USAID and the Power That Be...or Was

Curiosity is a trait that runs deep in the human lineage.

The researchers really went the whole hog with this one.

Scientists can now organize chaotic plasma sparks using ultrasound.

We all know a dedicated doomscroller that needs to hear this.

This content is for members only. Visit the site and log in/register to read. The post Some Studies Confirm That The Brain Predicts The Future appeared first on Anomalien.com.

It’s been our long-held position that the “mainstream media” doesn’t care about anything or anyone except in service of an agenda. This is particularly true with regard to its coverage of all things related to Puerto Rico, and NBC’s latest fluff piece on trap megastar Bad Bunny is but the latest example. Watch the report in its entirety, as aired on NBC Nightly News on Wednesday, February 5th, 2025 (click “expand” to view transcript):     LESTER HOLT: Finally, there's good news tonight, about the power of music to bring all of us together and get out on the floor, including our Antonia Hilton. ANTONIA HILTON: In early January, Brooklyn salsa instructor and studio owner, Will Nieves, noticed a lot of newcomers packing his Salsa 101 classes. Turns out, many were inspired by one man: Bad Bunny. When you compare your beginner classes, pre-album dropping, post-album dropping. What's it looking like? WILL NIEVES: Big difference. We were always busy, 30-40, but some of these new classes are like 60, 70. HILTON: For years, Bad Bunny- whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has been at the top of his game. Popularizing Spanish rap and hip-hop globally. But his latest album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos (I Should've Taken More Pictures), explores genres like Salsa and Jíbaro. It’s dominating the charts, inspiring Tik Tok dance challenges, and bringing generations together. Will showed me the basics of the Puerto Rican variation on Salsa. One song has really struck a chord. Baile Inolvidable (Unforgettable Dance). HILTON: When his music plays on these speakers, what do you see happen in the room? NIEVES: Oh, my god, I hear clapping, cheering. DANCE STUDENT: It channels all sorts of emotions in me, from sadness to happiness. HILTON: Will says after everything his island has been through, from Hurricane Maria to massive protests, he believes Bad Bunny is sending a message. NIEVES: I think he's saying that Puerto Ricans are here. And Puerto Rico is not dying. We’re going to rebuild and grow even bigger. HILTON: He just hopes we continue to listen, and dance. Antonia Hilton, NBC News, New York. HOLT: Love that unabashed joy. Recall that the media didn’t care about the immediate aftermath of the catastrophic Hurricane Maria until a Trump-averse angle could be found, at which time the story could be Trumpwashed. The media disparaged President Donald Trump’s visit to the island as a photo op and reported the paper towel conspiracy as if it were factual, elevating the socialist mayor of San Juan to Resistance Media darling status. Likewise, the media didn’t (and still doesn’t) care about Puerto Rico’s severe landfill problems, until roast comic Tony Hinchcliffe addressed it at President Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden. Subsequently, the media wishcasted this as being the thing that would finally flip Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, and the presidency for Kamala Harris- aided and abetted by the endorsement of…Bad Bunny, bay bay bay. And that’s really what this weird item about Salsa dancing is about. It’s less about the dancing than about the mainstream media (a): once again pretending to care about Puerto Rico and (b): sending a signal that Bad Bunny is indeed a part of the broader "progressive" culture.   In fairness, Benito’s done all the things required in order to fit into Hollywood culture. From wearing skirts on the red carpet, to dating a Kardashian sister, to endorsing Kamala Harris for president. But, as always when it comes to the mainstream media and who they choose to elevate, you have to look for what gets left out of the narrative. There is the issue of Bad Bunny’s raunchy and misogynist lyrics, always paired to beats that are absolute ear crack (especially the trap beats). Because he sings exclusively in Spanish, he is able to evade the scrutiny that befell Cardi B, for example, after the release of W.A.P.  Consider this bit of lyrical poetry from his paean to 90s and early 2000s reggaeton, Safaera (STRONG ADVISORY): Mi bicho anda fugao’ y yo quiero que tu me lo esconda’/ Agárralo como bonga/ Se metió una pepa que la pone cachonda/ Chinga en lo’ Audi, no en lo’ Honda/ Ey, si te lo meto no me llame’/ Que esto no es pa’ que me ame’ ey/ Si tu novio no te mama el culo/ Pa’ eso que no mame Which loosely translates to: My cock is a fugitive and I want you to harbor it/ grab it like a bonga/ She popped a pill that made her horny/ She fucks in Audis, not in Hondas/ Hey, if I fuck you don’t call me/ This ain’t for you to fall in love- hey/ If your boyfriend doesn’t eat your asshole/ He might as well not eat at all Then, there is the matter of politics and political endorsements. Bad Bunny’s endorsement of Kamala Harris (which had zero effect in Pennsylvania and Florida, as hoped) was touted far and wide. His endorsement of separatist communist Juan Dalmau for the governorship of Puerto Rico, though, did not garner as much coverage. While visiting Venezuela, Dalmau said that he felt like he was “among family” with President Nicolás Maduro and Comandante Hugo Chávez. Upon the death of the homicidal Cuban tyrant Fidel Castro, for example, Dalmau said: Fidel Castro was a loyal and invincible follower of (Simón) Bolívar and (José) Martí in his incorruptible and consequential struggle for the independence of our Americas and of Puerto Rico. “Not a single step backwards. Not even to gain momentum.” Although independence is a noble ideal there is little doubt, as I’ve said before, that a free and independent Puerto Rico would be neither of these for very long before quickly falling into the Castro-Chavista axis- which would cause all manner of problems both in the region and here at home.  As always, when looking at what mainstream media chooses to elevate and promote, you have to ask yourself why and why now. This is especially true with regard to NBC’s puff piece on Bad Bunny, a reminder that the media don’t care about Puerto Rico unless there is an agenda to be served.  

