August 7, 2026

04b Theory and Analysis

Censorship Is Democrats’ Only Means Of Political Survival– thefederalist.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

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The modern Democrat Party is many things. But an ardent defender of Americans’ First Amendment right to free speech is not one of them.

This theme was front and center during a sit-down interview former President Barack Obama participated in at The Connecticut Forum earlier this week. At one point in his conversation with historian and author Heather Cox Richardson, America’s 44th commander-in-chief broached the subject of “propaganda” and how “[t]hose in power, those with money, exploit [the information] space in which nobody knows what’s true.”

“Vladimir Putin and the KGB had a saying that was then adopted proudly by Steve Bannon, which was if you want propaganda to be effective, you don’t have to convince people that what you are saying is true,” Obama said. “You just have to flood the zone with so much poop. They use a different word. But you have to flood the zone with so much untruth, constantly, that at some point people don’t believe anything.”

The former president went on to take an indirect shot at President Donald Trump’s contesting of the 2020 election results, saying, “it doesn’t matter if a candidate running for office just is constantly, just hypothetically, saying untrue things, or if an elected president claims that he won when he lost and that the system was rigged, but then when he wins, then it isn’t rigged, because he won.” Tying it back to his remarks about “propaganda,” he noted, “It just matters if everybody starts kind of throwing up their hands and saying, well, I guess it doesn’t matter.”

“And that’s what’s happened. That’s what’s happened in one of our major political parties. You have a whole bunch of people who know that’s not true, but we will pretend like it is. And that is dangerous,” Obama said.

Trump’s National Guard Order Is Not a Danger to America, but Hyperpolitical Generals and Admirals Are – RedState– redstate.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

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One of the most disturbing trends in politics since the 2000 election has been retired admirals and generals trading on their former military rank to meddle in partisan politics. The trend really hit its stride in 2008, when Barack Obama enlisted about 60 retired flag officers/general officers as campaign surrogates. Since then, Democrat presidential candidates trotting out tamed FOGOs to give them national security cred has become a standard, reaching a possible nadir when at least ten of them endorsed Kamala Harris and characterized Trump as “dangerous.”

President Trump’s well-founded decision to federalize a portion of the California Army National Guard (4,100 of a force of about 24,000) has caused another spasm of inappropriate political activity by retired generals. Several joined Gavin Newsom’s specious lawsuit attempting to limit Trump’s authority granted by Article 2 of the U.S. Constitution by filing an amicus brief. That case was demolished by a panel of the Ninth Circuit on Thursday; see Breaking: 9th Circuit Issues Stay Pending Appeal in CA National Guard Case, Handing Trump a Big Win.

One of their allies was granted editorial space on Fox News to spread what can only be called a disingenuous, bordering on overtly dishonest, description of the situation. Retired Major General Randy Manner essentially paraphrases the arguments in the amicus brief filed supporting Newsom’s push to institutionalize lawlessness in California. In his profile, he omits the small fact that he endorsed Kamala Harris, but full disclosure is for losers, anyway.

In a vapid op-ed headlined I led National Guard and regular Army units. Using the military to intimidate Americans is 100% wrong. Manner makes the extraordinary charge that the Trump administration is engaged in a “dramatic misuse of power and could lead to disastrous legal, operational and ethical outcomes.” So what are the specific instances of “misuse of power?”

Scientists may have found a way to extend lifespan without strict dieting; here’s what the research shows |– timesofindia.indiatimes.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

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For centuries, humanity has pursued the secret to a longer life through alchemy, mythology, and, more recently, science. While the philosopher’s stone remains a myth, researchers have discovered a reliable method to extend lifespan in animals: eating less. Known as dietary restriction, this practice triggers biological mechanisms that slow aging and improve longevity. However, strict dieting is difficult and unsustainable for many. The pressing question now is whether we can replicate these benefits without giving up the joy of food. Could science develop treatments that mimic the effects of calorie restriction, offering a longer, healthier life—without constant hunger?

