The ancient hominin Australopithecus anamensis is thought to be one of our oldest known relations – but what do we actually know about the species?How long ago did they live?Though arguably not the most famous of the australopiths – that title probably goes to A. afarensis‚ thanks to Lucy – A. anamensis is estimated to be the oldest‚ at least as far as scientists know.Fossil specimens have dated the species back as far as 4.2 million years ago and as recently as 3.8 million years ago‚ based on a skull found in Ethiopia back in 2016. That dating in particular also threw a bit of a spanner in the works for those who thought A. anamensis directly evolved into A. afarensis‚ as it suggested that the two species actually coexisted for at least 100‚000 years.Where did they live?The remains of A. anamensis have been recovered in two countries – Kenya and Ethiopia – in regions that are thought to have been forested at the time the species was alive‚ and also surrounded lakes. For example‚ the very first fossil specimen‚ a partial humerus‚ was found in 1965 in Kanapoi‚ a site that sits to the southwest of Kenya’s Lake Turkana. It’s thanks to further discoveries at the site that A. anamensis was officially proclaimed as a species 30 years later. Fossils found in Ethiopia weren’t found on the border with Kenya as might be expected. It seems A. anamensis managed to spread out‚ with remains recovered in the northeastern Afar region of the country‚ including a tooth‚ femur‚ and the skull mentioned above.What did they look like?Although precisely what A. anamensis looked like is still very much up for debate‚ the best that scientists can do is make educated guesses from the fossils that have been found. You probably would’ve seen them upright at some point; the top end of recovered tibias and human-like orientation of ankle joints suggests they could walk on two legs‚ aka bipedalism. They weren’t quite as tall as humans on two legs though‚ it’s thought. In fact‚ they were likely closer in height to modern chimpanzees‚ but this may have varied greatly between the sexes.As for what their faces looked like‚ up until 2016‚ the picture wasn’t entirely clear. However‚ with the discovery of the skull in Ethiopia‚ scientists suggested that they probably looked a lot like apes‚ with a sloping forehead and strongly protruding cheekbones.Bro is staring deep into my soul.Image credit: Matt Crow‚ courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History/facial reconstruction by John GurcheHow did they live?Again‚ the best indicators that scientists have are in A. anamensis fossilized remains. Teeth‚ for example‚ give us an idea of the sorts of things they might have eaten.One study concluded that the microscopic signs of wear left on fossilized teeth suggest that A. anamensis had a diet consisting of “less mechanically challenging foods”‚ while another analyzing the isotopes of the tooth enamel revealed a primarily C3 diet – this refers to a plant-based diet of things like leaves and fruits from trees and shrubs.Other bones appear to back up such a diet; the length of their forearms and marks left on the wrist bones suggests that A. anamensis spent a reasonable amount of time climbing trees.Beyond food and how they might have collected‚ it’s difficult to know much else about what life was like for A. anamensis – not just because of a small‚ fragmented fossil record‚ but because‚ well‚ we don’t have a time machine.Without a TARDIS to hand‚ it’s hoped that further fossil finds will be made to help scientists piece together the remaining gaps in how one of our earliest known ancestors lived.All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current.  

A person in Texas has tested positive for H5N1 bird flu after coming into contact with dairy cows that are presumed to be infected with the virus.Fortunately‚ the patient is recovering and their only reported symptom was red eyes‚ according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They’ve been told to isolate and are being treated with an antiviral drug for influenza.While the case marks a significant milestone in the deepening bird flu outbreak‚ the CDC maintains that the wider risk to the US public is low. People at the highest risk are those who have close or prolonged exposure to infected birds or other animals‚ such as livestock.The development comes just a few days after H5N1 bird flu was detected at dairy farms in Texas‚ Kansas‚ New Mexico‚ and Michigan‚ and another unconfirmed “presumptive” outbreak in Idaho.Authorities also say there “continues to be no concern that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health.” The problem shouldn’t even affect dairy prices too much either since the milk loss resulting from symptomatic cattle is too limited to have a major impact on supply. However‚ they did warn that people should not drink raw milk or unpasteurized products like cheese from cows that may be infected. This is only the second person ever reported to have tested positive for H5N1 bird flu in the US‚ the previous human case being in 2022 in Colorado. This patient also worked in agriculture and was involved in the culling of poultry with presumptive bird flu.Bird flu‚ or avian influenza‚ is an infection in birds caused by several strains of influenza A virus. This latest outbreak is caused by a strain called H5N1 that was first identified in 1996 in geese in China and started infecting people in Hong Kong in 1997. Over the past four years‚ a new form of H5N1 has spread like wildfire around the world‚ primarily infected farmed poultry and wild birds‚ but also mammals – including humans. Between 2003 and late March 2024‚ a total of 888 human cases of H5N1‚ including 463 deaths‚ have been reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from 23 countries. While the flu strain is always keeping health authorities on their toes‚ the WHO also contends the risk to the public is low since the risk of human-to-human spread is small.Beyond humans‚ the ongoing H5N1 bird flu outbreak has been having a terrible impact on wildlife since 2000. It’s infected millions of birds and unknown numbers of mammals. It’s even killed animals in the far-flung tips of Earth‚ including a polar bear in Alaska and penguins in Antarctica.

