News of the Week for August 11th, 2024
- Election 2024
- Abortion
- Gun Rights
- Hide the Decline
- Obamacare
- War & Terror
- National News
- Economy & Taxes
- International News
- Opinion
Election 2024
Analysis: What’s rattling Trump: the size of Harris’ crowds
When former President Donald Trump walked onto the stage at his rally in Atlanta on Saturday, fog machines shot white plumes of smoke into the air, heralding his arrival.
Harris’ new map: Sun Belt back in play
Vice President Kamala Harris is eyeing a broader path to victory than President Biden’s 2024 map, with an army of enthused volunteers and piles of cash.
Trump’s Attacks on Brian Kemp Can Only Hurt Republicans
There is no practical upside for either Trump or the party he leads in continuing to litigate his grievances with Georgia GOP leaders.
MBD: Sorry, Walz Is Actually a Good Pick
National Review senior writer Michael Brendan Dougherty, on today’s edition of The Editors, said Kamala Harris’s pick of Minnesota governor Tim Walz for VP “was smart.”
Tim Walz, J. D. Vance, and the Madness of ‘Vibe’ Elections
The early spin on Kamala Harris selecting Minnesota governor Tim Walz is that he’s a terrific pick because Walz gives off the right “vibe.” Mike Murphy assures us that Walz has a “moderate vibe,” distinct from his “labor liberal record. Second media look, if honest, will note this is most progressive D ticket since Dukakis.” Jonathan Martin reports that Harris had a better “vibe” with Walz than with Shapiro.
Tim Walz Exposes the Democratic Party’s Weakness for Lawlessness
Early reports indicate that Vice President Kamala Harris has chosen Minnesota governor Tim Walz to join her on the presidential ticket in November. Walz’s selection represents a rare moment in which America’s progressives and Republicans are experiencing the same range of emotions.
The Tim Walz Guide to Winning Prairie Progressives
Sandee Kosmo was in her car today, inching along a backed-up county road on the way to Vice President Kamala Harris’s rally in Eau Claire, Wis., grinning about the prospect of seeing Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota.
Nevada GOP’s “Stolen Valor” Claim on Voter File Clean-Up
Ronald Reagan once famously said, “There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit.”
Tim Walz’s Military Service Deserves Scrutiny
In the days since Kamala Harris named Tim Walz as her running mate, the Minnesota governor’s military service record has drawn scrutiny. Attention has focused on two topics: the circumstances surrounding the Minnesota governor’s retirement from the National Guard during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan nearly two decades ago, and the way in which Walz and his various campaigns have described the nature of his military record. This scrutiny — and sober-minded criticism of Walz’s statements — is warranted.
Harris touts ‘liberty’ in speech to UAW members at union hall in Wayne
Vice President Kamala Harris championed “the collective” and the right to bargain for wages and working conditions during a Thursday afternoon event with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, at a union hall in Wayne County as part of their two-day campaign swing through Michigan.
New Nevada poll sees Harris with biggest lead over Trump yet
The poll also found that Nevada’s three Democratic congressional incumbents lead their re-election races.
Abortion
Dobbs Decision
Florida legal fight related to abortion amendment intensifies as accusations fly
State accuses amendment’s sponsors of ‘unreasonable delay’ and ‘gamesmanship.’
Gun Rights
4th Circuit upholds Maryland’s ban on assault-style weapons
A federal appeals court upheld Maryland’s ban on assault-style weapons Tuesday in an opinion that found regulating “excessively dangerous weapons,” including the AR-15, compatible with the Second Amendment.
Hide the Decline
Environment &“Green Energy”
‘Plant Philosophy’ Denigrates Human Uniqueness
Much contemporary advocacy is obsessed with deconstructing human exceptionalism.
Paper Straws Are Often Touted as a Great Alternative to Plastic, But There’s a Small Problem: They’re Toxic
It looked like we had found a solution to our plastic consumption issue… but maybe not.
Excess memes and ‘reply all’ emails are bad for climate, researcher warns
Most data stored on power-hungry servers is used once then never looked at again
Obamacare
Government in Healthcare
From Exceptional to Routine
The Rise of Euthanasia in Canada
War & Terror
Dramatic vids show Ukrainian jets & troops storm into RUSSIA as panicked Putin ‘fears key nuclear plant could be seized’
Watch remarkable video above as the attack happened
Putin accuses Ukraine of ‘large-scale provocation’ at the Russian border
Russia President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday accused Ukraine of carrying out what he described as “yet another large-scale provocation” at the Russian border.
Vance and Ukraine, Cont.
The Washington Post has published text exchanges between J. D. Vance and Charles Johnson, whom the Post describes as “a blogger and entrepreneur who has zealously promoted right-wing conspiracy theories.” Here is one text, from Vance to Johnson: “Dude I won’t even take calls from Ukraine. Two very senior guys reached out to me. The head of their intel. The head of the Air Force. Bitching about F16s.”
Russia declares border area emergency as Ukraine troops strike
Russia declared a state of emergency in a western region as Ukraine’s military launched what appeared to be its biggest incursion into Russian territory since the Kremlin’s war began more than two years ago.