… Rapamycin, which was initially identified in Easter Island soil in the 1970s, is a potent immunosuppressant drug utilised to suppress organ transplant rejection. Its anti-aging applications result from its capacity to inhibit a primary molecular switch (mTOR) that informs cells that nutrients are abundant. By suppressing this message, rapamycin mimics the action of dietary deprivation at the cell level. Actually, a combination of rapamycin with another medication, trametinib, has been found to further prolong the lifespan of mice.Metformin is a compound found in the French lilac plant that is commonly prescribed to manage blood sugar levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Like rapamycin, it targets the body’s nutrient-sensing mechanisms. With its extensive record of safety and widespread use, it’s been a potential life-extending candidate.Yet the review of 167 studies involving eight vertebrate animals—from fish to rats—found no persistent evidence that metformin prolonged lifespan. This would indicate it might not be able to deliver all the benefits of dietary restriction, at least singly.

Did Christianity birth the trans craze? Exposing the left’s shocking historical hit job– www.theblaze.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

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Every so often, an academic wrapped in the robes of theory decides to rewrite history — not to correct it, but to commandeer it.

The latest example comes from the Conversation, in which a University of Iowa scholar, Sarah Barringer, claims that Christianity has a “transgender” heritage. You heard that right: Saints who renounced the world to live in chastity and devotion are now being posthumously enlisted in a modern identity crusade they never chose.

The modern obsession with identity — splintering the self into ever-narrower categories — is antithetical to the Christian ethos.

Let’s acknowledge the truth up front: There is no such thing as a “transgender saint.” There are saints who disguised themselves, fled arranged marriages, and shaved their heads and donned robes to live among men in monasteries because that was the only place they could escape danger, obligation, or temptation.

But calling this “transness” is like calling Joan of Arc gender-fluid because she wore armor. It’s historical trespassing and spiritual identity theft dressed up as scholarship.

President Trump, please disavow the Commission on Population Growth– www.lifesitenews.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

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(LifeSiteNews) — U.S. government agencies have never engaged in open coercion to force down the birth rate, at least within the borders of the United States. (USAID’s past actions overseas are another matter.)…

The blueprint for this assault on American families and American fertility was drawn up way back in 1972 by something called the Commission on Population Growth and the American Future.

The Commission was the brainchild of one of America’s original population bomb fanatics, John D. Rockefeller III, who also happened to be one of the wealthiest men on the planet.

Like many of his fellow globalist elites—think Bill Gates and Warren Buffet—Rockefeller had long been convinced that Americans were having way too many babies. And he decided that it was past time to use a whole-of-government approach to put a stop to this reckless reproduction.

Rockefeller badgered President Richard Nixon into setting up the Commission on Population Growth in 1970 and appointing him as chairman. Over the next two years he steered it with an iron hand, using it to concoct a comprehensive plan that he hoped would stop America’s population growth dead in its tracks.

The report that he issued, called Population and the American Future, was a population controller’s dream. It began—as such screeds always do—with a stark warning: Unless something was done to stop America’s high birth rates, the population of the U.S. would explode from 203 million in 1970 to 300 million by 2000.

Grim consequences would follow, the report warned: Cities would become overcrowded cesspools of poverty and racial tension. Inequality would grow. Hordes of children would strain schools and other social services to the breaking point. Pressure on natural resources like water and energy would escalate as cities sprawled across the landscape, full of people sowing pollution wherever they went.

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Editor’s Commentary: Trust in God? How?

pgnewser June 20, 2025 0

By William Collier, Publisher

Originally published June 13, 2025 for our Mid-Month Issue of Mindful Intelligence Advisor.  Subscribe to get semi-monthly issues.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” – Proverbs 3:5-8

  1. NOTE: Here is a special editor’s commentary from our publisher, Bill Collier, about what it means to trust God, a challenge for many during these trying times, and yet a source of comfort in the midst of chaos for many others.

Trust in God.

It’s so easily said. It just rolls out of your voice, almost as predictable as the tide.

But do we trust God?

I have been experiencing something like I haven’t experienced since I was maybe 10 years old. This “feeling” had been dormant in me for years, though I only realized it recently. It was a specific and unique feeling of joy/peace and quiet certainty that if I but stewarded my life and actions with honor to God as the driving energy behind that, God would take care of an outcome that serves my eternal good, even if suffering and loss in this life are needed to shape me into who He wants me to become.

Of course, I’m paraphrasing here; the kid version of me would have used much different language. Still, looking back, I realize, in essence, this is what I was really thinking in that incredible moment of joy/peace.

