For some strange reason‚ I’m spending my time creating games like Final Fantasy in Infinite Craft rather than playing it. No Man’s Sky is one of those games‚ and the process is pretty fun. Unlike other games made in the builder‚ the space simulator is straightforward — unlike the actual game. To learn how to make No Man’s Sky the easy way in Infinite Craft‚ read on. Infinite Craft: How to make No Man’s Sky Making the space opera is much easier than a lot of other things. It took me less time to create — even without the help of the Discord bot. Most if not all the ingredients needed are basic such as fire and wind. The best part‚ you’ll unlock new things to use as you’re building No Man’s Sky.  Even though making the game is easy‚ what you need might be a stumper. Below you can see exactly what you’ll need for No Man’s Sky. I have seen other methods of making it‚ but if you want to do it quickly and without much backtracking use the i...

The fun never sets in the Atlanta courtroom of Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee. That is the red-hot scene of the adults-only reality TV hit called “The Real Prosecutors of Fulton County.” As The Associated Press observed on Wednesday‚ a perilous political matter has “taken on a soap opera atmosphere‚ bogged down by testimony about sex‚ dating‚ cash stashes‚ and text messages … .” This week’s guest star is Terrence Bradley‚ Esq.‚ the former law partner of Nathan Wade. Wade‚ for his part‚ swims in controversy. He conducted an adulterous relationship with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis‚ even while he was married (en route to divorce) and works for Willis as lead prosecutor in her criminal trial related to former President Donald Trump’s alleged efforts to “overturn” the 2020 election. Bradley testified about when Willis and Wade started their swingin’ affair. He previously had exchanged hundreds of emails with Ashleigh Merchant‚ an attorney for Trump’s co-defendant Michael Roman‚ regarding the timing of Willis and Wade’s romance. In one message‚ Bradley said that it “absolutely” began before Willis employed Wade in November 2021. Special prosecutor Nathan Wade listens to Fulton County Executive District Attorney Daysha Young during final arguments in District Attorney Fani Willis’ disqualification hearing at the Fulton County Courthouse on Friday in Atlanta. (Photo: Alex Slitz/AFP/Getty Images) But then Bradley contracted courtroom-induced amnesia. Frustrated‚ Merchant told McAfee: “Judge‚ he doesn’t remember much of anything right now.” Memories fade. But‚ alas for Willis and Wade‚ phone bills are forever. Wade’s cellphone records are highly incriminating. They show some 2‚000 calls and 10‚000 text messages between Willis and Wade. They communicated nonstop‚ with the frenzied back and forth of teenagers in heat. Even more revealing are the location data from Wade’s cellphone. They confirm that Wade repeatedly showed up at Willis’ home ’round midnight and then went home by the dawn’s early light. Did they burn the midnight oil reviewing documents and plotting trial procedures or were other things afoot by candlelight? Wade and Willis testified that they “did not sleep together” before Willis hired Wade. As the late‚ great Henry Kissinger would have put it‚ this most likely “has the added advantage of being true.” These visits in the wee small hours involved little‚ if any‚ actual sleep. The opposing counsel should have asked the obvious question as directly as this: “Did you two have sex before Willis employed Wade?” Of course‚ Willis paid Wade an enormous sum to argue a complex Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) case against a former president of the United States. This is the legal equivalent of starring in the flying trapeze. Wade seems better equipped to drive a clown car. Nonetheless‚ he got paid like P.T. Barnum. Wade has earned some $654‚000 from Willis’ case against Trump since January 2022. Fishier still‚ Willis paid Wade $250 per hour in November and December 2021 while disbursing “only” $150 per hour to John Floyd‚ reputedly Georgia’s go-to RICO expert‚ according to a contract secured by the Daily Caller News Foundation. Wade then spent part of this bonanza to take Willis on cruises; a fabulous weekend in Napa Valley‚ California; and other hot times in posh spots. Willis seems to have recruited Wade in exchange for sexual favors and financial benefits‚ namely earthshaking assignations and splashy vacations. This was a giant sexual kickback scheme—call it play to pay—all financed with Fulton County‚ Georgia‚ taxpayers’ dollars. If Willis hired her boyfriend‚ then this is corruption. If Willis hired Wade and then started copulating with him‚ then this sounds like sexual harassment: A boss knocking boots with an employee over whom she wields professional and economic power. This is either a kickback scam or #MeToo in reverse. Which is it‚ Fani? Willis and Wade should be booted from this case. Indeed‚ this entire stinking wreck should be dismissed and Rudy Giuliani‚ Mark Meadows‚ Sidney Powell‚ Harrison Floyd‚ Michael Roman‚ and the other defendants who are being persecuted—or who already have pleaded guilty—should have their charges dropped‚ their legal fees reimbursed‚ and profound apologies rendered by the people of Fulton County. The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post The Fani Willis SeXXXcapades Grind On appeared first on The Daily Signal.