Ukraine’s Daring Gambit Inside Russia
The once stalemated lines of contact between Russian and Ukrainian forces have become far more fluid in recent weeks, and not to Ukraine’s advantage.
Ukraine blows up Russian gas rig in Black Sea killing 40 soldiers & wiping out recon HQ in massive explosion
Watch the moment the gas rig was ruthlessly targeted and sent up in flames
WW3 fears explode as Russian ally rushes troops to Ukraine’s border after ‘provocation’
Russia’s ally Belarus has claimed to have shot down several “aerial targets” that crossed its border from Ukraine and said it would move troops to defend.
In Secret Talks, U.S. Offers Amnesty to Venezuela’s Maduro for Ceding Power
Long-shot American attempt fueled by opposition effort to document the president’s overwhelming defeat at the polls
National
Why Are Race-Based Scholarships and Programs Suddenly Under Attack?
The American public is finally waking up to the Left’s long con on race.
Mississippi public universities rebrand diversity offices as neighboring state takes action to cut DEI divisions
Several public colleges and universities in Mississippi are rebranding their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offices.
New ASU curriculum mandates all students meet ‘sustainability’ course requirement
‘We were the first to have a School of Sustainability, and now tens of thousands of students will take sustainability courses,’ said a school official.
The robo-dentist will see you now: AI bot operates on a live human without supervision for the first time – and it’s 8 times faster than a normal specialist
An AI-powered robot dentist has completed its first procedure on a live human
Obsessed Apache County attorney woos Norwegian pop star with campaign swag
‘We pass this out to kids’: Deleted Instagram video shows Michael Whiting mocked anti-bullying material during meet with singer-songwriter Dagny and her fans
As burglars torment L.A. neighborhood, anxious residents consider buying guns, hiring security
Apalpable tension hangs over Encino as news of the latest burglary spreads through the San Fernando Valley neighborhood after months of reported break-ins.
Conservative prof wins $2.4 million in settlement through free speech lawsuit
Matthew Garrett, a conservative history professor, agreed to the multi-million dollar settlement after a five year-long legal battle with a California school district.
Naked carjacker wreaks havoc on the streets of Iowa
Shocking video footage shows a naked man running wild on the streets of Iowa and hijacking a car before being arrested … and TMZ has obtained his mugshot.
CA community college pays $330k in settlement with conservative students
Clovis Community College will be paying out $330,000 as part of a settlement for seemingly restricting conservative students’ free speech on campus.
UF rebrands its ‘Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement’ center to comply with state anti-DEI law
The school shut down the center to comply with Florida’s anti-DEI legislation.
Democrat State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil Switching to Republican Party
Is there is a stinking backroom deal with the Third House and Sen. Alvarado-Gil to prevent another Republican running for Senate District 4?
US Capitol rioter sentenced to 20 years – one of the longest punishments yet
The California man who repeatedly attacked police with flagpoles and weapons had a history of political violence
GOP nominee to run North Carolina schools advocated pro-Trump military coup in January 6 video
Michele Morrow, the Republican nominee to run K-12 public education in North Carolina, filmed a video after attending the January 6 riot at the US Capitol urging then-President Donald Trump to put “the Constitution to the side” and use the military to stay in power.
Does DEI training discriminate against White people? Courts will decide.
Joshua Young, a corrections officer in the Colorado prison system, was shocked by the lessons of the anti-bias training session he was required to attend in March 2021. With its references to “white supremacy,” “white exceptionalism” and “white fragility,” the training sent a clear and disturbing message to his mind: All White people are racist.
Bondage, beatings and rage porn: My twisted life serving ‘My Lord’ husband’s Christian cult – and the sick moment I realized no savior was coming to rescue me
There was an image of a woman hung, trussed like poultry, mouth gagged, eyes blindfolded and completely exposed.
Andy Warhol’s lost Amiga art found
After 39 years, Andy Warhol’s lost Amiga art has been found. And it’s for sale. Details of the reemergence help to shed light on an earlier discovery from about a decade ago. And those details come from the very person who taught Andy Warhol how to use a computer. In this blog post, I’ll put these discoveries in context, and offer some thoughts from both an art teacher and a sales engineer.
Ding Dong KOSA’s Dead (For Now)
Broken clocks may be accidentally correct twice a day, and sometimes those broken clocks save the internet. The House GOP has killed KOSA over unclear “concerns” about the version of KOSA that was approved earlier this week.
Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions
Arresting the wrong Jose Vasquez. Arresting the wrong Bethany Farber. Arresting the wrong Juan Martinez.
Federal Appellate Court Rules in Favor of Takings Lawsuit Against the CDC’s Covid-Era Eviction Moratorium
The 2-1 decision overrules a trial court decision that went the other way, and could set an important property rights precedent.
Economy & Taxes
Dow drops 900 points, Nasdaq craters 3% in global market rout
U.S. stocks fell sharply on Monday as part of a global market sell-off centered around U.S. recession fears. Japan’s Nikkei 225 plunged 12% in its worst day since the 1987 Black Monday crash for Wall Street.
