Aug 30

Today’s News 30th August 2024

  • Monkeypox: An Un-Gaslit Reality Check
    Monkeypox: An Un-Gaslit Reality Check

    Authored by David Bell via the Brownstone Institute,

    Public health responses are most effective when they are grounded in reality. This is particularly important if the response is intended to address an ‘emergency,’ and involves the transfer of large amounts of public money. When we reallocate resources, there is a cost, as the funds are taken from some other program. If the response involves buying lots of products from a manufacturer, there will also be a gain for the company and its investors.

    So, clearly, there are three obvious requirements here to ensure good practice:

    1. Accurate information is required, in context.

    2. Those gaining financially can have no role at all in decision-making.

    3. The organization tasked with coordinating any response would have to act with transparency, publicly weighing costs and benefits.

    The World Health Organization (WHO), tasked by countries to help coordinate international public health, has just proclaimed Mpox (monkeypox) an international emergency. They considered an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and nearby Central African countries to be a global threat, requiring an urgent global response. In declaring its emergency, WHO stated there were 537 deaths among 15,600 suspected cases this year. In its 19th August Emergency Meeting on Mpox, WHO clarified its figures:

    …during the first six months of 2024, the 1854 confirmed cases of Mpox reported by States Parties in the WHO African Region account for 36% (1854/5199) of the cases observed worldwide.

    The WHO reiterated that there had been 15,000 “clinically compatible” cases, and about 500 suspected deaths. The implications of these 500 unconfirmed deaths, equaling just 1.5% of the malaria deaths in DRC over the same period, are discussed in a previous article.

    Journals such as the Lancet have dutifully towed the WHO’s ‘emergency’ line, though intriguingly noting that the mortality could be far lower if “adequate care” had been provided. Africa CDC agrees, with more than 17,000 cases (2,863 confirmed) and 517 (presumably suspected) deaths of Mpox have been reported across the continent.

    Mpox is endemic to central and west Africa, being present in species of squirrels, rats, and other rodents. While it was identified in monkeys in a Danish lab in 1958 (hence the misnomer ‘monkeypox’), it has probably been around for thousands of years, causing intermittent infections in humans between whom it is spread by close physical contact.

    Small outbreaks in Africa mostly went unnoticed by the rest of the world, mainly because they were (as now) small and confined. Mass Smallpox vaccination may also have suppressed numbers still further a few decades ago, as Smallpox is in the same Orthopoxvirus genus of viruses. So, we may be seeing an upward trend of this generally milder illness (fever, chills, and a vesicular rash) over recent decades since Smallpox vaccination ceased. The Smithsonian magazine put an informative summary together in 2022, after the first out-of-Africa outbreak which was spread by sexual contacts within a limited demographic group. 

    So, here we are in 2024, on the tail of a massively profit-driving (and impoverishing) outbreak called Covid-19 that enabled the largest transfer of wealth from the many to the few in human history. The WHO’s announcement that 5,000 (or less) suspected Mpox cases is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) allows it to fast-track vaccines through its Emergency Use Listing (EUL) program, bypassing the normal rigor required to approve such pharmaceuticals, and is suggesting Pharma start lining up.

    At least one drugmaker is already discussing a supply of 10 million doses before year-end. The business case for this approach, from the corporate viewpoint, is well-proven. So are the harms in countries like DRC, as a mass vaccination program of this nature requires redirection of millions of dollars and thousands of health workers who would otherwise be addressing diseases of far larger burden.

    The WHO is a large organization, and while some there have been on the hustings asking for money, others have been working hard to accurately inform the public (a core responsibility of the WHO, which retains some dedicated people). Like much of the WHO’s work in the past, this is thorough and commendable. Some of this information is summarized in the following graphics:

    https://worldhealthorg.shinyapps.io/mpx_global/

    https://worldhealthorg.shinyapps.io/mpx_global/

    These charts provide data on confirmed cases, where someone with somewhat non-specific symptoms has been tested and shown to have evidence of Mpox virus in blood or secretions. Clearly, not everyone suspected can be tested, as Mpox is a very small issue for people facing civil wars, mass poverty, and vastly more dangerous diseases. 

    However, the WHO has absorbed a lot of money for outbreak investigation, and so have partner organizations, so we can assume there is a fairly good effort going on to detect and confirm numbers (or where has this money gone?).

    In the past 2.5 years, the WHO has confirmed 223 deaths in the whole world, with just six in July 2024 (the time when the WHO Director-General warned the world of a rapidly increasing threat). Note here that 223 deaths are just 0.2% of the 102,997 confirmed cases. In Africa, just 26 deaths have been confirmed in 2024 among 3,562 cases (0.7%), spread across 5 countries (and 12 countries with cases). They are influenza-like mortality rates, not Ebola-like. 

    As severe cases are more likely to be tested than mild cases, the infection fatality rate may be far lower. We also don’t know (though someone does and should tell us) what the characteristics of those dying are. Most in Africa are reported to be children, so it is likely they are malnourished, otherwise immunocompromised (e.g. HIV), and have susceptibilities that could be addressed.

    As is obvious from the third graphic below, nearly all the global deaths listed above were from the previous outbreak in 2022. This was a different clade (variant) and mostly occurred outside of Africa.

    https://worldhealthorg.shinyapps.io/mpx_global/

    It is important to note a few things here. It is difficult to confirm all cases in areas with poor infrastructure and security. Mpox symptoms and signs are also frequently mild and overlap other diseases (e.g. chickenpox or even flu) so many cases may go unnoticed. Notification of results can also lag. However, the 19 confirmed DRC Mpox deaths amongst roughly 40,000 DRC malaria deaths so far this year is about 1 versus 2000. Whichever way you count it, it is not going to become much more significant. That is what the new international emergency looks like in actual data, or if you are the population of DRC at Mpox ground zero. It is likely you would not notice anything at all.

    Why has the WHO declared an international emergency? Some claim it helps mobilize resources, which is a bit pathetic. Firstly, grownups should be able to discuss a situation that has persisted for two years in a rational manner and decide what might be needed, without banging a drum. Secondly, an outbreak that is killing a tiny fraction of malaria (or tuberculosis, or HIV) deaths, and far less than those currently dying in war, may not be an international emergency.

    And what should be done? Diverting resources from DRC’s major priorities would undoubtedly kill far more than are currently dying from Mpox. It is quite probable that direct adverse events from vaccination alone will kill more than the 19 DRC Mpox victims confirmed this year. We likely undercount Mpox deaths, but we also undercount pharmaceutical deaths.

    Perhaps a useful response would be to improve immune competence through nutrition, providing very broad benefits (but completely failing in terms of Pharma profit). Gavi’s half-billion dollars would provide vast and broad-based benefits if applied to sanitation. Perhaps limited, well-targeted vaccination may also help some communities, but there is no business case for such approaches.

    What is clear, as noted above, is the following: 

    1. The data on Mpox, and other competing priorities, must continue to be shown in context, along with costs and opportunity costs of the response.

    2. Those who will gain financially from vaccinating millions of people must not be part of the decision-making process (whether or not such a huge resource transfer can possibly be supported for such a small disease burden).

    3. The WHO should continue to act with transparency, as the public has an absolute right to know what they are paying for, and the harm (and perhaps benefit) they can expect from it.

    The number of Mpox deaths will rise as more are infected, and perhaps as some suspected cases are confirmed. However, we are facing a small problem in an area with far larger ones. It is posing low local risk and minimal global risk. It is not a global emergency, by any sane, rational, public health-based definition.

    The rest of the world can respond by sending vaccines and lots of foreigners who need looking after, diverting local health and security personnel and almost certainly killing more DRC residents overall. Or, we can recognize a local problem, support local responses when local populations ask, and concentrate, as the WHO once did, on addressing the underlying causes of endemic disease and inequality. They are the things that make the lives of people in DRC so difficult.

    David Bell, Senior Scholar at Brownstone Institute, is a public health physician and biotech consultant in global health. He is a former medical officer and scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), Programme Head for malaria and febrile diseases at the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) in Geneva, Switzerland, and Director of Global Health Technologies at Intellectual Ventures Global Good Fund in Bellevue, WA, USA.

    Tyler Durden
    Fri, 08/30/2024 – 02:00

  • Ukraine Says Its Biggest Problem Is Western Concern For Escalation
    Ukraine Says Its Biggest Problem Is Western Concern For Escalation

    Authored by Dave DeCamp via AntiWar.com,

    Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Wednesday that the biggest problem Kyiv has faced in its war against Russia is the Western concern for escalation and the risk of provoking Moscow.

