Gov. Tim Walz signed a massive omnibus bill at the end of the last Minnesota legislative session that violated the state constitution’s Single Subject law. Republican state senator Mark Johnson said, “A bill that covers taxes, housing, health care, commerce, higher education, and many other items, is not a single-subject bill, no matter how you […] The post Walz Knowingly Signed a Massive Bill Violating the Law appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

According to Alpha News, Gov. Walz has dramatically transformed the purpose of education in Minnesota. Academic achievement is no longer the primary goal. He took an outstanding system and destroyed it in record time. The shocking decline now exceeds, in some metrics, the decline of the nation as a whole, Alpha reports. Walz decided to transform […] The post Gov. Walz Dragged Minnesota Education Into Shocking Decline appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

George Washington University professor Jonathan Turley took aim at the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket — which now includes Vice President Kamala Harris for president and Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) for vice president — saying that the pair showed a “shocking disregard for free speech.” Turley shared his thoughts in an opinion piece for The Hill published Saturday, in which he warned that a Harris-Walz administration would be a “perfect nightmare for free speech advocates” and would likely lead to more censorship rather than less. “Harris has long supported anti-free speech policies. The addition of Walz completes a perfect nightmare for free speech advocates. Walz has shown not only a shocking disregard for free speech but a shocking lack of understanding of the First Amendment. Harris has long supported anti-free speech policies. The addition of Walz completes a perfect nightmare for free speech advocates. Walz has shown not only a shocking disregard for free speech but a shocking lack of understanding of the First Amendment. https://t.co/Cll8BaoP3U — Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) August 10, 2024 “For over three years, the Biden-Harris administration has sustained an unrelenting attack on the freedom of speech, from supporting a massive censorship system (described by a federal court as an ‘Orwellian Ministry of Truth’) to funding blacklisting operations targeting groups and individuals with opposing views,” Turley wrote. He went on to reference the Biden administration’s efforts to combat “disinformation” on social media by coordinating efforts to silence dissenting voices on those platforms. “President Biden made censorship a central part of his legacy, even accusing social media companies of ‘killing people’ for failing to increase levels of censorship,” Turley continued. “Democrats in Congress pushed that agenda by demanding censorship on subjects ranging from climate change to gender identity — even to banking policy — in the name of combatting ‘disinformation.'” Turley pointed out the fact that Harris — who has often bragged about being in the room as Biden has made the biggest decisions of his presidency — appears to have been fully supportive of Biden’s efforts to curtail speech, and then noted that the addition of Walz only served to make things worse. Walz, who claimed “there’s no guarantee to free speech on misinformation or hate speech,” completes “a perfect nightmare” for any American who values the protections guaranteed under the First Amendment.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) slammed Democrat presidential nominee Kamala Harris over the weekend for her position on the Islamic Republic of Iran, the world’s state sponsor of terrorism. Cotton made the remarks during a Sunday interview on Fox News while talking about how her policy toward Israel since the October 7 massacre is “an example of how she’s unprepared to be the commander in chief.” “She immediately took at face value Hamas’ claims about the number of people killed and what they were doing,” Cotton said, noting how she believed information released by the Hamas terrorists who control Gaza’s health ministry. “Israel has to strike on occasion at places like hospitals and schools because Hamas uses them for command and control or to fire mortars and rockets,” Cotton said. “There are civilian casualties in Gaza, no doubt, but those are solely the responsibility of Hamas, not Israel. Kamala Harris, like Joe Biden, though, have put more pressure on Israel than they put on Hamas from the very beginning.” Cotton also noted that Harris has sided with anti-Semites in the Democrat Party who boycotted Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month when he addressed U.S. lawmakers. “She refused to preside over the joint session, her only constitutional duty as president of the Senate, she refused to have a meeting in public with him, and she came out and again blamed Israel for the civilian casualties in Gaza, only emboldening Iran and Iranian-backed terrorists,” Cotton said. “And what did you have two days later? Hezbollah, another Iranian-backed terrorist group, shot in rockets to Israel and blew up children playing ball at a playground. “Kamala Harris is naïve, and she’s not prepared to be the commander in chief,” he said. Cotton also slammed Harris for falsely “implying that Israel is responsible for all the civilian suffering in Gaza, not Hamas, that Israel is the one being provocative when it’s waging a defensive war after the October 7 atrocity and that Israel is the one that should pull in its horns, as opposed to supporting Israel and standing strong against Iran and Iranian-backed terrorist throughout the region.” Since October 7, Kamala Harris and Joe Biden have put more pressure on Israel than they have on Hamas. Their weakness only emboldens Iran and their proxies. pic.twitter.com/KBjE2h2cyW — Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) August 11, 2024

