Regrets. Katie Porter Has a Few After CA Senate Primary Loss ... Kinda

Behold‚ the rarest fish in the world! The red handfish‚ Thymichthys politus‚ is known from just two small patches of reef off the coast of Tasmania‚ thought to be home to around 100 adults. Habitat degradation and climate change have threatened them with extinction‚ but thanks to a breeding program‚ they welcomed 21 hatchlings in 2023.It was the second time red handfish have been successfully bred in captivity‚ and gave rise to a new generation that represented a quarter of their wild population. Mother handfish will care for their eggs until they hatch after around 50 days.The goal? To release these babies into the wild and bolster the wild breeding population. However‚ before they can swim in the big blue‚ they've got to graduate handfish school.“Handfish school is an initiative funded by our supporters at Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered species‚ and its purpose is to develop ‘street smart’ skills for handfish that have been raised in captivity‚” University of Tasmania handfish experts Dr Jemina Stuart-Smith and Dr Andrew Trotter told IFLScience.   IFLScience is not responsible for content shared from external sites.“It includes introducing more complex habitats‚ other species‚ and conditions that they’re likely to encounter in the wild. It’s really an acclimation period that provides an opportunity for fish to learn natural behaviours such as finding food‚ seeking shelter‚ interacting with conspecific species‚ and navigating in the sea. The purpose is to increase their chances of survival upon release.”Even getting to the stage of having eggs was a tricky task for the red handfish team‚ as there’s a lot we still don’t know about the world’s rarest fish. For instance‚ it was only recently that we learned how to tell the males and females apart‚ which – as you can imagine – is a handy thing to know when trying to pair up possible mates. It’s also unclear exactly what environmental clues these fish use to know when it’s breeding season‚ but the team has seen two successful captive breeding events nonetheless.The difficulties don’t end once the wee bundles of joy hatch‚ either. Coming out as fully-formed 10-millimeter (0.4-inch) handfish‚ feeding and caring for them is a challenge in itself.“If you’ve never seen a handfish before‚” reads a quote on the Handfish Conservation Project website‚ “imagine dipping a toad in some brightly coloured paint‚ telling it a sad story‚ and forcing it to wear gloves two sizes too big.”The species' capacity to thrive in the wild depends on the specific habitat they need to breed.Image courtesy of Tyson BessellIf that doesn’t sell you on these critters‚ frankly I don’t know what will‚ but by Stuart-Smith and Trotter’s accounts‚ they’ve got great personalities‚ too.“They’re quirky little creatures that seem to be quite social – they’re often found together in the wild. They’re also ambush or ‘sit-and-wait’ predators that live on the seafloor‚ so they spend most of their time standing still. But they also use fin displays in communication‚ which is often directed at us humans‚ although we don’t understand what they’re trying to tell us!”Restoring the species won’t be easy‚ as unless the seaweedy habitat they need to breed is restored‚ and stays that way‚ the species will remain vulnerable. However‚ bumping up their wild populations with recruits from the captive breeding and release program is a step towards bringing red handfish back from the brink‚ each ridiculous hatchling representing a step in the right direction.“Handfish represent part of the natural ecosystem‚ and are endemic to Tasmania‚” concluded Stuart-Smith and Trotter‚ “so losing them would mean losing part of our unique natural values and biodiversity.”For more information on red handfish‚ visit the Handfish Conservation Project website‚ or check out the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. Red handfish work is made possible through funding from the Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered species‚ the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change‚ Energy‚ the Environment and Water (DCCEEW)‚ and the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania.

