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The first human megasites may have been completely egalitarian‚ with social equality helping to attract thousands of people to these massive prehistoric settlements. According to a new analysis‚ the eventual demise of this parity and the emergence of a more stratified social order might have triggered the abandonment of these ancient metropoles.Located on the Pontic Steppe in what is now Ukraine‚ Moldova‚ and Romania‚ the so-called Trypillia megasites first arose roughly 6‚200 years ago. Quickly ballooning in size‚ these Neolithic settlements expanded to cover areas of around 320 hectares (790 acres)‚ with each site housing up to 15‚000 people during the Trypillia culture’s heyday.However‚ despite rising to become the largest prehistoric settlements in the world‚ these sites were largely uninhabited by about 5‚600 years ago. To try and determine how and why the Trypillia centers flourished so spectacularly before plummeting into oblivion‚ the authors of a new study used Gini coefficients as a means of assessing household inequality in these ancient cities.Often used to measure the inequality of incomes within a given society‚ the Gini coefficient is a well-established tool for detecting unevenness. In this case‚ the researchers used the method to analyze variations in the floor sizes of approximately 7‚000 houses from 38 different Trypillia sites.“Assuming that the variability in the floor size of houses reflects differences in household wealth‚ we can discern a decline in social inequality in Trypillia communities until at least 3800 [BCE]‚” write the study authors. In addition to a lack of difference in house sizes‚ the researchers also note that “the architecture of the houses (i.e. floor plan and construction) shows a high degree of standardization‚ as do the furnishing of the houses and the economic activities detectable within.”Examining the overall design of Trypillia sites‚ the researchers go on to explain that the round or oval layout of these settlements “ensured equal access to structural elements and infrastructure.” Meanwhile‚ the presence of “multifunctional assembly houses” in public spaces indicates that the whole community may have participated in political decision-making processes.“The development outlined here suggests that both an egalitarian ideology and effective mechanisms for avoiding social inequality must have existed within Trypillia communities‚” wite the study authors. “It implies intra-settlement mechanisms for reconciling interests and redistributing surpluses that might have been established collectively‚” they add.Based on this interpretation‚ the researchers posit that social equality “may have been decisive for attracting‚ for a time‚ large numbers of people to these communities.” However‚ from about 3800 BCE onwards‚ the spatial arrangement of Trypillia settlements began to change‚ possibly reflecting a rise in inequality and the development of a social hierarchy.It is also around this time that the Trypillia megasites begin to decrease in size as smaller communities start to appear in the surrounding countryside. According to the study authors‚ this may indicate that people decided to abandon the primordial cities once the egalitarian dream began to fade.“The demise of large Trypillia settlements and the formation of smaller communities in the surrounding regions starts just when social inequality begins to increase again‚” write the researchers. “Thus‚ the end of the aggregated Trypillia communities and mega-sites coincided with when the mechanisms of social levelling and political participation began to fail and social inequality re-emerged‚” they conclude.The study is published in the journal Antiquity.

Pythagoras is famed for the theorem that probably gave you a headache in high school‚ clever cup designs‚ and his… erm… unusual beliefs about legumes. But the “father of numbers” had his fingers in all sorts of pies‚ and one other area where he made great strides was in the world of music. All these centuries later‚ however‚ new research is suggesting that Pythagoras’ ideas about musical harmony may not be as universal as once thought.“Our findings challenge the traditional idea that harmony can only be one way‚ that chords have to reflect these mathematical relationships. We show that there are many more kinds of harmony out there‚ and that there are good reasons why other cultures developed them‚” explained study co-author Dr Peter Harrison‚ Director of Cambridge University’s Centre for Music and Science‚ in a statement.A lot of Western music theory relies on the idea of “consonance”‚ of creating combinations of notes that sound pleasant together. Pythagoras identified the link between the ratio of frequencies of musical notes and consonance.For example‚ if we play a two-note chord where one of the notes has exactly half or double the frequency of the other‚ we in the Western world understand this as an octave. The notes sound concordant with each other – nothing is clashing‚ and the sound is perceived as pleasant.Different ratios produce other intervals that are considered consonant‚ such as the perfect fifth (3:2 ratio). But whilst a lot of the music we know has been built on these principles‚ in reality it seems humans prefer things to be a little rougher round the edges.Through online behavioral experiments with over 4‚000 people from the US and South Korea‚ the researchers gathered data on how people perceive the pleasantness of different chords.