Month: May 2022

May 23, 2022May 23, 2022 Julie Carr

A few weeks ago, Exxon announced that it was banning the display of Pride and BLM flags at its headquarters in Houston. There was a ripple of unhappiness, but nothing was burned down, the media attention was muted, and the world went about its business as before.

Across the country, school board elections are tossing out woke ideologues and partisans of critical race theory and replacing what amounts to gay pornography in the curriculum with more wholesome fare. The Biden Administration keeps running into roadblocks, most recently a judicial order halting its efforts to rescind Title 42, a Trump-era emergency order that turned away would-be immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. A few days ago, Biden’s absurd Disinformation Governance Board was shuttered and its pathetic director, Nina Jankowicz, sucked back into the memory hole whence she came.

Blake Masters: Everyone Is Asking Me Why We Are Sending $40 Billion to Ukraine

Neil W. McCabe, the national political editor of The Star News Network, interviewed the former president of Thiel Capital and Arizona GOP Senate hopeful Blake Masters about what voters are telling him and why he is running to replace Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly.

Georgia Ports Authority to Spend $430 Million to Improve Container Port in Savannah

May 23, 2022May 23, 2022 The Center Square

The Georgia Ports Authority plans to spend roughly $430 million on infrastructure improvements at the Port of Savannah.

Of the $430 million, GPA is covering $395.4 million, funded through the authority’s proceeds. The federal government is chipping in a $34.6 million grant.

Over Half the Country at Risk of ‘Energy Emergencies’ This Summer, Electric Grid Analysis Shows

Millions of Americans across the Midwest, Southwest and West are expected to face blackouts throughout the summer months, an industry analysis concluded.

A variety of factors, including drought conditions and low wind conditions, are expected to put Americans in roughly 28 states at risk of experiencing blackouts this summer, according to a report from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), a U.S. regulatory authority, published Wednesday. The region managed by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) across 15 Midwest states is at the highest risk of “energy emergencies” during the summer due to capacity shortfalls, the analysis showed.

Targeted Staff Cuts, New Corporate Ethos: Netflix Takes a Stand for Creative Independence

Dave Chappelle’s 2021 Netflix stand-up special “The Closer” sparked protests from the streamer’s own employees over allegedly anti-trans jokes.

Now, the platform is drawing an unmistakable line in the sand, proclaiming a corporate culture that prizes individual creative freedom above the collective ideological discipline enforced by cancel culture.

China’s Most Powerful Bombers Buzz U.S. Military Bases in Japan

China’s most powerful bombers circled U.S. military bases in Okinawa, Japan, on Wednesday, according to Chinese state-run media Thursday.

A pair of China’s H-6J bombers crossed between two of the largest islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, where the U.S has multiple military installations, before circling in the region, Global Times reported. The bombers likely coordinated with the Liaoning aircraft carrier group, which has been conducting drills in the region since May 2, according to the report.

Commentary: The World Does Not Run on Magic

At a recent hearing before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, the CEO of Colonial Pipeline made an admission which illustrates quite well our negligence and improvidence. The company paid out nearly $5 million in blackmail money to an unknown hacker when the pipeline was shut down for several days. That, of course, was bad enough, and most of the man’s testimony had to do with the technicalities of which government agency was notified and when, and what the company’s computer experts did to remedy the situation.

But there was another piece of his testimony, one that you had to look hard to find in the news reports. He testified that most of the men who could operate the controls on the pipeline have died or retired, so that the 5,500-mile line must rely almost wholly upon computerized systems for its operation. That means, of course, that we are vulnerable to attacks by people who do not have to take a guard at gunpoint, or dig a big hole somewhere that no one will notice.

Biden May Not Hold Any Offshore Oil and Gas Leases Until the End of His Term, Industry Group Says

The American Petroleum Institute (API), a leading industry group, said the next offshore oil and gas lease sale likely wouldn’t come until early 2024 following the latest Biden administration update.

The Department of the Interior (DOI) announced Thursday that it would issue an updated proposed program plan for offshore lease sales by June 30. The API, though, said the announcement confirms the administration is “significantly behind” in the multi-year process required for approving a new five-year offshore plan, likely delaying lease sales until early 2024.

Australian Transgender Surfer Crushes the Competition in Open Women’s Divisions

May 23, 2022May 22, 2022 The Center Square

A transgender surfer in Western Australia has become the first person in history to win both the men’s and women’s divisions of the sport.