If you’ve not heard the term “bed rotting” before‚ you could be forgiven for assuming it’s a description of a rather unfortunate décor mishap‚ or perhaps a detail from a particularly gruesome serial killer case. If you have heard of it‚ there’s a pretty good chance you think it has something to do with depression‚ or is just the latest excuse for Gen Z to be lazy.But if you ask some of those who choose to practice it‚ they might reply that it’s a wonderful self-care intervention and that we all could benefit from a little bed rotting now and then.Is there anything to these claims? Potentially – but experts aren’t entirely convinced. So‚ what is “bed rotting”? Is it… safe? Should you do it?Well – spoiler alert – you might be doing it right now.What is “bed rotting”?Grim as it may sound‚ “bed rotting” is actually relatively benign on its surface: it’s the practice of simply staying in bed all day. You might think of it as a “duvet day” if you’re a bit older than Gen Z‚ or “vegging out” if you’re a bit older than that; the main point is‚ you don’t get up‚ and you don’t try to be productive.“You could be watching films‚ scrolling on social media‚ talking on the phone‚ eating‚ or anything you would normally do if you were at home relaxing‚” psychologist Robert Common told The Independent last year.“This differs from bed rest to recover from illness or injury‚” he explained‚ “and is often used as a method of dealing with stress or anxiety.”Like so many recently-coined evocative terms – we’re looking at you‚ goblin mode – examples are most readily found on TikTok‚ where some influencers can be seen in appropriately social media-ready beds‚ advertising their rejection of the hustle culture that can sometimes dominate our lives. Jeffrey Gardere‚ a clinical psychologist and professor at Touro University's School of Health Sciences‚ told Health that it’s most popular amongst Gen Z and women – two groups that are more stressed out than pretty much anyone else these days.“Our society tends to put too much emphasis [on] and‚ in some ways‚ [glorifies] being busy or productive all the time‚” Nicole Hollingshead‚ a psychologist and clinical assistant professor of family and community medicine at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center‚ told Health. “This can lead to feeling burnt out and not allow us time to rest or recharge without labeling this as ‘being lazy.'”Is there any benefit to bed rotting?There’s no denying that mulching around in bed can feel better than‚ say‚ forcing yourself to shower‚ hauling yourself to work‚ and putting in eight or nine hours at a desk job. But bed rotting goes deeper than a little self-indulgence.“We live in a very fast-paced world‚ so stepping back‚ reconnecting with yourself‚ recharging your batteries and rebuilding some mental and physical energy is always a positive thing to do‚” Common told The Independent. “In fact‚ it’s something that more of us should be scheduling into our routines if we can.”It isn’t just rest for your body – although that’s undeniably important. Getting enough rest is crucial for good mental health‚ and bed rotting offers a chance for mental recuperation; it can be a break from everyday stress and exhaustion‚ and “puts us in a stronger position to reassess our goals and find the motivation to reach for them‚ manage our commitments and explore personal interests and hobbies without burning ourselves out‚” Common explained.A day‚ or even just a few extra hours‚ spent lounging in bed can help you cope with anything from being tired from a tough project at work to a full-on existential crisis. But can it be taken too far?The dangers of bed rottingThere are a couple of things to be careful of when it comes to bed rotting. First of all‚ you want to be sure that it’s not a symptom of something more pathological: “Some people [bed rot] because they suffer from depression‚ or their mental health could be suffering in a lot of different ways‚” Tiktok creator @lifeasraven‚ who has made a number of videos on the subject‚ told Glamour. “Some people with ADHD also struggle with this.” But if that’s the case‚ then bed rotting probably isn’t going to be beneficial. Before “bed rotting”‚ staying in bed all day was called dysania‚ and it’s a classic symptom of depression and anxiety. It’s also something of a self-fulfilling prophecy: “For somebody who is depressed‚ bed rotting sounds like a way of potentially withdrawing from others‚ not having social connections‚” Lynn Bufka‚ associate executive director for practice research and policy at the American Psychological Association‚ told TODAY.com. “In the longer term‚ it may [reinforce] the idea that we can't handle whatever it is that we're avoiding.”There are also physical problems that bed rotting might be covering for: Raven noted that she’d seen people discovering thyroid or other hormonal issues that were contributing to an inability to get out of bed. It goes without saying that “doing nothing” is not much of a strategy for dealing with these very real physiological problems – and‚ in fact‚ it may make things worse‚ as prolonged lack of movement has known detrimental effects on the body.“When blood isn’t constantly pumping‚ it has a tendency to clot‚” Daniel Landau‚ board-certified in hematology‚ internal medicine‚ and medical oncology‚ told TODAY.com. “When we walk or stretch‚ the muscles contract along the veins and force them to move the blood around. When we aren’t moving‚ the veins aren’t able to push the blood around.”Too much of a good thingEven when bed rotting isn’t a symptom of something more sinister‚ there’s still a possibility that it could create problems that weren’t there previously. Spending too much time doomscrolling‚ for example‚ may trigger anxieties you never had before; isolation from friends and family can induce depression.But the real danger from bed rotting is something much more quotidian – and‚ frankly‚ kind of an obvious victim of a practice that involves staying in bed all day: It messes with your sleep schedule.“Bed rotting is likely to interfere with your sleep‚” physician assistant and tiktoker @medexplained2you told Glamour‚ “because the body is actually naturally conditioned – when it's in bed – to release certain hormones that tell you to power down.”“But if you stay in bed all day and then also try to go to bed‚ without ever having any breaks‚ your brain will get confused‚” he explained. “It won't know when you want to go to sleep or when you want to stay awake‚ and likely you will have an increase[d] risk of insomnia.”That’s why‚ if you must rot‚ experts suggest that you do it somewhere other than your bed. It’s worthwhile making sure there’s a time gap between rotting and sleeping‚ too – basically‚ anything you can do to separate the bed from the rot is going to be beneficial.The key‚ as ever‚ is balance. Feel free to bed rot now and then – but try not to take it too far‚ and make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. Remember to try and stay at least a little active‚ even on a bed rotting day‚ and seriously consider leaving your bed to do it – sure‚ it won’t technically count as bed rotting‚ but we won’t tell if you don’t.“Spending the odd day here and there throughout the month bed rotting is unlikely to do you any damage – quite the reverse‚” said Common. But “whilst rest is important for wellbeing‚ exercise is also a powerful tool for maintaining good mental and physical health‚” he explained – noting that “it’s also important to expend enough energy during the day to fall asleep on time‚ and maximize the benefits that come with proper sleep.”“As with all things in life‚ balance is key‚” he said. “Ultimately‚ it’s about not being on either extreme of the spectrum.”The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice‚ diagnosis‚ or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.  All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current.