“We prefer slight amounts of deviation. We like a little imperfection because this gives life to the sounds‚ and that is attractive to us‚” Harrison said.As well as this‚ a lot of these traditional ideas about harmony simply don’t apply when we look at instruments that are less familiar to Western musicians. The team focused particularly on the bonang‚ an instrument comprising a collection of small gongs that forms part of the traditional Indonesian percussion ensemble gamelan.  A musician playing the bonang in a gamelan performance in Yogyakarta‚ Indonesia.Image credit: aditya_frzhm/Shutterstock.com“When we use instruments like the bonang‚ Pythagoras's special numbers go out the window and we encounter entirely new patterns of consonance and dissonance. The shape of some percussion instruments means that when you hit them‚ and they resonate‚ their frequency components don’t respect those traditional mathematical relationships‚” Harrison explained.“That's when we find interesting things happening.”While the bonang’s harmonic patterns map perfectly onto the musical scale used in its native Indonesia‚ the chords it can play cannot be recreated on a Western piano‚ for instance‚ because it simply isn’t tuned that way.But even people who’ve never heard gamelan music before can still appreciate its tonal consonance‚ as the team discovered‚ opening up a world of exciting possibilities for composers and musicians to try out new combinations of instruments and sounds.  “Quite a lot of pop music now tries to marry Western harmony with local melodies from the Middle East‚ India‚ and other parts of the world‚” Harrison explained.“Musicians and producers might be able to make that marriage work better if they took account of our findings and considered changing the ‘timbre’‚ the tone quality‚ by using specially chosen real or synthesized instruments. Then they really might get the best of both worlds: harmony and local scale systems.”The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.

Polar bears are the world’s largest land carnivore‚ growing up to 3 meters (10 feet) in length and weighing over 800 kilograms (1‚700 pounds)‚ but did you know that they begin life no bigger than a stick of butter? With a birthweight of around 500 grams (17 ounces)‚ polar bear cubs pop out about 1/400th the size of mom‚ but luckily‚ the magic of polar parenting has been caught on camera.The den visualization footage was shot in captivity and provided by Polar Bears International’s zoo partners at Toledo Zoo &; Aquarium. It shows the newborn polar bear cubs against their mother’s comparatively massive snout‚ resting ahead of the big job of beefing up her tiny polar bear babies.       To find out more about how these tiny wee butter-stick babies survive and – for the lucky ones – live long enough to grow to around 400 times their birthweight‚ IFLScience marked International Polar Bear Day by speaking to Alysa McCall‚ Polar Bears International Director of Conservation Outreach and Staff Scientist. As it turns out‚ growing from a blind‚ toothless ball of fine fluff into the world’s largest land predator involves bulking up thick and fast.Where do polar bear cubs come from?Alysa McCall: Polar bear gestation is only about a couple months. After a female successfully mates out on the sea ice‚ the fertilized egg undergoes a small number of divisions and then enters a state known as delayed implantation. The fertilized egg develops no further until autumn‚ around October‚ when the female’s body “decides” whether it has enough fat stored to be able to have cubs. If the answer is no‚ the fertilized egg is either shed or reabsorbed. If the answer is yes‚ the fertilized egg(s) will then implant and the growth of the cubs begins‚ with the birth of the tiny cubs taking place only a couple of months later in about December. How quickly do polar bear cubs develop?AM: The cubs grow rapidly on their mother's rich milk which is ~31 percent fat when cubs are born – the fattiest milk we find on land. By 3 months old‚ cubs may weigh ~10–12 kilograms (22-26 pounds)‚ meaning they’ve grown approximately 20 times their original body weight in 12 weeks. If newborn humans did this‚ we’d need adult-size bassinets. "By 2 years old‚ male cubs can be as big as their moms."Image credit: KT Miller / Polar Bears InternationalCubs continue growing rapidly‚ more than doubling their weight between den emergence and their first birthday‚ and yet again between their first and second birthdays. By 2 years old‚ male cubs can be as big as their moms and weigh hundreds of pounds. The mother bear’s rich milk is a significant contributor to the rapid growth of cubs but comes at a significant cost to mom.What are some of the toughest challenges faced by polar bear cubs and moms?AM: Polar bear moms have an incredibly tough job. They have only about 2.3 years to teach their cubs how to be successful polar bears‚ including how to find and hunt prey‚ how to navigate their shifting sea ice habitat‚ how to avoid dangers like adult male polar bears‚ and seasonal migration patterns. This gets even harder when you consider how fast their sea ice habitat is already changing in some parts of their range. Not to mention that moms are continuously nursing; though their milk fat content decreases as cubs age‚ lactation is incredibly energetically costly to mom.What questions are Polar Bears International hoping to answer with their den research?AM: Cub survival rates can vary greatly by region and annual sea ice conditions‚ but on average only about 50 percent of cubs live past their first year. In parts of the Arctic with more sea ice loss‚ cub survival rates are even lower.It is critical that we work to protect vulnerable moms and cubs which we are doing through a variety of research projects. Better understanding the needs of denning families is vitally important especially as human activities increase across the Arctic. Such knowledge can make a real difference for polar bear families – providing a scientific framework to inform policy and help ensure critical protections.  