January 21st, 2021 • 3h 19m
Shownotes
Every new episode of No Agenda is accompanied by a comprehensive list of shownotes curated by Adam while preparing for the show. Clips played by the hosts during the show can also be found here.
Vaccines and such
As of December 18, 2020, the adverse event rate in the U.S. was 2.79%. This means your risk of harm from the vaccine is far greater than your risk of dying from COVID-19, which has an overall noninstitutionalized infection fatality rate of just 0.26%
Yes, COVID-19 Can Cause Erectile Dysfunction in Men '' Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:07
Oh man. It seems like every other time we turn around there's new insight about coronavirus. And in typical COVID-19 fashion, it's happened again. One study is now shedding light on the repercussions of the virus on men's sexual and reproductive health.
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.Policy
The study found that surviving COVID-19 may be associated with erectile dysfunction (ED). The research points to three factors that can lead to the potential onset of ED in men who have had the virus:
Vascular effects. Erectile function is a predictor of heart disease, so we know that the vascular system and reproductive system are connected. We also know that COVID-19 can cause hyperinflammation throughout the body, especially in the heart and surrounding muscles. Blood supply to the penis can become blocked or narrowed as a result of a new or worsened vascular condition caused by the virus.Psychological impact. Sexual activity is closely associated with mental health. The stress, anxiety and depression caused by the virus and pandemic can be linked to sexual dysfunction and poor mood.Overall health deterioration. ED is typically a symptom of an underlying problem. Men with poor health are at greater risk for developing ED and also for having a severe reaction to COVID-19. Since the virus can cause a plethora of health issues, general poor health is cause for concern both for ED and other complications.''Erectile dysfunction can be a marker of overall health,'' explains urologist Ryan Berglund, MD. ''So particularly for young and healthy people who abruptly develop erectile dysfunction, and especially after having COVID-19, this can be a sign of something more serious going on.''
Another cause for concern regarding the research is the potential testicular damage that can occur following an infection with COVID-19. It's too early to tell if the damage is permanent, temporary or if it can affect fertility. Age is also an important aspect to consider, as it's a risk factor for developing both ED and a severe case of COVID-19.
''There have been studies showing that perhaps there are cardiovascular effects and other medical effects appearing from COVID-19, but the answer is that it's just too early to tell what exactly all of the long-term effects are,'' says Dr. Berglund. ''We know there are a number of different ways that the virus could cause erectile dysfunction, but much more research is needed before we know for sure.''
We're still learning about the long-term damage the virus can causeDr. Berglund says that we're only starting to understand the long-term complications that the virus can cause, including: blood clots, neurological issues, damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys and now, negative consequences to men's sexual and reproductive health. Many patients also suffer with symptoms for months, referred to as long-haulers, despite having prior good health.
''This study is another important example of not knowing enough about the long-term effects of the virus,'' says Dr. Berglund. ''Time and more research are needed until we have a better understanding. That's why it's so important to follow safety guidelines, take this seriously and slow the spread.''
Dutch in China vaccines
The Purge
Amazon internal virtue signaling BOTG
The last few episodes of NA, I've heard you mention multiple public virtue signals going with regarding Amazon. I thought I'd share some of the internal ones occurring.
1) In 2020 we had "Juneteeth" off with internal guidance encouraging us to spend the day "reflecting".
2) Amazon is pretty light on the holidays (no Easter, no Friday after Thanksgiving, no Christmas Eve, not NYE). Starting in 2021 though, we get MLK Jr day off. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
3) An internal group of devs recently released a "pronoun helper" tool for our internal interview feedback system. When I interview candidates (for any technical role), I can run my written feedback through this helper and it will automatically "fix" my gender-assumptions (her=>their).
4) There was a recent "Inclusive Language" program run across the entire company. The purpose of which was to purge all un-inclusive language from our internal documentation (wikis, Sharepoint, email, etc.). We were directed to go back and modify all wikis we'd created to get rid of words like whitelist, blacklist, and master.
The last one (#4) was a particular pain in the ass. Reports generated weekly rolling up to VPs until all the verbiage was modified. The reports were generated quite naively too looking for anything with substring("master"). Especially hilarious for actual teams with services named "KeyMasterService" that now need to change (quite a large effort at Amazon). Heck, we don't even use git's 'master' as the default branch.
It's all just virtue signaling insanity. Amazon has an internal system to ask a survey question to employees everyday. I recently got asked "I feel comfortable being my genuine authentic self at Amazon". Can't wait to see how we scored on that one.
Feel free to mention the above on the show but I ask you don't identify me (name or location). Anywhoooo - that's all for now. Keep up the great work.
Discord to the list of Platforms Purging
Palo Alto corporate firewalls classing NoAgenda.Social as "Adult Content"
Gilmore Girls star David Sutcliffe says he didn't storm Capitol, but praises a rioter who did | EW.com
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 14:26
Former Gilmore Girls actor David Sutcliffe has set the record straight about the Capitol riot, addressing so-called rumors that he participated in the Jan. 6 attack in D.C. that left five dead.
Quote-tweeting a video of a rioter smoking weed inside the Capitol, Sutcliffe wrote on Saturday, "There are rumors circulating that I 'stormed the capital.' Not true '-- though I would have been proud to share a smoke with this great Patriot!"
Sutcliffe is best known for playing Lorelai's (Lauren Graham) ex and Rory's (Alexis Bledel) father on the long-running dramedy Gilmore Girls. He acted in 37 episodes of the series, which ran from 2001 to 2007, and also made an appearance in the 2016 Netflix miniseries Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.
A veteran actor, Sutcliffe made his TV debut in 1995 on the Canadian series Forever Knight. He's also starred in Under the Tuscan Sun, Cake, and Private Practice, and his last roles included guest spots on Insecure in 2017 and The Romanoffs in 2018. Sutcliffe retired from acting a year later and is now a life coach.
EW has reached out to Sutcliffe for comment.
While he has not been as publicly vocal about politics as other celebrities, Sutcliffe has recently liked tweets proclaiming "Men's politics is best for the world" and slamming "the authoritarian left." He also tweeted on Jan. 10 that when Donald Trump dies, he will become "a symbol of rebellion, and replaces Che Guevara on t-shirts."
Many stars have denounced the Capitol riot, although conservative actor Kevin Sorbo has shown support for Trump's base and spread conspiracy theories about the attack. His former costar Lucy Lawless slammed him, writing that the rioters are "the douchebags that go out and do the evil bidding of people like you who like to wind them up like toys and let them do their worst."
Related content:
Arnold Schwarzenegger calls Donald Trump 'worst president ever,' denounces Capitol riotsXena slams Hercules: Lucy Lawless calls out former costar Kevin Sorbo over Antifa conspiracy theoryMelissa McCarthy battles Kelly Clarkson in Gilmore Girls trivia with embarrassing results
SAG-AFTRA Board Finds ''Probable Cause'' To Expel Donald Trump '' Deadline
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:04
SAG-AFTRA took a major step Tuesday towards kicking Donald Trump out of the union. Meeting in special session, the national board of directors voted overwhelmingly to find ''probable cause'' that Trump, who has been a member for over 30 years, has ''violated the union's Constitution,'' and ordered the matter to be heard by SAG-AFTRA's Disciplinary Committee.
If found guilty by the committee, possible penalties include reprimand, censure, fines, suspension from the rights and privileges of membership, or expulsion.
The charges cite Trump's role in inciting the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, and his ''sustaining a reckless campaign of misinformation aimed at discrediting and ultimately threatening the safety of journalists, many of whom are SAG-AFTRA members.''
Related StoryMacaulay Culkin Backs Calls To Remove Donald Trump From 'Home Alone 2' After Capitol SiegeThe charges were initiated by David White, the union's national executive director, at the request of SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris, who have requested the imposition of the most severe penalty available to the union: his expulsion from membership.
''Donald Trump attacked the values that this union holds most sacred '' democracy, truth, respect for our fellow Americans of all races and faiths, and the sanctity of the free press,'' Carteris said. ''There's a straight line from his wanton disregard for the truth to the attacks on journalists perpetrated by his followers.''
''Our most important role as a union is the protection of our members,'' said White. ''The unfortunate truth is, this individual's words and actions over the past four years have presented actual harm to our broadcast journalist members. The board's resolution addresses this effort to undermine freedom of the press and reaffirms the principles on which our democratic society rests, and which we must all work to protect and preserve.''
SAG-AFTRA, which represents thousands of broadcast journalists across the country, said that reports of intimidation and physical assaults against journalists ''have escalated throughout Trump's presidency.''
In accordance with federal labor law and the SAG-AFTRA Constitution, disciplinary action can only be taken if the charged member is found guilty after a hearing before the Disciplinary Committee. The union noted that members of the committee did not participate in today's probable cause review, and that as charging parties, neither Carteris nor White will take any role in decision-making on this disciplinary matter.
A letter from the union is being sent to Trump today notifying him of today's action, and providing notice of the charges against him. The process of expelling him could take three to six weeks, depending on the committee's verdict '-- and possibly longer if Trump requests an extension of the upcoming hearing. If the committee votes to expel him, that ruling will still have to be approved by a two-thirds vote of the national board.
The former star of The Apprentice '' and soon-to-be former president '' has been a member of the union and its forerunners, SAG and AFTRA, since 1989. The two unions merged in 2012.
Article XIV of the SAG-AFTRA Constitution states that members may be suspended or expelled for ''engaging in actions antagonistic to the interests or integrity of the union.'' The union, which is non-partisan and does not endorse or donate to political candidates or parties, has criticized Trump in the past for calling the news media ''the enemy of the American people.''
The breaking point for the union's leaders, however, came on January 6 when Trump exhorted a crowd of angry supporters to march on the U.S. Capitol and to ''fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore.'' The violent insurrection that ensued led the House of Representatives to impeach Trump for the second time, accusing the president of having ''willfully made statements that, in context, encouraged '-- and foreseeably resulted in '-- lawless action at the Capitol.'' During that now-famous speech, however, Trump also told the crowd: ''I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.''
But earlier today, even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blamed Trump for provoking the rioters. ''The mob was fed lies,'' he said on the Senate floor. ''They were provoked by the president and other powerful people.''
The day after the riot, which left five dead and temporarily halted the final counting of the Electoral College votes, SAG-AFTRA issued a statement that ''condemns in the strongest terms yesterday's attack on America's foundational principles. Rioters, emboldened and encouraged by a sitting president and his enablers who have peddled baseless conspiracy theories, stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to subvert democracy. As a union and a democratic organization, we are appalled by this attack on the values we hold most sacred. The disgraceful scenes coming out of the nation's capital have undermined America's institutions and its standing in the world. Displays of the Confederate flag and other symbols of white supremacy and hate were meant to subjugate and terrorize people of color and those of certain faiths. This poison attacks the diverse membership of our union and the labor movement.''
In addition to his starring role on reality TV hit The Apprentice and Celebrity Apprentice (2004-17), over the years he's also appeared as himself in numerous films and TV shows. His small-screen credits as himself include All My Children (1992), The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1994), The Nanny (1996), Suddenly Susan (1997), The Drew Carey Show (1997), NightMan (1997), Spin City (1998), Sex and the City (1999), The Job (2001) and Days of Our Lives (2005).
Films in which he's appeared as himself include Ghosts Can't Do It (1989), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Across the Sea of Time (1995), Eddie (1996), Celebrity (1998), Zoolander (2001), Two Weeks Notice (2002) and Marmalade (2004).
According to a financial disclosure report he filed in August, Trump receives a $90,776 pension for the acting work he performed on SAG-covered shows and an $8,724 pension for his AFTRA-covered work. If he's expelled, his pension wouldn't be affected, nor would he be prevented from working in SAG-AFTRA's jurisdiction.
Let Us Out!
Netherlands Avond Klok
100 Days of Masking EO does not contain sunset or 100 days in the text
Trudeau's Christmas vacation: Flight tracking gives supporting evidence
Kraken
The Basic Q theory now
Biden on Private Plane, not Military to Whitehouse
National Guardsmen turned their backs during motorcade
The military is in place at least in part to prevent other countries from taking advantage of what might look like a military coup. It's clear to all patriots that we now have an illegitimate government that took power in what was clearly a rigged election, one that both foreign governments and the deep state had a nefarious hand in.
What do WE - or at least the C_A - do when we see another country with what we claim is an illegitimately-elected government? We go in and take over and install our own C_A-backed government. We don't want to let that happen here, and that's why the military is STILL pouring into DC, and I suspect into state capitols as well.
When it's publicly declared that the current government is illegitimate, and the military holds another election, the last thing we need is China or any other communist power interfering.
I believe patriots have been preparing for this at least since Kennedy was assassinated, and it wasn't until an incorruptible president came along that they saw someone they could work with to finally expose and expell these evil bastards.
USA was sold to a CORPORATION and Trump will become president of the real USA again
Trump will sue
Operation Trust - Wikipedia
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 13:16
Operation Trust (оÐеÑаÑÐ¸Ñ "ÐÑеÑÑ"[1]) was a counterintelligence operation of the State Political Directorate (GPU) of the Soviet Union. The operation, which was set up by GPU's predecessor Cheka, ran from 1921 to 1926, set up a fake anti-Bolshevik resistance organization, "Monarchist Union of Central Russia", MUCR (Ð'онаÑÑ
иÑеÑкое обÑединение Ð...енÑÑаÐ>>Ñной РоÑÑии, Ð'ÐÐ...Ð ), in order to help the OGPU identify real monarchists and anti-Bolsheviks. The created front company was called the Moscow Municipal Credit Association.[2]
The head of the MUCR was Alexander Yakushev (ÐÐ>>екÑÐ°Ð½Ð´Ñ ÐÐ>>екÑандÑÐ¾Ð²Ð¸Ñ Ð¯ÐºÑÑев), a former bureaucrat of the Ministry of Communications of Imperial Russia, who after the Russian Revolution joined the Narkomat of External Trade (Ð'аÑÐºÐ¾Ð¼Ð°Ñ Ð²Ð½ÐµÑней ÑоÑÐ"овÐ>>и), when the Soviets began to allow the former specialists (called "spetsy", Russian: ÑÐеÑÑ ) to resume the positions of their expertise. This position allowed him to travel abroad and contact Russian emigrants.
MUCR kept the monarchist general Alexander Kutepov (ÐÐ>>екÑÐ°Ð½Ð´Ñ ÐÑÑеÐов) from active actions, as he was convinced to wait for the development of internal anti-Bolshevik forces. Kutepov had previously believed in militant action as a solution to the Soviet occupation, and had formed the "combat organization", a militant splinter from the Russian All-Military Union (Russian: Ð ÑÑÑкий ÐбÑе-Ð'оинÑкий ÐоÑз , Russkiy ObshcheVoinskiy Soyuz) led by General Baron Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel.[3] Kutepov also created the Inner Line as a counter-intelligence organization to prevent Bolshevik penetrations. It caused the Cheka some problems but was not overly successful.
Among the successes of Trust was the luring of Boris Savinkov and Sidney Reilly into the Soviet Union, where they were captured.
The Soviets did not organize Trust from scratch. The White Army had left sleeper agents, and there were also Royalist Russians who did not leave after the Civil War. These people cooperated to the point of having a loose organizational structure. When the OGPU discovered them, they did not liquidate all of them, but manoeuvred into creating a shell organization for their own use.
Still another episode of the operation was an "illegal" trip (in fact, monitored by OGPU) of a notable (C)migr(C), Vasily Shulgin, into the Soviet Union. After his return he published a book "Three Capitals" with his impressions. In the book he wrote, in part, that contrary to his expectations, Russia was reviving, and the Bolsheviks would probably be removed from power.
The one Western historian who had limited access to the Trust files, John Costello, reported that they comprised thirty-seven volumes and were such a bewildering welter of double-agents, changed code names, and interlocking deception operations with "the complexity of a symphonic score", that Russian historians from the Intelligence Service had difficulty separating fact from fantasy.
Defector Vasili Mitrokhin reported that the Trust files were not housed at the SVR offices in Yasenevo, but were kept in the special archival collections (spetsfondi) of the FSB at the Lubyanka.
In 1967 a Soviet adventure TV series Operation Trust (ÐÐеÑаÑÐ¸Ñ "ÐÑеÑÑ") was created.[4]
See also Edit Political warfareInner LineFalse flag operationsHundred Flowers Campaign, ChinaBudaiHoneypot (computing)References Edit Sources Edit Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin, The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West, Gardners Books (2000), ISBN 0-14-028487-7Costello, John and Oleg Tsarev, Deadly Illusions: The KGB Orlov Dossier Reveals Stalin's Master Spy, Crown Publishing, 1993. ISBN 0-517-58850-1Richard B. Spence Trust no One: The Secret World of Sidney Reilly, Feral House publ., 2003, ISBN 0-922915-79-2Gordon Brook-Shepherd Iron Maze. The Western Secret Services and the Bolsheviks, Macmillan, 1998Pamela K. Simpkins and K. Leigh Dyer, The Trust, The Security and Intelligence Foundation Reprint Series, July 1989.
Build Back Better
Will Big Pharma allow for opening up, or is the 'variant' their hedge against anti-vaxx?
President Biden's First day
First, there is his letter to WHO saying US is still a member,
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/20/letter-his-excellency-antonio-guterres
and the same thing with the paris climate thing,
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/20/paris-climate-agreement/
Then his order revoking all the regulatory restrictions/oversights put in place by trump (swamp in full swing),
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-revocation-of-certain-executive-orders-concerning-federal-regulation
possibly redoing the census to count everyone whether they are a citizen or not,
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-ensuring-a-lawful-and-accurate-enumeration-and-apportionment-pursuant-to-decennial-census/
reinstating DACA,
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/preserving-and-fortifying-deferred-action-for-childhood-arrivals-daca/
And getting rid of the border wall emergency.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/proclamation-termination-of-emergency-with-respect-to-southern-border-of-united-states-and-redirection-of-funds-diverted-to-border-wall-construction/
The next one is likely to enrage both drivers and Greta ToonBerry alike. Climate change EO is going to look into lots of things but not do much. It's reinstating caps on artic drilling (gas prices will ⬆️), looking into expanding national parks, setting up a group to find out "the Social Cost of carbon, the Social Cost of nitrous oxide and the Social Cost of methane," revoking Keystone pipeline, and looking into Emission standards.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-ensuring-a-lawful-and-accurate-enumeration-and-apportionment-pursuant-to-decennial-census/
Our favorite words are equity and gender identity. He wants to expand the recent SCOTUS ruling so sexual orientation and gender identity apply to Title nine, fair housing, immigration, etc.,
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-preventing-and-combating-discrimination-on-basis-of-gender-identity-or-sexual-orientation/
and we also need to "look into" treating the black and browns better with lots of equity (oddly enough, for this order he also includes "rural communities" as a member of a disadvantaged/underserved class).
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/
He makes his team sign an ethics pledge to not take gifts or use their power to lobby (but then allows for waivers if its considered necessary lol)
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-ethic-commitments-by-executive-branch-personnel/
He extended the pause on student loans (which, what looks like to me, indefinitely).
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/20/pausing-federal-student-loan-payments/
And finally he wants to modernize Regulatory review so that the regulation process will "promote public health and safety, economic growth, social welfare, racial justice, environmental stewardship, human dignity, equity, and the interests of future generations."
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/modernizing-regulatory-review/
Billy Talty
CLIPS
VIDEO-#355 The Open Source Hunt For The Capitol Rioters
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 03:24
CANADALAND
#355 The Open Source Hunt For The Capitol Rioters
Many people who broke into the Capitol broadcast their crimes across social media. Twitter, Facebook and other platforms responded by deleting accounts, but other people rushed to preserve and organize all their posts from the assault on the Capitol, as well as photos and videos from journalists present.
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada . He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.
This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee , Cullen's Foods , and Article .
Additional music from Audio Network.
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#14 The Truth About Foreign Students
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January 6, 2014
#15 Death of the Alt-Weekly
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January 13, 2014
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January 20, 2014
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#21 Jonathan Kay Defends Rex Murphy
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February 24, 2014
#22 CBCecrets: Mansbridge's Oil Pay Makes the News
How the story happened.
March 3, 2014
#23 Why Food Trends are for Idiots
Jen Agg on the problems with Canadian restaurants.
March 10, 2014
Media King, Separatist Billionaire
March 17, 2014
#25 How Canada's Spies Game the Media
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March 24, 2014
#26 What is happening at the Globe and Mail?
Former Globe editor speaks about the recent shakeup.
March 31, 2014
#27 The End of Internships
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April 7, 2014
#28 What Only the Press Knows about Rob Ford
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#29 Why won't the CBC defend itself?
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April 21, 2014
#30 Canadian Television Is Doomed
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#31 Your Telecom Provider is Selling your Information to the Government
Internet and wireless companies have supplied private data millions of times.
May 6, 2014
#35 Ricochet: Crowdfunding The Next Journalism
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June 30, 2014
1
The veteran CBC broadcaster as you've never heard him before. A candid, combative, and lubricated conversation about the state of journalism, the CBC, Canada in general, and Jesse's life choices in particular.
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#40 THE GRID: no path to profitability
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#41 (A Fate Worse Than) Death Of The Newspaper
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Canada produces top animation talent but lousy animation content.
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#45 Dan Riskin On Science In The Media
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August 24, 2014
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August 31, 2014
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September 7, 2014
#48 Free Money For Being Old: A Guide To The Netflix Tax
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September 21, 2014
#50 The Last Music Critic
Carl Wilson changed the way music is discussed. His "poptimist" manifesto, Let's Talk About Love, made it okay to talk seriously about bubbly pop, and went pop itself- that rare work of criticism that becomes a bestseller. He rose to a top job in his field, senior critic at SPIN. But he almost instantly lost that job. He explains why, and talks about the rapid decline of music criticism itself.
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#53 Why I Hate Talking About Israel
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#54 All I Can Say For Now About Jian
Just a few thoughts about my investigation with the Toronto Star.
October 27, 2014
#55 Glenn Greenwald Knows Things About Canada
An on-stage interview with Pultizer-prize winning journalist Glenn Greenwald on his troubled relationship with the Canadian media and what he knows but has yet to report on CSEC spying.
October 28, 2014
#56 We All Knew About Jian
Roberto Ver¬ used to work for CBC's Q with Jian Ghomeshi. He witnessed harassment that he never reported, until now.
November 2, 2014
#1 Parliament shooting/Amanda Bynes/Barbara Kay
Emma Rose Teitel of Macleans Magazine talks about the myth of superior Canadian breaking news coverage and the different rules the media has for crazy men and crazy women. Also, a folk song for cranky columnist Barbara Kay.
November 6, 2014
How on Earth did The Kids in the Hall even happen?
November 9, 2014
#2 UnNews/Ezra Levant/Don Cherry
John Semley, contributor to the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star talks with Jesse about the media pageantry around Remembrance Day, reporting on viral videos, Ezra Levant's supposed boner and Don Cherry's shrinking box.
November 13, 2014
#58 An Interview With My Harshest Critic
Joe Clark has been aggressively challenging and sometimes attacking my work for years.
November 17, 2014
Playwright Michael Healey on Harper's theatrical handshake diss and the problem with the Gillers
November 20, 2014
#59 The Family That Owns New Brunswick
The Irvings are secretive billionaires who have a monopoly on New Brunswick's news media. Journalist Jacques Poitras, author of Irving vs Irving, describes how the family subtly suppresses criticism and destroys competitors.
November 23, 2014
#4 Ghomeshi/Rehtaeh/Ferguson
Denise Balkissoon joins to talk about how insecure employment impacts journalism, why we need to say her name, and why there's no "Canadian angle" on Ferguson.
November 27, 2014
#60 The Secret Diary of Ed the Sock
Steven Kerzner may be the most famous TV peformer you've never heard of. His hand has insulted some of the biggest pop stars in the world. Crouched just out of frame, he had a worm's eye view of the heyday of CityTV and Muchmusic, and he tells Jesse all.
November 30, 2014
#5 Joni Mitchell/CraveTV/Ben Levin
Emma Teitel returns as Dave Bidini mansplains class to Joni Mitchell, Bell's news orgs "report" on Bell's new product, and SUN news illustrates the Liberal-lesbian-pedophile meetup that wasn't.
December 4, 2014
45 First Nations people allege experiencing or witnessing abuse by former school teacher John Furlong, President of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Journalist Laura Robinson broke the story.
December 7, 2014
#6 Torture/Payola/Oscar Clip Journalism
Jan Wong returns to talk about Canada's war criminals, the CBC on the take, and the Globe and Mail fishing for awards
December 10, 2014
#62 President vs. Freelancer
The President of Ecuador spent his state TV broadcast decrying a 26 year-old Canadian journalist. Then his operatives bullied her out of the country. Now, Bethany Horne tells her story.
December 21, 2014
CANADALAND is gearing up for a big year. Time to check in with those who listen to it and who pay for it: What should I be covering? How should I handle ads? Who should host the upcoming politics show? More questions, some answers, and an apology.
December 28, 2014
Andrew Coyne joins Jesse for a wide-ranging conversation before he begins his new job as editor of the National Post's Opinion and Editorial pages.
January 4, 2015
#7 Charlie Hebdo/Ghomeshi/Keystone
Jen Gerson of the National Post joins to talk about chickenshit editors and why Keystone XL is just like Kim Kardashian.
January 7, 2015
#65 Live From Hamilton It's The Collapse Of Local News
A CANADALAND live taping from The Hamilton Public Library on the state of news coverage in medium to small markets. Panelists include crowdfunded local journalist Joey Coleman, media researcher Sonya MacDonald and CHCH's Donna Skelly.
January 12, 2015
#8 Amanda Lang/Charlie Hebdo
Sean Craig explains why his Amanda Lang expose is actually about how good CBC's journalism is, and Jeet Heer describes an unspeakable cartoon of Jesse's dad.
January 15, 2015
Simon Houpt and Jesse talk about their own journalism
January 22, 2015
As few as 5000 people watch Ezra Levant's SUN News TV show, yet Levant himself is a major presence in the Canadian media. Why is that? Jesse asks Ezra to explain his own prominence.
January 25, 2015
#10 Dean Blundell/Racist Winnipeg
Scaachi Koul of Hazlitt talks about tolerated abusers and intolerable headlines.
January 28, 2015
#11 John Baird/Anti-Terror
Why is the media so incurious about John Baird's sudden resignation? Why is Baird being so vigorously lionized? Torontoist staff writer Desmond Cole talks with Jesse about this, and about what we're not allowed to discuss as we submit to new anti-terror laws.
February 4, 2015
#69 Canada Is Failing Mohamed Fahmy
Before he quit his job, Foreign Minister John Baird said journalist Mohamed Fahmy's release was "imminent". Now Fahmy is set to be retried in Egypt after over a year in prison.
February 8, 2015
71
#71 The Last Newspaper Barons (Live From New Brunswick)
The Irving Family of New Brunswick own more land than anyone in the world except for royalty and the Pope. How do they use their media monopoly to further their interests? What happens to those who try to compete with them?
February 22, 2015
#72 Why Is The Walrus So Boring?
And why is it so white? Editor Jon Kay answers.
March 8, 2015
Why does the government fund gaming?
March 15, 2015
#76 ''Michael Bryant Killed My Son''
CANADALAND has obtained two eyewitness accounts of the death of Darcy Allan Sheppard. Neither has been publicly released before. They tell a very different tale of the death of Darcy Allan Sheppard than what the media has previously reported. They are followed by an interview with Sheppard's father, Allan Sheppard.
April 5, 2015
#77 When Global News Killed A Documentary About The Koch Brothers
Veteran investigative reporter Bruce Livesey was fired by Global News after they spiked his report on the billionaire Koch Brothers and their influence in Canada.
April 12, 2015
Journalist Mark Bourrie has vowed to sue CANADALAND for an article about his dealings with Senator Mike Duffy. Instead, Mark and Jesse talk it out.
April 19, 2015
The energy sector has flooded Canada's media with money, be it in ad dollars, speaking fees, charitable donations or "native content" partnerships. What this has bought, in effect, is a lack of critical mainstream discourse on oil and the environment. The National Observer has launched to counter this reality. Linda Solomon Wood is its founder, and she speaks to Jesse about her effort.
April 26, 2015
80
It's possible that Chantal Hebert's journalism once held Canada together. She joins Jesse for a discussion about what's appropriate in political news coverage, and what (if anything) needs to change.
May 3, 2015
#32 Jan Wong Isn't Over It
The betrayed reporter is still fighting the Globe and Mail.
May 11, 2015
Leah McLaren was telling the world about her private life before we all started doing it. She talks to Jesse about haters, journalism and acts of provocation.
May 11, 2015
#33 A Federal Minister Explains why the Government Creeps your Facebook
Harper cabinet member Tony Clement describes how government outsources social media monitoring of the public. Is it legal? He's not sure yet.
May 18, 2015
#82 Aboriginal Peoples Television Network
Aboriginal people make up over 4% of Canada's population, but less than .5% of Canadian news stories have anything to do with them. What little we do hear from the media about indigenous people is often negative. APTN is the first, and perhaps the only aboriginal TV network in the world. Jesse visits their Winnipeg HQ and speaks to Karyn Pugliese, APTN's Director of News and Current Affairs.
May 18, 2015
#34 The Linden MacIntyre Interview
"I don't have to be nice to them anymore."
May 25, 2015
Jay Baruchel on the Canadian film & TV racket and how to smash it. Taped before a live audience at the Bloor HotDocs Theatre in Toronto.
May 25, 2015
Josh Dolgin is one of Canada's most idiosyncratic talents. He is a rapper, a producer, an accordian player, a magician, a cartoonist, a puppeteer, and a cook book author. He is also Jesse's former creative partner, and this conversation should probably have taken place in private, if at all.
May 31, 2015
#85 The Tim Hortons ''Boycott'' Fiasco
Last week a Conservative strategist fooled the media into thinking there was a popular, grassroots movement to boycott Tim Hortons on behalf of the oil industry. There was not. BuzzFeed Canada's politics editor Paul McLeod revealed the scheme, and talks to Jesse about how reporters get played by people in politics all the time.
June 7, 2015
#36 Is Video Game Journalism Corrupt?
Globe and Mail video game critic Peter Nowak on the "fucking nonsense" of the gaming press.
June 8, 2015
South China Morning Post's Vancouver correspondent Ian Young speaks with Jesse about wealth migration, racism, and immigration schemes.
June 14, 2015
#37 The Globe And Mail's Plan To Force Reporters To Write Ads
Mathew Ingram, formerly of the Globe, explains why that plan won't work.
June 15, 2015
#87 CANADIAN MUSIC (is horribly broken) WEEK
Musician Paul Lawton discusses FACTOR, NXNE, CMW, the Canadian music industry, and why the current system is broken.
June 22, 2015
The Tyee may be the oldest surviving "digital native" news site in Canada. Who funds it and why has it stuck around for so long while so many others have faded away? Founder David Beers explains.
June 22, 2015
Journalist and Halifax Examiner founder Tim Bousquet talks about corruption, investigative journalism, and conflicts of interest in Halifax media.
June 27, 2015
#89 James Dubro, True Crime Writer
Crime writer James Dubro discusses the symbiotic relationship between criminals and the press, and the four decades he's spent covering the mob in Canada.
July 5, 2015
#90 Stephen Harper Will Participate In A Photo Opportunity
VICE's parliamentary reporter Justin Ling is mad as hell at the PMO, and he's not gonna take it anymore.
July 12, 2015
Paul Watson discusses his resignation from the Toronto Star, his upcoming article that the Star refused to publish, and his career spent reporting from hot zones.
July 19, 2015
Veteran journalist Vivian Smith on institutional sexism, metaphorical pink and blue aisles, why some women choose to leave the profession, and how to fix it.
July 27, 2015
#93 Operation Anonymous Down
Anthropologist and author Gabriella Coleman on Operation Anon Down and what it's like studying Anonymous from the inside.
August 2, 2015
Veteran comedian Scott Thompson on why nothing happened after The Kids In The Hall, the biggest problems with the Canadian film & TV industry, and why gay men still have to be defanged to be accepted.
August 9, 2015
#95 Interview With Anonymous
First, the National Post's Adrian Humphreys on working with Anonymous. Then, Jesse interviews #OpAnonDown about their recent leaks on CSIS foreign stations, their John Baird threat, and more.
August 17, 2015
#96 The Ashley Madison Affair
The Ashley Madison hack was shitty and evil. But is reporting on it shitty and evil? Fortune Magazine's Mathew Ingram discusses where to draw the line.
August 21, 2015
Hart Pomerantz was Lorne Michaels's original partner, back when Michaels was still known as Lorne Lipowitz. Their top-rated CBC variety show, The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour, was a precursor for Saturday Night Live before it was pulled from the airwaves after two short seasons.
August 30, 2015
Time to check in with CANADALAND's supporters. How are we doing? What are we getting right & wrong?
September 6, 2015
A difficult interview with the controversial columnist.
September 13, 2015
Prize-winning author, Twitter enthusiast, and censored columnist Margaret Atwood schools Jesse on technology, dictators, and CanLit.
September 21, 2015
#102 John Furlong's Privilege
Laura Robinson has lost her libel suit against John Furlong. The ruling, which could limit the media's willingness to report on abuse allegations, is based on erroneous information. Lawyer William McDowell discusses the possible impact.
October 5, 2015
#103 TPP: Spying, Blocking, and the Internet
University of Ottawa's Michael Geist breaks down the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership), a proposed trade agreement that Stephen Harper has been toiling over in secret for the last five years - an agreement that will have huge impacts on Canada's internet freedom and copyright issues.
October 12, 2015
Steve Paikin just might be the best TV host in the country. But who needs TV hosts anymore?
October 18, 2015
Kady O'Malley might be the 1st Canadian journalist who gets paid, primarily, to report the news via Twitter. Ottawa Citizen calls her Canada's first mobile-focused political journalist. Jesse and Kady discuss social media journalism and the relationship between journalists and politicians.
October 26, 2015
#106 Abuse And Ethics At The Walrus
The Walrus is in meltdown: stories of office bullying, exploitation and workplace chaos are leaking from "Canada's best magazine". Three of the people at the centre of the controversy speak.
November 2, 2015
#107 The Wrong Kind of Black Person
What does it really mean to be represented, in the media or in government? Can one kind of minority stand-in for another? What is shadeism? Does the media demand that minorities conform to whiteness in order to get in front of a camera? Is Canada finally, truly ready to deal with race? Septembre Anderson takes it all on.
November 8, 2015
#108 The Reporter Who Fought City Hall
Joey Coleman was often the only reporter at Hamilton Ontario City Hall: a one-man digital newsroom, funded by his audience. His constant presence irritated a city councillor, who lost his temper and got physical. Joey didn't fight back, but he was the one punished: through a series of retaliations he was pushed out of the building and his news coverage became impossible. He joins Jesse to tell his story.
November 16, 2015
Who keeps the media in check? The newly-formed National Newsmedia Council, according to John Fraser and Don McCurdy. Can a bunch of journalists and public members wrangle the entire Canadian journalism industry?
November 23, 2015
Is VICE a cult? Is it a sweatshop? Does their partnership with ROGERS influence their content? VICE Canada's head of content Patrick McGuire and executive vice president of TV Michael Kronish sit down for a tense chat with Jesse.
November 30, 2015
#111 What is Sugar Sammy?
Comedian Sugar Sammy might be the most famous Canadian you haven't heard of. He plays to sell-out crowds in Paris, India, South Africa, and night after night in Montreal. He has sold hundreds of thousands of tickets. Yet he has yet to break through in english Canada or in the States. Jesse asks him why, and waxes nostalgic for the time he and Sammy were at the same university.
December 6, 2015
#112 Newsworthy Victims: MMIW and the Media
It's taken 40 years for the media to pay attention to the permanent crisis of missing and murdered aboriginal women. Karyn Pugliese, APTN's Director of News and Current Affairs, talks about what has finally changed and why it's taken so long.
December 13, 2015
How will we know how bad things have gotten when most of the records have been erased? Anne Kingston discusses how Canada has thrown its data in the dumpster and become an international cautionary tale.
December 17, 2015
#113 Everyone Loves Marineland
Marineland denies the allegations made in this podcast by Phil Demers, their former animal trainer. They have launched pending legal action against The Toronto Star, Phil Demers and others.
December 22, 2015
#114 CANADALAND Staff Meeting
What is CANADALAND doing wrong? What are we getting right? Where should we be headed? Listen in and find out: we recorded our annual staff meeting/staff mixer.
December 27, 2015
It's a brutal time for the Canadian television industry and it's about to get worse.
January 3, 2016
#116 Is The News Biz a Lost Cause?
Do Canada's legacy news orgs have digital strategies? Do they make any sense? Is profitability online even possible?
January 7, 2016
Do media unions protect journalists at the expense of journalism? Do they make it impossible for struggling news orgs to survive? Do they protect older workers at the expense of the younger generation? Nora Loreto, author and union activist, talks about what place organized labour might have in today's media.
January 17, 2016
#66 The Government's Secret Newswire
News Canada (NC) looks like a wire service, but distributes stories produced by the federal government.
January 18, 2016
#118 The Collapse Of Postmedia
Last week, Postmedia laid off 90 journalists from newsrooms across Canada, months after absorbing the Sun newspaper chain. What if a slow, painful death was the plan all along? The National Observer's Bruce Livesey weighs in on the implosion of Postmedia.
January 24, 2016
#119 More Trouble at The Walrus
When Ken Alexander co-founded the Walrus in 2003, he wanted it to be a left-leaning literary magazine that also functioned as an educational charity. Now he says The Walrus has lost its way, strayed from its editorial mandate, abused its staff and violated its charitable obligations.
January 31, 2016
The new host of CBC's Q talks about what he'll change post-Ghomeshi, and what he won't.
February 7, 2016
#120 Indigenous Media Roundtable
Most Canadians don't hear about the stories Indigenous peoples tell within their communities. Mainstream media only covers the most tragic events affecting Indigenous communities '-- if it chooses to cover them at all. Now, alternative digital platforms have created an opportunity for these stories to travel outside the communities they are about.
February 9, 2016
Glen McGregor just left the Ottawa Citizen (along with 14 others) after breaking many major political stories of the last few years. So what's next for him, for the Citizen, and for print journalism in Canada's capital?
February 14, 2016
#70 Journalism vs. Science
The Toronto Star's HPV fail reveals a wider problem: the journalists who inform us about science are increasingly scientifically illiterate.
February 15, 2016
#122 The Dismantling of Claude Jutra
Is it ok for an anonymous sexual assault allegation to destroy the reputation a beloved cultural hero?
February 22, 2016
#123 The Unsolved Murders of Halifax
Dozens of women and girls have been murdered in the Halifax area over the past few decades. Tim Bousquet is capturing it all on his independent news site, the Halifax Examiner.
February 29, 2016
124
#124 Second Class Journalists
Should journalists have control over what other journalists have access to? Allison Smith is the publisher of Queen's Park Today, a daily news website that reports on Ontario politics. For the last four years, the Queen's Park Press Gallery - a group of journalists - has denied her membership on dubious grounds.
March 8, 2016
The media is fuelling our real estate obsession and Garth Turner, ex-Conservative MP turned real estate blogger, is pouring cold water on us.
March 13, 2016
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
March 21, 2016
NOTE: Since this episode aired, The Imposter was put on hold, and has re-launched with new host Aliya Pabani.
March 27, 2016
#75 What It Was Like At SUN News TV
Adrienne Batra and Alex Pierson were SUN News TV hosts until the network suddenly went dark last month. Now, they join Jesse to come clean about what it was like to work at the most hated TV station in Canada.
March 29, 2016
The Ethnic Aisle is a crowdfunded digital magazine tackling issues of multiculturalism, diversity, and race in Toronto and the GTA. Chantal Braganza is the managing editor of The Ethnic Aisle and a digital media producer at TVO. Guest hosted by Scaachi Koul.
April 4, 2016
Freelance journalist Matt Braga joins Jesse to talk about spy shit - the Panama Papers, CSIS, C-51, and Ben Makuch's ongoing battle with the RCMP.
April 10, 2016
#130 Trial By Media, Media On Trial
What happens when three lawyers argue with Jesse Brown?
April 18, 2016
For the past year, Desmond Cole has been the media's go-to guy whenever a story about black Canadians would come up. Now, he discusses what's to come after hosting COMMONS.
May 4, 2016
#133 First Scandal of the Trudeau Government
Justin Trudeau's government told us that selling weapons to Saudi Arabia was a "done deal" of the Conservative government, but reporting by The Globe and Mail's Steven Chase revealed that it was entirely within the Liberals' power to stop it. The Globe called the government hypocrites, the NDP called them liars. What about the public?
May 9, 2016
#131 Newfoundland Is Screwed
In Newfoundland and Labrador, massive numbers of workers are getting laid off. Taxes are skyrocketing. The oil industry is collapsing. Meanwhile, journalist James McLeod has independently published a Sunshine List that exposes just how cosy the province really is.
May 24, 2016
#135 Dangerous Cartoonists
Live from the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, cartoonists Ted Rall, Chip Zdarsky, and Rokudenashiko talk censorship, the surprisingly subversive power of cartoons, and the dying art of comics journalism.
May 24, 2016
When it came to Canadian arts administration, Jeff Melanson was the king. Until his messy annulment papers from frozen food heiress Eleanor McCain alleged that he left more than just administrative damage in his wake from the National Ballet School, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Banff Centre for the Arts. Anne Kingston dives deep into the hushed world of Canadian arts institutions.
May 25, 2016
CBC still has a bullying & harassment problem. Jesse and Jane discuss how they investigated it for their recent report, "Bullying & Harassment Claims Emerge at CBC's As It Happens, TV Sports, and HR."
May 30, 2016
Gawker is in trouble. Writer Stephen Marche, a frequent target of the gossip site, expands on his defense of the blog that smears him.
June 6, 2016
How did the Liberals win the election? Author Susan Delacourt knows.
June 12, 2016
#139 ''It Was A Power Play'' '' Sexual Harassment Claim At Global News B.C.
Global News anchor Chris Gailus is one of British Columbia's most renowned television broadcasters. He's been accused of sexually harassing his former makeup artist, Dawne Koke. Koke speaks to Jesse about her claims and about sexual harassment in the news business.
June 19, 2016
#140 Is The Canadian-Chinese Press Controlled By Beijing?
Is the Communist Party of China influencing the Canadian-Chinese press? Journalist and paralegal Jonathan Fon joins Jesse for a discussion on the influence of Beijing.
June 26, 2016
#141 The Case For Local Television
When disaster strikes, local television matters. But does anyone actually care about small-town daily news coverage anymore?
July 4, 2016
Kathryn Borel reveals new details about the Jian Ghomeshi case.
July 10, 2016
Baroness Von Sketch, CBC's new sketch show, is funny. What happened? Jesse asks Baroness writer, author, and standup comedian Monica Heisey about what went right and what may be changing in Canadian comedy.
July 18, 2016
#144 Follow Up: John Furlong
John Furlong has been accused of abusing dozens of First Nations children when he was a teacher in Burns Lake in the 1960s. Journalist Laura Robinson told this story and ended up on the wrong side of a defamation lawsuit.
July 25, 2016
#145 Why You Can't Set a TV Show in Canada
Media scholar Karen Burrows discusses the impact on our power as media consumers.
August 1, 2016
#146 Should The Government Bail Out The News Business?
The Trudeau government is actually considering it.
August 8, 2016
#147 Why Johnny Can't Innovate: Canada's Tech Sector
Canada's tech sector is hemorrhaging talent. Between tax credits, targeted R&D programs, and Trudeau's cheerleading, can we stop the bleeding?
August 15, 2016
#148 What The Hell Happened At The Toronto Star?
Answers to some of the questions about reporter Raveena Aulakh's suicide. How much did the Toronto Star know about its "toxic" workplace and what did they do about it?
August 28, 2016
#149 Canadaland At The Movies
Last winter, Canadaland invited journalists to The Revue Cinema in Toronto to discuss the films that made them want to become journalists.
September 5, 2016
#150 The News Is Dead So What Comes Next?
The Collapse of the News Business is Irreversible. So what will emerge from the ashes?
September 11, 2016
#151 Trained To Ignore: The Media And First Nations
Why does indigenous representation in settler media matter?
September 19, 2016
If you share paywalled content, does that constitute copyright infringement?
September 26, 2016
When Jean Charest was a paid agent of an energy company he had a secret meeting with the government pipeline regulator, who then lied about it.
October 3, 2016
The BBC, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Bloomberg: all of them are increasing their presence in Canada at the exact same time that the Canadian media is cutting back like never before. Jessica Murphy, head of the BBC's new Canadian bureau and the New York Times' Canada correspondent Ian Austen discuss the influx.
