I don’t know why you guys can’t figure this out.’”

    Facebook

    In his June 26 opinion, Justice Alito described tech platforms as “critically dependent on the protection provided by §230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 … which shields them from civil liability for content they spread.”

    He added that Facebook faced a regulatory environment that incentivized the company to “please important federal officials and the record in this case shows that high-ranking officials skillfully exploited Facebook’s vulnerability.”

    The administration, he said, “continuously and persistently hectored Facebook” while the platform’s “reactions to these efforts were not what one would expect from an independent news source or a journalistic entity dedicated to holding the Government accountable for its actions.”

    “Instead,” he added, “Facebook’s responses resembled that of a subservient entity determined to stay in the good graces of a powerful taskmaster.” He later said: “Internal Facebook emails paint a clear picture of subservience.”

    A smartphone and a computer screen displaying the logos of the social network Facebook and its parent company Meta in Toulouse, southwestern France, on Jan. 12, 2023. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty Images)

    The dissent also considered a variety of communications between White House officials Andy Slavitt and Rob Flaherty. For example, it noted how Mr. Flaherty, who served as White House Director of Digital Strategy, accused Facebook of “hiding the ball” and suggested they were “playing a shell game.”

    Justice Alito also pointed to Facebook’s changing policy amid White House criticism. Facebook representatives, he said, “whimpered that they ’thought we were doing a better job’ but promised to do more going forward.”

    Meta, Facebook’s parent company, did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment.

    Brian Fletcher, principal deputy solicitor general of the United States, acknowledged that the government “may not use coercive threats to suppress speech,” but argued it was “entitled to speak for itself by informing, persuading, or criticizing private speakers.”

    There is a “fundamental distinction between persuasion and coercion,” he said.

    Justice Alito disagreed and argued that the administration was doing more than exercising its power in the bully pulpit.

    “In sum, the officials wielded potent authority,” he said. “Their communications with Facebook were virtual demands. And Facebook’s quavering responses to those demands show that it felt a strong need to yield.”

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 06/27/2024 – 17:40

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