I do trust God, overall, but I have not been living in that joy/peace I experienced back then. I have not experienced the trust in God that gives you the REST within, replaces anxiety with peace, and gives a heart thankfulness, filled with the simple joy of following and knowing Jesus Christ.

Of course, this was not a deliberate choice, to kill this joy/peace within me, and it didn’t happen overnight. It was a gradual ebbing out of the spirit of peace as I struggled to finitely figure out for myself how to essentially save myself.

I trust God. I trust the outcomes. I trust when I am merely suffering the consequences of my own failing or mistake, knowing He has grace and mercy and that whatever is resetting me, if I give it to Him, He will transform me as I seek to obey Him until I can put those traits or flaws behind me.

I trust when I suffer for something that was not true, something that was a total lie (yet is laid at my charge), that God’s provision will give me exactly what I need to fulfill His purpose and intentions for my life.

I trust Him when the outcomes are good and bring joyful results, success, and prosperity. But I also trust Him when it seems that in every direction, there is bad news and failures.

I trust when I have more than I need or when I am totally lacking and overwhelmed by the needs I cannot at present meet.

I trust in Jesus Christ to shape and utilize me through this life experience to be prepared for my eternal destiny and to fulfill His scroll of destiny and purpose for me in this life as well.

I rest in that trust.

When anxiety comes because I want an outcome, fear an outcome, or am just confused and uncertain how to proceed, I just focus my heart and mind on the fact God oversees my life BECAUSE I have surrendered to Him. While I need to be a good steward through my worship of Him, He truly is in total control of my outcomes, and I surrender that to Him.

Being a good steward means you take responsibility for your actions, and you utilize all God has given you according to His design, His blueprint, and His purpose, to the best of your understanding and through the means God has given you.

Even if you fumble your stewardship in some way, seeking God and trusting that He will always control your outcomes for your eternal good, allows you to recover and be transformed until you no longer fumble in that manner.

Trust comes as we obey, and as we learn and grow through knowledge and experience over time, we become ever more attuned to God’s voice, understanding of God’s Word, and surrounded by wise Christian counsel through fellowship, and thus, we suffer less for our mistakes.

When we do suffer, it is not necessarily because we made a mistake or a bad choice, but we trust it serves God’s purpose.

As we learn to trust in bad times, we also learn to trust in good times. When riches increase, we do not set our hearts upon those riches. When we are praised and honored, we acknowledge our honor comes from God and goes back to God. When we no longer have the urgency of needing to retreat within ourselves to the Presence of God, we remember this need to abide under His shadow during good times as well, lest we become tempted by our own sense of well-being and our pride.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” –Romans 8:35-39

I survey the unresolved problems I do not know how I will overcome, but yet, even here, I trust in God. I can see that when I lacked the ability, resources, or knowledge to solve a problem, it becomes resolved through God’s provision and/or guidance in sudden, unexpected ways.

Deus Ex Machina isn’t just a dramatic device, it’s real. I can attest to this fact, even through my marriage (maybe even especially through it).

I consider all the impossible things and trying things and what I must face or do that will be hard or have uncertain outcomes, and I yet trust in God. In suffering, the fellowship of His suffering is a place of honor. In happy prosperity, victory, and abundance, I guard my heart but revel in a thankful heart toward God for all He has done.

When I have abundance, I enjoy and take pleasure in distributing the benefits of living for Jesus and of His Kingdom to others. When I lack, I trust in Him and endure knowing these outcomes too serve God’s eternal purpose for my life, and I bear up, seeking counsel in the Word, the meditations of my heart, and the support and encouragement of my circles of family, friends, and fellow saints.

I say these things as a statement of faith, for I am not different than most in that I do not always do these things. But as I am learning to do these things more, I am experiencing more trust and more peace, and therefore more joy. Even in the midst of great blessings (and I have had plenty of those lately as well), I set not my heart upon them but stay in a place of seeking the JOY of HIS Presence.

It is easy for success to make you confident in your own false self-salvation powers; even great Kings of Israel fell to such snares. Remember Joash? He was the King who was saved from the only Queen of Judah, Athaliah, by Jehoiada the Priest.

She had murdered all the male descendants of Judah, save one (Joash), so she could take power for herself. Jehoiada protected the child Joash and worked to finally get him restored to the throne. He saved his life and his Kingship. These blessings were through God.