Ha sido nuestra posición de larga data que a los “medios dominantes” no les importa nada ni nadie excepto en servicio de una agenda. Esto es particularmente cierto con respecto a su cobertura de todo lo relacionado con Puerto Rico, ejemplo de esto la nota más reciente de NBC sobre la megaestrella del trap Bad Bunny. Véase el informe completo, según transmitido en el NBC Nightly News del miércoles 5 de febrero de 2025 (haga clic en “expandir” para ver la transcripción traducida al español): LESTER HOLT: Finalmente, esta noche hay buenas noticias sobre el poder de la música para unirnos a todos y salir a la pista de baile, incluida nuestra Antonia Hilton. ANTONIA HILTON: A principios de enero Will Nieves, instructor de salsa y propietario del estudio de Brooklyn, notó que muchos recién llegados llenaban sus clases de Salsa 101. Resulta que muchos se inspiraron en un hombre: Bad Bunny. Cuando comparas tus clases para principiantes, antes del lanzamiento del álbum y después del lanzamiento del álbum. ¿Qué aspecto tiene? WILL NIEVES: Una gran diferencia. Siempre estábamos ocupados, de 30-40, pero algunas de estas nuevas clases tienen como entre 60, 70. HILTON: Durante años, Bad Bunny, cuyo nombre real es Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, ha estado en la cima de su género. Popularizando el rap y el hip-hop en español a nivel mundial. Pero su último álbum, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, explora géneros como la salsa y la música jíbara. Está dominando las listas, inspirando desafíos de baile de Tik Tok y uniendo a generaciones. Will me mostró los conceptos básicos de la variante puertorriqueña de la salsa. Una canción realmente ha calado profundo. Baile Inolvidable. HILTON: Cuando su música suena por estos parlantes, ¿qué ves que sucede en la sala? NIEVES: Ay Dios mío, escucho aplausos y vítores. ESTUDIANTE DE BAILE: Canaliza en mí todo tipo de emociones, desde la tristeza hasta la felicidad. HILTON: Will dice que después de todo lo que ha pasado en su isla, desde el Huracán María hasta protestas masivas, cree que Bad Bunny está enviando un mensaje. NIEVES: Creo que está diciendo que los puertorriqueños estmos aquí. Y Puerto Rico no está muriendo. Vamos a reconstruir y crecer aún más. HILTON: Sólo espera que sigamos escuchando y bailando. Antonia Hilton, NBC News, Nueva York. HOLT: Me encanta esa alegría abierta. Recordemos que a los medios no les importaron las consecuencias inmediatas del catastrófico huracán María hasta que se pudo encontrar un ángulo adverso a Trump, momento en el se le podía dar un “Trumpwashing” a la noticia. Los medios angloparlantes menospreciaron la visita del presidente Donald Trump a la isla calificándola de sesión fotográfica. y reportó la conspiración del papel toalla como si fuera un hecho innegable, elevando a la alcaldesa socialista de San Juan a estatus de niña mimada de la prensilla de resistencia.  