Category: Uncategorized

On the same day two opposing things came out. First, our Attorney General is whing how employees of the DOJ are being treated unfairly.

From Daybreak Insider:

Attorney General Merrick Garland is responding to what he says are “unfounded attacks” that are endangering Department of Justice (DOJ) employees and, by extension, the state of democracy in the United States as the GOP pushes back against what they see as partisan law fare.

The Washington Post published an op-ed on Monday in which Garland called for an end to a wave of conspiracy theories, lies, intimidation and threats of violence that he said have escalated against public servants under his charge.”

Meanwhile on the same day the following came out.

From the Daily Wire: 

“An employee of the FBI had his security clearance revoked after the bureau investigated his support for former President Donald Trump and opposition to COVID vaccines, according to a complaint made public on Monday after it was recently filed against the Justice Department.

From Empower Oversight: 

Our client served the FBI honorably for 12 years, receiving cash awards and positive performance evaluations. Then-FBI Executive Assistant Director (“EAD”) Jennifer Leigh Moore suspended our client’s security clearance in March 2022, which led to an indefinite suspension without pay. Shortly thereafter, our client confidentially made protected disclosures to the House Judiciary Committee, alleging politicization and abuses of the security clearance process in this case and others “

So who is the liar here?

Who is right? Who is telling the truth?

Could it be that both are?

Are DOJ employees being criticized because they are carrying out the commands of their boss? I think that this could well be true, as many US citizens have had enough of Biden’s and Garland’s skewed interpretation of what is right. Now let”s be perfectly clear … I am not encouraging, or advocating violence. However, FBI Executive Assistant Director (“EAD”) Jennifer Leigh Moore suspending a trusted FBI-person’s security clearance in March 2022, because she, or her boss, did not like that  individual’s conservative views is just not kosher or right?

6/11/24

Personally, I have nothing against Electric Vehicles (EVs). At this point in my life, I do not want one, and apparently I am not alone. 

Growth in EV sales slowed in the first quarter of 2024 as consumers decline to adopt the product, leading to a drop in market share compared to traditional vehicles, declining from 7.6% to 7.1%. EV sales grew just 2.7% in the quarter compared to the 47% growth seen as a whole last year.

Because there has been a considerable downturn in the EV market as a response EV workers are being laid off.

From the Daily Caller:

Electric vehicle (EV) maker Lucid Motors announced that the company would be laying off staff in a bid to lower expenses amid a slowdown in the market.

The layoffs will affect 6% of its workforce, equating to around 400 employees, and will trim from all employee levels, including leadership and mid-level management, according to a filing submitted on 5/24/24, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 

The company estimates that it will have to pay out between $21 million and $25 million in severance pay and benefits in connection with the layoffs, according to the filing. The planned terminations are expected to be done by the end of the third quarter.

The world’s largest EV maker, Tesla, announced in April that it would be laying off more than 10% of its workforce of over 140,000 employees following slower-than-expected global deliveries in the first quarter.

EV maker Rivian also announced in April that it would be laying off 1% of its workforce after previously announcing that it would be cutting 10% of the company’s staff. Rivian cut 6% of staff in 2023 and another 6% in July 2022.

Other automakers have had to push back their EV production targets due to the slowdown in the growth of market demand, including Bentley, General Motors, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Honda.

Because consumers either do not want EVs for a variety of different reasons or cannot afford them, EV.producers are taking it in the shorts, and the laying off of workers is just beginning. After Trump gets elected in November, gasoline prices will decrease and consequently EV sales will decline even more. Time to sell EV socks short?

6/11/24

Marijuana use in the United States has skyrocketed in the past several decades, and now there are more people who use marijuana daily than people who drink alcohol daily, according to a new study. 

Researcher Jonathan Caulkins compared daily alcohol and marijuana use based on surveys taken in 1979, 1992, 2008, and 2022. Caulkins published his findings on May 22. 

In my opinion in future years will there be a realization that legalizing marijuana was a big mistake. When this happens, those who were big time marijuana advocates will no longer be in office, or will be dead. As most regular readers know I have been against okaying marijuana mainly because as of yet, as opposed to alcohol, there is no way to test for its recent use when one is driving impaired. I continue to feel that way, and furthermore my position is being enhanced because of increasing reports of significant disastrous medical side effects from its use.