Under Jehoiada’s guidance, Joash was a righteous King, and his Kingdom prospered. After Jehoida died, Joash let men satisfy his ego, and he turned away from the Lord, ending his days by killing Jehoida’s son, Zechariah, for challenging his unrighteous ways (2 Chronicles 24).

I sense that old pure, innocent, and unquestioning faith in Jesus Christ in its joy and peace is growing anew, at a deep level to where I feel more fearless and overcoming, without fretting over results which, ultimately, I must acknowledge are in God’s hands. That is JUST where I WANT them to be. This means I surrender my expectations or desires as to outcomes, not that I don’t make my requests known or seek to be a good steward and work toward goals.

This isn’t laziness or pacifism. We bear stewardship responsibility for our actions; this includes how we manage and use everything God gives into our hands (stewardship).

Yet God knows we are a work in progress and ultimately, if we let Him, if we TRUST in Him and HIS ways, HIS timing, He will control the outcome for our eternal good. That is rock solid, and the more you live in that, the better your decision-making abilities will become, and the more peace and joy you will experience.

“At that time Jesus declared, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’” –Matthew 11:25-30

Pope Leo XIV flags AI impact on kids’ intellectual and spiritual development– abcnews.go.com

pgnewser June 20, 2025 0

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ROME — ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV warned Friday that artificial intelligence could negatively impact the intellectual, neurological and spiritual development of young people as he pressed one of the priorities of his young pontificate.

History’s first American pope sent a message to a conference of AI and ethics, part of which was taking place in the Vatican in a sign of the Holy See’s concern for the new technologies and what they mean for humanity.

In the message, Leo said any further development of AI must be evaluated according to the “superior ethical criterion” of the need to safeguard the dignity of each human being while respecting the diversity of the world’s population.

He warned specifically that new generations are most at risk given they have never had such quick access to information.

“All of us, I am sure, are concerned for children and young people, and the possible consequences of the use of AI on their intellectual and neurological development,” he said in the message. “Society’s well-being depends upon their being given the ability to develop their God-given gifts and capabilities,” and not allow them to confuse mere access to data with intelligence.

Donald Trump Is Hurtling America Into a Catastrophic Middle Eastern War– www.thenation.com

pgnewser June 16, 2025 0

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In the both the 2016 and 2024 presidential elections, Donald Trump cynically but effectively adopted the mantle of the anti-war candidate, accusing his rivals of a dangerous commitment to a policy of regime-change wars that threatened to usher in a new era of wars—and perhaps World War III. In October 2024, he specifically rejected the idea of regime change in Iran, saying, “We can’t get totally involved in all that. We can’t run ourselves, let’s face it.” In his Inaugural address in January, Trump promised to be a “a peacemaker” who would “stop all wars and bring a new spirit of unity to a world that has been angry, violent, and totally unpredictable.” In a major foreign policy address in Saudi Arabia in May, Trump reiterated his oft-repeated critique of “Western interventionalists [sic]” and “neocons” who have tried to remake the Middle East in America’s image.

As I’ve repeatedly argued, while Trump’s words are a salutary rejection of the hubris of the bipartisan foreign policy elite, there’s little in Trump’s record to show that he knows how to redirect American foreign policy toward a more peaceful direction. Quite the reverse is true: Trump’s own limitations as a leader—his fickleness, lack of deep commitments, and desire to placate different factions in his political coalition—make him an easy prey to militarists who want to push for new conflicts. The current outbreak of hostilities against Iran initiated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a clear case in point.

Trump gave the green light to Israel’s attack on Iran, which started on Friday. These attacks have led to open salivation by Netanyahu and leading congressional Republicans such as Ted Cruz at the prospect of regime change in Iran. They have derailed, as they were intended to do, Trump’s ongoing push for a nuclear deal with Iran. They also threaten to drag the United States into an escalating Middle Eastern war—something Trump has repeatedly promised to avoid.

Trump doesn’t threaten democracy — he threatens its ruling class– www.theblaze.com

pgnewser June 11, 2025 0

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For years, I’ve heard the same complaint from friends, family, and the nightly news: Donald Trump is his own worst enemy. The real problem, they say, is the man’s personality. If only he weren’t so obnoxious, if only he didn’t speak off the cuff or insult his critics, then maybe his enemies would stop calling him a Nazi. Maybe the protests would stop. Maybe the country could calm down.