October 10, 2016
#155 Guys, We're Having Some Problems
We lost almost half our staff this month. We need to pay better to retain our amazing team. Help us on Patreon and everybody but Jesse will get a raise.
October 17, 2016
#156 The Media Disruptors
Is solutions-based journalism the future of Canadian news?
October 24, 2016
#157 The Occupation Of Muskrat Falls
Justin Brake caught the nation's attention by broadcasting the peaceful protests of Muskrat Falls. And then he got served with a court injunction.
October 31, 2016
Every day at 12:36pm, Marc Weisblott sends out his "tabloid" newsletter. Is he a cultural critic? A media visionary? Or just a crank?
November 7, 2016
#159 The Surveillance of Patrick Lagac(C)
La Presse journalist Patrick Lagac(C) tells all about why the Montreal police spied on him and other journalists, and why the free press is under attack.
November 14, 2016
#160 People Like Fake News Better
Fake news sites won the American election. BuzzFeed Canada's Craig Silverman discusses how bogus Facebook stories blew credible news out of the water.
November 21, 2016
The Government is about to change the CBC.
November 28, 2016
#162 Do First Nations Have A Free Press?
First Nations reporting usually falls into the four D's: drumming, dancing, drinking, and death. Wawmeesh Hamilton is trying to change that.
December 4, 2016
-18
Suburbs frozen in the 1950s. Progressives in the middle of oil country. Jesse explores the eccentricities of Edmonton, past and present.
December 12, 2016
#164 There's A Hidden VIP Program In The Ontario Health Care System
Do politicians and foreign dignitaries have better access to health care than everyone else?
December 19, 2016
#165 The Best Of The Imposter (So Far) pt.1
Featuring the best moments from Canadaland's new arts & culture show, hosted by Aliya Pabani.
December 26, 2016
#100 The Best Of The Imposter (So Far) pt.2
Featuring the best moments from Canadaland's new arts & culture show, hosted by Aliya Pabani.
December 28, 2016
Misha Glouberman has been hosting Trampoline Hall, a barroom lecture series created by author Sheila Heti, for 15 years. He and Jesse are almost, but not quite, friends.
January 9, 2017
#167 Post-Truth Fact Check
When reporters are more relevant as unwilling political props than as chroniclers of facts, what happens to the job of journalism?
January 16, 2017
#168 The Killing of Colten Boushie (Live in Saskatoon)
In the wake of Colten Boushie's death, Jesse discusses racial tensions in Saskatoon with panelists Betty Ann Adam, Rob Innes, and Mylan Tootoosis. Recorded live at Winterruption in Cosmo Seniors Centre on January 20th, 2017.
January 23, 2017
#169 Down By Law In Yellowknife
Yellowknife crime reporter John McFadden has been getting into problems with the local police for a while now. But that won't stop him from doing his job.
January 30, 2017
#170 Are We Too Mean To CBC Comedy?
On this episode, guest host Ashey Csanady and Vicky Mochama look at CBC's recently launched comedy portal and wonders if it's relevant and, you know, funny.
February 6, 2017
#171 Don't Fling Mud At The Scud Stud
In 2008, political pundit Don Martin penned a negative screed against former NBC wartime correspondent and - at the time - Alberta provincial electoral candidate Arthur Kent, aka the Scud Stud.Convinced that Martin had violated basic journalistic ethics, Kent took him and the CanWest newspaper chain (later Postmedia) to court for defamation of character.
February 13, 2017
#172 Satan Vampire Zombie Bloodbath: The State Of Canadian Newspapers
Late last month the Public Policy Forum released its long-anticipated report on the state of Canadian newspapers. Somewhat unexpectedly, this was a bold and far-reaching document, exploring the changing face of media in this country.The principal author of the paper, former Globe & Mail Editor-In-Chief Ed Greenspon, joins Jesse to dig deep into its findings.Read the entire report (no, seriously, read it) here.
February 20, 2017
#173 Robyn Doolittle On Breaking The Story Of The Year
In the months after Robyn Doolittle's groundbreaking series of expos(C)s about the scandal-ridden Toronto mayor Rob Ford, she left the Toronto Star for a new investigative role at the Globe & Mail. Then, mostly, silence.Her lack of bylines belied her hard work behind the scenes as she dug into what would become the story of the year: a 20-month investigation into police departments across Canada and their chronic underreporting of sexual assaults being filed.
February 27, 2017
#174 Is Atlantic Journalism Fucked?
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
March 6, 2017
Michael Chong is trying to sell an inclusive, sober conservatism. Are conservatives buying it?
March 13, 2017
#176 The VICE Media Cocaine Caper
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
March 20, 2017
#177 Being Jewish In Public
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
March 27, 2017
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Space Vs. Canada
Something special to announce today, new show on Thursday.
April 3, 2017
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
April 10, 2017
Postmedia, the largest newspaper chain in Canada is in its death throes.
April 17, 2017
#180 Who Buys A Newspaper Chain In 2017?
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
April 24, 2017
#181 Desmond Cole: Celebrated and Resented
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
May 1, 2017
#182 It Was Illegal To Print Their Names: Alberta's Lost Children
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
May 8, 2017
#183 Why Your Rap Lyrics Could Land You In Prison
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
May 15, 2017
#184 Jason Kenney Is A Charming Man: Inside Alberta's Weird Conservatism
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
May 22, 2017
#185 Travel Journalism's Dirty Little Secret
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
May 29, 2017
#186 End Of The CanLit Hustle
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
June 5, 2017
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
June 12, 2017
#188 The Images Are Merciless
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
June 19, 2017
#189 The Great Newspaper Bailout
The newspaper industry is pleading for hundred of millions of dollars per year to help prop itself up.
June 26, 2017
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
July 3, 2017
Ren Bostelaar posted nude pictures of women to 4chan without their consent. He avoided a criminal record by taking a peace bond. Is revenge porn legal in Canada?
July 9, 2017
#192 15 Years Covering Omar Khadr
Michelle Shephard has been covering Omar Khadr since the beginning. She talks to guest host Omar Mouallem about what the media keeps getting wrong about the story.
July 16, 2017
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
July 24, 2017
#194 Live From New York, It's CANADALAND
In it: should you fuck your Prime Minister?; Why Canadians secretly love climate change; why we love the RCMP; and a peek at the Canada of the not-too-distant future. The stage show for our book, the CANADALAND Guide to Canada.
July 31, 2017
#195 Bleeding Edge Outrage Meme Generators
Following the election of Donald Trump, Craig Silverman wrote the defining article on fake news. Now he dives into hyperpartisan media -- websites that blend legitimate reporting with clickbait viral headlines to create a morass where you can't be sure what's real and what isn't.
August 14, 2017
#196 Ezra's Very Bad Week
It's been, to put it mildly, a shit week for Rebel Media's self-styled 'Rebel Commander' Ezra Levant.
August 21, 2017
#197 I Don't Speak Sports
Sports journalism is facing many of the same issues as other facets of the industry: declining ad revenues, job insecurities, and too much content vying for too few eyeballs.
September 5, 2017
#198 Punching Nazis'... With The Law!
Who thought we'd have a Nazi problem in 2017? Richard Warman did. Years before the current "Should I punch a Nazi" debate took off, he attacked neo-Nazis with the law. And the media hated him.
September 11, 2017
#199 TIFF Is A Monster That's Eating Itself
Every year, Toronto hosts some of the biggest stars in Hollywood as they debut their new films. But is the Toronto International Film Festival actually good for the city?
September 17, 2017
#200 Blame Michael Enright
Michael Enright got Jesse his first job in radio. He was also CANADALAND's first ever guest, drinking bourbon and talking shit about the Canadian media. For our 200th show, he's back to talk about how the media has changed since that day.
September 24, 2017
#201 Saudi Arabia Is Using Canadian Weapons Against Its Own Citizens And Nobody Seems To Care
Over the summer, videos came out that appeared to show Saudi Arabia deploying Canadian combat vehicles against their own citizens. And it barely made a splash in the Canadian media.
October 1, 2017
#202 It's The End Of CanCon As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
Heritage Minister M(C)lanie Joly had the thankless task of crafting a new culture plan that was sure to disappoint. She is now being viciously attacked by the press.
October 9, 2017
#203 My Awkward Date With Sarah Polley
Sarah Polley talks about how she helped Jesse break a major story.And she discusses domestic abuse, sexual harassment and assault, and the culture that fuels it.
October 15, 2017
The Toronto Star's Daniel Dale has become one of the most-watched journalists in Washington in part by simply enumerating Donald Trump's lies.
October 23, 2017
#205 Out Of My Depth With Adam Gopnik
Adam Gopnik lived out a certain Canadian fantasy. He left the country and became a prominent New York intellectual.
October 30, 2017
#206 Jeremy Scahill: Mistrust First, Then Verify
''Objectivity for the sake of objectivity often means make sure that the powerful always get their say. And sometimes Caesar shouldn't have his say. Sometimes the truth is just true.''
November 6, 2017
#207 Village Of The Sprawling Phoenix: New Models for Local News
Is local media doomed? We speak to three entrepreneurs who are making a go of it with three very different models.
November 13, 2017
#208 Ahead Of The Times: Jezebel Reporters On Investigating Louis CK
Reporters Anna Merlan and Madeleine Davies were investigating and writing about Louis CK well before the New York Times story came out. And they faced a lot of criticism for it.
November 19, 2017
#209 The Man Behind The Paradise Papers
''I do think that people should be marching in the streets over this,'' says ICIJ director Gerard Ryle.
November 26, 2017
#210 Why Newspapers Don't Have to Die
And why you can't just blame Google and Facebook for what happened last week.
December 3, 2017
#211 Inside a Right-Wing Meme Machine
This Facebook group gets more engagement than the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail combined.
December 10, 2017
#212 Meet The New Partisan Press
PressProgress looks like the news, but it's funded by a leftist think tank. Who are they and what are they trying to do?
December 17, 2017
COMMONS '' Invisible Victims: How Police Botched The Robert Pickton Case
Over the holidays, CANADALAND is presenting the best work across our network. Here's a recent episode of COMMONS about Robert Pickton, marginalized communities and police accountability.
December 24, 2017
The Imposter '' I Pity The Country Part 1
This episode of The Imposter was featured alongside shows like The Heart and Radiolab as Constant Listener's best podcasts of the year.
December 27, 2017
The Imposter '' Aliya Tries Comedy
This week, we're presenting some of the best work from across our network. In this series of The Imposter, host Aliya Pabani decides that to learn more about comedy, she's going to learn how to be a comedian.
December 31, 2017
#213 How Facebook Bought-Off Canada For Peanuts
Forget taxes and regulations '-- why scrutinize Facebook when you can partner with them?
January 8, 2018
"From mass dissemination of false information, to impersonation, leaking foreign documents in order to influence political and legal outcomes... thepossibilities for the types of activities contemplated in [Bill C-59] are limited only by imagination."
January 15, 2018
#215 They Asked Me To Join The Militia
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
January 22, 2018
#216 As If It Never Even Happened
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
January 29, 2018
#217 The CANADALAND Guide to Jordan B. Peterson
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
February 5, 2018
#218 Robert Jago: Decolonizing Canada In His Spare Time
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
February 12, 2018
#219 Where Is Rock Bottom? Live From Saskatchewan, Before The Trial (Rebroadcast)
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
February 19, 2018
#220 We Need To Talk About Reddit
After years of dodging emails about the internal politics of the country's largest subreddit, r/Canada, Jesse finally jumps down the weirdo-message-board rabbit hole.
February 26, 2018
#221 Indie Journalists On The Government News Bailout
"I don't want to be trusted by the government."
March 5, 2018
#222 How To Slander Friends And Libel People
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
March 12, 2018
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
March 19, 2018
#224 How To Un-F**k The Internet
"It's the wild west out there right now, and for lots of people that means it's really dangerous and their experience is horrible."
March 26, 2018
#225 Satirical News Site Fast-Tracks Reconciliation, Everything Fine Now
Tim Fontaine "set fire" to his journalism career last December, when he launched Walking Eagle News.
April 2, 2018
#226 The Great Satan Of The CBC
Richard Stursberg was the most hated CBC executive in recent history. What advice does he have for Catherine Tait, the CBC's new president? And what does he have to say about his own infamous legacy?
April 8, 2018
We hear from two Canadian journalists currently facing legal consequences for doing their jobs. The outcomes of these cases could set precedents for how the press is allowed to operate.
April 15, 2018
#228 What's The New York Times Doing In Canada?
More than a year after their expansion into Canada, the New York Times is holding its own against our native media. And they're doing it with only three reporters. But what exactly is their goal here?
April 23, 2018
How did an online subculture of lonely men inspire the murders of 10 people in Toronto?
April 29, 2018
#230 The Pipeline Approval Was Rigged
No outcome other than an approval was ever possible.
May 6, 2018
#231 Robo Reporters and Blockchain Broadcasts
While journalists worry about Facebook algorithms and digital advertising, every other industry gets to be excited about technology. So today, we try our hardest to find the positive tech stories for the news industry.
May 13, 2018
Last week, Israeli forces killed over 60 people and injured thousands more at a protest in Gaza. How did Canadian media cover it?
May 20, 2018
#233 Journalists Are Done With CBC Stealing Their Scoops
Why is CBC so bad at giving credit for stories that other news outlets broke?
May 27, 2018
#234 Famous Anonymous: Celebrity Media In Canada
How do you cover celebrities in a country that's so bad at making them?
June 3, 2018
#235 Taxing Porn (And Everything Else) To Pay For CanCon
Canada's broadcast regulator has put forward a proposal to tax everything from porn to podcasts to help pay for CanCon.
June 10, 2018
#236 Jesse Meets WNYC's On The Media
On The Media was one of the main inspirations for CANADALAND. This week, Jesse meets them.
June 17, 2018
#237 The Legend Of Weed Toque Girl
Almost every news story about cannabis is accompanied by a stereotypical stoner pic.
June 24, 2018
#238 Authors Are Getting Bloody In The Culture Wars
The book world has been thrown into turmoil by sexual assault allegations, inter-generational fighting and questions over Indigenous ancestry. Is this inside baseball for a tiny industry, a microcosm of the culture wars or a battle over who gets to tell Canada's story?
July 1, 2018
#239 Last Chance For Newspapers: Inside La Presse
The newspaper business is in rapid decline. Can non-profit status save newspapers in Canada?
July 15, 2018
#240 How Marketing Conquered Food
Food journalist Corey Mintz speaks with Jesse about how influencers, marketing and Instagram have impacted food writing and eating.
July 30, 2018
#241 Reporting In Ottawa Vs. Reporting In Washington
BuzzFeed's Paul McLeod has covered politics in both capitals.
August 12, 2018
#242 Live Local News Neither Live Nor Local
Paul Tadich compares his time working at Global TV to a "news sweatshop".
August 26, 2018
#243 What Does 'Off The Record' Actually Mean? The Toronto Star And BuzzFeed Explain.
Confusion over "off the record" played a pivotal role in global affairs this past week. So '-- how does this oft-misunderstood agreement actually work, and why do so many powerful people continue to misuse it?
September 10, 2018
#244 Chip Zdarsky On Marvel Money And The Canadian Comics Boom
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
September 17, 2018
#245 The Last Labour Reporter
Sara Mojtehedzadeh may very well be Canada's only full-time labour reporter.
September 24, 2018
#246 Sheila Heti And Rachel Cusk On Why Memoir Is A Dead End
Guest Host Sheila Heti (Motherhood, How Should a Person Be?) speaks with fellow "autofiction" author Rachel Cusk (A Life's Work, Aftermath, et al).
October 1, 2018
Next week, recreational weed will become legal across Canada. In anticipation, mainstream media has begun taking cannabis coverage seriously. Overnight, nearly every major outlet across the country has hired full-time reporters to cover it '-- but before we celebrate industry growth, how sustainable is this beat?
October 8, 2018
#248 The CANADALAND Investigation Of The Kielburgers' WE Movement
Craig Kielburger founded WE when he was 12 to fight child labour. Now, the WE brand is used to promote products made by children. Reporter Jaren Kerr presents the findings of his 4-month long investigation.
October 15, 2018
Episode 1 of our new series, hosted by Ryan McMahon.
October 22, 2018
#250 Canada's First Smart City Is A Disaster
Google's sister company, Sidewalk Labs, has partnered with every level of government to build the first-ever 'smart city' in Toronto '-- but with several high-profile resignations and mounting privacy concerns, will this project ever break ground?
October 29, 2018
#251 How True Crime Took Over Podcasting
For a long time, CANADALAND was (proudly) the number one podcast in the country '-- but that's no longer true.
November 5, 2018
#252 Is Business News Amoral, Immoral, Or Just Evil?
Guest host Karen K. Ho explores how ethical concerns are becoming a core component of many big business stories, and what some reporters are doing to expand business journalism's audience and sources.
November 12, 2018
#253 Is The Media Afraid Of The Kielburgers?
The Kielburgers' WE Movement has enjoyed more than 20 years of glowing press. They also have partnerships with 38 media organizations and a history of aggressive responses to criticism.Reporter Jaren Kerr speaks with Jesse about his investigation of WE's media relations.
November 19, 2018
#254 An Issue Worth Torching Your Job Over
After 25 years at the CBC, tech columnist Jesse Hirsh decided to risk it all. During an interview about Facebook, he turned the tables, asking why CBC continues to promote Facebook after we've seen what that company has done to undermine democracy. CBC refused to post the segment online, raising questions about what you can and cannot say on our public broadcaster.
November 25, 2018
#255 The Making Of Finding Cleo And Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay podcast host and creator Ryan McMahon reflects on the year-long production process, and he, Jesse and Connie Walker '-- host of CBC's award-winning podcast Missing & Murdered: Finding Cleo '--speak at ImagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival about the challenges that come with telling such sensitive, complex stories through the true crime genre.
December 3, 2018
The Canadian federal government plans to issue nearly $600M in tax credits and incentives to bolster the country's media industry over the next five years. What will this mean for the independence of the Canadian press? And will CANADALAND be applying for funds?
December 10, 2018
#257 How Not To Cover Climate Change
Blazing wildfires. Pipeline stand-offs. Unpredictable floods. Men in suits arguing...One of our era's most urgent, high-stakes stories is also the hardest one to get right.
December 17, 2018
#258 Christmas In The Newsroom
Stories of big news breaking when everyone else is on vacation.
December 23, 2018
#259 The Mud Slinging, Meme Hustling, Rage Baiting Sites You Need To Know Before The Next Election
A bunch of new partisan political websites are fighting for the narrative in the run-up to the federal election. Reporter Graeme Gordon is here to tell you which organizations to look out for on your Facebook and Twitter feeds, what their political objectives are, and who's paying for them.
January 6, 2019
Something like the half of all activity on the internet is fake. Yes, there are bots. But there are also fake websites that cater to bots. And then there are the ways real people adjust their behaviour to try to game the bots. Where does this leave the idyllic internet we were promised?
January 13, 2019
#261 Oh Great, Now China Hates Us
Canada's in a bad way with China. Has the media prepared us to deal with the growing superpower?
January 20, 2019
#262 Meet Canada's Pro-Oil, Anti-Immigrant Yellow Vest Movement
What do warnings of globalism, support for pipelines and calls to execute Trudeau have in common? They're all part of the rhetoric of the Canadian Yellow Vests. CANADALAND producer David Crosbie investigates how a French working class protest against a fuel tax has inspired a right-wing, populist movement holding recurring rallies across Canada.
January 27, 2019
#263 The Loudmouth Senator
Paula Simons did something that makes a lot of journalists cringe. She went into politics. The former Edmonton Journal columnist is now an independent senator. She speaks about crossing over, using social media to pull back the curtain on Canadian politics... and the Senate's secret snack machine.
February 4, 2019
#264 Quebec's Fake News Problem
In English media, there are whole organizations and departments devoted to debunking fake news. But in Quebec, a lot of the work falls to one guy: Jeff Yates. He talks to guest host Brigitte Nol about the unique challenges of combatting fake news in French and why he thinks it's time to destigmatize sharing bogus stories.
February 10, 2019
#265 Decoding a Political Scandal
There's a lot to learn from what politicians and journalists can and can't tell us, their lowly constituents and readers. We read between the lines of the news coverage of the SNC-Lavalin scandal with BuzzFeed News' Paul McLeod. Then, Macleans columnist Anne Kingston helps translate politicians' passive-aggressive, condescending, or coded messages, passed to us through resignation letters, speeches, and even Twitter likes.
February 17, 2019
#266 A Guide To The Podcast Industry
In the past year or so, the podcast industry has seen an explosion --or bubble, depending on who you ask-- with companies like Entertainment One, Corus, and Rogers making big plays in the market. Who are the big players? What are they trying to do? And are their podcasts any good?
February 24, 2019
#267 Propaganda, Fascism And Murder: An Alternative History Of The Globe And Mail
This week marks 175 years of The Globe and Mail. You can read all about its accomplishments elsewhere. Writer Jamie Bradburn takes us through the paper's darker moments.
March 3, 2019
Canada's most ubiquitous TV host talks about his many, many gigs, from MuchMusic VJ to CNN interviewer -- and why he's turned to YouTube for the latest one.
March 10, 2019
#204 Pressure-Cooked Octopus
While we're all busy talking about the propriety of the SNC-Lavalin affair, it bears revisiting the company's sordid past. Also, how is the media culpable for whitewashing reconciliation? And Pizzagate comes to Canada.
March 13, 2019
#269 Ruthless Or Toothless? The News Biz Complaints Department
Who do you turn to when the news fucks up? It turns out there's a council for that.
March 18, 2019
Andrew Scheer's first statement about the terrorist attack by a white supremacist in New Zealand failed to mention a few things... like Muslims and white supremacy. Also, the federal budget was announced and so were the details of that controversial media bailout.
March 21, 2019
#270 The Most Expensive Thing Canada's Ever Bought
When Ottawa Citizen reporter David Pugliese called the government to follow up on a tip, he heard back from the PR arm of Irving Shipbuilding. And then the president of that company called, and threatened to sue him.
March 24, 2019
Collusion? Obstruction? Why can't Canadians stay focused on the domestic scandal? And what does the dawn of Apple News+ mean for Canadian media?
March 27, 2019
The CANADALAND interview with former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who targeted the press before it was cool.
April 1, 2019
If there's one lesson we can take away from what's happened with Jody Wilson-Raybould, it's to tape all of your calls. And what's more important to the Trudeau Liberals: reconciliation or cold hard donations?
April 3, 2019
#272 The Best New Podcast In Canada Is About The Opioid Crisis
Crackdown covers the war on drugs from the trenches, and these war correspondents are drug users.
April 8, 2019
#208 Oh My God, They Killed Kenney
Jason Kenney's United Conservative Party is imploding before our very eyes '-- but the Albertan electorate doesn't seem to mind much. And who does Justin Trudeau think he's fooling with a libel threat? Definitely not Andrew Scheer.
April 10, 2019
#273 The Media Baron Dinner Party Where The News Bailout Was Born
Former CBC exec Richard Stursberg tells Jesse all about it.
April 14, 2019
Journalism that exposes racism, homophobia, and election fraud: does any of it matter? All of this and more in a look at the Alberta election. And then a check-in with the Globe and Mail's Thunder Bay bureau.
April 17, 2019
#274 Is Facebook Worth Fixing?
And if so, can government regulation crack down on hate speech and election interference on social media without crushing free speech?
April 22, 2019
Who among us hasn't stabbed a lecherous raccoon with a dessert fork? And Omar Khadr gave his first big interview on Qu(C)bec television; where was English media on this one?
April 25, 2019
#275 Sneaking Chinese Propaganda Into The Canadian Media
A popular pundit has a curious connection: her company worked for China.
April 28, 2019
#211 Your Body Is A Newfoundland
Was the recent Simpsons episode about Canada offensive? Was it even funny? And, finally, the mainstream media seems to be paying attention to the rising threat of white terrorism in Canada.
May 1, 2019
#276 '' Twenty Years After Napster: Cory Doctorow On What Went Wrong
Digital media has been gentrified into a mall, says the digital rights activist and author.
May 6, 2019
#212 Newfoundland 2: The Newfoundlanding
In the prurient rush for lurid details about Bruce McArthur and his victims, maybe it's time to re-examine the way we consume true crime. And the ongoing saga of the Mark Norman affair becomes even muddier.
May 8, 2019
#277 Quebec's Narcos Tell All!
The new podcast Narcos PQ hands the mic to those who bring Canada its drugs: bikers, drug mules, outlaw chemists.
May 13, 2019
#213 Misfit Manchild Edgelords
It's Nazi season in Canada! From the "controversial" flag in Saskatchewan to the neo-Nazi working in an Ontario city hall, Canada's working hard to normalize racism. And Mark Norman apparently had it worse than Omar Khadr. Who was in Guantanmo Bay. As a minor.
May 15, 2019
#278 Bigotry Punished, Miraculously
But will the $2.5 million judgment against the far-right twice-defeated mayoral candidate Kevin J. Johnston actually stop him spreading hate online?
May 20, 2019
#214 Lord Ballwasher of Crossharbour
Lord Conrad Black, First of His Name, The Unedited, King of Columns, Breaker of Laws, Flatterer of American Presidents, and Father of the National Post. Did Canada's favourite criminal Lord just schmooze his way into a pardon from Donald Trump or is the American justice system to blame? Also, speaking of ancient things, Canada's dusty old privacy laws are back in the spotlight thanks to the government's new digital charter.
May 22, 2019
#279 A Forgotten News Lab Predicted Journalism's Online Future in 1991
InfoLab imagined newspapers' transition from print to digital, creating multimedia digital news in the basement of The Hamilton Spectator back in the early '90s.
May 26, 2019
#215 What Sort Of Monster Would Disparage Anna Maria Tremonti?
As one of Canada's most beloved radio personalities leaves the job she's held for 17 seasons, who could possibly have anything negative to say? Also, Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott have finally revealed their schemes to... run as independents. And should media unions have a say in deciding who gets federal media funding?
May 29, 2019
#280 The News Bosses: APTN's Karyn Pugliese
Canada's news bosses are some of the most influential people in the country. They decide what is news and what isn't. We think it's time someone talked to them about that.
June 2, 2019
#216 The Word For This Is Genocide
The majority of our media is bending backward to avoid acknowledging Canadian genocide. Why? And Lindsay Shepherd travelled to Ottawa to complain about her weeklong Twitter ban: a look at the online hate hearings and the right's war on free speech.
June 6, 2019
#281 Trolling Jonathan Torrens
Jonathan Torrens talks about the CBC, what really happened on Trailer Park Boys, and about that one song you love to hate.
June 10, 2019
#217 United Conservative Postmedia War Room
Rest assured, Canadians! Jason Kenney is here to protect you from the evils of the Green Left. A look at the Alberta government's anti-environment "War Room," plus the imminent Raptor Rapture.
June 12, 2019
#282 Lifestyles of the Rich and Fatal
Greed, money, and revenge culminate with a gruesome murder on the driveway of a Vancouver mansion.
June 16, 2019
#218 Whose Pipeline Is It Anyway?
What better way to recognize a climate emergency than by approving the Trans Mountain Pipeline? Why did the Raptors' president get carded after his team won? And what's with U.S. media suddenly paying attention to Indigenous people in Canada?
June 19, 2019
#283 Oh Great, A Republican Plot Against Canadaland
Something strange has been going on for the last little while and we're ready to talk about it.
June 23, 2019
#219 The Pleasure Of Margaret Wente
Pour one out for Margaret Wente: she's leaving the Globe. The Irvings tighten their grip on New Brunswick news, and some Toronto councillors are learning not to cross Warren Kinsella.
June 26, 2019
#284 A Former WE Employee Speaks Out
Twenty-two people spoke to us confidentially about working for WE. But Josh Keenan went on the record.
June 30, 2019
#220 That's What You Get When You Draw A Political Cartoon That Doesn't Suck
A Canadian cartoonist drew a provocative image of Trump, blithely ignorant of the fatal consequences of his border policy. After it blew up online, the cartoonist was let go from the company who'd published his work for 17 years. And what was with that viral clip of Trudeau getting "snubbed" at G20?
July 3, 2019
#285 '' Health News In The Age Of Goop
There are countless reporters covering politics in this country, but only one person has spent their career reporting on and analyzing health care.
July 7, 2019
#221 Fuck You For This One, Qu(C)bec
The secularism bill banning public workers from wearing religious symbols finally passed in Qu(C)bec. Google News gathered together the heads of major media companies for a meeting and (surprise!) didn't tell the public. And VICE reporter Ben Makuch lost a legal challenge to keep private background material from the RCMP.
July 10, 2019
#286 Sports, Wages, and Bitstrips Money: Jesse Answers Your Questions
You asked. We answered.
July 14, 2019
Sandy Hudson and Nora Loreto take over CANADALAND for this episode about the paltry coverage of Canada's migrant detention policies and the devastating loss of leftist Twitter's most stalwart defender, Lindsay Shepherd.
July 17, 2019
#287 Let's Get Serious About UFO Journalism
Hear about how journalists have failed when covering mysterious things in the sky.
July 21, 2019
#288 Wrongly Convicted Of Murder And The Secret Reasons Why
Glen Assoun spent nearly 17 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit. But even after his sentence was overturned, the evidence that freed him remained sealed. Reporters fought successfully to have that evidence released. What they found not only raises questions about the investigation, but reveals the outright deletion of evidence pointing to another killer.
July 29, 2019
Steven Page, former frontman and founding member of Barenaked Ladies, talks about his career, why he chose to leave a beloved and wildly successful band, and the fickle realities of Canadian stardom.
August 4, 2019
#290 What It's Like To Want To Die
Reporter Anna Mehler Paperny talks about her book "Hello I Want to Die Please Fix Me: Depression in the First Person"
August 11, 2019
#291 Why Are Trans Issues Suddenly Everywhere?
Over the past couple of years, a few Canadian media outlets and writers have become obsessed with trans people, painting their campaign for human rights as a menace to society. This coverage has hit a peak with the story of Jessica Yaniv, a trans woman who's taking multiple beauticians to the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal after they refused to wax to her genitals. Where did this obsession come from? And why has this particular story taken off?
August 18, 2019
#292 A Medical Horror Story and the Fight to Expose It
A respected doctor put women's health and lives in danger for money and the public almost didn't hear about it.
August 25, 2019
COMMONS: CRUDE '' The Apocalypse Is Now
Canoe-borne bandits strike an underwater town. A new generation of wealthy lobstermen is minted. An island disappears. And hellfire engulfs a highway jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive. Just another normal day amidst Canada's climate catastrophe.
August 28, 2019
OPPO: Is Jason Kenney Stoking Alberta Separatism?
Alberta's premier wants a referendum on ... what exactly? And Justin Ling wants you to calm down about climate change "muzzling." Plus, meet some intriguing candidates to keep an eye on.
September 1, 2019
Comedian Bruce McCulloch talks about the legacy of Canada's weirdest sketch show, Lorne Michaels, and the CBC.
September 8, 2019
Why are we so bad at talking about women's bodies?
September 15, 2019
#295 Big Media's Plan To Regulate The Internet
Are we really considering CanCon for the internet?
September 22, 2019
#296 Two Centuries of Blackface in Canada
Cheryl Thompson joins to help walk us through Canada's history with blackface and why this story is not about race.
September 29, 2019
#297 Shad's Hip-Hop Evolution
Shad's Hip-Hop Evolution is an incredible piece of journalism that nobody is talking about.
October 6, 2019
233
#233 '' Our Revolting Democracy
That debate. The rumour mongering. The memes. Does Canadian democracy have to suck this hard? A lament. And PostMedia finally responds to our investigation - or somebody's. Freelance journalist Danielle Paradis co-hosts.
October 10, 2019
Does political journalism actually enact change?
October 13, 2019
234
SHORT CUTS #234 '' The CBC's Very Dumb Lawsuit
The CBC sues the Conservative Party of Canada for copying them! Plus, Toronto journalists and writers push back on the kind of space public libraries should be. Wikimedia Chief of Staff Ryan Merkley co-hosts.
October 17, 2019
#299 Today's Crisis, Tomorrow's Apology: Indigenous Death In The Child Welfare System
102 Indigenous children died in Ontario's child welfare system because of underfunding and an indefensible inequality of services.
October 20, 2019
235
#235 '' Creepy Hologram Prime Minister
Thank God, it's over - last sound off about how dull the 2019 election coverage was, we promise. Plus, Star Metro journalists cry fake news at activists pretending climate propaganda is the real thing. Writer and climate activist from 350.org Cam Fenton co-hosts.
October 24, 2019
#300 An Argument With Robyn Doolittle
Major announcement about what's next for Canadaland on this episode.
October 27, 2019
236
#236 '' The New York Times' Trauma Porn Beat
The New York Times' Canada bureau chief goes up to visit an Inuit community three times so she must know what she's talking about'... right? Also, podcasting is getting way too popular. Thunder Bay host Ryan McMahon co-hosts.
October 31, 2019
#301 Interview With A Very Rich Person Who Wants To Abolish Wealth
Meghan Bell wants to tax the rich. She's also one of them.
November 3, 2019
237
#237 '' Shitty Media Management
A national news media start-up hires then fires its staff in a month. Also, Elizabeth May has harsh parting words for the media. Freelancer Sarah Hagi co-hosts (and spills the tea on FreshDaily)
November 7, 2019
#302 Is The Extreme Right Finished In Canada?
Has the rise of the far-right in Canada been exaggerated?
November 11, 2019
238
#238 '' What Don Cherry Means To Me
Don Cherry drafts his first Quillette essay: ''The Day the Social Media Mob Came for Me.'' Also, opinion writing in Canada post-Margaret Wente is pretty much the same. Freelance writer and Burn It All Down podcast co-host Shireen Ahmed joins us.
November 14, 2019
A conversation about the similarities between journalism and porn becomes a tense disagreement about online shaming.
November 17, 2019
#239 StarMetro Hunger Games
Torstar announced the closure of five papers across Canada, CBC tried to consolidate broadcasts across its radio stations in the North, and Don Cherry returned with an expertly produced podcast.
November 21, 2019
#304 From Nanook To The New York Times: Misrepresentations of the North
How the media can fail when covering Indigenous people.
November 24, 2019
More details have emerged about Warren Kinsella's secret work to expose Maxime Bernier as a racist. And what's at stake as the CBC renegotiates its licence to broadcast in Canada?
November 27, 2019
A conversation with cartoonist Kate Beaton
December 1, 2019
#241 History Will Judge Us For Our China Takes
Leaked audio from a NATO summit reveals Trudeau's totally reasonable reaction to Trump. Did an Edmonton school board try to shut down a radio interview advocating for a student? The Globe and Mail's China coverage is... inconsistent.
December 5, 2019
#305 Researchers Just Proved The Media Is Too White
Canada's newsrooms are whiter than ever.
December 9, 2019
242
#242 Inside Jordan Peterson's Antisocial Network
A look inside Jordan Peterson's new social media platform, which bans photos, memes, and emojis in the name of anti-censorship! Also, The Toronto Star turns to public shaming. Freelancer John Semley co-hosts.
December 11, 2019
#306 The Globe And Mail's Hidden Campaign For Government Favours
Did The Globe And Mail's editor do anything wrong?
December 15, 2019
#243 The Media Hit Jobs on Andrew Scheer and Jody Wilson-Raybould
Everyone knows that Andrew Scheer resigned because of his tuition scandal; what this podcast presupposes is: maybe he didn't? And the manufactured outrage surrounding Jody Wilson-Raybould's office.
December 18, 2019
The rise and fall of Canada's alt-weekly magazines.
December 22, 2019
COMMONS: Dynasties '' The Sahotas
The Sahotas are Vancouver's most notorious slumlords. For decades they've let their buildings rot, leaving their tenants to live in filth and desolation. But the Sahotas are not like any other dynasty you've ever heard of. Their story is far stranger, and far darker, than anything you can imagine.
December 29, 2019
#290 What It's Like To Want To Die
Reporter Anna Mehler Paperny talks about her book, Hello I Want to Die Please Fix Me: Depression in the First Person, which covers her search for answers about depression and her personal experiences.
January 2, 2020
#308 The Media War Over The Hong Kong Protests
Is Canadian media propagating the Communist Party lines?
January 5, 2020
We've heard so much from south of the border about Iran, but how are Canadian media treating this conflict? And The Fifth Estate delivers some spurious reporting on ''Birth Tourism'' and Antifa.
January 8, 2020
#309 A War Reporter's Newsroom Battles
Why did the Toronto Star try to stop Paul Watson from reporting on a story?
January 12, 2020
#245 I Wanna Live Like Commonwealth People Do
We examine the controversy around stating a plain fact about flight 752. Then, a Royal welcome. With co-host Nora Loreto.
January 15, 2020
#310 Why Is The CBC So Schitty?
How the CBC is losing friends and alienating Canadians
January 19, 2020
What was up with those "protesters" outside Meng Wanzhou's extradition hearing? And could monarchical migration have an impact on privacy in Canadian media?
January 22, 2020
#311 Let's Talk About Bell's Harmful Prison Phone Contract
Every year, Bell shines the spotlight on mental health for Let's Talk Day. So we're taking a look at their prison phone contract, which advocates say exacerbate mental health problems for inmates.
January 27, 2020
Have we learned anything about reporting on viruses since SARS? And what can a new documentary about Idle No More teach us about our present state of reconciliation?
January 30, 2020
#18 VICE: An Oral History
The origins of VICE told by the people who were there
February 2, 2020
248
#248 Return Of The Conservative Rapper
The Heritage Minister doesn't seem to understand his own plan for regulating the internet (or not), so we break it down for you. And a group that doesn't exist just ran a major political ad campaign in the country's top newspapers. The National Post's Chris Selley co-hosts.
February 5, 2020
#312 Siege On Wet'suwet'en
Unpacking the RCMP's recent crackdown on journalists covering the conflict on Wet'suwet'en territory
February 9, 2020
#249 Christie Blatchford's Complicated Legacy
Jordan Peterson's familial PR team, Christie Blatchford's legacy, Ezra Levant's civil disobedience, and the campaign to discredit national protests.
February 12, 2020
#313 Nardwuar: An Oral History
The history of Canada's weirdest and most prolific interviewer
February 16, 2020
#250 Wet'suwet'en Coverage Is Still Pretty Bad
Jason Kenney's War Room sets its sights on that white whale of fake news: The New York Times. And as protests spread, reporting on Wet'suwet'en remains fairly feeble.
February 20, 2020
#314 Nardwuar: The Interview
Who is the man beneath the tam?
February 23, 2020
BONUS: Jesse Gets Grilled
A bonus AMA episode
February 24, 2020
251
#251 Heard It Through The Pipeline
Do journalists need to be protestors to get better access to Wet'suwet'en solidarity actions? Plus, the Teck Frontier oilsands mine withdraws its application and who the media is blaming will shock you - or not.
February 27, 2020
#315 The Cocaine Smuggling Ring At VICE
A behind-the-scenes look at our new investigative podcast
March 1, 2020
#252 Canada Is Working Exactly As Intended
A front-page story tells us that Canada is broken. Is it, or is this exactly how the country was designed to work? And, as a senior editor leaves the CBC, our national broadcaster pivots to audience.
March 4, 2020
#316 One News Brand To Rule Them All
Does the New York Times' success come at the expense of local news?
March 8, 2020
#253 Panic! At The Discoronavirus
As COVID-19 is declared a global pandemic, how are Canadian media handling the coverage? And what opportunities can moments of crisis provide for a shift in business reporting?
March 12, 2020
#317 Meditations In An Emergency
We are facing an unprecedented shutdown of services and businesses across the country. Health columnist Andre Picard was an early voice calling for Canada to ''shut it down'' in the pages of the Globe and Mail. He talks to us about how COVID-19 compares to other epidemics he's covered, the media coverage so far and why he was pushing for social distancing before the government embraced it.
March 16, 2020
1
Isolation Interview: Robyn Doolittle
What feels most weird right now? Doing normal things
March 17, 2020
Isolation Interview: Jen Agg
Restaurauteur Jen Agg just wants to get home.
March 17, 2020
In a time like this, we're so flooded with information that good, quality journalism matters more than ever. But that doesn't mean there isn't stuff to make fun of. Plus, how are newsrooms coping with the realities of a contagious virus?
March 19, 2020
Isolation Interview: Socalled
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
March 20, 2020
#318 The Last Picture Show
COVID-19, Cineplex, and the end of moviegoing as we know it
March 22, 2020
Isolation Interview: Margaret Atwood
"My life is never exactly normal. But it's normal for me."
March 23, 2020
Isolation Interview: Ryan McMahon
''If it really goes down, I can always shoot a moose.''
March 25, 2020
#255 This Op-Ed Could Kill People
COVID-19 coverage continues, for the most part, to be even-handed. But that's not why you listen to this podcast. A look at what's going wrong in Canadian reporting, as well as the personal and economic impact the pandemic is having on newsrooms.
March 25, 2020
Isolation Interview: Sarah Hagi
"Put on normal clothes, remember to stretch... That doesn't help. You're still in the prison of your own mind."
March 27, 2020
#319 Cross Country COVID Checkup
Our first ever call-in show.
March 29, 2020
Isolation Interview: Shad
"I've been watching old NBA games and breaking them down on Instagram Live."
March 31, 2020
Isolation Interview: Robert Jago
''I have been obsessed with virtual reality''
April 1, 2020
#256 Good Faith, Bad Information
Has the messaging about whether to wear a face mask been contradictory? How do you report on sports in a world without them? And a roundup of the bad COVID-19 coverage from the last week.
April 1, 2020
Isolation Interview: David Sax
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
April 3, 2020
#320 Coronavirus Is In Our Prisons And Trudeau Is Doing Nothing
Reporter Justin Ling speaks with prisoners across Canada terrified of COVID-19 sweeping through the prison population.
April 6, 2020
Isolation Interview: Elizabeth May
"This is the death of neoliberalism."
April 7, 2020
Isolation Interview: Matt Huether
"I got scolded by the deputy mayor of Los Angeles for not including Funyuns in my tweet"
April 8, 2020
For weeks, we've all been trying to flatten the curve. But how do we measure our success if the numbers informing that curve aren't reliable? And how do the big newspaper chains justify taking government wage subsidies at the same time as laying off staff?
April 8, 2020
#321 Did Covid-19 Kill The Alt-Right?
The Deplorables that surrounded the Trump presidential campaign have all but disappeared from the mainstream web.
April 12, 2020
Isolation Interview: Kate Beaton
"I do participate in society."
April 14, 2020
Isolation Interview: Club Quarantine
"If we are looking like we are one of the girls just dancing having fun, it's probably performative"
April 15, 2020
Do the same rules apply to Justin Trudeau and Andrew Scheer as to the rest of us? Do the rules matter any more? Could this finally be the end of conspiracy theories?
April 15, 2020
Isolation Interview: Severn Cullis-Suzuki
"My ten-year old got his first octopus all by himself"
April 16, 2020
#322 Why Life Without Fear Is Miserable
When journalist Eva Holland lost her mom, she went on a quest to understand the science behind her phobias, and conquer them.
April 19, 2020
Isolation Interview: Surinder Mann
"I'm helping other people to be safe."
April 21, 2020
Isolation Interview: Tanya Talaga
"This virus is a bitch, for sure."
April 22, 2020
#259 Our Press Can't Handle The Nova Scotia Shooting
The confluence of the pandemic, reliance on police for information, and slashed newsroom budgets means that reporting on the Nova Scotia shooting was all but doomed from the start. And a tweak to government media subsidies makes more organizations eligible for the funding.
April 22, 2020
Isolation Interview: Chris Locke
"It'll probably be like a mega-hedonistic orgy after this."
April 24, 2020
Journalists across Canada tell us how Covid-19 has changed how they bring us the news.
April 27, 2020
Isolation Interview: Andr(C) Picard
"The chances of getting infected by somebody walking or running by you outside'-- they're virtually nil"
April 28, 2020
Isolation Interview: BJ Snowden
"I want my friends and family to be safe from this"
April 29, 2020
#260 Celebrity Malfunction
The more we learn about the shooting in Nova Scotia, the worse it becomes. And did the star-studded Stronger Together COVID-19 special show us anything but how completely anachronistic celebrity has become during this pandemic? Seriously. Did anyone watch it?
April 29, 2020
Isolation Interview: Kai Cheng Thom
''Pushing for a world where we accept the risks of having a body'... That's where we need to go.''
May 1, 2020
A conversation with Kenny Hotz, a man at odds with his industry, his audience, and himself.