Epoch Health recently published a summary about the adverse psychiatric effects of cannabis, including articles from The American Journal of Psychiatry, Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Addiction, & Molecular Psychiatry.

The following is from that Epoch Health article:

New UK research shows adults who consumed high-potency cannabis between ages 16 and 18 are twice as likely to experience psychotic episodes like hallucinations and delusions by their mid-20s compared to those using low-potency strains or abstaining. The longitudinal study, published in Addiction, highlights cannabis’ risks to adolescent brain development.

Over the past several decades, illicit marijuana products have become significantly more potent. The concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)—the psychoactive compound in cannabis responsible for the “high” sensation and one linked to psychotic experiences in some people—increased from around 10 percent in 2009 to roughly 14 percent by 2019, according to a scientific review published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging.

“This is the problem,” Yasmin Hurd, director of the Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai in New York, told The Epoch Times. “Many people don’t realize that the cannabis that is consumed today—the majority or all of it—is high-potency.”

Cannabis poses a greater psychosis risk than tobacco or alcohol, according to Ms. Hurd, who noted that the new findings align with numerous studies linking cannabis use to psychosis.

Despite evidence linking cannabis to psychosis, teen use soared 245 percent between 2000 and 2020, according to research published in Clinical Toxicology. The authors attributed the rise to popular edible products, with legalization making cannabis seem safer and more accessible to teens, even though it is only legal for adults in 24 states and Washington, D.C.

Biden’s Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) recently proposed to move cannabis to a Schedule III drug, which would reduce the penalty for selling or delivering the drug in states where it remains criminalized.

While “we should not criminalize the use,” Ms Hurd said, the move to make it legal and reduce penalties ignores the fact that the current strains are purposely made to be addictive because “like everything else, it’s a business, and the business is to get more customers,” she added.

While I am certain that J.B. is only familiar with what his handlers allow him read, which is not The American Journal of Psychiatry, Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Addiction, & Molecular Psychiatry, or even the Epoch Times.

However, it is also likely that “those who know best” in the DEA either cannot read or willfully ignore these recent studies documenting these severe consequences of cannabis use.

6/10/24

Larry Farris Jr. is a bus driver in Lexington, Kentucky. On one particular day he saw a need and did what an exceptional person would do.

“Normally, when I pull up, Levi is standing there waiting for me with a big smile, but on this day, he was sitting on the ground with a jacket over his head and tears streaming down his face. I asked him, ‘Hey buddy, what’s going on? What’s wrong?'”

Levi, a first-grader at Engelhard Elementary School, explained through sobs that he didn’t have pajamas for Pajama Day at school.

Larry’s heart sank as he watched Levi’s disappointment, knowing the young boy wanted to participate but couldn’t. After finishing his morning routes, he made a special trip to a Family Dollar store and purchased two pairs of pajamas for Levi. With pajamas in hand, Larry headed to Levi’s school to deliver the heartfelt gift.

As Larry Farrish Jr. presented the pajamas to Levi, the young boy’s face lit up with joy, his tears replaced by a radiant smile. Levi hugged the “All-Star” football pajamas close to his chest, overwhelmed with gratitude for Larry’s kindness.

“I said, ‘You were hurting this morning, you were crying, so I got you these pajamas,” Larry explained. “He was so excited – you should’ve seen how his face lit up.”

Reflecting on his calling as a bus driver, Larry humbly expresses his love for building bonds with the children he serves. 

Larry Farrish Jr. reminds us that God creates heroes out of ordinary people, showing us that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a world of difference in someone’s life. 

Yes, Larry Farris Jr. is a hero in the eyes of Levi, and in my eyes also.

6/9/24

In my continuing attempt to occasionally bring my readers some medical news that is most likely likely not commented on by the MSM.

In just the past few years I have known three individuals with Parkinson’s Disease, and so this piece in Neurology was of special interest to me 

From Epoch Health:

While previous research highlighted caffeine’s benefits like increased energy and enhanced cognitive performance, a recent study in the journal, Neurology, adds to the evidence that caffeine may help prevent Parkinson’s disease, a progressive movement disorder. The new study examined coffee intake and future Parkinson’s risk in 184,024 participants across six European countries.