America’s largest pork producer was exporting massive quantities of pork to its Chinese “sister company” as it stockpiled food for the Chinese military‚ according to a Daily Caller News Foundation review of corporate records and Chinese state-run media reports. Smithfield Foods‚ owner of roughly 150‚000 acres of U.S. land and operator of dozens of feed mills and production plants‚ has shipped hundreds of thousands of tons of pork to its China-based parent company WH Group and sister company Shuanghui Investment and Development Co. since being acquired in 2013‚ according to corporate and Chinese government records as well as state-run media reports. Shuanghui has extensive ties to the People’s Liberation Army‚ which it touts on its website‚ and is responsible for developing food for China’s military to use on the battlefield‚ according to the PLA-sponsored China Military News. Shuanghui also operates a food “mobilization center” for the PLA in Henan province‚ and has done so since 2009‚ according to a 2022 Shuanghui news release. Shuanghui’s mobilization center stockpiles food‚ including pork‚ to meet the PLA’s emergency response needs‚ and Chinese state-run reports indicate that Shuanghui has distributed food from this stockpile to Chinese soldiers on several occasions in recent years. A December 2023 report from the Luohe municipal government in Henan province indicates the military stockpile is still active and under Shuanghui’s management. While Shanghui doesn’t disclose where the pork it supplies the PLA originates from‚ it’s very likely that at least some U.S. pork product is being supplied to the PLA‚ according to Brian O’Shea‚ a former military and intelligence analyst. “My opinion would be that the Chinese government is giving this superior U.S. pork to their soldiers‚” O’Shea told the Daily Caller News Foundation based on his understanding of Smithfield’s central role in Shuanghui’s pork supply chain and Shuanghui’s extensive relationship with the PLA. “At these mobilization centers‚ there’s going to be a Smithfield pile and a Chinese domestic pork pile‚ and the Chinese domestic pork is most likely going to the civilians‚ whereas the superior pork is going to the Chinese military‚” O’Shea said. Neither Smithfield nor Shuanghui responded to multiple requests for comment. ‘A Unified State’ WH Group acquired Smithfield in 2013 for $7.1 billion. At the time‚ WH Group Chairman Wan Long said the acquisition would allow his companies to “meet the growing demand in China for pork by importing high-quality meat products from the United States‚” adding the merger “provided Smithfield the opportunity to expand its offering of products to China through Shuanghui’s distribution network.” The Daily Caller News Foundation recently reported that WH Group’s chairman and four other executives are Chinese Communist Party members. WH Group’s chairman and several top executives also hold‚ or previously held‚ positions with the Chinese government‚ the Daily Caller News Foundation found. WH Group’s leadership includes both Shuanghui and Smithfield executives‚ according to Reuters. In 2013‚ the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission’s annual report characterized Smithfield’s acquisition by WH Group as “part of a broader trend of Chinese global investment in farm assets or food technologies.” “China’s acquisitions in agriculture and other sectors are being driven by the desire to secure higher volumes of safe products and‚ in the long term‚ access to advanced production and processing technologies‚” the commission wrote in its report. “We’ve got to remember that China is a unified state‚” Gordon Chang‚ distinguished senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute‚ told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “It operates under the direction of the Communist Party‚ which demands absolute obedience from all individuals and all entities.” Since 2013‚ Smithfield’s exports to China have exponentially increased. Shuanghui constructed a $110 million Smithfield-branded factory in China in 2015 that exclusively processes U.S.-raised Smithfield pork‚ and the company developed an e-commerce portal in 2017 that sells Smithfield products. In the wake of these developments‚ Smithfield’s pork exports to China exploded from roughly 83‚000 tons in 2018 to approximately 335‚000 tons in 2020‚ according to S&;P Global Market Intelligence data obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation. “There was an unusual increase in sales of entire swine carcasses to China during 2019‚” according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service report. “This increase reflects the retooling of at least one U.S. Smithfield Foods plant to produce carcasses for shipment to a plant in China that had excess processing capacity due to the shortage of hogs in the country.” Shuanghui “used excess capacity in its Chinese plant to make processed products from the carcasses‚” the report added. Between 2015 and 2020‚ 80% of Shuanghui’s imported meat came from Smithfield‚ Chinese state-run media outlet The Paper reported. Shuanghui characterized Smithfield as its “primary” pork supplier that same year. Since then‚ Smithfield has continued to export hundreds of thousands of tons of pork to China. S&;P Global Market Intelligence’s data shows Smithfield sent 242‚672 tons of pork to China in 2021 and 124‚886 tons in 2022. Smithfield exports to China hit 101‚791 tons in 2023‚ the data shows. A November 2023 financial briefing published by Chinese state-run firm Guosen Securities‚ which used data from compliance reports‚ forecast that Shuanghui will continue to rely on Smithfield pork imports for the foreseeable future. “Shuanghui Development’s meat product offerings are expected to rely on the importation of Smithfield Foods’ Western products‚ and the synergy of the two large platforms will increasingly arise‚” Guosen Securities reported. ‘My Love Spills Into Every Army Base’ While Smithfield has been sending pork to Shuanghui‚ the Henan-based company was supplying the PLA‚ according to corporate records seen by the Daily Caller News Foundation. In fact‚ Shuanghui’s relationship with the PLA predates WH Group’s acquisition of Smithfield. In 2008‚ the Chinese government proposed that large enterprises assist in creating provincial military stockpiles for various goods