May 4, 2020
Isolation Interview: Martin Lukacs
"I think I may have had coronavirus"
May 5, 2020
Isolation Interview: Jaren Kerr
"I guess like a positive abnormal and unusual thing I did was propose to my girlfriend, which was pretty cool."
May 6, 2020
#261 Billionaire Welfare Slackers
When police searched journalists' offices in the Alberta legislature, we wondered how government reporters were faring in the age of COVID-19. And after securing millions from the federal government, Canada's big newspaper chains are finding new ways to ask for more money.
May 6, 2020
Isolation Interview: John Semley
"I fucking hate Zooming... and having to look at my own face."
May 8, 2020
#325 Should We Stop Naming Killers?
Prime Minister Trudeau said naming the Nova Scotia mass shooter was giving him "the gift of infamy"
May 11, 2020
Isolation Interview: Weyni Mengesha
''Hugs feel like they're going to be euphoric.''
May 12, 2020
Isolation Interview: Brooke Manning
''I never believe in going down without a fight'...I'm a triple fire sign.''
May 13, 2020
Bryan Adams pulls a Morrissey, an Indigenous ceremony is broken up by the RCMP, and Ghomeshi attempts another comeback.
May 13, 2020
Isolation Interview: Jesse Brown
"The wild oscillations of feeling are abnormal for me."
May 15, 2020
#326 While We Weren't Looking
In the face of a global pandemic, it's hard to focus on anything else.
May 17, 2020
Isolation Interview: Martha Wainwright
''In the silence you start to wonder'...how are we going to find each other again?''
May 19, 2020
Isolation Interview: Omar El Akkad
''The job of fiction is to intrude on reality and instead we're living in a situation where reality is intruding on the fictional.''
May 20, 2020
The incredibly controversial painting of Justin Trudeau, Fran§ois Legault's problem with anglophone media, and the story about Gaza that CBC disappeared.
May 21, 2020
Isolation Interview: Mumilaaq Qaqqaq
"After this pandemic, we can create a new normal that's better for everyone."
May 22, 2020
#327 A Crime Reporter Exposes The Child Welfare System
The child welfare system is failing Indigenous children, and APTN's Kenneth Jackson can't stop covering it.
May 24, 2020
Isolation Interview: Xanthe Vallentin
''I'm going to be very careful about how much I leave my property until there's a vaccine.''
May 26, 2020
Isolation Interview: Kaie Kellough
"I had a confrontation with someone in the line up for a grocery store... and that moment of slow honeyed ease was totally interrupted."
May 27, 2020
Torstar was just sold for $52 million, droves of people were chastised for going to the park, and Jesse opens himself up to some rare scrutiny.
May 28, 2020
Isolation Interview: The Right Honourable Kim Campbell
''My biggest fear is that not enough will change, and not enough lessons will be learned.''
May 29, 2020
#328 Should Big Tech Bail Out The News?
The pandemic could be an "extinction event" for American newspapers and so their publishers want their own government bailout. Meanwhile Canadian papers want money from Google and Facebook, too.
May 31, 2020
#296 Two Centuries of Blackface in Canada
"In the psyche of the white Canadian is this same desire to see Black people in positions of either service or as comedic foils"
June 7, 2020
#279 A Forgotten News Lab Predicted Journalism's Online Future in 1991
InfoLab imagined newspapers' transition from print to digital, creating multimedia digital news in the basement of The Hamilton Spectator back in the early '90s.
June 10, 2020
#329 The Tyrant's Spin Doctor
Lord Tim Bell worked for a rogues' gallery of international clients, and co-founded one of the most powerful PR companies in history.
June 15, 2020
Journalists across Canada are speaking out about their experiences with racism in the newsroom. And as Wendy Mesley is suspended from hosting duties, it's time to reevaluate the language used in news meetings.
June 17, 2020
#330 A CBC News Anchor On Systemic Racism At Work
Adrian Harewood is a news anchor at CBC Ottawa News and the host of weekly current affairs show, Our Ottawa.
June 22, 2020
Can you really be ''cancelled'' if you still have a platform? A look at Margaret Wente, Wendy Mesley, and the Mulroneys. And was the Nova Scotia shooter an RCMP informant?
June 25, 2020
#331 The RCMP Exists to Control Indigenous People
The history of policing back to John A. Macdonald, the killing of Dudley George at Ipperwash in 1995, and its impact on two Indigenous journalists
June 29, 2020
#267 Propaganda, Fascism And Murder: An Alternative History Of The Globe And Mail
The Globe and Mail is now 176 years old. You can read all about its accomplishments elsewhere. Writer Jamie Bradburn takes us through the paper's darker moments.
July 1, 2020
#332 WE Charity: Lawyers, Guns and Money
We really didn't expect to find ourselves writing about the WE organization again. But then it became part of the biggest politics story in the country, and we obtained a recording of a strange conversation between one of its founders and a person who was then a senior employee in the group's Kenyan operations.
July 6, 2020
#268 Harper's Is Still Lurking
The press seems to have given the Rideau Hall intruder the white glove treatment, and why on Earth did so many people sign that letter from Harper's Magazine?
July 8, 2020
#333 Could The WE Scandal Take Down Justin Trudeau?
It's a scandal that could'--but probably won't'--take down Justin Trudeau.
July 13, 2020
#269 We Do Some Accounting
We have some questions about WE's government contract and their internal accounting. And the story of how a Canadian media outlet suppressed assault allegations against Peter Nygard.
July 15, 2020
#334 A Dodgy Paternity Test And The War On The Reporter Who Exposed It
Peter Aldhous reported a decade ago that a Canadian lab's prenatal paternity test was ''unreliable."
July 19, 2020
#270 Mr. Brown Goes To Ottawa
Jesse testified before the House of Commons Finance Committee about Canadaland's reporting on the WE organization, and, while accusing a Black person of anti-Blackness, The Globe and Mail itself has been accused of anti-Blackness.
July 23, 2020
#335 Why It's Illegal to Protest In Alberta
A new law in Alberta is Jason Kenney's latest front in the oil war.
July 27, 2020
#271 Bottom Of The Barrel
The Kielburgers testified before the House of Commons finance committee, updates on the Nova Scotia shooting, and the plan for a Nazi colony in Cape Breton. 2020, am I right?
July 30, 2020
Last week's House Finance Committee hearings into the WE Charity scandal yielded few new insights into why the government awarded it a massive sole-source contract or how the organization itself operates. Thankfully, the press has continued to turn up information that MPs have not.
August 2, 2020
#313 Nardwuar: An Oral History
The history of Canada's weirdest and most prolific interviewer
August 5, 2020
#272 The Best New(ish) Podcast In Canada Is About The Opioid Crisis
Crackdown covers the war on drugs from the trenches, and these war correspondents are drug users.
August 10, 2020
#272 '' Anonymously Awesome!
The Prime Minister's Office leaks secret intel on how amazing it is. And Quebec's French print papers somehow continue to thrive. The Logic's Martin Patriquin co-hosts and explains Quebecor's secret ingredient.
August 13, 2020
This week marks a month since the start of a land occupation to block a residential development at the edge of Caledonia, Ontario '-- and the Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve.
August 16, 2020
#273 '' Anti-Rebel, Prorogue
Prime Minister Trudeau just needs a quick reset. And Postmedia stands in solidarity with Rebel News. Former CAJ President and Ryerson journalism professor Karyn Pugliese co-hosts.
August 20, 2020
#338 What The Hell Is The Epoch Times?
The Epoch Times' COVID-19 special edition raised controversy when it landed in mailboxes across Canada in April. The paper was accused of spreading misinformation and fomenting anti-Chinese racism.
August 23, 2020
What might Jesse and Erin O'Toole have in common? And newsrooms continue to struggle with what it means to respond to this summer's reckoning with racism. Chatelaine Executive Editor Denise Balkissoon co-hosts.
August 27, 2020
The Toronto Star's new internal ombud tells us what the job is, discusses power and race in the newsroom, and responds to that reply all email.
August 30, 2020
250
#275 Bring Me The Head Of John A. Macdonald!
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
September 2, 2020
Bonus AMA: Canadaland's Money
The collective Bellingcat uses open-source intelligence to investigate events around the world. Their training director Aric Toler tells Jesse how they work. Then, Kurt Phillips used what he found on social media and internet forums to unmask racist Canadian groups for more than a decade on his blog Anti-Racist Canada. He tells Jesse about the trends he's seen in the Canadian hate movement and how his own identity was made public last year.This episode is brought to you by Dispatch Coffee, Cullen's Foods, and Article. Additional music from Audio Network.I think you should be getting our newsletterGet a weekly note about our top stories.This is a good thing that we do. You'll like this.johnsmith@example.comSign UpForm is being submitted, please wait a bit.Please fill out all required fields.
September 6, 2020
#276 '' Scandalized Philanthropists and A Criminalized Journalist
Breaking news on WE. An Indigenous journalist is criminalized for doing his job. And mass panic appears to be on the newly minted curriculum. One Dish One Mic's Karl Dockstader co-hosts.
September 10, 2020
#340 Dethroning The Arts-Grant Elite
There's a broad undertaking to shake up who gets arts funding, and who governs it.
September 13, 2020
Erin O'Toole wants to protect children from a movie he has never seen. And former CBC journalist Terry Milewski resurfaces from retirement to insult an entire ethnicity - again. Former Executive Director of the World Sikh Organization Jaskaran Sandhu co-hosts.
September 17, 2020
#341 Food Will Find A Way
Restaurants have suffered huge losses during the pandemic.
September 20, 2020
Mi'kmaw fishermen earning a 'moderate livelihood' seems to be too much for Nova Scotia's settler lobster harvesters. And CBC leverages its credibility for its new corporate clients. APTN video journalist Trina Roache co-hosts.
September 24, 2020
#342 Corporate Psychopaths Still Run The World
The New Corporation: The Unfortunately Necessary Sequel calls corporate social responsibility's bluff.
September 27, 2020
#279 Did The New York Times Get Catfished?
RCMP charges a podcast star with not being a terrorist. And Edmonton radio host chooses the wrong put-down. Al Jazeera journalist and filmmaker Laila Alarian co-hosts.
October 1, 2020
Quebec's distinct culture reacts differently to global movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter.
October 4, 2020
#281 Trolling Jonathan Torrens
Jonathan Torrens talks about the CBC, what really happened on Trailer Park Boys, and about that one song you love to hate.
October 11, 2020
#344 WE Charity: In Desperation There Is Opportunity
A reporter was offered money to kill this story.
October 19, 2020
#345 Ali Velshi Says The U.S. Election Will Be Closer Than You Think
MSNBC host and journalist Ali Velshi has been traveling to U.S. swing states talking to voters in the lead-up to the presidential election.
October 25, 2020
Rebel News personality Keean Bexte is suing Canadaland for defamation.
November 1, 2020
#347 The Brayden Bushby Trial And Pity Porn
The CBC's Jody Porter discusses covering the trial, and what she's learned about telling other people's stories.
November 8, 2020
#348 Is Canada Ready To Give Land Back?
Karl Dockstader and Sean Vanderklis update us on the 1492 Land Back Lane occupation and explore why federal government inaction just makes things worse.
November 15, 2020
A conversation with the late National Post columnist and court reporter.
November 22, 2020
#349 #MeToo And The Iranian Diaspora
When artist Aydin Aghdashloo was accused of sexual misconduct, the Iranian-Canadian community's response was divided.
November 29, 2020
#350 Loblaws Will Eat Us All
The Westons might be Canada's Jeff Bezos, argues Vass Bednar, and not just because they're very rich.
December 6, 2020
#351 A Uyghur Family Separated By China-Canada Politics
A man imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay for years was released over a decade ago, after the U.S. decided he wasn't an ''enemy combatant'' after all.
December 14, 2020
#352 Drunk Uncle Holiday Argument Simulator
The holidays, as we know them, are cancelled.
December 20, 2020
COMMONS: The Police '' Dirty Tricks
A teenage boy and his friends start robbing banks in Toronto. A future Prime Minister is deported from Montreal. A Black Panther in Baltimore goes to prison for four decades.
December 27, 2020
Here's an episode of the podcast Crackdown, hosted by Garth Mullins.
December 30, 2020
The pandemic has widened the digital divide, leaving people from Iqaluit to rural Alberta and Ontario fuming at ISPs like Xplornet.
January 3, 2021
#354 This Virus Is Rampant Because We Abandoned Workers
With COVID-19 cases in Canada on the rise, what about the people who can't stay home?
January 10, 2021
#355 The Open Source Hunt For The Capitol Rioters
Many people who broke into the Capitol broadcast their crimes across social media. Twitter, Facebook and other platforms responded by deleting accounts, but other people rushed to preserve and organize all their posts from the assault on the Capitol, as well as photos and videos from journalists present.
January 18, 2021
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VIDEO-Tom Elliott on Twitter: "MSNBC's Heilemann (@Jheil): What ''was so striking to me about today [was] the sight of the Clintons and the Bushes and the Obamas '-- The Avengers, the Marvel superheroes back up there together all in one place.'' Adds th
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 03:09
Tom Elliott : MSNBC's Heilemann (@Jheil): What ''was so striking to me about today [was] the sight of the Clintons and the Bushes'... https://t.co/6QckaUHXq1
Wed Jan 20 23:04:05 +0000 2021
VIDEO-warren taggart on Twitter: "@adamcurry https://t.co/t7Uwoyycd2" / Twitter
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 03:00
warren taggart : @adamcurry https://t.co/t7Uwoyycd2
Thu Jan 21 01:47:01 +0000 2021
VIDEO-Hillary Clinton on Twitter: ".@SpeakerPelosi and I agree: Congress needs to establish an investigative body like the 9/11 Commission to determine Trump's ties to Putin so we can repair the damage to our national security and prevent a puppet from oc
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 17:14
Hillary Clinton : .@SpeakerPelosi and I agree:Congress needs to establish an investigative body like the 9/11 Commission to determi'... https://t.co/8jNIhg1Tbq
Mon Jan 18 22:38:26 +0000 2021
VIDEO-EU approves mealworms for dinner
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:32
54 rumbles
Rumble '-- Mealworms may soon find their way into Europe's pasta bowls and dinner dishes, after becoming the first insect approved in the region as a human food. Francesca Lynagh reports.
... and disable advertisements! No kidding :)
VIDEO-Reuters on Twitter: "A Dutch designer has created gender-neutral card decks https://t.co/DIENMDqtHf" / Twitter
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:10
Reuters : A Dutch designer has created gender-neutral card decks https://t.co/DIENMDqtHf
Tue Jan 19 18:50:00 +0000 2021
VIDEO-Trump says 'we will be back' in farewell address - YouTube
VIDEO-Doubling Up Masks Creates 'Obstacle Course' For COVID, Colorado Doctor Encourages You To Consider It '' CBS Denver
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 15:33
(CBS4) '' Health experts saying wearing a mask provides protection against COVID-19 both for the person wearing the mask and those around them. Now we're hearing wearing two masks may offer even more protection.
(credit: BARBARA GINDL/APA/AFP via Getty Images)
CBS4 Medical Editor Dr. Dave Hnida spoke about those reports in an interview on CBSN Denver.
''Specifically what we're saying is that two masks may actually equal the protection you would get from N-95 masks, which is considered the best mask there is short of a complete respirator-type unit,'' Hnida said.
He said wearing a surgical mask with a cloth mask over it does give an extra layer of protection.
''The reason for that is you do wind up getting more filtration of viral particles, it becomes more of an obstacle course for the viral particle to make its way from the air into your nose and throat and then into your lungs.''
But three masks may be going too far, since that could interfere with the ability to breathe.
He pointed out President-Elect Joe Biden has been ''double-masking'' for many months, as have coaches at football games in the NFL.
''Even in my own family, when we have outside contact '-- as limited as it may be '-- we double mask. So the question is, 'Is it effective?' The answer is, 'Yes' and it's something you may want to consider.''
Raetta Holdman Raetta Holdman is a veteran newscast producer, bringing you the stories of Colorado for more than 30 years. More from Raetta Holdman
VIDEO-Lin Wood Witness testimony - YouTube
VIDEO-Aaron Rupar on Twitter: ""he did incite an erection on the Capitol" https://t.co/aqlPsv79gA" / Twitter
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 06:33
Aaron Rupar : "he did incite an erection on the Capitol" https://t.co/aqlPsv79gA
Wed Jan 20 01:44:20 +0000 2021
VIDEO-Daily Caller on Twitter: "CNN's David Chalian says that the side lights on the National Mall's reflecting pool are like "extensions of Joe Biden's arms embracing America." https://t.co/G88C8UCN3C" / Twitter
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 01:18
Daily Caller : CNN's David Chalian says that the side lights on the National Mall's reflecting pool are like "extensions of Joe Bi'... https://t.co/E1zXLyE8An
Tue Jan 19 23:30:41 +0000 2021
ohio leprechaun : @DailyCaller That is as bad as a shiver going up Chris Matthew's Meg. I mean seriously.
Wed Jan 20 01:18:07 +0000 2021
Vonne Girl : @DailyCaller @AnnCoulter https://t.co/gECylEFYR7
Wed Jan 20 01:18:03 +0000 2021
john : @DailyCaller Give that idiot a pizza he can wrap around
Wed Jan 20 01:17:44 +0000 2021
Jerry Jones : @DailyCaller BS
Wed Jan 20 01:17:36 +0000 2021
Abstractjwl : @DailyCaller But the wall around the Capitol and 35000+ Troops with guns pointed at civilians tells us otherwise.
Wed Jan 20 01:17:31 +0000 2021
Jackie Hoverkamp : @DailyCaller Fu-Fu-Fuuunny
Wed Jan 20 01:17:18 +0000 2021
Rachel Cunningham : @DailyCaller ð¤®
Wed Jan 20 01:17:16 +0000 2021
War Machine : @DailyCaller Okay, that's just creepy......
Wed Jan 20 01:17:11 +0000 2021
Stephen A Kovacsiss ðºð¸ : @DailyCaller ð¤
Wed Jan 20 01:16:59 +0000 2021
NG : @DailyCaller @SirajAHashmi
Wed Jan 20 01:16:57 +0000 2021
Brett Wright : @DailyCaller https://t.co/NcASsMtmmy
Wed Jan 20 01:16:48 +0000 2021
VIDEO-Ex IMF Deputy: Bitcoin Can't go to 0, Larry Summers: Bitcoin Here To Stay, Janet Yellen Let's Print! - YouTube
VIDEO-Treasury Secretary Confirmation Hearing | C-SPAN.org
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 00:47
January 19, 2021 2021-01-19T10:13:09-05:00 https://images.c-span.org/Files/ada/20210119104009001_hd.jpg The Senate Finance Committee held a confirmation hearing for Janet Yellen to serve as treasury secretary. Dr. Yellen, who served as the former Federal Reserve chair during the Obama and Trump administrations, answered a variety of questions from senators on future federal coronavirus pandemic relief, raising taxes on businesses and individuals, increasing the minimum wage, and how to manage a rising debt and widening deficit.The Senate Finance Committee held a confirmation hearing for Janet Yellen to serve as treasury secretary. Dr. Yellen, who served as the'... read more
The Senate Finance Committee held a confirmation hearing for Janet Yellen to serve as treasury secretary. Dr. Yellen, who served as the former Federal Reserve chair during the Obama and Trump administrations, answered a variety of questions from senators on future federal coronavirus pandemic relief, raising taxes on businesses and individuals, increasing the minimum wage, and how to manage a rising debt and widening deficit. close
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People in this videoSherrod Brown U.S. Senator (Class 1) [D] Ohio Richard Burr U.S. Senator (Class 3) [R] North Carolina Maria Cantwell U.S. Senator (Class 1) [D] Washington Tom Carper U.S. Senator (Class 1) [D] Delaware Bob Casey Jr. U.S. Senator (Class 1) [D] Pennsylvania Bill Cassidy U.S. Senator (Class 2) [R] Louisiana John Cornyn U.S. Senator (Class 2) [R] Texas Mike Crapo U.S. Senator (Class 3) [R] Idaho Steve Daines U.S. Senator (Class 2) [R] Montana Dianne Feinstein U.S. Senator (Class 1) [D] California Chuck Grassley U.S. Senator (Class 3) [R] Iowa Maggie Hassan U.S. Senator [D] New Hampshire James Lankford U.S. Senator (Class 3) [R] Oklahoma Catherine Cortez Masto U.S. Senator (Class 3) [D] Nevada Bob Menendez U.S. Senator (Class 1) [D] New Jersey Robert J. Portman U.S. Senator (Class 3) [R] Ohio Ben Sasse U.S. Senator (Class 2) [R] Nebraska Tim Scott U.S. Senator (Class 3) [R] South Carolina John Thune U.S. Senator (Class 3) [R] South Dakota Patrick Toomey U.S. Senator (Class 3) [R] Pennsylvania Mark R. Warner U.S. Senator (Class 2) [D] Virginia Sheldon Whitehouse U.S. Senator (Class 1) [D] Rhode Island Ron Wyden U.S. Senator (Class 3) [D] Oregon Janet L. Yellen Secretary Nominee Department of the Treasury Todd Young U.S. Senator (Class 3) [R] Indiana Hosting OrganizationSenate Finance CommitteeSenate Finance Committee Related Video January 19, 2021 Defense Secretary Nominee Lloyd Austin Testifies at Confirmation HearingThe Senate Armed Services Committee held a confirmation hearing for Gen. Lloyd Austin (Ret.) to serve as Defense'...
January 19, 2021 Homeland Security Secretary Confirmation HearingThe Senate Homeland Security Committee held a nomination hearing for Alejandro Mayorkas to be homeland security'...
January 19, 2021 Director of National Intelligence Confirmation HearingAvril Haines, the Biden administration's nominee to be director of national intelligence, testified at a confirmation hearing before the'...
January 30, 2018 Financial Stability OversightTreasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin appeared before the Senate Banking Committee to outline the Financial Stability Oversight'...
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VIDEO-Don Winslow (@donwinslow): "NEW VIDEO #TrumpsNewArmy VOLUME UP On January 20th Donald Trump will no longer be The Commander in Chief. He will lose control of the U.S. Armed Forces and take control of a NEW ARMY." | nitter
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 00:14
I hope the new army eats there own...and quickly.
I dunno, Trump tends to lead people to their own self destruction, in this case I imagine he's going to release a "list" of people to be targeted for not being sufficiently adoring of him.
Trump got his own ISIS.
Yep. Donald Trump said he'd ''defeat ISIS the first week'' of his presidency. Instead he created his own ISIS with the help of the
@GOP WTF is this crap? He's going to have a hard time leading an army from jail.
Charles Manson did it; and you know how similar those two are to one another.
Where do I go to enlist? (In ours, not his!!!)
This is so dangerous
You are 1000% correct. May I make a suggestion. People should research and track down these
#GOPTraitorsToDemocracy in areas where they do NOT live so as to lessen the risk of physical harm.
It doesn't matter. This is a very dangerous thing to encourage.
VIDEO-A Farewell Message from First Lady Melania Trump | The White House
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 00:06
My fellow Americans,
It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as First Lady of the United States.
I have been inspired by incredible Americans across our country who lift up our communities through their kindness and courage, goodness and grace.
The past four years have been unforgettable. As Donald and I conclude our time in the White House, I think of all the people I have taken home in my heart and their incredible stories of love, patriotism, and determination.
I see the faces of brave young soldiers who have told me with pride in their eyes how much they love serving this country. To every service member and to our incredible military families: You are heroes, and you will always be in my thoughts and prayers.
I think of all the members of law enforcement who greet us wherever we go. At every hour of every day, they stand guard to keep our communities safe, and we are forever in their debt.
I have been moved by children I have visited in hospitals and foster care centers. Even as they fight difficult illnesses or face challenges, they bring such a joy to everyone they meet.
I remember the mothers who have battled the disease of Opioid addiction, and have overcome incredible hardships for love of their children.
I have been inspired by the devoted caregivers for babies born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, and communities that give these children the support and care they need to grow.
When I think about these meaningful experiences, I am humbled to have had the opportunity to represent a nation with such kind and generous people.
As the world continues to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, I thank all the nurses, doctors, healthcare professionals, manufacturing workers, truck drivers, and so many others who are working to save lives.
We grieve for the families who have lost a loved one due to the pandemic. Every life is precious, and I ask all Americans to use caution and common sense to protect the vulnerable as millions of vaccines are now being delivered.
In the midst of this hardship, we have seen the best of America shine through. Students have made cards and delivered groceries to our Senior Citizens. Teachers have worked twice as hard to keep our children learning.
Families have come together to provide meals, supplies, comfort and friendship to those in need.
Be passionate in everything you do but always remember that violence is never the answer and will never be justified.
When I came to the White House, I reflected on the responsibility I have always felt as a mother to encourage, give strength, and teach values of kindness. It is our duty as adults and parents to ensure that children have the best opportunities to lead fulfilling and healthy lives.
The passion for helping children succeed would drive my policy initiative as First Lady.
I launched Be Best to ensure that we as Americans are doing everything we can to take care of the next generation. Be Best has concentrated on three pillars: well-being, online safety, and opioid abuse.
In a few short years, I have raised awareness of how to keep children safe online; we have made incredible progress on our nation's drug epidemic and how it impacts the lives of newborns and families, and we have given a voice to our most vulnerable children in the foster care system.
Internationally, Be Best has evolved into a platform that encourages world leaders to discuss issues impacting the lives of children and allows them to share solutions. It has been an honor to represent the American people abroad. I treasure each of my experiences and the inspiring people I have met along the way.
As I say farewell to my role as First Lady, it is my sincere hope that every American will do their part to teach our children what it means to Be Best. I ask parents to educate your children about the courageous and selfless heroes who worked and sacrificed to make this country the land of the free. And to lead by example and care for others in your community.
The promise of this Nation belongs to all of us. Do not lose sight of your integrity and values. Use every opportunity to show consideration for another person and build good habits into your daily lives.
In all circumstances, I ask every American to be an ambassador of Be Best. To focus on what unites us. To rise above what divides us. To always choose love over hatred, peace over violence, and others before yourself.
Together, as one national family, we can continue to be the light of hope for future generations and carry on America's legacy of raising our nation to greater heights through our spirit of courage, goodness and faith.
No words can express the depth of my gratitude for the privilege of having served as your First Lady.
To all the people of this country: You will be in my heart forever.
Thank you. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.
VIDEO-Microsoft, Salesforce and Oracle working on Covid vaccination passport
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:08
Brendan McDermid | Reuters
LONDON '-- A digital Covid vaccination passport is being jointly developed by a group of health and technology companies who anticipate that governments, airlines and other firms will soon start asking people for proof that they have been inoculated.
A coalition known as the Vaccination Credential Initiative '-- which includes Microsoft, Salesforce and Oracle, as well as U.S. health care non-profit Mayo Clinic '-- was announced on Thursday.
The VCI said it wants to develop technology that enables individuals to obtain an encrypted digital copy of their immunization credentials that can be stored in a digital wallet of their choice, such as the Apple Wallet or Google Pay. It suggested that anyone without a smartphone could receive paper printed with QR codes containing verifiable credentials.
The coalition said it will also try to develop new standards for confirming whether a person has or hasn't been inoculated against the virus. Previously, citizens have used vaccination booklets to keep track of their travel vaccines but authorities rarely ask to see them.
"The goal of the Vaccination Credential Initiative is to empower individuals with digital access to their vaccination records," said Paul Meyer, CEO of non-profit The Commons Project, which is a member of the coalition, in a statement.
He added that the technology should allow people "to safely return to travel, work, school, and life, while protecting their data privacy."
Bill Patterson, an executive vice president and general manager at enterprise software firm Salesforce, said his company wants to help organizations "customize all aspects of the vaccination management lifecycle and integrate closely with other coalition members' offerings, which will help us all get back to public life."
"With a single platform to help deliver safe and continuous operations and deepen trust with customers and employees, this coalition will be crucial to support public health and wellbeing," Patterson added.
Microsoft did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.
Vaccine divides opinionWhile many people can't wait to protect themselves from the virus, some are adamant that they won't get the jab, leaving populations divided into those that have been vaccinated and those that haven't. In the U.K., one in five say they are unlikely to get the vaccine, according to YouGov research published in November, citing a variety of different reasons.
Millions of people around the world still don't want to be vaccinated, according to opinion polls. Some fear needles, some believe in unsubstantiated conspiracy theories and some are worried about potential side effects. Others just don't think getting vaccinated is necessary and would rather risk catching Covid.
As a result of the differing views, a debate could start to emerge in 2021. Should any restrictions be imposed on people who choose not to get vaccinated, given they can catch and spread the virus?
It's a tricky subject but governments are already looking at introducing systems that would enable authorities, and possibly businesses, to tell if a person has had a Covid vaccine or not.
In December it emerged that Los Angeles County plans to let Covid vaccine recipients store proof of immunization in the Apple Wallet on their iPhone, which can also store tickets and boarding passes in digital form. Officials say it will first be used to remind people to get their second shot of the vaccine but it could, eventually, be used to gain access to concert venues or airline flights.
China has launched a health code app that shows whether a person is symptom-free in order to check into a hotel or use the subway. In Chile, citizens that have recovered from the coronavirus have been issued with "virus free" certificates.
On Dec. 28, Spain's Health Minister Salvador Illa said the country will create a registry to show who has refused to be vaccinated and that the database could be shared across Europe.
Elsewhere, the CEO of Delta Air Lines, Ed Bastian, said in April that immunity passports could be used to help fliers feel more confident in their personal safety while traveling.
A spokesperson for Ryanair said "vaccination won't be a requirement when flying Ryanair" when CNBC asked if it would ever prevent non-vaccinated people from flying on its aircraft. British Airways, Qantas, and easyJet did not respond to CNBC's request for comment.
Isra Black, a lecturer in law at the University of York, and Lisa Forsberg, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Oxford who researches medical ethics, told CNBC that it "isn't easy to say whether it would be ethically permissible for a state to impose restrictions" on people who refuse a jab.
The academics said in a joint statement via email that the answer will depend on factors like vaccine supply, the level of vaccination in the population, the nature of the restrictions on vaccine refusers, and how the restrictions are operationalized.
"We might think that there are strong, albeit not necessarily decisive, reasons in favor of some limitation on regaining pre-pandemic freedoms for individuals who refuse vaccination for Covid-19, for example, on their freedom to gather," said Black and Forsberg. "There is the potential for unvaccinated individuals to contract a serious case of coronavirus, which we take would be bad for them, but could also negatively affect others, for example, if health resources have to be diverted away from non-Covid care."
VIDEO-'itcoin 'radyð§²ð on Twitter: "@CharlieEmma85 @adamcurry if you haven't seen" / Twitter
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 18:55
'itcoin 'radyð§²ð : @CharlieEmma85 @adamcurry if you haven't seen
Tue Jan 19 18:17:58 +0000 2021
VIDEO-National Guard to assist in 'Peaceful TRANSITION to MILITARY POWER'
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 17:08
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VIDEO-Zerlina on Peacock on Twitter: "The FBI vetted all D.C. National Guard troops over concerns of an insider attack on Inauguration Day '-- but @mccaffreyr3 says this is routine: "If I was worried about anybody, I'd be worried about gun-carrying Republ
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 14:28
Zerlina on Peacock : The FBI vetted all D.C. National Guard troops over concerns of an insider attack on Inauguration Day '-- but'... https://t.co/7wprxKZlwG
Mon Jan 18 23:19:17 +0000 2021
VIDEO-Lou Dobbs on Twitter: "Obamagate Uncovered:@JSolomonReports expects the declassified Obamagate documents to be released by tomorrow afternoon. #MAGA #AmericaFirst #Dobbs https://t.co/DPA7EazP37" / Twitter
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 14:22
Lou Dobbs : Obamagate Uncovered:@JSolomonReports expects the declassified Obamagate documents to be released by tomorrow aftern'... https://t.co/nvLVvuMKI1
Mon Jan 18 23:05:45 +0000 2021
Joe Martin Show : @LouDobbs @joej2020usa @jsolomonReports HE'S BACK, OBAMA ELECTED 3RD TERM JAN 20. YA'LL SHOULD'VE KNOWN OBAMA & HIS'... https://t.co/ixonenqNOD
Tue Jan 19 14:13:31 +0000 2021
VIDEO-Benny on Twitter: "On CNN this morning: "We have to turn down the capability of these Conservative influencers to reach these huge audiences." "There are people on YouTube for example that have a larger audience than daytime CNN" Then calls for @OAN
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 13:33
Benny : On CNN this morning:"We have to turn down the capability of these Conservative influencers to reach these huge au'... https://t.co/Coodalthtj
Sun Jan 17 17:56:19 +0000 2021
Charlene Songer : @bennyjohnson @ElijahSchaffer @OANN @newsmax look at them just nod their head... yes yes we must shut down opposiing ideas....
Tue Jan 19 13:22:44 +0000 2021
Connie Stephany : @bennyjohnson @OANN @newsmax CNN is the superspreader of false information, propaganda and lies. Look at their his'... https://t.co/2dazAevtNd
Tue Jan 19 09:33:44 +0000 2021
Connie Stephany : @bennyjohnson @OANN @newsmax This is insane. Censorship being pushed by left is madness. Communism, here we come'... https://t.co/hANIjIfkim
Tue Jan 19 09:30:08 +0000 2021
JEG4 : @bennyjohnson @OANN @newsmax ððð CNN pumps fake news all the time. They pushed the Russia hoax and questioned the i'... https://t.co/rsuxjnrPoa
Tue Jan 19 08:34:07 +0000 2021
VIDEO-Doubling Up Masks Creates 'Obstacle Course' For COVID, Doctor Encourages You To Consider It '' CBS Detroit
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 12:39
January 19, 2021 at 5:22 pmDENER (CBS4) '' Health experts saying wearing a mask provides protection against COVID-19 both for the person wearing the mask and those around them. Now we're hearing wearing two masks may offer even more protection.
(credit: BARBARA GINDL/APA/AFP via Getty Images)
Dr. Dave Hnida, Medical Editor at KCNC-TV in Denver, spoke about those reports in an interview on CBSN Denver. ''Specifically what we're saying is that two masks may actually equal the protection you would get from N-95 masks, which is considered the best mask there is short of a complete respirator-type unit,'' Hnida said.
He says wearing a surgical mask with a cloth mask over it does give an extra layer of protection. ''The reason for that is you do wind up getting more filtration of viral particles, it becomes more of an obstacle course for the viral particle to make its way from the air into your nose and throat and then into your lungs.''
But three masks may be going too far, since that could interfere with the ability to breathe.
Hnida points out that President-Elect Joe Biden has been ''double-masking'' for many months, as have coaches at football games in the NFL. ''Even in my own family, when we have outside contact '-- as limited as it may be '-- we double mask,'' he says. ''So the question is, 'Is it effective?' The answer is, 'Yes' and it's something you may want to consider.''
STORIES
Get A Free Bag Of Marijuana With Your Covid-19 Vaccine
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:53
More From Forbes Why Investors Are Bullish About Psychedelics","scope":{"topStory":{"title":"Why Investors Are Bullish About Psychedelics","uri":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/irisdorbian/2021/01/21/why-investors-are-bullish-about-psychedelics/","date":{"monthDayYear":"Jan 21, 2021","hourMinute":"08:04","amPm":"am","isEDT":false},"index":1}},"id":"nr41pj0gfe280"},{"textContent":"
Jan 19, 2021, 05:23pm EST
Trump Commutes Sentence Of Death Row Records Co-Founder Michael 'Harry-O' Harris Thanks To Snoop Dogg","scope":{"topStory":{"title":"Trump Commutes Sentence Of Death Row Records Co-Founder Michael 'Harry-O' Harris Thanks To Snoop Dogg","uri":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelinebryant/2021/01/19/trump-pardons-several-incarcerated-on-drug-offenses/","date":{"monthDayYear":"Jan 19, 2021","hourMinute":"05:23","amPm":"pm","isEDT":false},"index":2}},"id":"4nme8negjkoo00"},{"textContent":"
Jan 18, 2021, 07:00am EST
At Last, Mexico Publishes Medical Cannabis Regulations","scope":{"topStory":{"title":"At Last, Mexico Publishes Medical Cannabis Regulations","uri":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthoban/2021/01/18/mexico-legalizes-medical-cannabis/","date":{"monthDayYear":"Jan 18, 2021","hourMinute":"07:00","amPm":"am","isEDT":false},"index":3}},"id":"dl3p2mnqebrc00"},{"textContent":"
Jan 18, 2021, 07:00am EST
BetterLife Pharma Is Developing Second Generation Psychedelics: Drugs That Leave Out The Trip","scope":{"topStory":{"title":"BetterLife Pharma Is Developing Second Generation Psychedelics: Drugs That Leave Out The Trip","uri":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/amandasiebert/2021/01/18/betterlife-pharma-is-developing-second-generation-psychedelics-drugs-that-leave-out-the-trip/","date":{"monthDayYear":"Jan 18, 2021","hourMinute":"07:00","amPm":"am","isEDT":false},"index":4}},"id":"chpcgg8e08k000"},{"textContent":"
Jan 18, 2021, 12:42am EST
NFL Playoffs 2021 Championship Odds, Matchups, Big Bets And How To Watch The Title Games","scope":{"topStory":{"title":"NFL Playoffs 2021 Championship Odds, Matchups, Big Bets And How To Watch The Title Games","uri":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/jayginsbach/2021/01/18/nfl-playoffs-2021-championship-odds-matchups-big-bets-and-how-to-watch-the-title-games/","date":{"monthDayYear":"Jan 18, 2021","hourMinute":"12:42","amPm":"am","isEDT":false},"index":5}},"id":"dap7djr6ekp400"},{"textContent":"
Jan 17, 2021, 08:00am EST
Federal Regulatory Agencies Crackdown On CBD Marketing Claims","scope":{"topStory":{"title":"Federal Regulatory Agencies Crackdown On CBD Marketing Claims","uri":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthoban/2021/01/17/federal-regulatory-agencies-crackdown-on-cbd-marketing-claims/","date":{"monthDayYear":"Jan 17, 2021","hourMinute":"08:00","amPm":"am","isEDT":false},"index":6}},"id":"7ir1bmd37dp400"},{"textContent":"
Jan 16, 2021, 03:27am EST
NFL Playoffs Divisional Odds, Bets, Props And Weather Watch In Green Bay And Buffalo","scope":{"topStory":{"title":"NFL Playoffs Divisional Odds, Bets, Props And Weather Watch In Green Bay And Buffalo","uri":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/jayginsbach/2021/01/16/nfl-playoffs-divisional-odds-bets-props-and-weather-watch-in-green-bay-and-buffalo/","date":{"monthDayYear":"Jan 16, 2021","hourMinute":"03:27","amPm":"am","isEDT":false},"index":7}},"id":"blglq3pb05bc00"},{"textContent":"
Jan 15, 2021, 04:00pm EST
Florida Lawmaker Introducing Psilocybin Mushroom Legalization","scope":{"topStory":{"title":"Florida Lawmaker Introducing Psilocybin Mushroom Legalization","uri":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/chrisroberts/2021/01/15/exclusive-legal-mushrooms-on-the-east-coast-florida-lawmaker-introducing-psilocybin-legalization/","date":{"monthDayYear":"Jan 15, 2021","hourMinute":"04:00","amPm":"pm","isEDT":false},"index":8}},"id":"9n5npd37ad8000"},{"textContent":"
Jan 15, 2021, 03:44pm EST
Thanks To Former Flyweight Ian McCall, The UFC Is Considering Studying Psychedelic Therapy","scope":{"topStory":{"title":"Thanks To Former Flyweight Ian McCall, The UFC Is Considering Studying Psychedelic Therapy","uri":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/amandasiebert/2021/01/15/thanks-to-former-flyweight-ian-mccall-the-ufc-is-considering-psychedelic-therapy/","date":{"monthDayYear":"Jan 15, 2021","hourMinute":"03:44","amPm":"pm","isEDT":false},"index":9}},"id":"27ae36olb2l800"},{"textContent":"
Jan 14, 2021, 03:18pm EST
Cresco Labs Expands Into Florida With Bluma Acquisition","scope":{"topStory":{"title":"Cresco Labs Expands Into Florida With Bluma Acquisition","uri":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/irisdorbian/2021/01/14/cresco-labs-expands-into-florida-with-bluma-acquisition/","date":{"monthDayYear":"Jan 14, 2021","hourMinute":"03:18","amPm":"pm","isEDT":false},"index":10}},"id":"7l3bbprkmg9c00"}],"breakpoints":[{"breakpoint":"@media all and (max-width: 767px)","config":{"enabled":false}},{"breakpoint":"@media all and (max-width: 768px)","config":{"inView":2,"slidesToScroll":1}},{"breakpoint":"@media all and (min-width: 1681px)","config":{"inView":6}}]};
This app helps people manage money using personality tests
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 12:46
A start-up app which helps people manage their money according to their personality has raised £300,000.
London-based Quirk uses unique personality testing to deliver tailored financial advice to young professionals .
The pre-seed funding comes from SFC Capital and angel investors and will be use d to grow its team and expand its product offering.
The tests are based on accepted psychological principles . F or instance, Quirk has identified that men are three times more likely than women to enjoy buying expensive products to impress others, and that people who score high in neuroticism/emotionality tend to make more money but will also save less.
With support from expert psychologists, Quirk says it uses the latest behavioural research to deliver a personalised product experience with educational content and insights about users' spending habits.
It also gives use r s access to data about their money by connecting their bank accounts , tracking subscriptions and setting up ' spending goals '.
More than 10,000 people have taken Quirk's ''money personality test'' since launch in April last year.
Quirk currently has more than 1,000 beta users using the app, with a further 5,000 people on the waiting list.
Both iOS and Android versions are available for beta testers through the Quirk website, and the apps will launch publicly on app stores in March 2021.
Co-founders Nafeesa Jafferjee and Nikos Melachrinos
''There is no 'one size fits all' answer when it comes to managing your finances,'' said Nafeesa Jafferjee , chief of product.
''What should I do with my savings? What's the difference between good debt and bad?
''A lot of young people we talked to felt there was a lot of information out there, but it lacked context on their financial situation and advice on what tangible actions they should take.''
Ed Stevenson, i nvestment e xecutive at SFC Capital, said: ''Financial planning has become more important than ever, with the cost of living and asset prices skyrocketing.
'' We were impressed by the Quirk team's ability to design a product that would appeal to Millennials and Gen Z, and ultimately help put them on a path to financial independence.
'' Users gain control over their personal finances in a simple, fun and engaging way, all the way from their first pound in the bank through to retirement and beyond.''
New California Variant May Be Driving Virus Surge There, Study Suggests - The New York Times
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 12:42
Researchers found that the variant originated in California and showed up in more than half of samples tested last week by researchers in Los Angeles.
A mostly empty recreational park in the Panorama City section of Los Angeles last month. Credit... Richard Vogel/Associated Press In late December, scientists in California began searching coronavirus samples for a fast-spreading new variant that had just been identified in Britain.
They found it, though in relatively few samples. But in the process, the scientists made another unwelcome discovery: California had produced a variant of its own.
That mutant, which belongs to a lineage known as CAL.20C, seemed to have popped up in July but lay low till November. Then it began to quickly spread.
CAL.20C accounted for more than half of the virus genome samples collected in Los Angeles laboratories on Jan. 13, according to a new study that has not yet been published.
''We had our own problem that didn't cross over from Europe,'' said Jasmine Plummer, a research scientist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, who worked on the new study. ''It really originated here, and it had the chance to start to emerge and surge over the holiday.''
There's no evidence that CAL.20C is more lethal than other variants. And scientists have to conduct more research to determine whether CAL.20C is in fact more contagious than other forms of the virus.
But Eric Vail, the director of molecular pathology at Cedars-Sinai, said it was possible that CAL.20C is playing a large part in the surge of cases that has overwhelmed Southern California's hospitals. ''I'm decently confident that this is a more infectious strain of the virus,'' Dr. Vail said.
Dr. Charles Chiu, a virologist at the University of California, San Francisco, said that across the state, he and his colleagues are finding the variant in roughly 20 percent to 30 percent of samples being sequenced. ''It just popped up under our noses, and now it's rising in multiple counties,'' he said. ''On the whole, it's safe to say it's going to spread outside of California.''
Researchers are also looking in other states for CAL.20C, Dr. Plummer said, and have so far found it in Arizona, Connecticut, Maryland, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, as well as the District of Columbia. It's not clear yet how common it is outside of California.
Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out a formal warning about the variant swamping Britain. Although that mutant, called B.1.1.7, is still relatively rare in the United States, accounting for less than one-half percent of infections, the agency said it could be responsible for the majority of the nation's cases by March.