    “Ever since the beginning of the large-scale invasion, the biggest problem Ukraine has been facing is the domination of the concept of escalation in the decision-making processes among our partners,” Kuleba said, according to Reuters.

    The foreign minister’s comments come as Ukraine is pushing hard for the US to allow long-range strikes inside Russian territory using US-provided missiles. Russia has strongly warned against the move and suggested that it would risk World War III.

    “The war is always about a lot of hardware: money, weapons, resources but the real problems are always here, in the heads,” Kuleba said. 

    “Most of our partners are afraid of discussing the future of Russia… This is something that is very upsetting because if we do not speak about the future of the source of threat, then we cannot build strategy.”

    Throughout the war, the US and NATO have taken steps that they previously ruled out over escalation concerns, such as providing tanks and fighter jets.

    The most recent significant escalation was President Biden’s decision to give Ukraine the greenlight to use US weapons in attacks on Russian border regions. A few months later, Ukraine launched its invasion of Kursk.

    Meanwhile Western main battle tanks continue to show up on Russian soil…

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    Kuleba made the comments during a conversation with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who expressed support for allowing Ukraine to launch long-range strikes with NATO weapons. Sikorski said NATO should “let Ukraine fight with whatever it has, with whatever we have delivered them, and let’s deliver them more.”

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 23:05

  • Big Lots Reportedly Mulls Bankruptcy Amid Consumer Downturn
    Big Lots Reportedly Mulls Bankruptcy Amid Consumer Downturn

    The theme of a consumer downturn (mainly for low/mid-tier) remains strong.

    On Thursday morning, Dollar General missed Wall Street’s profit and sales expectations and cut its full-year forecast, citing that core customers “feel financially constrained.” With this persisting trend, it’s unsurprising that home goods retailer Big Lots may be teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. 

    Bloomberg reports that Ohio-based Big Lots, with about 1,400 stores nationwide, has mulled over whether a potential bankruptcy filing is the right move in the near term given the slide in sales, which resulted in a multi-year crash of shares trading in New York. 

    The company is also seeking investors in a bid to avoid Chapter 11, according to one person familiar. The people asked not to be named sharing information about confidential matters. The plans aren’t final and Big Lots’ path may change. -BBG

    ***

    Big Lots received a loan earlier this year to help it navigate its liquidity crunch. It has been seeking additional financing in recent weeks.

    With liquidity drying up, Big Lots has experienced a sharp decline in sales over the last two years as elevated inflation and high interest rates depress demand for big-ticket discretionary purchases. 

    Bloomberg noted, “The chain on Aug. 12 approved one-time retention bonuses for its top executives totaling over $5 million. Such payments often precede corporate restructurings, especially in Chapter 11, and serve to keep key management from jumping ship during the effort.” 

    Shares have crashed nearly 99% since peaking above the $70 handle in mid-2021. Paging ‘Roar Kitty’ – it’s time for stock pump. Maybe he’s too busy Ryan Cohen’s lap dog. 

    Troubled retailers hurt by a consumer slowdown are yet more evidence that the economy is trending in the wrong direction. Hence, the Fed will likely initiate an interest rate-cutting cycle on Sept. 18. 

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 22:40

  • Aluminum Foil: Convenient In The Kitchen, But Is It Safe?
    Aluminum Foil: Convenient In The Kitchen, But Is It Safe?

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

    Aluminum foil, a kitchen staple used by millions for baking, grilling, and storing food, is now at the center of a growing debate. Concerns about aluminum safety have led experts to question whether this common household item may pose hidden health risks.

    stockcreations/Shutterstock

    As studies reveal the potential for aluminum to leach into food during cooking—especially when acidic or salty ingredients are involved—scientists are examining whether cooking with aluminum foil contributes to the body’s overall aluminum burden. With aluminum present in many everyday products, understanding its cumulative impact on health is becoming increasingly important, say some.

    Aluminum Foil: A Kitchen Essential

    More than 93 percent of U.S. households use aluminum foil. Its durability and malleability make it a versatile tool, easily molded and shaped for various tasks.

    Often referred to as tin foil, aluminum foil is a go-to choice for various cooking tasks. Whether roasting vegetables to a caramelized finish or grilling meats to a crisp, aluminum foil helps achieve the desired texture and finish. Foil “conducts heat evenly and keeps it consistent, making cleanup easier by keeping baking sheets clean,” Abbie Gellman, registered dietitian and chef, told The Epoch Times.

    Aluminum foil is also used in packaging and catering, providing a reliable barrier against light, air, and harmful microbes that could lead to food spoilage. “For years, aluminum foil has been a reliable and trusted way of storing and cooking food,” a spokesperson from Reynolds Consumer Products, the maker of Reynolds Wrap, wrote in an email to The Epoch Times.

    Latest Research on Cooking With Aluminum Foil

    Studies show that aluminum foil is a major source of aluminum exposure and can contribute to aluminum buildup in our bodies, Christopher Exley, a chemist with more than 35 years of experience studying aluminum exposure, told The Epoch Times. “Leaching of aluminum into cooked food occurs wherever there is water, essentially juices from the food,” he added.

    The amount of aluminum released depends on acidity, salt content, cooking temperature, and exposure time.

    A 2020 study found that when acidic ingredients like lemon juice or salt are used, aluminum levels in fish and chicken can spike, reaching as high as 42 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg). Acidic or salty foods, particularly when cooked at high temperatures or for extended periods, are more likely to absorb aluminum. Regular consumption of such foods could push aluminum intake beyond the safe weekly limit set by authorities, according to the authors.

    “The phenomenon of aluminum leaching from aluminum foil to the food occurs and should arouse attention and concern,” the authors wrote, recommending that aluminum foil be avoided for baking to minimize health risks.

    A Food Science & Nutrition study showed that marinated foods like fish and duck could have aluminum levels spike to as much as 117 mg/kg. The researchers stated that their study “also confirmed that consumers are not enough informed about [the] hazardous side of aluminum foil usage.”

    Baking in aluminum foil can also increase aluminum content in food. Research published in 2018 found that cakes baked in aluminum foil had significantly higher aluminum levels, which increased further with prolonged storage.

    While these findings are concerning, not all studies paint a grim picture. A 2023 study funded by the European Aluminum Foil Association found that any increase in aluminum levels from a high-exposure diet was small and reversible. The additional aluminum was excreted or reduced to baseline levels within 10 days after ceasing exposure, assuming no other significant aluminum sources were consumed during that period. Still, experts recommend caution, particularly when using aluminum foil with acidic or salty foods, to minimize unnecessary aluminum intake.

    In response to these concerns, the International Aluminum Institute told The Epoch Times in an email that most studies show only minimal amounts of aluminum from cookware and foil entering food, with the majority being eliminated by the body. “Very little of the aluminum that we ingest from foods and food contact materials is absorbed by the body,” according to the Institute.

    Using aluminum pans, bowls, and foils with acidic or salty foods can increase aluminum concentrations in the food, but exact amounts are hard to pin down because it’s challenging to determine the exact source of aluminum in food, according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). This is due to the complexity of dietary studies, which may not be able to determine whether the aluminum comes from additives, natural presence, or leaching during cooking.

    Aluminum Everywhere

    Aluminum foil isn’t the only source of our exposure. Aluminum is one of the most abundant metals in the Earth’s crust, accounting for about 8 percent of its total mass. It permeates nearly every aspect of daily life, appearing not just in kitchens but also in food, water, cookware, personal care products, medications, vaccines, and even the air we breathe.

    Many everyday foods, such as tea, leafy vegetables, and certain grains, contain trace amounts of aluminum. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the average American adult consumes between 7.1 and 8.2 milligrams of aluminum daily through food and water, which is between 50 and 60 milligrams a week.

    A safe weekly intake of aluminum is 1 milligram per kilogram of body weight, according to current WHO and EFSA guidelines. For an average adult weighing 154 pounds, this translates to a maximum of 70 milligrams of aluminum per week to minimize any potential long-term health risks.

    While aluminum is prevalent in our environment, it doesn’t have a necessary role in our bodies, unlike many other metals, including zinc, copper, and iron.

    The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, states that the human body can usually handle small amounts of aluminum, primarily excreting it through the kidneys. While high levels of exposure can be harmful, particularly for those with kidney issues, typical dietary and environmental exposures are generally not considered a concern for most people.

    However, many people are unaware of the extent of their daily aluminum exposure, Exley said. “Much as a bee forages for nectar apparently oblivious to its additional bounty of aluminum, we are also blind to the myriad ways that everyday life exposes us to aluminum,” he wrote in the journal, Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts.

