More poop incidents occurred on the streets of San Francisco in 2022 than any other year‚ according to a new poop map revealed by Open The Books. Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held up a map of poop in San Francisco at a debate between DeSantis and Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom Thursday‚ arguing that […]

Our own government has waged “psychological operations” and other attacks on the free speech rights of the American people. That’s according to witnesses at a Thursday hearing of the House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. "One's commitment to free speech means nothing if it does not extend to your political enemies."@Shellenberger details how the federal government worked with social media platforms to censor conservative speech in his opening statement at today's hearing. pic.twitter.com/FOqYyi6rYc— Weaponization Committee (@Weaponization) November 30‚ 2023 The hearing was part of a series following up on last year’s disturbing revelations of the so-called Twitter Files. Among the notable revelations during the massive data release from X‚ formerly known as Twitter‚ was that the U.S. government worked with Big Tech companies to manipulate public opinion and silence critics. Journalist Matt Taibbi was asked by Rep. Elise Stefanik‚ R-N.Y.‚ what he thought was the most disturbing allegation against the government in his review of the Twitter Files. “The regular stream‚ organized stream‚ of communication between the FBI‚ Department of Homeland Security‚ and the largest tech companies in the country‚” he replied. Author Michael Shellenberger explained the techniques the federal government used to censor speech. “My colleagues and I published the first batch of internal files from ‘The Cyber Threat Intelligence League‚’ which show U.S. and U.K. military contractors working in 2019 and 2020 to both censor and turn sophisticated psychological operations and disinformation tactics‚ developed abroad‚ against the American people‚” Shellenberger said‚ the Washington Examiner reported. Shellenberger noted that while the First Amendment prohibits the government from impinging on the freedom of speech‚ and the Supreme Court has ruled against working with private parties toward the same ends‚ there is “now a large body of evidence proving that the government did precisely that.” Federal courts have ruled against the Biden administration on this issue. In July‚ a federal appeals court ruled in Missouri v. Biden that what the administration did represented “the most massive attack against free speech in United States history.” The court issued an injunction on the administration working with Big Tech companies. However‚ the Supreme Court paused the injunction in October‚ and the case will be reviewed by the justices.  In a dissent‚ Justice Samuel Alito said that stopping the injunction could be “giving the government a green light to use heavy-handed tactics to skew the presentation of views” on social media. So the problem persists. “The abuses of power my colleagues and I have documented go well beyond censorship‚” Shellenberger said. “They also include what appears to be an effort by government officials and contractors‚ including the FBI‚ to frame certain individuals as posing a threat of domestic terrorism for their political beliefs.” In a follow-up interview with Fox News on Friday‚ Shellenberger said that what the U.S. government did was similar to tactics it uses to go after foreign opponents. In this case‚ the state was turned on supporters of former President Donald Trump. It’s funny how President Joe Biden and the Left always say that Trump is destroying democracy. They would know something about that‚ I suppose. They’ve turned attacks on democracy into a science. That’s certainly one of the most disturbing and telling chapters in American history. That the federal government has been actively coordinating with private companies to crush domestic foes is in some ways worse than if the government just did it alone. It means that many big companies‚ especially in Big Tech‚ are willing to make themselves an appendage of the federal government. The distinction between the government and the private sector has effectively been blurred. Not only does it appear that Democrats and the Left want to put Biden’s 2020 and possibly 2024 presidential opponent in jail‚ it looks like they want to target Trump’s supporters‚ too. What does that mean for elections in this country? Is even the idea of self-government becoming a farce as unelected federal bureaucrats manipulate public opinion on a whim and get whatever president they choose? Whatever form of government that is‚ it’s a far cry from the limited constitutional republic this country was created to be. 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 Our Government Colludes With Big Tech‚ Making Farce of Free Speech Rights appeared first on The Daily Signal.