This month, 43-year-old Sasha Jane Lowerson crushed the competition in the Open Women’s and Open Logger divisions at the West Coast Suspensions Longboard and Logger State Championships, as well as a number of state titles.

IRS Under Fire over Wasted Billions of Dollars and Millions in Backlogs

Lawmakers continued to raise concerns about the Internal Revenue Service at a Congressional hearing this week as the agency deals with billions in misspent dollars, hefty processing backlogs, and complaints over poor customer service.

Lawmakers lobbed questions at the tax-collecting agency during the House Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee hearing.

At Least 135 Educators Charged with Child Sex Crimes in 2022 Alone

In less than five months, at least 135 teachers, teachers’ aides, and other school employees across the country have been arrested and charged with various child sex crimes.

As reported by Fox News, the total of 135 does not account for arrests that haven’t been publicized, meaning the final total for the year 2022 thus far may be even higher. The 135 arrests have taken place across 41 states between January 1st and May 13th, averaging to about one arrest per day. Most of the suspects are men.

NIH Study: Vaccinated People Develop Fewer Antibodies Than Unvaccinated After COVID Infection

Unvaccinated people develop much broader antibody immunity after being infected with COVID than people who have received the mRNA shots do, according to an NIH study. And the gap was large whether subjects had mild, moderate, or severe COVID infections.

The results of the study, which were highlighted by Alex Berenson on his Unreported Truths Substack, Daniel Horowitz at the Blaze, and Igor Chudov on his Substack newsletter, completely destroy the regime narrative that the shots provide stronger immunity than a natural infection, and may help explain why so many vaccinated Americans are now suffering from multiple COVID infections.

Russia Announces Western Military Buildup to Match NATO Presence Near Its Borders

May 23, 2022May 23, 2022 Addison Basurto

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the buildup of forces in the nation’s Western Military District as a response to the mounting NATO forces near its borders.

“Twelve military units and subunits will be formed in the Western Military District by the end of the year,” said Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who highlighted the Swedish and Finnish bids to join NATO as factors in the buildup, according to Russian state media outlet Tass.

Stacey Abrams Says of Georgia: ‘We Are the Worst State in the Country to Live’

Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams made waves with her statement on Saturday at the Gwinnett County Democratic dinner when she stated, “I am tired of being told that we are the best state in the country to do business when we are the worst state in the country to live.”

Abrams is running unopposed for Georgia’s Democratic primary for governor. She will face the eventual winner of the Republican primary election which will be decided on Tuesday. Abrams’ statement received criticism from Republicans.

Hillary Factor: Evidence Now Shows False Russia Collusion Story Began and Ended with Clinton

In an era where the hunt for disinformation has become a political obsession, Hillary Clinton has mostly escaped having to answer what role she played in spreading the false Russia collusion narrative that gripped America for nearly three years.

On Friday, that dodge ended with a most unlikely witness: her former campaign manager Robby Mook, who was supposed to be a witness helping the defense of her former campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann on a charge of lying to the FBI.

Commentary: Immigration Reform, America’s Holy Grail

May 22, 2022May 21, 2022 The Center Square

Anyone who follows politics is accustomed to the overuse of the word “reform.” It is almost always depicted as a highly desirable goal that will sweep away bad precedents and usher in a new era of smarter government policy.

Reform is often a good and necessary thing. But there are few words left more open to interpretation. Reform, depending on who is suggesting the change, can mean entirely different things even when applied to the same issue. This is especially true when it comes to immigration.

Hyundai to Build First Electric Vehicle Plant in Georgia, but Officials Mum on Incentives Offered

Hyundai Motor Group has selected Georgia for its first fully dedicated electric vehicle and battery manufacturing facility and plans to invest more than $5.5 billion to build the facility.

The plant will be located at the 2,923-acre Bryan County Megasite along Interstate 16 and served by the Georgia Central Railway. It is less than 30 miles from the Port of Savannah.

Commentary: Trans People and the Politics of Propriety

Over the last few years, leftists have intensified their attacks on traditional norms regarding sex and gender identity. This began in the immediate aftermath of the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized gay marriage nationwide. Activists swiftly redirected their efforts toward securing transgender rights, which was trumpeted as the next frontier in the struggle for LGBT equality.

Louisiana Judge Blocks Biden from Lifting Title 42 Immigration Rule

A Louisiana judge ruled Friday that President Biden must at least temporarily keep in place federal rule Title 42 that was activate by the Trump administration as a public health measure to limit immigration during the pandemic.