Unlike prior studies, it quantified caffeine biomarkers years before Parkinson’s onset. Researchers identified 351 Parkinson’s cases, matched with controls by age, sex, study center, and fasting status during blood collection.

Results showed that higher caffeine consumption and the presence of key metabolites like paraxanthine and theophylline were linked to reduced Parkinson’s risk.

The neuroprotective effects were exposure-dependent, with the highest consumption group having nearly 40 percent lower Parkinson’s risk compared to non-coffee drinkers.

The “sweet spot of coffee consumption” is probably two to four cups per day, Dr. Jack Wolfson, a board-certified cardiologist in Scottsdale, Arizona, not associated with the study, told The Epoch Times. Above that amount, “there is probably not much benefit,” he added.

The scientific evidence linking coffee consumption to a decreased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease is quite strong, Dr. Hwai Ooi, a neurologist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York.

In addition to coffee consumption, experts say there are other lifestyle factors and habits that could play a role in reducing the risk of Parkinson’s disease.

The most important is aerobic exercise, “which has clearly been shown to be neuroprotective effects in Parkinson’s disease and can slow down progression of the disease,” Dr. Ooi said. Current guidelines recommend a minimum of 2.5 hours of aerobic activity per week for those with Parkinson’s.

My take on this is to have a couple of cups of JOE in the morning followed by thirty minutes of walking or any other type of loco- MOtion.

6/8/24

Does Being Liberal Mean Never Having To Say, “I’m Sorry?”   

Many of us, like me, who were paying attention to the news back in 2021, were shocked when the reports out of Canada alleged that many unmarked Indian children’s graves were found near and in former residential schools.

from BlazeMedia:

The residential schools were part of a federally mandated campaign to both educate Indian children who had no alternative local school options and to assimilate them into contemporary Canadian society.

These schools operated from the 1880s until the second half of the 20th century.

While neither the Catholic Church as a whole nor the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops were associated with the system, various Catholic dioceses helped administer a plurality of the schools. The Anglican and Presbyterian churches were also involved. An estimated 150,000 children attended the schools over the course of a century.

Years after the last school was shuttered, a grievance industry began to grow around claims of abuse and so-called “cultural genocide” in the schools.

The formerly called Kamloops Indian Band — announced in May 2021 that it had confirmed the discovery of children’s remains in an apple orchard near a former Catholic-run residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia.

The apple orchard was originally selected for a survey partly on the basis of “Knowledge keepers’ oral histories” and a tooth belonging to a juvenile found nearby. The chief of this tribe said that ground-penetrating radar surveys had uncovered the remains of 215 “missing children” whose deaths were “undocumented.”

Not unexpectedly, liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the alleged discovery, stating he was “terribly saddened.” The Canadian leader suggested further that the supposed unmarked graves served as “a shameful reminder of the systemic racism, discrimination, and injustice that Indigenous peoples have faced.”

Not to be outdone, the Canadian Parliament observed a moment of silence to “mark the discovery of the remains of 215 children at a former residential school in Kamloops.”

When I read about this back in 2021, I was horrified. However, … there is “the rest of the story … “

Maxime Bernier, the leader of the People’s Party of Canada, told Blaze News, “Three years after a moral panic broke out following the supposed discovery of ‘mass graves’ at the Kamloops residential school, we now know that it was all a hoax. No bodies were found even after $8 million was spent to find them.”

Hundreds of millions of dollars have been blown on the other investigations — ostensibly also fruitless pursuits.

“But like other moral panics, this one was instrumentalized by far left activists and the Trudeau government to demonize Canadian history and Canadian society,” continued Bernier. “Among the awful repercussions of this demonization is the fact that it likely motivated hateful criminals to torch over 80 churches across the country during these three years, with new ones being added almost every week.

Any apologies from Canadian officials? … err, no apologies yet!

Any apologies from Trudeau? …err, no apologies yet!

Perhaps when we Adam Schiff apologize for his lying about the stuff he had on Trump, we will hear something from the mendacious Canadian liberals, but … don’t hold your breath!

6/7/24

Baksheesh ?