An agency spokesman said that the C.D.C. is working with California to learn more about the new variant. ''Currently, it's not known whether this variant is any different from other SARS-CoV-2 viruses, whether those differences may have contributed to its emergence, or whether this emergence was merely a random event,'' he said.
''I'll say this particular variant is one to watch,'' said Kristian Andersen, a virologist at Scripps Research Institute who discovered one of the first samples of B.1.1.7 in the United States. But he cautioned that it's still unclear whether CAL.20C is getting more common because it has some biological advantage, or just by chance.
If both B.1.1.7 and CAL.20C are both more contagious than other variants, it's not clear how a competition between the two of them will sort out. ''CAL.20C has a big head start,'' Dr. Vail said. ''Even if B.1.1.7 is more infective overall, we may never see a big surge from it here in L.A.''
Image Covid-19 testing at Lincoln Park in Los Angeles. Credit... Philip Cheung for The New York Times Ever since scientists first identified the new coronavirus a year ago in China, they've been tracking the emergence of new mutations, which arise at random and get passed down to new generations of viruses as they replicate in our bodies.
Many mutations are harmful to the virus and make it worse at replicating. Many others are neutral. But researchers have now discovered several that are worrisome because they seem to help the virus infect people more efficiently.
In the early months of the pandemic, a mutation arose in a lineage that then became dominant across much of the world. Known as D614G, the mutation is now believed to make the virus more easily transmitted from person to person, compared with variants without it.
In December, researchers in Britain found B.1.1.7, which is about 50 percent more transmissible than previous versions of the virus. The variant is a driving factor in the surge of cases and hospitalizations there now.
B.1.1.7 was in the United States in early November, according to a study posted online Tuesday by University of Arizona biologists Brendan Larsen and Michael Worobey. That would mean the variant had been circulating for two months before being detected.
In California, researchers looking for B.1.1.7 began noticing an unusual mutation in their samples. The mutation, called L452R, alters the shape of a protein, called spike, which decorates the surface of the coronavirus.
''We stumbled on this really unexpected finding and went with it from there,'' Dr. Vail said.
The mutation has popped up in different viral lineages over the past year. Scientists have studied L452R because it might help coronaviruses stick to our cells and infect them.
In California, Dr. Vail, Dr. Plummer and their colleagues found that whenever they came across a variant with the L452 mutation, it also carried four other distinctive mutations. That combination, they said, indicated that they were dealing with a single lineage that had emerged at some point in California. The researchers named any virus carrying all five mutations CAL.20C.
The California Department of Health held a news conference Sunday night to announce that the L452 mutation was becoming more common in California. On Monday night, Cedars-Sinai issued a news release about its study, which will soon be posted on the preprint website MedRxiv.
The Cedars-Sinai team is part of a statewide network of researchers who have been tracking mutations in the coronavirus. They randomly selected nasal swabs from patients who tested positive for the coronavirus, and then collected genetic material from the swabs.
The researchers pieced the fragments together to reconstruct the virus's entire genome, and then looked for distinctive mutations. They then compared their own findings to other viral genomes sequenced across the state and country.
The researchers found the earliest sample of CAL.20C in July in Los Angeles. They couldn't find another sample until October. The variant became more common in November, reaching 36 percent of the samples from Cedars-Sinai in December and 50 percent last week.
Image An overflow tent hospital was set up behind the Union Rescue Mission shelter on Skid Row in Los Angeles. Credit... Alex Welsh for The New York Times Outside scientists are concerned about the new findings, but say it's still unclear whether the California variant's mutations are giving it an edge '-- or whether it's showing up so much just by chance.
There might be a bias in the samples that scientists are looking at, for example. It's also possible that CAL.20C happened to become more common thanks to some big super-spreader events.
''I think we need to be careful before concluding that any particular lineage is spreading due to a transmission advantage rather than because it happened to ride a wave caused by human behaviors,'' said Dr. Worobey.
If it does turn out to be more contagious, Dr. Plummer said, then CAL.20C may turn out to be partly responsible for the recent crippling surge of cases in Southern California's hospitals.
As the total number of cases increased, Dr. Plummer and her colleague found, the percentage of CAL.20C also went up. That would be consistent with the idea that this is a more contagious variant. ''I mean, the numbers speak for themselves,'' she said.
Dr. Chiu also noted that the variant was involved in a number of outbreaks where large numbers of people got infected. ''There are worrisome signs that this variant may be highly transmissible,'' he said.
Dr. Chiu and his colleagues are now growing the variant in cells to see how quickly they multiply compared with other variants. The researchers are also going to observe how well antibodies produced by vaccines work against CAL.20C.
Other scientists are also looking more closely at the rise in frequency of the variant in California. They're searching for evidence that could determine whether biology or chance is to blame for its rise.
''That's the work that needs to be done,'' said Dr. Vail. ''We just don't have that information.''
TRUMP ODE TO THE CORPORATION! '' THE MARSHALL REPORT
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 12:28
D.C. is fenced off and the President is never going back to the White House. But not for reasons you may be thinking.
Fear not, there will be a new capitol built and an end to income taxes paid to the tax collectors of the Corporation that is now in the hands of a new administration. They went to all the trouble to steal a corporation whose assetts are in the process of being seized. Most did not see this coming for they did not even know their nation was a Corporation. But, it is indeed but now, no more are the states subject to it. Please read on to understand the nature of the battle we are in.
Meet the thieves in the light of day. So proudly they claim what is not theirs to take'...or is it?In 1871 a sedious act was performed by the Government. A coup was made to rewrite the constitution and put WE THE PEOPLE in all capitals, under a new corporate contract transferring the United States of America into the new Corporation of the United States of America which transferred the power of We The People and the constitution over to the new corporation. When they did that, it placed the citizens in the United States as property of the Corporation which was centered in Washington D.C.. This action made Washington D.C. a FOREIGN ENTITY on American soil of sovereign states. It was established through a loan from the Vatican when D.C. was transferred into a city-state, and this corporate entity then ruled over the people. Citizens rights were taken from them in this process. No one realized this.
When they did the broker deal to get the loan from the Vatican, they did so via the Bank of London. At that time, they transferred all the property in D.C. Columbia over to the Corporate entity of D.C. a foreign corporation. (See BACK STORY below in this article).
The forming of this corporation in D.C. is of major importance to understand, for when President Trump signed an executive order in 2018 on Election Interference/Fraud for entities both foreign and domestic, it outlined how assetts would be seized. The President and the people knew and had the proof that a coup transpired out of the Corporation of the United States of America along with other foreign nations and was ignored by the Corporation in D.C.. They continued with their illegal steal, and the military is now in the process of seizing the assets of this foreign country known as THE CORPORATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. It appears that President Trump's executive order was actually directed at the Washington D.C. corporate swamp/cabal all along. D.C. is now walled in and filled with military guard.
President Donald J. Trump has moved out permanently for he cannot be president over a Sovereign Nation in a Foreign land, which is what the White House and Capitol are. President Trump was voted in by We The People. Not the Corporation.
After Donald J. Trump exits the White House, D.C. will be locked down because it will not be possible for a foreign ruler to rule over a sovereign country, therefore, the foreign ruler must be locked out. In this case, that would be this new administration.
Now you see what is meant by Lin Wood's shouts that we are in the second revolution.
We are literally watching the reclaiming of the United States of America. What this means for We The People is many things. One of them is no more IRS. Watch and see how this plays out. It is a genius move. God is in charge of this nation and is now leading his elect to restore this great nation called by his name.
BACK STORY:
The City of London (that is the square mile within Greater London) is not technically part of Greater London or England, just as Vatican City is not part of Rome or Italy. Likewise, Washington DC is not part of the United States that it controls. These three entities have one goal and that is to do away with the old world order of sovereign nations and usher in a new global world order under one government rule under the iron fist of the cabal.
These sovereign, corporate entities have their own laws and their own identities.They also have their own flags. Seen below is the flag of Washington DC. Note the three stars, representing the trinity of these three city-states, also known as the Empire of the City. (There is also high esoteric significance to the number 3.)
The government of the United States, Canada and Britain are all subsidiaries of the crown, as is the Federal Reserve in the U.S.. The ruling Monarch in England is also subordinate to the Crown. The global financial and legal system is controlled from the City of London by the Crown.
The square mile making up the center of Greater London is the global seat of power, at least at the visible level.
Washington DC was established as a city-state in 1871 with the passage of the Act of 1871, which officially established the United States as a corporation under the rule of Washington, which itself is subservient to the City of London.
Corporations are run by presidents, which is why we call the person perceived to hold the highest seat of power in the land ''the president.''
The fact is the president is nothing more than a figurehead for the central bankers and transnational corporations (both of which themselves are controlled by High Ecclesiastic Freemasonry) that really control this country and ultimately call the shots.
Washington DC operates under a system of Roman Law and outside of the limitations established by the U.S. Constitution.The Unholy Trinity of Globalist Control: The Vatican, The City of London & Washington D.C. '' (awakeandaware.ca)
Washington D.C. Flag
Vatican Flag
The Papal States are the territories on the East Coast of the former United States under the sovereign direct rule of the pope, from the fall of the United States around the turn of the twentieth century to the present. The Papal States are one of the regional powers of the Chesapeake Bay, controlling the city of Washington, as well as much of the surrounding area. Several towns, baronies, and other holdings outside Washington are also held by the pope, creating an intricate network of holdings which pay tribute directly to the pope.
The Papal States were born out of the former United States, viewed by the modern world as an ancient empire and continent spawning government. Following a violent coup in Washington, the Papal States were established by Chester Hale Fitzgerald, built on the beliefs of a new religion, which would later become Unionism. The Pope claims however that his power originates from the American Empire, which supposedly granted the first pope complete power over the empire via the Donation of Lincoln, a forged American imperial decree. The document has since been used in support of claims of political authority by the papacy. Know your history'...read more here: https://althistory.fandom.com/wiki/Papal_States_(Days_After_Chaos)
Flag of the City of London
So how are these three cities ultimately connected? We must first go back to the Knights Templar and their initial 200-year reign of power. You see this in the flag of the City of London. Read about the flags of all Foreign entities here: https://awakeandaware.ca/the-unholy-trinity-of-globalist-control-the-vatican-the-city-of-london-washington-d-c/
In Conclusion: The Corporation called Washington D.C. is now a foreign entity on American soil of sovereign states. It was established through a loan from the Vatican when D.C. was transferred into a city state and this corporate entity. It is now under seige for interferring with the elections of We The People of the United States along with the Vatican and the other foreign nations who interfered, such as Germany, Italy, China, et al. They are now an enemy of the state and their assets shall be seized. Our miltary has already been taking down the giant as we have witnessed while all eyes were set on the voter fraud.
The word is in a shake down'....
Italian Government has resigned: https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/world/europe/2021-01-13-italys-government-in-crisis-after-matteo-renzis-party-quits/
Poland Government has resigned: https://www.dw.com/en/poland-jacek-czaputowicz-resignation/a-54633895
Russian Government resigned except Putin: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51120166
300 Italian politicians and police charged along with Italian mafia: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/19/italian-politicians-and-police-among-300-held-in-historic-mafia-bust
The entire Kuwait Government has resigned: https://news.yahoo.com/kuwaits-government-quits-deepening-political-161447092.html
Dutch government of the Netherlands resigns: https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/15/europe/netherlands-government-resigns-scandal-intl/index.html
German Chancellor Angela Merkel steps down: https://www.wionews.com/world/end-of-an-era-german-chancellor-angela-merkel-prepares-to-step-down-after-15-years-357816
Malaysian Government steps down: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51716474
Baron Benjamin de Rothschild died at 57: https://heavy.com/news/baron-benjamin-de-rothschild-dead-billionaire-dies-suddenly-of-heart-attack/
Estonian Prime ministers fired: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/nation-world/story/2021-01-13/estonias-pm-resigns-over-corruption-scandal-in-his-party
Obamagate documents declassed '' fully loaded with incriminating facts: https://www.publishedreporter.com/2021/01/14/solomon-president-has-delivered-in-a-big-way-with-declassification-major-obamagate-documents-may-be-released-as-early-as-friday/
25,000+ National Guard and Military in DC and 10 state capitols guarded and locked down: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/inside-25000-national-guardsmen-arriving-washington-dc/story?id=75299202
Washington DC in lockdown and panic: https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/joe-biden-inauguration-washington-dc-lockdown/
Who is this attending the inauguration at the Corporation of the United States of No States?And look at Gaga inside the Apotheosis (raising to the ranks of a God) Capitol Dome. Do you really believe the founding fathers would have authorized the Greek and Roman gods to be painted on the dome of the rotunda? Do you believe they would have Artemis's goddess of freedom on its' dome? Do you think George Washington would have wanted a statue of him posing as Baphomet in the capitol dome raising him to the ranks of a god? ALL ANSWERS ARE NO!The entire corporate capitol grounds have been laid out by secret societies in the shape of a pentagram that honors the god they follow, that of Baal sacrifices of children. Sad, but so very true. All that is hidden shall be revealed.
THE DUTY TO SECURE AMERICA FIRST NEVER ENDS POMPEO
So be patient and remember what Trump has said, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!
And for those who think this is a bunch of bull crap, to you I quote the famous line from the epic film, Gone With The Wind'..... ''Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!''
Why don't the naysayers google antifa.com'.....and see the corporations new website! It takes you to it.
May God speed be with each one of you as this storm blows through, and may each be kept safe in Father God's mighty hands as he performs his work, a marvelous work!
Dianne Marshall
Amazon offers Biden help with Covid-19 vaccine distribution
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 12:06
Amazon has extended an offer to President Joe Biden to assist with the national distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, a move that could expedite the federal effort to combat the pandemic.
Dave Clark, the CEO of Amazon's consumer business, and one of the company's highest-ranking executives, sent a letter to the president shortly after the inauguration Wednesday.
"As you begin your work leading the country out of the COVID-19 crisis, Amazon stands ready to assist you in reaching your goal of vaccinating 100 million Americans in the first 100 days of your administration," he wrote in his letter, a copy of which was obtained by NBC News.
"We are prepared to leverage our operations, IT, & communications capabilities and expertise to assist your administration's vaccination efforts," Clark wrote. "Our scale allows us to make a meaningful impact immediately in the fight against COVID-19, and we stand ready to assist you in this effort."
He said the company had agreements in place with licensed third-party health care providers to administer vaccines on-site at Amazon facilities.
"We are prepared to move quickly once vaccines are available," he wrote.
Amazon representative Jodi Seth said the company had been ''in touch'' last month with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Trump administration's Department of Health and Human Services. But she gave no indication that Amazon had extended a similar offer directly to President Donald Trump.
Clark had also asked the CDC last month that employees working at Amazon fulfillment centers, Amazon Web Services data centers and Whole Foods Market stores "who cannot work from home" receive the vaccine "at the earliest appropriate time." He made the same request that Amazon's workers be vaccinated to the Biden administration.
Dylan Byers Dylan Byers is a senior media reporter for NBC News based in Los Angeles.
Why did Amazon wait until Biden's inauguration to offer help with vaccine distribution? | Fox News
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 06:12
Published January 20, 2021
The United States has had a sluggish vaccine rolloutShortly after President Joe Biden was sworn into office Wednesday, Amazon congratulated him on his inauguration and offered their extensive resources to help the new administration in its vaccination effort.
"As you begin your work leading the country out of the COVID-19 crisis, Amazon stands ready to assist you in reaching your goal of vaccinating 100 million Americans in the first 100 days of your administration," Dave Clark, CEO of Amazon's worldwide consumer business, wrote in a letter to Biden Wednesday.
"We are prepared to leverage our operations, information technology and communications capabilities and expertise to assist your administration's vaccination efforts," Clark continued. "Our scale allows us to make a meaningful impact immediately in the fight against Covid-19, and we stand ready to assist you in this effort."
STATES REPORT COVID-19 VACCINE SHORTAGES AND CANCEL APPOINTMENTS
Amazon's offer was welcomed by many following a sluggish rollout of the recently approved Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
An Amazon spokesperson declined to provide an on the record explanation for why the company did not offer their assistance to the Trump administration.
Amazon did tell Fox News that the company has been in contact with U.S. government officials over the last nine months about the response to COVID-19. An Amazon spokesperson also pointed to a letter that Clark sent to a CDC advisory board on Dec. 16 about vaccine distribution.
"We request that [Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices] continue to prioritize these essential workers who cannot work from home, like those working at Amazon fulfillment centers, AWS data centers and Whole Foods Market stores, to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at the earliest appropriate time," Clark wrote to ACIP Chairman Dr. Jose R. Romero.
COVID-19 VACCINATIONS DELAYED IN MICHIGAN AS NEARLY 12,000 MODERNA DOSES BOTCHED DURING TRANSPORT
Clark's December letter did not contain any offer of assistance in distributing vaccines.
On Wednesday, Clark offered Amazon's "operations, information technology and communications capabilities and expertise" to help distribute the vaccine.
Clark also reiterated Wednesday that the "essential employees working at Amazon fulfillment centers, AWS data centers, and Whole Foods Market stores across the country who cannot work from home should receive the COVID-19 vaccine at the earliest appropriate time."
CORONAVIRUS IN THE US: STATE-BY-STATE BREAKDOWN
On Dec. 11, the FDA issued the first emergency use authorization of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine. Moderna's vaccine was approved on Dec. 18th.
More than a month after both vaccines started being distributed, only 16,525,281 Americans have received the first dose, according to the CDC. 35,990,150 doses have been distributed so far.
Blame for the messy rollout has shifted over time. The Trump administration was heavily involved in the vaccine development process through Operation Warp Speed, but left it up to states to distribute the vaccine themselves.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
"It is up to the States to distribute the vaccines once brought to the designated areas by the Federal Government," former President Trump tweeted in late December. "We have not only developed the vaccines, including putting up money to move the process along quickly, but gotten them to the states."
President Joe Biden has promised to ramp up the federal government's involvement in the vaccination process, saying that he'll invoke the Defense Production Act to increase the supply of vaccines, while using the National Guard and Federal Emergency Management Agency to distribute them.
PODBEAN-Twitter and YouTube Banned Steve Bannon. Apple Still Gives Him Millions of Listeners.
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 06:11
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Late at night on Jan. 5, the day before President Donald Trump was scheduled to deliver a defiant speech before thousands of his most dedicated supporters, his former adviser Steve Bannon was podcasting from his studio near Capitol Hill. He had been on the air several times a day for weeks, hyping the narrative that this was the moment that patriots could stand up and pull out a Trump win.
''It's all converging, and now we're on the point of attack tomorrow. It's going to kick off, it's going to be very dramatic,'' Bannon said in his fluent patter, on a day that would see four of his ''War Room'' shows posted online, up from his usual two or three. ''It's going to be quite extraordinarily different. And all I can say is strap in. You have made this happen and tomorrow it's game day.''
The next morning Bannon was back. ''We're right on the cusp of victory,'' Bannon said, as protesters massed at the Ellipse to hear from Trump.
''This is not a day for fantasy, this is a day for maniacal focus. Focus, focus, focus,'' Bannon went on. ''It's them against us. Who can impose their will on the other side.''
To the protesters massing in Washington, Bannon's message was clear: They could force the outcome by pressuring Vice President Mike Pence and Congress not to certify the electoral vote.
Ultimately, the day resulted in a bloody brawl that took the lives of both police and protesters, in a security breach unlike any America has seen in decades. It was planned in explicit detail across websites that were taken offline, like Parler, or censored, as Twitter did with thousands of QAnon-affiliated accounts and even the president's.
Never miss the most important reporting from ProPublica's newsroom. Subscribe to the Big Story newsletter.But Bannon, who himself was banned from YouTube and Twitter after saying in November that Dr. Anthony Fauci and FBI Director Christopher Wray should be beheaded, continues to reach an enormous audience via Apple's podcast app, which is installed by default on every iPhone. Although the app doesn't show the number of times the show has been streamed, Bannon gives updates every few days on its popularity. As of last week, he claimed total downloads of 29 million.
Bannon did not respond to a request for comment.
It's not just Bannon. Several podcasts that spread baseless claims of election fraud, including shows by former Trump strategist Sebastian Gorka and Judicial Watch's Tom Fitton, continue to be broadly available on major platforms. The fact that such beliefs were the battle cry of a violent mob that threatened congressional leaders has brought podcasting platforms face to face with a difficult question: What are their responsibilities when it comes to stifling what otherwise could be seen as protected speech?
In the weeks since Nov. 3, Bannon has spent several hours a day exploring the minutiae of baselessly disputed elections in several states, giving ample airtime to Trump defenders like Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and presidential adviser Peter Navarro. Using a mix of football, military and religious analogies, Bannon speaks often in apocalyptic terms about the risk of losing.
''It's the children of light and the children of darkness,'' he said on Jan. 3, after interviewing the right-wing Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigan², whom Pope Francis fired as the Vatican's ambassador to the United States after he sided with anti-gay culture warriors. ''One side's going to win and one side's going to lose. Everything that the Judeo-Christian West represents is at stake. That's what this battle is about. That's what Wednesday is about.''
While social media companies have become more willing over the past few months to censor accounts that engage in hate speech, podcasts are still largely unmoderated. Part of that has to do with the industry's structure: The main podcast portals merely index the shows, like Google indexes websites. Despite canceling Bannon's YouTube channel, Google Podcasts still indexes ''War Room.'' (Apple accounts for more than half of the number of podcast streams, with Spotify a distant second.)
''Online platforms know that rhetoric promoting violence and disinformation absolutely matters. That is why most of them ban such activities in their own terms of service,'' said Megan Squire, a computer science professor at Elon University who has studied the right-wing podcasting ecosystem.
''However, in the case of podcasts, Apple usually explains that they are just cataloging the show and not actually distributing it,'' Squire said. ''For example when they banned Alex Jones, they just stopped listing him, but what guidelines they used were a bit unclear. Contrast this to their app store guidelines, which are very clear.''
Apple declined to comment on how it evaluates whether to de-list a podcast. Its terms of service prohibit ''content that is illegal or promotes illegal activity, self-harm, violence, or illegal drugs, or content depicting graphic sex, gore, or is otherwise considered obscene, objectionable, or in poor taste.''
Audio files themselves are supported by a much more fragmented network of hosting services '-- which costs money, unlike simply being catalogued by a portal like Apple's. ''War Room'' is hosted by Podbean, which did not return a request for comment. Its terms of service forbid content that is ''malicious, false, or inaccurate.''
To be clear: Since his ''heads on pikes'' episode, Bannon has shied away from advocating violence. He sometimes caveats his calls to arms by cautioning that he's talking about political protest or ''coloring inside the lines.'' He has downplayed allegations against Dominion Voting Systems, which threatened to sue other Trump allies and news outlets for spreading baseless claims of fraud. In the wake of Jan. 6, like many in the right-wing media ecosphere, he has praised peaceful protest and claimed the riot was instigated by liberal agents provocateurs rather than Trump supporters.
Read MoreHowever, extremism experts say the rhetoric still feeds into an alternative reality that breeds anger and cynicism, which may ultimately lead to violence. Julia DeCook, an assistant professor at Loyola University Chicago's school of communications, notes that listeners who are convinced about one conspiracy theory are more likely to accept others, which is what makes more mainstream commentators like Bannon ''dangerous.''
''It's not like they hit you with the crazy stuff all at once. It's the little things that sow distrust and skepticism,'' DeCook said. ''Steve Bannon goes right up to the line of what is acceptable and what is hate speech. But platforms are really bad at understanding borderline content.''
Bannon seems to understand very well how the information he's putting out in the world influences his audience. On the eve of the Capitol riot, one of his co-hosts interviewed a young man at a pregame rally in downtown Washington who said his whole family had been dejected after the election. After discovering ''War Room,'' they were increasingly encouraged and listened to every episode, resulting in his presence at Freedom Plaza that night. The ''War Room'' crew celebrated this exchange as evidence of its impact.
''As soon as you're able to create the structure or the context, and let them come to their own conclusions, they're going to be able to have their own mental map, they can then start making their own decisions, and then become disciples or force multipliers,'' Bannon said. ''We've helped provide the information to people who are jacked up.''
(Of course, Bannon also has an interest in helping Trump, who could still use his pardon powers to dismiss a federal charge concerning Bannon's alleged misuse of funds donated to a charity that said it was helping to build a wall on the border with Mexico.)
De-platforming Bannon, however, would be tricky.
Podcast directories and hosting services are loath to open the Pandora's box of content moderation. Todd Cochrane runs one of the largest, called Blubrry, which hosts 85,000 shows and indexes 1.3 million of them. Since Jan. 6, he said that many of his customers '-- especially Christian shows '-- are worried about being de-listed from other podcast directories. As long as they aren't using hate speech or inciting violence, which Blubrry's terms of service forbid, he said they're safe on his platform.
''This is a fine line for us,'' Cochrane said. Blubrry has a formal process for submitting complaints about shows with objectionable content and has only ever removed a handful. ''Let's say I respond to a social justice campaign saying this show is ultimately resulting in violence. It's an internal decision of whether or not we want to host that content, but I wouldn't want to be in Podbean's position today.''
Even if ''War Room'' were kicked out of Apple's directory or dumped by Podbean, that might fuel the argument '-- which Bannon has already exploited after being booted by Twitter and YouTube '-- that Big Tech has it out for conservatives. Plenty of liberal-leaning shows aren't paragons of truth either, but they haven't been banned.
''The inconsistency is a huge catalyst for these folks, because it gives them an endless supply of pretty accurate grievances to raise about 'why are we being shut down in this way,''' said Peter Simi, an associate professor of sociology at Chapman University. ''It amplifies their sense that there's this left-wing conspiracy that's hell-bent on preventing them from even expressing their views.''
Though Apple offers access to an enormous audience, it may only be a matter of time before Bannon and others are able to build up an alternative streaming universe that doesn't depend on the grace of Silicon Valley tech giants. On Jan. 13, Bannon talked on his show with Andrew Torba, the founder of Gab.com, which has become a haven for conspiracy theorists. Torba boasted of having built up enough of his own data-center capacity to support all of the traffic from people leaving Twitter and Facebook, but service is still groaning under the weight of new traffic. In emails to Gab members, Torba has been soliciting donations to support the expansion. ''No one is coming to save us,'' he wrote on Jan. 8. ''We must save ourselves.''
''It's a conundrum, because now you have the right wing moving into their own silos,'' said Adele Stan, the editor of Right Wing Watch, a project of the left-leaning People for the American Way. ''The thing we know about the right is that they're good at building infrastructure, in the way that the left has never gotten their act together on. We're just at this moment of chaos where it's hard to know if there's a base that's radicalized enough to be there for the long haul, when things start to not look very good for their side.''
In the meantime, Bannon seems to know exactly how far he can go before his remaining platforms have an excuse to yank his access.
Also on Jan. 13, having just been booted off YouTube after the site banned videos that spread false election fraud statements, Bannon again had Giuliani as a guest. The leader of Trump's legal team said he had acquired videos showing ''Antifa'' agitators leading the Capitol violence, and at one point he suggested that one of them had actually shot Ashli Babbitt, the Air Force veteran who was, in fact, killed by a Capitol Police officer.
Bannon tried to rein in Giuliani and finally cut him off. ''I don't mind being shut down for my craziness, but I'm not going to be shut down for yours,'' he told the former New York City mayor, who seemed offended. ''I don't say crazy things,'' Giuliani responded, after Bannon had directed listeners to Giuliani's website to view the videos.
''I know, I'm teasing you,'' Bannon said.
No evidence that vitamin D is able to prevent or affect the severity of COVID-19 in individuals with European ancestry: a Mendelian randomisation study of open data | BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 03:21
No evidence that vitamin D is able to prevent or affect the severity of COVID-19 in individuals with European ancestry: a Mendelian randomisation study of open data
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3054-838X Hasnat A Amin 1 and http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2469-5516 Fotios Drenos 1 , 21 Department of Life Sciences , Brunel University London , Uxbridge , UK2 Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences , UCL , London , UK Correspondence to Dr Fotios Drenos, Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK; fotios.drenos{at}brunel.ac.uk AbstractBackground Upper respiratory tract infections are reportedly more frequent and more severe in individuals with lower vitamin D levels. Based on these findings, it has been suggested that vitamin D can prevent or reduce the severity of COVID-19.
Methods We used two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR) to assess the causal effect of vitamin D levels on SARS-CoV-2 infection risk and COVID-19 severity using publicly available data. We also carried out a genome-wide association analysis (GWA) of vitamin D deficiency in the UK Biobank (UKB) and used these results and two-sample MR to assess the causal effect of vitamin D deficiency on SARS-CoV-2 infection risk and COVID-19 severity.
Results We found no evidence that vitamin D levels causally affect the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (ln(OR)=0.17 (95% CI ''0.22 to 0.57, p=0.39)) nor did we find evidence that vitamin D levels causally affect COVID-19 severity (ln(OR)=0.36 (95% CI ''0.89 to 1.61, p=0.57)). Based on our GWA analysis, we found that 17 independent variants are associated with vitamin D deficiency in the UKB. Using these variants as instruments for our two-sample MR analyses, we found no evidence that vitamin D deficiency causally affects the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (ln(OR)=''0.04 (95% CI ''0.1 to 0.03, p=0.25)) nor did we find evidence that vitamin D deficiency causally affects COVID-19 severity (ln(OR)=''0.24 (95% CI ''0.55 to 0.08, p=0.14)).
Conclusions In conclusion, we found no evidence that vitamin D is protective against SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 severity. Our data support the recent statement by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence that the use of vitamin D supplementation to mitigate COVID-19 is not supported by the available data.
infectious diseasenutrient deficienciesnutritional treatmentpulmonary disease https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to copy, redistribute, remix, transform and build upon this work for any purpose, provided the original work is properly cited, a link to the licence is given, and indication of whether changes were made. See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
View Full Text Statistics from Altmetric.com infectious diseasenutrient deficienciesnutritional treatmentpulmonary diseaseWhat this paper addsUncertainty remains over the use of Vitamin D for the prevention of COVID-19 and the moderation of its symptoms.
Genetic predisposition for higher levels of vitamin D and for lower chance of vitamin D insufficiency do not have evidence of association with infection from SARS-CoV-2 or severity of COVID-19 following infection.
Our work supports the current NICE statement that, based on the available evidence, vitamin D should not be considered as protective of infection from SARS-CoV-2 or a way to mitigate its severity.
IntroductionVitamin D has lately been the focus of very intense scientific interest, with more than 4500 manuscripts published per year since 2015. Although vitamin D is commonly discussed in terms of bone health and calcium and phosphate homeostasis, evidence has started to emerge that it may also be involved in cancer, the cardiovascular system and inflammation.1 With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, these findings, in combination with previous reports of vitamin D playing a role in upper respiratory tract (URT) infections and their severity, have resulted in further interest in vitamin D and the potential use of vitamin D supplements to mitigate the spread and severity of COVID-19.
We obtain vitamin D either through our diet, with certain foods such as oily fish and egg yolks being good sources, or through our exposure to ultraviolet B radiation from the sun.2 Vitamin D, whether generated or consumed, is biologically inactive and undergoes a complex metabolic process: it is first converted to 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in the liver and then this is converted in the kidney to 1,25-hydroxyvitamin D, which is the active metabolite.2 The commonly assessed vitamin D levels refer to the 25(OH)D metabolite, which is the main circulating form in the body.2 Vitamin D deficiency, commonly defined as levels lower than 25 nmol/L, is a common problem both in developed3 and in developing countries.4 Although it is usually thought to be a problem in countries located at higher latitudes and with darker days,5 a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is also observed in countries close to the equator.6 According to guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), those with low vitamin D levels should be treated with high-dose supplementation for a short period, followed by a lower maintenance dose,7 and all adults are advised to take a daily supplement containing 10 mg per day throughout the year to prevent vitamin D deficiency.
URT infections are reportedly more frequent and more severe in individuals with lower vitamin D levels. Although these infections are more common during seasons with darker days, when vitamin D levels are lower, vitamin D has also been correlated with better pulmonary function in young adults8 and with lower reporting of coughs and colds;9 however, these studies cannot provide evidence of causation. A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation for acute respiratory tract infections found a protective effect of vitamin D,10 but the study has been criticised for the way the approach was used.11 Current evidence for the use of vitamin D supplementation against COVID-19 mainly relies on assumptions based on reports of lower vitamin D being associated with a higher risk of URT infections (please see the review by Lanham-New et al).12 A handful of studies have used a data-based approach,13''17 but these efforts rely on correlations between vitamin D and COVID-19, which are liable to be affected by unobserved or inadequately controlled confounding factors.
Although we will need well-powered and carefully executed randomised trials and a subsequent meta-analysis of the different studies to provide an accurate estimate of the effect of vitamin D on COVID-19 prevention and severity, we can anticipate the results of such studies by comparing individuals who are genetically predisposed to lower vitamin D levels with those who are not, based on the Mendelian randomisation (MR) paradigm. In a randomised controlled trial, we would minimise the effect of confounding factors by randomly assigning participants to a treatment group receiving vitamin D supplements or to a control group receiving a placebo and thus estimate the true effect of the intervention. In the natural experiment of MR, genetic variants predisposing the individual to higher levels of vitamin D are assigned randomly at conception, based on the genetic polymorphisms of their parents, in relation to other possible confounding traits. As genetic polymorphisms remain constant throughout life and the individual does not change their vitamin D intake according to their genotype, the use of this information can provide indirect evidence of causality.18 Here, using data from genome-wide association (GWA) studies for vitamin D levels, vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 incidence and severity, we test whether genetically increased vitamin D levels are associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection risk and COVID-19 severity.
MethodsPopulation and study designWe predominately used previously published and freely available data for this study. The study by Jiang et al19 is a meta-analysis of GWAs of vitamin D levels carried out using participants of European descent. The COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative20 uses data from multiple cohort studies,21''26 including the UK Biobank (UKB).
The UKB individual-level data were also used following permission to use data already available for COVID-19-related research. UKB is a large prospective cohort study that recruited >500 000 UK residents between 2006 and 2010. The 22 UKB assessment centres, located throughout England, Wales and Scotland, collected baseline data from the participants in the form of questionnaires, physical and cognitive tests, and blood and urine samples.27 The age range of the participants at the time of enrolment in the study was between 40 and 69 years of age, with a mean age of 56.5 years. Men represent 45.6% of the sample. The use of the data for this project was approved by the UKB (application 44566).
GenotypingIn the UKB, 488 377 individuals had been genotyped for up to 812 428 variants using DNA extracted from blood samples on either the UKB Axiom array (438 427 participants) or the UK BiLEVE Axiom array (49 950 participants). Variants that did not pass standard quality control checks were excluded.28 These included tests for the presence of batch effects, plate effects, sex effects and array effects, as well as any departures from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium using a p value threshold of 10''12. Variants with a minor allele frequency of <0.01 were also excluded.
Sample genotyping quality control metrics were provided by UKB.28 Samples were excluded from the analysis if they were outliers for missingness and/or PC-corrected heterozygosity and/or if they had any sex chromosome aneuploidies, as well as if the genetically inferred sex differed from the reported sex. Samples which did not have a genetically determined white British ancestry were also excluded. A list of related individuals was also provided by UKB and one individual from each related pair was excluded at random.
Genetic data from studies used by the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative underwent quality control and imputation using the protocol described by Lam et al.29
PhenotypesWe used summary statistics from phenotypes B1 and C1 by the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative (September 2020 release). Phenotype B1 is a measure of COVID-19 severity and only included individuals who were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection based on an RNA-based and/or a serology-based test: individuals who were hospitalised due to coronavirus-related symptoms were coded as cases; and individuals who were not hospitalised for 21 days or more after their positive SARS-CoV-2 test were coded as controls. Phenotype C1 is a measure of susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection: individuals were coded as cases if they were diagnosed with COVID-19 by a doctor or if they were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection based on an RNA-based and/or a serology-based test or if they self-reported being positive for COVID-19; and individuals were coded as controls if they tested negative (for all tests if multiple tests were performed) for SARS-CoV-2 infection based on an RNA-based and/or a serology-based test or if they self-reported being negative for COVID-19. Please see https://www.covid19hg.org/about/ for more details.
Vitamin D deficiency: individuals whose vitamin D levels (UKB field 30890) were <25 nmol/L were coded as cases; and individuals whose vitamin D levels were '¥50 nmol/L were coded as controls. COVID-19 test results30 from the UKB were made available through linkage to national health records. Obesity: individuals whose body mass index (BMI) was '¥18.5 kg/m2 and <25 kg/m2 (UKB field 21001) were considered as having a normal weight; and individuals whose BMI was '¥30 kg/m2 were considered as being obese. Season: individuals who attended the assessment centres during December, January or February (UKB field 55) were considered as winter samples; and individuals who attended during June, July or August were considered as summer samples.
Statistical analysesWe used R V.4.0.231 to carry out analyses and generate plots, unless stated otherwise. We used PLINK V.1.932 to carry out genetic association analyses using UKB data and to generate the genetic risk score for vitamin D deficiency.
Welch's two-sample t-test was used to assess the differences in the distribution of vitamin D levels in the following categories: obese versus normal weight; summer samples versus winter samples; and the bottom and top quartiles of the vitamin D levels genetic risk score generated using variants from Jiang et al19 (online supplemental table 1B and figure 1). Fisher's exact test was used to assess the differences in the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the three aforementioned categories, except that the vitamin D deficiency genetic risk score used for this analysis was generated using the 17 variants associated with vitamin D deficiency in the UKB (see online supplemental table 1A and figure 2).
To assess the causal effect of vitamin D levels on SARS-CoV-2 infection risk and COVID-19 severity, we used outcome summary statistics from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative20 (see the Phenotypes section) and exposure summary statistics from Jiang et al19 (see the Population and study design section) to carry out two-sample MR using the TwoSampleMR R package.33 Note: rs3755967, rs12785878 and rs8018720 were not available in the summary statistics for phenotypes B1 and C1, so we used rs17467825, rs3794060 and rs8022510, respectively, as proxies (R2 >0.99). The causal estimates (beta) are expressed as ln(OR) per ln(nM), where OR=Odds ratio; and nM=concentration of vitamin D in nmol/L.
For each genetic variant that is associated with the exposure of interest (eg, vitamin D), the causal effect of the exposure of interest on the outcome of interest (eg, SARS-CoV-2 risk or COVID-19 severity) can be estimated by calculating the Wald ratio, which is the effect of the variant on the outcome divided by the effect of the variant on the exposure. If there are multiple independently inherited variants associated with the exposure, as in this case, the inverse variance weighted MR (IVW-MR) method is used to provide an overall estimate of the causal effect by calculating a weighted average of the Wald ratios. However, in the presence of pleiotropy (ie, a genetic variant is associated with the outcome through a pathway that does not include the exposure of interest), the estimate from the IVW-MR method may be biased. The MR Egger method models this possible violation of the assumption through the intercept of a linear model between the effect of the instruments on the exposure and outcome. In the absence of pleiotropy, the value of this intercept does not differ from zero. However, if the pleiotropic effects of the variants are related to their effects on the exposure (ie, a violation of the INSIDE assumption), the MR Egger and IVW-MR methods are both susceptible to bias. In this case, the weighted median, simple mode and weighted mode MR methods are used. These methods use the median or mode of the Wald ratios to provide robust estimates in cases where some of the genetic instruments violate the pleiotropy assumption.34
In order to use two-sample MR to estimate the causal effect of vitamin D deficiency on the aforementioned outcomes, we needed to obtain new instruments for vitamin D deficiency. We therefore carried out a GWA analysis in the UKB using PLINK V.1.9,32 adjusted for the first four principal components for the genetic variability of the genome, age at baseline, sex and the genotyping array used. The associated genes for each variant were obtained from National Center for Biotechnology Information Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (NCBI SNP). As the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative uses data from the UKB, there is a possibility that the estimates from two-sample MR analyses may be biased; Burgess et al35 suggest that this bias can be minimised by generating exposure summary statistics using control samples only, so we excluded individuals who had been tested for COVID-19 from our GWA analysis. The summary statistics for vitamin D deficiency were then filtered using a p value threshold of 510''8 and clumped using the 'clump_data' function, which finds the variant with the smallest p value, removes any variants that are in linkage disequilibrium (R2 >0.001) and repeats this process until there are no variants remaining. It is possible that the effects of the genetic variants associated with vitamin D deficiency may vary by season, so we repeated the genetic association analyses using winter samples only and used the effect sizes from these to carry out two-sample MR to test the sensitivity of our results to this possibility.
ResultsFor SARS-CoV-2 infection susceptibility (phenotype C1), summary statistics from 11 181 cases and 116 456 controls were available as of 30 September 2020. For COVID-19 severity (phenotype B1), summary statistics from 1389 cases and 5879 controls were available as of 30 September 2020. For the vitamin D deficiency phenotype in the UKB, there were 35 079 cases and 140 898 controls. Please see the Methods section for the phenotype definitions. The genetic risk score generated using the six variants from Jiang et al19 (online supplemental table 1B) explained 2.518% of the variance in vitamin D concentration and the genetic risk score generated using the newly identified 17 variants associated with vitamin D deficiency (online supplemental table 1A) explained 2.108% of the variance in vitamin D deficiency (note: the latter is an approximation based on McFadden's R2). Table 1 shows the distribution of vitamin D levels and the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency by genetic risk score category (1st quartile vs 4th quartile), together with the changes associated with known factors affecting vitamin concentration, such as obesity and season.
Table 1Distribution of vitamin D levels and prevalence of vitamin D deficiency by obesity status, season and the genetic risk scores in the UK Biobank
We estimated the causal effect of vitamin D levels on the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 using two-sample MR. We found no evidence in the existing data that vitamin D levels causally affect the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (IVW: ln(OR)=0.17 (95% CI ''0.22 to 0.57, p=0.39)) nor did we find evidence that vitamin D levels causally affect COVID-19 severity (IVW: ln(OR)=0.36 (95% CI ''0.89 to 1.61, p=0.57)). We also used four other more robust MR methods and we still did not find any evidence in the existing data to suggest that vitamin D levels causally affect SARS-CoV-2 risk or COVID-19 severity (figure 1). Testing for the presence of pleiotropy for our genetic instruments using the MR Egger method suggests that our estimates are not biased due to pleiotropy (online supplemental table 2).
Figure 1Log ORs (beta) and 95% CIs from a two-sample MR analysis of the effect of vitamin D levels on SARS-CoV-2 risk and COVID-19 severity. MR, Mendelian randomisation.
It is possible that simply having vitamin D levels that are lower, but still within the optimal range, may not affect SARS-CoV-2 risk nor COVID-19 severity. We therefore performed a GWA analysis of vitamin D deficiency in the UKB, found that 17 independent variants were associated with this phenotype (online supplemental table 1A) and used these variants in a two-sample MR analysis to estimate the causal effect of vitamin D deficiency on the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity. We found no evidence that vitamin D deficiency causally affects the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (IVW: ln(OR)=''0.04 (95% CI ''0.1 to 0.03, p=0.25)) nor did we find evidence that vitamin D deficiency causally affects COVID-19 severity (IVW: ln(OR)=''0.24 (95% CI ''0.55 to 0.08, p=0.14)). We also used four other robust MR methods and we still did not find any evidence to suggest that vitamin D deficiency causally affects SARS-CoV-2 risk or COVID-19 severity (figure 2). Again, we did not detect any evidence of pleiotropy bias in our results using the MR Egger method (online supplemental table 3). We repeated the two-sample MR using effect sizes from the winter samples only (online supplemental table 4) as a sensitivity analysis, and our results did not differ (online supplemental table 5).
Figure 2Log ORs (beta) and 95% CIs from a two-sample MR analysis of the effect of vitamin D deficiency on SARS-CoV-2 risk and COVID-19 severity. MR, Mendelian randomisation.
DiscussionUsing previously published results for the genetics of vitamin D levels, UKB individual-level data for the genetics of vitamin D deficiency and the accumulating genetic results for susceptibility and severity of COVID-19, we tested the causal effect of vitamin D levels and deficiency on protection from SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity. We found no evidence that vitamin D is causally related to COVID-19 outcomes and there is no evidence to suggest that current NICE guidance should change to support the use of vitamin D supplementation against COVID-19.
Previously published evidence,10 though criticised,11 supports the idea that increasing vitamin D levels are protective against acute respiratory tract infections, but these results do not appear to translate in the case of COVID-19. Studies specifically looking at the correlation of vitamin D with COVID-19 and its severity observed an inverse association between them,13 15''17 though, in one study,14 when a number of possible confounders were adjusted for, the correlation was no longer present. These studies, however, can only provide very limited information on causality and they are sensitive to uncontrolled confounders.