It’s true that Trump’s tactlessness and unreflective speech can grate, even on those who support him. But let’s not pretend his critics hold anyone else to the same standard. Where was their outrage when Joe Biden declared that Trump supporters were “the only garbage I see,” smeared the GOP as “semi-fascists” and “terrorists,” or cursed at reporters who dared ask unscripted questions?

The rage over Trump’s language comes from anxiety. The ruling class members fear that his return to power could disrupt their ideological monopoly.

The same people clutching pearls over Trump’s tone cheered on mouthy scolds like Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama. They ignored threats by former Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who warned Supreme Court justices against overturning Roe v. Wade outside their own courthouse. When it comes to rhetoric, Democrats don’t offend them — only Republicans do.

And the hypocrisy doesn’t stop there. Anti-white racism is commonplace among Democrats. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) mocked Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) as a purveyor of “white tears” for disagreeing with her. Crockett also derided “mediocre white boys” who oppose race-based preferences and once referred to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as “Governor Hot Wheels” without consequence. No apology. No media outcry. Just applause.

Will China Force a Rethink of Biological Warfare? – War on the Rocks– warontherocks.com

pgnewser June 10, 2025 0

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Is the Defense Department still preparing to fight biological warfare as if it’s 1970?

When preparing for biological warfare, most nations picture scenarios in which an enemy openly sprays traditional agents over wide areas to kill their adversaries.  However, revolutionary capabilities in the life sciences and biotechnology have transformed the threat. China’s approach to warfare, combined with these emerging technologies, reveals new vulnerabilities among Western forces that, to date, have not been fully acknowledged. In no small measure, this is due to the U.S. government’s continued reliance on a 20th-century strategy for countering weapons of mass destruction. In particular, as China is a major nuclear power, it cannot be threatened after it uses biological weapons as easily as a non-nuclear state. Given these points, can China be deterred from using such advanced biological weapons during a regional crisis in the Indo-Pacific, especially an invasion of Taiwan? And if not, is it possible to mitigate the damage from such a scenario?

Although Western attention has focused on the rapid expansion of China’s nuclear and conventional warfighting capabilities, one ought to expect equal analysis of China’s biological warfare potential. By examining China’s most recent efforts at biological research, we put forward that it has bypassed 20th-century Western concepts of biological warfare and has new capabilities that could be effective across the entire conflict spectrum. Given China’s new capabilities and nuclear arsenal, we assess that standard strategies of deterrence and protection likely will not work in the future. New approaches and new concepts will be necessary if the United States is to prepare itself for potentially new forms of biological warfare in the 21st century.

22 States Support Couple Who Lost Foster Care License in Vermont Because They’re Christians– www.lifenews.com

pgnewser June 10, 2025 0

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Free speech and religious freedom advocates, groups speaking out on the harms of radical gender ideology, and 22 states have filed friend-of-the-court briefs in support of two Vermont families who had their foster-care licenses revoked by Vermont because of their religious beliefs. On May 30, Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing the families filed their opening brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit in Wuoti v. Winters.

Despite a track record of success and high praise from social workers who knew Brian and Katy Wuoti and Bryan and Rebecca Gantt, Vermont’s Department for Children and Families revoked their foster-care licenses after the couples expressed their religiously inspired and widely held belief that girls cannot become boys or vice versa. The state applies this policy categorically—prohibiting families with these views from caring for any child, even if they sought to care for a relative, provide respite care for an infant for just one day, or care for a child who shared their faith.

“Vermont’s foster-care system is in crisis: There aren’t enough families to care for vulnerable kids,” said ADF Senior Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse. “As numerous states have attested, religious families play a critical role in the foster-care system. Yet instead of inviting families from diverse backgrounds to help care for vulnerable kids, Vermont is shutting the door on them, putting its ideological agenda ahead of the needs of suffering kids. When it comes to finding kids a loving home, everyone should be able to recognize that the needs of kids should come first. And even Vermont agrees that the Wuotis and the Gantts are loving and caring parents willing to open their door to any child.”

