President Joe Biden froze on live television Thursday night during CNN’s presidential debate against former President Donald Trump, prompting CNN to bail him out. The moment came when Biden began sputtering while talking about his response to the coronavirus pandemic. “…eligible for what I’ve been able to do with the, with the COVID,” Biden muttered. “Excuse me with, dealing with everything we have to do with, uh, look–, if we finally beat Medicare–” CNN’s Jake Tapper immediately interrupted Biden to prevent him from further damaging himself with his response. “Thank you, President Biden,” Tapper said. “Well, he’s right,” Trump responded. “He did beat Medicaid. He beat it to death and he’s destroying Medicare because all of these people are coming in. They’re putting them on Medicare, they’re putting them on Social Security. They’re gonna destroy Social Security. This man is going to singlehandedly destroy Social Security, these millions and millions of people coming in. They’re trying to put them on Social Security.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP WATCH: BIDEN: “…with the COVID.. excuse me.. dealing with.. everything we have to do with.. look.. if… we finally beat, Medicare.” TRUMP: “He’s right. He did beat Medicare. He’s destroying Medicare.” pic.twitter.com/jgVCpXUhWZ — Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) June 28, 2024

President Joe Biden falsely claimed during the CNN debate against former President Donald Trump on Thursday no U.S. troops have died under his watch. “Truth is, I’m the only president this century that doesn’t have any — this, this decade — that doesn’t have any troops dying anywhere in the world,” Biden said during the first hour of the face-off. BIDEN: “The truth is, I’m the only president this century…this decade that doesn’t have any troops dying anywhere in the world like he did.” That is FALSE. pic.twitter.com/ZObPRpNoYm — Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 28, 2024 People on social media rebuked Biden for the falsehood, with many noting how the statement ignores the fact that 13 U.S. service members were killed in a suicide bombing attack on the airport in Kabul during the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. “President Biden’s memory is worse than we thought,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who added later, “The American people will never forget the horrible withdrawal from Afghanistan that claimed the lives of 13 heroes under his watch.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Reporter Jim Laporta responded to Biden, saying, “This is not true, at least 16 service members have died under the Biden admin overseas.” And CNN’s fact-checker Daniel Dale said Biden’s claim “is false, clearly.”