Vitamin D is lower in hospitalised individuals and even more so in those in care homes with limited mobility and exposure to sunlight,36 both of which are much more common in the elderly. COVID-19, at least in the UK, has had a disproportional effect on older people and care homes, making it difficult to disentangle the complex relationships between age and disability on one hand and diet and sunlight exposure affecting vitamin D on the other. Our approach uses genetic information to avoid the problem of unobserved confounders, a method that has rapidly gained popularity for the estimation of causal effects based on observational studies.37 Our results are based on GWA studies combining data for tens of thousands of individuals from different sources of information to ensure an unbiased estimate and a result that provides the best chance to detect an effect, if present.
However, our work is not without limitations. The most common problem of MR analyses is the presence of pleiotropy. Although this is more likely to cause false positives, rather than false negatives, no evidence for pleiotropy was detected in our analyses. We also used multiple MR models that make slightly different assumptions and provide a more pleiotropy robust result with all of them providing the same conclusion. Vitamin D levels were represented by measures of 25(OH)D which, despite being the most commonly assessed vitamin D metabolite in a clinical setting, does not directly measure the activated form of vitamin D and its measurement and relevance to health are under discussion.38 Our results also cannot be used to comment on the relationship between vitamin D and COVID-19 in non-Europeans. Finally, the available data for SARS-CoV-2 infection or severe COVID-19 disease are still limited and a more precise picture will emerge as more information becomes available.
To summarise, using a two-sample MR method, GWA studies of vitamin D and the latest data from tens of thousands of individuals courtesy of the international COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative, we found no evidence of vitamin D being protective against SARS-CoV-2 infection or severe COVID-19. Our results support the recent statement by NICE that the use of vitamin D supplementation to mitigate COVID-19 is not supported by the available data.
AcknowledgmentsThe authors would like to thank the UK Biobank participants for sharing their data with the research community and the UK Biobank access committee for making these data available for COVID-19 research. They also thank the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative for organising and making the genome-wide association data available to all.
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Are Humans Giving COVID to Wild Animals? ' Children's Health Defense
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 03:20
Researchers have found coronavirus infections in pet cats and dogs and in multiple zoo animals, including big cats and gorillas. What does it mean?
A wild mink in Utah was the first wild animal in the U.S. found with COVID-19. Image credit: Peter Trimming, Wikipedia
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have found coronavirus infections in pet cats and dogs and in multiple zoo animals, including big cats and gorillas. These infections have even happened when staff were using personal protective equipment.
More disturbing, in December the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the first case of a wild animal infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Researchers found an infected wild mink in Utah near a mink farm with its own COVID-19 outbreak.
Are humans transmitting this virus to wildlife? If so, what would this mean for wild animals '-- and people too?
How viruses hop between speciesWe are two scientists who study viruses in wildlife and are currently running a study investigating the potential for SARS-CoV-2 transmission from humans into domestic and wild animals.
When viruses move from one species into another, scientists call it spillover. Thankfully, spillover doesn't occur easily.
To infect a new species, a virus must be able to bind to a protein on a cell and enter the cell while dodging an immune system the virus hasn't encountered before. Then, as a virus works to avoid antibodies and other antiviral attackers, it must replicate at a high enough volume to be transmitted on to the next animal.
This usually means that the more closely related two species are, the more likely they are to share viruses. Chimpanzees, the species most closely related to humans, can catch and get sick from many human viruses. Earlier this month, veterinarians at the San Diego Zoo announced that the zoo's troop of gorillas was infected with SARS''CoV''2. This indicated it is possible for this virus to jump from humans to our close relatives.
Some viruses tend to stay in a single species or in closely related species, while other viruses seem innately more capable of large species jumps. Influenza, for example, can infect a wide variety of animals, from sparrows to whales. Similarly, coronaviruses are known to regularly jump between species.
The question of how many and which species can be infected by SARS-CoV-2 '' and which ones might be able to support continued circulation of the virus '-- is an important one.
Searching for COVID-19 in wildlifeFor human-to-wildlife spillover of SARS-CoV-2 to occur, an animal needs to be exposed to a high-enough viral dose to become infected.
The highest-risk situations are during direct contact with humans, such as a veterinarian's caring for an injured animal. Contact between a sick person and a pet or farm animal also poses a risk, as the domestic animal could act as an intermediate host, eventually passing the virus to a wild animal.
Another way COVID-19 could spill over from humans into animals is through indirect infection, such as through wastewater. COVID-19 and other pathogens can be detected in waste streams, many of which end up dumped, untreated, into environments where wildlife like marine mammals may be exposed. This is thought to be how elephant seals in California became infected with H1N1 influenza during the swine flu pandemic in 2009.
To study whether spillover of SARS-CoV-2 is happening, our team at Tufts is partnering with veterinarians and licensed wildlife rehabilitators across the U.S. to collect samples from and test animals in their care. Through the project, we have tested nearly 300 wild animals from over 20 species. So far, none '-- from bats to seals to coyotes '-- have shown any evidence of COVID-19 by swab or antibody tests.
Other researchers have launched targeted surveillance of wild animals in places where captive animals have been infected. The first confirmed infection in a wild mink was found during surveillance near an infected mink farm. It's not yet clear how this wild mink got the coronavirus, but the high density of infected minks and potentially infectious particles from them made it a high-risk location.
Bad for animals, bad for humansWhen a virus infects a new species, it sometimes mutates, adapting to infect, replicate and transmit more efficiently in a new animal. This is called host adaptation. When a virus jumps to a new host and begins adapting, the results can be unpredictable.
In late 2020, when SARS-CoV-2 jumped into farmed mink in Denmark, it acquired mutations that were uncommon in humans. Some of these mutations occurred in the part of the virus that most vaccines are designed to recognize. And it didn't just happen once '-- these mutations independently arose in mink farms multiple times. While it's not yet clear what impact, if any, these mutations may have on human disease or the vaccine, these are signs of host adaptation that could allow novel variants of the virus to persist and reemerge from animal hosts in the future.
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Another risk is that SARS-CoV-2 could cause disease in animals. Ecologists are especially concerned about endangered species like the black-footed ferret, which is closely related to minks and thought to be very susceptible to the virus.
Human-to-wildlife spillover has happened before. In the late 20th century, the Ebola virus jumped from humans into great apes and has resulted in devastating consequences for these endangered animals. More recently, a human respiratory virus has been detected in threatened mountain gorilla populations and has caused deaths as well.
But perhaps the biggest risk to humans is that spillover could result in the coronavirus establishing a reservoir in new animals and regions. This could provide opportunities for reintroduction of COVID-19 into humans in the future. This month researchers published a paper showing that this had already happened on a small scale with human''to''mink''to''human transmission on mink farms in Denmark.
While our team has found no evidence of COVID-19 in wild animals in the U.S. at this time, we have seen convincing evidence of regular spillover into dogs and cats and some zoo animals. The discovery of the infected wild mink confirmed our fears. Seeing the first wild animal with natural COVID-19 is alarming, but sadly, not surprising.
Originally published by The Conversation.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Children's Health Defense.
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Samuel Culper 722, also on GAB @politiwars on Twitter: "@PolitiBunny They changed the testing recommendations THE DAY Biden was sworn in. Lots fewer cases coming soon to make him look good. https://t.co/MesayjGhhW" / Twitter
Thu, 21 Jan 2021 03:02
Samuel Culper 722, also on GAB @politiwars : @PolitiBunny They changed the testing recommendations THE DAY Biden was sworn in.Lots fewer cases coming soon to'... https://t.co/dhe74b1yhU
Thu Jan 21 00:46:34 +0000 2021
Antifa releases 'calls to action' targeting Trump supporters | One America News Network
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 23:53
DENVER, CO '' JANUARY 20: Members of the Communist Party USA and other anti-fascist groups protest President Joe Bidens inauguration on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol on January 20, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States with Vice President Kamala Harris at an inauguration ceremony in Washington DC earlier in the day. (Photo by Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
OAN NewsroomUPDATED 3:15 PM PT '' Wednesday, January 20, 2021Members of domestic terror-group 'Antifa' are allegedly planning to attack the supporters of President Trump in the coming few days.
DAY OF DESTRUCTION: "Chilling posters reveal Antifa is planning to clash with Trump fans at Inauguration Day riots" #antifa https://t.co/l17IdC5Tai
'-- Andy Ng´ (@MrAndyNgo) January 19, 2021
According to reports on Wednesday, Antifa is planning 'targeted destruction' and 'direct action' on Inauguration Day and through the end of this month. The far-left militants are seeking to confront patriotic rallies and citizens protesting election fraud in several cities, such as Seattle and Sacramento.
DENVER, CO '' JANUARY 20: Members of the Communist Party USA and other anti-fascist groups burn an American flag on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol on January 20, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
#Antifa are continuing to put out the call for riots throughout the U.S. on 20 Jan. These are some of their flyers for Seattle, northern California & Denver. pic.twitter.com/jcoYYHg7a6
'-- Andy Ng´ (@MrAndyNgo) January 18, 2021
Antifa flyers found posted online also denounced Joe Biden. The militants appear to claim that they seek to dismantle the U.S. government altogether.
DENVER, CO '' JANUARY 20: Members of the Communist Party USA and other anti-fascist groups burn an American flag on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol on January 20, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
MORE NEWS: Biden To Focus On Domestic Terror, Possibly Targeting Trump Supporters
Colin on Twitter: "RT @razhael: The incoming Biden admin has hidden a message for IT folk in https://t.co/vF4SFEypzm's source code: https://t.co/au0kdv0Fgp" / Twitter
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 19:43
Colin : RT @razhael: The incoming Biden admin has hidden a message for IT folk in https://t.co/vF4SFEypzm's source code: https://t.co/au0kdv0Fgp
Wed Jan 20 17:58:08 +0000 2021
WHO Information Notice for IVD Users 2020/05
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 19:37
Product type: Nucleic acid testing (NAT) technologies that use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of SARS-CoV-2
Date: 13 January 2021
WHO-identifier: 2020/5, version 2
Target audience: laboratory professionals and users of IVDs.
Purpose of this notice: clarify information previously provided by WHO. This notice supersedes WHO Information Notice for In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Device (IVD) Users 2020/05 version 1, issued 14 December 2020.
Description of the problem: WHO requests users to follow the instructions for use (IFU) when interpreting results for specimens tested using PCR methodology.
Users of IVDs must read and follow the IFU carefully to determine if manual adjustment of the PCR positivity threshold is recommended by the manufacturer.
WHO guidance Diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2 states that careful interpretation of weak positive results is needed (1). The cycle threshold (Ct) needed to detect virus is inversely proportional to the patient's viral load. Where test results do not correspond with the clinical presentation, a new specimen should be taken and retested using the same or different NAT technology.
WHO reminds IVD users that disease prevalence alters the predictive value of test results; as disease prevalence decreases, the risk of false positive increases (2). This means that the probability that a person who has a positive result (SARS-CoV-2 detected) is truly infected with SARS-CoV-2 decreases as prevalence decreases, irrespective of the claimed specificity.
Most PCR assays are indicated as an aid for diagnosis, therefore, health care providers must consider any result in combination with timing of sampling, specimen type, assay specifics, clinical observations, patient history, confirmed status of any contacts, and epidemiological information.
Actions to be taken by IVD users:
Please read carefully the IFU in its entirety. Contact your local representative if there is any aspect of the IFU that is unclear to you. Check the IFU for each incoming consignment to detect any changes to the IFU.Provide the Ct value in the report to the requesting health care provider.Contact person for further information:
Anita SANDS, Regulation and Prequalification, World Health Organization, e-mail: [email protected]
References:
1. Diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020, WHO reference number WHO/2019-nCoV/laboratory/2020.6.
2. Altman DG, Bland JM. Diagnostic tests 2: Predictive values. BMJ. 1994 Jul 9;309(6947):102. doi: 10.1136/bmj.309.6947.102.
Joseph Goebbels On the "Big Lie"
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 17:37
Joseph Goebbels: Table of Contents|
Biography|
On the Jewish Question ''If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.''
Sources: Thinkexist.com
Ratcliffe - Views on Intelligence Community Election Security Analysis
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Get A Free Bag Of Marijuana With Your Covid-19 Vaccine
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 17:26
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Big lie - Wikipedia
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 17:07
A big lie (German: groe L¼ge) is a "gross distortion or misrepresentation of the facts, especially when used as a propaganda device by a politician or official body".[1] The expression was coined by Adolf Hitler, when he dictated his 1925 book Mein Kampf, about the use of a lie so "colossal" that no one would believe that someone "could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously". Hitler believed the technique was used by Jews to blame Germany's loss in World War I on German general Erich Ludendorff, who was a prominent nationalist and antisemitic political leader in the Weimar Republic. The claim that Germany was not beaten in 1918 was itself called a big lie.[2]
Hitler's use of the expression The source of the big lie technique is this passage, taken from Chapter 10 of James Murphy's translation of Mein Kampf (the quote is one paragraph in Murphy's translation and in the German original):
But it remained for the Jews, with their unqualified capacity for falsehood, and their fighting comrades, the Marxists, to impute responsibility for the downfall precisely to the man who alone had shown a superhuman will and energy in his effort to prevent the catastrophe which he had foreseen and to save the nation from that hour of complete overthrow and shame. By placing responsibility for the loss of the world war on the shoulders of Ludendorff they took away the weapon of moral right from the only adversary dangerous enough to be likely to succeed in bringing the betrayers of the Fatherland to Justice.
All this was inspired by the principle'--which is quite true within itself'--that in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily; and thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods.
It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Even though the facts which prove this to be so may be brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and waver and will continue to think that there may be some other explanation. For the grossly impudent lie always leaves traces behind it, even after it has been nailed down, a fact which is known to all expert liars in this world and to all who conspire together in the art of lying.
'--'
Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, vol. I, ch. X[3] Goebbels's use of the expression Though the following supposed quotation of Joseph Goebbels has been repeated in numerous books and articles and on thousands of web pages, none of them has cited a primary source. According to the research and reasoning of Randall Bytwerk, it is an unlikely thing for Goebbels to have said.[4]
If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.
It is verified that Goebbels did put forth a theory which has come to be more commonly associated with the expression "big lie". Goebbels wrote the following paragraph in an article dated 12 January 1941, 16 years after Hitler's first use of the phrase. The article, titled Aus Churchills L¼genfabrik (English: "From Churchill's Lie Factory") was published in Die Zeit ohne Beispiel.
The essential English leadership secret does not depend on particular intelligence. Rather, it depends on a remarkably stupid thick-headedness. The English follow the principle that when one lies, one should lie big, and stick to it. They keep up their lies, even at the risk of looking ridiculous.[5]
Holocaust Jeffrey Herf maintains that Goebbels and the Nazis used the big lie to turn long-standing anti-semitism into mass murder.[6] Herf argues that the big lie was a narrative of an innocent, besieged Germany striking back at an "international Jewry", which it said started World War I. The propaganda repeated over and over the claim that a conspiracy of Jews was the real power in Britain, Russia and the United States. It went on to state that the Jews had begun a "war of extermination" against Germany, and so Germany had a duty and a right to "exterminate" and "annihilate" the Jews in self-defense.[7]
Usage in Hitler's psychological profile The phrase was also used in a report prepared during the war by the United States Office of Strategic Services in describing Hitler's psychological profile:[8]
His primary rules were: never allow the public to cool off; never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there may be some good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for everything that goes wrong; people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it. (CIA)[9]
The above quote appears in the report, A Psychological Analysis of Adolph Hitler: His Life and Legend, by Walter C. Langer,[9][10] which is available from the US National Archives. [11] A somewhat similar quote appears in Analysis of the Personality of Adolph Hitler: With Predictions of His Future Behaviour and Suggestions for Dealing with Him Now and After Germany's Surrender, by Henry A. Murray, October 1943:[12]
Never to admit a fault or wrong; never to accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time; blame that enemy for everything that goes wrong; take advantage of every opportunity to raise a political whirlwind.
Usage in relation to Donald Trump As part of attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election, President Donald Trump and his allies, including U.S. Senators Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz, have repeatedly claimed that there was election fraud.[13] President-elect Joe Biden, Republican senator Pat Toomey and other commentators have described these statements as the big lie.[14][15][16][17]
See also Notes ^ "The Big Lie | Definition of The Big Lie by Oxford Dictionary on Lexico.com also meaning of The Big Lie". Lexico Dictionaries | English . Retrieved 2021-01-17 . ^ James, Edwin L. (11 April 1943). "Hitler's Biggest Lie; The Fuehrer's lies are legion and colossal; his biggest is that Germany was not beaten in 1918. Hitler may be planning to use that lie again. Whatever Hitler's purpose in taking up the lie of an undefeated Germany, the record of the collapse is clear. Hitler's Biggest Lie". The New York Times . Retrieved 6 December 2020 . ^ "Project Gutenberg of Australia - Mein Kampf tr. James Murphy". Archived from the original on 24 July 2008 . Retrieved 2008-08-23 . ^ Bytwerk, Randall. "False Nazi Quotations", German Propaganda Archive, 2008. ^ Joseph Goebbels, 12 January 1941. Die Zeit ohne Beispiel. Munich: Zentralverlag der NSDAP. 1941, pp. 364-369 [original German: Das ist nat¼rlich f¼r die Betroffenen mehr als peinlich. Man soll im allgemeinen seine F¼hrungsgeheimnisse nicht verraten, zumal man nicht wei, ob und wann man sie noch einmal gut gebrauchen kann. Das haupt-s¤chlichste englische F¼hrungsgeheimnis ist nun nicht so sehr in einer besonders hervorstechenden Intelligenz als vielmehr in einer manchmal geradezu penetrant wirkenden dummdreisten Dickfelligkeit zu finden. Die Engl¤nder gehen nach dem Prinzip vor, wenn du l¼gst, dann l¼ge gr¼ndlich, und vor allem bleibe bei dem, was du gelogen hast! Sie bleiben also bei ihren Schwindeleien, selbst auf die Gefahr hin, sich damit l¤cherlich zu machen.] ^ Jeffrey Herf (2006). The Jewish Enemy: Nazi Propaganda During World War II And the Holocaust. Harvard University Press. p. 211. ISBN 9780674038592. ^ Jeffrey Herf, "The 'Jewish War': Goebbels and the Antisemitic Campaigns of the Nazi Propaganda Ministry", Holocaust and Genocide Studies, (Spring 2005) 19#1 pp. 51''80, ^ A Psychological Analysis of Adolph Hitler. His Life and Legend Archived 2005-08-28 at the Wayback Machine by Walter C. Langer. Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Washington, D.C. With the collaboration of Prof. Henry A. Murr, Harvard Psychological Clinic, Dr. Ernst Kris, New School for Social Research, Dr. Bertram D. Lawin, New York Psychoanalytic Institute. p. 219 (Nizkor) ^ a b "OSS Psychological Profile of Hitler, page 46" (PDF) . cia.gov . Retrieved 17 June 2018 . ^ "A Psychological Profile of Adolf Hitler" (PDF) . Ia801304.us.archive.org . Retrieved 17 January 2018 . ^ Langer, Walter (2011-03-24). A Psychological Analysis of Adolf Hitler: His Life and Legend. All-about-psychology.com. p. 57. ^ "Analysis of the Personality of Adolf Hitler" (PDF) . Ia601305.us.archive.org. p. 219 . Retrieved 17 January 2018 . ^ Higgins, Andrew (January 10, 2021). "The Art of the Lie? The Bigger the Better - Lying as a political tool is hardly new. But a readiness, even enthusiasm, to be deceived has become a driving force in politics around the world, most recently in the United States". The New York Times . Retrieved January 10, 2021 . ^ Castronuovo, Celine. "Biden says Cruz, other Republicans responsible for 'big lie' that fueled Capitol mob". The Hill . Retrieved 10 January 2021 . ^ Pengelly, Martin (11 January 2021). " ' Complicit in big lie': Republican senators Hawley and Cruz face calls to resign". The Guardian . Retrieved 11 January 2021 . ^ Israel, Steve (December 2, 2020). "The big lie from Donald Trump". The Hill . Retrieved January 8, 2021 . ^ Avlon, John (13 January 2021). "Donald Trump told a big lie loudly". CNN . Retrieved 13 January 2021 . References Baker White, John (1955). The Big Lie. Evans Brothers. OCLC 1614230. External links Look up big lie in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.The German Propaganda Archive (GPA) (Calvin College)
Researchers Discover Raindrop '-- 4th Malware Linked to the SolarWinds Attack
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:34
Cybersecurity researchers have unearthed a fourth new malware strain'--designed to spread the malware onto other computers in victims' networks'--which was deployed as part of the SolarWinds supply chain attack disclosed late last year.
Dubbed "Raindrop" by Broadcom-owned Symantec, the malware joins the likes of other malicious implants such as Sunspot, Sunburst (or Solorigate), and Teardrop that were stealthily delivered to enterprise networks.
The latest finding comes amid a continued probe into the breach, suspected to be of Russian origin, that has claimed a number of U.S. government agencies and private sector companies.
"The discovery of Raindrop is a significant step in our investigation of the SolarWinds attacks as it provides further insights into post-compromise activity at organizations of interest to the attackers," Symantec researchers said.
The cybersecurity firm said it discovered only four samples of Raindrop to date that were used to deliver the Cobalt Strike Beacon '-- an in-memory backdoor capable of command execution, keylogging, file transfer, privilege escalation, port scanning, and lateral movement.
Symantec, last month, had uncovered more than 2,000 systems belonging to 100 customers that received the trojanized SolarWinds Orion updates, with select targets infected with a second-stage payload called Teardrop that's also used to install the Cobalt Strike Beacon.
"The way Teardrop is built, it could have dropped anything; in this case, it dropped Beacon, a payload included with Cobalt Strike," Check Point researchers said, noting that it was possibly done to "make attribution harder."
"While Teardrop was used on computers that had been infected by the original Sunburst Trojan, Raindrop appeared elsewhere on the network, being used by the attackers to move laterally and deploy payloads on other computers."
It's worth noting that the attackers used the Sunspot malware exclusively against SolarWinds in September 2019 to compromise its build environment and inject the Sunburst Trojan into its Orion network monitoring platform. The tainted software was then delivered to 18,000 of the company's customers.
Microsoft's analysis of the Solorigate modus operandi last month found that the operators carefully chose their targets, opting to escalate the attacks only in a handful of cases by deploying Teardrop based on intel amassed during an initial reconnaissance of the target environment for high-value accounts and assets.
Now Raindrop ("bproxy.dll") joins the mix. While both Teardrop and Raindrop act as a dropper for the Cobalt Strike Beacon, they also differ in a number of ways.
For a start, Teardrop is delivered directly by the initial Sunburst backdoor, whereas Raindrop seems to have been deployed with the goal of spreading across the victims' network. What's more, the malware shows up on networks where at least one computer has already been compromised by Sunburst, with no indication that Sunburst triggered its installation.
The two malware strains also use different packers and Cobalt Strike configurations.
Symantec did not identify the organizations impacted by Raindrop but said the samples were found in a victim system that was running computer access and management software and on a machine that was found to execute PowerShell commands to infect additional computers in the organization with the same malware.
US soldier arrested in plot to blow up NYC 9/11 Memorial
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:26
NEW YORK (AP) '-- A U.S. Army soldier was arrested Tuesday in Georgia on terrorism charges after he spoke online about plots to blow up New York City's 9/11 Memorial and other landmarks and attack U.S. soldiers in the Middle East, authorities said.
Cole James Bridges of Stow, Ohio, was in custody on charges of attempted material support of a terrorist organization '-- the Islamic State group '-- and attempted murder of a military member, said Nicholas Biase, a spokesperson for Manhattan federal prosecutors.
The 20-year-old soldier, also known as Cole Gonzales, was with the Third Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, Georgia, when he thought he was communicating with the Islamic State online about the terrorism plots, Biase said.
Unbeknownst to Bridges, an FBI employee was in on the chat as Bridges provided detailed instructions on tactics and manuals and advice about attacking the memorial and other targets in New York City, Biase said.
''As we allege today, Bridges, a private in the U.S. Army, betrayed our country and his unit when he plotted with someone he believed was an ISIS sympathizer to help ISIS attack and kill U.S. soldiers in the Middle East,'' said William F. Sweeney Jr., head of New York City's FBI office.
''Fortunately, the person with whom he communicated was an FBI employee, and we were able to prevent his evil desires from coming to fruition,'' Sweeney said in a release.
''Our troops risk their lives for our country, but they should never face such peril at the hands of one of their own,'' U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said.
Bridges was scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court in Augusta, Georgia, on Thursday.
It was not immediately clear who would represent him.
According to a criminal complaint in Manhattan federal court, Bridges joined the U.S. Army in September 2019 and was assigned as a cavalry scout in Fort Stewart.
At some point, he began researching and consuming online propaganda promoting jihadists and their violent ideology, authorities said.
They said he expressed his support for the Islamic State group and jihad on social media before he began communicating in October with an FBI employee who posed as an Islamic State group supporter in contact with the group's fighters in the Middle East.
According to court papers, he expressed his frustration with the U.S. military and his desire to aid the Islamic State group.
The criminal complaint said he then provided training and guidance to purported Islamic State fighters who were planning attacks, including advice about potential targets in New York City, including the 9/11 Memorial.
It said he also provided portions of a U.S. Army training manual and guidance about military combat tactics.
Bridges also diagrammed specific military maneuvers to help the terrorist group's fighters kill U.S. troops, including the best way to fortify an encampment to repel an attack by U.S. Special Forces and how to wire certain buildings with explosives to kill the U.S. troops, the complaint said.
This month, according to the complaint, Bridges sent a video of himself in body armor standing before an Islamic State flag, gesturing support.
A week later, Bridges sent a second video in which he used a voice manipulator and narrated a propaganda speech in support of the Islamic State group's anticipated ambush of U.S. troops, the complaint said.
In a statement Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Fort Stewart-based 3rd Infantry Division, Lt. Col. Lindsey Elder, confirmed that Pfc. Cole James Bridges is assigned to the division. She said division commanders are ''cooperating fully with the FBI.''
Elder referred further inquiries to the Pentagon.
___
Associated Press writer Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.
McMaster researchers create ''sheets'' of meat in the lab that stack up well against their natural counterparts '' Brighter World
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:21
McMaster researchers have developed a new form of cultivated meat using a method that promises more natural flavour and texture than other alternatives to traditional meat from animals.
Researchers Ravi Selvaganapathy and Alireza Shahin-Shamsabadi, both of the university's School of Biomedical Engineering, have devised a way to make meat by stacking thin sheets of cultivated muscle and fat cells grown together in a lab setting. The technique is adapted from a method used to grow tissue for human transplants.
The sheets of living cells, each about the thickness of a sheet of printer paper, are first grown in culture and then concentrated on growth plates before being peeled off and stacked or folded together. The sheets naturally bond to one another before the cells die.
The layers can be stacked into a solid piece of any thickness, Selvaganapathy says, and ''tuned'' to replicate the fat content and marbling of any cut of meat '' an advantage over other alternatives.
''We are creating slabs of meat,'' he says. ''Consumers will be able to buy meat with whatever percentage of fat they like '' just like they do with milk.''
As they describe in the journal Cells Tissues Organs, the researchers proved the concept by making meat from available lines of mouse cells. Though they did not eat the mouse meat described in the research paper, they later made and cooked a sample of meat they created from rabbit cells.
''It felt and tasted just like meat,'' says Selvaganapathy.
There is no reason to think the same technology would not work for growing beef, pork or chicken, and the model would lend itself well to large-scale production, Selvaganapathy says.
The researchers were inspired by the meat-supply crisis in which worldwide demand is growing while current meat consumption is straining land and water resources and generating troubling levels of greenhouse gases.
''Meat production right now is not sustainable,'' Selvaganapathy says. ''There has to be an alternative way of creating meat.''
Producing viable meat without raising and harvesting animals would be far more sustainable, more sanitary and far less wasteful, the researchers point out. While other forms of cultured meat have previously been developed, the McMaster researchers believe theirs has the best potential for creating products consumers will accept, enjoy and afford.
The researchers have formed a start-up company to begin commercializing the technology.
French Central Bank Trials Digital Currency for Interbank Settlement - CoinDesk
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:15
The pilot involved the settlement on a private blockchain of around '¬2 million.
Banque de France(Shutterstock)
Jan 19, 2021 at 5:54 p.m. UTC
French Central Bank Trials Digital Currency for Interbank SettlementBanque de France has successfully conducted a central bank digital currency (CBDC) experiment using a blockchain platform for interbank settlement.
According to a Banque de France statement, the pilot involved the settlement on a private blockchain, provided by U.K. blockchain startup SETL, of around '¬2 million (US$2.43 million).The French bank used SETL's fund management platform Iznes, along with Citi, CACEIS, Groupama AM, OFI AM, and DXC, as part of the process for the first settlement of funds using CBDC.More experiments of the pilot program are underway through mid-year and the process will be an important contribution to research around the interest of a CBDC, said the bank.Francois Villeroy de Galhau, governor of the Banque de France, has spoken openly of the potential benefits in the development and issuance of the CBDC.In 2020, the French bank published a request for proposals for CBDC ''experiment'' applications. The project's aim was to help France's central bank understand the risks and mechanisms of CBDCs and also contribute to the eurozone's digital cash conversation.Read more: French Central Bank Puts Out Call for Digital Currency Experiments
Rogue antibodies could be driving severe COVID-19
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:13
More than a year after COVID-19 emerged, many mysteries persist about the disease: why do some people get so much sicker than others? Why does lung damage sometimes continue to worsen well after the body seems to have cleared the SARS-CoV-2 virus? And what is behind the extended, multi-organ illness that lasts for months in people with 'long COVID'? A growing number of studies suggest that some of these questions might be explained by the immune system mistakenly turning against the body '-- a phenomenon known as autoimmunity.
''This is a rapidly evolving area, but all the evidence is converging,'' says Aaron Ring, an immunologist at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut.
Early in the pandemic, researchers suggested that some people have an overactive immune response to COVID infection. Immune-system signalling proteins called cytokines can ramp up to dangerous levels, leading to 'cytokine storms' and damage to the body's own cells. Clinical trials have now shown that some drugs that broadly dampen immune activity seem to reduce death rates in critically ill people, if administered at the right time.
But scientists studying COVID are increasingly also highlighting the role of autoantibodies: rogue antibodies that attack either elements of the body's immune defences or specific proteins in organs such as the heart. In contrast to cytokine storms, which tend to cause systemic, short-duration problems, autoantibodies are thought to result in targeted, longer-term damage, says immunologist Akiko Iwasaki, a colleague of Ring's at Yale.
Even healthy people make autoantibodies, but not generally in large amounts, and the molecules don't usually seem to cause damage or attack the immune system.
Yet researchers also have evidence that nefarious autoantibodies do have a role in many infectious diseases.
There are several theories to explain how autoimmunity might emerge from COVID and other infections. Some people might be predisposed to producing autoantibodies that can then wreak havoc during an infection. Alternatively, infections could even trigger the production of autoantibodies. If researchers can establish the link, they might be able to come up with avenues for treatment, both for the repercussions of COVID and for other diseases caused by viruses.
Finding autoantibodiesIn late September, a group led by Jean-Laurent Casanova at the Rockefeller University in New York City reported that more than 10% of 987 individuals with severe COVID-19 had antibodies that attacked and blocked the action of type 1 interferon molecules, which normally help to bolster the immune response against foreign pathogens1. That was a striking proportion, the researchers say, because people's antibody repertoires are normally very dissimilar, and noone in a control group for the study had these antibodies. The researchers also saw the antibodies in people before their COVID-19 infection, so Casanova thinks that some people could be genetically predisposed to produce them. And the autoantibodies were more common in men than women '-- a possible factor in why COVID seems to hit men harder.
The first evidence2 suggesting that autoantibodies against interferon might put people at higher risk of infectious disease was published in 1984, and evidence has accumulated since then, Casanova says. But now COVID is drawing more attention to the connection. ''Now people understand the problem,'' he says, ''and all of a sudden they realize that what my lab has been doing for 25 years is actually pretty meaningful.''
Casanova is now screening 40,000 people to see how many have pre-existing autoantibodies and determine whether their distribution by age, ancestry and gender matches that of severe COVID.
Other research groups have supported Casanova's autoantibody connection. Iwasaki, Ring and others screened 194 patients and hospital workers with varying severities of COVID for a wide range of autoantibodies. Their study, which was posted online in December and has not yet been peer reviewed, found a higher prevalence of autoantibodies against the immune system in infected individuals than in uninfected people3. They found autoantibodies that attacked B cells, as well as some that attacked interferon.
But this study also suggested that SARS-CoV-2 might cause the body to generate autoantibodies that attack its own tissues. Some of the infected individuals had autoantibodies against proteins in their blood vessels, heart and brain. This was particularly intriguing because many of the symptoms seen in the pandemic are linked to these organs. It's unclear whether COVID-19 infection caused the body to start making these autoantibodies or whether infected people had them already. Iwasaki says they are hoping to study other cases to establish whether there is a causal link; that would require obtaining more blood samples from before people become infected.
Researchers have also found autoantibodies against molecules called phospholipids, adds Michel Goldman, an immunologist at the Free University of Brussels and former director of Europe's Innovative Medicines Initiative. The largest such study, published in November, found that 52% of 172 people hospitalized with COVID-19 had these autoantibodies4. ''That's a real concern,'' he says, because some phospholipids are known to have a role in controlling blood clotting, which goes awry in COVID-19.
This month, another study5, not yet peer reviewed, reported finding autoantibodies that might be spurred by COVID-19. David Lee, an emergency-medicine doctor at New York University (NYU) Langone Health, partnered with NYU microbiologist Ana Rodriguez and others to analyse serum samples from 86 people hospitalized with COVID-19. They looked for autoantibodies against proteins such as annexin A2, which is of particular interest because it helps to keep cell membranes stable and ensures the integrity of small blood vessels in the lungs. The researchers found a significantly higher average level of anti-annexin A2 antibodies in people who had died than in those with non-critical illness. As with other studies, it's still unclear whether these autoantibodies existed before infection with the coronavirus.
MRI scans, taken in a Paris clinic, show how COVID-19 damaged a patient's lungs. Credit: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg/Getty
The autoantibody theory might explain some of the delay in the onset of severe symptoms in COVID-19. If evoked by the cellular damage and inflammation stoked by viral infection, as Lee and others think, autoantibodies would take a couple of weeks to build up in the body. This, he says, could be why much of the damage to tissues such as the lungs appears so long after a person develops symptoms such as fever. In this way, autoimmunity might be the real culprit behind the deadly destruction that continues after the coronavirus has cleared. ''Clinicians are thinking, 'Oh, this virus is so deadly, we've got to get rid of the virus.' But then when you talk to the pathologists, they're like, 'Yeah, so we're seeing all this damage, but not seeing much virus,''' Lee says.
An infectious ideaOver the years, scientists have identified numerous instances of infections generating autoimmunity. Some reports suggest that infection with the malaria parasite can cause the body to begin attacking red blood cells, causing anaemia. And Epstein''Barr virus '-- which causes glandular fever (also known as mononucleosis) '-- has been implicated in dozens of autoimmune illnesses, including lupus. Finding a rock-solid connection can be tough, because it's difficult to show whether the infections are the cause of autoimmune disorders or whether they crop up in the body for another reason, says Anish Suri, president of Cue Biopharma, a company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that is researching therapies to counter autoimmunity.
Strep throat is a well-established example. If left untreated, this illness, which is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes, can prompt an autoimmune reaction, known as rheumatic fever, that attacks organs and can lead to permanent heart damage. Other bacteria are also likely to lead to autoimmunity: the stomach bug Helicobacter pylori is thought to cause a disorder called immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), in which the body starts destroying platelets in the blood. In some people with ITP, treatment with antibiotics against H. pylori improves platelet count, suggesting that the drugs help to reverse the autoimmune condition.
Yehuda Shoenfeld, head of the Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases in Tel-Hashomer, Israel, suspects that COVID-19 might cause autoimmune disease. Last June, he published an article about COVID-19 and autoimmunity6, and cited an April 2020 case report of a 65-year-old woman with COVID-19 whose platelet count dropped precipitously and who required a platelet transfusion7. Although there is not enough evidence to prove that this was ITP, there have been a few dozen other cases of ITP linked to COVID-19 in the literature8.
Some people might have a genetic predisposition to developing an autoimmune reaction in response to infection. For example, certain individuals have DNA that encodes the immune-system protein HLA-DRB1, which Shoenfeld says is ''notorious'' for its link to autoimmunity. A related protein, HLA-DQB1, is strongly suspected to have put individuals receiving a now-discontinued vaccine against the H1N1 'swine flu' at risk of developing a form of narcolepsy that is thought to result from an autoimmune attack on neurons in the brain.
Another way pathogens might trigger immunity is if a part of them coincidentally resembles human cell components. For example, S. pyogenes has an 'M' protein that mimics certain proteins found in the human heart. This is known as molecular mimicry. In their June 2020 article, Shoenfeld and his collaborators found similarities between numerous short sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which the virus uses to enter the cell, and human proteins. Others caution, however, that this might not have meaningful effects. ''This is not to say that mimicry by pathogens is not a real thing,'' says Brian Wasik, a virologist at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. ''But most instances of such mimicry have been defined by testing how the pathogens' proteins actually react to antibodies in the lab.''
Another theory is that inflammation caused by an infection might prime the immune system to mistakenly see the spewed contents of destroyed cells as 'foreign' and create autoantibodies against these cellular pieces, says Leona Gilbert, a molecular biologist who is a consultant at a diagnostic company named Te?ted Oy in Finland, which has developed and sells a test for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The tissue damage that accompanies inflammation is a recipe for the body to begin attacking itself, Gilbert says: ''That just precipitates the whole event in developing autoimmune conditions,'' she says.
Lee, the researcher who studied annexin A2, says the evidence that infections can give rise to autoimmunity is not receiving enough attention. ''It should make us rethink dozens of diseases, if not hundreds,'' he says. ''I'm like, 'How is anybody not seeing this?'''
Rethinking treatmentsIf an autoimmunity element exists either in predisposing people to COVID-19 or in the fallout from the infection, there might be treatment implications. Casanova says that in cases in which pre-existing autoimmunity against interferon might put people at greater risk of falling ill, then blood tests for autoantibodies, which are becoming more available in research laboratories and university hospitals, could help to identify them.
And if these people become infected with SARS-CoV-2, Casanova suggests, they could receive supplementation as early as is practical with interferon-β, which is not as prone to attack from the immune system as are other interferons. Last November, a preliminary study found that an inhaled form of interferon-β seemed to improve the clinical condition of people with COVID, prompting a larger trial of this therapy9.
Interferon replacements are intended to boost the activity of a weakened immune system. But if autoantibodies attack organs such as the lungs and brain, a blunt strategy for combating them might be to suppress the immune system.
Even before autoantibodies came into focus, the idea that a cytokine storm might be a culprit meant that studies were under way to see whether immunosuppressive steroids such as dexamethasone, or the arthritis drugs tocilizumab and sarilumab, could be used to calm immune systems set awry by COVID. The World Health Organization now ''strongly recommends'' the use of dexamethasone in severe cases, and the United Kingdom is using the arthritis drugs for people with severe COVID after a clinical trial on 7 January10 suggested that they cut death rates in patients in intensive care.
The immunosuppressive steroid dexamethasone is used to treat people with COVID-19 who are in critical condition. Credit: EFE/Alamy
Physicians emphasize that, whether they are used to quell a cytokine storm or to try to address autoimmunity, administration of the drugs needs to be carefully timed so that they don't interfere with the body's battle against SARS-CoV-2. Suri notes that broad-spectrum immunosuppressants make the body more prone to infection. His company is one of a handful conducting preclinical work to develop engineered molecules that go after specific immunity pathways, rather than suppress immunity across the board.
Lee, meanwhile, says that if autoantibodies against annexin A2 and other proteins prove to be a consequence of COVID-19, then it might make sense to study what happens when patients' plasma is run through a process that clears these antibodies out before returning the plasma.
Scientists are very interested in understanding whether autoimmunity is linked to long COVID, too. ''First of all, we don't know if these autoantibodies contribute to long COVID, but if they do, what is the longevity? How long will they last? How long is the body going to keep producing those antibodies?'' Ring says. But answering these questions is a complicated endeavour, because people naturally produce many different kinds of antibody, including autoantibodies.
Ring hopes that research into viruses and autoimmunity will eventually get much-needed answers for individuals with post-viral autoimmunity, which might include those with COVID-19. ''These patients are just so frustrated,'' he says. ''Their physicians don't believe them and so they get psych referrals. Just to be able to tell these people they have a real disease and here's what's causing it '-- that would be really meaningful.''
Biden's Pentagon nominee pledges to rid ranks of 'racists and extremists' | The National
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:12
Lloyd Austin told senators America would not be safe with enemies 'within our ranks'
Lloyd Austin, a retired US general nominated by president-elect Joe Biden as defence chief, pledged on Tuesday to rid the US military ''of racists and extremists''.
Testifying in his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Gen Austin said sexual assault, racism and extremism were problems he would fight hard to eliminate at the Pentagon.
''If confirmed, I will fight hard to stamp out sexual assault, to rid our ranks of racists and extremists and to create a climate where everyone fit and willing has the opportunity to serve this country with dignity,'' he said.
''The job of the Department of Defence is to keep America safe from our enemies. But we can't do that if some of those enemies lie within our own ranks.''
Gen Austin advocated more communication between military leaders and their subordinates to counter the threat of racism and extremism in the military.
''I think that we have to train our leaders to make sure that they are in touch with the people they are leading ... what they are doing, what they are reading,'' he said.
''Training needs to go on routinely because things change.''
The retired general emphasised that US military values must be followed.
''Failure to adhere to those values means you should not be part of our formation,'' he said.
The comments came only hours after the Department of Defence said a dozen members of the US National Guard had been removed from helping secure the inauguration of president-elect Joe Biden over vetting concerns.
In two cases, they related to ties to right-wing extremism.
On Sunday, acting defence secretary Chris Miller said the FBI was helping the US military vet more than 25,000 National Guard troops being sent to protect Washington.
The US Department of Justice said last week it was investigating police officers who took part in the deadly attacks on the Capitol on January 6 while off duty.
''We don't care what your profession is, who you are, who you are affiliated with. If you are conducting or engaged in criminal activity, we will charge you and you will be arrested,'' acting US Attorney for the District of Columbia Michael Sherwin said on Friday.
Gen Austin, if confirmed by the Senate, will be the first black head of defence in US history and the third retired general since 1947 to hold the position. But he will need a waiver from Congress because he left the military only four years ago. The rules require seven years to have passed before members of the armed forces take on civilian government positions.
On Tuesday, the House Armed Services Committee cancelled its public hearing for the waiver and will instead brief Gen Austin behind closed doors.
''Iran continues to be a destabilising element in the region ... it doesn't work well with its neighbours. It does present a threat to our partners and those forces we have in the region,'' said Gen Austin, who was previously head of US Central Command.
''If Iran were to get a nuclear capability, most every problem we deal with in the region would be tougher because of that. Iran's behaviour continues to be destabilising,'' he said. But he said he shared the Biden team's view that if Iran upholds its commitments under the nuclear deal, the US would return to the agreement and would discuss issues related to the sunset clause and ballistic missiles.
When asked about the Abraham Accord and four Arab countries normalising relations with Israel, Gen Austin called it a ''good thing''.
''I think that any time that countries agree to normalise relations, that's a good thing. I think certainly this has put a bit more pressure on Iran and I hope it will have good effects,'' he said.
But it was clear from his comments that the primary focus will be on Asia and not the Middle East. ''Asia must be the focus of our effort and I see China in particular as a pacing challenge for the [Defence] Department,'' he said.
He said China's goal ''is to be the dominant world power'' but that the US ''will present a credible deterrent to China or any adversary that wishes to take us on''.
Updated: January 20, 2021 05:00 PM
News '-- VCI
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:00
Press ReleaseBroad Coalition of Health and Technology Industry Leaders Announce Vaccination Credential Initiative to Accelerate Digital Access to COVID-19 Vaccination RecordsThe Vaccination Credential Initiative (VCI) is working to enable individuals vaccinated for COVID-19 to access their vaccination records in a secure, verifiable and privacy-preserving way.
Coalition partners include CARIN Alliance, Cerner, Change Healthcare, The Commons Project Foundation, Epic, Evernorth, Mayo Clinic, Microsoft, MITRE, Oracle, Safe Health, Salesforce.