The Namib desert is named for what it is: “an area where there is nothing‚” in the local Nàmá language. And at first glance‚ the region lives up to the title‚ covering around 1‚600 kilometers (990 miles) along the western coast of Africa – straddling three countries as it does so – in some of the dryest‚ sandiest‚ and most inhospitable environments on Earth.But in fact‚ the desert is far from empty. Not only is there plenty of life – some of it so specialized to the region that it can’t be found outside of the Namib – but there’s also beauty‚ danger‚ mystery‚ and … classic rock?A world unto itselfThe Namib is home to thousands of species of animals and plants – and for a surprisingly high percentage of them‚ it’s the only place they call home. Here‚ among sand dunes larger than almost any other on the planet‚ you can find highly adapted desert elephant populations; dune larks‚ who have figured out a way to live without ever drinking water; Namib Desert beetles‚ whose ability to harvest water out of thin air has captivated scientists for decades; and the iconic Welwitschia mirabilis‚ once described by the Director of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew as “out of the question the most wonderful plant ever […] and the very ugliest.”Probably the largest and oldest specimen of Welwitschia mirabilis (right).Image credit: Brian John Huntley‚ The Namib Desert Biome. In: Ecology of Angola. Springer‚ Cham. (2023)‚ CC-BY-4.0What makes the region such a unique biome? It’s not just because of the unusual environmental conditions – although that of course helps. But while the Namib is far from the only sandy‚ arid desert in the world‚ what it really has over the competition is time: “Because [it] is one of the world's oldest deserts‚ the extraordinary way that plants‚ animals‚ and even human populations have adapted and evolved in order to survive here is fascinating‚” wrote Chris McIntyre‚ managing director of Expert Africa‚ in 2007.Precisely how old is still a matter of debate – but we know for sure it’s at least 55 million years old: that’s when “the earliest unequivocal evidence of desert conditions in the Namib […] is provided by extensive fossil dunes known as the Tsondab Sandstone Formation‚” explained renowned conservation scientist Brian John Huntley in 2023. To put it into context‚ that’s at least eight times as old as the Sahara; in fact‚ the Namib was a desert back when its larger cousin to the North was an aquatic monster world.Regardless of the desert’s true age‚ it’s without doubt time enough for local flora and fauna to adapt to a climate in which stable ground is sparse and annual rainfall of just 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) is normal. “The extreme aridity of the Namib Desert places severe limits on the survival of most vertebrates‚ especially amphibians. However‚ many reptiles and birds have developed successful adaptations to life in the desert‚” wrote Huntley. “The largest bird on Earth‚ the African Ostrich‚ was once common on the margins of the Namib‚ while two large bustards (Ruppell’s Korhaan and Ludwig’s Korhaan) are still to be found on the gravel plains and intermontane grasslands of Iona‚” he noted. “Mammal species include nomadic herds of Springbok‚ Gemsbok‚ Plains and Hartmann’s Zebras‚ and sedentary carnivora such as Meerkat and Aardwolf. Brown Hyaena and Cheetah range widely over the desert margins.”Home of the supernaturalIf local folklore is to be believed‚ springbok and hyenas aren’t the only things that call the Namib home. Dotting the landscape across the rusty sand dunes and the flat gravel plains that lie further inland are circular patches of sand‚ ranging from around 1.5 meters (5 feet) in diameter to as large as 25 meters (82 feet)‚ and entirely surrounded by a single species of grass. They’re called “fairy circles” – and while science has yet to conclusively prove how they’re formed‚ the local Himba people have long known the answer: they’re footprints‚ left in the desert by the god Mukuru. For others‚ the circles are caused by “UFOs or fairies dancing at night‚” Hein Schultz‚ owner of the Rostock Ritz Desert Lodge located just outside the Namib-Naukluft National Park‚ told the BBC. But when it comes to non-supernatural explanations‚ nobody is totally convinced either way. One early hypothesis was that the grass in the center was being poisoned by a local shrub known as Euphorbia damarana‚ or the Damara milk-bush. The plant would die‚ the theory went‚ leaving the ground where it originally stood too toxic to support vegetation; the surrounding ring of grass would survive‚ marking the boundary of where the shrub had affected.It was a neat idea‚ but it was wrong: in 2020‚ a research team followed up on the now-decades-old work of the botanist who first proposed it‚ investigating the areas where he had noted milk-bushes standing back in the 1970s. The results were clear: “based on our detailed field observations‚” concluded Stephan Getzin‚ a researcher in the Department of Ecosystem Modelling at the University of Göttingen‚ “we have to reject the euphorbia hypothesis.”Aerial view of Fairy circles within Namib-Naukluft National Park‚ 2017.Image credit: Olga Ernst &; Hp.Baumeler‚ CC BY-SA 4.0‚ via Wikimedia CommonsMore tenacious were two other ideas: one having the plants arrange themselves in the geometrical patterns to cope with the region’s water scarcity‚ and the other demoting the circles’ builders from fairies… to termites. “Both theories are normally presented as mutually exclusive‚” noted Juan Bonachela‚ then a lecturer in the University of Strathclyde's Department of Mathematics and Statistics‚ in 2017.But that need not be the case‚ he said. “Our findings harmonize both theories and find a possible explanation for […] Fairy Circles‚” Bonachela explained. “Termites remove vegetation on their mounds to increase moisture‚ which is essential for the insects' survival in dry environments‚ thus creating the bare disk. Vegetation around the mound takes advantage of this water accumulation to grow‚ and this taller vegetation forms the circle. Regular repetition of the pattern results from different termite colonies competing next to one another.”Even this compromise has its detractors: as recently as last month‚ rival gangs of ecologists were publishing rebuttals to the idea that termites might be to blame. For now‚ it seems‚ this is a mystery that defies scientific investigation.The Gates of HellIt’s not just fairies that maintain a presence in the Namib. Elsewhere in the desert‚ you can find the so-called Skeleton Coast – although you’d perhaps be better off if you didn’t: it’s known to the Khoisan Bushmen who live there as “the land God created in anger”‚ and the view is one filled with death.