like food at so-called “mobilization centers‚” and‚ shortly thereafter‚ Shuanghui officials applied for the firm to establish a “Non-Staple Foods Mobilization Center‚” according to a PLA Daily article that was reposted by Chinese news outlet Sina. The PLA first called upon Shuanghui’s mobilization center in June 2009 while it was still under construction‚ asking for assistance in delivering 10 types of foods to Chinese soldiers approximately 125 miles away‚ PLA Daily reported. Shuanghui’s mobilization center “integrates the military with the civilian” and “blends peacetime and wartime” in order to “guarantee an emergency response‚” according to an archived December 2009 company news release. That same month‚ Shuanghui head Wan Long‚ who also heads WH Group‚ presided over the opening ceremony of the firm’s mobilization center‚ which several high-ranking Chinese military personnel attended‚ according to the archived post. By 2015‚ the mobilization center reportedly employed more than 2‚200 veterans. These veterans routinely simulate emergency situations‚ such as delivering food goods to front-line positions in wartime‚ according to state-run China News. Shuanghui President Ma Xiangjie‚ who sits on WH Group’s board and is a CCP member‚ serves as the mobilization center’s director‚ according to a company announcement from December 2022. In that same announcement‚ the company touted that the PLA had named Ma as one of Henan’s “Top 10 Military Supporters.” Company and Chinese military records reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation indicate that PLA officers have inspected Shuanghui’s mobilization center multiple times in recent years. During a December 2021 inspection‚ PLA officers presented Ma with a ceremonial banner that read: “My heart is bound to the Great Wall of steel‚ my love spills into every army base.” A December 2022 Shuanghui announcement states the company’s mobilization center had at some point prior “successfully developed an ABC set meal series of military rations.” The U.S. Army describes A-rations as “perishable foods‚” B-rations as “nonperishable foods‚” and C-rations as a “balanced meal in a can.” Wan Long and Ma Xiangjie did not respond to multiple requests for comment. ‘Food Security’ Chinese social media posts show Shuanghui has on multiple occasions distributed pork from its mobilization center to Chinese military personnel. In February 2020‚ for instance‚ Shuanghui announced it had donated meat to the PLA as well as Wuhan military medical staff working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shuanghui’s announcement featured photographs of the firm’s truck delivering boxes of pork sausages to PLA soldiers. Smithfield exported at least 335‚411 tons of pork to China in 2020‚ S&;P data shows. Chinese government documents show that Smithfield was sending pork directly to Shuanghui during the pandemic. China’s General Administration of Customs reported it had rejected approximately 27 tons of Smithfield “frozen bone-in pork” sent to a Shuanghui subsidiary sometime before August 2020‚ citing an issue with the shipment’s certificate of goods. Shuanghui has also bragged about donating medical supplies to the PLA during the pandemic. In fact‚ People’s Daily‚ which is the CCP’s official media arm‚ reported in February 2020 that Shuanghui had launched a global campaign to procure medical supplies for the Chinese military. China’s State Council supported Shuanghui by helping medical supplies obtained abroad pass smoothly through customs‚ People’s Daily reported. “In the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak‚ WH Group’s subsidiary Shuanghui Development purchased anti-epidemic materials‚ including protective clothing‚ isolation gowns‚ masks and goggles overseas to support front-line medical staff in Hubei Province‚” reads an English-language version of an April 2020 WH Group release. “Shuanghui also donated living materials and epidemic prevention materials to military medical workers at Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital through the Luohe military sub-district.” Moreover‚ the People’s Daily article also features a photo of a Smithfield truck outside a warehouse with a caption reading “overseas procurement” and credits Shuanghui for the picture. Other images show what appears to be a Caucasian man moving rectangular boxes purportedly full of medical supplies with a forklift and a UPS plane on a tarmac beside pallets of boxes. Another photo appears to show workers and delivery trucks at Shuanghui’s headquarters preparing to deliver supplies to the Chinese military‚ as reported in a Shuanghui corporate release less than a week later. “The Chinese Communist Party is increasingly focused on acquiring‚ illicitly or otherwise‚ agricultural technologies and supply chains‚” Wisconsin Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher‚ chair of the House Select Committee on the CCP‚ told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “We must strengthen our food security before it is too late.” ‘Chinese Communist Control’ Shuanghui also apparently agreed to supply a Chinese state-owned defense firm with Smithfield products‚ according to a 2022 Shuanghui Chinese social media post to which the company’s website also links. During a November 2022 conference in Guangdong province‚ Shuanghui signed a strategic partnership agreement with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China to manufacture customized products in order to “support the rapid development of China’s aviation industry‚” according to a company social media post. Photos from the November 2022 event appear to show Smithfield bacon alongside other Shuanghui products involved in the defense contractor deal. The U.S. government sanctioned the Aviation Industry Corporation of China in 2021 “for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the economy of the PRC.” “People are just now starting to understand the consequences of the naive policymaking that dominated Washington for the past couple decades‚” Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Chinese communist control of American businesses is a challenge we have to confront before a crisis.” Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post China’s Military Could Be Reaping the Benefits of Takeover of US Ag Giant appeared first on The Daily Signal.