The coalition is developing a standard model for organizations administering COVID-19 vaccines to make credentials available in an accessible, interoperable, digital format.
Trustworthy, traceable, verifiable, and universally recognized digital record of vaccination status is urgently needed worldwide to safely enable people to return to work, school, events, and travel.
January 14, 2021 (NEW YORK): A broad coalition of health and technology leaders today announced the creation of the Vaccination Credential Initiative (VCI), committed to empowering individuals with digital access to their vaccination records based on open, interoperable standards.
The current vaccination record system does not readily support convenient access, control and sharing of verifiable vaccination records. VCI coalition members are working to enable digital access to vaccination records using the open, interoperable SMART Health Cards specification, based on W3C Verifiable Credential and HL7 FHIR standards.
VCI's vision is to empower individuals to obtain an encrypted digital copy of their immunization credentials to store in a digital wallet of their choice. Those without smartphones could receive paper printed with QR codes containing W3C verifiable credentials.
''The goal of the Vaccination Credential Initiative is to empower individuals with digital access to their vaccination records so they can use tools like CommonPass to safely return to travel, work, school, and life, while protecting their data privacy,'' said Paul Meyer, CEO of The Commons Project Foundation. "Open standards and interoperability are at the heart of VCI's efforts and we look forward to supporting the World Health Organization and other global stakeholders in implementing and scaling open global standards for health data interoperability."
''As we explore the many use cases for the vaccination credential, we are working to ensure that underserved populations have access to this verification,'' said Dr. Brian Anderson, chief digital health physician at MITRE. ''Just as COVID-19 does not discriminate based on socio-economic status, we must ensure that convenient access to records crosses the digital divide. MITRE is an independent advisor and trusted source for managing third-party data and proud to be joining with The Commons Project and other coalition members to deliver an open-source credential.''
''A secure, convenient solution to verify COVID-19 vaccination will play an important role in accelerating a healthy and safe return to work, school and life in general,'' said Joan Harvey, president of care solutions at Evernorth, Cigna's health services business. ''Evernorth is helping to lead this important work because the digital vaccine certification made possible by this collaboration will put people in charge of their own health data through innovative technology. It furthers our mission to tackle healthcare's biggest challenges.''
''As the world begins to recover from the pandemic, having electronic access to vaccination, testing, and other medical records will be vital to resuming travel and more,'' said Mike Sicilia, executive vice president of Oracle's Global Business Units. ''This process needs to be as easy online banking. We are committed to working collectively with the technology and medical communities, as well as global governments, to ensure people will have secure access to this information where and when they need it.''
''Salesforce is proud to join the Vaccination Credential Initiative to help organizations easily and safely customize all aspects of the vaccination management lifecycle and integrate closely with other coalition members' offerings, which will help us all get back to public life,'' said Bill Patterson, executive vice president and general manager, CRM Applications at Salesforce. ''With a single platform to help deliver safe and continuous operations and deepen trust with customers and employees, this coalition will be crucial to support public health and wellbeing.''
''The standards being developed by the Vaccination Credential Initiative, combined with availability of inexpensive smartphone-enabled rapid tests the FDA is now beginning to authorize for home use, will enable application developers to create privacy-preserving health status verification solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into existing ticketing workflows," said Ken Mayer, founder and CEO of Safe Health. ''SAFE is currently working with Hedera to develop a blockchain-enabled crowd safety solution using the VCI standards designed to help get concerts and sporting events going again.''
''Cerner is already providing tools to clinics, hospitals and other venues that provide health care to support the rapid COVID-19 vaccination process and ensure a safe, streamlined experience. This initiative will grow the standards around data exchange and help patients have access to and easily share verified vaccination information via their mobile device in situations where proof-of-vaccine is necessary,'' said David Bradshaw, senior vice president of Consumer and Employer Solutions, Cerner. ''Cerner is committed to continuing to be an industry advocate for standards-based access to health information.''
''We are kicking off the most significant vaccination effort in the history of the United States. Now more than ever, individuals need access to their own vaccination and health information in a portable format to begin to move about the country safely and comfortably,'' said Ryan Howells, principal, Leavitt Partners and program manager of the CARIN Alliance. ''The CARIN Alliance is supportive of MITRE's effort to provide individuals with access to their vaccination information in a secure and trusted way and looks forward to advising the VCI initiative on ways to leverage the CARIN code of conduct and other best practices to facilitate consumer-directed exchange that we have developed consensus on over the last few years.''
The Vaccination Credential Initiative has created an informational website at vaccinationcredential.org for more information.
Siouxlanders cope with guilt, shame when testing positive for COVID-19 | SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 15:54
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) '-- Brian Tripp tested positive for COVID-19 a few months back. He said the possibility of him being the reason someone else contracted the virus is what kept him feeling guilty, even after his symptoms faded.
''You know, I felt a little guilty cause what if I gave it to someone's grandma and she ended up passing away? Tripp said. ''That's on me. I don't know how long I had it before I quarantined, you never know so of course, yeah.''
Amy Bloch, the executive director of Catholic Charities, said if you feel the same way, you're not alone. Other people who choose not to wear a mask or to go out to in large groups are not your fault.
''Other people in situations that put them at risk, you're not responsible for the choices other people made even if maybe you didn't make a good choice.'' Bloch said.
If you do receive a positive test, Bloch said focus on your wellness instead of dwelling on the diagnosis.
''With COVID-19, there has been a lot of shame placed with having it, you know, people we have seen here at Catholic Charities have described that people can treat them like the plague if they have it or people don't want to be around them,'' said Bloch.
Bloch recommends for her patients who are feeling guilty or anxious to practice deep breathing. Going for a drive or reading a book are just some things you can do to help. She also recommends, finding the positive side to every situation.
''Guilt can be a good thing. There's healthy guilt, there's unhealthy guilt. Some of what healthy guilt does, is it keeps us from putting ourselves in difficult situations. It also helps us acknowledge that maybe we didn't make good choices and we can learn from them,'' said Bloch.
Confiding in friends or family can also be helpful, especially if you're feeling alone while quarantining.
If you feel like discussing your negative emotions, seek professional help with a local counselor.
13,000 NY Nursing Home Residents And Nearly Half Of Staff Decline COVID-19 Vaccine | ZeroHedge
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 15:22
New York will be reallocating unused COVID-19 vaccines after more than ten thousand nursing home residents and nearly half of staffers declined the jab, according to Gareth Rhodes, a member of Governor Andrew Cuomo's COVID-19 Response Task Force.
Rhodes said that out of 70,000 nursing home residents, 57,000 have been vaccinated, while 13,000 have declined. Meanwhile, out of 89,000 nursing home staff, 41,000 have declined.
Overall, 105,000 first-doses of the vaccine have been used so far in nursing homes, while 120,000 doses remain.
"We're gonna reallocate those that are used in the long-term facility program to the state program, but we'll make sure that the residents who want to take it and the staff who want to take it, we will reserve their doses," said Cuomo, who in July came under fire for ordering nursing homes to accept coronavirus patients from hospitals.
The reallocation comes more than a week after New York came under scrutiny over discarded vaccines - with officials changing regulations which required that extra doses to be tossed.
In a Monday letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Cuomo called on the federal government to beef up vaccine supply, claiming that Azar falsely claimed that doses would be held in reserve, when they were in fact distributed to states.
I'm demanding @HHSGov Secretary Alex Azar explain his false claim that reserve vaccine doses would be shipped to states'--when in fact the fed gov had ALREADY distributed all of those doses and will not be increasing the supply. pic.twitter.com/71uIx2FOq6
'-- Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) January 18, 2021New York has received approximately 1.2 million doses, of which around 860,000 have been administered. The figure doesn't include shots allocated to nursing homes, while the CDC claims New York has received 1.8 million doses.
Cuomo last week extended the shots to anyone age 65 and over, but has repeatedly insisted the state has nowhere near enough doses to cover everyone who is now eligible.
The governor also sent a letter Monday to Pfizer chairman and CEO Albert Bourla asking him to let New York purchase COVID-19 vaccines directly from the company. -NY Post
"My job as governor of New York is to pursue every avenue," said Cuomo, adding "The federal government increased eligibility dramatically but never increased the supply for the dosages."
New OCC Rule Is a Win in the Fight Against Financial Censorship - Activist Post
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 14:59
By Marta Belcher
On Thursday, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency finalized its Fair Access to Financial Services rule, which will prevent banks from refusing to serve entire classes of customers that they find politically or morally unsavory. The rule is a huge win for civil liberties, and for the many sectors who have found themselves in the bad graces of corporate financial services, like cryptocurrency projects, marijuana businesses, sex worker advocacy groups, and others.
For years, financial intermediaries have engaged in financial censorship, shutting down accounts in order to censor legal speech. For example, banks have refused to serve entire industries on the basis of political disagreement, and other financial intermediaries have cut off access to financial services for independent booksellers, social networks, and whistleblower websites, even when these websites are engaged in First Amendment-protected speech.
For the organizations losing access to financial services, this censorship can disrupt operations and, in some cases, have existential consequences. For that reason, financial censorship can affect free expression. As just one example, in Backpage.com, LLC v. Dart, a county sheriff embarked on a campaign to crush a website by demanding that payment processors prohibit the use of their credit cards to purchase ads on the site. The Seventh Circuit court of appeals held that the sheriff's conduct violated the First Amendment and noted that the sheriff had attacked the website ''not by litigation but instead by suffocation, depriving the company of ad revenues by scaring off its payments-service providers.'' As EFF explained in our amicus brief in that case, ''[like] access to Internet connectivity, access to the financial system is a necessary precondition for the operations of nearly every other Internet intermediary, including content hosts and platforms. The structure of the electronic payment economy . . . make these payment systems a natural choke point for controlling online content.'' In that case, the Seventh Circuit analogized shutting down financial services to ''killing a person by cutting off his oxygen supply rather than by shooting him.''
Innovators in the cryptocurrency space are all too familiar with these problems. For years, they have struggled to access basic financial services'--regardless of how successful, promising, or financially sound the particular company is. The Blockchain Association highlighted this problem in its comments supporting the OCC's new rule, noting that in some cases individuals working at legal U.S. cryptocurrency businesses have been denied personal banking services because of their employment. The difficulty in accessing these financial services has been a huge barrier for cryptocurrency entrepreneurs, whose time and energy would be better spent innovating rather than trying to figure out how to get a bank account.
The OCC's new rule will help address this. It will limit the ability of certain financial institutions like large, national banks to categorically refuse service to a class of customers. Under the new rule, banks will still be empowered to refuse to serve certain customers, but must use individual, quantifiable, customer-by-customer risk assessment, rather than refusing to serve an entire industry. We hope that, under this regulation, historically underserved businesses will be able to access the financial services they need, and won't lose their financial lifelines solely based on the whims and subjective moral standards of bank executives.
Source: EFF.org
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Alibaba stock surges after founder Jack Ma resurfaces
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 14:38
Business
By Noah Manskar
January 20, 2021 | 7:20am
Jack Ma's first appearance in months sent Alibaba's US-listed shares soaring 6.8 percent in premarket trading. Liu Yang/VCG via Getty Images
Jack is back '-- and investors are relieved.
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba's stock price surged Wednesday after billionaire founder Jack Ma made his first public appearance in nearly three months.
Alibaba's US-listed shares jumped 6.8 percent in premarket trading to $268.81 as of 7:03 a.m. after Ma resurfaced at an online ceremony that his charity organized for rural teachers, quelling concerns about his lengthy silence.
The English teacher-turned-tech tycoon spoke from a room adorned with floral arrangements and a large painting in a 50-second video that also included footage of Ma visiting a school in China's Tonglu county last week.
Before the brief clip, Ma had not been seen in public since he made an Oct. 24 speech slamming China's regulatory system. That apparently drew the ire of Chinese officials, who halted the initial public offering of Ma's digital payments firm, Ant Group, the following month.
Ma's unusual absence stirred speculation earlier this month that he had gone missing '-- especially after he reportedly failed to appear on the final episode of ''Africa's Business Heroes,'' an ''Apprentice''-style TV show he created.
But Duncan Clark, an investor and adviser on China's tech sector who's known Ma for decades, recently told NPR that Ma had just ''been told to lay low.''
Ma, 56, is China's fourth-richest man with a total fortune of about $53 billion, according to Bloomberg's Billionaires Index. His net worth has dropped by about $8 billion since the day of his fateful October speech.
With Post wires
Hours before leaving office, Trump undoes one of the only measures he took to 'drain the swamp' - The Washington Post
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 08:14
President Trump rescinded an executive order early Wednesday morning that had limited federal administration officials from lobbying the government or working for foreign countries after they leave their posts, undoing one of the few measures he had instituted to fulfill his 2016 campaign promise to ''drain the swamp.''
Trump had signed the now-reversed executive order with much fanfare in an Oval Office ceremony in January 2017.
''Most of the people standing behind me will not be able to go to work'' after they leave government, Trump said at the time, flanked by senior aides.
The order required executive branch appointees to sign a pledge that they would never work as registered foreign lobbyists, and it banned them from lobbying the federal agencies where they worked for five years after leaving the government.
How Trump abandoned his pledge to 'drain the swamp'
Ethics experts at the time noted the order had loopholes '-- but still offered cautious praise at the time for Trump's attempt at halting the revolving door that allows government employees to use their positions to land lucrative jobs in the private sector.
No explanation was given for why Trump chose to rescind the order. The White House released the directive at 1:08 a.m. on the day he will leave office. It had been signed on Tuesday.
Trump largely failed to fulfill the pledges he made to change Washington's culture, including the specific promises he made to curtail moneyed interests in 2016 campaign speech in Green Bay, Wis.
He promised he would push Congress to pass a five-year lobbying ban into law so it could not be lifted by a future president. But he never proposed such legislation. Nor did he ask Congress to impose a similar five-year lobbying ban on its members, as he had promised he would do in the speech.
He also never tried to seek to ''close all the loopholes'' used by former government officials who get around registering as lobbyists by calling themselves ''consultants'' and ''advisers.'' And he never acted on his pledge to stop foreign lobbyists from campaign fundraising '-- and in fact, benefited from their financial support.
Among the five pledges Trump made to ''drain the swamp'' and curtail the influence of lobbyists, a Washington Post review last year found that he sought to address only two '-- through the executive order in January 2017 that he has now reversed.
Meanwhile, Trump gave wealthy donors ample access to him and his top aides, holding pricey fundraisers where supporters personally pitched him on their ideas.
He also forced the government to spend money at his private hotels as he and his family traveled around the globe. And he sidestepped rules that had been designed to prevent nepotism, allowing his son-in-law to serve in a top government role.
Blocked from social media, extremists discuss turning to radios to plan attacks, FCC warns - CNN
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 06:58
New York (CNN Business)The US government is warning that groups could rely on radio equipment as an alternative to social media to plan future criminal activities.
In a
stark warning Sunday, the Federal Communications Commission's enforcement bureau said people
coordinating or conducting criminal activity over radio waves are breaking the law.
"The Bureau has become aware of discussions on social media platforms suggesting that certain radio services regulated by the Commission may be an alternative to social media platforms for groups to communicate and coordinate future activities," the FCC said in its warning Sunday. "Individuals using radios in the Amateur or Personal Radio Services in this manner may be subject to severe penalties, including significant fines, seizure of the offending equipment, and, in some cases, criminal prosecution."
The FCC licenses certain signals for people to broadcast over radio waves. Those messages are generally protected by the US Constitution's First Amendment. But the FCC reminded radio licensees and operators that it is prohibited to transmit "communications intended to facilitate a criminal act." People are also not allowed to encode their messages to obscure their meaning from law enforcement.
The laws governing airwaves apply to amateurs broadcasting with personal ham radios, which can reach long distances. But they also apply to people using Citizens Band (CB) radios commonly used for communication between truckers -- or even walkie-talkies.
In the wake of the January 6 Capitol riots,
Facebook
( FB ),
Twitter
( TWTR ) and other mainstream social networks have become more vigilant about policing people who use their platforms to plan or incite attacks. They have booted off several high-profile radicals and thousands of groups and users who the platforms say engage in harmful conspiracy theories and other violence or hate speech.
Similarly,
Amazon
( AMZN ),
Apple
( AAPL ) and
Google
( GOOGL ) effectively took Parler off the internet.
Parler, the alternative social network popular with conservatives, had been surging in popularity in recent months. But the platform failed to rein in
hate-filled, violent speech, Big Tech companies allege. Amazon, Apple and Google said that unmoderated speech could lead to another violent attack.
In response,
Parler sued Amazon last week, alleging an antitrust violation, breach of contract and interference with the company's business relationships with users. The complaint calls Amazon Web Services' decision a "death blow" to Parler.
"Without AWS, Parler is finished as it has no way to get online," the complaint said. "And a delay of granting this TRO by even one day could also sound Parler's death knell as President Trump and others move on to other platforms."
Amazon said that Parler's lawsuit has "no merit."
Flying amid Covid: UAE airline launches 'digital passport'
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 06:33
(C) Provided by Khaleej Times Flying amid Covid: UAE airline launches 'digital passport' The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, today announced a partnership to launch the IATA Travel Pass for Etihad Airways' guests.
The IATA Travel Pass is a mobile app to help passengers easily and securely manage their travel in line with government requirements for Covid-19 tests or vaccines.
IATA Travel Pass will initially be offered to Etihad's guests on selected flights from Abu Dhabi in the first quarter of 2021. If successful, the pass will be extended to other destinations on the Etihad network.
The IATA Travel Pass will enable Etihad's guests to create a 'digital passport' to receive Covid test results and verify they are eligible to undertake their journey.
Importantly, IATA Travel Pass will keep passengers in control of their data and facilitate the sharing of their test with airlines and authorities for travel. It will also make it convenient for passengers to manage travel documentation throughout their journey.
"Covid-19 tests and vaccinations will be key to get the world flying again. Since 1 August 2020, Etihad is the only airline requiring a pre-departure negative PCR test result for all passengers worldwide, and again on arrival in Abu Dhabi, giving our guests the added assurance of safety when they travel with us. A high priority for Etihad is for our guests to have an easy, secure and efficient way to identify and verify their information. Being one of the first airlines globally working with IATA as a pioneer partner on the IATA Travel Pass is a big step forward for Etihad's guests and for the industry," said Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer, Etihad Aviation Group.
Etihad has been actively exploring the roll out of digital health certification for its guests, and this latest partnership with IATA, alongside similar programmes the airline has in development, shows the technology is advancing quickly to make it a reality.
To standardise the way in which passenger wellness can be assured during the Covid-19 pandemic, at an industry level, Etihad is actively campaigning for collaboration and a united regulatory response to restore confidence in flying.
"The Etihad Airways partnership to launch the IATA Travel Pass is an important milestone on the road to meaningfully restarting international travel. Our aim is to give all governments the confidence to re-open borders to travellers based on verified vaccine and testing data. The initial stage of the Etihad launch will focus on all four elements of the IATA Travel Pass modules, one of the first airlines in the world to do so," said Nick Careen, IATA's Senior Vice President, Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security.
IATA Travel Pass has been developed as four independent modules that can interact with each other. These modules cover registries for regulatory entry requirements and labs/test centers, verified certificate issuance, digital identity and the possibility for passengers to share their tests results along their journey via their mobile device.
These modules can work together as one complete end-to-end solution. Or they can be used separately to complement systems that others are building. IATA has developed these modules to ensure they are interoperable with other industry solutions.
Gallery: Airport secrets only insiders know
Executive Order on Taking Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency with Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities | The White House
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 01:07
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code:
I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that additional steps must be taken to deal with the national emergency related to significant malicious cyber-enabled activities declared in Executive Order 13694 of April 1, 2015 (Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities), as amended, to address the use of United States Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) products by foreign malicious cyber actors. IaaS products provide persons the ability to run software and store data on servers offered for rent or lease without responsibility for the maintenance and operating costs of those servers. Foreign malicious cyber actors aim to harm the United States economy through the theft of intellectual property and sensitive data and to threaten national security by targeting United States critical infrastructure for malicious cyber-enabled activities. Foreign actors use United States IaaS products for a variety of tasks in carrying out malicious cyber-enabled activities, which makes it extremely difficult for United States officials to track and obtain information through legal process before these foreign actors transition to replacement infrastructure and destroy evidence of their prior activities; foreign resellers of United States IaaS products make it easier for foreign actors to access these products and evade detection. This order provides authority to impose record-keeping obligations with respect to foreign transactions. To address these threats, to deter foreign malicious cyber actors' use of United States IaaS products, and to assist in the investigation of transactions involving foreign malicious cyber actors, the United States must ensure that providers offering United States IaaS products verify the identity of persons obtaining an IaaS account (''Account'') for the provision of these products and maintain records of those transactions. In appropriate circumstances, to further protect against malicious cyber-enabled activities, the United States must also limit certain foreign actors' access to United States IaaS products. Further, the United States must encourage more robust cooperation among United States IaaS providers, including by increasing voluntary information sharing, to bolster efforts to thwart the actions of foreign malicious cyber actors.
Accordingly, I hereby order:
Section 1. Verification of Identity. Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) shall propose for notice and comment regulations that require United States IaaS providers to verify the identity of a foreign person that obtains an Account. These regulations shall, at a minimum:
(a) set forth the minimum standards that United States IaaS providers must adopt to verify the identity of a foreign person in connection with the opening of an Account or the maintenance of an existing Account, including:
(i) the types of documentation and procedures required to verify the identity of any foreign person acting as a lessee or sub-lessee of these products or services;
(ii) records that United States IaaS providers must securely maintain regarding a foreign person that obtains an Account, including information establishing:
(A) the identity of such foreign person and the person's information, including name, national identification number, and address;
(B) means and source of payment (including any associated financial institution and other identifiers such as credit card number, account number, customer identifier, transaction identifiers, or virtual currency wallet or wallet address identifier);
(C) electronic mail address and telephonic contact information, used to verify a foreign person's identity; and
(D) Internet Protocol addresses used for access or administration and the date and time of each such access or administrative action, related to ongoing verification of such foreign person's ownership of such an Account; and
(iii) methods for limiting all third-party access to the information described in this subsection, except insofar as such access is otherwise consistent with this order and allowed under applicable law;
(b) take into consideration the type of Account maintained by United States IaaS providers, methods of opening an Account, and types of identifying information available to accomplish the objectives of identifying foreign malicious cyber actors using any such products and avoiding the imposition of an undue burden on such providers; and
(c) permit the Secretary, in accordance with such standards and procedures as the Secretary may delineate and in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence, to exempt any United States IaaS provider, or any specific type of Account or lessee, from the requirements of any regulation issued pursuant to this section. Such standards and procedures may include a finding by the Secretary that a provider, Account, or lessee complies with security best practices to otherwise deter abuse of IaaS products.
Sec. 2. Special Measures for Certain Foreign Jurisdictions or Foreign Persons . (a) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary shall propose for notice and comment regulations that require United States IaaS providers to take any of the special measures described in subsection (d) of this section if the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of National Intelligence and, as the Secretary deems appropriate, the heads of other executive departments and agencies (agencies), finds:
(i) that reasonable grounds exist for concluding that a foreign jurisdiction has any significant number of foreign persons offering United States IaaS products that are used for malicious cyber-enabled activities or any significant number of foreign persons directly obtaining United States IaaS products for use in malicious cyber-enabled activities, in accordance with subsection (b) of this section; or
(ii) that reasonable grounds exist for concluding that a foreign person has established a pattern of conduct of offering United States IaaS products that are used for malicious cyber-enabled activities or directly obtaining United States IaaS products for use in malicious cyber-enabled activities.
(b) In making findings under subsection (a) of this section on the use of United States IaaS products in malicious cyber-enabled activities, the Secretary shall consider any information the Secretary determines to be relevant, as well as information pertaining to the following factors:
(i) Factors related to a particular foreign jurisdiction, including:
(A) evidence that foreign malicious cyber actors have obtained United States IaaS products from persons offering United States IaaS products in that foreign jurisdiction, including whether such actors obtained such IaaS products through Reseller Accounts;
(B) the extent to which that foreign jurisdiction is a source of malicious cyber-enabled activities; and
(C) Whether the United States has a mutual legal assistance treaty with that foreign jurisdiction, and the experience of United States law enforcement officials and regulatory officials in obtaining information about activities involving United States IaaS products originating in or routed through such foreign jurisdiction; and
(ii) Factors related to a particular foreign person, including:
(A) the extent to which a foreign person uses United States IaaS products to conduct, facilitate, or promote malicious cyber-enabled activities;
(B) the extent to which United States IaaS products offered by a foreign person are used to facilitate or promote malicious cyber-enabled activities;
(C) the extent to which United States IaaS products offered by a foreign person are used for legitimate business purposes in the jurisdiction; and
(D) the extent to which actions short of the imposition of special measures pursuant to subsection (d) of this section are sufficient, with respect to transactions involving the foreign person offering United States IaaS products, to guard against malicious cyber-enabled activities.
(c) In selecting which special measure or measures to take under this section, the Secretary shall consider:
(i) whether the imposition of any special measure would create a significant competitive disadvantage, including any undue cost or burden associated with compliance, for United States IaaS providers;
(ii) the extent to which the imposition of any special measure or the timing of the special measure would have a significant adverse effect on legitimate business activities involving the particular foreign jurisdiction or foreign person; and
(iii) the effect of any special measure on United States national security, law enforcement investigations, or foreign policy.
(d) The special measures referred to in subsections (a), (b), and
(c) of this section are as follows:
(i) Prohibitions or Conditions on Accounts within Certain Foreign Jurisdictions: The Secretary may prohibit or impose conditions on the opening or maintaining with any United States IaaS provider of an Account, including a Reseller Account, by any foreign person located in a foreign jurisdiction found to have any significant number of foreign persons offering United States IaaS products used for malicious cyber-enabled activities, or by any United States IaaS provider for or on behalf of a foreign person; and
(ii) Prohibitions or Conditions on Certain Foreign Persons: The Secretary may prohibit or impose conditions on the opening or maintaining in the United States of an Account, including a Reseller Account, by any United States IaaS provider for or on behalf of a foreign person, if such an Account involves any such foreign person found to be offering United States IaaS products used in malicious cyber-enabled activities or directly obtaining United States IaaS products for use in malicious cyber-enabled activities.
(e) The Secretary shall not impose requirements for United States IaaS providers to take any of the special measures described in subsection (d) of this section earlier than 180 days following the issuance of final regulations described in section 1 of this order.
Sec. 3. Recommendations for Cooperative Efforts to Deter the Abuse of United States IaaS Products . (a) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary and, as the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security deem appropriate, the heads of other agencies, shall engage and solicit feedback from industry on how to increase information sharing and collaboration among IaaS providers and between IaaS providers and the agencies to inform recommendations under subsection (b) of this section.
(b) Within 240 days of the date of this order, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary, and, as the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security deem appropriate, the heads of other agencies, shall develop and submit to the President a report containing recommendations to encourage:
(i) voluntary information sharing and collaboration, among United States IaaS providers; and
(ii) information sharing between United States IaaS providers and appropriate agencies, including the reporting of incidents, crimes, and other threats to national security, for the purpose of preventing further harm to the United States.
(c) The report and recommendations provided under subsection (b) of this section shall consider existing mechanisms for such sharing and collaboration, including the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (6 U.S.C. 1503 et seq.), and shall identify any gaps in current law, policy, or procedures. The report shall also include:
(i) information related to the operations of foreign malicious cyber actors, the means by which such actors use IaaS products within the United States, malicious capabilities and tradecraft, and the extent to which persons in the United States are compromised or unwittingly involved in such activity;
(ii) recommendations for liability protections beyond those in existing law that may be needed to encourage United States IaaS providers to share information among each other and with the United States Government; and
(iii) recommendations for facilitating the detection and identification of Accounts and activities that involve foreign malicious cyber actors.
Sec. 4. Ensuring Sufficient Resources for Implementation . The Secretary, in consultation with the heads of such agencies as the Secretary deems appropriate, shall identify funding requirements to support the efforts described in this order and incorporate such requirements into its annual budget submissions to the Office of Management and Budget.
Sec. 5. Definitions . For the purposes of this order, the following definitions apply:
(a) The term ''entity'' means a partnership, association, trust, joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization;
(b) The term ''foreign jurisdiction'' means any country, subnational territory, or region, other than those subject to the civil or military jurisdiction of the United States, in which any person or group of persons exercises sovereign de facto or de jure authority, including any such country, subnational territory, or region in which a person or group of persons is assuming to exercise governmental authority whether such a person or group of persons has or has not been recognized by the United States;
(c) The term ''foreign person'' means a person that is not a United States person;
(d) The term ''Infrastructure as a Service Account'' or ''Account'' means a formal business relationship established to provide IaaS products to a person in which details of such transactions are recorded.
(e) The term ''Infrastructure as a Service Product'' means any product or service offered to a consumer, including complimentary or ''trial'' offerings, that provides processing, storage, networks, or other fundamental computing resources, and with which the consumer is able to deploy and run software that is not predefined, including operating systems and applications. The consumer typically does not manage or control most of the underlying hardware but has control over the operating systems, storage, and any deployed applications. The term is inclusive of ''managed'' products or services, in which the provider is responsible for some aspects of system configuration or maintenance, and ''unmanaged'' products or services, in which the provider is only responsible for ensuring that the product is available to the consumer. The term is also inclusive of ''virtualized'' products and services, in which the computing resources of a physical machine are split between virtualized computers accessible over the Internet (e.g., ''virtual private servers''), and ''dedicated'' products or services in which the total computing resources of a physical machine are provided to a single person (e.g., ''bare-metal'' servers);
(f) The term ''malicious cyber-enabled activities'' refers to activities, other than those authorized by or in accordance with United States law that seek to compromise or impair the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of computer, information, or communications systems, networks, physical or virtual infrastructure controlled by computers or information systems, or information resident thereon;
(g) The term ''person'' means an individual or entity;
(h) The term ''Reseller Account'' means an Infrastructure as a Service Account established to provide IaaS products to a person who will then offer those products subsequently, in whole or in part, to a third party.
(i) The term ''United States Infrastructure as a Service Product'' means any Infrastructure as a Service Product owned by any United States person or operated within the territory of the United States of America;
(j) The term ''United States Infrastructure as a Service Provider'' means any United States Person that offers any Infrastructure as a Service Product;
(k) The term ''United States person'' means any United States citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States as defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including foreign branches), or any person located in the United States;
Sec. 6. Amendment to Reporting Authorizations . Section (9) of Executive Order 13694, as amended, is further amended to read as follows:
'' Sec. 9 . The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Commerce, is hereby authorized to submit the recurring and final reports to the Congress on the national emergency declared in this order, consistent with section 401(c) of the NEA (50 U.S.C. 1641(c)) and section 204(c) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1703(c)).''
Sec. 7. General Provisions . (a) The Secretary, in consultation with the heads of such other agencies as the Secretary deems appropriate, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this order. The Secretary may redelegate any of these functions to other officers within the Department of Commerce, consistent with applicable law. All departments and agencies of the United States Government are hereby directed to take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this order.
(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(c) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(d) Nothing in this order prohibits or otherwise restricts authorized intelligence, military, law enforcement, or other activities in furtherance of national security or public safety activities.
(e) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
DONALD J. TRUMP
Bio - Don Winslow
Wed, 20 Jan 2021 00:33
New York Times bestselling author Don Winslow has written twenty-one novels, including The Border, The Force, The Kings of Cool, Savages, The Winter of Frankie Machine and the highly acclaimed epics The Power of the Dog and The Cartel.
The son of a sailor and a librarian, Winslow grew up with a love of books and storytelling in a small coastal Rhode Island town. He left at age seventeen to study journalism at the University of Nebraska, where he earned a degree in African Studies. While in college, he traveled to southern Africa, sparking a lifelong involvement with that continent.
Winslow's travels took him to California, Idaho and Montana before he moved to New York City to become a writer, making his living as a movie theater manager and later a private investigator in Times Square '' 'before Mickey Mouse took it over'. He left to get a master's degree in Military History and intended to go into the Foreign Service but instead joined a friend's photographic safari firm in Kenya. He led trips there as well as hiking expeditions in southwestern China, and later directed Shakespeare productions during summers in Oxford, England.
While bouncing back and forth between Asia, Africa, Europe and America, Winslow wrote his first novel, A Cool Breeze On The Underground, which was nominated for an Edgar Award. With a wife and young son, Winslow went back to investigative work, mostly in California, where he and his family lived in hotels for almost three years as he worked cases and became a trial consultant. A film and publishing deal for his novel The Death and Life of Bobby Z allowed Winslow to be full-time writer and settle in his beloved California, the setting for many of his books. Branching into television and film, Winslow, with his friend Shane Salerno, wrote a television series, UC/Undercover, and the two collaborated on the screenplay of his novel, Savages.
His novels have attracted the attention of filmmakers and actors such as Oliver Stone, Michael Mann, Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, Robert DeNiro and Leonardo DiCaprio. Twentieth Century Fox has optioned his next novel about a NYPD cop as well as The Cartel and The Power of the Dog. Earlier books Savages and The Death and Life of Bobby Z were made into films, too.
In addition to his novels, Winslow has published numerous short stories in anthologies and magazines such as Esquire, the LA Times Magazine and Playboy. His columns have appeared in the Vanity Fair, Vulture, Huffington Post, CNN Online, and other outlets.
Winslow is the recipient of the Raymond Chandler Award (Italy), the LA Times Book Prize, the Ian Fleming Silver Dagger (UK), The RBA Literary Prize (Spain) and many other prestigious awards.
He lives in California with his wife of thirty-one years.
Remarks by President Trump In Farewell Address to the Nation | The White House
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 23:58
The White House
THE PRESIDENT: My fellow Americans: Four years ago, we launched a great national effort to rebuild our country, to renew its spirit, and to restore the allegiance of this government to its citizens. In short, we embarked on a mission to make America great again '-- for all Americans.
As I conclude my term as the 45th President of the United States, I stand before you truly proud of what we have achieved together. We did what we came here to do '-- and so much more.
This week, we inaugurate a new administration and pray for its success in keeping America safe and prosperous. We extend our best wishes, and we also want them to have luck '-- a very important word.
I'd like to begin by thanking just a few of the amazing people who made our remarkable journey possible.
First, let me express my overwhelming gratitude for the love and support of our spectacular First Lady, Melania. Let me also share my deepest appreciation to my daughter Ivanka, my son-in-law Jared, and to Barron, Don, Eric, Tiffany, and Lara. You fill my world with light and with joy.
I also want to thank Vice President Mike Pence, his wonderful wife Karen, and the entire Pence family.
Thank you as well to my Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows; the dedicated members of the White House Staff and the Cabinet; and all the incredible people across our administration who poured out their heart and soul to fight for America.
I also want to take a moment to thank a truly exceptional group of people: the United States Secret Service. My family and I will forever be in your debt. My profound gratitude as well to everyone in the White House Military Office, the teams of Marine One and Air Force One, every member of the Armed Forces, and state and local law enforcement all across our country.
Most of all, I want to thank the American people. To serve as your President has been an honor beyond description. Thank you for this extraordinary privilege. And that's what it is '-- a great privilege and a great honor.
We must never forget that while Americans will always have our disagreements, we are a nation of incredible, decent, faithful, and peace-loving citizens who all want our country to thrive and flourish and be very, very successful and good. We are a truly magnificent nation.
All Americans were horrified by the assault on our Capitol. Political violence is an attack on everything we cherish as Americans. It can never be tolerated.
Now more than ever, we must unify around our shared values and rise above the partisan rancor, and forge our common destiny.
Four years ago, I came to Washington as the only true outsider ever to win the presidency. I had not spent my career as a politician, but as a builder looking at open skylines and imagining infinite possibilities. I ran for President because I knew there were towering new summits for America just waiting to be scaled. I knew the potential for our nation was boundless as long as we put America first.
So I left behind my former life and stepped into a very difficult arena, but an arena nevertheless, with all sorts of potential if properly done. America had given me so much, and I wanted to give something back.
Together with millions of hardworking patriots across this land, we built the greatest political movement in the history of our country. We also built the greatest economy in the history of the world. It was about ''America First'' because we all wanted to make America great again. We restored the principle that a nation exists to serve its citizens. Our agenda was not about right or left, it wasn't about Republican or Democrat, but about the good of a nation, and that means the whole nation.
With the support and prayers of the American people, we achieved more than anyone thought possible. Nobody thought we could even come close.
We passed the largest package of tax cuts and reforms in American history. We slashed more job-killing regulations than any administration had ever done before. We fixed our broken trade deals, withdrew from the horrible Trans-Pacific Partnership and the impossible Paris Climate Accord, renegotiated the one-sided South Korea deal, and we replaced NAFTA with the groundbreaking USMCA '-- that's Mexico and Canada '-- a deal that's worked out very, very well.
Also, and very importantly, we imposed historic and monumental tariffs on China; made a great new deal with China. But before the ink was even dry, we and the whole world got hit with the China virus. Our trade relationship was rapidly changing, billions and billions of dollars were pouring into the U.S., but the virus forced us to go in a different direction.
The whole world suffered, but America outperformed other countries economically because of our incredible economy and the economy that we built. Without the foundations and footings, it wouldn't have worked out this way. We wouldn't have some of the best numbers we've ever had.
We also unlocked our energy resources and became the world's number-one producer of oil and natural gas by far. Powered by these policies, we built the greatest economy in the history of the world. We reignited America's job creation and achieved record-low unemployment for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, women '-- almost everyone.
Incomes soared, wages boomed, the American Dream was restored, and millions were lifted from poverty in just a few short years. It was a miracle. The stock market set one record after another, with 148 stock market highs during this short period of time, and boosted the retirements and pensions of hardworking citizens all across our nation. 401(k)s are at a level they've never been at before. We've never seen numbers like we've seen, and that's before the pandemic and after the pandemic.
We rebuilt the American manufacturing base, opened up thousands of new factories, and brought back the beautiful phrase: ''Made in the USA.''
To make life better for working families, we doubled the child tax credit and signed the largest-ever expansion of funding for childcare and development. We joined with the private sector to secure commitments to train more than 16 million American workers for the jobs of tomorrow.
When our nation was hit with the terrible pandemic, we produced not one, but two vaccines with record-breaking speed, and more will quickly follow. They said it couldn't be done but we did it. They call it a ''medical miracle,'' and that's what they're calling it right now: a ''medical miracle.''
Another administration would have taken 3, 4, 5, maybe even up to 10 years to develop a vaccine. We did in nine months.
We grieve for every life lost, and we pledge in their memory to wipe out this horrible pandemic once and for all.
When the virus took its brutal toll on the world's economy, we launched the fastest economic recovery our country has ever seen. We passed nearly $4 trillion in economic relief, saved or supported over 50 million jobs, and slashed the unemployment rate in half. These are numbers that our country has never seen before.
We created choice and transparency in healthcare, stood up to big pharma in so many ways, but especially in our effort to get favored-nations clauses added, which will give us the lowest prescription drug prices anywhere in the world.
We passed VA Choice, VA Accountability, Right to Try, and landmark criminal justice reform.
We confirmed three new justices of the United States Supreme Court. We appointed nearly 300 federal judges to interpret our Constitution as written.
For years, the American people pleaded with Washington to finally secure the nation's borders. I am pleased to say we answered that plea and achieved the most secure border in U.S. history. We have given our brave border agents and heroic ICE officers the tools they need to do their jobs better than they have ever done before, and to enforce our laws and keep America safe.
We proudly leave the next administration with the strongest and most robust border security measures ever put into place. This includes historic agreements with Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, along with more than 450 miles of powerful new wall.
We restored American strength at home and American leadership abroad. The world respects us again. Please don't lose that respect.
We reclaimed our sovereignty by standing up for America at the United Nations and withdrawing from the one-sided global deals that never served our interests. And NATO countries are now paying hundreds of billions of dollars more than when I arrived just a few years ago. It was very unfair. We were paying the cost for the world. Now the world is helping us.
And perhaps most importantly of all, with nearly $3 trillion, we fully rebuilt the American military '-- all made in the USA. We launched the first new branch of the United States Armed Forces in 75 years: the Space Force. And last spring, I stood at Kennedy Space Center in Florida and watched as American astronauts returned to space on American rockets for the first time in many, many years.
We revitalized our alliances and rallied the nations of the world to stand up to China like never before.
We obliterated the ISIS caliphate and ended the wretched life of its founder and leader, al Baghdadi. We stood up to the oppressive Iranian regime and killed the world's top terrorist, Iranian butcher Qasem Soleimani.
We recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
As a result of our bold diplomacy and principled realism, we achieved a series of historic peace deals in the Middle East. Nobody believed it could happen. The Abraham Accords opened the doors to a future of peace and harmony, not violence and bloodshed. It is the dawn of a new Middle East, and we are bringing our soldiers home.
I am especially proud to be the first President in decades who has started no new wars.
Above all, we have reasserted the sacred idea that, in America, the government answers to the people. Our guiding light, our North Star, our unwavering conviction has been that we are here to serve the noble everyday citizens of America. Our allegiance is not to the special interests, corporations, or global entities; it's to our children, our citizens, and to our nation itself.
As President, my top priority, my constant concern, has always been the best interests of American workers and American families. I did not seek the easiest course; by far, it was actually the most difficult. I did not seek the path that would get the least criticism. I took on the tough battles, the hardest fights, the most difficult choices because that's what you elected me to do. Your needs were my first and last unyielding focus.
This, I hope, will be our greatest legacy: Together, we put the American people back in charge of our country. We restored self-government. We restored the idea that in America no one is forgotten, because everyone matters and everyone has a voice. We fought for the principle that every citizen is entitled to equal dignity, equal treatment, and equal rights because we are all made equal by God. Everyone is entitled to be treated with respect, to have their voice heard, and to have their government listen. You are loyal to your country, and my administration was always loyal to you.
We worked to build a country in which every citizen could find a great job and support their wonderful families. We fought for the communities where every American could be safe and schools where every child could learn. We promoted a culture where our laws would be upheld, our heroes honored, our history preserved, and law-abiding citizens are never taken for granted. Americans should take tremendous satisfaction in all that we have achieved together. It's incredible.
Now, as I leave the White House, I have been reflecting on the dangers that threaten the priceless inheritance we all share. As the world's most powerful nation, America faces constant threats and challenges from abroad. But the greatest danger we face is a loss of confidence in ourselves, a loss of confidence in our national greatness. A nation is only as strong as its spirit. We are only as dynamic as our pride. We are only as vibrant as the faith that beats in the hearts of our people.
No nation can long thrive that loses faith in its own values, history, and heroes, for these are the very sources of our unity and our vitality.
What has always allowed America to prevail and triumph over the great challenges of the past has been an unyielding and unashamed conviction in the nobility of our country and its unique purpose in history. We must never lose this conviction. We must never forsake our belief in America.
The key to national greatness lies in sustaining and instilling our shared national identity. That means focusing on what we have in common: the heritage that we all share.
At the center of this heritage is also a robust belief in free expression, free speech, and open debate. Only if we forget who we are, and how we got here, could we ever allow political censorship and blacklisting to take place in America. It's not even thinkable. Shutting down free and open debate violates our core values and most enduring traditions.In America, we don't insist on absolute conformity or enforce rigid orthodoxies and punitive speech codes. We just don't do that. America is not a timid nation of tame souls who need to be sheltered and protected from those with whom we disagree. That's not who we are. It will never be who we are.
For nearly 250 years, in the face of every challenge, Americans have always summoned our unmatched courage, confidence, and fierce independence. These are the miraculous traits that once led millions of everyday citizens to set out across a wild continent and carve out a new life in the great West. It was the same profound love of our God-given freedom that willed our soldiers into battle and our astronauts into space.
As I think back on the past four years, one image rises in my mind above all others. Whenever I traveled all along the motorcade route, there were thousands and thousands of people. They came out with their families so that they could stand as we passed, and proudly wave our great American flag. It never failed to deeply move me. I knew that they did not just come out to show their support of me; they came out to show me their support and love for our country.
This is a republic of proud citizens who are united by our common conviction that America is the greatest nation in all of history. We are, and must always be, a land of hope, of light, and of glory to all the world. This is the precious inheritance that we must safeguard at every single turn.
For the past four years, I have worked to do just that. From a great hall of Muslim leaders in Riyadh to a great square of Polish people in Warsaw; from the floor of the Korean Assembly to the podium at the United Nations General Assembly; and from the Forbidden City in Beijing to the shadow of Mount Rushmore, I fought for you, I fought for your family, I fought for our country. Above all, I fought for America and all it stands for '-- and that is safe, strong, proud, and free.
Now, as I prepare to hand power over to a new administration at noon on Wednesday, I want you to know that the movement we started is only just beginning. There's never been anything like it. The belief that a nation must serve its citizens will not dwindle but instead only grow stronger by the day.