In the bird-eat-bug world of Australia’s rainforests‚ a slightly better chance of survival is given to those who act tough or stay hidden. Alternatively‚ some opt to look so gross that even starving predators aren’t tempted to risk eating them. A brilliant example of this latter tactic has recently been found in the form of a punky Australian beetle that looks like a cross between bird crap and a fungi-infected corpse. The kooky longhorn beetle was discovered by a team from the University of Queensland during a recent expedition to the rainforests of Australia’s Gold Coast. While the bug has since been identified as a new species‚ it very nearly remained undetected because the researchers briefly mistook it for bird poop.“I was walking through the campsite at Binna Burra Lodge one morning and something on a Lomandra leaf caught my eye‚” James Tweed‚ the PhD candidate at the University of Queensland who made the discovery‚ said in a statement.“To my amazement‚ I saw the most extraordinary and fluffiest longhorn beetle I had ever seen. Measuring 9.7 millimetres [a little over 1/3 of an inch]‚ it was a striking red and black beauty covered in long white hairs‚” added Tweed.Upon returning from the expedition‚ Tweed pored over scientific papers to see what species the beetle might belong to‚ but he couldn’t find a match. Seeking answers‚ he posted photographs of the mystery species to an Australasian beetle Facebook group. While the post gathered plenty of interest and fanfare‚ no one could identify the insect. After getting into contact with the Australian National Insect Collection in Canberra‚ Tweed was finally able to confirm the beetle was a completely new species that even belonged to a new genus: Excastra albopilosa.“We chose the name Excastra for the genus‚ which is Latin for ‘from the camp’‚ and for the species name‚ we decided on albopilosa which translates to ‘white and hairy’‚” explained Tweed.It's official: Excastra albopilosa is a new species and genus of insect.Image credit: Lingzi Zhou‚ Australian National Insect CollectionAs for its unusual appearance‚ the researchers believe it might be an example of Batesian mimicry‚ an evolutionary  “trick” used by harmless species to appear more dangerous than they actually are. The fine white hairs that cover the beetle may have evolved to make the insect look like it’s been infected with a pathogenic fungus‚ making it an unappetizing sight for swooping birds. “We don’t yet know what these hairs are for‚ but our primary theory is that they make the insect look like it’s been killed by an insect-killing fungus‚” Tweed speculates. “This would possibly deter predators such as birds from eating it‚ but until someone can find more specimens and study this species further‚ we won’t be able to say for sure why this beetle is so hairy‚” he said.The natural world has many inventive examples of Batesian mimicry. For instance‚ the greater mouse-eared bat makes a noise that sounds like the defensive buzzes of hornet wasps when barn owls enter their caves. Terrified of being stung‚ the owl will hear the noise and swiftly exit the bat’s home‚ unaware they have been duped.The study is published in the Australian Journal of Taxonomy.