 I learned a new word today  … “baksheesh,” which means “a tip, present, or gratuity,” or in modern day vernacular, a “bribe.” In the Middle East marketplace, the souk culture is all about the baksheesh.

As everyone recalls, Egypt would not let any of those civilians trapped in Gaza escape into Egypt. The suspicion was that Egypt was worried that it would not be able to control those innocents fleeing the war in Gaza. To me that explanation was always suspect. Why not let them temporarily find safety in Egypt, and then when the conflict in Gaza was over, over time, escort all of them back to Gaza.

But could something else be playing a role? 

Remember that age-old adage … “follow the money!”

From Townhall:

“Egypt built a formidable border wall  It is impenetrable, militarized, and closely guarded with Egyptian troops and security forces. The way through it for Gazans seeking to get out of Gaza? Baksheesh. Upwards of $5,000 per person. It has also been a gateway for international aid and smuggling into Gaza resulting in over $88 million in profit to the holder of the border keys. 

The holder of those keys is a Bedouin tribal leader named Ibrahim al-Organi, now the wealthiest man in northern Sinai. He has extremely close ties with Egyptian President al-Sisi, and more significantly, with al-Sisi’s son, General Mahmoud al-Sisi , the Deputy Chief of Egyptian intelligence.

“Every day there is additional evidence  of Egyptian smuggling in Gaza. Intelligence on May 31, 2024 uncovered surface to air missiles smuggled into Rafah from Egypt. The large cache purportedly would have been used to take down IDF helicopters. How much money changed hands  for Egypt to have turned a blind eye (or been complicit) in these types of smuggling operations?”

On the IDF’s first day of entry into Rafah in mid-May they discovered hundreds of tunnels with over 50 two-way underground tunnels between Rafah and Egypt. Dozens more cross-border tunnels have been discovered since, along the Rafah-Egypt border. Some tunnels were paved and wide enough for passage of full-sized cargo trucks.

Beyond hostage remains, the IDF seized hundreds of weapons and war materiel They discovered UN relief packages, food, cash, electrification, housing, office space, etc. An underground metropolis was built by Hamas in Rafah. 

Assuming all of this is true, could it be that Joe Biden and cronies have been completely taken in by Egypt? I would rather believe that it is Biden’s naïveté as to what Egypt is doing, rather than believe his complicity with Egypt involved some baksheesh.

Hmmm!

6/5/24

Although many of you were not alive back in 1960, I think it is safe to assume that today everyone has heard of Martin Luther King Jr.(MLK). Back in 1960 I was in high school, and oblivious to what was happening in Alabama … oblivious to what the Democrats tried to do back then to MLK, a good man!

The following is from the Mississippi Today, May 28, 1960 via the New York Times: 

As the above is difficult to read, the following from Jeff Childers C&C, 6/1, summarizes it pretty well:

“In 1960, Alabama’s democrat officials indited Dr. Martin Luther King on charges of perjury, related to alleged underpayment of his state income taxes in 1956 and 1958. Dr. King’s intial charges were misdemeanor tax evasion. But democrat prosecutors later upgraded the charges to felony perjury — for lying on his tax returns — with a possible prison sentence of two to five years for each count.

Boosting misdemeanor tax evasion — which requires dishonest tax reporting — into a felony required some very creative prosecutorial thinking.

The technical basis for charging Dr. King with felony perjury instead of misdemeanor tax evasion was the Orwellian allegation that he had perjured himself in signing his evasive tax returns. Note that, like with Trump, Dr. King’s alleged unreported Alabama income was related to political donations.

And as with the Trump (DJT) prosecution, it was the first time in Alabama history that any defendant was ever charged that way.

Both cases were brought by democrats against their political enemies. Both cases involved charges for victimless process crimes.  Both cases involved creative bootstrapping of misdemeanors into felonies. Both cases included unprecedented interpretations of the law, charging prominent political figures with crimes never brought against others. Both cases involved charges deeply intertwined with their political activities and public roles: campaign donations in Dr. King’s case, and “legal expenses” argued rather to be campaign expenses for Trump.”

In May, 1960 MLK was acquitted; in May, 2024 DJT was not. I would assume that the all-white jury slept very well after that 1960 MLK trial was over. I wonder how the Manhattan jurors are sleeping today.