Senator JD Vance (R-OH) took a swing at Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday — after he spent the morning taking questions from multiple adversarial media outlets — and managed to hit her newly-announced running mate Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) in the process. Vance called Harris out over the fact that she had risen to the top of the Democratic Party’s 2024 ticket three weeks earlier — without getting a single primary vote of her own accord — and had yet to take a single interview or difficult question in an unscripted setting. In the process, the Ohio senator — who is also the Republican vice presidential nominee on former President Donald Trump’s ticket — also jabbed at Harris’ recently-announced running mate, Governor Tim Walz (D-MN). A 24-year veteran of the Army National Guard, Walz has been accused on a number of occasions of retiring to duck a combat tour and embellishing his service to make it appear as though he served in combat although he never did. Vance, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq, referenced that controversy as well. “I enjoyed sitting down with three of the major networks today to answer the tough questions any leader should answer,” Vance said in a post on X. “Kamala Harris has done as many tough interviews as Tim Walz has battlefield deployments.” During his Sunday media tour, Vance took adversarial questions from CNN anchor Dana Bash regarding Walz and his time in the National Guard — and Vance made it clear several times that he was not criticizing Walz’s service but rather his willingness to mischaracterize it for political gain. He went on to say that in choosing Walz to be her running mate, Harris had opened the door for criticisms of her judgment: “Why did Kamala Harris choose a person who has lied about their military service? I think that is a serious lapse in judgment, and I don’t want to hear from a campaign spokesperson, I want to hear Kamala Harris herself address what I just said.” WATCH: CNN’s Dana Bash, frustrated after getting her Stolen Valor questions and whataboutist followups wrapped around her head by @JDVance, desperately moves to abortion. pic.twitter.com/flFwFnHtqv — Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) August 11, 2024