De igual manera, a los medios de comunicación nunca les importó (y todavía no les importa) los graves problemas de los vertederos de Puerto Rico, hasta que el comediante Tony Hinchcliffe abordó el tema en el mitin del presidente Trump en el Madison Square Garden. Posteriormente, los medios de comunicación anunciaron que esto sería lo que iba a virar a los estados de Pensilvania, Florida, Georgia y por ende la presidencia a favor de Kamala Harris, con la ayuda del apoyo de... Bad Bunny, bay bay. Y de eso se trata realmente este reportaje extraño sobre unas clases de bailar salsa. Se trata menos del baile que de que los principales medios de comunicación (a): una vez más fingen preocuparse por Puerto Rico y (b): envían una señal de que Bad Bunny es parte de la cultura corriente (mainstream).   Para ser justos, Benito ha hecho todo lo necesario para encajar en la cultura de Hollywood. Desde vestir faldas en la alfombra roja, hasta salir con una hermana kardashian, a respaldar a Kamala Harris para la presidencia. Pero, como siempre cuando se trata de los principales medios de comunicación y de a quién eligen elevar, hay que buscar lo que queda fuera de la narrativa. Está el problema de las letras obscenas y misóginas de Bad Bunny, las cuales se combinan con ritmos que son absolutamente como crack para los oídos (especialmente los ritmos trap). Al cantar exclusivamente en español, Benito logra evadir el escrutinio que sufrió Cardi B, por ejemplo, tras el lanzamiento de W.A.P.  Considere este fragmento de poesía lírica de su himno al reggaetón de los 90 y principios de los 2000, Safaera (ADVERTENCIA FUERTE): Mi bicho anda fugao’ y yo quiero que tu me lo esconda’/ Agárralo como bonga/ Se metió una pepa que la pone cachonda/ Chinga en lo’ Audi, no en lo’ Honda/ Ey, si te lo meto no me llame’/ Que esto no es pa’ que me ame’ ey/ Si tu novio no te mama el culo/ Pa’ eso que no mame Luego está la cuestión de la política y sus endosos políticos. El respaldo de Bad Bunny a Kamala Harris (que no tuvo ningún efecto en Pensilvania y Florida, como se esperaba) fue promocionado por todas partes. Su apoyo total al comunista separatista Juan Dalmau para la gobernación de Puerto Rico no obtuvo tanta cobertura. Durante su visita a Venezuela, Dalmau dijo que se sentía “entre familia” con el Presidente Nicolás Maduro y el Comandante Hugo Chávez. Tras la muerte del tirano homicida cubano Fidel Castro, por ejemplo, Dalmau dijo: Fidel Castro fue un leal e invencible seguidor de Bolívar y Martí en su insobornable y consecuente lucha por la independencia de nuestra América y de Puerto Rico. "Ni un paso atrás. Ni para tomar impulso." Aunque la independencia innegablemente sea un ideal noble hay pocas dudas, como he dicho antes, de que un Puerto Rico libre e independiente no lo sería por mucho tiempo antes de caer rápidamente en el eje Castro-Chavista, lo cual causaría todo tipo de problemas tanto en la región como aquí en Estados Unidos. Como siempre, al observar lo que los principales medios de comunicación eligen elevar y promover, uno debe preguntarse por qué y por qué ahora. Esto es especialmente cierto con respecto al artículo de NBC sobre Bad Bunny, un recordatorio de que a los medios no les importa Puerto Rico a menos que haya una agenda que promover y hacer cumplir.