A 16th-century “vampire” who was buried with a stone brick in her mouth has been resurrected thanks to the work of a facial reconstruction expert. Discovered in a mass grave for plague victims‚ the long-dead woman may have been suspected of spreading the disease through her bloodthirst‚ hence the need to bung up her evil gob.The body was first uncovered in 2006 during excavations of a burial site on the island of Lazzaretto Nuovo in the Venice lagoon. Once used as a sanatorium for plague sufferers‚ the island became the final resting place for large numbers of people who died during an outbreak in 1576.Despite preceding the publication of Bram Stoker’s Dracula by more than 300 years‚ this period in European history saw a surge in vampire hysteria as village folk began to seek supernatural scapegoats for the deadly diseases that ravaged the continent. The vampire theory is thought to have been spread by Italian gravediggers who regularly came into contact with gruesome decomposing corpses while reopening mass burials in order to add more bodies.These rotting remains would often appear horribly bloated with bodily fluids oozing from their mouths and noses‚ leading to the idea that they were feasting on the blood of their grave-mates. In some cases‚ the shrouds placed over the corpses’ mouths may have decomposed‚ sparking the idea that vampires somehow drew their strength from eating these pieces of cloth.Analyzing the female cadaver back in 2010‚ researchers concluded that the brick was intentionally placed in the woman’s mouth by gravediggers who noticed that she had “eaten” her face shroud. The insertion of the hard stone may therefore have been intended to prevent her from magically spreading the plague by biting other victims.The woman may have been suspected of eating the flesh of other corpses.Image credit: Cicero Moraes‚ OrtogOnline‚ 2024 (CC BY 4.0)Further analysis of the bones indicated that the woman was in her 60s when she died and mainly ate vegetables and grains – a diet indicative of a lowly social class. While this information brings us no closer to understanding why this individual might have been considered a vampire‚ subsequent research threw cold water on the whole idea by suggesting that the brick may have ended up in the corpse’s mouth by accident.To reconstruct the woman’s face‚ 3D designer and forensic expert Cícero Moraes first sketched the frontal and lateral view of the skull‚ as well as the dental arches‚ using measurements and projections of the actual cranium. This model was then digitally fleshed out by morphing the computed tomography scan of a modern individual’s face in order to fit the contours of the ancient skull.A brick may have been inserted into the woman's mouth to prevent her from feasting on flesh.Image credit: Cicero Moraes‚ OrtogOnline‚ 2024 (CC BY 4.0)Moraes then created a replica of the brick out of Styrofoam‚ and conducted a series of experiments to determine if the object could have been deliberately inserted into the woman’s mouth after her death. Results indicated that the brick could have been placed within the oral cavity without damaging the teeth or soft tissue‚ although it’s still unclear if this was done intentionally or not. The research is published in the journal OrtogOnline.

Recently‚ a peculiar sight captured attention in the Hudson River‚ which meanders through the eastern region of New York State‚ USA: a large‚ snake-like creature spotted floating on the water’s surface was photographed. For years‚ reports of a similar entity have surfaced in the Hudson River‚ occasionally accompanied by photographic evidence. However‚ journalists and local officials have typically dismissed these sightings as mere snags or large fish. In 2018‚ sonar technology detected a moving object measuring approximately 14 feet in length (4.2 meters) within the water column. Despite initial intrigue‚ this phenomenon was later attributed to a rare and elderly sturgeon. Could this be proof of a monster living in the deepest section of the Hudson River? Sturgeon‚ once plentiful in the Hudson a century ago‚ have since dwindled to near extinction‚ making encountering such a sizable specimen a stroke of remarkable fortune—or so it seemed. Perhaps it wasn’t a sturgeon after all. Dubbed “Kipsey‚” this enigmatic snake-like creature is frequently sighted in the Hudson River Valley‚ particularly near the city of Poughkeepsie. The most recent sighting of the alleged Kipsey occurred one early morning in March‚ when Jo-Ann Martin captured a photo and promptly shared it on her social media page‚ encouraging speculation and theories from fellow observers. While some speculated that Martin had merely captured a piece of driftwood resembling a serpentine form‚ others humorously suggested a transatlantic visit from “Nessie‚” the famous Loch Ness Monster. However‚ a faction remained convinced that there exists something substantial and mysterious within the Hudson‚ defying simple explanations like that of a sturgeon. The post Strange creature photographed in the Hudson River appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Philip Goff: The progress of science in the last 400 years is mind-blowing. Who would have thought we’d be able to trace the history of our universe to its origins 14 billion years ago? Science has increased the length and the quality of our lives‚ and the technology that is commonplace in the modern world would have seemed like magic to our ancestors. For all of these reasons and more‚ science is rightly celebrated and revered. However‚ a healthy pro-science attitude is not the same thing as “scientism”‚ which is the view that the scientific method is the only way to establish truth. As the problem of consciousness is revealing‚ there may be a limit to what we can learn through science alone. Perhaps the most worked out form of scientism was the early 20th century movement knows as logical positivism. The logical positivists signed up to the “verification principle”‚ according to which a sentence whose truth can’t be tested through observation and experiments was either logically trivial or meaningless gibberish. With this weapon‚ they hoped to dismiss all metaphysical questions as not merely false but nonsense. These days‚ logical positivism is almost universally rejected by philosophers. For one thing‚ logical positivism is self-defeating‚ as the verification principle itself cannot be scientifically tested‚ and so can be true only if it’s meaningless. Indeed‚ something like this problem haunts all unqualified forms of scientism. There is no scientific experiment we could do to prove that scientism is true; and hence if scientism is true‚ then its truth cannot be established. In spite of all of these deep problems‚ much of society assumes scientism to be true. Most people in the UK are totally unaware that “metaphysics” goes on in almost every philosophy department in the country. By metaphysics‚ philosophers don’t mean anything spooky or supernatural; this is just the technical term for philosophical‚ as opposed to scientific‚ enquiry into the nature of reality. Truth without science How is it possible to find out about reality without doing science? The distinguishing feature of philosophical theories is that they are “empirically equivalent”‚ which means you can’t decide between them with an experiment. Take the example of my area of research: the philosophy of consciousness. Some philosophers think that consciousness emerges from physical processes in the brain – this is the “physicalist” position. Others think it’s the other way around: consciousness is primary‚ and the physical world emerges from consciousness. A version of this is the “panpsychist” view that consciousness goes all the way down to the fundamental building blocks of reality‚ with the word deriving from the two Greek words pan (all) and psyche (soul or mind). Still others think that both consciousness and the physical world are fundamental but radically different – this is the view of the “dualist”. Crucially‚ you can’t distinguish between these views with an experiment‚ because‚ for any scientific data‚ each of the views will interpret that data in their own terms. For example‚ suppose we discover scientifically that a certain form of brain activity is correlated with the conscious experience of an organism. The physicalist will interpret this as the form of organisation which turns non-conscious physical processes – such as electrical signals between brain cells – into conscious experience‚ whereas the panpsychist will interpret it as the form of organisation which unifies individual conscious particles into one larger conscious system. Thus we find two very different philosophical interpretations of the same scientific data. If we can’t work out which view is right with an experiment‚ how can we choose between them? In fact‚ the selection process is not so dissimilar from what we find in science. As well as appealing to experimental data‚ scientists also appeal to the theoretical virtues of a theory‚ for example how simple‚ elegant and unified it is. Philosophers too can appeal to theoretical virtues in justifying their favoured position. For example‚ considerations of simplicity seems to count against the dualist theory of consciousness‚ which is less simple than its rivals in so far as it posits two kinds of fundamental stuff – physical stuff and consciousness – whereas physicalism and panpsychism are equally simple in positing just one kind of fundamental stuff (either physical stuff or consciousness). It could also be that some theories are incoherent‚ but in subtle ways that require careful analysis to uncover. For example‚ I have argued that physicalist views of consciousness are incoherent (although – like much in philosophy – this is controversial). There is no guarantee that these methods will yield a clear a winner. It could be that on certain philosophical issues‚ there are multiple‚ coherent‚ and equally simple rival theories‚ in which case we should be agnostic about which is correct. This would in itself be a significant philosophical finding concerning the limits of human knowledge. Philosophy can be frustrating because there is so much disagreement. However‚ this is also true in many areas of science‚ such as history or economics. And there are some questions on which there is a modest consensus‚ for example‚ on the topic of free will. A tendency to mix up philosophy with a growing anti-science movement undermines the united front against the real and harmful opposition to science we find in climate change denial and anti-vax conspiracies. Like it or not‚ we can’t avoid philosophy. When we try to do so‚ all that happens is we end up with bad philosophy. The first line of Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow’s book The Grand Design boldly declared: “Philosophy is dead.” The book then went on to indulge in some incredibly crude philosophical discussions of free will and objectivity. If I wrote a book making controversial pronouncements on particle physics‚ it’d be rightly ridiculed‚ as I haven’t been trained in the relevant skills‚ haven’t read the literature‚ and haven’t had my views in this area subject to peer scrutiny. And yet there are many examples of scientists lacking any philosophical training publishing very poor books on philosophical topics without it impacting their credibility. This might be sounding bitter. But I genuinely believe society would be deeply enriched by becoming more informed about philosophy. I have hope that we will one day move on from this “scientistic” period of history‚ and understand the crucial role both science and philosophy have to play in the noble project of finding out what reality is like. Philip Goff‚ Associate Professor of Philosophy‚ Durham University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The post Mystery of consciousness: there may be a limit to what science alone can achieve appeared first on Anomalien.com.