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The fashion industry has long struggled to source cotton in a sustainable way. While Patagonia, Citizens of Humanity, and Christy Dawn have embraced regenerative agriculture, Dutch denim company G-Star Raw is looking into a new alternative: greenhouse-grown cotton. This forward-thinking method has the potential to drastically minimize the environmental effect of denim production. Innovative solutions: greenhouse-grown cotton G-Star Raw’s collaboration with Wageningen University, a leading agricultural research institution, resulted in a pioneering experiment: growing cotton in a greenhouse in the Netherlands. Cotton thrives in hot, humid regions, particularly in China, India, Brazil, and the American South. Northern Europe, with its colder climate, is an unusual region for cotton farming, posing new challenges and opportunities. G-Star’s head of sustainability, Rebecka Sancho, emphasizes the complexities of procuring cotton from distant places. “It also makes traceability more complicated,” Sancho says. “And the first step to sustainability is traceability.” With new EU regulations requiring detailed supply chain tracing, the capacity to grow cotton locally could transform the sector. High yields and environmental benefits The greenhouse project at Bleiswijk yielded extraordinary results. Greenhouse-grown cotton plants grew to be more than 16 feet tall, as opposed to the average five feet of field-grown plants. This vertical expansion led to a 2,300 percent increase in cotton production per square foot. Each plant generated nine to twelve times as much cotton as its traditionally grown cousins. Water usage, a major concern in traditional cotton production, was significantly reduced. Conventional cotton growing can use up to 10,000 liters of water every kilogram of cotton. In contrast, greenhouse cultivation needed only 800 liters per kilogram, with watering based on recycled rainwater. Furthermore, the regulated greenhouse climate eliminated the need for pesticides, hence reducing environmental effects. Greenhouses also provide the benefits of renewable energy utilization and lower carbon emissions. The absence of soil tilling, which emits carbon into the atmosphere, and proximity to manufacturers, which reduces transportation emissions, all contribute to a smaller overall carbon footprint. The journey to local denim production G-Star Raw sought to manufacture denim solely in the Netherlands, a difficult task given the global movement of the textile industry to Asia. The company worked with local vendors to gin the cotton, spin it into yarn, weave it into fabric, and then color and sew the jeans. This full local production process produced five pairs of jeans, demonstrating the possibility of a sustainable, locally sourced denim supply chain. Willeke Hendriks, G-Star’s chief product officer, was delighted with the outcome. “We were extremely happy with the results,” Hendriks says. “It made us realize there was a lot of potential here.” Scaling up: the future of greenhouse-grown cotton While the pilot experiment shows promise, increasing greenhouse-grown cotton production to satisfy industry demand presents considerable obstacles. G-Star Raw and Wageningen University intend to continue their relationship, with the goal of producing larger batches of cotton and persuading other fashion businesses to consider greenhouse growing as a viable alternative. “This project is also a reminder that the fashion industry is still very early in its efforts to come up with sustainable solutions,” Sancho says. The experience with greenhouse-grown cotton highlights the industry’s need for new approaches to sustainability. Industry-wide implications and next steps The success of G-Star Raw’s greenhouse initiative may inspire wider transformation in the fashion industry. Hendriks emphasizes the importance of collaboration: “It will require a lot of industry collaboration to get this off the ground.” As fashion manufacturers engage more in regenerative agriculture and fabric recycling, greenhouse-grown cotton provides a fresh tool for decreasing environmental impact. Sancho reflects on the project’s potential: “At first glance, greenhouse-grown cotton didn’t seem like a realistic solution. But this experiment has been very encouraging, and we really believe that one day, it can be done at a wide scale.” The transition to sustainable fashion is still ongoing. Projects such as G-Star Raw’s greenhouse-grown cotton provide a glimpse into a future in which locally sourced, ecologically friendly denim may become the standard style.The post How greenhouse-grown cotton can transform the denim industry first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL STAFF As the warm weather tempts people outside for barbecues, beach trips, and ballgames, it’s important to remember that summer is also lightning season. Every year, lightning strikes the United States approximately 37 million times, taking an average of 21 lives. Lightning, a large electric spark in the atmosphere, is classified according to whether it strikes the Earth. “In-cloud lightning” stays within the clouds, whereas “cloud-to-ground” lightning strikes things on the earth. Although cloud-to-ground lightning makes up just 10 to 50 percent of a thunderstorm’s lightning, it can inflict major damage, such as fires, injuries, and deaths.  Lightning occurs when rain, ice crystals, and graupel, a type of hail, collide within a thunderstorm cloud. These impacts generate an electric charge, the majority of which resides in the clouds. When the charge becomes sufficiently powerful, it can create an opposite charge on the ground, resulting in cloud-to-ground lightning. Despite extensive investigation, no one knows exactly what causes a lightning strike. When and where lightning strikes Lightning can strike whenever thunderstorm conditions exist, which include moisture, atmospheric instability, and rising air. The majority of lightning in the United States occurs in June, July, and August, accounting for more than 60 percent of the year’s activity. While less common, lightning can still strike during the winter, accounting for approximately two percent of annual strikes. Lightning strikes in every state, yet it is more common in certain places. Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Mississippi frequently have the highest amount of lightning strikes. However, more than 30 states consistently report at least one million lightning strikes each year. How to stay safe: key tips Approximately 75 percent of lightning fatalities in the United States occur between June and August. Fortunately, lightning safety requires only a few precautions: 1. Monitor the weather forecast: If thunderstorms are expected, postpone outdoor plans, particularly near water. Beaches are especially dangerous because lightning tends to strike the tallest object, and water is an excellent conductor of electricity. 2. Be aware of warning signs: The rule of thumb is, “When thunder roars, go indoors.” If you notice darkening clouds, hear thunder, or see lightning, seek refuge in a lightning-safe area. Finding a lightning-safe place During a thunderstorm, two locations are deemed safe: large buildings and fully enclosed metal vehicles. Substantial building: This includes residences, stores, offices, and any other structure having four walls and a roof, as well as electrical wiring and piping protected within the walls. If lightning strikes, the power passes through the walls, not through you. Structures like dugouts, picnic shelters, and gazebos are unsafe. Fully enclosed metal vehicle: If lightning strikes a metal vehicle, the electricity is routed through the metal shell, protecting the occupants. It is a fallacy that rubber tires provide protection. Vehicles like golf carts and convertibles do not offer the same level of safety. When you’re outside, go to a lightning-safe location as soon as a storm appears, even if it’s quite far away. Avoid trees, especially tall and isolated ones, and do not stay crouched in place, as this does not make you safer and increases your exposure time. Responding to lightning strikes In the terrible event that someone is struck by lightning, keep in mind that lightning victims are not electrically charged. Call 911 immediately and start first assistance. Fortunately, approximately 90 percent of lightning strike victims survive, but they must seek immediate medical assistance to treat possibly serious injuries.The post Lightning season safety: important tips for staying safe during thunderstorms first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