“Before crossing into the 6‚300-square-mile [16‚300-square-kilometer] area of protected coastline‚ we were obliged to give our names and information – lest we didn’t make it out before nightfall‚” recalled documentarian Genna Martin in the New York Times.“This arid desert‚ which dead-ends into violent Atlantic swells‚ has caused many unfortunate sailors‚ ships‚ aircraft and animals their untimely deaths. Their carcasses – rusting vessels‚ sun-bleached bones – are now visible reminders of the park’s hostile conditions‚” she wrote. “It is an inhospitable place where almost nothing grows‚ and where dangers‚ from wild rip curls to thick coastal fog‚ abound.”So foreboding is the region that the 15th century Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão famously labeled it “The Gates of Hell”. To a sailor like him‚ the name was apt: nearly 1‚000 shipwrecks can be found along the shore‚ doomed by the thick fogs that roll in from the Atlantic and obscure the coast.If it looks like something out of Mad Max... well‚ that's because it is.Image credit: Domenico Convertini from Zurich‚ Schweiz‚ CC BY-SA 2.0‚ via Wikimedia CommonsI bless the rainsOf course‚ if near-certain death isn’t enough to earn the desert such a diabolical moniker‚ there’s always the ace up its sleeve: the drums echoing tonight‚ and the wild dogs crying out in the night as they grow restless‚ longing for some solitary company.That’s right: we’re talking Toto. “[I] wanted to pay the song the ultimate homage and physically exhibit ‘Africa’ in Africa‚” said Namibian artist Max Siedentopf. And so‚ he did: somewhere in the Namib‚ he installed a six-speaker sound system attached to an MP3 player‚ set to play the 1982 classic on repeat. Forever.It’s powered by solar batteries‚ “to keep Toto going for all eternity‚” he told the BBC in 2019. “Most parts of the installation were chosen to be as durable as possible‚ but I'm sure the harsh environment of the desert will devour the installation eventually.”When it does‚ we’ll likely not know. It was installed in a mystery location‚ raising an interesting philosophical question: if a semi-ironic soft-rock ballad plays on loop in a 55-million-year-old desert and nobody is there to hear it‚ does it make a sound?For some‚ the answer is apparently‚ “I hope not.” “Some [Namibians] love it‚ and some say it's probably the worst sound installation ever‚” Siedentopf admitted. “I think that's a great compliment.”

A six-legged mouse embryo‚ with extra limbs in place of genitals‚ has been engineered by scientists. It sounds like sci-fi‚ we know – but the curious creature‚ which also has several of its internal organs outside of its body‚ wasn’t created intentionally. Rather‚ it was an unprecedented outcome of research that has‚ in turn‚ revealed how DNA’s 3D structure can affect embryo development.It all started when developmental biologist Moisés Mallo and his colleagues were studying Tgfbr1 – a receptor protein that is particularly important in embryonic development. The team inactivated the gene responsible for producing the protein in mouse embryos that were around the halfway point of development‚ intending to investigate how this change affected the developing spinal cord. Instead‚ they found something unexpected: one of the bioengineered embryos had two extra legs where its genitals should be.“I didn’t choose the project‚ the project chose me‚” Mallo told Nature of the surprising turn the research took.During embryonic development‚ the body is made in stages‚ starting from the head and ending in the tail. In the first transitional stage‚ there is a switch from head to trunk development; and in the second‚ from trunk to tail. This latter transition involves significant reorganization of embryonic structures.Tgfbr1 – or transforming growth factor-beta receptor type 1‚ to use its full name – is known to play a key role in trunk-to-tail transition‚ and also in controlling the formation of the hindlimbs and external genitalia.It is also widely accepted that‚ in most four-limbed animals‚ external genitalia and hind limbs develop from the same early (primordial) structures.Investigating the six-legged mouse phenomenon‚ Mallo and co-authors discovered that Tgfbr1 helps dictate whether these structures become either genitals or limbs. It does this‚ they realized‚ by altering the way that DNA folds in the structure’s cells. As a result‚ deactivation of the protein changes the expression of other genes – in this strange case‚ at least‚ that meant additional limbs and no genitalia.3D reconstruction of the mouse embryo with Tgfbr1 deactivated. Normal limbs are in turquoise and extra limbs are in magenta.Image credit: Lozovska et al.‚ Nature Communications‚ 2024 (CC BY 4.0)“We show that despite long evolutionary distance from the ancestral condition‚ the early primordium of the mouse external genitalia preserved the capacity to take hindlimb fates‚” the researchers explain in their paper.They now hope to explore whether Tgfbr1 can alter DNA structure in other systems‚ and if it has a role to play in the development of the reptilian “double penis” known as a hemipenis.“Our work uncovers a remarkable tissue plasticity with potential implications in the evolution of the hindlimb/genital area of tetrapods [four-limbed vertebrates]‚ and identifies an additional mechanism for Tgfbr1 activity that might also contribute to the control of other physiological or pathological processes‚” they conclude.In search of another six-legged developmental wonder? Meet Ariel the “mermaid” dog: born with six limbs (and a second vulva)‚ she’s now down to the usual four after successful surgery to remove the extras.The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.