In an unfortunate move for the country‚ CNN’s morning programming reshuffle has meant subjecting their tens of viewers to an hour of Fake News Jim Acosta (as opposed to stashing him for a few hours on weekends). In turn‚ we’re stuck with segments like one on Wednesday in which he convened rule of experts fan Tom Nichols (who won’t say whether Taiwan is a country) and cockamamie professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat for what one could only describe as a meeting of the Legion of Dumb to spew apocalyptic bile about Donald Trump. I know none of you noticed yesterday because no one watches CNN (except CNN staffers and people like us at @theMRC)‚ but Fake News Jim hosted a meeting of the Legion of Stupid (or Dumb‚ take your pick) yesterday to promote the bloodbath hoax pic.twitter.com/jk9F9NfBQY — Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 21‚ 2024 It all began when Acosta gleefully said it’d be a “terrific conversation we’re going to have” and went first to Nichols to say there’s no doubt Trump said America will be a literal bloodbath “for the country” if he loses in November. “[H]e has not earned any benefit of the doubt about what his words mean considering that he uses terms like‚ you know‚ vermin and other incendiary terms‚ but the other thing is that whenever he’s trapped are backed up against the wall‚ he just doubles down‚” Nichols replied. Nichols then tried to argue “no one” really uses the word bloodbath...unless they mean violence. “[I]f you’re presidential candidate talking about a social bloodbath‚ these are things that‚ in a — in a more rational time would have ruled him out of contention for dog catcher‚” he huffed. Acosta went to Ben-Ghiat with both the bloodbath line as well as Trump’s controversial comment that Jewish people who vote Democrat are going against their own interests and identity. Ben-Ghiat quickly dispensed with the latter to circle back to bloodbath‚ arguing the “real intent” is for Trump “to get people riled up enough to either commit violence for you — January 6 — or accept your violence” by moving “them into a state of existential fear and dread.” “With strongmen‚ it’s always me or the abyss‚ me or the apocalypse. So‚ when he’s talking about social slaughter‚ he’s telling people that they have to defend themselves and he’s done this many times in his rallies and now with his campaign. This is part of his message to keep people‚” she added. Earth to CNN: Aren’t you projecting just a little? Do any of you ninnies here yourselves‚ warning about democracy being on the ballot or constant hyperbole about America as we know it ending if Republicans win anything? Acosta and Nichols kept up the rhetoric‚ proclaiming Trump’s bloodbath line was a call to “riot” and commit “violence” against liberals (click “expand”):  ACOSTA: Yeah‚ I mean‚ Tom‚ he’s — he’s saying the riot part out loud. It seems. NICHOLS: Of course‚ and he’s been doing it for awhile. He’s been‚ I think‚ preparing his followers for violence. He’s been preparing them not to accept any electoral result that isn’t in his favor or favor of anybody he wants. He does this — and — and Ruth’s point is really important here. He — he gets us used to these words that they become second nature‚ that the kind of level of violence in that language and the dread in that language just gets woven into your daily life so that‚ after a while‚ you just start to accept that violence and‚ you know‚ bloodbaths and — it’s just part of the way we talk which was not the way we conducted political debate in American until now‚ but‚ you know‚ this is all about trying to motivate people to fight for him because we have to remember that for him‚ this is not a political campaign. He is running as hard as he can to get into the Oval Office to try to escape accountability and justice. ACOSTA: Yeah. And I didn’t want to talk to both of you about Trump and Putin. I mean‚ he’s — Trump is putting himself on par with Putin‚ saying go to toe to toe with a dictator‚ come out on top. I mean‚ this seems to be a recurring theme in addition to how he shows affection for dictators[.] Ben-Ghiat then claimed Trump’s positive vibes toward dictators Kim Jong-un is really a four-dimensional chess move in “conditioning Americans” to accept this in our country as well as to believe “that democracy doesn’t work.” Once again‚ earth to CNN: Don’t you guys hear yourselves? Isn’t that what you say about our system of government? What a giant billboard-sized case of projection. The segment wrapped with the comical claim from Acosta that not only would Trump want to emulate Russian dictator Vladimir Putin by killing his opponents‚ but also rigging elections so he can stay in power indefinitely via sham elections where‚ like Putin‚ he wins with a farcical 87 percent (click “expand”): ACOSTA: [T]he scary thing is‚ is that we just saw a so-called election in Russia and there was no credible opposition allowed. You know‚ they were talking about 87 percent support for Vladimir Putin. I mean‚ that’s — that’s — that’s laughable. You have people like Alexei Navalny killed in prison. It — this‚ I mean‚ how‚ how can you even pretend that that’s a democracy going on in Russia? And if Putist [sic] — if Trump is continuing to speak with admiration and putting himself on an even keel with the likes of Vladimir Putin‚ I mean‚ that should be disturbing to — to a lot of folks out there. NICHOLS: It is disturbing and‚ you know‚ the idea that he’s gone toe to toe with dictators‚ he is absolutely in all of these people. And as we saw in their first meeting years ago at Helsinki‚ he isn’t going toe-to-toe with them. He is kissing their ring. I mean‚ he is a — very — a lot of — a lot of what Trump does‚ I think projects fear and insecurity‚ which‚ you know‚ makes sense in an authoritarian bully‚ but the idea that somehow‚ you know‚ Putin is to be emulated‚ I mean‚ it’s almost inconceivable to have an American President and an American presidential candidate — again‚ talking about how much he admires someone who just had — I have to do the air quotes‚ “an election”‚ you know‚ at 87 percent. But that’s — Trump wants to — you know‚ we were just talking about the aspirational nature of this. This is Trump’s aspiration‚ to be someone who has unchallengeable power‚ huge amounts of wealth‚ and can do anything he wants and still rig elections to get 87 percent. I mean‚ that’s — you know — that’s — that’s Trump’s dreamworld: To be the richest man in the world — which Putin is one of the richest and — and to be unaccountable. Having been wholly satisified and with possible a few white liberal wine moms now hiding under their bedsheets in fear of the Orange Man‚ Acosta brought the meeting to a close by trumpeting their “great discussion” and “insights” that he hopes “keep[s] the conversation going” elsewhere. To see the relevant CNN transcript from March 20‚ click here.