America is not the only country with an interest in countering the threat of an aggressive Communist China that’s intent on world domination. Its allies in the Indo-Pacific are keenly interested in preserving a free and open region as well. In a meeting last week between Australia and India‚ Australia’s defense minister said that for both of their nations‚ China is their biggest trading partner as well as their biggest security anxiety. Indian and Australian officials met in New Delhi‚ where Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defense Minister Richard Marles discussed further deepening economic and strategic collaboration with their Indian counterparts. Significantly‚ Indian officials seemed far more willing to identify China as a primary security challenge than they have been in the past. This is only the latest in a series of meetings between members of the Quad—a diplomatic and security network among the United States‚ Australia‚ India‚ and Japan—throughout this year. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited both India and the United States this year‚ and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted President Joe Biden back in September. At last week’s meeting‚ China in the context of regional security was the primary point of discussion between the Australian ministers and Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of External Affairs Subramanyam Jaishankar. Marles stated‚ “For both of us‚ China is our biggest trading partner. For both of us‚ China is our biggest security anxiety.” Jaishankar commented positively about “real momentum” in the India-Australia relationship. Marles stated that in the increasingly polarized world‚ and even in their own countries‚ unity against a common threat is essential. The Australian and Indian defense ministers referred to future collaborations regarding artificial intelligence‚ air-to-air military jet refueling‚ and anti-submarine and anti-drone warfare. The defense ministers seek to establish a security “routine” and recognize that a strong defense partnership would “augur well” for security in the entire Indo-Pacific‚ not just for their own countries. The overall message was clear: They will not roll over for China. Australia has been subjected to attempts at economic coercion over the years‚ with the Chinese imposing trade bans and tariffs to punish the Australians over both economic and political disagreements. In 2018‚ an Australian law banning Chinese company Huawei’s 5G network—and later‚ its calls for an investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic—prompted a breakdown in Australia-China relations that took years to restore. Now‚ new Australian collaboration with the U.S. and U.K. on nuclear submarines has not been well received in Beijing. Australia’s and India’s issues with China have a military dimension as well. Last week‚ an Australian military diver was injured after a Chinese warship “acted in a dangerous manner” by operating its sonar while the diver was underwater‚ even though the Australian warship had notified the Chinese Navy destroyer that the diving operation was underway. Meanwhile‚ India is engaged in an ongoing border dispute with China that has turned violent in recent years‚ with China still claiming over 50‚000 square miles of Indian territory.   These serve as reminders that‚ while potential Chinese military action against Taiwan remains the most dire threat at the moment‚ there are multiple other potential flashpoints in the region‚ including new provocations by Chinese forces against Filipino vessels in the South China Sea. America’s partners and allies in the Indo-Pacific offer a contrast to some of those in Europe‚ given their willingness to increase defense spending and invest in militaries that are capable of acting as force multipliers to U.S. troops in the region. Having allies willing to take concrete steps to counter China is a key part of the broader American-led effort to deter China and rally regional democracies to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. 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 America’s Indo-Pacific Allies Working Together to Help Deter China appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Henry Alfred Kissinger died Wednesday at the age of 100. While there will be many assessments of the nature of Kissinger’s foreign policy legacy‚ there can be no question that he was among the most consequential Americans on the world stage during the second half of the twentieth century. My understanding of Kissinger comes in the context of his long-time relationship with another equally consequential—and controversial—contemporary American titan: Donald Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld introduced me to Kissinger in 2008‚ and my acquaintance with him was very much through the lens of my long association with Rumsfeld. While their inter-agency battles in the 1970s are well known‚ what is less understood is the firm and enduring friendship they established in the half-century that was to follow‚ which in its own way recalled the later-in-life rapprochement between John Adams in Thomas Jefferson. Kissinger and Rumsfeld met during the 1968 