    Cumulative Exposure

    The human body is generally efficient at preventing aluminum absorption through the gastrointestinal tract. However, accurately measuring aluminum absorption and excretion is a challenge, making it difficult to establish safe exposure levels. This adds to the uncertainty surrounding the effects of aluminum, Exley said.

    Studies have shown that only about 0.1 to 0.4 percent of ingested aluminum is actually absorbed. But, according to Exley, the amount of ingested aluminum that enters the bloodstream may be up to 30 percent. Whatever amount is absorbed at any given time contributes to what researchers refer to as the “body burden” of aluminum, which can accumulate in tissues like the brain.

    “Aluminum may persist for a very long time in various organs and tissues before it is excreted in the urine,” according to the EFSA. They also highlight that humans tend to retain aluminum longer than rodents.

    “It’s not just aluminum foil we need to be concerned about—it’s the cumulative exposure to aluminum in our daily lives,” Exley said. “I’m not advocating complete avoidance, but I recommend using it judiciously.”

    Potential Neurological Effects

    One of the most discussed aspects of aluminum exposure is its potential impact on the brain. “Although we know for sure that aluminum accumulates in the brain, it is not fully understood how it reaches it,” according to a 2023 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

    “It is widely accepted that Al [aluminum] is a recognized neurotoxin,” states another study in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences

    Aluminum can cross the blood-brain barrier, potentially leading to neurotoxic effects. Studies have associated high levels of aluminum with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.

    In Alzheimer’s disease, aluminum has been found in the brains of patients at higher concentrations than in those without the disease. Some studies suggest that aluminum may contribute to the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles—hallmarks of Alzheimer’s pathology.

    The Alzheimer’s Association dismisses the idea that aluminum cookware or containers cause Alzheimer’s as a myth, stating, “Studies have failed to confirm any role for aluminum in causing Alzheimer’s. Almost all scientists today focus on other areas of research, and most experts believe aluminum does not pose any threat.”

    Similarly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledges uncertainty, noting that while some studies link high aluminum exposure to Alzheimer’s, others do not. “We do not know for certain that aluminum causes Alzheimer’s disease,” they said.

    Research has also linked occupational exposure to aluminum, such as in mining or welding, to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, with aluminum potentially exacerbating the formation of toxic protein aggregates in the brain.

    Other Health Impacts

    A 2022 study published in Emergency Medicine International highlights other potential health risks associated with significant or prolonged exposure to aluminum. The findings suggest that while everyday contact with this metal is unlikely to cause serious harm, high levels of exposure can contribute to a range of health issues.

    • Neurological damage: Aluminum exposure can lead to memory loss, tremors, diminished coordination, seizures, coma, and potentially death.
    • Bone disorders: Accumulation of aluminum in bones can cause osteomalacia (softening of bones), osteoporosis, non-healing fractures, and other musculoskeletal issues.
    • Kidney and liver damage: Aluminum poisoning can lead to kidney damage, changes in urea and creatinine levels, and liver conditions such as fatty liver and Type 2 diabetes.
    • Respiratory issues: Prolonged exposure to aluminum dust can cause respiratory problems, including asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and possibly lung cancer.
    • Blood disorders: Aluminum exposure can alter red blood cells, leading to anemia characterized by abnormal cell shapes and sizes.
    • Oxidative stress: Aluminum can increase oxidative stress in the body, leading to cellular damage, particularly in the brain, liver, and kidneys.
    • Enzyme inhibition: Exposure to aluminum may disrupt enzyme activities, protein synthesis, and DNA repair, contributing to various health issues.

    The study suggests that aluminum exposure may not directly cause these conditions, but it can be a contributing factor.

    Reducing Aluminum Exposure

    There are simple and practical steps you can take to minimize contact with aluminum in your daily life.

    Alternatives to aluminum:

    • Cooking food: Consider switching to glass or ceramic cookware instead of aluminum, and avoid using aluminum foil with acidic or salty foods.
    • Storing food: Use glass containers to keep your food fresh and safe from aluminum.
    • Baking: Opt for glass, ceramic, stainless steel, silicone, or unbleached parchment paper instead of aluminum pans.
    • Grilling: Cook directly on the grill, use a grill basket, or try cedar grilling papers as a substitute for aluminum foil.

    For those concerned about their aluminum levels, tests on blood, urine, or hair can provide some insight. However, it’s important to note that these tests mostly reflect recent exposure and may not fully capture long-term accumulation, as much of the body’s aluminum is stored in tissues and bones.

    Although the body can naturally excrete aluminum, it’s important to minimize unnecessary exposure in vulnerable groups like children, older adults, and people with kidney issues.

    As new findings emerge, the debate over aluminum foil’s safety remains unresolved. While it offers undeniable convenience, understanding and managing the potential risks is crucial for making informed choices in the kitchen.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 22:15

  • Which US Industries Spend The Most On Lobbying?
    Which US Industries Spend The Most On Lobbying?

    In the United States, companies, unions, trade associations, and other organizations invest billions of dollars each year to lobby Congress and federal agencies.

    In 2023, over 12,000 different lobbyists in the U.S. spent a a record $4.3 billion on lobbying activities, according to Open Secrets, a non-profit research group tracking money in U.S. politics. This was up from $4.1 billion in 2022—and the highest annual total so far.

    Organizations either hire lobbying firms or employ in-house lobbyists to meet with government officials, seeking to influence government decision-making.

    In the following chart, Visual Capitalist’s Kayla Zhu shows the total expenditures on lobbying activities by the top 10 industries that invested the most in lobbying the U.S. Congress and federal agencies in 2023, using data from Open Secrets.

    Which Industries Spent the Most On Lobbying?

    The Pharmaceuticals and Health Products industry was the biggest industry spender in the U.S. in 2023, investing a total of $382.6 million towards lobbying.

    The two biggest spenders in the pharmaceuticals industry were the industry’s leading lobby group, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, and pharmacy benefit managers association Pharmaceutical Care Management Association.

    In 2023, multiple bills were introduced that would mandate pharmacy benefit managers (PBM), the intermediaries who negotiate prescription drug prices with manufacturers on behalf of clients, to disclose their business practices, including the fees they earn from transactions.

    These bills were introduced in response to investigations that PBMs play a significant role in driving up prescription drug costs.

    Other big spenders in the industry include major pharmaceutical companies Pfizer, Amgen, and Roche Holdings, who all spent over $11 million on lobbying last year.

    Big Tech Companies Were Major Lobbyists

    In the second-ranked Electronics and Manufacturing and Equipment industry, big tech companies like Oracle, Microsoft, Apple, Samsung, IBM, and Intel were among the top spenders in the industry, ranging from $5.5 to $13 million in lobbying expenditures.

    In 2023, Apple spent nearly $9.9 million to lobby against several key legislative proposals, including the proposed antitrust bill, American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which would prohibit big tech platforms like Amazon, Apple, and Google from giving preferential treatment to their own services in marketplaces they operate.

    Apple argued that this bill could undermine user security and privacy by limiting its ability to control the app ecosystem.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 21:50

  • X Warns Of Brazil Shutdown 'Soon' For Defying Judge's "Illegal Orders To Censor Political Opponents"
    X Warns Of Brazil Shutdown ‘Soon’ For Defying Judge’s “Illegal Orders To Censor Political Opponents”

    On Thursday night, X’s Global Government Affairs account posted a dire warning over service availability in Brazil, after dictatorial Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes punished them for not complying “with his illegal orders to censor his political opponents,” according to the post.

    More:

    When we attempted to defend ourselves in court, Judge de Moraes threatened our Brazilian legal representative with imprisonment. Even after she resigned, he froze all of her bank accounts. Our challenges against his manifestly illegal actions were either dismissed or ignored. Judge de Moraes’ colleagues on the Supreme Court are either unwilling or unable to stand up to him.

    We are absolutely not insisting that other countries have the same free speech laws as the United States. The fundamental issue at stake here is that Judge de Moraes demands we break Brazil’s own laws. We simply won’t do that.

    In the days to come, we will publish all of Judge de Moraes’ illegal demands and all related court filings in the interest of transparency.

    Unlike other social media and technology platforms, we will not comply in secret with illegal orders.

    To our users in Brazil and around the world, X remains committed to protecting your freedom of speech.

    Meanwhile, Musk says that SpaceX is going to continue to provide Starlink in Brazil to schools and hospitals for free…

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    *  *  *

    One day after Brazillian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes threatened to suspend social media platform X unless Elon Musk appoints a new legal representative in 24 hours, the judge – dubbed “Brazil’s Darth Vader” by Musk – issued a subpoena against the company.

    Today, he blocked the financial accounts of Musk-owned Starlink Holdings, due to the absence of an attorney.