6/3/24

On Sundays I write about someone who warrants our praise. Osvaldo Lugo is such a person.

From Epoch Bright:

Originally from Puerto Rico, 47-year-old Osvaldo Lugo is now based in Hartford, Connecticut, and owns LookSharp barber shop.

Around 11:30 a.m. on 4/10/24, as Mr. Lugo was busy working on his third customer of the day, his colleague Rafael Santana looked out the window and saw it—a little girl running toward the middle of the busy street.

Concerned at seeing the child without an adult, Mr. Santana took a second look. He then quickly voiced his concern, questioning why an unaccompanied child was playing in the middle of the street.

“I’ve been in this area for three years, in business, and I have never seen kids play in the middle of the street,” Mr. Lugo told the Epoch Times.

Seeing how fast the girl was running, he put his clippers down and took off after her.

The quick-thinking barber remembered telling himself, “You make sure you run as fast as you can. Because you only got one shot.”

“Once I opened the door [of the shop], all I remember is running and running,” Mr. Lugo said. “And I felt that I was running the fastest I ever have.”

As he got hold of her “she was alarmed” and looked at him with suspicion.

Mr. Lugo scooped her into his arms, and she began calling for her mother. Mr. Lugo looked around, searching for the child’s parents.

It wasn’t long before he found her mother.

Many have hailed the barber a hero for his swift action, to which he said: “The word hero is too big, the responsibility behind that word, it was too big. But all I know is that I’m proud of myself for getting involved.”

The barber, who served in jail for 10 years and was released six years ago, has worked hard to better himself. While in jail he took business and psychology courses and values the education he received that allowed him to learn about himself and the human mind.

“I have changed my ways and now God blessed me with a business, a house, a property, and a community to serve,” he said.

Kudos to Osvaldo Lugo not only for his rescue of the little girl, but also for turning his life around.

6/2/

For those not familiar! “Crossing the Rubicon” means “making an irrevocable decision.” It comes from the name of the river Julius Caesar crossed with his army, thereby starting a civil war in Rome.

Did the Dems essentially cross the Rubicon with the nonsensical Manhattan Trump trial?

Some Republicans in the Senate seem to think so … Republican Sens. Michael S. Lee (Utah), J.D. Vance (Ohio), Tommy Tuberville (Ala.), Eric Schmitt (Mo.), Rick Scott (Fla.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Roger Marshall (Kan.), and Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.) issued a statement Friday, noting, “The White House has made a mockery of the rule of law and fundamentally altered our politics in un-American ways. As a Senate Republican conference, we are unwilling to aid and abet this White House in its project to tear this country apart.”

“To this end, we will not 1) allow any increase to non-security related funding for this administration, or any appropriations bill which funds partisan lawfare; 2) vote to confirm this administration’s political and judicial appointees; and 3) allow expedited consideration and passage of Democrat legislation or authorities that are not directly relevant to the safety of the American people,” said the statement.

But others are saying that this is not enough, and suggest that what the Bible says, should be considered:

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is a biblical concept spoken by Jesus in Luke 6:31 and Matthew 7:12; it is commonly referred to as the “Golden Rule.” 

Or similarly:

“The saying Jesus quotes in Matthew 5:38, “Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth” occurs not once, but at least three times, in the Old Testament (Ex. 21:23-25; Lev. 24:19-20; Deut. 19:21).

From BlazeMedia:

UC Berkeley law professor John Yoo made clear this week that President Donald Trump’s convictionbefore a Democratic judge in a Democratic enclave on charges brought by a Democratic prosecutor effectively obliterates any remaining pretense that the justice system is a means for resolution and restitution. The courtroom is now instead apparently a vehicle for seeking retribution and political advantage.

With this transformation, Yoo says it’s high time for “retaliation in kind” by Republican district attorneys.

Ahead of President Donald Trump’s conviction, Yoo noted in National Review that it was abundantly clear the hush-money case was built around “farcical charges” and aimed not at delivering justice but at protecting a decrepit Democratic president from facing his top competitor in November.

“The superficiality of the facts and the vagueness of the crimes magnify the harm that Democrats have inflicted on our political norms,” wrote the former deputy assistant attorney general. “Make no mistake, Democrats have crossed a constitutional Rubicon.”

6/1/24