Ignorance is bliss. But sometimes‚ it can have really deadly consequences. View this post on Instagram A post shared by BBC Wildlife Magazine (@bbcwildlifemagazine) In 2021‚ Kaylin Phillips and her friends were having fun in Bali not knowing they were just seconds away from certain death. On one of their beach trips‚ Phillips’ group was... The post These tiny little critters are stunningly beautiful but incredibly dangerous appeared first on Animal Channel.

The post 30+ Mind-Boggling Human Body Hacks That Actually Work appeared first on Animal Channel.

The 2024 race is officially on and it’s being billed (by the leftist media) as a rematch between a “dangerous” and “deranged” Donald Trump versus the “best” “version” of Joe Biden “ever!” That’s right. According to MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough‚ the gaffe-prone President Biden everyone sees today is the “version of Biden intellectually‚ analytically” that is “the best Biden ever.”  Meanwhile his MSNBC colleague Joy Reid warned her audience that the “dangerous and clearly deranged” Trump was the conservative movement’s “useful scary clown.”  This past month also saw journalists deliberately take Trump’s economic “bloodbath” comment out of context. ABC’s George Stephanopoulos and Jon Karl called the “incendiary” speech “dark and menacing.” Hollyweird also attacked Trump. Robert DeNiro raged: “The guy is a total monster….He’s such a mean‚ nasty‚ hateful person. I’d never play him as an actor because I can’t see any good in him.” The following are just some of the worst outbursts from journalists and celebrities from the last month:    Best Version of Biden Ever!     “You talk to him [Joe Biden] for hours at a time. Is he slower? Does he move slower? Yeah‚ he moves slower. Is he stiffer? Yeah‚ he moves stiffer. Does he have trouble walking sometimes? Yeah‚ so did FDR. We get out of the Depression‚ we won a G.D. war….against Nazism…Start your tape right now‚ because I’m about to tell you the truth. And f-you if you can’t handle the truth. This version of Biden intellectually‚ analytically‚ is the best Biden ever. Not a close second. And I’ve known him for years. The Brzezinskis have known him for 50 years. If it weren’t the truth‚ I wouldn’t say it.”— Co-host Joe Scarborough on MSNBC’s Morning Joe‚ March 6.   Reid Rants: “Dangerous‚” “Deranged” Trump is Conservatives’ “Useful Scary Clown”     “As dangerous and clearly deranged as [Donald] Trump is‚ we have to start asking not just what’s wrong with a society that produces so much support for this chaos theater‚ but also who is it that so badly wants Trump to be President?…Men of great wealth‚ who have long sought to return to a time where people like them didn’t pay income taxes or face regulation over their businesses and didn’t have to worry about labor unions‚ workers’ rights‚ or competitions from women or blacks….They could call themselves good Christians and never think twice about dirty words like diversity‚ history‚ accountability‚ or equity. These are the men behind organizations like Project 2025‚ the Claremont Institute‚ the Heritage Foundation‚ and whatever Leonard Leo is up to at any given time. Trump‚ in many ways‚ is just their useful scary clown.”— Host Joy Reid on MSNBC’s The ReidOut‚ March 19.    Taking Trump’s “Bloodbath” Comment Out of Context     “There was at least one person who testified‚ a police officer‚ that she was literally slipping in pools of blood on January 6th. So the question of whether he meant actual blood seems a bit besides the point at this point. But what’s much more important is what this maniac is actually vowing to do if elected again….This mad man‚ whose brain is clearly addled and little more than a ball of smooth clay at this stage of its deterioration‚ makes these promises to feed chum to a base that has been drilled by right-wing media to now care more about stopping migrants — even if they themselves live thousands of miles from the southern border — than about the economy or inflation or literally anything else.”— Host Joy Reid on MSNBC’s The ReidOut‚ March 18. Co-host George Stephanopoulos: “We’re going to get the latest now on the race for the White House and the incendiary speech from Donald Trump at a rally over the weekend with praise for the January 6 convicts‚ attacks on immigrants as subhuman‚ and a warning of a bloodbath for the country if he’s defeated. Chief Washington correspondent Jon Karl has the story.”...Correspondent Jonathan Karl: “Good morning‚ George. Even by Trump standards‚ Donald Trump’s speech over the weekend was dark and menacing.”— ABC’s Good Morning America‚ March 18.   Former Clinton Defender Tries to Rape-Shame Rep. Nancy Mace For Endorsing Trump     Moderator George Stephanopoulos: “You’ve endorsed Donald Trump for president. Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape. How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?”Rep. Nancy Mace: “Well‚ I will tell you. I was raped at the age of 16‚ and any rape victim will tell you — I’ve lived for 30 years with an incredible amount of shame over being raped. I didn’t come forward because of that judgment and shame that I felt‚ and it’s a shame that you will never feel‚ George. And I’m not going to sit here on your show and be asked a question meant to shame me about another potential rape victim. I’m not going to do that.”...Stephanopoulos: “Doesn’t it make it harder for women to come forward when they’re defamed by presidential candidates?”Mace: “It makes it harder when other women joke about it‚ and she's joked about it. I find it offensive. And I also find it offensive that you are trying to shame me with this question.”— ABC’s This Week‚ March 10.   Biden Should Denounce Trump as “Rapist‚ Racist‚ Fascist”  “If he’s [Donald Trump] going to be shameless‚ which is his greatest asset‚ the shamelessness of him‚ then Biden has to get in there very hard and go ‘rapist‚ racist‚ fascist‚’ over and over and over again. And then the trials are happening at the same time. He’s just had to pay — he’s just $93 million poorer right now‚ and just hammer it in with those three things — ‘rapist‚ racist‚ fascist.’”— Former Wall Street Journal reporter/current podcaster Kara Swisher on CNN’s The Chris Wallace Show‚ March 9.   Not the Answers She Was Fishing For     Correspondent Weijia Jiang: “President Biden has called Trump a threat to democracy and made it a central part of his campaign. Is democracy on the ballot in 2024?”Arizona voter Steve Macias: “I don’t buy that argument.”Arizona voter Raquel Glowden: “I don’t‚ either.”Macias: “To me‚ now‚ that's just another talking point. Every time I hear it‚ I just kind of tune it out….It’s something that‚ you know…some focus group came up with‚ and now they’re just using it to death.”Glowden: “I really don’t think they understand what democracy is when they say that. You know — the fact that there is a ballot is democracy.”— CBS Evening News‚ March 20.   “We Could Be a Dictatorship Next Year” If Trump Wins      “This [State of the Union Address] is a real historical moment. We could be a dictatorship next year if Donald Trump is elected and carries through on his threats and carries through on his threats to suspend the Constitution. That’s what’s at stake. So Joe Biden could finesse it and talk about other things or he could confront the elephant in the room and say‚ you know‚ ‘This is a year when we Americans have to choose whether we’re going to live as a democracy‚ as a republic‚ or as an authoritarian system.’”— Presidential historian Michael Beschloss previewing State of the Union address on MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports‚ March 7.   “Bully” Trump Has “Affection For Strongmen”  Host Chris Wallace: “What’s with [Donald] Trump’s affection for strongmen?”Former Wall Street Journal reporter/current podcaster Kara Swisher: “He’s watched Godfather too many times. I don’t know. He’s just a bully and so he likes bullies and he’s not as good as it as they are. So he’s cos-playing bullying. He likes that. Dictator-y.”— CNN’s The Chris Wallace Show‚ March 16.   Things They Never Said When MSNBC Hired Jen Psaki      New York Times columnist David Brooks: “Here [Former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel] was someone clearly over the line. Like‚ to be on our air and our newspapers‚ you got to have some intellectual credibility. You have to have some primary commitment to the truth and the truth above partisanship and she was someone who clearly fails that test….To get somebody right off the RNC on the air as an analyst strikes me as just a gigantic mistake.”...Washington Post Associate Editor/MSNBC host Jonathan Capehart: “When the announcement was made….I wrote in response‚ ‘I want to be clear‚ she will never be on our show‚’ for the exact reasons David talked about….This is not a partisan issue. This was a democracy issue.”— PBS NewsHour‚ March 29.   Racism Motivates Conservative Evangelicals “I’ve just been‚ like‚ very interested in the roots of how evangelicals became such a potent political force. It was 1980 and it was really school desegregation efforts and it was the Bob Jones fight against the IRS that brought evangelicals into the movement.....Not abortion‚ not busing‚ but really desegregation was the thing that brought evangelicals into political movement of the right-wing….Really‚ at its core‚ it was race….We think about evangelicals and Trump as being so different….these godly‚ you know‚ faithful people‚ and this unfaithful person who’s been found guilty in civil trials of sexual assault — the issue of race animates Donald Trump. The issue of race has long animated the evangelical movement. And‚ in some ways‚ it makes perfect sense that you are seeing the unity that you are today.”— MSNBC’s Alex Wagner Tonight host Alex Wagner during live Super Tuesday coverage‚ March 5.   