James Biden told congressional investigators that his older brother‚ President Joe Biden‚ made loans to him of $200‚000 and $40‚000 without charging interest‚ but that he has no documentation of the transactions.  “There weren’t any‚” the president’s younger brother testified‚ according to a just-released transcript of his Feb. 21 deposition.  Jim Biden said he needed the money for “outstanding bills that I had.” When asked whether Joe Biden was present for meetings with Tony Bobulinski‚ then a business associate of his son Hunter Biden‚ the president’s brother answered: “That I know did not happen.” Jim Biden also testified that the contents of reported emails didn’t change his testimony or memory about his work with a collapsed rural hospital company‚ Americore Holdings.  The House Oversight and Accountability Committee on Friday released the 244-page transcript of the closed-door deposition‚ which is part of the impeachment inquiry into potential influence peddling by the president and his family. The president’s brother became a key witness in the House probe after he and his wife Sara wrote a $200‚000 check to Joe Biden on March 1‚ 2018‚ noting that the purpose was a “loan repayment.”  That $200‚000 check was cut the same day that James Biden got a $200‚000 payment from Americore Holdings. Separately‚ the House committee released a copy of a $40‚000 check written Sept. 3‚ 2017‚ from Jim and Sara Biden to Joe Biden that evidence shows may have been laundered through a Chinese energy company‚ CEFC China Energy‚ that Hunter Biden was involved in.  Several House members sat in on Jim Biden’s deposition‚ and several questioned him directly. At one point‚ Biden’s lawyer Paul Fishman said‚ “Calm down‚” according to the transcript.  It isn’t clear whether the remark was directed at Fishman’s client or someone else.   “Have you ever made direct payments to your brother‚ Joe Biden?” Rep. Matt Gaetz‚ R-Fla.‚ asked the president’s brother.  “I repaid two loans that I secured from my brother‚” Jim Biden replied. Gaetz followed up by asking: “And were any documents memorialized in terms of those loans?” Biden‚ 75‚ seemed to stumble for words in answering the question. “Through—through‚” Biden said‚ according to the transcript. “Actual‚ no‚ no.” Biden testified that the two checks—although made out to Joe Biden—actually went to lawyer Mel Monzack‚ who oversees the president’s business income such as book royalties.  “What was the full sum of those loans?” Gaetz asked.  “One was for $200‚000 and one was for $40‚000‚” Biden answered.  Gaetz asked: “And what was the interest rate on those loans?” Biden responded: “There weren’t any. … Yeah. Family. Uh-huh.” Gaetz asked why he needed the $240‚000 to begin with.  “Outstanding bills that I had‚” Biden answered.  A House staff investigator asked the president’s brother about a recent Politico story about Americore Holdings. The investigator read from the article during the questions.  “Did you ever speak with anybody at Americore about Joe Biden getting equity in the company?” the investigator asked.  “That is ridiculous on its face. No‚” Biden answered.  The Daily Signal first reported that Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman is investigating Americore Holdings‚ which operated in Kentucky.  The staff investigator continued‚ reading several references to the emails in Politico’s reporting.  The investigator began to ask:  “This appears to be an email. Do you recall referencing—” Jim Biden cut him off‚ saying‚ “No.” “Joe Biden?” “No.” The investigator asked: “Does this—quoting an email—does this change any of your other answers about never involving—?” Again cutting him off‚ Biden said: “No.” He later denied that Joe Biden ever met with Bobulinski‚ his son’s business partner at the time. Bobulinski already had told the House committee that he met with Joe‚ Hunter‚ and Jim Biden in California.  “Was Mr. Bobulinski what you would consider a business associate of you and Hunter Biden?” a House investigator asked.  “He wasn’t of mine‚” Biden answered. “I had discussions with him‚ but there was never anything that was memorialized in terms of his involvement.” The investigator asked: “Do you recall whether you were at the bar with Hunter Biden‚ Tony Bobulinski‚ and Joe Biden?” Biden replied: “That I know did not happen. … I could have been there just with Tony Bobulinski. I could have been there with Hunter as well. But my brother was never there.” Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post No Record of $240‚000 in Interest-Free Loans From President‚ James Biden Testifies appeared first on The Daily Signal.

California To Give Interest-Free Mortgages to Illegal Immigrants?