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    According to Moraes, the companies are a “de facto economic group” commanded by Musk.

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    On August 18, Moraes sanctioned X’s bank accounts in order to guarantee the payment of fines imposed by the Brazilian justice for refusing to censor content, Metropoles reports.

    According to information published by the G1 and confirmed by the Metropolis, advisors to the office of Minister Alexandre de Moraes said that another company under Musk in the country, Starlink Holding, responsible for the sale of satellite internet services, also had the finances blocked.

    All Starlink managers in Brazil received notifications and were subpoenaed to answer for the values due to the Brazilian Justice by the network X. -Metropoles (translated)

    In response, Musk called Moraes a dictator, and said “this picture of you in prison will be real. Mark my words.”

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    Earlier this month, Moraes ordered an investigation into Musk after the billionaire vowed to defy a court order as part of an ongoing probe into social media accounts allegedly spreading misinformation and ‘hate’ speech.

    “The flagrant conduct of obstruction of Brazilian justice, incitement of crime, the public threat of disobedience of court orders and future lack of cooperation from the platform are facts that disrespect the sovereignty of Brazil,” wrote de Moraes.

    While X initially said in a they would comply, blocking certain popular accounts in Brazil – Musk said an hour later, after the release of the “TWITTER FILES BRAZIL,” that they would not, noting that “As a result, we will probably lose all revenue in Brazil and have to shut down our office there.”

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    in a post the next day, Musk said that Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes had “brazenly and repeatedly betrayed the constitution and people of Brazil,” and should “resign or be impeached.”

    De Moraes said that as part of his decision to open an inquiry, that “X shall refrain from disobeying any court order already issued, including performing any profile reactivation that has been blocked by this Supreme Court,” Reuters reports.

    The justice said that Musk would face a fine that equates to approximately $20,000 each time an account is reactivated on X.

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    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 21:31

  • It's "Heating Up" In The Arctic?
    It’s “Heating Up” In The Arctic?

    Via SchiffGold,

    In the same week that Biden said he would not seek reelection, Russian and Chinese bombers were escorted out of the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). Russia and China acting so boldly near American soil is an unprecedented move that signals the rising tensions of recent years. As Russia and China’s aggression has grown, and America’s global presence has, for better or for worse, dwindled militarily, The most obvious geographical connection between them has become an almost undiscussed point of tension. Secondhand wars in Ukraine and Israel have become central cultural themes and present many more active events to discuss. While the tensions in the north have massive repercussions, they produce very little news or new material. All one must do to put this tension into context is look at a globe from a perspective that looks down towards the North Pole. Russia, China, And America are concerningly close, especially considering their outsized influence and uneasy relationships.

    Russia and China are eager to control the Arctic so they can transport goods without fear of American intervention. LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) and other natural resource transportation has been the biggest motivation for Russian Arctic shipping. Shipping itself is still relatively primitive in the Arctic, as Russia lacks developed satellite infrastructure. The cost-cutting potential of the northern routes can powerfully benefit Russia and China, as they would no longer have to take the long journey through South America. The current lack of ownership makes the Arctic appealing to any country that has even a small claim. The American government hopes that it stays neutral, and will act with force to ensure that. 

    A recent DoD report took an uncompromising stance that America would be ready for whatever shenanigans other countries chose to pull. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Arctic & Global Resilience Iris Ferguson said “This strategy is very action-oriented, which distinguishes it from previous Arctic Strategies.” The Arctic’s days on the back burner are coming to a close, and the US does not want to be playing catch up. The DOD will adopt a “monitor-and-respond” technique to make sure that nothing of significance happens in the Arctic without some American knowledge. They will begin more seriously looking into our strategic needs in the north and finding effective ways to secure them before Russia or China can finish their unrelenting march for northern domination. This recent activation of interest in the Arctic has arisen from a recognition of both Russia and China’s boldness, as well as the fact that the Arctic has less ice than it used to, allowing more human activity. 

    Russia has shown that no matter how involved it is with wars in other parts of the world, the Arctic will remain a priority. It demonstrated this by ramping up activity in the Arctic even as it invaded Ukraine. To avoid sanctions, Russia created a shadow fleet to export oil through the north. Their ships are able to avoid Western influence by going far above the UK and entering the Atlantic. The North provides the promise of freedom and an unrestricted gateway to the rest of the world, so it is not surprising that its recent imperialist efforts have resulted in more activity. Russia was recently booted from the council of 8 nations that border the Arctic. While necessary, this move could empower Russia to act even more boldly, knowing it is not bound to act with respect towards other nations in the north. 

    China has shown its interest by creating a new role for itself as a “Near-Arctic State.” This title is meaningfully ambiguous, so China can step into whatever capabilities it thinks the West will let it. The term comes from the fact that China’s ecosystem is greatly affected by the ecosystem of the Arctic, but China’s involvement has little to do with the environment. PRC has been using the North as more of an economic and military investment. They have used the term “Polar Silk Road” to try to leverage more legitimacy for their own use of the Arctic. China has encouraged non-polar nations to take advantage of the Arctic as a way of gaining legitimacy for its own future use. It has a fleet of icebreakers that it has not been afraid to use in recent years. China has also created much infrastructure, hoping to increase its northern operations. The Arctic seems to mirror China’s operations in the South China Sea just a few years ago. If the West is not prepared, Russia and China will style themselves as the sole rulers of the North. 

    Get Peter Schiff’s key gold headlines in your inbox every week – click here – for a free subscription to his exclusive weekly email updates.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 21:25

  • Led By Gen X, 401(k) Millionaires At Fidelity Hit A New All Time High
    Led By Gen X, 401(k) Millionaires At Fidelity Hit A New All Time High

    Bear witness to one of the miracles of inflation: it won’t be long until everyone is a millionaire…one way or the other. But for now, nominal millionaires have hit an all time high at Fidelity, according to a new report from Bloomberg. 

    In the second quarter, Americans aged 44 to 59 increased their IRA contributions to a five-year high, with total contributions up 30% from last year, according to a Fidelity Investments report.

    Fidelity Wealth President Roger Stiles noted that, despite financial pressures like college costs, aging parents, and healthcare expenses, Gen X savers are prioritizing retirement.

    The Bloomberg report states that:

    • Gen X believes an average net worth of $873,000 is needed for financial comfort, according to a Charles Schwab survey.
    • The average 401(k) balance for Gen X at Fidelity was $182,100 in Q2, while the average IRA balance was $97,215.
    • The number of 401(k) millionaires at Fidelity reached a record 497,000, a 2.5% increase from the first quarter.
    • Combined contributions and market gains led to a third consecutive quarter of growth in retirement accounts.
    • The average 401(k) balance increased to $127,100, and the average IRA balance rose to $129,200, up just 1% since March 31.

    Fidelity/Bloomberg’s analysis came from “more than 48 million IRA, 401(k) and 403(b) retirement accounts as of June 30”.

    Recall, we wrote just days ago about how the IRS was making it easier for Americans to tap their retirement accounts. The new rules bring to life one of the provisions of the SECURE Act 2.0, a law passed at the end of 2022 that made many tweaks to retirement plans. With this one, retirement account owners can withdraw up to $1,000 for “emergencies,” and the IRS isn’t tightly defining that word.

    Whether you’ve had a car wreck or simply went overboard ordering from GrubHub, the provision will let you take money out of your account without being subject to the typical 10% penalty for withdrawals before age 59 1/2. You’ll still owe ordinary income tax — while facing a potential opportunity cost in the form of gains you may miss out on by cashing out. 

    But maybe it’s better to “use it before you lose it” and Kamala’s unrealized gains taxes start eating away at it…

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 21:00

  • Friendly Fire Fiasco: Ukrainian Army Shoots Down Its Own F16 Jet, Pilot Killed
    Friendly Fire Fiasco: Ukrainian Army Shoots Down Its Own F16 Jet, Pilot Killed

    Update (5:15pm ET): It appears that the US-made F-16 fighter jet, which was handed over to Ukraine earlier this year, was downed by a Ukrainian Patriot air defense system in a friendly fire incident, Ukrainian lawmaker Maryana Bezuglaya said cited by TASS.

    “According to my information, the F-16 of the Ukrainian pilot Alexey ‘Moonfish’ Mes was shot down by the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system due to a lack of coordination between the [military] units,” she wrote on Telegram.

    The lawmaker criticized the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces for falsely describing the incident as “a crash.”

    “The culture of lies in the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as in other higher military headquarters, leads to the fact that the system of managing military decisions does not improve on the basis of truthful, consistently collected analytics, but deteriorates and even collapses, as is happening in the other directions,” she wrote.