MAGA’s Bogus Civilization Myth | The Nation– www.thenation.com

pgnewser June 10, 2025 0

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The Trump administration’s rhetoric echoes the same old fantasy of racial purity that animated the 20th-century right.
Afrikaners from South Africa arrived Monday, May 12, 2025, at Dulles International Airport.(Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP Photo)

On an otherwise unremarkable spring day, the Trump administration’s lawless assault on the rights of immigrants was interrupted by a government-chartered plane landing at Dulles International Airport. In a revealing reverse-image set piece, some 50 white Afrikaner immigrants from South Africa had arrived, in pursuit of an array of generous resettlement provisions. In February, Trump had signed an executive order granting them streamlined refugee status and a smooth path to US citizenship. The newcomers were feted with welcoming statements from the president, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and scores of MAGA-aligned commentators and pundits.

The same day that the Afrikaner “refugees” were getting the red-carpet treatment, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it was ending temporary protected status for immigrants from Afghanistan—many of whom had assisted the US war effort there and would thus face potential reprisals from the Taliban should they be deported. At a press conference after the Afrikaners’ flight landed, a reporter asked State Department spokesman Christopher Landau about the vast disparity in treatment between white immigrants with dubious claims of violent persecution in their homeland, and a group of their nonwhite counterparts who were exposed to real personal and political danger. Landau replied that “one of the criteria” in assigning refugee status to an immigrant population is making sure they can be “assimilated into our country.”

Telegram boss blasts France’s ‘unprecedented’ case against him — RT World News– www.rt.com

pgnewser June 10, 2025 0

NASA raises the odds that an asteroid could hit the moon in 2032– www.space.com

pgnewser June 10, 2025 0

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Asteroid 2024 YR4, once considered the highest impact risk to Earth ever recorded, is back in the spotlight — this time due to a slight increase in the chance that it could impact the moon in 2032.

Although now too distant to observe from Earth, the asteroid briefly came into view in May for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Using data from the telescope’s Near-Infrared Camera, a team led by Andy Rivkin of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory refined predictions of where 2024 YR4 will be on Dec. 22, 2032 by nearly 20%. That revised trajectory nudged the odds of a lunar impact from 3.8% to 4.3%, according to a NASA update.

“As data comes in, it is normal for the impact probability to evolve,” the statement read. Even if a collision occurs, “it would not alter the moon’s orbit.”

Trump Should Ignore Unconstitutional Injunctions– thefederalist.com

pgnewser June 10, 2025 0

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Real constitutional crises are relatively rare in American history. In 1803, Chief Justice John Marshall could have sparked one with his decision in Marbury v. Madison. In it, he deftly asserted that the Supreme Court had the power to invalidate laws or actions it saw as unconstitutional. That assertion didn’t cause a crisis in the fledgling nation mainly because it came in a decision that supported the Jefferson administration, and as such the president was not inclined to protest.

Then of course there was President Franklin Roosevelt’s court-packing scheme in 1937. In 1936, in the face of continuing 5-4 decisions going against his New Deal legislation, FDR’s Attorney General Homer Cummings proffered an idea penned by one of his predecessors in 1914, James Clark McReynolds: for every justice older than 70, a new justice should be appointed. Ironically, in 1936 McReynolds was a 75-year-old associate justice.

FDR’s legislation died in committee, but it would likely not have survived even if it had made it out of committee as it faced a great deal of bipartisan opposition. But it didn’t really matter because Justice Owen Roberts, who had been a thorn in the side of much of the New Deal legislation, joined the leftists in upholding West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish in 1937 and became a relatively reliable New Deal supporter going forward.

It’s Time to Go Big or Go Home › American Greatness– amgreatness.com

pgnewser June 10, 2025 0

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Is Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill “grotesque?” That’s what Elon Musk says. Though let’s be honest, it’s probably not the bill’s cost that’s bothering him. It’s the fact that the bill cuts the EV tax credits that keeps Tesla’s whole business model floating. Sorry, Elon!

Yes, the bill is big. It’s bold. It’s expensive. But it’s also everything we’ve been asking for, and then some. If you’re only looking at the price tag, you’re missing the bigger point: this bill actually delivers.

Do you like tax cuts? Because the Big Beautiful Bill is packed with them. Permanent Trump tax cuts? Locked in. Child tax credit? Raised to $2,500. Overtime pay? Tax-free. Tips? Also tax-free. That means bartenders, bellhops, and servers just got a raise without a single employer raising payroll. It’s basically a stimulus that doesn’t come with government strings. It’s economic empowerment. It’s dignity for the American worker. It’s someone-in-D.C.-finally-gets-it!