China Expands Scope of State Secrets Law

Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan‚ who is launching his own media company‚ traveled to CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip on Thursday to discuss the conflicting narratives behind the deaths of several Gazans who were gathered around an aid truck. While Hasan had no problems relying on Hamas-supplied statistics‚ he condemned the media for trusting the Israeli military while comparing it to Russian and Syrian dictators and war criminals Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad. At the same time‚ Hasan demanded the U.S. let Hamas off the hook by forcing Israel to end the war now. Phillip asked‚ “Look‚ Israel‚ as we just laid out in the last few hours‚ have tried to frame this as a tragedy‚ but just not one that is their fault. The IDF says it fired warning shots to try to disperse the crowd around that convoy. Do you lend any credibility to that explanation? And from the eyes of the world‚ does it matter what the explanation is for what we saw unfold?”     The IDF also states that the warning shots came about as the crowd moved towards Israeli soldiers after armed looters opened fire at the aid convoy. However‚ for Hasan‚ the IDF should be treated like the police in America‚ “In terms of believing the Israelis‚ I would say that it took multiple innocent black people to die at the hands of police in this country‚ whether it's Breonna Taylor‚ whether it's Freddie Gray‚ whether it's George Floyd‚ for people in our industry‚ Abby‚ to start saying‚ well‚ maybe we shouldn't just blindly believe police statements after shootings happen.” Even if one were to grant that point‚ it doesn’t follow that whatever the Palestinians say is accurate. For instance‚ Hasan condemned the IDF for saying there was “a command and control center under the Al-Shifa Hospital‚” when we know that there were tunnels and weapons found there despite all the claims to the contrary. Phillip’s omission of the IDF’s claim that armed looters were present was important because absent that information‚ Hasan’s claims look more plausible than they are “Doctors say that the bodies they got at the hospital‚ you showed the pictures of people on donkeys‚ were mostly bullet wounds‚ not stampede wounds. The Israelis opened fire on hungry people trying to get flour‚ it's being called a flour massacre for that reason.” Moving from the local incident to the bigger picture‚ Hasan added‚ “And you asked‚ is it a tipping point? I mean‚ in any normal world‚ it should be. In any other conflict‚ it would be‚ Abby. When Putin did stuff like this in Ukraine‚ we condemned him. When Assad did stuff like this in Syria‚ we condemned him.” Israel is fighting because it is defending itself after being attacked in the most brutal way on October 7. Vladimir Putin is fighting Ukraine because he thinks he’s the heir to Catherine the Great’s imperial legacy. Speaking of Putin and Assad‚ there have been more people killed‚ according to the U.N. in specific Syrian cities than in all of Gaza. Later‚ Hasan turned his ire to the U.S. and after claiming the media should not treat IDF statements as fact‚ he treated Hamas statistics as fact‚ “Joe Biden has the power to pick up the phone and end this war. He can ring the Israeli prime minister and say‚ we're cutting you off. We're cutting off aid. We're cutting off armaments. Israel‚ Israelis themselves‚ Israeli generals‚ say we can't do this war without America. He hasn't done it. He didn't do it after 10‚000 dead. He didn't do it after 20‚000 dead. Today‚ we crossed 30‚000 dead.” An end to the war now means Hamas survives and lives to violate whatever ceasefire Hasan demands‚ but he doesn’t care “How on earth has he not stopped the war until now? How on earth are we still debating this?” Hasan would also claim‚ “It simply is get a ceasefire and it is within his power to get a ceasefire. It's within the power of the U.N. Security Council to get a ceasefire. Remember‚ the rest of the world wants a ceasefire. It's America that has blocked us at the U.N. Security Council. Even other Western nations have backed a ceasefire. It's Biden blocking it.” As shocking as it may be for Hasan to believe‚ what is right is not determined by roll call votes at the United Nations. Here is a transcript for the February 29 show: CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip 2/29/2024 10:05 PM ET ABBY PHILLIP: Look‚ Israel‚ as we just laid out in the last few hours‚ have tried to frame this as a tragedy‚ but just not one that is their fault. The IDF says it fired warning shots to try to disperse the crowd around that convoy. Do you lend any credibility to that explanation? And from the eyes of the world‚ does it matter what the explanation is for what we saw unfold? MEHDI HASAN: Well‚ Abby‚ thanks so much for having me on the show‚ and thank you for that very important‚ very powerful intro you did just there. In terms of believing the Israelis‚ I would say that it took multiple innocent black people to die at the hands of police in this country‚ whether it's Breonna Taylor‚ whether it's Freddie Gray‚ whether it's George Floyd‚ for people in our industry‚ Abby‚ to start saying‚ well‚ maybe we shouldn't just blindly believe police statements after shootings happen. And I feel that we still haven't quite reached that point in the Middle East with the Israeli military. The Israeli military tend to say things that turn out not to be true‚ both before Gaza‚ when they killed Shireen Abu Akhle‚ a U.S. citizen‚ and lied about it‚ or during this conflict‚ so many lies the Israeli military has told about‚ you know‚ a terrorist guard list under the Rantisi Hospital‚ a command and control center under the Al-Shifa Hospital‚ a documentary in Lebanon that they claimed was Palestinians faking their own wounds‚ so many‚ you can't even count. And now we are told today‚ well‚ actually‚ it was just a stampede‚ even though eyewitnesses‚ Abby‚ say that the Israelis opened fire‚ Israeli tanks opened fire‚ without warning‚ according to one eyewitness in the Washington Post. Doctors say that the bodies they got at the hospital‚ you showed the pictures of people on donkeys‚ were mostly bullet wounds‚ not stampede wounds. The Israelis opened fire on hungry people trying to get flour‚ it's being called a flour massacre for that reason. And you asked‚ is it a tipping point? I mean‚ in any normal world‚ it should be. In any other conflict‚ it would be‚ Abby. When Putin did stuff like this in Ukraine‚ we condemned him. When Assad did stuff like this in Syria‚ we condemned him. Then Israel starves hundreds of thousands of people and then shoots people who go to get flour‚ where's the condemnation from the United States government? The State Department spokesman would not condemn Israel today. So‚ it's a tragedy. Is it a tipping point? I wish it was. I suspect it isn't. PHILLIP: What President Biden has said is that he has acknowledged the events that happened and says it will likely complicate the negotiations that they've been working on for a temporary ceasefire. From Biden's perspective‚ do you think this could be the incident that pushes him to actually rethink how he approaches this relationship with this particular Israeli government and this war? HASAN: As I argued in a Guardian piece recently‚ Joe Biden has the power to pick up the phone and end this war. He can ring the Israeli prime minister and say‚ we're cutting you off. We're cutting off aid. We're cutting off armaments. Israel‚ Israelis themselves‚ Israeli generals‚ say we can't do this war without America. He hasn't done it. He didn't do it after 10‚000 dead. He didn't do it after 20‚000 dead. Today‚ we crossed 30‚000 dead. You have to ask the question why this is a man who's seen as the great comforter-in-chief‚ the great empath‚ has had huge personal tragedy in his own family and yet 30‚000 Palestinians‚ according to his own Defense secretary today‚ 25‚000 women and children. How on earth has he not stopped the war until now? How on earth are we still debating this? And‚ Abby‚ on the situation on aid‚ I've just got to point out here‚ four out of five of the hungriest people in the world are in Gaza right now. Even with or without those aid trucks‚ people are starving. A two- month-old baby called Mahmoud Fatou (ph) starved to death earlier this week in Gaza. This is not a natural disaster. This is a man-made famine. Food is plentiful. It's available. It's a few miles away‚ and yet it's being blocked. In fact‚ at the Israeli crossing‚ I don't know how many CNN viewers know‚ people are putting up bouncy castles‚ Israeli protesters‚ and eating popcorn and candy-- cotton candy and blocking the aid. That is crazy. PHILLIP: Do you think‚ Mehdi‚ that there is -- look‚ I think you understand that President -- you say President Biden can just pick up the phone and cut it all off. You also understand he probably won't do that. So‚ if you were to give him advice today‚ knowing what he is likely to be able to get to a yes on‚ what is the one thing that you think he should do today that would make this better‚ marginally better tomorrow for Gazans? HASAN: It simply is get a ceasefire and it is within his power to get a ceasefire. It's within the power of the U.N. Security Council to get a ceasefire. Remember‚ the rest of the world wants a ceasefire. It's America that has blocked us at the U.N. Security Council. Even other Western nations have backed a ceasefire. It's Biden blocking it.

California Governor Gavin Newsom came under fire from several media outlets for apparently exempting Panera Bread from a new law imposing high minimum wage requirements on businesses.  Newsmax host Chris Plante‚ Fox News host Laura Ingraham‚ The Washington Times opinion editor and Fox Contributor Charles Hurt and comedian and Fox News host Greg Gutfeld were among the critics and they were not kind‚ to say the least. On the Feb. 29 edition of Chris Plante: The Right Squad‚ Plante noted that California’s new $20/hour minimum wage for fast food was crafted to exempt “chains that baked bread and sell it as a standalone item‚” before adding that a billionaire donor to Newsom owns several dozen Panera locations.  Plante brutally summed up this situation‚ saying‚ “Gavin Newsom has a new campaign slogan: ‘Give me your money‚ and you'll be exempt from all of my ridiculous‚ terrible‚ bad policy ideas.’” Plante went after both Newsom and President Joe Biden‚ noting the difficult situation faced by restaurant owners in California and across the nation.  “Every other restaurant owner has the same problem‚ fast food or otherwise‚ that everything is more expensive; food is more expensive; labor is more expensive; energy is more expensive‚” Plante said‚ before adding‚ “Electricity is up 27% just since Joe Biden took office. This item is about a corrupt Democrat governor‚ creating a carve-out for a buddy of his who is really rich and can probably afford to pay more.” The infamous “buddy‚” billionaire Greg Flynn‚ has given at least $164‚800 to Newsom’s political campaigns‚ the New York Post reported. “Like every socialist authoritarian regime‚ in California‚ some people are more equal than others‚” said MRC Free Speech Vice President Dan Schneider. “Gavin Newsom and his cronies like to pretend that they care about others‚ while they take care of themselves and wreak the economy for others.”  Echoing Plante’s remarks‚ Fox’s Ingraham criticized this “strange carveout” that benefitted a donor on the Feb. 29 edition of The Ingraham Angle. Ingraham’s guest‚ Fox Contributor Hurt‚ blasted Newsom for this exemption and for supporting this job-killing law in the first place. “There's nothing in the world more damaging to workers than raising the minimum wage like this because‚ of course‚ instead of having an $18-an-hour job‚ they have no job at all‚” Hurt said.  Hurt went on to blast Newsom for protecting his friend’s business from the effects of a law he supported. Hurt said‚ “A grease ball like Gavin Newsom comes out and makes a carve-out for his multibillionaire friend so that his multibillionaire friend can keep a few more dollars in his pocket instead of giving it to those workers that Gavin Newsom claims he cares about and claims he wants to help‚ but it's not going to help anyway because they're just going to lose their jobs.” Fox’s Gutfeld mocked Newsom on the Feb. 29 edition of Gutfeld! for the carveout before hilariously exposing the governor. Gutfeld played a clip where Newsom used a phrase about questionable legislating “the sausage-making of politics” to describe the process.  “The phrase refers to the unpleasant way in which a process is carried out behind the scenes. When someone says‚ ‘You don’t want to know how the sausage is made‚’ it’s usually referring to something gross‚” Gutfeld said. He added: “But also it’s how politics is done. Gavin spoke the truth‚ when he makes sausage‚ he means making deals for his donor pals so they are exempt from the rules he enforces for others. It's the whole reason people like Gavin get into politics and why billionaires remain friends with people like Gavin‚ so they are immune from the political punishment they actually support.” Conservatives are under attack! Contact ABC News (818-460-7477)‚ CBS News (212-975-3247) and NBC News (212- 664-6192) and demand that it report on Gavin Newsom’s destructive policies.