Who is Jackalope Jim? He’s the scrappy heart of a multimedia realm Greg Schumsky created to bring old-school American values back to the theme-park experience. Call Jackalope Junction the anti-Disneyland. Schumsky‚ who boasts an extensive background in interactive design‚ video‚ film‚ and animation‚ can’t help but dream big. His biggest vision entails a throwback media empire topped by a theme park that’s family-friendly and without any whiff of woke. Now‚ he needs investors and the land to bring that vision home. A childhood haven The idea began with Marshal Scotty’s Playland Park‚ an abandoned amusement park in El Cajon‚ California. “It was like our Disneyland‚” Schumsky recalls of a place where he spent some of his formative years. Those childhood memories took a different form around 2019. He began creating a Western/steampunk realm populated by anthropomorphic animals. He dubbed it Jackalope Junction‚ a theme park/hotel/children’s program (and more) spun from his fertile imagination. Disney has Mickey Mouse. This Junction boasts Jackalope Jim‚ the local sheriff and “the fastest draw in the West.” Schumsky created a sprawling landscape of colorful creatures and sophisticated backgrounds for the key players. Think the Wild West with a splash of animatronics. Ol’ Jim‚ born with just one arm‚ makes up for the loss with a robotic limb‚ for example. That steampunk wrinkle came from one of his children. Throwback family fare Schumsky sees Jackalope Junction as a multimedia enterprise spanning books‚ TV shows‚ the theme park headquarters‚ and more. Stories that begin on the TV series would spill into the park‚ he says. He’s inspired by throwback family fare like “The Andy Griffith Show” and “The Waltons‚” stories appropriate for the whole family. Young fans loved those characters‚ while their parents cheered the life lessons embedded in the stories. “Children are smart and can think and ask questions and learn‚” he says. His Junction yarns will teach about “humility and honesty and all sorts of great stuff‚ biblical values.” Schumsky has a website‚ logos‚ contributing partners‚ and even a slick illustration of his signature character by longtime friend and Pixar animator Victor Navone. His animation ties to folks in the Themed Entertainment Association‚ as well as his own time working for Storyland Studios‚ connected him with industry veterans who know their way around a pencil and pad. The California resident has kind words for the Disney legacy and talent‚ but that’s where his plaudits end. “There are a lot of great people who work at Disney‚” he says. He extends this regard to Disney's iconic theme parks as well. “Walking around‚ there is some sort of magic you feel that Walt [Disney] created that’s still there despite all the changes.” That starts with what he sees as exorbitant fees along with the culture war battles being waged by Team Disney in recent years. “We had Disney stock … we sold it pretty high. We saw what was happening‚” he says‚ alluding to the cultural changes within Disney programming‚ including extensive LGBTQ+ content aimed at young minds. Schumsky's plans are ambitious‚ and they won’t come cheap. His current estimates are the in $45-$60 million range‚ and he still has to find the perfect spot to start breaking ground on his 20-acre plan. A previous version of Jackalope Junction with a smaller budget of $30 million fell through in 2020. He’s looked around California and even Tennessee for a potential home‚ eager for a rural spot where visitors can escape the urban jungle. It’s a one-man dream with a sizeable twist. Previous media coverage inspired strangers to reach out‚ each offering their unique skills to nudge the project forward. Plus‚ he’s aligned with several professionals with the kind of experience to help him see his project through when the right deal happens. Leap of faith Schumsky’s strong Christian faith has buckled a time or two along the way‚ but he credits God for keeping his plans on track. “I would get angry and say‚ ‘I can’t do this any more‚’” he says. The next morning he’d get a call from a theme park designer eager to collaborate on his vision. “When you think He’s not there‚ He’s there. We get so wrapped up in ourselves.” The next step? Scouting potential land in California’s Riverside County. The parcel in question is far from perfect‚ but it boasts a massive oak tree that was spared from a recent fire‚ much like the fictional town of Schumsky’s imagination‚ Mighty Oak Springs. Schumsky’s vision doesn’t exclude John and Jane Sixpack. Far from it. He envisions an “affordable” park that won’t set families back a fortune. “One of the major mistakes Disney made was outpricing their core audience to the point of those guests having to get loans or mortgage their homes in order to spend a day with their families‚” he says. And don’t expect any shocking experiences while on site. “We won’t allow the men to wear fingernail polish or dress as women‚ unless it’s for comedy in some show. Women will wear dresses‚ period-correct dresses‚ unless they’re a gunslinger‚” he says. “I think it’s gonna be something that people will go to not just for a fun day and a relaxing day‚ but it’s gonna feel like they step back in time into our town‚” he says.