Washington is in a panic that goes far beyond what you see in the news and from elected Democrats and reporters. Wealthy Lululemon moms on Capitol Hill are rushing to organize “federal employee appreciation groups.” One lobbyist who worked for Senate Republicans for 20 years sent an email to a neighborhood listserv hoping to find a USAID flag to fly in front of her house in solidarity with the endangered global slush fund. No one had one handy, so in the meantime she’s settled for making USAID’s seal her Facebook profile background. We’ve seen a rattled Washington before, but this is special. And it could fundamentally reshape the city. The ‘shining city on a hill’ has long more closely resembled a well-oiled machine in a swamp. They have real reason to be worried. President Donald Trump’s White House has sacked and accepted resignations from tens of thousands of federal employees. The conversation on neighborhood social groups and at school pickups first turned to trying to find babysitters now that six-figure employees are expected in the office, then to whether to accept the buyout offer (that now expires Monday), where to move to in Canada, and generally what happens next. It’s impossible not to detect an incredible sense of entitlement infused with all the raw anger. It’s also impossible to detect even a hint of self-awareness among well-paid, over-educated, and decidedly unelected government employees complaining that an unelected Elon Musk is to blame for all their troubles. The professional class of the nation’s capital has long been insulated from the economic problems that beset Americans as close as a few blocks away. The housing market, for example, has essentially been immune to downward cycles; even the 2008 housing crisis that ravaged the country barely registered here, amid uninterrupted government growth and generous taxpayer salaries. This is just one part that is threatened by the president’s reshaping of the federal government. While a great many federal employees enjoy salaries, benefits, job protections, and schedule flexibility that would be the envy of their fellow Americans, few have the skills necessary to survive beyond the Beltway. This isn’t the equivalent of an auto shop going out of business, forcing its mechanics to find new garages across town. For government employees, this is essentially industry-wide. Where will they go to replace those salaries? What skills do they bring to private companies? How will the city’s massive nonprofit and nongovernmental organization economy support tens of thousands of suddenly unemployed loyal comrades when they too have been removed from the taxpayer teat? Who will pay for it all now that the taxpayer won’t? These career feds are in serious trouble. The contractors who make hundreds of millions from them are also in serious trouble. Their skills are not needed; we’ve streamlined the job. It’s no coincidence that D.C. votes over 90% Democrat, with the few Republicans voting in their primary for the neocon alternative to Trump. The “shining city on a hill” has long more closely resembled a well-oiled machine in a swamp. The much-pooh-poohed Politico Pro scandal illustrates the circular nature of this economy perfectly: Government pays millions a year to read insider coverage on the government for the government, and around and around we go. That little fishbowl is finally threatened. And it will impact people. They will need to move. Hundreds of millions in overpriced mortgages will be off-loaded. People will need to do this in the next year or so, and by the tens of thousands. The tap has been turned off. Thus far (and likely going forward), the administration has focused entirely on the dull, gray bureaucracy and left the incredibly lucrative defense industry alone. That means if you live in one of D.C.'s many mansion suburbs, you might be fine for now. But that overpriced, $1.1 million, three-bedroom, two-bath, 1970s ranch house in an ugly neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia? Not so much. And the White House isn’t finished. Word is that the administration is just beginning. Officials are closing buildings, cutting real estate, and introducing AI to smoke out fraud, redundancy, and abuse in federal contracts. They’re outpacing even the many lawsuits trying to slow them down. Keep it going, and the entire system will begin to change. It’s causing a terrible stir here in Washington. In the rest of the country, however? Don't expect the people who for decades have suffered under D.C. dictates (and, for at least 15 years, demanded change) to shed too many tears. To paraphrase America’s 46th president, “Anybody who can throw coal into a furnace can learn how to program, for God’s sake!” National Review: The limits of executive power (and how Trump is testing them) Blaze News: Trump buyout deadline extended as deep-staters continue to weigh their options Blaze News: Ex-USAID director confirms 'culture of corruption' within agency Blaze News: Politico's $30 million+ government subscriptions scandal exposes taxpayer dollars flowing into corporate media Sign up for Bedford’s newsletter Sign up to get Blaze Media senior politics editor Christopher Bedford's newsletter.