presidential campaign when Kissinger was advising candidate Richard Nixon on foreign policy while Rumsfeld‚ then a member of Congress‚ acted as a Nixon surrogate on the campaign trail. Over the ensuing decade‚ they would work closely together in the Nixon and then the Ford administrations in the White House as well as in the departments‚ with Rumsfeld even working directly for then-Secretary of State Kissinger in 1974 as ambassador to NATO during one of the most turbulent times in America history: Watergate. Throughout‚ Kissinger and Rumsfeld clashed repeatedly over critical matters of state‚ and these clashes could become harsh‚ and even personal. In Washington‚ such friction in any presidential administration almost inevitably results in score-settling and tell-all memoirs‚ not to mention decades of back-biting and sniping to the press. But when I met Kissinger at Rumsfeld’s office in 2008 in the early stages of writing Rumsfeld’s autobiography‚ “Known and Unknown‚” their relationship was the height of easy collegiality. For anyone who has served in government‚ particularly in the White House‚ the stories they told of their service together were epic. Kissinger spoke repeatedly about what he called Rumsfeld’s “bureaucratic knife-fighting skills.” He recalled that when Rumsfeld was chief of staff for President Gerald Ford in 1975‚ he was such a master of the process that even when Kissinger was dual-hatted as both national security advisor and secretary of state‚ Rumsfeld was able to slow-walk or even kill some of his key priorities. Clearly still frustrated all those decades later‚ he looked across the table at me‚ and in that inimitable German accent‚ said slowly‚ “It was masterful.” One of Rumsfeld’s favorite Kissinger stories was about being on an overseas trip in 1976 as secretary of defense when he received a cable about Kissinger’s activities that enraged him‚ including allegations of damaging press leaks. Rumsfeld marched straight back to his accompanying press pool and gave them a scathing quote about the secretary of state. The reporters wondered how they should attribute it‚ and Rumsfeld snapped‚ “Attribute it to the senior-most official on Rumsfeld’s plane.” He wanted Kissinger to know it came straight from him. Rumsfeld’s wife‚ Joyce‚ also had a story to tell. She recalled a time when they and the Kissingers both happened to be in the Dominican Republic in 1979 after they were all back in the private sector. At a party at the home of a mutual friend‚ Joyce spied Kissinger across the room. She ran over and hugged him and exclaimed in her own distinctive Chicago accent‚ “Henry‚ I have to thank you for a new experience. I am actually happy to see you!” The room broke up in laughter. Serving in government at the highest levels is not for the faint of heart‚ and the issue that fueled Kissinger and Rumsfeld’s sparring was the most consequential of the time: the prosecution of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. While our global challenges in 2023 are certainly significant‚ the 1970s were also not a walk in the park. Nixon’s resignation shook the nation in 1974‚ and the fall of Saigon created a pervasive global sense that the United States was in retreat while the Soviet Union was on the march. Kissinger‚ ever the diplomat‚ favored détente and arms control negotiations to manage the relationship with the USSR. Rumsfeld‚ as a retired Navy pilot and the secretary of defense‚ wanted to engage in a significant American military buildup to counter what he understood to be dangerously increasing Soviet capabilities. While Ford was personally closer to Rumsfeld‚ he seemed likely to espouse Kissinger’s approach were he elected in 1976. Rumsfeld recalled in “Known and Unknown” “that Kissinger and I had differing views on the arms treaty with the Soviets posed a problem for Ford … [he] made it clear to me that he was unhappy with our position in the Defense Department.” In the end‚ however‚ Ford lost that election to Jimmy Carter‚ and the prosecution of the Cold War ultimately fell to President Ronald Reagan while Kissinger and Rumsfeld went their separate ways. Over the years‚ however‚ their mutual respect became an enduring friendship that also included Ford. When Ford told Rumsfeld that in his memoir‚ “A Time to Heal‚” he would be putting the blame for not getting to a Strategic Arms Limitation Talks deal on Rumsfeld and Brezhnev‚ Rumsfeld replied‚ “Well‚ Mr. President‚ I can live with that.” I was honored to sit beside Kissinger earlier this fall at a small dinner party‚ and we talked about his relationship with Rumsfeld. He told me the knife-fighting story again‚ but then told me he thought Rumsfeld would have made a great president‚ despite their disagreements. Now they can hash it out in heaven. RIP Henry. 