A few years ago‚ two of my colleagues‚ Justin Haskins and Donald Kendal‚ warned the public about a plan concocted by the World Economic Forum promoting a new world order called the “Great Reset.”At first‚ the corporate media and globalist institutions sympathetic to this new world order mocked and ridiculed anyone who mentioned the Great Reset in a negative light as a loony conspiracy theorist. In this case‚ however‚ the truth eventually won the day. Now‚ the Great Reset is well-known as a clumsy attempt by Klaus Schwab and the World Economic Forum to use the COVID-19 pandemic to reorganize society on a worldwide scale while replacing shareholder capitalism with stakeholder capitalism.Too-big-to-fail financial institutions have made certain they have little to worry about.Uncovering the Great Reset was only the beginning. Allow me to introduce you to something even more ominous: The “Great Taking.”David Rogers Webb‚ author of “The Great Taking‚” describes it as “the end game of the current globally synchronous debt accumulation super cycle.”The Great Taking refers to a decades-long plan by a cast of characters hellbent on ensuring that the entire economic game is rigged so much in their favor that they win under practically any circumstance.When times are good and the economy is humming along‚ the Great Taking allows those at the top of the economic food chain to make money hand over fist. But‚ more importantly‚ the Great Taking ensures that those in the highest positions of power have nothing to worry about in the event of an economic collapse.The story begins back in the 1960s‚ when Wall Street was in the midst of the “Paperwork Crisis.” As computers were coming of age‚ Wall Street transitioned from a paper certificate-based ownership system of securities to a digital depository book-entry system. This paved the way for the creation of the Depository Trust Company in 1973‚ to “reduce costs and provide clearing and settlement efficiencies by immobilizing securities and making ‘book-entry’ changes to ownership of the securities.”By the mid-1990s‚ the Uniform Commercial Code‚ “a comprehensive set of laws governing all commercial transactions in the United States‚” was revised so that ordinary customers with IRAs and 401(k) accounts own what are called “security entitlements” instead of the actual security itself. This meant that “investment securities can be safely used as collateral” by large financial institutions. Essentially‚ this allowed big banks to use their customers’ securities in investment accounts as collateral in the derivatives market.It also acted as a wrecking ball to private property rights because Americans no longer owned the securities in their retirement accounts.Over the years‚ the DTC has become the world’s largest securities depository. As of this writing‚ it retains “custody of more than 1.4 million active securities” valued at $87.1 trillion. The DTC is also “a member of the U.S. Federal Reserve System‚ a limited-purpose trust company under New York State banking law and a registered clearing agency with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.”Then‚ the 2008 financial crisis hit‚ and the new system was put to the test.What happened next is almost too difficult to believe. During the throes of the housing meltdown‚ as the economy was teetering on the brink‚ Lehman Brothers‚ a huge investment bank that had made several bad bets in the housing market‚ filed for bankruptcy. Lehman’s custodian‚ JPMorgan Chase‚ also happened to be Lehman’s primary lender. When Lehman went bankrupt‚ JPMorgan Chase‚ due to changes in bankruptcy law‚ jumped to the front of the line when Lehman’s assets were distributed.Meanwhile‚ Lehman’s ordinary customers‚ who lost everything‚ were ordered to the back of the line and reimbursed a fraction of what they were due.The point is that this was simply the opening act‚ a dry run of sorts. What should truly alarm Americans is what will happen in the event of an economic collapse on a larger scale. If and when that nightmare scenario takes place‚ it is almost assured that the millions of Americans with substantial securities holdings will simply be out of luck because they do not actually own those securities.In the meantime‚ the too-big-to-fail financial institutions‚ like JPMorgan Chase‚ have made certain they have little to worry about. They will jump to the front of the line‚ receive government bailouts‚ and screw their customers again. Just as they did in 2008 but on a scale orders of magnitude greater.If you thought the Great Recession was bad‚ you ain’t seen nothing yet. The Great Taking will make the Great Recession and the Great Depression look like a leisurely stroll in the park.