    In her words, none of the generals was punished over the incident that led to the loss of both the aircraft and its pilot.

    Earlier, an unidentified US official told the Wall Street Journal that Ukraine had lost a donated F-16 fighter jet in the first such case. According to the official, the jet was not shot down, and the crash was likely due to pilot error. Later, the Ukrainian Air Force confirmed the death of a Ukrainian F-16 pilot, Alexey Mes. The man was trained to fly F-16, according to CNN. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said the pilot was killed in an aerial fight, when his plane crashed on August 26.

    * * *

    US and Ukrainian officials have revealed to The Wall Street Journal that a F-16 fighter jet has crashed during combat in Ukraine’s skies – a significant first – which comes just weeks after an initial batch of some one dozen of the American-made aircraft were transferred to Kiev’s armed forces. 

    “The pilot, Oleksiy Mes, died while helping to repel a massive Russian missile attack on Monday, the officials said,” WSJ writes. “Initial reports indicate the jet wasn’t shot down by enemy fire, U.S. officials said.”

    Illustrative photo: Ukrainian pilots complete F-16 training in the United States, Getty Images

    That missile and drone attack had been one of the largest since the war’s start in Feb. 2022, targeting 15 out of Ukraine’s 24 oblasts, and taking out vital energy structure nationwide.

    The Pentagon was initially questioned about the crash, but when referred to Kiev officials, the Ukrainian Air Force belatedly acknowledged the crash and death of the pilot on Thursday.

    Given Ukraine has lost one of the $30+ million jets so quickly after getting the first highly anticipated transfer, this could prove highly embarrassing given how publicly the program was touted as a “game-changer” by Zelensky government officials.

    Other more realist outside observers have noted that it is too late for such aerial systems to significantly change Russia’s clear military, manpower, and aerial superiority.

    According to more details of the circumstances of the aircraft downing: “A person close to the Ukrainian military said the cause of the crash was unknown and an investigation was under way,” WSJ continues. “The person described Mes as a hero who successfully shot down multiple Russian missiles on Monday before the crash.”

    The report further indicates the pilot was key in helping spearhead Kiev’s public relations and lobbying efforts to get the F-16s for Ukraine program off the ground: 

    Mes, call sign “Moonfish,” was one of Kyiv’s first pilots to be trained on the F-16. He was one of the better known Ukrainian pilots, appearing frequently in the media and visiting Washington to lobby the U.S. to send Ukraine the jet fighters. Mes met personally with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, including in 2022 with then-Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R., Ill.).

    Mes often appeared with another prominent Ukrainian pilot, Andriy Pilshchykov, call sign “Juice,” who died in a training accident on Aug. 25, 2023. Two other pilots were killed in that incident, a midair collision.  

    The WSJ further calls the crash and death “a major blow for Kyiv” following President Biden’s somewhat reluctant greenlight given for European allies to begin transferring the F-16s last year. A training program has been underway in Europe and on US soil for well over a year, including Ukrainian pilots receiving instruction in bases at San Antonio and in Arizona.

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    US defense officials have at times quietly voiced their concern over a US-overseen program which sends inexperienced Ukrainian pilots directly into a highly complex war zone where Russia has overwhelming superiority of the skies, and this after an abbreviated training program. Combat experience, however, remains a very different thing.

    It was only on Tuesday that President Zelensky announced that for the first time Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets had been engaged in combat against the Russians. He said in the big Monday attack they had successfully shot down inbound missiles and drones. “We destroyed already some missiles and drones using the F-16,” Zelensky said in a Tuesday press conference, specifically in comments given in English, before a press briefing – but without providing many details.

    The pilots who have died in crashes thus far were some of the most well-known and experienced aviators Ukraine had to rely on.

    The Kremlin and Russian media are surely going to seize on this as a major failure of the West and of NATO, and this is likely going to embolden Russia’s aerial forces to go hunting for more F-16s to destroy.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 20:45

  • You Had One Job: Kamala Blows Pre-Taped Interview Question With Walz Right Next To Her
    You Had One Job: Kamala Blows Pre-Taped Interview Question With Walz Right Next To Her

    Kamala Harris had one job – don’t blow your first sit-down interview with the press. No word salad. No ‘unburdened by what has been’ mantra. Don’t cackle to cover up for a lack of brain cells.

    She couldn’t even do that…

    Sitting down with running mate Tim Walz for a pre-taped CNN interview set to air at 9 PM Thursday, a preview clip reveals she’s still an absolute moron.

    Dana Bash (whose CIA ex-husband signed the Hunter Biden disinfo letter) tossed Harris what should have been a well-rehearsed softball; asking how voters should “look at some of the changes you’ve made.”

    “Is it because you have more experience now and you’ve learned more about the information? Is it because you were running for president in a Democratic primary? And should they feel comfortable and confident that what you’re saying now is going to be your policy moving forward?“

    In other words, why shouldn’t you believe you’re full of shit over your dramatic shift in positions towards moderate policies?

    There are a million ways to answer that spoon-fed question, but Harris chose more word salad.

    “I think the most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed,” she replied. “You mentioned the Green New Deal. I have always believed – and I have worked on it – that the climate crisis is real, that it is an urgent matter to which we should apply metrics that include holding ourselves to deadlines around time.“

    Yes, deadlines around time.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThe reactions were classic…

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    At least the debate on the 10th should be entertaining, to say the least!

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    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 20:35

  • Israel Agrees To Phased Pauses In Gaza Fighting To Allow Polio Vaccination
    Israel Agrees To Phased Pauses In Gaza Fighting To Allow Polio Vaccination

    It appears Israel has given into US and international pressure, including from global health organizations, to allow for a phased ‘pause’ it its military campaign in Gaza, in order to allow health workers to begin efforts to vaccinate over 600,000 of the Gaza Strip’s children.

    Israel’s IDF military said it will start with a three-day pause in fighting only in central Gaza “as part of the routine humanitarian pauses that will allow the population to reach the medical centers where the vaccinations will be administered.”

    But then the pause will move to southern Gaza, and after that the north, according to published statements. Depending on its initial success it will move from zone to zone, but practical implementation in an intense war zone remains to be seen.

    Polio vaccines arriving in the Gaza Strip via the Kerem Shalom crossing, via i24 News

    The UN and World Health Organization (WHO) have over 2,000 health workers ready to conduct a mass vaccination campaign, and the WHO has especially stepped up the pressure of late for this to happen.

    The initiative is expected to go into full swing by Sunday:

    An Israeli official confirmed to CNN that polio vaccinations will begin in Gaza on September 1. Each phase of the vaccination campaign is expected to take around seven hours, and during those hours, the vaccines will be able enter the area on “pause” and be distributed.

    Presumably this will be aided by local Gazan health workers as well, given the huge numbers of children who will have to get vaccinated. 

    Earlier this week, the Gaza Health Ministry  said that an 10-month-old infant in the central city of Deir al-Balah “who has not received any polio vaccine dose” tested positive for the virus. The baby has since reportedly been paralyzed by the type 2 polio virus, which can be fatal. The ministry has since indicated that “a number of children” have presented with symptoms consistent with polio.

    But given that an active war is on, and many families have already been displaced, the UN and WHO fears that many Palestinians who need it won’t get the vaccine.

    “If you listen to the Palestinians on the ground, … they’re saying they’re terrified of being displaced because time and time again – it’s been documented – Israel orders the Palestinians to go to a particular location. They declare it a safe zone, and then they bomb it,” an Al Jazeera correspondent explained.

    “My guess is Palestinians will be scared to even go [to] vaccinate their children,” he added.

    There are reports that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appealed directly to the Netanyahu government to allow for the polio pause in fighting. However, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is already pushing an expanse in the IDF’s operations in Gaza.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 20:10

  • Just In Time, They Are Really Ramping Up The Fear For 3 Different Very Frightening Diseases
    Just In Time, They Are Really Ramping Up The Fear For 3 Different Very Frightening Diseases

    Authored by Michael Snyder via The Most Important News,

    Why are there suddenly so many stories about deadly diseases in the news?  We are just a little over two months away from November, and so this is a perfect time to deeply alarm the general public about a coming health crisis, right?  But this time around it isn’t just one major disease that is making news.  As you will see below, people are freaking out about 3 different very frightening diseases. 

    Of course when people are afraid that they might die from some extremely deadly outbreak, they are far more likely to accept measures that they would usually not even consider during normal times.

    In the Northeast, there is a tremendous amount of concern about the Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus right now.  People in Massachusetts have been instructed to “limit their time outdoors” due to a confirmed case in that state, and now confirmed cases have appeared in Vermont and New Hampshire…

    Last week, it was reported that an 80-year-old man in Massachusetts tested positive for the rare virus, sparking public health concerns.