LeBron x Bronny ... it's official

'doesn't have any troops dying anywhere'

Gregg Berhalter needs to go ... point, blank, period

'Look, we finally beat medicare'

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump faced off Thursday night in their first debate of the 2024 election. CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash acted as moderators at CNN’s studios in Atlanta. The one-on-one matchup was unique, not only because it pitted a president against his predecessor, but because it had no live audience and the two candidates’ microphones were muted when it wasn’t their time to speak. Trump and Biden also were not allowed to bring any notes or props onto the stage. Both Trump and Biden sought to use the 90-minute debate well ahead of the Nov. 5 election to highlight their respective successes as president and to criticize the other’s policies. Some claims made from the stage were misleading or lacked adequate context. Biden Accuses Trump of Recommending Drinking Bleach Biden opened by claiming Trump said Americans should “drink bleach” to battle COVID-19. In July 2020, the left-leaning PolitiFact found this claim to be “mostly false.”  At the time, Trump spoke at a briefing with William Bryan, then-under secretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security. Bryan talked about a study that found that sun exposure and disinfectants such as bleach could kill the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 when it lingers on surfaces. Trump said at that briefing: “I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning? Because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it’d be interesting to check that, so that you’re going to have to use medical doctors with–but it sounds interesting to me.” ‘Everybody’ Supported Overturning Roe v. Wade  When Biden blamed Trump for the Supreme Court’s overturning Roe v. Wade, in part because he appointed three of the nine justices, Trump asserted that “everybody wanted to get it back to the states.”  In July 2022, shortly after the Supreme Court overturned its 1973 ruling that legalized abortion on demand across America and nationalized the issue, polling found that a majority of Americans opposed overturning Roe.  The high court’s Dobbs decision gave the abortion question back to the people and their state representatives, conservatives argue.  However, it’s not clear that all Americans were aware it was a national issue. Corporate Greed Is the Reason Biden said of inflation on his watch:  “A combination of what I was left with and corporate greed is the reason we’re in this problem right now.” “What I was left with” in part referred to the COVID-19 pandemic, which did economic damage to America, but Biden approved $4.3 trillion in new 10-year borrowing. During his presidency, Trump added $8.4 trillion of new 10-year borrowing, or $4.8 trillion excluding COVID-19 relief.  Rising prices trace back partly to supply-chain issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Biden’s spending coming out of the pandemic also contributed to inflation. “Corporate greed” doesn’t explain the 20% inflation since January 2021. ‘We Are Not for Late-Term Abortion. Period. Period. Period.’ Biden declared: “We are not for late-term abortion. Period. Period. Period.” If Biden opposes late-term abortion, that would mark a departure from his previous stance.  The president repeatedly has advocated the Women’s Health Protection Act, legislation that specifically states that the right to abortion “shall not be limited or otherwise infringed.”  The bill would allow abortion providers to determine whether a pregnancy is considered “viable,” effectively enabling abortions at any point. The protections that the Women’s Health Protection Act would ensure are essential to the health, safety, and progress of our nation. While it did not pass today, my Administration will not stop fighting to protect access to women’s reproductive care. https://t.co/7UjHLArkZA— President Biden (@POTUS) May 11, 2022 The Women’s Health Protection Act would have allowed abortion after the point of “fetal viability” when a health care provider makes a “good-faith medical judgment” that “continuation of the pregnancy would pose a risk to the pregnant patient’s life or health.” This story is developing and will be updated. Former President Donald Trump makes a point as President Joe Biden listens Thursday night during CNN’s presidential debate in Atlanta. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) The post Fact Check: Claims Made During Biden-Trump Debate appeared first on The Daily Signal.