Judge Robert Summerhays, a Trump appointee for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, imposed the preliminary injunction against the lifting of the order while the case advances through the court system.

Biden Once Again Turns to Venezuela for Oil After Shutting Down U.S. Leases

The Biden Administration is reportedly set to announce that it will lift several sanctions and other restrictions on Venezuela, allowing for the purchase of oil from the socialist dictatorship.

As reported by The Daily Caller, two anonymous administration officials said that the federal government will soon ease up some of the energy sanctions against the Latin American country, and will allow the American oil company Chevron to enter into negotiations to purchase oil from the state-owned firm PDVSA. In return for the lifting of sanctions, dictator Nicolas Maduro has tentatively agreed to talks with opposition leader Juan Guadio, who has claimed that Maduro’s rule is illegitimate and that he is the rightful president of Venezuela.

Primary Source of COVID Misinformation Is the Feds, Scientists and Scholars Tell Surgeon General

U.S Surgeon General Vivek Murthy recently asked the public how COVID-19 misinformation “in the digital information environment” had affected health outcomes, trust in the healthcare system and “likelihood to vaccinate,” among other issues.

According to vaccine and healthcare policy experts who joined with Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, the misinformation is coming from inside the house.

Pennsylvania GOP Senate Race May Not See Winner Until June

May 22, 2022May 21, 2022 RealClearWire

The Pennsylvania Republican Senate primary is still too close to call and likely headed for a recount which could delay the declaration of a winner into mid-June.

Per the Associated Press, Dr. Mehmet Oz currently holds a narrow 1,079 vote lead over rival David McCormick, amounting to 0.08% of the 1,340,248 total votes.

Commentary: Stop Canceling Ordinary Russians

With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine now in its third month, the demonization of all things Russian continues in the West. Russian athletes are prohibited from participating in sporting events, Russian artists prevented from performing, and an Italian university even “postponed” a course on Dostoevsky. As Tal Fortgang observes, “cancel culture is directed not at Russia the violent invader, but at people who have been made into avatars for Russianism.”

Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger Says Biden ‘Dead Wrong’ About Georgia Election Integrity Law, Hice Says Bill Was Enacted Due to Raffensperger’s 2020 Failures

May 22, 2022May 21, 2022 Cooper Moran

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, when speaking on The Brian Kilmeade Show, blasted President Joe Biden for previous comments about Georgia’s election integrity law.

Biden accused the state government of restricting access to vote with SB 202. However, the latest numbers show that a record number of individuals have voted early in the state’s primary elections.

San Francisco Archbishop Excommunicates Nancy Pelosi over Abortion Support

May 21, 2022May 20, 2022 RealClearWire

San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone announced Friday that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi cannot receive Holy Communion due to her public pro-abortion stance.

Commentary: Biden Needs to Take the Blame for Inflation

Last week, President Biden gave a speech listing everyone and everything allegedly responsible for record high inflation. His list included corporate greed and price gouging, Vladimir Putin, and “ultra-MAGA” Republicans. The president said that his policies, and the nearly $7 trillion in spending he authorized, have nothing to do with inflation.

None of this holds up under scrutiny. While President Biden claims that corporations are ripping off Americans, the costs of their supplies have been increasing at a record rate. In reality, many companies that Biden claims are stiffing consumers have actually lost money because they don’t want to alienate their customers by raising prices too quickly.

Commentary: Benjamin Franklin’s Work as a Psychologist

May 21, 2022May 20, 2022 RealClearWire

Benjamin Franklin was one of the most fascinating men ever to walk this earth. Born into a working-class family, he had practically no formal education, yet became one of the most wealthy, influential, loved, and respected men of all time. Europeans dubbed him “the best president America never had.” His excess energy made him an indefatigable worker, but it was his enthusiasm for life and his insatiable intellectual curiosity that most distinguished him. Throughout his long and distinguished career, he was always observing, reading, discussing, testing, questioning. In particular, he studied people, including himself.

Music Spotlight: Sammy Arriaga

May 21, 2022May 20, 2022 Bethany Bowman

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – A lot of people, myself included, are trying to wrap their heads around Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and exactly how they work. When I got asked to interview a country artist, Sammy Arriaga, who was successfully using NFTs in promoting his music, I was interested.