Nicolle Wallace: back with a vengeance. Returning this week to her Deadline White House MSNBC show after an extended maternity leave‚ the object of Wallace's vengeance hasn't changed: she is arguably the most virulent Trump-hater of all the liberal-media talking hosts. On her Thursday show‚ a furious Wallace somehow analogized the decision of the Supreme to hear the case regarding Trump's claim of presidential immunity to the Access Hollywood "grab 'em by the p***y" tape. As Wallace put it: "The United States Supreme Court‚ which has some of the lowest approval ratings among the American public in its history‚ and which counts three Trump appointees among its members‚ yesterday decided to dignify a legal theory so contrary to the American experiment that it actually rhymes with Trump's Access Hollywood moment of infamy.  Basically arguing that when you're president‚ they let you do it. "  In addition to her strained Access Hollywood analogy‚ three other times Wallace said something truly confounding. -- First‚ she denounced the Supreme Court for coming "out of the closet" as being open to listening to the legal argument that America has "a king." Wait‚ Nicolle: we thought coming "out of the closet" is something you applaud! -- Wallace then condemned Trump for exercising his legal rights for purposes of delaying his various trials. Wallace described exercising those rights as "exploiting" them. The entire theme of Wallace's spiel was that no man should be above the law. Guess what‚ Nicolle? No man should be below the law‚ either‚ but sounds like you'd like Trump to be deprived of his legal rights!  -- Finally‚ Wallace was frustrated to the point of outrage that instead of America's "institutions" preventing Trump from getting elected‚ it will be up to the American people to do so: "we will once again‚ as citizens‚ have to use the power of our vote." So‚ it's a bad thing that citizens‚ via their vote‚ will have the ultimate power? Wallace would prefer that "institutions" rule this country‚ rather than the citizens? Whatever happened to "power to the people‚" Nicolle? Wallace was enraged at the Supreme Court for taking on the issue of Trump's presidential immunity. Yes‚ the Court could have refused to hear the case‚ and let the lower court ruling denying immunity stand. But has the possibility occurred to Wallace that the Supreme Court considered that establishing a president's lack of immunity in cases such as this so important that it didn't want the matter to be resolved with a simple denial of certiorari? That it wants to go on the record‚ as the highest court in the land‚ on the matter? You're condemning the Court now‚ Nicolle‚ but if legal prognosticators are right‚ you might be praising it before long.  Here's the transcript. MSNBC Deadline White House 2/29/24 4:00 pm ET NICOLLE WALLACE: Hi‚ everyone. 4:00 in New York. Americans woke up today in a nation where the highest court in the land is now out of the closet‚ as open to listening to a legal argument that America has a king‚ and not an elected president. That one man in our nation of laws might‚ just might‚ lawfully sit above the laws that apply to every single other American citizen.  The United States Supreme Court‚ which has some of the lowest approval ratings among the American public in its history‚ and which counts three Trump appointees among its members‚ yesterday decided to dignify a legal theory so contrary to the American experiment that it actually rhymes with Trump's "Access Hollywood" moment of infamy.  Basically arguing that when you're president‚ they let you do it.  Agreeing to hear this case at all IIis the hinge moment‚ no matter what happens next. It alone opens the door to turning America into a country where one person can commit crimes in his effort to overturn an election he loses‚ enlist others in that criminal conspiracy‚ and then‚ instead of facing any criminal accountability‚ just run for office again‚ and if victorious‚ erase every last vestige of criminal liability‚ criminal exposure‚ and accountability.  Let's also be crystal clear today about the logistical implications just of yesterday's news. A bell that cannot be unrung. As we pointed out on this program‚ over and over and over again‚ the Trump strategy is always the same one‚ and it's abundantly clear. It is always to delay‚ delay‚ delay‚ to run out the clock‚ slow down the entire legal process‚ exploit a defendant's due process rights so that a trial in any of these cases is so delayed and pushed back that it happens after the election‚ most likely.  And at that point‚ Donald Trump has made clear that if he wins‚ he will use his power to free himself‚ to liberate himself from what he publicly‚ on the stump‚ day after day smears as an unlawful and politically motivated prosecution.  And that tactic‚ whether wittingly or unwittingly‚ received a boon in yesterday's decision from the Supreme Court. The Court's decision comes despite the enormously high stakes of actually having a trial in this election interference case. And an enormous‚ and quite obvious‚ civic and public interest in it. A poll released earlier this month shows that 64% of all Americans wanted to see Trump go on trial before November 5th 2024. That number actually includes 38% of Republicans.  Now‚ even after oral arguments in April‚ the court will take as long as it decides to take to make any decision on whether any American president‚ in this case that includes Donald Trump‚ is above the law for anything they do while in office. Even if it includes crimes committed while trying to overturn the will of the American voter using any means possible‚ including violence‚ and threats against your own Vice President.  So‚ if legal accountability for Donald Trump is now delayed or maybe even denied‚ there is‚ as we've been told over and over again‚ a matter of political accountability. And on that front‚ no matter how much or how often Donald Trump lies to his base about the results of the 2020 election‚ the cold hard fact is that 81 million Americans voted against him and for Joe Biden in 2020.  And‚ I don't know if you're ready to hear this‚ but it looks like once again it's going to fall to us‚ the American people‚ to do what our institutions constantly‚ over and over again‚ fail to do. To determine what conduct is outside the bounds in a nation of laws‚ outside the bounds and norms in a democracy. We will once again as citizens have to use the power of our vote to answer that question. 