And before the deficit hawks start in on all this, let’s get one thing straight. This bill also includes the largest rollback of federal government bloat in modern history. $1.6 trillion in cuts. That’s not nothing! And guess what? The even deeper DOGE cuts are coming in a separate bill. Consider this round one of draining the swamp.

Columbia “fails to meet the standards for accreditation”– legalinsurrection.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

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The U.S. Department of Education has notified the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (the “Commission”) that Columbia University is not in compliance with the Commission’s accreditation requirements.

From the DoEd Press Release:

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) today notified Middle States Commission on Higher Education (the Commission) that its member institution, Columbia University, is in violation of federal antidiscrimination laws and therefore fails to meet the standards for accreditation set by the Commission. Pursuant to President Trump’s Executive Order, Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education, the Department has an obligation to promptly provide accreditors with any noncompliance findings related to member institutions.

The Commission’s “Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation” state that “a candidate or accredited institution possesses or demonstrates … compliance with all applicable government laws and regulations.” In light of OCR’s determination, Columbia University no longer appears to meet the Commission’s accreditation standards.

“After Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel, Columbia University’s leadership acted with deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish students on its campus. This is not only immoral, but also unlawful. Accreditors have an enormous public responsibility as gatekeepers of federal student aid. They determine which institutions are eligible for federal student loans and Pell Grants. Just as the Department of Education has an obligation to uphold federal antidiscrimination law, university accreditors have an obligation to ensure member institutions abide by their standards,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “We look forward to the Commission keeping the Department fully informed of actions taken to ensure Columbia’s compliance with accreditation standards including compliance with federal civil rights laws.” ….

“Godfather of AI” warns that today’s AI systems are becoming strategically dishonest– www.techspot.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

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Bottom line: As top labs race to build an AI master race, many turn a blind eye to dangerous behaviors – including lying, cheating, and manipulating users – that these systems increasingly exhibit. This recklessness, driven by commercial pressure, risks unleashing tools that could harm society in unpredictable ways.

Artificial intelligence pioneer Yoshua Bengio warns that AI development has become a reckless race, where the drive for more powerful systems often sidelines vital safety research. The competitive push to outpace rivals leaves ethical concerns by the wayside, risking serious consequences for society.

“There’s unfortunately a very competitive race between the leading labs, which pushes them towards focusing on capability to make the AI more and more intelligent, but not necessarily put enough emphasis and investment on [safety research],” Bengio told the Financial Times.

Bengio’s concern is well-founded. Many AI developers act like negligent parents watching their child throw rocks, casually insisting, “Don’t worry, he won’t hit anyone.” Rather than confronting these deceptive and harmful behaviors, labs prioritize market dominance and rapid growth. This mindset risks allowing AI systems to develop dangerous traits with real-world consequences that go far beyond mere errors or bias.

Giants and the Myth of America’s New Defense Consolidation – War on the Rocks– warontherocks.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

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America’s defense industrial base is in the throes of major change. For the first time in 40 years, major power war is a real possibility. Conflicts in Ukraine and Israel are providing a harrowing glimpse of what that war might look like. Technology is evolving at a dizzying pace. Instead of peacetime efficiency, governments are prioritizing wartime surge capacity. The “China shock” and COVID-19 have destabilized global supply chains.

Amid these daunting realities, a new generation of defense technology companies has emerged. Anduril Industries — which was founded in 2017 and which I joined in 2020 — is one of them. Of course, defense technology companies aim to make money. But these companies also aim to disrupt and transform American defense by changing culture, attracting new and better talent, harnessing commercial technologies, championing software, bolstering competition, reforming acquisition practices, and more. Only time will tell if they are successful. But perhaps not as much time as one might think. As more defense technology companies scale to compete with traditional defense primes, the contours of a new defense industrial base are emerging.

Changes to this scope, speed, and scale naturally lead to questions, anxieties, and fears. To wit, these pages recently carried a warning about an impending “new era of defense giants.” According to this view, defense technology companies are engaging in corporate acquisitions that mirror the defense industry consolidation carried out by the traditional defense primes after the end of the Cold War. This new consolidation is hurting small businesses and making America’s defense industrial base less diverse, resilient, and innovative.