    Officials then discovered the disease in mosquitoes across the state and warned residents to limit their time outdoors.

    The virus then started appearing in neighboring states, with cases popping up in Vermont and New Hampshire, where the unidentified victim was pronounced dead.

    It is being reported that this virus “has also been found in horses in eight New York counties”.

    So this virus is already in at least four different states, and that is not good news at all, because it has a very high death rate in humans…

    Approximately 30 percent of those infected with the virus die, and those who survive, are often left with neurologic problems. There are no vaccines or medicines to treat or prevent the disease.

    Usually, cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis are quite rare.

    But if hundreds of people start dying after catching this virus in the months ahead, we are going to see extreme panic.

    Due to fears of Eastern Equine Encephalitis and an outbreak of West Nile virus, New York City is preparing “to spray pesticides to help prevent the spread of mosquitoes”…

    New York City is planning to spray pesticides to help prevent the spread of mosquitoes, and potential diseases.

    The announcement comes days after Dr Anthony Fauci, former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director and the government’s top infectious disease official during the pandemic, was hospitalized with West Nile virus.

    Dr Fauci, 83, spent around a week in the hospital after developing fever, chills, and severe fatigue. He believes he contracted West Nile in the backyard of his Washington DC home, and is expected to make a full recovery, CBS News’ chief medical correspondent Dr. Jonathan LaPook tweeted on Saturday.

    So now the entire Big Apple is going to be doused with dangerous chemicals in a desperate attempt to kill the mosquitoes that are carrying these diseases.

    If you live in New York City, now may be a good time to take a vacation.

    Meanwhile, scientists are warning that the new Monkeypox strain is mutating faster than they anticipated…

    Scientists studying the new mpox strain that has spread out of Democratic Republic of Congo say the virus is changing faster than expected, and often in areas where experts lack the funding and equipment to properly track it.

    That means there are numerous unknowns about the virus itself, its severity and how it is transmitting, complicating the response, half a dozen scientists in Africa, Europe and the United States told Reuters.

    So far they have had no luck fighting the outbreak that is absolutely ravaging the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Sadly, the number of cases and the total death toll both continue to rise…

    Congo has had more than 18,000 suspected mpox cases and 615 deaths this year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which declared an mpox health emergency this month after a new variant called clade Ib emerged.

    There have now been confirmed cases in several neighboring countries, and travelers have brought it to Europe and Asia.

    In 2022, a strain of Monkeypox that was being spread by sexual contact rapidly spread all over the globe.

    Apparently this new strain often spreads without any sexual contact at all, and we are being told that children are being infected in very large numbers…

    Children in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo are worst-affected by the current outbreak of mpox, which has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization. The country accounts for nearly all of this year’s recorded cases and more than 450 deaths.

    “It began like a small, inflamed spot. The mother squeezed it and watery discharge came out. Then another developed, and after a short period, they were all over the body,” says Alain Matabaro, describing how mpox developed in his six-year-old son Amani.

    At this point, the experts do not fully understand why so many children are being infected.

    One theory that is being proposed is that it is because children have “less developed immune systems”…

    Some 75% of the cases being seen by medics there are under the age of 10, according to Dr Pierre-Olivier Ngadjole who works for the charity Medair.

    Young people seem to be particularly badly affected by the mpox outbreak because of their less developed immune systems.

    If this new strain of monkeypox starts infecting children all over the western world, there will be widespread panic and we will likely see very harsh lockdowns.

    Speaking of that, it is being reported that a school in Alabama and a school in Tennessee were just temporarily shut down because too many kids were catching COVID…

    Schools in two states experiencing a rise in Covid cases announced they were closing facilities and switching to remote learning.

    Alabama and Tennessee announced the closure of two schools — affecting more than a thousand children — just days into the new academic year, with officials saying the virus had forced them to shut and carry out a ‘deep clean.’

    At one of the schools, children had to abandon their desks and revert to remote learning for two days — a move reminiscent of the early days of Covid.

    Why is this happening?

    I thought that we agreed that we weren’t going to do this anymore.

    Right now there are lots of news stories about how COVID is making a major comeback, but most Americans are not buying it.

    By now, just about everyone understands that it has an extremely low death rate.

    However, it is just a matter of time before a horrifying worldwide pandemic that has a very high death rate comes along.

    When that day arrives, the panic that we have seen during the past several years will pale in comparison to what we will witness.

    Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 19:45

  • Sarah Palin Prevails In Getting New Defamation Trial Against NY Times
    Sarah Palin Prevails In Getting New Defamation Trial Against NY Times

    Authored by Chase Smith via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

    Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been granted a new trial in her defamation case against The New York Times and its former opinion editor James Bennet, according to an Aug. 28 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

    Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speaks during a “Save America” rally at Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska, on July 9, 2022. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

    This ruling is the latest development in Palin’s years-long legal battle, which centers on a 2017 editorial published by The NY Times that linked her political action committee to a 2011 shooting that seriously injured then-Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.).

    The appellate court’s decision to vacate the previous jury verdict and order a new trial was based on several alleged significant errors during the original trial, including the exclusion of critical evidence, improper jury instructions, and a mid-deliberation ruling by the district court that allegedly undermined the jury’s role.

    NY Times Managing Director for External Communications Charlie Stadtlander told The Epoch Times in an email that the court’s decision is “disappointing.”

    “We’re confident we will prevail in a retrial,” he said.

    Palin said in a post on social media platform X that the decision was “great news.”

    The legal dispute began after The NY Times published an editorial titled “America’s Lethal Politics” on June 14, 2017, in the aftermath of a shooting at a congressional baseball practice that injured four people, including Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.).

    The editorial alleged a “clear” and “direct” link between the 2011 Giffords shooting in Tucson, Arizona, and a map circulated by Palin’s political action committee.

    The map in question depicted crosshairs over 20 congressional districts, including Giffords’s, in what the editorial implied was a form of political incitement.

    Palin filed a defamation lawsuit against The NY Times shortly after the editorial’s publication, arguing that it falsely suggested she was directly responsible for the Tucson shooting.

    The district court initially dismissed her claim in 2017, but the Second Circuit reinstated it in 2019, leading to a jury trial in 2022.

    During the trial, despite that the jury eventually returned a verdict of “not liable” for The NY Times, the district judge had already made a ruling under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 50, effectively dismissing the case before the jury concluded its deliberations.

    The ruling, combined with other alleged trial errors, led the Second Circuit to call for a new trial.

    According to the opinion, the appellate court identified several critical issues that compromised the integrity of the original trial.

    The exclusion of evidence that could have demonstrated Bennet’s potential bias or prior knowledge of inaccuracies in the editorial was deemed improper.

    The court also highlighted an alleged inaccurate jury instruction regarding the actual malice standard that Palin was required to prove. The court also expressed concern that jurors had learned of the judge’s Rule 50 decision during their deliberations, which could have influenced their verdict.

    At the time, Palin told The Epoch Times that she thought the judge’s decision was “very strange,” describing the move as “taking the verdict from the jury.” Her legal team also filed at the time for a new trial and requested that the judge in the first trial be disqualified.

    In its ruling, the Second Circuit emphasized the importance of preserving the jury’s role in the judicial process.

    “The jury is sacrosanct in our legal system, and we have a duty to protect its constitutional role, both by ensuring that the jury’s role is not usurped by judges and by making certain that juries are provided with relevant proffered evidence and properly instructed on the law,” the court stated.

    The case is expected to return to the Southern District of New York for a retrial.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 18:55

  • Putin To Visit ICC-Signatory Country, But It Won't Arrest Him
    Putin To Visit ICC-Signatory Country, But It Won’t Arrest Him

    Russian President Vladimir Putin is soon to visit a country which is a formal signatory of the Rome Statue, which is the treaty governing the International Criminal Court (ICC) which requires member nations to comply with warrants issue by the The Hague-based court.

    The country Putin will travel to next week is Mongolia, which is Russia’s neighbor to the south. In recent years, Mongolia, Russia, and China have been having trilateral security summits in order to cooperate on regional matters of common concern.

    A 2019 trip by Putin to the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar, via Kremlin.ru

    This will mark the first time that Putin will travel to a country which is legally obligated to arrest him, following the ICC issuing its arrest warrant for the Russian leader last March on allegations of overseeing war crimes and human rights abuses in Ukraine.

    The Kremlin says is that the visit is at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh. While Putin is there, the two leaders will attend a ceremony commemorating the 1939 Soviet-Mongolian victory over Japan in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol.