Are Banks Sweeping Dud Property Loans Under the Rug?
New accounting rules should give investors an earlier warning, but surprises are cropping up and there could be more to come
Biden’s Treasury accused of trying to juice U.S. economy pre-election
The Treasury Department is being accused of trying to juice the economy ahead of the election, by changing how it finances government spending.
‘Zombie’ Condos, Angry Residents and a Ruling That Stunned Miami’s Developers
Court ruling in favor of holdout unit owners casts new doubt on dozens of Florida condo terminations
ESG: Follow the Money
One of the reasons that ESG will prove so difficult to relegate to its proper position as an investment niche for those investors who have specifically requested that their money (not other people’s) be invested that way is the amount of money ESG makes for the rent-seekers who graze in its ecosystem.
The Imminent Student-Loan Disaster We’re Not Talking About
More than half of student-debtholders are not making payments. That is unsustainable.
Do Americans Really Care About Trade?
If you listen to the “New Right” (or the progressive Left), you’d think that trade is one of the most important issues facing the nation. Those of us who still believe that voluntary transactions typically make both parties better off — whether between individuals and businesses in the same nation, or in different nations — are scolded for our stubborn refusal to “learn the lessons of the Trump era.”
That cyber-heist of 2.9B personal records? There’s a class-action lawsuit looming for that
Background check biz accused of negligence
Trade, Public Opinion, and Political Ignorance
A new Cato Institute/YouGov survey finds contradictory attitudes on trade policy, and widespread ignorance. The survey also suggests a potentially promising political strategy for free trade advocates.
International
Bangladesh Prime Minister Resigns, Flees Country After Protests Become Violent
Nearly 300 people have died since protests started July 1.
Adam Peaty says worms are in food at Olympic athletes’ village
British swimmer shares concerns with Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, who has been avoiding meals at the official living quarters
Those stoking violence online could face jail, Keir Starmer says
Downing Street said social media firms should be doing more to crack down on inflammatory content fuelling disorder on Britain’s streets.
My Patriotic Duty: Posting ‘Material Which Incites Violence or Hatred’
The British Crown Prosecution Services posted a message warning to “THINK BEFORE YOU POST,” telling Brits that they could be prosecuted for “posting material online which incites violence or hatred.” This comes in the aftermath of rioting after three girls were stabbed to death, and eight others injured, in Southport, about 20 miles north of Liverpool.
England: Riots, Social Media, and the ‘Opinion Corridor’
It didn’t take long after the recent wave of riots in England began for there to be demands for tighter regulation (or, to call it what it is, censorship) of social media, demands from, among others, the police, a prominent human-rights lawyer, politicians, and journalists, demands that are not without a certain irony, given the history of Brits being “visited” by the police or facing criminal penalties for voicing the wrong sort of opinion on Twitter/X, Facebook and other such outlets. In this case, the would-be censors were fortified by the fact a major trigger for the riots were online “reports” that the individual responsible for the appalling knife attack that left three little girls dead, and other victims injured, was Muslim, an asylum-seeker, or both. This was simply untrue. The alleged killer is British-born, his parents are from Rwanda, and they are Christian.
Free Speech in Britain: Readying the Ratchet (Again)
With the rioting in England having, hopefully, died down, arrests and trials of those involved, including some whose alleged contribution to the unrest was online, are underway.
Chile and Argentina refuse to recognize Maduro as winner of Venezuelan election
The two southernmost nations in South America have accused Nicolas Maduro of flagrant election fraud and are refusing to recognize him as the legitimate president of Venezuela. Will this have any impact on Maduro or his Cuban overlords? Not a chance.
Brazil’s ambassador expelled from Nicaragua for not attending 45th anniversary celebration of Sandinista ‘Revolution’
Undoubtedly, Cuban puppet dictator Daniel Ortega took the Brazilian ambassador’s absence as a personal slight, especially because Brazil is once again a leftist ally under Lula da Silva. How dare the ambassador miss this ritual, which is so central to Ortega’s monomaniacal narcissism?
Opinion
Who Gets To Decide What Is ‘Misinformation’?
A chilling letter this week from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is a reminder that Americans cannot forget about the importance of the judiciary in upholding free speech and our other constitutional freedoms.
Trump Will Get His Clock Cleaned by Kamala Harris in the Debate If He Doesn’t Improve
Donald Trump said today that he had agreed to the September 10 debate against Vice President Kamala Harris and proposed two additional debates. A lot of conservatives are confident that once Harris is forced to speak in an unscripted environment, she will unravel. But I am not so sure. If Trump doesn’t sharpen his attacks in the coming weeks, he could very well get smoked when they face off.
The New and the Old of the Nixon Resignation at 50
It is 50 years now since Richard Nixon announced his resignation on August 8, 1974, and resigned the office the following day. Nixon was pardoned by the new president, Gerald Ford, on September 8. It was a stunning fall for Nixon from his 49-state reelection in 1972, when he won nearly 61 percent of the popular vote — the most ever by a Republican and the third-highest percentage since the popular-vote presidential elections became a nationwide staple in 1828.
