The FBI cut ties with the ADL and a reported spy operation.  Kash Patel said James Comey approved comments by the ADL. “James Comey wrote ‘love letters’ to the ADL and embedded FBI agents with them,” Patel alleged in the Oct. 1 post on X. He said the organization spies on Americans. He didn’t provide details. […] The post Kash Patel Ditches the ADL appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

Communist Islamist front-runner for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani plans to strip the NYPD commissioner’s ability to discipline officers. A radical left civilian board will be in charge. If you know New York City and the people who join these boards, it’s very, very bad for the police. The far left will be able […] The post Zohran Has Plans for the NYPD That Will End Policing appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Cruciferous vegetables have long had a reputation for being the overachievers of the produce aisle. But new research from Australia’s Edith Cowan University (ECU) is giving them even more bragging rights, especially when it comes to blood sugar control. In a small but closely monitored study, researchers found that eating just four servings of cruciferous veggies a day helped reduce blood sugar spikes and fluctuations in older adults. And the effect was not only immediate but impressive. The science behind the crunch “We found that, when participants consumed the cruciferous vegetables, they had less variable blood sugar levels compared to when they consumed the root and squash vegetables,” explained Emma Connolly, lead researcher at ECU. “We also noted that these participants had a smaller spike in sugar levels after the meals.” The participants were all around 68 years old on average, and were equipped with continuous glucose monitors and rotated between diets rich in cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale) and those with starchy veggies (like potatoes and pumpkins) over two-week periods. The goal is to smooth out blood sugar highs and lows, a cornerstone of good health, especially for people with or at risk for type 2 diabetes. “Stable blood sugar, with minimal peaks and less fluctuations, is associated with better overall health and wellbeing,” Connolly added. Four cups a day keep the spikes away Thankfully, it doesn’t take a truckload of vegetables to make a difference. Just four servings per day, which amounts to around 1.5 cups or 300 grams, were enough to see benefits. Cruciferous vegetables are also low in calories, high in fiber, and packed with nutrients, making them an easy addition to most meals. Researchers aren’t entirely sure what causes the blood sugar-flattening effect, but natural compounds like sulforaphane are likely key players. More research is needed, but the early findings are promising. More than just blood sugar benefits This isn’t the only gold star cruciferous veggies have earned lately. In recent years, studies have shown: Eating just 20 to 40 grams of cruciferous vegetables per day may reduce colon cancer risk by 20 percent. A two-week cruciferous veggie plan significantly lowered systolic blood pressure in middle-aged and older adults. “Even more concerning is that cruciferous vegetables are among the least consumed vegetables,” said nutritionist Lauren Blekkenhorst. That’s a big missed opportunity, considering their benefits. But what about the, uh, side effects? Yes, cruciferous veggies do have a bit of a reputation, mainly for causing gas. Blame it on raffinose and other complex sugars that don’t fully digest until they reach your gut microbes, who celebrate their arrival with a fermentation feast. Fortunately, cooking and blending can make these veggies easier to digest. According to McGill researchers, heat helps break down indigestible carbohydrates, while blending (say, in a soup or smoothie) softens fiber and cell walls. Don’t underestimate the power of plants While the latest ECU findings are observational and based on a small group, they add to the growing body of evidence that cruciferous vegetables are nutritional powerhouses. “Continued investigation will be crucial to determine how these vegetables can be effectively incorporated into dietary recommendations for improved blood sugar regulation and overall health management,” Connolly said. But you don’t have to wait for the next scientific paper to get started. Adding a few florets of broccoli or handfuls of kale to your plate might just be the simplest, tastiest way to show your body some love. Source study: Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism—Cruciferous vegetables improve glycaemic control compared to root/squash vegetables in a randomized, controlled, crossover trial: The VEgetableS for vaScular hEaLth (VESSEL) studyThe post The surprising veggie trick to keep blood sugar steady (and your heart happy) first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Most bus stops serve a simple function: keep commuters dry and out of the sun. But in cities across the globe, a quiet revolution is taking shape overhead. Green bus shelters, compact rooftops planted with succulents, wildflowers, and native grasses, are turning everyday infrastructure into tiny urban oases. Once a quirky feature in the Netherlands, these living roofs have been popping up across Europe, Asia, and North America. Boston recently installed 30 of them, and two towns in Maryland (Bladensburg and Edmonston) will soon follow. Proposals are underway in Arlington, Virginia, and New York. These little gardens offer more than a charming view: they help cool cities, support local wildlife, and nudge communities toward greener thinking. A small fix with big potential Green roofs have long been a fixture on city buildings, but bus shelters bring nature down to eye level. While a single roof garden might seem insignificant, their collective power adds up. Boston estimates that if every one of its 8,000 bus stops had a green roof, the total green space would equal 17 acres; that’s about the size of 13 football fields. These installations serve a practical purpose, too. “It’s the accumulation of those small, small things you will be doing that will have an impact in the long run,” says Jean-Luc Martel, professor at École de Technologie Supérieure in Montreal. In fact, living roofs have been shown to reduce surrounding air temperatures by up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, a significant benefit in cities battling the urban heat island effect. What goes into a green bus shelter? Building a green bus stop requires careful planning. The structure must be strong enough to handle the weight of soil, water, and plants. From there, the setup typically includes: A root barrier to stop downward plant growth A drainage system that stores rainwater and releases it gradually Special lightweight soil that retains water but won’t overburden the roof A selection of vegetation, ideally native plants that support biodiversity Sedums, hardy little succulents, are a favorite choice. “You can basically toss them into really extreme environments and somehow they’ve found a way to survive and thrive,” says Larry Davis of Green Mechanics, an ecological design firm in Maryland. A boost for pollinators and biodiversity For Utrecht, in the Netherlands, green bus shelters are part of a wider mission to save bees. Strategically placed throughout the city, these living roofs form “bee lines” that help sustain pollinators with consistent food sources. Their efforts may be paying off: the national bee census, which enlists citizens to count bees in their gardens, has shown signs of stabilization. In Boston, the new green shelters have drawn more than just curious glances. “We’ve seen butterflies, bees, birds, even squirrels,” says Zoe Davis, the city’s senior climate resilience project manager. Shifting how we see our cities While some U.S. installations are still in the demonstration phase like those in San Francisco, Philadelphia, and East Lansing, Michigan, their impact goes beyond data. Since they’re at street level, green bus shelters are more visible than green roofs atop tall buildings. They encourage commuters to imagine new possibilities for public space. In the end, these bus stops may be small, but their message is big: nature belongs everywhere, even on your daily commute.The post Why green bus stops are blooming around the world first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