Those Silly Voters Worrying About Illegal Immigration     MSNBC host and former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki: “If you look at some of these exit polls — I mean‚ I live in Virginia. Immigration was the number one issue.”...MSNBC host Rachel Maddow: “Well‚ Virginia does have a border with West Virginia. Very contested area.”MSNBC host Joy Reid: “Build the wall!”Psaki: “But you’re thinking like — what? When I was in New Hampshire‚ people were talking about the northern border as a threat because Trump has indoctrinated people with this fear of people who do not….look like them — being a threat to them.”— During MSNBC’s live Super Tuesday coverage‚ March 5.    Want Another Election After ‘24? Better Vote Biden     “Americans will have to face the fact that this is‚ in the words of a dear friend of this show‚ do-you-want-to-have-any-more-elections‚ election. Where voters are not just choosing between two candidates‚ but making critical decisions about the basic fundamentals of our democracy.”— Host Nicolle Wallace on MSNBC’s Deadline: White House‚ March 5.   SCOTUS Libs Not Left Enough for Kooky Keith “The Supreme Court has betrayed democracy. Its members including Jackson‚ Kagan and Sotomayor have proved themselves inept at reading comprehension. And collectively the ‘court’ has shown itself to be corrupt and illegitimate. It must be dissolved.”— March 4 X post (formerly twitter) by former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann.    Clarence Thomas “Traded” His Votes for a “Fabulous Lifestyle”     “I don’t know if he [Justice Clarence Thomas] believes this stuff or not‚ but essentially his votes are traded for a fabulous lifestyle that he couldn’t get from a job and the irony is he couldn’t get the job you wanted to be a rich lawyer because of racism.”— Host Joy Reid on MSNBC’s The ReidOut‚ March 30.   2024 = A Choice “Between Freedom and Democracy or World Wide Slavery and Dictatorship”     “We’re not only facing….a domestic authoritarian threat from Donald Trump and people who want to see this a dictatorship next year‚ but at the same time‚ he is connecting with dictators abroad: Viktor Orban‚ [Vladimir] Putin‚ perhaps the leader of Turkey‚ possibly elements in China and elsewhere. These people are going to lock arms….Americans have to make a choice. We have to‚ essentially‚ choose between freedom and democracy‚ or worldwide slavery and dictatorship. Any other year‚ that would be an overstatement.”— MSNBC presidential historian Michael Beschloss on MSNBC’s The Weekend‚ March 4.   Americans Who Live on “Stolen Land” Should Stop Griping About Crime Epidemic “America is a sticky-fingered nation built on stolen land‚ and its current moral panic is about shoplifting.”— Washington Post features reporter Maura Judkis in March 1 story.   Trump’s “Bloodbath” Comment = Genocidal “Rhetoric” From WWII     “It [bloodbath comment] scared me‚ honestly‚ you know? I didn’t think ever in my lifetime I would see that….He [Donald Trump] is using that kind of World War II rhetoric that led to the deaths of six — the murders of 6 million people.” — Co-host Sunny Hostin on ABC’s The View‚ March 18.   “Biden Has Accomplished More In Three Years Than Every Other President In The Last 50” “When we talk about — you know when the pundits and the press talk about ageism‚ it’s not ageism‚ it’s weak-ism. Right? It’s the perception of weakness and it taps into the sick‚ primitive‚ scared monkey‚ caveman DNA that’s in us. Right? So when we look at him [Joe Biden] we go ‘Ooh. Chief weak. He no hunt mammoth. We no eat. Bad chief.’ And that’s really what they’re talking about. And the people who know better need to cut that out. Because if he was so weak how could he accomplish more in three years than every other president in the last 50?”— Author Max Brooks on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher‚ March 8.   Constitution To Blame for Possible “Mess” of Trump Being Re-Elected “Tell me about how we got into the mess [Possibility of Donald Trump being re-elected]. The Constitution is really our‚ you know‚ touchstone. Is that the document that actually got us into this mess?”— Host Jon Stewart to Harvard Professor Steven Levitsky on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show‚ March 11.    DeNiro Worried “Mean‚ Nasty‚ Hateful” Trump Will Start a “Dictatorship”     “The guy [Donald Trump] is a total monster….He’s such a mean‚ nasty‚ hateful person. I’d never play him as an actor because I can’t see any good in him…If he wins the election‚ you [Bill Maher] won’t be on this show anymore‚ he’ll come looking for me. They’ll be things that happened that none of us can imagine. That’s what happens in that kind of a dictatorship which is what he says‚ let’s believe him‚ take him at his word.”— Actor Robert DeNiro on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher‚ March 8.