As long as the American people hold in their hearts deep and devoted love of country, then there is nothing that this nation cannot achieve. Our communities will flourish. Our people will be prosperous. Our traditions will be cherished. Our faith will be strong. And our future will be brighter than ever before.
I go from this majestic place with a loyal and joyful heart, an optimistic spirit, and a supreme confidence that for our country and for our children, the best is yet to come.
Thank you, and farewell. God bless you. God bless the United States of America.
END
Mitch McConnell: Capitol Hill mob was "provoked" by Trump - CNNPolitics
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 23:42
By Alex Rogers and Clare Foran, CNN
Updated 3:51 PM EST, Tue January 19, 2021
(CNN) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday directly blamed President Donald Trump for the deadly mob that attacked the Capitol, as the Senate prepares for an impeachment trial on whether to convict the President for "incitement of insurrection" and potentially disqualify him from holding office in the future.
The typically tight-lipped Senate Republican leader rarely broke from Trump in his four years as president. But he led the Senate's certification of the presidential election that the rioters pledged to overturn, and has strongly condemned the violence at the Capitol he has served in as a senator for 36 years.
"The mob was fed lies," McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said on the Senate floor. "They were provoked by the President and other powerful people."
The Senate Republican leader has not yet said whether he will vote to convict after the evidence is presented in the upcoming trial. McConnell has privately indicated that impeaching Trump would help remove the President's legacy from the public perception of the Republican party.
McConnell touted that Congress did its duty despite the violence on January 6, certifying the victory of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
"We'll have a safe and successful inaugural right here on the very front of the Capitol," said McConnell.
LIVE UPDATES: Biden prepares for inauguration on Trump's last full day in office
McConnell's comments came as the Senate prepares to hold an impeachment trial over the House's charge of "incitement of insurrection." McConnell said on Tuesday that the Senate has received a message from the House that Trump has been impeached but noted that the House has not yet transmitted the article to the Senate.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer advocated for convicting Trump and disqualifying him from holding office again.
"We need to set a precedent that the severest offense ever committed by a President will be met by the severest remedy provided by the Constitution '-- Impeachment and conviction by this chamber as well as disbarment from future office," Schumer said.
McConnell touted on Tuesday that Congress did its duty despite the riot on January 6, certifying the victory of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
"We'll have a safe and successful inaugural right here on the very front of the Capitol," said McConnell.
McConnell said Congress would soon turn to work for the American people and asserted that no party has a broad mandate after the 2020 elections, which flipped the White House and Republican-led Senate to the Democrats.
"Certainly November's elections did not hand any side a mandate for sweeping ideological change," said McConnell. "Americans elected a closely divided Senate, a closely divided House and a presidential candidate who said he'd represent everyone."
"So our marching orders from the American people are clear," said McConnell. "We're to have a robust discussion and seek common ground. We are to pursue bipartisan agreement everywhere we can, and check and balance one another, respectfully, where we must."
This story has been updated with additional developments Tuesday.
Google News - Mitch McConnell: Capitol Hill mob was 'provoked' by Trump
Lockdown Rulebreakers in Germany Will Be Sent to Detention Camps
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:10
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Loading Please Wait Loading Please Wait German refugee camps will be used as detention centers for citizens who don't follow lockdown rules, or who refuse to self-isolate if they catch COVID, Summit News reports.If someone is deemed a COVID ''denier'' they, too, will be locked up, only in a juvenile detention camp. The plans were announced in the wake of news that Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel, is preparing to shut down all public transport. SOURCE: Summit News January 18, 2021
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Peer-Reviewed Study "Did Not Find Evidence" Lockdowns Were Effective In Stopping COVID Spread | ZeroHedge
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:10
Liberals may be able to argue with Fox News or even Republican politicians. But what happens when a peer reviewed study comes out of one of their coveted and prestigious universities in California potentially showing that their collective reaction to Covid may have been completely worthless and, as a result, may have done exceptionally more harm than good?
Along those lines, it seems like a good idea to point out that a new peer reviewed study out of Stanford is questioning the effectiveness of lockdowns and stay-at-home orders (which it calls NPIs, or non-pharmaceutical interventions) to combat Covid-19. The study's lead author is an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at Stanford.
"The study did not find evidence to support that NPIs were effective in preventing the spread," according to Outkick, who published the report.
The study, co-authored by Dr. Eran Bendavid, Professor John P.A. Ioannidis, Christopher Oh, and Jay Bhattacharya, studied the effects of NPIs in 10 different countries, including England, France, Germany and Italy.
And, when all was said and done, it concluded that: ''In summary, we fail to find strong evidence supporting a role for more restrictive NPIs in the control of COVID in early 2020."
In fact, the study found ''no clear, significant beneficial effect of more restrictive NPIs on case growth in any country.''
From the study:
''In the framework of this analysis, there is no evidence that more restrictive non-pharmaceutical interventions (''lockdowns'') contributed substantially to bending the curve of new cases in England, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, or the United States in early 2020. By comparing the effectiveness of NPIs on case growth rates in countries that implemented more restrictive measures with those that implemented less restrictive measures, the evidence points away from indicating that more restrictive NPIs provided additional meaningful benefit above and beyond less restrictive NPIs. While modest decreases in daily growth (under 30%) cannot be excluded in a few countries, the possibility of large decreases in daily growth due to more restrictive NPIs is incompatible with the accumulated data.''
The study even looked into the potential of stay-at-home orders facilitating spread of the virus:
''The direction of the effect size in most scenarios point towards an increase in the case growth rate, though these estimates are only distinguishable from zero in Spain (consistent with non-beneficial effect of lockdowns). Only in Iran do the estimates consistently point in the direction of additional reduction in the growth rate, yet those effects are statistically indistinguishable from zero. While it is hard to draw firm conclusions from these estimates, they are consistent with a recent analysis that identified increase transmission and cases in Hunan, China during the period of stay-at-home orders from increased intra-household density and transmission. In other words, it is possible that stay-at-home orders may facilitate transmission if they increase person-to-person contact where transmission is efficient such as closed spaces.''
It continues: ''We do not question the role of all public health interventions, or of coordinated communications about the epidemic, but we fail to find an additional benefit of stay-at-home orders and business closures. The data cannot fully exclude the possibility of some benefits. However, even if they exist, these benefits may not match the numerous harms of these aggressive measures. More targeted public health interventions that more effectively reduce transmissions may be important for future epidemic control without the harms of highly restrictive measures.''
You can read the full study here.
Foreigners poured money into China amid the coronavirus pandemic
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 17:17
A person walks past a Microsoft logo at the Microsoft office in Beijing, China August 4, 2020.
Thomas Peter | Reuters
BEIJING '-- Foreigners put more of their money in China last year as the country's size and growth stood out in a world still trying to manage the coronavirus pandemic.
In the capital city of Beijing, foreign investors claimed more than a third of commercial real estate deals, an increase from prior years, property manager JLL said Thursday.
"Beijing is expected to remain a strong choice for foreign investors, particularly as the nation's capital is predicted to see more signs of recovery sooner than most other major markets overseas," Michael Wang, senior director of capital markets for JLL North China, said in a release.
Covid-19 first emerged in late 2019 in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The disease spread overseas and became a global pandemic within months. However, the outbreak stalled within China by the second quarter after authorities imposed strict measures to limit human contact. The government eased restrictions as local Covid cases dwindled, and China is expected to be the only major economy to post growth for 2020.
The Chinese government would like to attract more foreign capital, whether in business projects or the local financial markets. Such participation contributes to international use of the Chinese currency, while foreign businesses bring jobs, tax income and expertise to the local market.
Foreign direct investment set for record highBusinesses also put more money into projects in China last year, as measured by foreign direct investment.
As of November, foreign direct investment for 2020 reached $129.47 billion, more than the same period a year ago, according to official data. That puts China on track for record-high foreign direct investment last year, according to estimates from Macquarie released Thursday.
China recorded $138.13 billion in foreign direct investment in 2019, up from nearly $135 billion in 2018, according to data from Wind Information. Official figures for 2020 from the Ministry of Commerce are expected later this month.
In financial markets, foreign investors more than doubled their purchases of Chinese bonds for a record high 1.1 billion yuan in inflows last year, according to estimates from Macquarie.
Long-term interest from foreignersGrowing foreign interest in China and the capital city of Beijing are part of longer-term trend.
For example, foreign investors have gradually increased their share of transactions in the capital city's commercial property market. The proportion rose from 22%, or just over a fifth, in 2018, to 30% in 2019 and 35% in 2020, according to JLL.
Sales of 47 billion yuan ($7.26 billion) in 2020 topped that of 2018, JLL said. The market still suffered from the shock of the coronavirus '-- sales volume was far off a multi-year high of 80 billion yuan in 2019, JLL said.
Over the last several years, China's rapid economic growth and hundreds of millions of consumers have attracted international consumer brands, automakers and financial institutions. Helping the trend, the Chinese government has relaxed restrictions on foreign investment.
But critics say the changes have come too slowly and unfair practices remain, such as requirements to transfer key technology in order to do business in the country. Beijing's strict capital controls also make it difficult for foreign investors to take their money out of the country.
At the highest level, Chinese authorities remain publicly adamant about attracting more foreign investment. But international investors are watching whether the opportunity to make money is as good as it sounds.
As analysts in a reform tracker, The China Dashboard, put it in their latest report out last week:
"Market participants watch Beijing's political priorities more than they do market forces. This has constrained cross-border investment policy liberalization in general since 2013 and will continue to limit potential until it is changed."
Lincoln Project Co-Founder Steps Down After "Inappropriate" And "Sexually Charged" Texts To "Dozens Of Young Men" | ZeroHedge
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 17:15
John Weaver, co-founder of the Lincoln Project anti-Trump super-PAC, has stepped down after reports that he sent dozens of young men "inappropriate" sexually charged messages.
At least 2 dozen men have claimed that Weaver, who is married, held job opportunities in the balance while "propositioning [the men] for sex", according to the NY Post. Weaver has said that he saw the exchanges as "consensual mutual conversations".
One man claimed to have had consensual intercourse with Weaver in a hotel - before failing to land the job in question. Other men said that Weaver would DM them on Twitter, complimenting them on their hair or asking about their genitals. Weaver had taken a leave of absence from the Lincoln Project over the summer and confirmed last week that he would not be returning.
In a statement to Axios, he said: ''For far too long I've tried to live a life that wasn't completely true. I was lying to myself, to my family who gave me nothing but unconditional love, and to others, causing a great deal of pain to all. The truth is that I am gay. And I have a wife and two kids whom I love. My inability to reconcile those two truths has led to this agonizing place.''
''To the men I made uncomfortable through my messages that I viewed as consensual mutual conversations at the time: I am truly sorry. They were inappropriate and it was because of my failings that this discomfort was brought on you,'' he said.
Weaver had formerly been a strategist for George H.W. Bush and John McCain. The Lincoln Project, who did not immediately comment for the Post story, has amassed more than 2 million followers on Twitter in less than 2 years.
Weaver's full statement is below:
Steve Cohen accuses Lauren Boebert of giving tours prior to insurrection - CNNPolitics
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 16:54
(CNN)Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee said that he and a fellow lawmaker personally saw Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado guiding a group of people through the Cannon House Office Building tunnel in the days leading up the Capitol insurrection on January 6.
Cohen's accusation is significant because it is the first time a member of Congress has specifically accused another member of giving a tour of the Capitol complex prior to the riot. It comes after several Democratic members have suggested that their Republican colleagues may have been providing the tours as an opportunity for the would-be rioters to get the lay of the land ahead of a planned insurrection.
"Only thing that I've seen, Congressman Yarmuth refreshed my recollection yesterday. We saw (Rep.) Boebert taking a group of people for a tour sometime after the 3rd and before the 6th. I don't remember the day we were walking in a tunnel and we saw her and commented who she was and she had a large group with her. Now whether these people were people that were involved in the insurrection or not, I do not know," Cohen told CNN's Jim Sciutto on "CNN Newsroom."
Cohen continued, "She was a freshman, she might have had a large number of people coming to be with her on this historic occasion and just wanting to give them the opportunity to have a tour. But it is pretty clear that her team is the team -- she's not on the home team. She was with the visitors."
Boebert sent a letter to Cohen responding to the allegations he made on CNN, disputing the congressman's characterization and saying his comments "repeat irresponsible lies in order to elevate his own political relevance and to further fuel the division of our country."
"Let me be clear'--all of your claims and implications are categorically false," Boebert wrote. "I have never given a tour of the U.S. Capitol to any outside group. As I previously stated, I brought my family to the Capitol on January 2nd for a tour and on the 3rd for pictures to commemorate the day I was sworn in as a Member of the U.S. Congress. Again, the only people I have ever had in the Capitol with me during the 117th Congress are my young children, husband, mom, aunt and uncle."
Cohen has not reported his observation to the FBI or Capitol Police, a spokesperson for the congressman told CNN.
"He was only reminded of it when he talked to Mr. Yarmuth yesterday," the spokesperson added.
A spokesperson for Yarmuth confirmed that the congressman recalled seeing a group of people with Boebert earlier this month but would not comment on who those people were.
"On either January 3 or 4, Congressman Yarmuth was in the Cannon Tunnel going back to his office and saw Congresswoman Boebert walking in the direction of the Capitol," Yarmuth spokesman Christopher Schuler said in a statement. "While Congressman Yarmuth remembers there was a group of people around Congresswoman Boebert, he has no knowledge of who they were or if they were with her."
While Cohen is the first to specifically name Boebert as someone who may have given the tours, the rumors surrounding her role in the days leading up to January 6 were so heated that the congresswoman preemptively denied any wrongdoing. Boebert sent Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York a letter denying that she gave tours to insurrectionists after an interview on MSNBC in which Maloney accused Republican members of doing so. Maloney never mentioned Boebert by name.
"The only people I have ever had in the Capitol with me are my young children, husband, mom, aunt and uncle," Boebert wrote in the letter to Maloney. "My mother was the only one of those family members in Washington D.C. on the 6th. During the riots, my mother was locked in a secure location, not in the U.S. Capitol, with my staff and never left their sight."
Prior to the pandemic, the public had wide-ranging access to the Capitol complex, including the tunnels connecting the member office buildings to the Capitol itself. The Sergeant at Arms banned all tours of the Capitol Grounds at the start of the pandemic, but members of Congress were able to ignore the guidance. Lawmakers or staff led tours have never had to register visitors with Capitol Police, a law enforcement official with direct knowledge of overall protocols told CNN.
Capitol Police and the FBI would not say on the record if they are investigating any members of Congress for their role in the planning leading up to the insurrection. USCP has not responded to CNN's request for comment about whether a tour led by Boebert is something they are looking into.
Still the activity of GOP members during that week, was enough for Democratic members to raise concerns to Capitol Police and the Sergeant at Arms. Their concerns were loud enough that the Capitol Police sent out a memo on January 4 reiterating the Capitol Hill policy that banned tours from the spring and completely shut down the Capitol Building on January 6 to only members and those who had offices there.
This story has been updated with additional developments Monday including a new statement from Boebert's office.
CNN's Dana Bash and Sarah Westwood contributed to this report.
Liberal government revising plan to regulate social media in light of U.S. Capitol riot - The Globe and Mail
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 16:51
Ottawa
Published January 18, 2021 Updated January 18, 2021
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This translation has been automatically generated and has not been verified for accuracy. Full Disclaimer
The federal government is making final revisions to its plans to act against online hate and harassment on social-media platforms in light of the deadly U.S. Capitol Hill riots, and its proposed measures will be presented to cabinet in the coming weeks.
The recent actions of web giants Facebook, Google, Twitter, Apple and Amazon following the riots are prompting worldwide debate about fundamental issues of freedom of speech, the responsibility of platform companies to moderate their sites, and the proper role of government regulation.
If approved by cabinet, the Canadian legislation could be introduced in Parliament as soon as February or March. The legislation is expected to be influenced by measures already in place in other countries, such as Germany, which requires social-media platforms to remove illegal content under tight deadlines and the threat of financial penalties. In a Canadian context, this will likely involve the creation of a new government regulator.
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The efforts to update the plan ahead of a cabinet decision were confirmed to The Globe and Mail by a senior government official. The Globe is not identifying the official because they were not authorized to comment publicly on the matter.
Social-media companies have suspended a range of accounts following the Jan. 6 raids in Washington by supporters of outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump, who was impeached a week later for incitement of insurrection. Twitter and Facebook banned Mr. Trump from their platforms indefinitely for his inciting tweets and posts around the time of the riots and out of concern that his posts could spark further violence in the run-up to Wednesday's inauguration of his successor. Other social-media platforms followed with similar restrictions. Google's YouTube temporarily suspended Mr. Trump's channel.
Officials with Google, Facebook and Twitter all told The Globe that they welcome clear regulatory rules from Ottawa when it comes to illegal content.
Attention on the power of social-media companies is heightening as the federal government is in the final stages of preparing measures flowing from a 2019 campaign pledge to regulate social media's illegal content. The focus of the original promise was on hate speech, but the government has said it will also include issues such as the sharing of intimate images without consent.
The official said those proposals are now being reviewed in light of the recent events in the United States to see whether any further changes are needed before they are presented to cabinet.
Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault and Justice Minister David Lametti are leading the file, with involvement from others in cabinet such as Public Safety Minister Bill Blair. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated the government's plans in updated mandate letters to his cabinet, which were made public Friday. Mr. Trudeau's letter to Mr. Guilbeault said he should work with other ministers ''to take action on combatting hate groups and online hate and harassment, ideologically motivated violent extremism and terrorist organizations.''
Liberal MP Arif Virani, who is parliamentary secretary to the Justice Minister and who held consultations on the proposals, said the push to regulate social media is taking on a larger importance.
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''There is a sense of greater urgency,'' he said in an interview. ''Obviously what happened in the United States '... really has put this back at the forefront of people's minds. But it's not as if this is just a uniquely American phenomenon.''
While the federal government has provided few public details as to how it will regulate illegal content on social media, there are signs its approach will be influenced by recent moves by a handful of other countries, including Australia, France and Germany.
Germany's 2017 Network Enforcement Act set timelines as short as 24 hours for the removal of content by platforms under threat of financial penalty. The German law generated significant controversy, as critics condemned the bill as a step too far in terms of limits on free speech.
Mr. Virani said the government has the benefit of studying how social-media companies have responded to such measures in other countries.
Mr. Guilbeault said in a statement to The Globe that while social-media companies have recently been active at removing illegal content, the government's planned approach will be ''more effective and efficient than self-regulation.''
''While preserving a fundamental right to freedom of expression, our approach will require online platforms to monitor and eliminate illegal content that appears on their platforms. That includes hate speech, terrorist propaganda, violent content, child sexual exploitation and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images,'' he said.
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Google, Facebook and Twitter said they have not received any advance indication of the specific measures Ottawa is planning to introduce. The companies also noted that they have computer-assisted methods to identify and remove content that is illegal or not compliant with their own policies as well as staff who respond to content complaints.
''While we haven't seen any written proposals or public consultation from the federal government yet, we have expressed our willingness to work closely with different levels of government across Canada,'' Michele Austin, Twitter Canada's head of public policy, government and philanthropy, said in a statement.
Jason Kee, Google Canada head of YouTube policy, made a similar pledge of co-operation while noting concern with the German approach.
''We remain uneasy about how the [German] law prioritizes speed where decisions require careful consideration, which in turn will likely lead to overremoval of legitimate expression,'' he said.
Canadian federal politicians, including Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna and Conservative MP Michelle Rempel-Garner have repeatedly spoken out against the sexist and often anonymous comments that are directed their way on the platform.
Ms. Rempel-Garner recently published an essay condemning Twitter and calling for users to abandon the platform. She said it ''rewards rage'' and hurts political discourse by encouraging polarization and eliminating nuance.
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Conservative Heritage critic Alain Rayes said in an interview that he shares the concern about polarization on social media, but he also wants to make sure the government protects free speech.
''There's a delicate balance between protecting freedom and controlling extremist speech on these platforms. We know it's not a simple issue,'' he said. ''We also need defenders of free speech, to ensure we don't fall into the other extreme of 'cancel culture.' ''
NDP MP Charlie Angus has long called for stronger regulations on social-media platforms, but expressed skepticism about the Liberal government's approach.
''They continue to talk tough and do nothing on how the platforms are not living up to their social obligations,'' he said, echoing Ms. Rempel-Garner's concern that the platforms' algorithms reward users who post ''poisonous'' content.
University of Ottawa law professor Vivek Krishnamurthy, who is director of the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic, said a German-style approach could raise concerns if adopted by Canada.
He authored a paper last year that warned Canada's stated plans to regulate social-media content may be in conflict with Canada's recent commitments under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement on free trade.
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In an interview, he noted that while any new law related to social media will need to comply with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, he expressed concern about the signal Canada could be sending if it adopts a heavy-handed approach.
''I do think this model is a dangerous kind of model for a rights-respecting democracy like Canada to enact,'' he said. ''Because if we tell global internet platforms: 'Follow our law. Get these notices from us [and] within 24 hours, take it down or else face massive fines,' that is a model that is going to be very attractive to countries that are a lot less respectful of human rights. And they're going to say, 'Well, if Germany and Canada can do it, why can't I?' ''
Know what is happening in the halls of power with the day's top political headlines and commentary as selected by Globe editors (subscribers only). Sign up today.
Follow Bill Curry on Twitter @curryb", "
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var storyCardsMarkup = recommendedStoryCards(topics); return { header: overlayHeadingNoFollowed, body: ( overlayLabel("Recommended for you") + storyCardsMarkup ) };}/** * @param {Array} topics * @returns {Object} markup for the overlay's header and body content areas */function notFollowingShowTrending(topics) { console.info("[ARC-6637] Scenario: not following, show trending"); var storyCardsMarkup = trendingStoryCards(topics); return { header: overlayHeadingNoFollowed, body: ( overlayLabel("Trending topics to follow") + storyCardsMarkup ) };}/** * Parse data from the personalized API and inject markup into the overlay * @see https://confluence.theglobeandmail.com/display/ARC/Logic+for+Embedded+on+Homepage++and+Your+Globe+Overlay * @param {Object} data - topic and story data provided by the API */function parsePerzonalizedTopicsData(data) { console.info("[ARC-6637] parsePerzonalizedTopicsData", data); var overlayHeader = qs(".c-your-globe__overlay-header"); var overlayHeaderText = qs(".c-your-globe__overlay-header-text"); 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markup = upToDateShowTrending(topics); // Similar to displayRecommendedTrendingTopicList("trend") in ARC-6292 } } } else { topics = recommendedAuthors.concat(recommendedTopics); if (topics.length) { // Scenario 4: "Not following, show recommended" markup = notFollowingShowRecommended(topics); // Similar to displayThreeTopicsOneStory("rec") in ARC-6292 } else { // Scenario 5: "Not following, show trending" topics = data.trendingTopics || []; markup = notFollowingShowTrending(topics); // Similar to displayThreeTopicsOneStory("trend") in ARC-6292 } addOverlayTriggerDot("no-follow"); headerBorder = false; } console.info("[ARC-6637] Append markup"); var spinner = qs(".c-spinner"); spinner && spinner.parentElement.removeChild(spinner); overlayHeaderText.insertAdjacentHTML("afterbegin", markup.header); overlayBody.insertAdjacentHTML("afterbegin", markup.body); if (!headerBorder) { overlayHeader.classList.add("c-your-globe__overlay-header--no-border"); } addFollowingFunctionality();}// ************************************************// API calls// ************************************************/** * Get the personalized feed * @param {String} hashId - user's hash id * @param {String} env - environment * @see https://confluence.theglobeandmail.com/display/ARC/Logic+for+Embedded+on+Homepage++and+Your+Globe+Overlay * @returns {Promise
Covid: Health secretary Matt Hancock self-isolating after app alert - BBC News
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 14:56
Image copyright PA Media
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said he is self-isolating after being alerted by the UK's NHS Covid-19 app.
The West Suffolk MP said self-isolation was "perhaps the most important part of all the social distancing" and urged others to do the same if contacted.
In a tweet, Mr Hancock said he would be working from home until Sunday, adding "we all have a part to play in getting this virus under control".
He contracted coronavirus in March 2020 and suffered "mild symptoms".
What are the rules if I'm asked to self-isolate? Inside NHS Test and Trace UK-bound travellers now need negative test for entryMr Hancock said he learned from the app he had been "in close contact with somebody who's tested positive" and so self-isolating was "how we break the chains of transmission".
"So you must follow these rules like I'm going to," he said. "I've got to work from home for the next six days, and together, by doing this, by following this, and all the other panoply of rules that we've had to put in place, we can get through this and beat this virus."
Mr Hancock said he was alerted by the app on Monday night, having earlier led a Downing Street press conference alongside NHS England medical director Prof Stephen Powis and Public Health England's Dr Susan Hopkins.
The NHS app tells a person if they have been in close contact with someone who has later tested positive for coronavirus and tells them to isolate for 10 full days from their last contact.
While it is not clear from Mr Hancock's statement if his isolation ends on Sunday or Monday, his period of quarantine suggests he was last in contact with the person who was infected on Wednesday or Thursday.
Downing Street confirmed that Mr Hancock would not receive the vaccine early because he is leading the pandemic response.
The prime minister's official spokesman said: "The PM and the rest of the cabinet will take the vaccine when it's their turn to do so based on the priority lists that have been published.
"We don't think it's right that the PM or other members of cabinet take the vaccine in place of somebody who is at higher clinical risk."
In March, the health secretary revealed he had tested positive for Covid-19 shortly after Prime Minister Boris Johnson had confirmed he too had the virus.
While the health secretary recovered fairly swiftly, and was able to work from home during his illness, Mr Johnson required hospital treatment.
Video caption Covid symptoms: What are they and how long should I self-isolate for? Self-isolation, which means staying at home and not leaving, is a legal requirement for anybody who has Covid symptoms, has tested positive for the virus, lives with someone who has symptoms, has arrived from abroad or has been contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
In December, the self-isolation period required was cut from 14 days to 10 days.
Using Bluetooth technology the NHS app makes contact between mobile phones when they are near each other, if an owner of a phone later tests positive for the virus and shares that with the app, alerts are sent to anyone who is deemed to have been a close contact.
RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE UK: Mama Ru's back with 12 fabulous drag queens. Who gets the crown?DEATH IN BOLLYWOOD: How did Jiah Khan die? For her family, the truth about her death still hasn't come out
Rachel Levine, transgender woman, picked by Biden as assistant HHS secretary - The Washington Post
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 13:53
Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Rachel Levine meets with the media at Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency headquarters in May. (Joe Hermitt/Patriot-News/AP)
President-elect Joe Biden announced Tuesday that he will nominate Pennsylvania's top health official, Rachel Levine, to be his assistant secretary of health. Levine, a pediatrician, would become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
''Dr. Rachel Levine will bring the steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic '-- no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability '-- and meet the public health needs of our country in this critical moment and beyond,'' Biden said in a statement. ''She is a historic and deeply qualified choice to help lead our administration's health efforts.''
Levine serves as Pennsylvania's secretary of health and has been leading the state's public health response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Biden's transition team noted that Levine '-- appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf (D) in 2017 as acting health secretary '-- was confirmed three times by the Republican-controlled state Senate to serve as secretary of health and the state's physician general.
Last year, as Levine rose to prominence leading Pennsylvania's pandemic response, she became the target of attacks on her gender identity.
One in particular made headlines and earned a scathing rebuke from the governor: A photo of a man sitting in a carnival dunk tank wearing a floral print dress and a long blond wig. The man said he was going for a Marilyn Monroe look, but organizers of the carnival fundraiser in Bloomsburg, Pa., said he resembled Levine.
''Dr. Levine? Thank you. You were a hit and raised a lot of money for the local fire companies. Wonder why so many were trying to dunk you?'' the Bloomsburg Fair Association wrote in July on Facebook, adding a smiling emoji, before deleting the post.
''The COVID-19 pandemic has brought hate and transphobia into the spotlight through relentless comments and slurs directed at Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine, who is a highly skilled, valued, and capable member of my administration and Transgender,'' Wolf wrote in a statement at the time. ''The derogatory incident involving the Bloomsburg Fair is the latest of these vile acts, which by extension impact Transgender people across the commonwealth and nation.''
In 2015, Wolf first appointed her as Pennsylvania's physician general, the state's top doctor. Impressed with her background in behavioral and mental health, the state Senate voted unanimously to approve her, paying little attention to her gender identity during the confirmation process.
''With very few exceptions, my being transgender is not an issue,'' she told The Washington Post in 2016, declining to comment on an attack by a former Florida congressman.
But after Levine received a promotion to become Pennsylvania's health secretary, the coronavirus raised her profile across the state. As she sought to contain the pandemic with aggressive social distancing rules, it also made her the target of more frequent abuse.
Last May, a radio personality repeatedly misgendered Levine, calling the health secretary ''sir'' at least three times while questioning her on the state's coronavirus response. A commissioner at a township near Pittsburgh said he was ''tired of listening to a guy dressed up like a woman.'' After Pennsylvania ordered its residents to wear masks at all times in public, a Facebook page run by one town shared a meme referring to her as ''a guy who wears a bra.''
Read more:
Meet Rachel Levine, one of the very few transgender public officials in America
Pennsylvania governor blasts 'vile acts' against transgender official leading pandemic response
Cathy O'Brien (conspiracy theorist) - Wikipedia
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 04:41
Cathy O'Brien
BornCathleen Ann O'Brien
( 1957-12-04 ) December 4, 1957 (age 63)Muskegon, Michigan, U.S.
OccupationWriter, speakerKnown forConspiracy theories, statements alleging victimization by CIA mind control projectChildren1Websitehttp://trance-formation.com/Cathy O'Brien (born December 4, 1957) is an American conspiracy theorist and author who claims to have been a victim of a government mind control program called Project Monarch, which she alleges was part of the CIA's Project MKUltra.[1][2][3][4][5] O'Brien made these assertions in Trance Formation of America (1995) and Access Denied: For Reasons of National Security (2004), both of which she co-authored with her husband Mark Phillips.[1] According to scholars, there is no credible evidence for O'Brien's claims and there are numerous inconsistencies with her story.[5]
Conspiracy theories [ edit ] In Trance Formation of America, O'Brien claims that as a child, she was first sexually abused by her father as well as by a network of child pornographers. Supposedly, she was then forced by the CIA to participate in Project Monarch, which she claims is a subsection of Project MKUltra and Project ARTICHOKE. According to O'Brien, under hypnosis she was able to recall memories of sexual abuse '-- of both herself and her daughter '-- by international pedophile rings, drug barons, and satanists, who allegedly used a form of "trauma based mind control programming" to make her a sex slave.[2][3][4][5]
O'Brien accuses a wide range of prominent individuals '-- from American, Canadian, Mexican, and Saudi Arabian government officials, to stars of the country music scene '-- of being part of a Project Monarch conspiracy to operate sex slave rings and commit child abuse.[6] For example, O'Brien claims that George H. W. Bush and Miguel de la Madrid used holograms to appear to her in altered forms, saying that "Bush apparently activated a hologram of the lizard-like 'alien,' which provided the illusion of Bush transforming like a chameleon before my eyes. In retrospect, I understand that Bush had been painstakingly careful in positioning our seats in order that the hologram's effectiveness be maximized."[1]: 167, 211
O'Brien claims Project Monarch caused her to develop multiple personality disorder but during alternate personality episodes, she has photographic recall.[1] O'Brien's Trance Formation of America has been credited as originating "one of the most significant" and "extreme" mind control conspiracy theories, and her claim of links between satanic ritual abuse and MKUltra have influenced popular conspiracy culture.[7]
Religious and political scholars have criticized O'Brien's claims for their lack of any supporting evidence. David G. Robertson characterized them as symptomatic of "baseless" moral panic and noted that "no-one has ever been prosecuted of such crimes nor has any corroborating material evidence ever been produced".[8] According to scholar Michael Barkun, "scholarly and journalistic treatments of MKUltra make no mention of a Project Monarch". Barkun describes O'Brien's account as "sensational even by the standards of conspiracy literature" and notes that even black helicopter conspiracy theorist Jim Keith considered it "fraudulent or delusional".[5] Jodi Dean cited O'Brien's claims as an example of conspiracy theorists' tendency to excessive "leaps in imagination and willingness to deviate from common sense".[9]
Bibliography [ edit ] O'Brien self-publishes her books.[10]
O'Brien, Cathy; Phillips, Mark (1995). Trance Formation of America. Reality Marketing, Incorporated. O'Brien, C (2004). Access Denied: For Reasons of National Security. Reality Marketing, Incorporated. ISBN 0-9660165-3-X. O'Brien, C (2017). PTSD: Time to Heal. Reality Marketing, Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-69277641-4. See also [ edit ] The Corley ConspiracyReferences [ edit ] ^ a b c d O'Brien, Cathy; Phillips, Mark (1995). Trance Formation of America (pdf) . Reality Marketing, Incorporated. ISBN 0-9660165-4-8 . Retrieved 2008-10-20 . [self-published source ] ^ a b Versluis, A (2006). The new inquisitions: heretic-hunting and the intellectual origins of modern totalitarianism. Oxford [Oxfordshire]: Oxford University Press. p. 173. ISBN 0-19-530637-6 . Retrieved 2008-10-20 . ^ a b de Young, M (2004). The day care ritual abuse moral panic. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland. p. 235. ISBN 0-7864-1830-3 . Retrieved 2008-10-20 . ^ a b Toropov B (2001). The complete idiot's guide to urban legends. Indianapolis, Ind: Alpha Books. p. 221. ISBN 0-02-864007-1 . Retrieved 2008-10-20 . ^ a b c d Barkun, Michael (2003). A culture of conspiracy: apocalyptic visions in contemporary America . Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 76. ISBN 0-520-23805-2 . Retrieved 2008-10-20 . ^ Gardell M (2003). Gods of the blood: the pagan revival and white separatism. Durham, N.C: Duke University Press. ISBN 0-8223-3071-7 . Retrieved 2008-10-20 . ^ Mason, Fran (2003). "Mind Control" (PDF) . In Knight, Peter (ed.). Conspiracy Theories in American History . Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, Inc. pp. 483, 486''487. ISBN 9781576078129 . Retrieved November 4, 2015 . ^ David G. Robertson (25 February 2016). UFOs, Conspiracy Theories and the New Age: Millennial Conspiracism. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 101''. ISBN 978-1-4742-5322-2. ^ Jodi Dean (2002). Publicity's Secret: How Technoculture Capitalizes on Democracy. Cornell University Press. pp. 49''. ISBN 0-8014-8678-5. ^ "Order Directly from Mark & Cathy >> TRANCE Formation Of America". trance-formation.com . Retrieved 27 March 2019 .
John Sullivan, Who Filmed Ashli Babbitt Death at Capitol, Opens Up - Rolling Stone
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 04:38
UPDATE: John Sullivan was arrested and charged on January 14th, according to the Department of Justice, with ''one count of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, one count of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and one count of interfering with law enforcement engaged in the lawful performance of their official duties incident to and during the commission of civil disorder.'' An FBI affidavit discounts Sullivan's claim to be a journalist: ''He has admitted,'' the agent writes of Sullivan, ''that he has no press credentials and the investigation has not revealed any connection between SULLIVAN and any journalistic organizations.'' Rolling Stone published the piece below on the morning of January 13th.
***
John Sullivan, a.k.a. Jayden X, is a civil rights activist and crowdfunded video journalist. On January 6th, he donned a bulletproof vest and embedded himself in the masses that President Trump had incited to storm the Capitol. Sullivan scrambled up scaffolding and repeatedly weaved through a crush of rioters to record clashes between the mob and law enforcement. He emerged with a raw, hour-and-a-half frontline documentary of the day's violent and chaotic events. He captures now-notorious figures from the riot, including the shirtless, face-painted ''QAnon Shaman'' and the bearded rioter dressed in a grotesquely anti-Semitic ''Camp Auschwitz'' sweatshirt. Crucially, Sullivan's camerawork captured the shooting of 35-year-old mob member and Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt, who was killed by the Capitol Police while attempting to clamber through a broken window into the Speaker's Lobby off the House floor.
(Content warning: Graphic images of Babbit's death begin at the 1:14 mark in the video.)
Sullivan's profile is unique: The 26-year-old is a resident of Utah and a former competitive speed skater who participated in the 2018 Olympic trials. He is no fan of institutional politics '-- ''I've never voted,'' he admits, ''because I don't believe in the two-party system'' '-- but he found purpose in the street protests that followed the killing of George Floyd, even founding an activist group called Insurgence USA that fights for racial justice. Sullivan's activism has brought him legal trouble: He faces riot and criminal mischief charges stemming from a BLM protest in Provo, Utah, last June. He says he's also become a target of far-right militants he calls ''chuds.''
How did a slender black man who has previously clashed with Proud Boys within among a crowd of largely white, riotous Trump supporters? Sullivan carried a simple setup: a cellphone mounted on an image-stabilizing gimbal. Fitting into the mob, he says, required mirroring its revolutionary sentiments. ''I was worried about people recognizing me and thinking that I was Antifa or, like, BLM or whatever,'' he says. ''The entire time they're yelling, 'Fuck Antifa! Fuck, BLM.' I'm not saying I'm Antifa, by any means. But I definitely believe Black Lives Matter.'' Sullivan does more than join in shouts of ''USA!'' At one point in the footage, he can be heard yelling, ''It's a motherfucking revolution, let's take this shit.'' In another, he claims he has a knife that might be useful in opening a locked Capitol door. Sullivan insists he did not have an actual knife, and he makes no apologies for his tactics: ''I had to relate to these people, and build trust in the short amount of time I had there to get where I need to go,'' he says: ''To the front of the crowd to see the dynamic between the police and the protesters, because nobody wants to see the backs of people's heads from a far-off distance.''
One doesn't need to approve of Sullivan's methods to be gripped by the the front-row view of rebellion that his footage offers. Sullivan says he was floored by the feeble resistance of the police defending the nation's Capitol, saying it was ''nothing'' compared to what BLM activists encountered when he filmed protests last year in Oregon. ''In Portland protests and riots, there's tear gas where you can't even see in front of you,'' he says. The use of crowd control agents at the Capitol was ''anything but that,'' he says. ''It's hard to fathom.''
Sullivan does not have institutional backing that might insulate a professional journalist from the demands of law enforcement. He says he was detained in D.C. on January 7th and interviewed by law enforcement, who took more interest in him as a witness to Babbitt's killing than as a trespasser in the Capitol. Sullivan spoke to Rolling Stone by phone on Monday from Salt Lake City, just hours, he says, after he'd been visited by the FBI, which demanded a full copy of his footage from that day. ''I got a USB drive, plugged it into my computer, and gave it to them,'' he says, matter-of-factly. ''It's either that or they just take my phone.''
How did you end up in Washington on the day of the riot?I knew about the storming of the Capitol, obviously, for a while. Like probably like four weeks. I didn't know the specific time they were going to storm the Capitol, but I knew it was going to happen on that day. And '--
Let me stop you there, because a lot of people in America were surprised by what transpired at the Capitol. How did you know that this was afoot?I run my own civil rights organization, and we were already watching the Trump supporters and what they were putting out. So we'd seen this coming for a minute. What prompted me to go out there [to Washington, D.C.] is when I'd seen Trump's tweet about him supporting or condoning the event. When Trump says he's going to be there, I mean, people are going to go make that extra effort. Suddenly it looks like they're planning on storming the Capitol building and they were going to have the numbers to do so. So that's when I knew I had to be there. I went on the 4th, so like two days prior.
In your footage, the cops made one pretty effective stand, with the mob fenced in under scaffolding on the Capitol steps. What stands out for you from that stage of the riot?People got really angry and aggressive. I remember this guy grabbing a riot shield from a cop, like literally snatching it out of his hands and beating the cop with it. I was like, ''OK, well, that's a new one.'' I've yet to see somebody just grab a riot shield, and nobody does anything, or shoots that person. Once that happened, the crowd got really engaged. And so they just pushed past that line right there. The cops were returning back up to the main Capitol steps onto the balcony. There's another line there with some fences. But I mean, they [the mob] just barged through that with ease. The cops just slapped some of their hands with batons. And then eventually they leave. They just leave. It's not like they were shooting them with pepper bullets or rubber bullets. Just gone. And so then everybody's up on this balcony, like, ''We made it.'' And that's when they start breaching the actual Capitol itself, smashing in the windows and breaking up doors to get inside.
Once inside, there's a surreal scene where you walk under the Capitol dome. And then you cross into the House side and film two attempts to breach the House chamber. Did you have a sense of what the motivation was? Did these people want to get in to hurt members of Congress?There was one guy [who] came out '-- I think I have him on video '-- and said, ''We're just going to go in there and sit down, and sit down calmly, because this is our House,'' or something like that. So that could be his motivation. As far as the overall motivation of the group, I think a lot of people were there just because they were there. Because Trump said, ''Go to the Capitol.'' No one gave me a sense, specifically, of their action plan past the point of storming the Capitol. I wouldn't know anything of it, other than it being a statement.
At one narrow hallway entrance to the House chamber, the crowd is blocked by police who are able to hold the line against them yelling, ''Stop the steal!'' Can you describe what happened?It was just two cops, just two cops right there. They just wouldn't move. I mean, all the other cops moved, but those cops didn't move. So people were getting angry. They start pushing hard. You can't really feel that in the video. But I'm in this crowd, like shoulder to shoulder, and they're pushing so hard, like thousands of people behind me trying to get people to go forward and go through that door. And it's just not happening, right? And so people finally get angry, and they go out and take a left, go down the hallway to break through a different entryway, which is where you end up at the glass windows, where those officers are guarding those doors.
This is outside the Speaker's Lobby, which connects to the House floor.I remember coming up to that and seeing one officer crying, he's a little bit younger. I remember he said, ''I want I want to go home and see my kids, man.'' Not to me, but the officers beside him. And I was like, damn. And that compelled me to say, ''Hey, guys, like, nobody here is trying to hurt you, they're just trying to get in, you know? We'll make a path for you to get through.'' I'm not with the crowd, but I'm just trying to help them get out of that situation, talk them through that, because I know from what I saw prior '-- they literally like stabbed a cop's eye. The crowd were doing all these things that might hurt the police to where they wouldn't go home to see their kids. I just didn't want that to happen, especially because it's this door they [the rioters] really want to get through, and the [full] crowd has not reached us yet. So I tried my best to convince them. And they kind of peeled off to the right and get out of there.
This is when the shooting occurs. Can you take us through what happened next?At that moment, everybody starts rushing the doors, just bashing the windows. And I remember just seeing, like, five or six guns just poke out of these doorways. I really took notice of the one to the left of me in the video. And I just remember screaming, ''Gun, there's a gun! There's a gun! Guys, there's a gun!'' But what you can't really understand is that nobody can hear me, right? Its like if you're in a concert where everybody's yelling and screaming and singing along. It's so loud you can't hear the person next to you. That's how it was in there. So I'm saying, ''There's a gun, there's a gun, there's a gun!'' And all these people are still banging on the window. They just keep doing it.
What was Babbitt doing?By no means did I see her bash in a window or even break the windows. Somebody else did that, for sure. But then all of a sudden, I see her start trying to climb through the window, and I'm like, ''Don't go in there, don't go in there,'' but I know she could not hear me. So my thought was to get that moment on camera. I wanted to show the gun firing, and the bullet hitting her, and how she dropped to the ground. All of this is going through my mind at that moment, because I knew that this was going to be the only record of how she would have died. Because I knew she was going to die. The guy who was pointing a gun at her was leaning with an intent to shoot; he was not playing. There's difference between holding a gun up and warning somebody versus, like, really leaning into it. I was like, all right, I'm going to show the world why she died. And I'm not going to let her death go in vain. Because I didn't think that she deserved to die. She didn't have a weapon. She didn't have anything. This is what I'm thinking about in this moment, in this small sliver of time.
I remember she dropped to the ground, and I don't think that's the part I was ready for. That was emotional for me. I remember just like looking into her eyes, like she was staring at me. She's just staring straight at me, and I just see her soul leave her body, just the light just leave her eyes. I felt a lot of anger, I felt a lot of sadness and sorrow, frustration. I don't think I could ever have prepared myself for it. This was the first time I saw somebody die. I'm still trying to deal with it.