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump finally squared off on Thursday night in the first debate of the 2024 presidential campaign.  CNN hosted the debate, which took place in Atlanta. The network declared that the first presidential debate would take place without a live audience, but would include two commercial breaks—the first presidential debate in history to have ads.  CNN also granted the debate moderators a new power: the ability to mute either candidate at will.  Many of these choices drew ire from critics, but the network’s choice for the debate’s two moderators probably drew the most backlash. Moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash have consistently expressed open disdain for Trump, accusing Trump of crimes ranging from Russian collusion and corruption to channeling Adolf Hitler and not “trusting the science” during COVID-19. Tapper has made a point of refusing to show widely covered Trump rallies and speeches on CNN, explaining that Trump was too “mean” to air clips of him with audio.  Here are some of the major highlights from Thursday’s debate. Medicare for Illegal Aliens? When discussing his economic record, Biden appeared to lose his way, pausing for several seconds, stuttering, and leading to a claim that he “beat Medicare.” “… Making sure we make every single solitary person eligible for what I’ve been able to do with COVID, excuse me, with umm, dealing with everything we had to deal with. Look, we finally beat Medicare.” Trump responded: “Well, he’s right. He did beat Medicare. He beat it to death.” ?Great debate moment?Biden: "We finally beat Medicare."Trump: "He's right, he did beat Medicare. He beat it to death." pic.twitter.com/oCFGijp6nz— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 28, 2024 Trump then claimed that a large number of illegal immigrants were allowed onto Medicare and Social Security. At the southern border, illegal immigrants who are taken into Customs and Border Protection or Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody are given medical treatment, shelter, and meals. The ICE Health Service Corps’ current policy is to reimburse those providing those services “at Medicare rates.” While illegal immigrants are usually not eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, noncitizen parents with citizen children are eligible for Medicaid. Trump further suggested that Biden would destroy Social Security by overloading it with the cost of illegal immigrants added to the rolls. Biden announced a plan this week to provide some illegal immigrants with work permits and Social Security numbers, which would increase the spending burden on the struggling federal program. Abortion As Trump and Biden discussed the topic of abortion, Biden appeared to equate the deaths of American women at the hands of illegal immigrants to purported efforts to stop women who are attempting to cross state lines to get abortions.  “There’s so many young women who have been, including the young woman who just was murdered, and he went to the funeral, and the idea that she was murdered by an immigrant, they talk about that, but here’s the deal, there’s a lot of young women who are being raped by their in-laws, by their spouses, brothers and sisters. It’s just ridiculous … and they try to arrest them when they cross state lines,” Biden said.  President Biden, discussing abortion, appears to equate the brutal murders of girls by illegal aliens to stopping girls from trying to get abortions: "There's so many young women who have been, including the young woman who just was murdered, and he went to the funeral, and the… pic.twitter.com/oUFm8rT0bY— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) June 28, 2024 Biden emphasized that his party supports the restrictions on abortion imposed by Roe v. Wade.  Trump argued that Biden and Democrats support allowing babies to die after they have been born alive, pointing to former Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s comments on infanticide.  Biden, angered by Trump’s remarks, emphatically argued that Roe v. Wade does not allow for late-term abortion.  “We are not for late-term abortion. Period. Period. Period,” he said.  “Under Roe v. Wade, you have late-term abortion,” Trump said, pushing back. “You can do whatever you want, depending on the state. We don’t think that’s a good thing. We think it’s a radical thing. Democrats are the radicals, not the Republicans.” President Biden, angered by Trump highlighting infanticide, breaks from Dems on abortion: "We are not for late term abortion. Period. Period. Period." Trump: "Under Roe v. Wade, you have late term abortion. You can do whatever you want, depending on the state. We don't think… pic.twitter.com/tmPRkPK1Sd— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) June 28, 2024 This is a breaking news post. Please check back for updates. The post Trump vs. Biden: Highlights From the First Presidential Debate appeared first on The Daily Signal.