Blaze Media host Glenn Beck emphasized the utter ridiculousness of leftist website traffic cops like NewsGuard masquerading as unbiased truth gatekeepers‚ and relied on original MRC Free Speech America research to do it. Beck ripped into the discredited NewsGuard that has been outed as a leftist operation targeting the advertising dollars of right-leaning media sources during the March 27 edition of Glenn TV. In his X post promoting the segment‚ Beck referred to NewsGuard as “propaganda” for continuing to behave like an Orwellian arbiter of truth‚ despite the glaring evidence of its so-called ratings system consistently being shown to favor left-leaning media while punishing the right.  “An analysis by the Media Research Center found that NewsGuard rates left and left-leaning news outlets an average of 27 points higher than conservative news outlets‚” said Beck citing MRC's first NewsGuard analysis conducted in 2021. “But never mind that. I’m sure NewsGuard’s ratings are perfectly fair and balanced‚” Beck mocked. What’s more terrifying about NewsGuard’s reach in light of MRC’s research‚ as Beck noted‚ was that it was being used by more than 800 libraries across the globe and the radical American Federation of Teachers union to indoctrinate children on the newspeak concept of so-called “media literacy” in order to inoculate the next generation against certain news sources‚ which in NewsGuard’s world typically indicates sources generating from the right. The study Beck referenced was the first of three MRC investigations into NewsGuard's extreme bias conducted over three consecutive years.  MRC’s analyses utilized a media bias list compiled by AllSides that classifies publications based on their “right” to “left” bias in order to determine how NewsGuard rated the outlets listed. The results found over three years of analysis have been nothing short of damning. In 2021‚ As Beck stated‚ the average NewsGuard score for the “left” and “lean left” outlets — which included leftist outlets like The New York Times‚ Politico and Washington Post — was 93/100. While the average rating for “right” and “lean right” outlets — which included Fox News‚ The Washington Times and New York Post — was a low 66/100‚ reflecting a 27-point disparity.  Have you heard about Microsoft’s partnership with “misinformation” watchdog NewsGuard on a “media literacy” program? It includes a browser extension (used by over 800 libraries) that warns your child if they visit a "bad" news outlet. That’s not media literacy. That’s propaganda. pic.twitter.com/6QziMvy2tr — Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) March 28‚ 2024 NewsGuard's acute level of bias remained consistent over the next two years. In the second study‚ released Jan. 6‚ 2023‚ the bias has barely budged. The average score for “left” and “lean left” outlets was a 91 while the average for “right” and “lean right” outlets was still a low 66/100‚ a 25-point disparity. Then‚ in the third study released Dec. 12‚ 2023‚ MRC found that NewsGuard’s treatment of right-leaning media got even worse. “Left” and “lean left” outlets maintained their stellar average of 91/100‚ while the average for “right” and “lean right” outlets dipped to an outrageously abysmal 65/100‚ indicating a 26-point disparity.  EDITOR’S NOTE: Readers should be aware that MRC’s NewsGuard studies only use the AllSides media bias list to analyze NewsGuard ratings of outlets considered by AllSides to be “left” and “lean left” or “right” and “lean right.” It does not necessarily reflect MRC’s characterizations of these outlets. Conservatives are under attack. Contact your representatives and demand that the State Department be held to account to adhere to the U.S. Constitution and that Big Tech mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency‚ clarity on so-called hate speech and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored‚ contact us using CensorTrack’s contact form‚ and help us hold Big Tech accountable.      

It’s the new season of “The Apprentice‚” only this time Donald Trump isn’t looking for the next business whiz‚ he’s in the market for a running mate. He has his eyes on several possibilities close to home — his original and adopted home states of New York and Florida‚ that is. Lee Zeldin‚ the former congressman whose campaign for governor of New York two years ago helped Republicans around the state overperform expectations‚ is one VP contender who hasn’t received as much attention from the national media as he’s getting from Trump advisers. Florida Rep. Byron Donalds is in the same category. There’s been more open buzz about New York Rep. Elise Stefanik‚ and many grassroots conservatives dream of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis making the ticket — a possibility that well-informed sources say hasn’t been ruled out‚ despite lingering tensions between the governor and Trump over DeSantis’ bid for the presidential nomination. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s name has also come up in recent press speculation — though my sources discount his chances. Why are so many New York and Florida prospects on Trump’s list? Neither state is up for grabs in November. No Republican has come within 15 points of winning New York in a presidential election since 1988. Florida is much more competitive‚ and after North Carolina it was the state Trump won in 2020 by the smallest margin — less than 4 points. Yet any scenario in which Joe Biden can win Florida in 2024 is one in which he almost certainly won’t need it‚ as he’ll also have prevailed in the more closely contested battlegrounds that put him over the top in 2020. By the time Florida comes into play‚ the Republican ticket will be facing not only defeat but a crushing humiliation. Trump‚ however‚ only looks on the bright side — which is both the secret of his success and the source of some of his biggest troubles. It was inconceivable to him that