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Bright red toadstools, strange jelly fungus, and round puffball mushrooms growing in your lawn may appear worrisome at first glance. But, according to horticultural experts, mushrooms in your lawn are a good sign of soil health. Understanding the presence of mushrooms Mushrooms flourish in shaded, wet areas rich in organic waste. They tend to pop up after heavy rains or in regions with poor drainage. Warm temperatures and high humidity, particularly between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, provide optimum circumstances for mushroom growth. The presence of new soil or compost might also bring mushroom spores into your garden. Benefits of lawn mushrooms Despite their sometimes strange appearance, mushrooms offer a number of benefits to your grass. 1. Natural decomposers Mushrooms are known as nature’s decomposers. They break down old plant material, dead insects, sticks, woody debris, and rotting plant roots. This not only keeps your lawn neat and tidy, but it also recycles important nutrients back into the soil, making them available for plants to consume. 2. Improve soil structure Mushrooms contribute to soil fertility by breaking down organic materials. Their thread-like threads hold soil together, improving soil structure, drainage, and moisture retention. This procedure organically enhances the health and vitality of your lawn. 3. Boost plant health Mushrooms make soil nutrients more available to plant roots, resulting in better grass. Furthermore, helpful fungi can outcompete pathogenic fungi in soil, enhancing plant disease resistance. 4. Support biodiversity Mushrooms play an important role in local ecosystems, promoting the establishment of beneficial soil bacteria. They also provide an important food source for insects, white-tailed deer, and small mammals, adding to the general richness of your garden. Should you get rid of mushrooms? Because of their extensive underground networks, mushrooms can be difficult to remove once they emerge. Many gardeners choose to keep mushrooms on their lawns because of the benefits they offer. They frequently disappear on their own when the growing conditions change. However, if you want to limit their presence, consider the following strategies: Increase sunlight and improve drainage: Prune branches to allow more sunlight in, and fix drainage issues to reduce wet areas. Aerate your soil: This helps to remove compacted regions. You could also use less fertilizer and compost, dethatch your grass, pick up lawn clippings, and remove decaying stumps and woody debris. Avoid mowing and fungicides: Mowing mushrooms can spread spores, and most fungicides are useless against them. To safeguard pets and small children, handpick deadly mushrooms such as the destroying angel (Aminita bisporigia) or the fake parasol (Chlorophyllum molydbites). Common concerns about lawn mushrooms Are mushrooms on the lawn good or bad? Mushrooms are generally beneficial, signifying fertile soil rich in organic matter. Why are mushrooms suddenly blooming on my lawn? Heavy rainfall or overwatering can stimulate mushroom development, as can the addition of new soil or compost containing mushroom spores. Are my lawn mushrooms poisonous?  While about one to two percent of mushrooms are toxic to humans, it is critical to avoid eating wild mushrooms unless correctly identified by an expert. Is it safe to touch lawn mushrooms?  Most mushrooms are safe to handle, however gloves are recommended, especially if you have open wounds on your hands. Mushrooms in your lawn can be a welcome and helpful addition, indicating good soil health and contributing to a thriving garden ecosystem. Rather than perceiving them as a nuisance, consider the benefits they provide to your outdoor space.The post Do you have mushrooms on your lawn? Here’s why that’s a good thing first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A combined effort by the Texas Heart Institute (THI), BiVACOR®, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, and Baylor College of Medicine resulted in a historic medical achievement: the first successful in-human implantation of the BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart. This breakthrough technology provides new hope to people suffering from end-stage heart failure. The mechanical marvel The BiVACOR TAH, intended to help people with severe heart failure, uses a magnetically levitated rotor to pump blood throughout the body. Unlike ordinary mechanical hearts, this titanium device does not have valves, increasing its lifespan and lowering the wear and tear risk. A sophisticated smart controller manages the heart, allowing it to adapt to the patient’s activity level and let them exercise and go about their regular lives. The gadget can circulate up to 3 gallons (12 liters) of blood every minute throughout the lungs and body. Feasibility assessment and initial achievement The landmark implantation was part of an FDA-approved feasibility study to investigate the usability of the BiVACOR TAH for patients with severe heart failure who cannot use standard devices. The major goal is to improve the patient’s quality of life while they await a heart transplant. Dr. Daniel Timms, founder and chief technology officer of BiVACOR, expressed his pride and gratitude: “This achievement would not have been possible without the courage of our first patient and their family, the dedication of our team, and our expert collaborators at The Texas Heart Institute. Utilizing advanced MAGLEV technology, our TAH brings us one step closer to providing a desperately needed option for people with end-stage heart failure who require support while waiting for a heart transplant.” Addressing the global health crisis According to the World Heart Federation, heart failure continues to be the top cause of hospitalization and mortality globally, affecting over 64 million people even though heart failure is treatable, more than half of the individuals diagnosed die within five years due to a lack of suitable treatment alternatives. Devices like the BiVACOR TAH are critical in bridging the care gap. “With heart failure remaining a leading cause of mortality globally, the BiVACOR TAH offers a beacon of hope for countless patients awaiting a heart transplant,” stated Dr. Joseph Rogers, president and CEO of THI and the study’s National Principal Investigator. Next steps Following the success of the initial surgery, the feasibility study will proceed with four additional patients receiving the implant. This phase aims to prove the device’s safety and effectiveness, which could lead to wider use and full FDA clearance. Implications for the future The successful implantation of the BiVACOR TAH marks a significant leap in the treatment of heart failure. This technology promises not just to extend patients’ lives, but also to improve their quality of life as they wait for transplants. The study’s ongoing success could change heart failure treatment and save millions of lives around the world.The post First ever titanium heart implanted into a human body first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

Talk about a way to renew a rivalry

HE JUST MISSPOKE: Tim Walz X Bio Still Says 'Command Sgt. Major' (Screenshot)