'I am out of office for the foreseeable future'

'I never said I don't believe that'

'Not one penny'

Democrats shut down the government because Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is afraid he will lose his Senate seat to radical leftist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a party primary, Vice President JD Vance said at a Wednesday press briefing. “Why did this happen? Why did the Democrats shut down the government despite, as [White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt] said, voting on the exact same piece of legislation six months ago?” Vance asked rhetorically. “One answer I already gave is that they want to give health care benefits to illegal aliens,” he said. “That is true. They gave us legislative text that would have undone us cutting off health care benefits for illegal aliens. That’s one of the things that they asked for.” “But the reality here, and let’s be honest about the politics, is that Chuck Schumer is terrified he’s going to get a primary challenge from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,” Vance continued. “The reason why the American people’s government is shut down is because Chuck Schumer is listening to the far-left radicals in his own party because he’s terrified of a primary challenge.” Schumer would be up for reelection in 2028. Vance invited Schumer to join moderate Democrats and 52 Senate Republicans who voted to keep the government open. He said that Republicans are “willing to have that conversation” on how to fix American health care, but that “we’ve got to reopen the government first.” “Democrats say that they care a lot about lowering health care costs, and yet, when the president took historic action to work with the drug companies to lower prescription-drug prices, the Democrats did nothing to help us,” Vance said. “In fact, we would have loved to have the Democrats helping us, but they didn’t.” “What they have done instead is to shut down the government because we won’t give billions of dollars to health care funding for illegal aliens,” the vice president said. Vance blamed Schumer for the suffering of Americans who have lost their jobs and paychecks because of the shutdown. “Our troops are not getting paid starting today because of the Chuck Schumer wing of the Democratic Party,” he said. “We have people who require food assistance, low-income Americans who require food assistance, who will not get it unless we reopen the government. Thanks to Chuck Schumer and his wing of the Democratic Party, we have flood insurance as we start hurricane season in the southeastern part of our country, that flood insurance is going to disappear because of Chuck Schumer and the far Left of the Democratic Party.” The post Why Schumer Shut Down the Government, According to JD Vance appeared first on The Daily Signal.

I Have to Admit, Joy Reid's Version of Fascism Sounds Enticing