he could lose in 2020. Even after he won in 2016‚ Trump believed the magnitude of his victory was much greater than official numbers gave him credit for. He bounced back from a series of bankruptcies in his business career the same way he’s hoping to bounce back from a presidential defeat — through the power of positive thinking on a scale that mere mortals find delusional. Does he really think he can win New York? Or is it that the best way to achieve success is to aim too high rather than settling for what merely appears realistic? There’s a method to what others see as madness‚ at least where these VP calculations are concerned. Conventional thinking in both parties obsesses over identity politics‚ which factors into the New York and Florida talent search. But Trump also wants a partner fiercely loyal to him — which is why if he wants a Black running mate‚ he might prefer Byron Donalds‚ one of his staunchest defenders in Congress‚ to Sen. Tim Scott‚ whose all-in enthusiasm for Trump is a recent development. Zeldin and Stefanik have likewise impressed Trump with their outspokenness on his behalf. Both have an identity-politics angle; Stefanik might help with women‚ while Zeldin would give Trump a Jewish running mate at a time when the Democrats’ coalition is cracking along Israel-Palestine fault lines. But Zeldin also demonstrated with his gubernatorial campaign what a disciplined GOP effort can accomplish in a blue state short of actually winning it. A Trump-Zeldin ticket might not win New York or other Democrat strongholds‚ but it would maximize the Republican vote in those places‚ improving the party’s odds in down-ballot races with control of Congress hanging in the balance. Trump takes personal pride in being a New Yorker: ambitions of winning his native state‚ however implausible‚ may keep his morale up in the midst of an arduous national campaign. Morale is also the consideration — for the whole party — with Ron DeSantis. The governor excites conservatives who are willing but not eager to vote for Trump. Eight years ago‚ Trump picked Mike Pence as a running mate who’d reassure conventional conservatives. Now Pence won’t so much as endorse Trump‚ and while the former VP has no following himself‚ there is a spectrum of Reagan Republicans‚ Christian conservatives and policy-minded right-wingers who harbor doubts about Trump. DeSantis could do for them what Pence did in 2016‚ and perhaps‚ given his youth and policy successes‚ a lot more. But if Trump chooses anyone from Florida‚ he or his running mate would have to pick a new state of residence: the Constitution penalizes tickets with presidential and VP candidates who hail from the same state. Trump has residences in several places‚ including his native state — which means there’s more than one way the GOP could wind up with a New York-Florida ticket this November. Daniel McCarthy is the editor of Modern Age: A Conservative Review. To read more by Daniel McCarthy‚ visit www.creators.com

One of the ways that taxpayer-funded NPR and PBS shows abuse their involuntary conservative funders is by pretending people who earnestly back Joe Biden over Donald Trump can still be defined somehow as "conservative." You can be an anti-Trump conservative‚ but you can't be a Vote-for-Biden conservative.  On Monday's Morning Edition‚ NPR anchor Michel Martin harped twice on the fake news that pro-Biden pundit Bill Kristol is still a "conservative." Martin explained "Democrats hope there are enough disaffected Republicans out there to give President Biden a boost." After airing a free snippet of a Biden ad with audio of Trump attacking Nikki Haley as "Birdbrain‚" Martin introduced the interview this way: But is that message getting through? We're going to ask conservative writer and editor Bill Kristol about this. He previously served in the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush‚ both Republicans. Good morning‚ Mr. Kristol. Martin repeated the falsehood at the end:  Okay. That is conservative writer‚ former Republican Bill Kristol‚ who served in the George H.W. Bush and Reagan administrations. Mr. Kristol‚ thanks so much for joining us. Make that three labels if you count the online summary: "Democrats are trying to win over Republican voters reluctant to vote for former President Donald Trump in 2024. Conservative writer Bill Kristol joins the program to see if the effort will resonate." But this notion fell apart in the actual interview:  MARTIN: And here's where I put you on the spot. As a person who has made your distaste for the former president clear‚ for many‚ many‚ many reasons‚ are you going to vote for Joe Biden? KRISTOL: Oh‚ yeah‚ I am. I did last time‚ and I did some work for him‚ and I'll do that again this time. But the key is the former Trump supporters‚ I think‚ and Trump administration members who you mentioned‚ getting them out there. Look‚ I've been against Trump since 2015. I don't have that much credibility‚ perhaps‚ with those swing voters anymore. But I think the people who do are people who said‚ I voted for Trump twice‚ or‚ I worked for Trump‚ and I saw him up close‚ and that's where Mike Pence and Mark Esper and people like that are so important. MARTIN: And before we let you go‚ do you still consider yourself a Republican? KRISTOL: No‚ not really. An ex-Republican. Kristol hopes Mike Pence or Mark Esper can seal the deal with those Nikki Haley voters‚ like Mike Pence would back Biden? PBS also recently tried to brand Kristol as a Republican on the March 14 Amanpour &; Co. show:  ISAACSON: You are among the Republicans who've led the resistance to Donald Trump. Now‚ that he's apparently the nominee‚ there's no stopping him‚ what are you going to do? KRISTOL: I mean‚ I've been an ex-Republican‚ honestly‚ for a while… We can guess that the very minute a Democrat comes out against voting for Biden‚ no one on NPR or PBS would describe them as a "Democrat" or a "progressive."