The footage is really difficult to watch. And then, just a few moment later, a different law-enforcement group in tactical gear arrives. Is that the end of things?At that point, people just kind of calm down, and they get pushed out by these riot cops that come out of nowhere from behind us. They just start storming the building and throwing out all the protesters. They started funneling all of us out. But as we exit the building there, a huge fight breaks out between a handful of protesters and like all these riot cops. I mean, a fight '-- a fistfight. The cops are fighting to get them out the door, they throw them out. They don't arrest anybody. They throw them out of the building, close the doors.
What did you do next?I guess it didn't really end there for me. Everybody knew I had this footage. And they're coming up to me, like, ''Did you get the shot? Can I see it?'' I showed a few people, I think they were just other reporters. And they definitely did me the courtesy of telling me, ''Get out of there, because, people are going to probably try and take that from you.''
[Before I left] I actually got called out by some Trump supporter with a megaphone, who was like, ''Are you Antifa?'' And I was like, ''Uh, no.'' He's like, ''You look like you're dressed like Antifa.'' And, yeah, I would say I definitely look a bit like Antifa: I'm dressed in all black and I had a bulletproof vest on as well, and a gas mask hanging from that. And I thought I was about to get fucked up by a whole bunch of Trump supporters and Proud Boys, whoever else was out there, because hella people surrounded me at that point. I was like, ''All right, I got to defuse this situation, or I'm just going to be in some pain.'' And so I start talking to him like, ''Hey, I'm just here to record,'' And he asks me, ''What do you believe?'' And I'm like, ''Well, I'm very just anti-government.'' He's like, ''Oh, OK. Well, that's a very Antifa thing to say.'' And I was like, ''Well, you know, you say you believe in voter fraud, right? Well I've never voted in my life, just because I don't think my vote counts.'' He's like, ''Oh, OK, OK. Sorry.'' I was like, ''Dude, that's fucked up.'' I made him feel real guilty about it.
Have there been repercussions since the day of the riot?The next day I get detained by the police, and the FBI does bring me in for questioning. Obviously, I've seen somebody get killed, and I was there at the Capitol. They want to know why I was there. I mean, that's the question that comes up. But they released me, so nothing crazy. A lot of it just centers around the shooting footage. They know I have the footage, yeah. So they want that. They want to have the original files, too. So they're going to get that too. They don't just want to pull it off YouTube or anything like that.
And did you get them the original files?Oh, yeah, yeah. They showed up to my house. The FBI showed up to my house. Probably like two hours before you called me, they showed up today and took the footage.
But you didn't feel like they were after you?I haven't done anything incriminating. If they were after me, I'd already have been arrested. That's for sure.
Klete Keller - Wikipedia
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 04:35
American swimmer
Klete Derik Keller (born March 21, 1982) is an American former competition swimmer who won medals at the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Summer Olympics in the 400-meter freestyle and the 4200-meter freestyle relay.
In January 2021, Keller was arrested and charged with three offenses stemming from his presence at the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol.[1]
Early life Keller was born March 21, 1982,[2] in Las Vegas, Nevada to mother Karen and father Kelly.[3] Both parents were intercollegiate athletes at Arizona State University; his father played basketball and his mother swam.[3] His older sister Kelsey swam for University of Washington, and younger sister Kalyn swam for University of Southern California (USC) and competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics.[3]
Keller grew up in Phoenix, Arizona.[4] Keller graduated from Arcadia High School in 2000.[3][5]
Collegiate career Keller attended the University of Southern California for two years from 2000 to 2001, but left school to focus on swimming.[6][7]
While at USC, Keller won multiple individual and relay Pac-10 and NCAA Championships in the 200, 500 and 1,650-yard freestyle, as well as freestyle relays.[citation needed ]
International career Keller competed in the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Summer Olympics.
During the 4200-meter freestyle relay in the Athens Summer Olympics in 2004, Keller held off a charging Ian Thorpe in the anchor leg to win the race by 0.13 seconds.[8][9] This was the first time Australia had been beaten in the event in over seven years.[10] In January 2016, Andy Ross of Swimming World named it as one of the greatest Olympic relays of all-time.[11]
The American relay of Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Peter Vanderkaay, and Keller were undefeated in competition from the Athens games onward.[citation needed ] Vanderkaay, Larsen Jensen, Erik Vendt, and Keller made up the core of the premier American mid-distance/distance freestyle swimmers.[when? ][citation needed ]
Klete was one of many 2000 Olympic medalists from The Race Club World Team, a summer swimming camp in Florida.[12]
From 2004 to 2007, Keller trained at Club Wolverine, run at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor under Jon Urbanchek and later Bob Bowman.[13] Urbanchek would also be the coach of the three Olympic swimming teams which Keller competed on.[14] In 2007, Keller left Ann Arbor and returned to USC to finish school and train under coach Dave Salo.[15][6][13]
In his 2006 season, at the U.S. championships he achieved the top time in the wold in the 400 freestyle (3:44.27).[13] He also won three medals at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships that year.[13]
Twice during his career, he was the cover athlete of the magazine Swimming World.[16]
In 2015, the Reno Gazette-Journal named Keller as the most decorated Olympian ever born in Nevada.[10]
2021 storming of the United States Capitol Keller was identified as a participant in the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, where he was seen inside the Capitol Rotunda in a crowd of people clashing with police officers.[17] Keller's presence was reported to authorities by several people who saw a video posted by conservative outlet Townhall. Some of the people who recognized Keller in the video said that he had frequently posted pro-Donald Trump content on his social media accounts. His social media accounts have since been deleted.[6][18] Several former teammates and coaches had been among those who reportedly identified him.[18] He was able to be recognized, in part, because of his height, the fact that he was wearing a U.S. Olympic team jacket, and that his face was unobstructed in the video (he was not wearing a protective mask on his face despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, instead leaving an apparent face covering hanging around his neck).[18][19]
On January 13, for his involvement in the storming of the Capitol, Keller was charged with obstructing law enforcement engaged in official duties, unlawfully entering Capitol grounds, and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.[20] Depending on the outcome of his case, Keller could face up to 15.5 years in prison.[14] Keller surrendered himself to federal authorities the following day.[21] He was released from custody the same day, without having to make any payment. A federal judge ordered him not to travel to Washington, D.C. anytime before January 21, which is the day after the inauguration of Joe Biden. After then, the judge will allow him to travel to Washington, D.C. for court appearances and to meet with lawyers, but will require him to ask permission before making any trips to North Carolina, where his children live.[22]
Personal life Having left in 2001 to focus on swimming, he returned to USC in 2007 to complete his bachelor degree. He was originally studying science and public policy.[6] He, at one point, was studying construction management. He ultimately received his degree in public policy and real estate development, having attended both USC and Eastern Michigan University for his college education.[3][23] Keller would later recount that he had, ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics, considered instead attending Arizona State University in order to study criminology.[24]
Even during his swimming career, Keller was reportedly beset by personal difficulties. Per Jon Urbanchek's later account, ahead of the 2004 Summer Olympics, Keller suffered a period of insomnia and malaise, which resulted in an "emotional breakdown".[24]
After his swimming career, Keller worked a series of jobs in sales and finance.[25][24] In February 2013 he began working at the Memphis, Tennessee office of Cantor Fitzgerald as a debt trader.[26] He would, in 2018, reflect on his career in sales and debt trading in an interview that, "Swimmer had been my identity for most of my life, and then I quickly transitioned to other roles and never gave myself time to get comfortable with them. I really struggled with things. I didn't enjoy my work, and that unhappiness and lack of identity started creeping into my marriage."[25] In an interview years later for a podcast by the Olympic Channel, Keller commented on his performance as an employee at this time, saying that he had set high expectations for himself, but had been "entitled" in the workplace, as well as a bad employee.[27]
Keller was previously married to Cari Sherill, with whom he had three children.[14] The two of them would go through a custody dispute amid their divorce.[14]
In 2018, Keller revealed that in January 2014, after going through both his divorce and becoming unemployed, he had become homeless and lived out of his car for roughly ten months (managing to shower at a gym, where he still had a membership).[6][24][25][27][28] He also said that, for four years, he lacked visitation rights with his children, making him unable to see them, despite living only minutes away from them.[6][14] In an interview he conducted in the spring of 2014, he stated that he was no longer certain of the whereabouts of three of his Olympic medals.[29] In the same 2014 interview, Keller also said that he had failed to find similar successes in his endeavors after retiring from swimming. He said that he made the mistake of not having the foresight to plan for his post-swimming career, and felt somewhat "bitter" both towards himself and his sport.[29] He expressed regret for having continued swimming for another four years after the 2004 Olympics, saying that he believed, in retrospect, that he should have retired after the 2004 Summer Olympics and gone back to school thereafter.[29]
In 2018, Keller credited his sister Kalyn with having assisted him with what he saw as a personal comeback from his low-point of homelessness, saying that she had taken him in.[6] He said that during this personal comeback, he made a living by teaching swimming lessons and operating swim clinics.[6]
Since 2018, Keller has resided in Colorado Springs.[28][30] Keller began a career there as a real estate broker, being employed as an independent contractor with the real estate firm Hoff & Leigh.[6][31][32] In 2021, when SwimSwam contacted them for their January 11 story reporting Keller's involvement in the storming of the Capitol, Hoff & Leigh confirmed that Keller was still an employee of the firm.[6] The SwimSwam reporter that broke the story commented in their article that the firm "seemed unaware of the Capitol video or Keller's possible involvement" in the storming of the Capitol.[6] Later that day, the firm erased all mentions of Keller from its website.[18] On January 12, 2021, Hoff & Leigh released a statement saying that Keller no longer worked for the company, having resigned, and that they did not condone his actions.[6]
Around the time he moved to Colorado Springs, Keller regained visitation with his children.[24] As of 2021[update], Keller's children lived in North Carolina, and he was still visiting with them.[22]
It was reported in early 2021 that Keller recently had become engaged.[14]
Following his participation in the storming of the United States Capitol, friends of Keller's described him as a strong political conservative and a gun enthusiast, who had expressed increasingly strong support for Donald Trump on his social media in the previous years, particularly in the year immediately prior.[24][14] He had previously attended the "Million MAGA March", a pro-Trump 2020''21 United States election protest held in Washington, D.C. in late November of 2020.[24] After Keller's participation in the storming of the Capitol time, his ex-wife Cari Sherrill, the mother of his three children, stated that she no longer had a personal relationship with Keller, and remarked that she believed that, "during and since his swimming career, he's had many personal issues he's chosen not to address".[14]
See also List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)List of University of Southern California peopleList of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (men)World record progression 4 200 metres freestyle relayReferences ^ Lynch, Brad Heath, Sarah N. (January 15, 2021). "Arrested Capitol rioters had guns and bombs, everyday careers and Olympic medals". Reuters . Retrieved January 15, 2021 . ^ "Olympedia '' Klete Keller". olympedia.org . Retrieved January 13, 2021 . ^ a b c d e "KLETE KELLER". Team USA . Retrieved January 13, 2021 . ^ "ESPN.com - OLY/SUMMER04 - athlete". ESPN . Retrieved January 13, 2021 . ^ Falduto, Brad (August 17, 2004). "Arcadia graduate anchors winning freestyle team". East Valley Tribune . Retrieved January 13, 2021 . ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Johnsojn, Annika (January 11, 2021). "Olympic Gold Medalist Klete Keller in US Capitol During Clashes, Video Shows". SwimSwam . Retrieved January 12, 2021 . ^ "Keller, Klete". United States Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. ^ "Ricky Berens". SwimSwam . Retrieved January 13, 2021 . ^ Harris, Craig; Metcalfe, Jeff (January 12, 2021). "Reports identify Olympic swimmer, ex-Phoenix resident Klete Keller among Capitol rioters". The Arizona Republic . Retrieved January 13, 2021 . ^ a b "10 Best Athletes Born in Nevada" . Reno Gazette-Journal. November 1, 2015 '' via Newspapers.com. ^ Ross, Andy (January 28, 2016). "4 of the Greatest Olympic Relays of All Time". Swimming World News . Retrieved January 13, 2021 . ^ "The World Team". The Race Club. Archived from the original on August 20, 2016. ^ a b c d "Klete Keller goes, sis stays" . Detroit Free Press. April 27, 2007 . Retrieved January 14, 2021 '' via Newspapers.com. ^ a b c d e f g h Sheinin, Dave; Maese, Rick (January 15, 2021). "From Olympic medalist to Capitol rioter: The fall of Klete Keller". The Washington Post . Retrieved January 15, 2021 . ^ "Exclusive Interview with Klete Keller". Swimming World News. April 25, 2002 . Retrieved January 12, 2021 . ^ "Missy Franklin Graces Cover of October 2011 Swimming World Magazine". Swimming World News. October 1, 2011 . Retrieved January 13, 2021 . ^ "Olympic Gold Medalist Klete Keller in US Capitol During Clashes, Video Shows". SwimSwam. January 11, 2021. ^ a b c d Crouse, Karen; Mather, Victor (January 12, 2021). "Olympic Gold Medalist Was Part of Crowd That Invaded Capitol". The New York Times . Retrieved January 12, 2021 . ^ Fernandez, Gabriel (January 12, 2020). "Olympic gold medalist swimmer Klete Keller among Trump supporters that stormed U.S. Capitol". CBSSports.com. CBS Sports . Retrieved January 13, 2021 . ^ "Olympic gold medalist swimmer Klete Keller charged for alleged role in Capitol riot". ABC News. January 13, 2021 . Retrieved January 13, 2021 . ^ Harris, Craig (January 14, 2021). "Former Arizona Olympian Klete Keller, charged in U.S. Capitol riot, turns himself in to feds". The Arizona Republic . Retrieved January 15, 2021 . ^ a b "Ex-U.S. Olympian Keller released from custody". ESPN. Associated Press. January 14, 2021 . Retrieved January 16, 2021 . ^ "Klete Keller". The Olympic Agent . Retrieved January 13, 2021 . ^ a b c d e f g Crouse, Karen (January 18, 2021). " ' I Let You Down': Klete Keller's Path From Olympics to Capitol Riot". The New York Times . Retrieved January 18, 2021 . ^ a b c "Post-Swimming Lessons Give Klete Keller New Perspective". usaswimming.org. USA Swimming. June 22, 2018. ^ La Roche, Julia (February 14, 2013). "Cantor Fitzgerald Has Hired Olympic Gold Medalist Swimmer Klete Keller". Business Insider . Retrieved January 13, 2021 . ^ a b "Olympic gold to homeless: Why you should never give up with Klete Keller". Olympic Channel . Retrieved January 13, 2021 . ^ a b Zaccardi, Nick (June 22, 2018). "He won a gold medal with Michael Phelps, then he lived in his car". OlympicTalk | NBC Sports . Retrieved January 12, 2021 . ^ a b c Zaccardi, Nick (April 2, 2014). "Catching up with Klete Keller". OlympicTalk | NBC Sports . Retrieved January 12, 2021 . ^ "Dog sitting gone wild: Owner comes home to find shirtless men, lube in living room". FOX21 News Colorado. August 28, 2018 . Retrieved January 12, 2021 . ^ Castronuovo, Celine (January 12, 2021). "Gold medalist Olympic swimmer recognized amid Capitol mob". The Hill . Retrieved January 12, 2021 . ^ Isaac, O'Dell (January 12, 2021). "Former Olympic swimmer and Colorado Springs realtor identified at pro-Trump Capitol riot, publications report". Colorado Springs Gazette . Retrieved January 13, 2021 . External links 1908: Derbyshire, Radimilovic, Foster, Taylor (GBR) 1912: Healy, Champion, Boardman, Hardwick (ANZ) 1920: McGillivray, Kealoha, Ross, Kahanamoku (USA) 1924: Weissmuller, O'Connor, Glancy, Breyer (USA) 1928: Weissmuller, Clapp, Laufer, Kojac (USA) 1932: Yusa, Miyazaki, Yokoyama, Toyoda (JPN) 1936: Yusa, Sugiura, Arai, Taguchi (JPN) 1948: Ris, McLane, Wolf, Smith (USA) 1952: Moore, Woolsey, Konno, McLane (USA) 1956: O'Halloran, Devitt, Rose, Henricks (AUS) 1960: Harrison, Blick, Troy, Farrell (USA) 1964: Schollander, Clark, Saari, Ilman (USA) 1968: Schollander, Spitz, Nelson, Rerych (USA) 1972: Spitz, Kinsella, Tyler, Genter (USA) 1976: Bruner, Furniss, Naber, Montgomery (USA) 1980: Koplyakov, Salnikov, Stukolkin, Krylov (URS) 1984: Heath, Larson, Float, Hayes (USA) 1988: Dalbey, Cetlinski, Gjertsen, Biondi (USA) 1992: Lepikov, Pyshnenko, Tayanovich, Sadovyi, Kudryavtsev, Mukhin (EUN) 1996: Davis, Hudepohl, Schumacher, Berube, Olsen (USA) 2000: Thorpe, Klim, Pearson, Kirby, Hackett, Kowalski (AUS) 2004: Phelps, Lochte, Vanderkaay, Keller, Ketchum, Goldblatt (USA) 2008: Phelps, Lochte, Berens, Vanderkaay, Walters, Vendt, Keller (USA) 2012: Lochte, Dwyer, Berens, Phelps, Houchin, McLean, Tarwater (USA) 2016: Dwyer, Haas, Lochte, Phelps, Smith, Conger, Bentz (USA) 1973: USA (Krumpholz, Backhaus, Klatt, Montgomery)1975: West Germany (Steinbach, Lampe, Geisler, Nocke)1978: USA (Furniss, Forrester, Hackett, Gaines)1982: USA (Saeger, Float, Miller, Gaines)1986: East Germany (Hinneburg, Flemming, Richter, Lodziewski)1991: West Germany (Sitt, Zesner, Pfeiffer, Gross)1994: Sweden (Wallin, Werner, Fr¶lander, Holmertz)1998: Australia (Klim, Thorpe, Hackett, Kowalski)2001: Australia (Hackett, Kirby, Klim, Thorpe)2003: Australia (Hackett, Stevens, Sprenger, Thorpe)2005: USA (Phelps, Lochte, Vanderkaay, Keller)2007: USA (Phelps, Lochte, Keller, Vanderkaay)2009: USA (Phelps, Berens, Walters, Lochte)2011: USA (Phelps, Vanderkaay, Berens, Lochte)2013: USA (Dwyer, Lochte, Houchin, Berens)2015: Great Britain (Wallace, Renwick, Jarvis, Guy)2017: Great Britain (Milne, Grainger, Scott, Guy)2019: Australia (Lewis, Chalmers, Graham, Horton)1993: Brazil (Scherer, Ferreira, Souza, Borges)1995: Brazil (Scherer, Massura, Cordeiro, Borges)1997: Germany (Conrad, Tr¶ger, L¼deritz, Heilmann)1999: Australia (Fydler, Pearson, Thorpe, Klim)2000: Sweden (Nystr¶m, Fr¶lander, Ohlin, Nystrand)2002: United States (Tucker, Marshall, Lezak, Keller)2004: United States (Brunelli, Walker, Dusing, Lezak)2006: Italy (Calvi, Lanzarini, Galenda, Magnini)2008: United States (Lochte, Lundquist, Adrian, Van Wie)2010: France (Bernard, Bousquet, Gilot, Agnel)2012: United States (Ervin, Lochte, Feigen, Grevers)2014: France (Mignon, Gilot, Manaudou, Metella)2016: Russia (Lobintsev, Vekovishchev, Morozov, Popkov)2018: United States (Dressel, Pieroni, Chadwick, Held) 1985: USA (Heath, Biondi, Dillon, Oppel) 1987: USA (Dalbey, Biondi, Cetlinski, Oppel) 1989: USA (Stewart, Jorgensen, Olsen, Gjertsen) 1991: USA (Dalbey, Jorgensen, Hudepohl, Olsen) 1993: USA (Burgess, Eckerman, Taner, Davis) 1995: AUS (Allen, Housman, Dunn, Kowalski) 1997: USA (Carvin, Malchow, Taner, Davis) 1999: AUS (Thorpe, Kirby, Hackett, Klim) 2002: AUS (Hackett, Stevens, Cram, Thorpe) 2006: USA (Phelps, Lochte, Vanderkaay, Keller) 2010: USA (Phelps, Vanderkaay, Berens, Lochte) 2014: USA (Dwyer, Phelps, Lochte, McLean) 2018: USA (Seliskar, Pieroni, Apple, Haas)
REPORT: Al Sharpton Was A Mob Informant For The FBI | Time
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 03:38
T he Rev. Al Sharpton has served as an outspoken civil rights activist, presidential nominee, television host, and, if a new report is to be believed, a key informant to the FBI.
According to a lengthy report by website The Smoking Gun, Sharpton, 69, served as ''Confidential Informant No. 7'' in the 1980s, playing a prominent role collecting information on New York City's most prolific mobsters. Sharpton has denied the claims.
In a Tuesday morning press conference, Sharpton said that he wasn't an informant but rather he was merely cooperating with the FBI. ''I'm not a rat, I'm a cat,'' Sharpton reportedly said, according to journalists live-tweeting the event. He continued that the only thing he was ashamed of were ''those old fat pictures'' that have been shown in conjunction with the reports.
The Smoking Gun's report '-- based on interviews, court records, and hundreds of pages of documents obtained as the result of requests invoking Freedom of Information Act '-- claims that Sharpton worked for a joint FBI/NYPD crime task force that was primarily pursuing the notorious Genovese crime family. Sharpton allegedly was sent out to talk to mobsters with a bugged briefcase. The website said that information he obtained led to the bugging of two Genovese family social clubs, three cars and a dozen phone lines approved by eight different federal judges.
During Tuesday's press conference, he admitted with working with the FBI for two years and wearing a wire to record conversations. ''The conversations were recorded, and I would record them today,'' he said. ''We are victims trying to stop something.''
In a previous interview, Sharpton told the New York Times, ''Most of what I've looked through [on The Smoking Gun] does not remind me of anything I was involved in.'' The site says that Sharpton denied its claims in an interview, particularly ones stating that he was ''flipped'' after a drug deal. ''The claim is I helped get the mob, not that I was in the mob,'' Sharpton said. ''I was never told I was an informant.''
It has long been known that Sharpton worked with the FBI in the 1980s to assist in an investigation against boxing promoter Don King. He told the New York Daily News that he contacted authorities after Gambino family member Joseph Buonanno and others sent him death threats for trying to help African-Americans succeed on the business side of the music industry. ''If you're a victim of a threat, you're not an informant '-- you're a victim trying to protect yourself,'' he said. ''I encourage kids all the time to work with law enforcement, you're acting like it's a scandal for me to do that?''
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Contact us at letters@time.com.
What Parler Saw During the Attack on the Capitol | ProPublica
Tue, 19 Jan 2021 01:40
by Lena V. Groeger, Jeff Kao, Al Shaw, Moiz Syed and Maya Eliahou, January 17, 2021
with 31 ProPublica contributors ''
This story contains videos that viewers may find disturbing.
As supporters of President Donald Trump took part in a violent riot at the Capitol, users of the social media service Parler posted videos of themselves and others joining the fray. ProPublica reviewed thousands of videos uploaded publicly to the service that were archived by a programmer before Parler was taken offline by its web host. Below is a collection of more than 500 videos that ProPublica determined were taken during the events of Jan. 6 and were relevant and newsworthy. Taken together, they provide one of the most comprehensive records of a dark event in American history through the eyes of those who took part. Read more: Why We Published Hundreds of Videos Taken by Parler Users of the Capitol Riots | Inside the Capitol Riot: What the Parler Videos Reveal
Videos are ordered by the time they were taken. Scroll down to start watching or click on the timeline to jump to any point in the day.
Around D.C.
Near Capitol
Inside Capitol
12:53 p.m. ' Near Capitol
12:56 p.m. ' Near Capitol
12:59 p.m. ' Near Capitol
12:59 p.m. ' Near Capitol
2:14 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:15 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:21 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:22 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:29 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:30 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:32 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:33 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:34 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:35 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:37 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:39 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:39 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:39 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:41 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:42 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:42 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:44 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:44 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:44 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:45 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:47 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:47 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:47 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:48 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:50 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:50 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:51 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
2:59 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
3:00 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
3:01 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
3:02 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
3:08 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
3:09 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
3:09 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
3:11 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
3:11 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
3:12 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
3:12 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
3:13 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
3:14 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
3:22 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
3:25 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
4:07 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
4:11 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
4:12 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
4:57 p.m. ' Inside the Capitol
Additional contributions by Isaac Arnsdorf, David Armstrong, James Bandler, Ruth Baron, Kirsten Berg, Patricia Callahan, Haru Coryne, Lydia DePillis, Lynn Dombek, Adriana Gallardo, Jack Gillum, Ryann Grochowski Jones, Maryam Jameel, Louise Kiernan, Scott Klein, Celeste LeCompte, Dara Lind, J. David McSwane, Alex Mierjeski, T. Christian Miller, Maya Miller, Charles Ornstein, Zipporah Osei, Agnel Philip, Beena Raghavendran, Ken Schwencke, Mollie Simon, Lisa Song, Ariana Tobin, Lucas Waldron, Derek Willis
Update, Jan. 18, 2021: This page was updated to remove two videos that were from the Oklahoma Capitol.
Spiritual advisor to Barack Obama and George W. Bush sentenced to 6 years for multi-million dollar China bonds fraud | Business Insider India
Mon, 18 Jan 2021 21:49
The spiritual advisor for both Barack Obama and George W. Bush during their time as President has been sentenced to six years for his role in a multi-million dollar investment fraud scheme. Kirbyjon H. Caldwell, 67, was sentenced by US District Judge S. Maurice Hicks on Wednesday in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he and his co-defendant, Gregory Alan Smith, were indicted in 2018. He spoke at the 2000 Republican National Convention, delivered the benediction at Bush's 2005 inauguration, and officiated his daughter Jenna's 2008 wedding, the New York Times reportedThe spiritual advisor for both Barack Obama and George W. Bush during their time as President has been sentenced to six years for his role in a multi-million dollar investment fraud scheme.
Kirbyjon H. Caldwell, 67, was sentenced by US District Judge S. Maurice Hicks on Wednesday in Shreveport, Louisiana where he and his co-defendant, Gregory Alan Smith, were indicted in 2018.
Caldwell was formerly the Senior Pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church, a
mega-church in his native
Houston,
Texas, which has around 14,000 members, the
Associated Press reported.
According to the
New York Times, he spoke at the 2000 Republican National Convention, delivered the benediction at Bush's 2005 inauguration, and officiated his daughter Jenna's wedding in 2008.
Caldwell supported Obama's 2008 presidential run and was part of a group of Christian pastors who would pray with him as well as being on his healthy fatherhood and family task force, the NYT added.
Through Smith, a 55-year-old, Shreveport-based investment advisor, he began using his influence to persuade people to invest in historical Chinese bonds in early 2013, the
Associated Press added.
Advertisement
They were told that they would gain partial bond ownership and would very quickly receive large returns on their investments.
Additionally, they were given "participation agreements" which said if the sale failed then their funds would be returned within a certain period of time, and were told to wire funds into one of the many bank accounts he owned or control.
Read More: Celebrity church Hillsong faces new accusations of racism, exploitation, and discrimination after NYC pastor Carl Lentz was fired for infidelityHowever, the bonds were historical Chinese ones, issued by the former Republic of China before it lost power to the communist government in 1949.
The bonds aren't recognized by China's current government and have no investment value whatsoever. In fact, they are considered to be collectibles by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Between 2013 and 2014, they made $3.5 million from the scheme. The profits were divided between Caldwell, Smith, and others. The former pastor received $900,000 which he used to maintain his lifestyle and pay down credit cards and mortgages.
In a statement provided by the Department of Justice, Acting US Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook said: "The defendants in this case abused the trust that the victims had placed in them."
"This defendant used his status as the pastor of a mega-church to help convince the many victim investors that they were making a legitimate investment but instead he took their hard-earned money from them and used it for his own personal gain," he continued.
Caldwell was ordered to report to the Bureau of Prisons on June 22, 2021, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Caldwell was also ordered to pay $3,588,500 restitution and a $125,000 fine while his co-defendant, Gregory Alan Smith, was sentenced to six years in
prison in November.
Darlene Love on Phil Spector's Death: 'I Feel Very, Very Sad' - Rolling Stone
Mon, 18 Jan 2021 15:21
Darlene Love never knew how she'd feel when Phil Spector died, but when the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed the producer's death on Sunday, she mainly felt sorrow despite all the ways he mistreated her over the years. ''My son called to tell me the news,'' says the singer, who recorded classics like ''He's a Rebel,'' ''(Today I Met) the Boy I'm Gonna Marry'' and ''Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)'' with Spector in the early Sixties. ''I felt real bad. Then I thought about who he was and what he did because if there was no Phil Spector, there would be no Darlene Love.''
A few hours after the news broke, Love phoned Rolling Stone to talk about her long musical history with Spector, their split in the Seventies, a nasty legal battle in the Nineties and the murder that sent the producer to prison for the final two decades of his life.
I met Phil Spector in 1962. I was already a backup singer with a group, the Blossoms. We did a lot of recordings for Lester Sill. At the time, we didn't know that was Phil Spector's partner [in Philles Records]. We sang background for some of his groups, but none of them were successful. After knowing Lester for a year or so, he told us his partner was coming into Los Angeles and he wanted me to sing lead on a song.
I was introduced to Phil and he taught me the song ''He's a Rebel.'' Going into the studio, I knew that song was going to be under the name the Crystals. It was just another session. I just got paid extra for it, a lot extra. After that song became a hit, I signed with him. I was like, ''This man knows what he's doing.''
My first impression of Phil was that he was weird. I had worked with others producers and they all dressed normal in blue jeans. There was nothing big about them. They weren't pompous. Meeting Phil was just the opposite. He had a suit on and was very well-dressed. He had on the shoes with heels that the guys in London were wearing. I thought, ''This is a weirdo. Does he really know what he's doing?''
We worked at Gold Star Studios and he took command of those sessions. And he worked in a very unusual way. Most people did everything at one time: The singers, the background, everything. But Phil split it all up long before anyone was doing that. He put the music on first, then he put the background and then put my lead on.
That was totally off the walls. When we saw what he came up with in the final product, we thought, ''Wow! This is different!'' It felt like a new thing that was going to be happening with music. He just did it with two tracks, which is unheard of.
He heard the music in his head and then got it one tape and one piece at a time. I'd watch him and was amazed at how he did it and how everyone fell into it. He loved having his musicians to add things to it. We had an arrangement. Jack Nitzsche had arranged the songs, but Phil would let the musicians put their little things on it too, like extra licks on the guitar or the bass.
''When we saw what he came up with in the final product, we thought, 'Wow! This is different!' ''
The other thing he did that was unusual was he left everyone's mic open. That's where the term ''Wall of Sound'' came from because everyone's sound was feeding into everyone else's sound.
Early on, he gave me the name Darlene Love. My maiden name was Darlene Wright. He loved gospel singers, as did I, and there was a gospel singer named Dorothy Love Coates. He said, ''Why don't you change your last name?'' I said, ''What for?'' Then he came up with Love. I said, ''Why would you want me to pick the last name 'Love?''
Then he told me about Dorothy Love Coates. I said, ''Yes, I know her. I know those gospel singers back in the Fifties. You know that music?'' He goes, ''I love that music.'' He started telling me about gospel people he went to see, like the Five Blind Boys and Sam Cooke with the Soul Stirrers. I said, ''Wow, Phil!'' That's how I accepted the name.
Being around Phil taught me a lot. I said to myself, ''If you're going to keep this name Love, you better go have it legally changed to your name.'' That's what I did. I could just see Phil going years later, ''That ain't your name. I own that name.'' I'd say, ''Yeah, but guess what? It's legally mine. You can't have it.''
The biggest hits we had were ''He's a Rebel'' and ''He's Sure the Boy I Love.'' They were not under my name, but today I get just as much from those songs as if they were truly mine; recorded under the name of Darlene Love, because that's how my fans and people in the industry look at it. They were all great songs.
I first saw Phil's dark side come out after he went to London. The Phil Spector I grew up with '-- the songs I recorded with him all the way to the [1963] Christmas album '-- was a happy-go-lucky guy. He played with the musicians and would come out in the middle of the floor. He was like the ringmaster at the circus. That's how I always saw Phil. He used to call me ''doll.'' We'd have lunch. That's the kind of relationship we had. We'd get away from everybody and go do those things. We had fun.
''I used to tell him all the time, 'Phil, one of these days you're going to pull this gun out and something is going to happen.'''
Once Phil went to London and came back, he was a completely different guy. That is when I saw the real nasty side of Phil Spector; the controlling part of Phil Spector. He wasn't like that before. He was a pleasure to be around. He was fun to be around. He started telling me how to sing, making me repeat songs over and over or singing the same line over and over and over.
I'd be like, ''Now I know I know these songs and I never had this trouble singing with you before. Phil, what is the problem?'' ''Well, I just don't like how you sang that line.'' I went, ''OK'... '' That went on for a couple of hours. And people were suddenly allowed in the studio that were never there before, like business people and members of the Beatles. He was trying to show his power to them. And I didn't know that side of him. I used to think, ''He's treating other people like that, but he wouldn't treat me like that because we have a completely different relationship.'' But no. He turned on everybody.
When we worked together, he'd be like, ''I don't like the way you're singing it. Sing it again!'' When I was in the middle of singing it, he'd push the talk button and be like, ''No! No! Not like that. I don't want you to sing it that way!'' I don't work well with people pressuring me. I work better like, ''Okay, let's talk it over and see how I can do it better or the way you want me to do it.'' Now that was all gone.
Around this time is when I started hearing about the guns. I remember going into a session one day and everyone was coming out like they were running from somewhere. I'm going, ''What's wrong?'' They said Phil was in there with a gun. I went, ''What?!'' I said, ''Okay, I'm going back home.'' I never went into the studio. But the whole idea he was in there with a gun acting up? I said, ''Not me. Guns don't shoot. People shoot.''
I used to tell him all the time, ''Phil, one of these days you're going to pull this gun out and something is going to happen.'' I used to tell him that all the time, not really believing that it would. I thought that if people pulled out guns and acted like that, it's bound to happen sooner or later. I just never thought it was going to happen like it happened.
The last session we did together was ''Lord If You're a Woman'' [in 1977]. That is when I did something no other artist had ever done. I was in the booth with earphones on. I said to myself, ''This is not working.'' I took the earphones off, put them down on the chair, picked up my coat and purse and just walked out.
That was the last time I saw Phil Spector for many years. I left him completely. I was like, ''I'd rather be a background singer the rest of my life than put up with a producer acting like this just to get another hit record.''
I loved singing. That's my life. I love entertaining and making people feel good. At that point, I wasn't making them feel good because I wasn't feeling good. That was the biggest reason I didn't want to record anymore. I was still under contract with him, but I was like, ''I don't care anymore. I don't want to record with him anymore. You can't make me record.''
And even thought I no longer saw him, he continued to try and run my life. In the Eighties, I had moved to New York and I started doing Late Show with David Letterman with ''Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).'' He actually called the station and told them that if they kept allowing me to do the song on the show, he'd sue them because I was not allowed to sing that song.
This was after 20 years of my life with him and now here we are in the Eighties. I was like, ''What the hell do you care about me singing this song? I'm making you money.'' But it's this whole idea of him trying to possess me and make me do what he wanted me to do.
I didn't actually see him in person until he invited me to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction when he got in [in 1989]. Phil never came over to me, but he was sitting at a nearby table with his lawyer. He said, ''Come on, Darlene, let's let bygones be bygones. Let's bury the hatchet.'' I said, ''I have no hatchet to bury. This man owes me thousands of dollars. How come he can't pay me?'' He said, ''Oh, come on now.''
And lord, he offered me $25,000 to sign off on everything that I would ever try to get from Phil Spector. I wouldn't sign it. I just refused. I just said, ''Are you crazy?'' And let me tell you something, I needed the money. Twenty-five thousand dollars sounded real good at that time in my life, but I just refused to give in to him because I knew it would be to my detriment if I gave in to him. I would regret doing that if I ever thought about suing him. That's the day I decided to sue Phil Spector.
''To this day, I always thought he respected who I was and my talents. That's what he wanted to control: my talent.''
If he had left me alone, I probably would have never sued him. But he just kept on and kept on and kept on. I said, ''The only way to get rid of this man out of my life is to sue him.'' I knew I would win because everything I was doing was the truth.
We were in the courtroom together, but things felt different this time. Now I'm a grown-up woman and I'm in authority of my life '-- not Phil Spector '-- and there's nothing he can do about it. People here know me. I have a name now and you cannot rule me.
When he got on the stand, that's when I knew I was going to win the case. When he got on the stand and my lawyer was questioning him, he went, ''Darlene Love doesn't own these songs. I own these songs. She has no right to them.''
He was really out there. My lawyer said to him, ''If it wasn't Darlene Love, why didn't you just make an instrumental?'' He was just silent for a minute. He was like, ''What do you mean?''
''When I heard he was arrested for murder, I said, ''I knew this day would come. And it's come.''
It was a week of back and forth with him on the stand and me on the stand. It took all I had to stay calm, and my lawyer warned me, ''All you have to do is keep yourself calm. Don't show any anger or bitterness.''
They gave me a tablet and a pencil to write with. If I felt like I was really going to get upset, I would just scribble on the pad like I was writing something, but I really wasn't writing anything. I was trying to keep myself under control and not let him see that he was controlling me. I just never went there.
I won the case, but it took me a while to win the money. And the whole time, he never spoke to me. We were as far away from each other in that courtroom as the East is from the West.
But I was never afraid of him. I never thought he would do me any harm. I really did believe that. To this day, I always thought he respected who I was and my talents. That's what he wanted to control: my talent. He lost that. That was the end of me and him.
Why I do I think he was so angry and disturbed? Drugs and alcohol. I think that played a big role in his life. And people would always ask me, ''Why is he still doing this to you? Why is he still badgering you?'' It was because someone else was trying to make me a star. That's what the Late Show With David Letterman was doing. Phil Spector had nothing to do with it and he hated losing that control.
When I got into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame [in 2011], he just about went nuts. That's because he was on the Nominating Committee. Every time my name would come up, he would get upset. ''She doesn't deserve to get in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! How dare you?'' When I got inducted, he was a very unhappy person. As I say, the game goes on.
When I heard he was arrested for murder, I said, ''I knew this day would come. And it's come.'' I really, really did feel bad.
As far as our relationship goes, I had to learn, with the help of God in my life, that I cannot carry hatred around with me. That only affects me. And hatred can hurt you in all type of ways, physically and mentally. I definitely wasn't going to give that to him. I had to do a lot of soul-searching. I had to do a lot of praying. I even prayed for Phil. I knew I couldn't live this kind of life.
I wanted to be a happy and joyful person. Happiness is what keeps you well and helps you get along with people. You can't always be thinking in the back of your head, ''So and so did this to me. My career would be here if he hadn't done this.''
I had to get rid of all that from me and just think about what he did. And if it wasn't for Phil Spector, I wouldn't have a career. Here we are over 50 years later, and I'm reaping the benefits of what happened over 50 years ago.
I hate the fact that he died the way he did and I hate where he was when he died. Right now, I feel very, very sad.
Wisconsin nursing home employees laid off for not taking COVID vaccine
Mon, 18 Jan 2021 13:32
Employees at a Janesville nursing home risk losing their job if they do not take the COVID-19 vaccine, a policy that has caused outrage among many staff members.
Officials at Rock Haven, a Rock County-owned facility, issued a memo in December telling employees that the vaccine was "a requirement for all staff" and that employees who failed to get the vaccine would be laid off. A copy of the memo was obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel through an open records request.
According to the memo, a laid-off employee will not be eligible to return to work until they complete the two-dose vaccine regimen.
Rock Haven officials have taken a hard line on vaccination, employees say, despite some employees' concerns about unknown long-term effects or worries about their pregnancy or their fertility.
Michelle Lynch, a secretary at Rock Haven, said employees should not be forced to get the vaccine.
"We have staff that are having side-effects from it, and they're being told, 'Too bad,' " she said.
In letters to Rock County supervisors, two employees said they suffered high fevers and other side-effects from getting the vaccine on Jan. 5, the first day the nursing home conducted vaccinations. One of them wrote that the side-effects were so bad she had to go to the doctor and was advised not to get the second shot of the vaccine.
RELATED:Wisconsin to begin assisted living vaccinations in late January, weeks later than most other states
RELATED:'The first step toward normal': COVID-19 vaccine arrives at Milwaukee-area nursing homes
Terra Anderson said she lost her job as a registered nurse when she didn't report to receive the vaccine on Jan. 5. She was worried about unknown long-term effects of the vaccine.
She later got a letter dated Jan. 6 telling her that she had been laid off for her "inability to meet the essential functions of your job; failure to complete the Covid-19 vaccine as scheduled," according to a copy of the letter provided by Anderson.
The letter said she could return to her job at Rock Haven if there was a change in circumstances and instructed her to provide any updated medical information.
"I don't understand why we are the only ones who made it mandatory," she said.
Anderson said when she lost her job, she lost her health insurance. But she is fortunate, she said, to have a significant other with a decent-paying job.
As the vaccine rolls out, questions have arisen about whether employers can, or should, require employees to be vaccinated. Generally speaking, legal experts say, they can, but so far few cases have emerged where employers '-- public or private '-- have done so.
Nursing homes have been the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. At least 1,500 nursing home residents in Wisconsin have died with COVID-19, according to data reported to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services through Jan. 3, the latest available.
That's around 30% of all COVID-19 deaths in Wisconsin. Most of those 1,500 deaths occurred in the last three months, when COVID-19 cases and deaths skyrocketed in nursing homes.
Rock Haven has reported 13 positive cases in residents since May, with the last positive case reported in October, according to the CMS data. Two Rock Haven residents have died from COVID-19, according to the data.
There are a little over 90 residents, according to the latest data.
RELATED:Nearly 300 Wisconsin nursing home residents died from COVID-19 in four weeks, 10 times more than the month before
Forty staff members have tested positive for the virus since May, including some recently, according to the data.
Officials at CVS and Walgreens, the two main pharmacy chains conducting vaccinations at long-term care facilities across the country, have said that long-term care employees have been much more reluctant than residents to get the vaccine.
Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association, which represents long-term care facilities, estimated that, overall, around 50% of long-term care staff are getting the vaccine during the first vaccine visit.
"We're having a real challenge with staff," he said during a web briefing Thursday by the Kaiser Family Foundation. "There's a lot of misinformation out there. There are rampant rumors spreading on social media that the vaccine can cause fertility problems, which has caused concerns among many of the young women that work in our facilities."
But he said that mandating the vaccine is not necessarily the answer.
"I don't know what the right answer is. I know that we have to get the acceptance rate among staff much higher than it's been," he said. "I'm way more of a carrot than a stick person. I've been encouraging providers to offer incentives and awards and bonuses to people who get the vaccine as opposed to punishments if they don't."
He said few long-term care providers nationwide have mandated the vaccine for their staff, in part because of concerns over staffing shortages.
Betty Halverson, who works in housekeeping at Rock Haven, said she didn't feel comfortable getting the vaccine, but that she did anyway because she isn't ready to retire.
"I'm 64. ... Who's going to hire me?" she said. "I had to get the shot because I couldn't afford to take a layoff."
It's unclear exactly how many people have been laid off at Rock Haven for declining the vaccine. Neither the nursing home's interim administrator, nor Rock County Administrator Josh Smith, returned messages Friday seeking an interview.
The Gazette in Janesville quoted Smith as saying three or four Rock Haven employees had been laid off after declining the vaccine.
Lynch, the Rock Haven secretary, said five or six employees lost their jobs.
There are about 200 employees at Rock Haven, she said, including not only nurses and aides, but also maintenance, housekeeping and administration.
In the letters to county supervisors, some employees voiced concern that the mandate would hurt staffing levels and ultimately jeopardize resident care. They worry more people will be laid off when the next round of employees is scheduled to receive their first dose of the vaccine on Feb. 2.
Some county supervisors were surprised to find out Thursday about the mandate. At a Thursday board meeting, the Rock County clerk read aloud several letters from employees objecting to the mandate.
County Supervisor Wayne Gustina said he thought the vaccine requirement was "totally wrong."
"It should be left up to the individual," he said. "They're stepping way out of bounds, way out of line on this."
County Supervisor Kathy Schulz asked about exemptions, saying they should be considered for those employees getting seriously ill.
The issue will be on the next meeting's agenda on Jan. 28, Gustina said.
Sarah Volpenhein is a Report for America corps reporter who focuses on news of value to underserved communities for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Email her at svolpenhei@gannett.com. Please consider supporting journalism that informs our democracy with a tax-deductible gift to this reporting effort at JSOnline.com/RFA.
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New Nuts and resistwemunch.com
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