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday heard oral arguments in Moody v. NetChoice and NetChoice v. Paxton‚ which concern whether Florida and Texas can force online platforms to disseminate posts they would prefer to throttle or remove entirely. Most legal analysts we’ve read agree that the court seems poised to strike down both laws on First Amendment grounds. Even liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor remarked that the two states’ laws are “so broad that they stifle speech just on their face.” Both laws would mandate‚ on penalty of steep fines‚ that any “content moderation” performed by the platforms be done in a “viewpoint-neutral” way. We agree with what seems to be the prevailing view: that the First Amendment protects platforms’ right to engage in whatever content moderation they choose. By mandating essentially identical content moderation policies for all‚ Florida and Texas would deprive us of a crucial competitive advantage. “If the New York Times or Fox News refuse to publish articles I submit to them because they disapprove of my views or even just because they think my writings will offend their audience‚ they surely have a First Amendment right to do so‚” writes Ilya Somin at the libertarian Volokh Conspiracy blog. “If I don’t like Fox’s editorial policies‚ I can submit my content somewhere else. The same reasoning applies to Twitter or Facebook.” Were these laws to be upheld‚ would the removal of any content protected under the First Amendment satisfy their viewpoint-neutrality test? Even with community guidelines and moderation training materials explicitly and emphatically based on viewpoint neutrality‚ we believe the risk associated with removing anything other than patently illegal speech would simply be too high. Similarly for algorithmic curation of users’ feeds. Suppose a “neutral” algorithm‚ programmed to amplify or throttle content based solely on “engagement.” An algorithm’s predictions as to what will be engaging to any user or group of users will necessarily be “content-based.” Under these laws’ viewpoint-neutrality requirements‚ therefore‚ platforms would be reduced to delivering chronological — or‚ if they “think differently‚” reverse-chronological — feeds. Given that the entire “social media” business model relies upon curating and algorithmically manipulating content in ways that are necessarily content-based‚ the Florida and Texas laws would not only violate the platforms’ First Amendment rights‚ they would also decimate platforms’ revenue model. These are‚ after all‚ surveillance businesses‚ not platforms for personal expression. As Edward Snowden observed‚ “Businesses that make money by collecting and selling detailed records of private lives were once plainly described as ‘surveillance companies.’” The name “social media” is just a deceptive “rebranding.” Like any media company‚ their goal is to attract and keep the attention of their users — and monetize that attention. The main difference is that their digital footprint is larger‚ allowing them to use surveillance to monetize attention more effectively than a newspaper ever dreamed possible. Take the case of X (formerly known as Twitter). Once the prevailing belief became that X under Elon Musk wasn’t “moderating” as much as Twitter under Jack Dorsey (whether or not it was actually true)‚ advertisers abandoned the platform in droves. Many conservatives were happy‚ but they weren’t the ones left with a company that had lost half its market value. It’s one thing to forgo revenue in pursuit of something else; it’s quite another to be forced to sacrifice revenue because the law has prohibited your entire business model. Given that this is precisely what the Texas and Florida laws do‚ might they constitute a taking under the Fifth Amendment? We disagree with the content moderation and algorithmic manipulation practices of the traditional “social media” platforms. So much so that we’ve spent years working to offer alternatives. This is why we find it ironic that two “conservative” states have passed laws that effectively make it impossible to address the problems with content curation by competing in a free market. By mandating essentially identical content moderation policies for all‚ Florida and Texas would deprive us of a crucial competitive advantage. One change in the law could clear the way for competition to solve this problem. It relates to the “tension” perceived by some of the justices between immunity from liability for “user-generated content” under Section 230 and the idea that moderating that content is an “expressive activity” protected by the First Amendment. No‚ “social media” companies shouldn’t be forced to bake conservatives’‚ politicians’‚ or anyone else’s cake. Nor should they be able to eat their Section 230 cake and have it‚ too. Newspapers and other media can be held liable if their expressive activity is defamatory‚ for example. Why not “social media”? So while we applaud NetChoice for its First Amendment challenges to these state laws‚ we invite the company (and everyone else) to join our call to eliminate platform privilege and reduce the incentive for states to enact further “corrective” measures.