    “The heads of state will discuss prospects for further development of the Russian-Mongolian comprehensive strategic partnership,” the Kremlin described. Regional analyst Samuel Ramani writes that the “aim of the trip is likely to promote the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline with China.”

    Mongolia has long vocalized that it remains neutral on the question of the Ukraine war. Mongolia and Russia have also long been close regional allies, even this week having held joint military exercises.

    In August of 2023 President Putin decided to skip an in person BRICS summit hosted in Johannesburg, South Africa – precisely because the host country is a Rome statute signatory.

    This was done “by mutual agreement” with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office, and primarily because the initially planned-for Russian leader’s visit had set off a firestorm of controversy for the Rmaphosa administration. Moscow sent Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to the BRICS summit instead.

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    President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said Putin will not attend the conference “by mutual agreement,” adding that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would visit instead. But Putin later delivered a speech to the forum via video link, which was attended by the heads of state of major BRICS powers India, China, and Brazil.

    Putin has embarked on a handful of trip since ordering his forces into Ukraine more than two-and-a-half years ago, but only to countries closely aligned to Moscow, and never to Europe or the West.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 18:30

  • US Ramps Up Military Support For Kenyan Operations In Haiti
    US Ramps Up Military Support For Kenyan Operations In Haiti

    Via The Libertarian Institute

    The White House is upping its support for the Kenyan operations in Haiti by sending an additional two dozen armored vehicles. The US is backing Nairobi’s armed force in Port-au-Prince. 

    On Friday, US Southern Command issued a statement on boosting military aid for the Kenyan forces in Haiti. “As part of the US government’s ongoing support to Haitian-led security efforts in the country, 24 additional MRAPS will be delivered and transferred to Kenyan personnel deployed to Haiti as part of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission.”

    UN peacekeeping forces. Illustrative via Shutterstock

    It continues, “The MSS will add the vehicles to its existing fleet of 10 US-provided MRAPS.”

    Earlier this year, Nairobi sent hundreds of armed troops to the Caribbean nation on what it dubs a “policing” operation. The US orchestrated the deployment of Kenyan soldiers to Haiti. 

    Washington believed the troops could aid Haitian police in restoring power in Port-au-Prince to a government set up by the White House. Following the assassination of President Jovenal Moise in 2021, Haiti dissented into chaos under US-backed governments. 

    The White House got authorization to finance, train, and arm a Kenyan-led military force to take control of Haiti from paramilitary groups and gangs. Responsible Statecraft previously detailed when the troops touched down in May:

    Washington pledged its financial and logistical support for the mission in a defense agreement with Kenya signed in September 2023. It was then that Kenya committed to deploying 1,000 troops to Port-au-Prince. The mission is also expected to include about 1,500 soldiers and police officers from other countries, bringing the total size of the prospective intervention force to 2,500.

    However, the troops are said to be in a policing role and are not operating as UN Peacekeepers. Peacekeepers have a dark legacy in Haiti including causing a cholera outbreak and rampant sexual abuse. 

    Recent footage from this summer showing the chaotic streets of Port-au-Prince…

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    Prime Minister Garry Conille said Wednesday the Kenyan forces will begin operations in one of Port au Prince’s roughest neighborhoods. “It’s not going to be quick,” he added, “we must be patient.”

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 18:05

  • "Living In Third World": Armed Venezuelan Gang Members Roam Colorado Apartment Building
    “Living In Third World”: Armed Venezuelan Gang Members Roam Colorado Apartment Building

    Far-left lawmakers in sanctuary city Denver welcomed tens of thousands of illegal aliens who invaded the US southern border under the Biden-Harris administration’s watch. Now, the Denver suburb of Aurora is in turmoil as the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua roams the streets armed with rifles and pistols, transforming parts of the once peaceful metro area into a third-world-esque state. 

    “There’s a huge increase in violence in these areas in Aurora, where these newly arrived foreign-born migrants, many of whom are Venezuelan, have started to grow,” former ICE field office director and Colorado GOP congressional candidate John Fabbricatore told Fox News earlier this week. 

    Denver Democrats have welcomed over 42,000 illegal aliens since 2022, some of whom include members of Tren de Aragua. 

    New footage has surfaced of alleged gang violence at The Edge at Lowry apartments in Aurora, which, according to local media KDVR, is a “hotspot” for migrant crime. 

    In the video, men can be seen walking up a stairwell carrying weapons. They can be heard speaking Spanish.

    The owners of the video said it was taken shortly before a shootout at the complex that left one person seriously injured. Several vehicles were also damaged by gunfire.

    All of the people appear to be carrying rifles and handguns, except for one of the men who can be seen talking on a cell phone. They all then gather around a door and go in.

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    Meanwhile, Aurora Council Member Danielle Jurinsky has warned the Venezuelan gang is overrunning the metro area.

    Jurinsky recently told Fox News, “Residents tell me they feel they are living in a third-world country at this point.” 

    He pointed the finger at the Biden-Harris team, saying the people of Aurora are “suffering” at their “hands.”

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    Aurora police released a statement Wednesday afternoon:

    The city and Aurora Police Department, as we previously stated, established a special task force in collaboration with other local, state and federal partners to specifically address concerns about Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) and other criminal activity affecting migrant communities. We are grateful that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a valuable federal partner, has acknowledged its ongoing work into TdA across the metro and appreciate the additional resources it provides to combat this issue.

    We are aware that components of TdA are operating in Aurora. APD has been increasingly collecting evidence to show the gang is connected to crimes in the area. However, as we have said previously and as the DEA similarly stated, it would be improper at this time for the city and APD to make any conclusory statements about specific incidents or provide details about law enforcement strategy and operations.

    Based on our initial investigative work, we believe reports of TdA influence in Aurora are isolated. We urge all community members, including members of our migrant communities, to please report crimes committed against them to their local law enforcement agencies and not remain silent victims. Crime victims can report crimes anonymously by calling Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720.913.STOP (7867). 

    As always, information could change as the investigations continue at the local, state and federal levels.

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    The Biden-Harris administration is complicit in the border chaos and importing the third world into the US. If the aim is to overwhelm local municipalities to trigger chaos and pave the way for some far-left “change,” then it certainly appears that this might be the objective. The situation will get much worse before it gets better.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 17:40

  • Lawsuits Pile Up After Company Confirms Social Security Numbers Were Hacked
    Lawsuits Pile Up After Company Confirms Social Security Numbers Were Hacked

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

    More lawsuits have been filed against background check company National Public Data (NPD) after it confirmed that a major data breach exposed Americans’ personal records, including Social Security numbers.

    A Social Security card sits alongside checks from the U.S. Treasury in Washington on Oct. 14, 2021. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

    Earlier in August, the breach became more widely known after a class-action lawsuit was filed against the Florida-based company, alleging that 2.9 billion records that included Social Security numbers were leaked online and put up for sale for $3.5 million on the dark web.

    Days later, NPD confirmed a data breach in a letter to the Maine attorney general’s office and in a statement on its website, although it said that only 1.3 million people’s records were leaked.

    But this week and late last week, several more lawsuits were filed against the firm, including one filed by two women on Aug. 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. So far, more than a dozen suits have been filed against NPD or its parent company, Jerico Pictures, since early August, according to a review of the Justia database.

    NPD said that a “data security incident” from an attempted hack by a “third-party bad actor” led to the breach, according to a statement posted on its website last week.

    There was an attempted hack of its systems in December 2023 and “potential leaks of certain data in April 2024 and summer 2024,“ the statement said. ”Additional security measures in efforts to prevent the reoccurrence of such a breach and to protect our systems,” it added.

    The company said that if you were potentially affected by the breach you should “closely monitor your financial accounts and if you see any unauthorized activity, you should promptly contact your financial institution.”

    Americans are being urged to contact the three largest credit reporting agencies—TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian—to get a free credit report or place a fraud alert on any potential lines of credit that were opened in an unauthorized manner, the company said.

    A lawsuit filed on Aug. 1 by Christopher Hoffman, a California resident, alleged the company was hacked by USDoD, a cybercriminal organization, which then posted the database of Social Security numbers and other records on the dark web. His suit further alleged that hackers retrieved data about past addresses, relatives, and other information dating back three decades.

    “The present and continuing risk to victims of the data breach will remain for their respective lifetimes,” his lawsuit said.

    His lawsuit, as well as others that have been filed since then, accuse NPD of negligence and a breach of fiduciary duty. The firm has not responded to the allegations in court.

    The allegations prompted a House committee to open an investigation into the firm, according to a letter sent to the company by several lawmakers.