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 A Rumsfeld Acolyte Remembers Kissinger appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Kittens spotted near a barn without a cat mother now have warmth and comfort away from the cold. Piruli and GalopinCOMRescueMontrealMembers of the public found three little kittens near a barn and later discovered that their cat mother succumbed to the harsh realities of living outdoors.Micheline and Julie couldn't leave the kittens to fend for themselves and stepped in to rescue them. They got the less fearful but starving tabby quickly. His siblings‚ however‚ kept eluding the rescuers until about a week later.The trio was estimated to be two months old. The tabby brothers‚ Piruli and Galopin‚ were nearly twice the size of their gray sister. They were found near a barn desperately needing rescueCOMRescueMontrealThey were brought into the care of Chatons Orphelins Montreal‚ a local animal rescue. Despite their best efforts to save them all‚ the runt of the litter sadly lost her battle with illness. The two remaining kittens began to perk up.They were cleaned up and treated for an upper respiratory infection and some stomach issues. The kind people brought the kittens to their local animal rescue for helpCOMRescueMontreal"They recovered quickly and were able to gain weight and grow‚" the rescue shared. "They went to their foster home where they learned to eat kitten food from a dish."The two brothers were side by side‚ like two peas in a pod. The feline brothers are like two peas in a podCOMRescueMontrealThey were pampered with bountiful food and treats and all the blankets at their disposal. "They became such sweet and affectionate kittens. They love to beg for attention from people and would play all day with them if they could."They would never have to spend another day hungry or out in the cold as they curled up in their blanket fort‚ purring up a storm. Piruli (dark nose) and Galopin (pink nose)COMRescueMontreal"Piruli and Galopin look almost identical‚ each with a different colored nose. Even though they look similar‚ they are two different characters."Piruli is a mischief-maker who wants to play and cuddle whenever possible. He is happy-go-lucky and trails behind his people around the house. "We have to be careful when we walk because he likes to go between our legs." They love snoozing in their cozy blanket fortCOMRescueMontrealWhen it's evening‚ Piruli will curl up next to a warm body on the couch or the bed and fill the room with his soothing purrs.Once the kittens gained access to the rest of the house‚ they explored in tandem. Standing in front of a TV‚ they were enthralled by the mesmerizing glow‚ gazing up at the screen together attentively. The two brothers discovered the big TV and were fascinatedCOMRescueMontreal"Galopin is a bit cross-eyed‚ but he's never clumsy. He is very chatty and loves talking to people. He isn't shy about sharing his many 'opinions.'"When Galopin wants his brother to come over and play‚ he rolls on his back to give him the signal. They are endearing‚ lovable‚ and easygoing." The kittens are very playful and affectionateCOMRescueMontrealThe two brothers enjoy romping around the house‚ chasing each other until their batteries run out. They then nestle together on their human or in a bed on a cat tree to recharge.The orphaned kittens survived the harsh outdoors and now thrive in a loving home where blankets are plentiful‚ food is abundant‚ and love is endless. COMRescueMontrealShare this story with your friends. More on the two feline brothers and other cats and kittens like them at Chatons Orphelins Montreal on Instagram and Facebook.Related story: Cat Gives Indoor life a Try After Living Outside Most of His Life‚ Turns Out It's the Best Thing Ever

Israel Knew About Hamas' Attack Plan a Year in Advance But Didn't Take It Seriously

Feel-Good Friday: Levi Williams Edition

The Global Warming Outside is Frightful: UK Edition

On Friday's Morning Joe‚ MSNBC host Joe Scarborough unsubtly suggested that the U.S. should cut off funding for Israel until Benjamin Netanyahu was deposed as prime minister: "Israel needs U.S. funding . . . I'm not so sure that Congress and the President want to approve even more money for Israel until we know that there's actually somebody running Israel that even the Israelis support."  Scarborough obviously detested Netanyahu and‚ in his tirade‚ accused him of ignoring the dangers in Gaza‚ focusing instead on the West Bank. But regardless of Scarborough's opinion‚ Netanyahu was and‚ at least for the present‚ remained the duly elected prime minister. So‚ how would things play out if Scarborough's suggestion were adopted‚ and US funding for the Israeli war effort were cut off? Surely there would be much rejoicing in Gaza and among the terrorists of Hamas at the prospect of a weakened Israel‚ deprived of vital resources needed to defend itself and take the fight to Hamas. The terror group's incentives to release more hostages would also be diminished since it would not be facing the same level of military pressure from Israel. Scarborough's foray into regime-change power politics might inflate his ego‚ but the results could be disastrous if implemented. For that matter‚ such a strategy could backfire on Bibi-haters like Scarborough. In the U.S.‚ Trump's multiple legal travails had strengthened his support. If there's one thing that might cause the independent-minded Israeli populace to rally around Netanyahu‚ it could be a heavy-handed attempt by the US to dictate Israel's internal politics. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: MSNBC's Morning Joe 12/1/23 6:09 am ET MIKA BRZEZINSKI: So let's go into the "why" here a little deeper‚ into the New York Times report that Israel knew that Hamas was planning a wide-scale assault a year before the October 7th terrorist attack—one year. According to the Times‚"Israeli officials obtained an approximately 40-page document which they code named‚ as Ed said‚ Jericho Wall. It outlined‚ point by point‚ exactly the kind of devastating invasion that led to the deaths of about 1‚200 people‚" probably many more.  The Times writes‚ "Israeli military and intelligence officials dismissed the plan as aspirational‚ considering it too difficult for Hamas to carry out." Earlier this morning‚ Israeli defense forces responded to the report‚ writing in a statement‚ quote‚ the IDF is currently focused on eliminating the threat from the terrorist organization‚ Hamas. Questions of this kind will be looked at into a later stage. And I will say‚ Joe‚ that has been the answer from Benjamin Netanyahu and his people every step of the way. We'll talk about this later. JOE SCARBOROUGH: The problem with that is‚ and we're going to talk to Jackie [Alemany] about this very soon -- MIKA: And the reporter behind this piece. SCARBOROUGH: Right. The problem with that is Israel needs U.S. funding. We need to know what we're funding. Are we funding Benjamin Netanyahu? Are we funding his designs to stay in power? Are we funding an operation where we have to look and guess‚ okay‚ well‚ is this in the best interest of the Israeli people‚ or is this in the best interest of a prime minister who deliberately focused on the West Bank? Deliberately turned a blind eye to this plan for a year? A year‚ where it's specifically laid out. So‚ I'm not so sure that Congress and the president want to approve even more money for Israel until we know that there's actually somebody running Israel that even the Israelis support. The Israelis don't trust Benjamin Netanyahu. The region doesn't trust Benjamin Netanyahu. Political leaders in the United States don't trust Benjamin Netanyahu. So there's not really a "later." Later is now.

Actress Julianna Margulies is getting furious backlash from liberals on social media after she criticized some in the black community for protesting against Israel in its war against the Hamas terror organization. Margulies made the comments while appearing as a guest on the "Back Room with Andy Ostroy" podcast. “I am the first person to jump up when something is wrong‚ as I think most Jews are‚ because we have been persecuted from the beginning of time‚ not just in World War II‚ but literally from the beginning of time when we first lived in Israel‚ way before anybody else‚” Margulies said. “Before one bomb was dropped on October 7‚ before one bomb was dropped in retaliation for a brutal‚ barbaric attack‚ people were already on their bullhorns saying the Jews deserved it‚" she added. "What? Where’s your humanity? They put babies in ovens and killed them.” “The reason is‚ people hate Jews‚” Ostroy said before adding later‚ “You know‚ if we use the wrong pronouns on college campuses‚ there’d be an uproar.” “Oh my god‚ forget it‚” Margulies responded. “It’s those kids who are spewing this antisemitic hate that have no idea if they stepped foot in an Islamic country—these people who want us to call them they/them‚ or whatever they want us to call them... it’s those people that will be the first people beheaded and their heads played with like a soccer ball‚ like a soccer ball on the field. And that’s who they’re supporting: terrorists who don’t want women to have their rights.” She went on to say that she was supportive of the Black Lives Matter movement and of LGBTQ rights but was upset that many in those communities turned against the Jewish community. She cited the history of Jews marching with blacks during the Civil Rights struggles of the 1960s. “Jews died for their cause. Where’s the history lesson in that? Who’s teaching these kids?” Margulies continued. “Because the fact that the entire Black community isn’t standing with us to me says either they just don’t know‚ or they’ve been brainwashed to hate Jews. But when you’ve been marginalized so much as a community‚ the way I feel we have‚ isn’t that when you step up?” Many on the left lambasted the actress on social media over the comments. "Wish I could say that Julianna Margulies' racist rant against Black people is an outlier. But as I've said before‚ I've heard this same sentiment from supposedly liberal circles. Solidarity w/ Black people is transactional. We are supposed to be grateful charity recipients‚" responded Washington Post editor Karen Attiah. "I wish trifling (racist) ass Julianna Margulies would shut the F*K UP! ppl always talking about black people to stand with them when you don’t stand with black people. It’s always so performative‚" replied another detractor. "You can't spell Julianna Margulies without LIES which is exactly what the racist Zionist bulls*** she's spouting is‚" wrote another critic online. Margulies is best known for her roles on "ER‚ "The Good Wife‚" and most recently in "The Morning Show." Here's video of Julianna Margulies' comments: Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!