A former teacher who had won a teacher of the year award pleaded guilty to child sex crimes this week. The former California teacher faces up to 30 years in prison for child sex abuse of two students. On Wednesday, 35-year-old Jacqueline Ma pleaded guilty to two counts of lewd acts with a child under age 14, with duress. She also admitted to a lewd act involving a second child under 14. Ma pleaded guilty to a count of possessing material containing a minor engaged in or simulating sexual conduct. Deputy District Attorney Drew Hart described Ma’s behavior toward the first victim as 'obsessive, possessive, controlling, and dangerous.'According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Ma is expected to be sentenced to 30 years to life in prison.Ma's change of plea arrived roughly two months before her trial was scheduled to begin. Before pleading guilty, she faced up to 165 years to life in state prison.Ma is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9 at Chula Vista Superior Court.Ma's attorney, Patrick Griffin, said the plea deal was a “fair resolution” to the case and that his client had “accepted responsibility early on in this process.”“She has done nothing but express genuine remorse from the beginning of this,” Griffin stated. Ma had been employed as a sixth-grade teacher at Lincoln Acres Elementary School in National City, California. As Blaze News reported in March 2023, Ma was one of five educators named 2022-23 San Diego County teachers of the year.Seven months after winning her teacher of the year award, Ma was arrested on suspicions of child sex abuse. A parent of a 12-year-old boy contacted the National City Police Department to report that the parent's son's teacher was likely having an illicit sexual relationship with the boy.The Times of San Diego reported that Ma was arrested and charged "in connection with allegations that she groomed a 13-year-old former student, exchanged illicit photographs with the boy, and engaged in sex acts with the teen."Deputy District Attorney Drew Hart described Ma’s behavior toward the first victim as "obsessive, possessive, controlling, and dangerous." Hart said Ma had a photograph of the boy in her wallet, she had jewelry with his initials, and love letters to the boy were found in her classroom.“This was very significant to us, not just because she won an award, but because of who she was in the community,” Hart said. During the investigation, law enforcement discovered a possible second victim — an 11-year-old boy. Prosecutors accused Ma of sending sexually charged messages to the minor.As Blaze News reported in July 2023, Ma was hit with more than a dozen new charges related to the alleged sex crimes against the two boys, who were both previous students of Ma. During Ma's preliminary hearing in December 2023, National City Police Department Detective Colleen Stanich read messages sent between the teacher and the underage student. Citing court testimony, KGTV reported that Ma sent a message to her former student that read: "Do not forget my underwear is in your pocket."The boy reportedly wrote to Ma in one message: "Sometimes I think you don’t understand that I am a kid still and this is my only real relationship."Superior Court Judge Maryann D’Addezio said Ma used her authority over one of the boys to "coerce him into behavior that he wasn’t ready for, for a relationship that was beyond inappropriate, beyond wrong."Hart said after Ma pleaded guilty, "We think this plea deal sends a message. Not just about sex offenses on children, but when you leverage a position of trust, when you leverage good faith with parents in the community, and you do this to their children, there will be significant penalties to pay.”Leighangela Brady, the superintendent of the National School District, released a statement following the guilty plea announcing that Ma had been fired. “Two years ago, when we learned of the allegations of inappropriate physical activity between this former educator and a minor, we were stunned to our core,” Brady stated. “Although she was immediately placed on unpaid status and has been detained ever since, I want to assure our school community that with this guilty plea, we are now able to formally move to terminate her employment with the district.”Ma had been a teacher in the National School District since 2013. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!