Trump’s embrace of dystopian Palantir spying tool sends stock soaring– thegrayzone.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 1

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The Trump administration has charged the surveillance firm Palantir with agglomerating the US population’s personal data across government agencies, raising alarm about a centralized spying tool targeting hundreds of millions without oversight. Wall Street responded to the news by sending Palantir’s stock price to unprecedented heights.

During an end-of-year investor call this February, Palantir co-founder and militant Zionist Alex Karp bragged that his company was making a financial killing by enabling mass murder.

“Palantir is here to disrupt and make the institutions we partner with the very best in the world and, when it’s necessary, to scare enemies,” he stated, adding: “And on occasion, kill them.”  

Reclaimed Words and a Meta Oversight Board Decision Reveal Problems with Policing Online Hate Speech | American Enterprise Institute– www.aei.org

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To appreciate the complexities of policing online hate speech that underlie an April summary decision by Meta’s Oversight Board, let’s start with a musical detour through a 2017 US Supreme Court opinion called Matal v. Tam. The Court faced the First Amendment question in Matal of whether the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) could lawfully deny a band’s request to register its name––The Slants––as a trademark. The PTO claimed denial was okay because “slants” disparages Asians.

The wrinkle was that the band’s members are Asian and their frontman, Simon Tam, wanted “to ‘reclaim’ and ‘take ownership’ of stereotypes about people of Asian ethnicity.” As Tam explained:

We grew up and the notion of having slanted eyes was always considered a negative thing. Kids would pull their eyes back in a slant-eyed gesture to make fun of us . . .  I wanted to change it to something that was powerful, something that was considered beautiful or a point of pride instead.

Via Shutterstock.

This relates to “reappropriation by self-labeling” or “reclamation.” It involves marginalized groups seeking “to redefine the negative connotations” of a label and reclaiming “social power, as they become in charge of the word’s meaning.”

The Supreme Court sided with Tam, reasoning that the PTO’s denial of registration for The Slants because it disparages Asians “offends a bedrock First Amendment principle: Speech may not be banned on the ground that it expresses ideas that offend.” Rejecting the stance that speech isn’t constitutionally protected simply because it’s hateful, the Court asserted that:

Speech that demeans on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, disability, or any other similar ground is hateful; but the proudest boast of our free speech jurisprudence is that we protect the freedom to express “the thought that we hate.”

Depsychiatrization: Dispelling Harmful, Diagnostical Self-Concepts in Therapy and Community Health Work– www.madinamerica.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

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In this article I will be proposing an early framework for a mental health intervention called depsychiatrization. Depsychiatrization describes the processes by which a diagnosed individual learns to expel psychiatrically induced self-concepts and substitute them for more empowering and nurturing understandings. These processes are not, in themselves, entirely novel, as they have been a part of many alternative movements throughout time. It is the ambition behind this proposal to formalize a way of helping and supporting people who would benefit from depsychiatrization, as well as supplying a legitimizing platform to stand on for those who wish to encourage growth without pathology.

Much has been written on the many ways in which psychiatry does harm to individuals seeking help for mental health issues: The medical treatments are far too often more harmful than beneficial, especially in the long run. The symptom-focused therapeutic treatments rarely produce sustainable outcomes leading to better lives. For instance, electroshock therapy is a disputed method at best, a harmful, medieval practice at worst.

Has the American Empire Fallen?– www.dailysignal.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025 0

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President Donald Trump returned to Washington in January with a mandate from the American people to end mass migration. That same month, however, the foreign-born population living within America’s borders hit a record high, in an echo of the Roman Empire. Is it too late to save America from mass migration? Even if America is saved, will it be fundamentally changed in the process?

As a California farmer, Victor Davis Hanson faces the reality of this demographic change every day. As a historian and classicist, he knows all too well what happens to regimes and empires that fail to confront mass migration. This week, he joins “The Signal Sitdown” to discuss.

“Everybody,” Hanson told The Daily Signal, “is bewildered why [former President] Joe Biden, or whoever was controlling him, did this.”

Hanson described the pressure to keep migrants streaming into the country as “a consortium of interests” that include corporations (which desire cheap labor), other nations (which benefit from remittances), the cartels, and liberal ideologues.