    If the lawsuit is accurate, the “data breach likely represents one of the largest cyberattacks ever in terms of impacted individuals,” the lawmakers wrote. “The Committee requests a briefing to confirm the veracity of the attack, and if accurate, assess the potential impacts of the breach to the U.S. government, businesses, and the American people, as well as National Public Data’s response to the attack.”

    In the meantime, at least two websites have been set up to allow people to tell whether their data, including Social Security numbers, have been compromised.

    One is operated by Pentester, a cybersecurity testing service, which allows a person to type his or her first name, last name, state, and date of birth. Another site that appeared in the past week or so is www.npdbreach.com, operated by Atlas Privacy, another cybersecurity company.

    “We are displaying a redacted version for people to know if they were affected, and if so, is the information correct that was shown about them. Many times it is not. Also, we do not store their searches on npd.pentester.com,” Pentester spokesman Richard Glaser told The Epoch Times.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 17:15

  • Lulu Prints Lemons, Ulta Gets Ugly As Shawties Spend Less On Plumage
    Lulu Prints Lemons, Ulta Gets Ugly As Shawties Spend Less On Plumage

    In what should hardly be a surprise after today’s record plunge in Dollar General, which is where the lower, pardon Biden middle-class trades down to before it has to downgrade to Five Finger Discount General…

    … moments ago two other discretionary consumer icons, Lululemon and Ulta Beauty, reported catastrophic results.

    Starting with Ulta Beauty, that favorite every 20-something upwardly mobile (if not so much any more) single woman, not to mention Warren Buffet’s latest acquisition (Berkshire bought $267 million worth in Q2) the company reported Q2 results which missed across the board:

    • EPS $5.30, down from $6.02 y/y, missing estimates $5.49
    • Net sales $2.55 billion, +0.9% y/y, missing estimates of $2.61 billion
    • Comparable sales -1.2% vs. +8% y/y, missing estimate +1.32%
    • Gross margin 38.3% vs. 39.3% y/y, missing estimates of 38.8%
    • Merchandise inventories $2.00 billion, +10% y/y, higher than estimates $1.92 billion

    The 2025 forecast was even uglier:

    • Sees net sales $11.0 billion to $11.2 billion, a big drop from the previous guidance of $11.5 billion to $11.6 billion, and a huge miss to estimate $11.51 billion
    • Sees EPS $22.60 to $23.50, also a huge cut to prior guidance of $25.20 to $26, and a huge miss to estimates of $25.42
    • Sees comparable sales -2% to 0%, down sharply from +2% to +3%, and a huge miss to the consensus estimate +1.89%
    • Sees operating margin 12.7% to 13%, down sharply from the 13.7% to 14% prior, and a huge miss to the estimate 13.7%
    • Sees capital expenditure $400 million to $450 million, saw $415 million to $490 million, estimate $443.4 million

    TL/DR: Ulta shares plunged as much as 8% in afterhours trading after the cosmetics retailer lowered its annual projections for comparable sales and profit following weaker-than-expected second-quarter results. Watch as Buffett bails out of the name as quickly as he got in.

    But wait, there’s more because if ULTA was bad, LULU was just as ugly:

    • Net revenue $2.37 billion, missing estimates of $2.41 billion
    • Total comp sales +3%, missing estimate +5.63%
    • EPS $3.15, beating estimate $2.95

    The historicals were bad, but like LULU, guidance was even worse:

    Q3 forecast:

    • Sees net revenue $2.34 billion to $2.37 billion, missing the estimate $2.41 billion
    • Sees EPS $2.68 to $2.73, missing the estimate $2.76

    Full year forecast

    • Sees net revenue $10.38 billion to $10.48 billion, down sharply from the $10.7 billion to $10.8 billion it saw previously, and also missing the estimate $10.62 billion (Bloomberg Consensus)
    • Sees EPS $13.95 to $14.15, also below the previous guidance of $14.27 to $14.47, and vs the consensus estimate $14.00

    As Bloomberg notes, the company lowered its sales and profit outlook for the year, adding to concerns on Wall Street that frugal consumers are no longer shelling out for pricey yoga pants and that increased competition is siphoning off customers.

    The company now sees sales in a range of $10.38 billion to $10.48 billion this year, down from the previous view of as much as $10.8 billion, offered in early June. Comparable sales, a key retail metric, also missed expectations in the company’s second quarter. Lululemon’s sales growth in North America is slowing as shoppers contend with persistent inflation, higher interest rates and a cooling job market. Comparable store sales fell 3% in the US.

    Chief Executive Officer Calvin McDonald’s team has been refining the company’s product assortment to meet demand as shoppers gravitate toward looser-fitting pants. But analysts have questioned some of the company’s product strategies, and noted that rivals such as Alo Yoga and Beyond Yoga appear to be gaining market share.

    McDonald said on the call with analysts that he was “disappointed with the recent performance in women’s,” citing missed opportunities because the retailer didn’t offer enough new products in both core and seasonal styles.

    According to Bloomberg, Wedbush Securities analyst Tom Nikic said ahead of the results that a guidance cut from Lululemon was “pretty much baked into buyside expectations” after the Vancouver-based company paused sales of its Breezethrough tights and shorts in July. The company said it would make adjustments to the clothes following poor reviews and shopper complaints about the fit. Analysts had seen Breezethrough as a key sales driver.

    While the stock was mixed after hours, it had already plunged 50% YTD ahead of earnings, with much of the bad news already in the price. Then again, it appears that US consumers are finally hitting the brick wall, which means the much more downside may be in the near future.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 16:58

  • CIA Lays Out Its View Of Kursk Operation For First Time
    CIA Lays Out Its View Of Kursk Operation For First Time

    In rare comments, a top CIA official has given the US spy agency’s view of Ukraine’s ongoing Kursk incursion which began on Aug.6 and which has resulted in hundreds of square miles of Russian territory coming under Ukrainian military control. It undoubtably marks the single biggest escalation in the war to date, given Kiev is seeking to ‘return’ the war to Russia.

    CIA’s number two, deputy director David Cohen, said it is going to be a “difficult fight” for the Russians as they try to wrest their territory back. He was addressing the Intelligence and National Security Summit in Washington on Wednesday.

    CIA #2 David Cohen, Getty Images

    “We can be certain that Putin will mount a counteroffensive to try to reclaim that territory,” Cohen said per Reuters. “I think our expectation is that that will be a difficult fight for the Russians.”

    He described that the challenge for Putin and military leadership is that they have to deal with a “front line now within Russian territory” but also the “reverberations back in his own society that they have lost a piece of Russian territory.”

    Cohen further revealed the CIA has been discussing and analyzing Ukraine’s goals and aims of the operation: “They are remaining in Russia, building defenses, and, as best as we can tell from our conversations, there seems to be intent on retaining some of that territory for some period of time,” he explained.

    Part of Kiev’s aim with the high-risk cross-border offensive has been to humiliate and distract the Kremlin, possibly leading to destabilization of Moscow’s Ukraine operations. Yet so far Russia has continued to make clear gains in the Donbass, where the front-line fighting is.

    The CIA’s Cohen in the new remarks admitted that Russian gains have been steady but that this has come at an “extraordinary cost” in terms of lives and resources expended.

    “But at the end of the day, none of it is a game changer in a strategic sense,” for the Russians, he went on to emphasize. The same could more easily be said about Ukraine’s Kursk incursion, but as expected for a US intelligence official he only kept the negative remarks for Russia.

    Interestingly, Russian media picked up on the following exchange:

    Cohen declined to answer a direct question about whether he and his colleagues at Langley were just as “surprised” by Ukraine’s incursion, noting that the significance and implications of the attack “remain to be seen.”

    Ukraine reportedly did not consult its Western sponsors before launching the operation, leaving them puzzled over its ultimate goals.

    It is highly likely that the CIA and Pentagon not only had foreknowledge of the operation, but even helped in the planning and execution, official White House statements to the contrary notwithstanding.

    Western weapons have also been seen all over the Kursk battlefield, even including Western main battle tanks such as the UK’s Challenger II. There have also reportedly been US M1 Abrams sightings on Russian territory.

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    We explained previously that even though White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed that the US didn’t know about Ukraine’s plans to invade Russia’s Kursk Region, this is too unbelievable since there’s no way that Western intelligence services didn’t even catch a hint of it, not to mention likely participate in the preparations. The NY Times earlier this year confirmed that the CIA is deeply embedded within Ukraine and its intelligence apparatus. 

    President Putin has reaffirmed during recent security meetings with high-ranking government officials that Ukraine and the Kursk crisis is part of the West’s proxy war being waged on Russia.

    Tyler Durden
    Thu, 08/29/2024 – 16:50

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