Sammy Arriaga is a Miami-born Cuban American. While his father occasionally sang and played guitar, he discovered his love for music on his own. He has been writing lyrics and downloading instrumentals from the internet since his early teens. He taught himself how to play guitar by watching YouTube videos.

Trump Not Dumping Perdue, NBC Story ‘Fake News’

May 21, 2022May 20, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

After NBC published a Friday story citing anonymous sources who said former President Donald Trump had given up his support of former Sen. David Perdue (R-GA), now running for governor, Trump himself dispelled the rumor.

“The Kemp Campaign, together with Fake News NBC, has put out a phony narrative that I have given up on David Perdue in Georgia,” Trump said on his social media outlet Truth Social. “That is completely FALSE.”

Commentary: Coverage of One Million COVID Deaths Must Include the Pandemic of Bad State Responses

May 21, 2022May 20, 2022 RealClearWire

This week, the United States officially hit the sad mark of one million COVID-19 deaths. The mainstream media coverage has detailed how this death toll has varied based on age, race, and vaccination status. However, it has conspicuously ignored how these COVID-19 deaths have occurred independently of differing state policies regarding economic and education restrictions.

Many Democrat-run states imposed severe restrictions in 2020 and 2021 that did nothing to stop the virus and much to harm small businesses and ordinary Americans. Job Creators Network called on policymakers to “flatten the fear” when it became clear the virus couldn’t be controlled by hiding at home or a big government response, yet we were ignored by blue-state officials. Any reckoning of the nation’s COVID response at one million deaths must incorporate these unforced errors that exacerbated the pandemic’s wrath.

Top Trans Medical Org Used Castration Fetish Site for Research to Develop Guidance for Doctors

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) developed its latest medical guidelines using information from a site that hosts pedophilic fantasy porn and castration fetish content.

WPATH, which sets medical standards for transgender medical procedures according to U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine, released new draft guidelines Dec. 3, 2021 which include “eunuch” as a gender identity. The organization pulled information from a website called “Eunuch Archive,” which hosts thousands of members who discuss their castration fantasies and, according to WPATH, hosted a popular post providing instructions for self-castration.

U.S. Will Soon See Average Gas Prices Above $6 a Gallon, Energy Analyst Says

May 21, 2022May 20, 2022 The Center Square

The average price of gasoline nationwide could reach $6 per gallon this summer, far above historic levels and near California’s current prices, an analyst at JPMorgan said Tuesday.

“U.S. gasoline prices to break above $6,” Natasha Kaneva, JPMorgan’s head of global oil and commodities research, wrote in a note to investors titled “Cruel Summer,” according to Bloomberg. “Typically, refiners produce more gasoline ahead of the summer road-trip season, building up inventories. But this year, since mid-April, U.S. gasoline inventories have fallen counter seasonally.”

Poll: Biden’s Approval Rating Falls Again, Particularly Among Hispanics

A majority of Hispanic voters disapprove of the job President Joe Biden is doing, according to a new poll from Quinnipiac University.

The polling of 1,586 adults was conducted May 12-16.

DHS ‘Pauses’ Ministry of Truth; Disinformation Czar Nina Jankowicz Resigns After Backlash

The Department of Homeland Security has reportedly “paused” it’s new Disinformation Governance Board, and its director, Nina Jankowicz, has apparently resigned amid a major pushback from conservatives who compared the board to an Orwellian “Ministry of Truth.”

GOP Primary Turnout Could Signal Massive Republican Midterms Victories

May 21, 2022May 20, 2022 Admin

High turnout in the 2022 Republican primaries could signal a red wave that allows the GOP to retake Congress in November, according to data from JMC Analytics & Polling.

As of Wednesday, GOP voters are projected to have made up about 54% of the turnout in the Idaho, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon and Pennsylvania primary races, according to JMC. Republican turnout increased to about 61% when the states that held primaries prior to Tuesday are included.

Antifa Agitators in Atlanta Allegedly Throw Molotov Cocktail at Officers During Protest Against New Police Training Facility

Eight antifa agitators were arrested in Atlanta on Tuesday, after they allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at police officers.

Atlanta Police were attempting remove them from the grounds of what will be the new Public Safety Training Facility for officers and firefighters. Anarchists opposing the construction have been camped out in a nearby forest for more than seven months. The group behind the protests is called the Atlanta Solidarity Fund.

American Schools Have Spent Just Seven Percent of Latest COVID Relief Funds