Our long-term den emergence studies in Alaska and Svalbard add to our understanding of moms and cubs during this sensitive time period – providing data on their needs and vulnerabilities. One of our studies focused on how denning families react to disturbances – data that directly relates to oil and gas development and other human activities. The findings underscore the importance of adequate buffer zones to shield moms and cubs from harm. Another study found that current den-detection surveys‚ conducted by the oil and gas industry to locate and hence protect polar bear dens‚ have been missing over half of known dens. The high failure rate has implications for policy decisions in sensitive denning areas like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Our team is now researching a promising new den-detection method that could greatly improve our ability to locate dens under the snow‚ helping to identify and protect denning areas to ensure the safety of moms and cubs.How can people support polar bear cubs this International Polar Bear Day?AM: Tune in to our events. Watch a video dispatch from our den study team in Svalbard‚ Norway‚ and join us for a live Q&;A with staff in Churchill‚ Manitoba‚ Canada. Find the schedule and details here.Donate to protect moms and cubs. From better understanding the denning period‚ to protecting moms and cubs from disturbances‚ and addressing the overarching threat of climate change‚ your gift will help polar bear families. 

Marlin and sailfish are some of the oceans' top predators and some of the fastest fish on the planet. Marlin have been known to hunt in groups‚ taking it in turns to stun and then snatch sardines from the middle of a school. Now‚ using new drone technology‚ researchers have revealed a surprising insight into how these fish coordinate their attacks without injuring each other‚ and it’s all to do with color.Striped marlin (Kajikia audax) have been known to change color‚ but the drone footage revealed to the team that attacking marlin became much brighter in the stripes along their bodies before they attacked‚ and then returned to the pre-hunting color after striking. Marlin possess long‚ elongated rostrums or snouts that can be used to help stun and catch their prey‚ but also can injure other animals in the tropical waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They can measure 4 meters long (14 feet) and weigh around 113-204 kilograms (250-450 pounds)‚ according to NOAA.“We documented for the first time rapid color change in a group-hunting predator‚ the striped marlin‚ as groups of marlin hunted schools of sardines‚” says Alicia Burns of Humboldt University in Berlin‚ Germany in a statement. The researchers analyzed 12 video clips of marlin hunting Pacific sardines (Sardinops sagax) in this way. Two different marlin were present in each clip to allow the researchers to compare the colors between the two.      “We found that the attacking marlin 'lit up' and became much brighter than its groupmates as it made its attack before rapidly returning to its 'non-bright' coloration after its attack ended‚” continued Burns. The team think this change in the brightness of the stripes acts as a signal to the non-attacking fish to warn them what is about to happen‚ thereby deterring them from attacking as well and potentially getting injured. It's similar to the way tiny medaka fish also change to a darker color before attacking other fish within the same tank. “Color change in predators is rare‚ but especially so in group-hunting predators‚” Burns said. “Although it is known that marlin can change color‚ this is the first time it's been linked to hunting or any social behavior.”The team plan to investigate whether the marlin change color when hunting alone‚ or if they change the brightness of their stripes in any other social context. They also plan to see if other fish with color-changing abilities use their stripes in the same way. The study is published in Current Biology.

On Wednesday‚ Hunter Biden is set to be deposed in closed door testimony to Congress. If recent history is a guide‚ expect the leftist media to ignore it if there are any bombshells that hurt Team Biden.  Pretty much the only time the media talk about the Biden family scandals is if it hurts the GOP. As seen when they bragged that the February 15 arrest of an FBI informant for giving false information in the Hunter case‚ as NBC correspondent Ryan Nobles declared “dealt a blow” to all of their investigations. ABC World News Tonight anchor David Muir on the February 21 broadcast crowed: “Our Pierre Thomas tonight asks Republicans in the House‚ how do you move forward if the main informant was lying?” But as NewsBusters has been tracking‚ and New York Post columnist Miranda Devine pointed out‚ there is an “avalanche of evidence” that hasn’t been debunked.  The following are just a few of the Biden family scandal items from the last three months — leading up to the Hunter deposition — that have received no coverage on ABC‚ CBS and NBC’s evening or morning shows‚ nor their Sunday roundtable shows:    Hunter Biden’s Billionaire Pals in Russia Escape Sanctions List…AGAIN On February 23‚ the New York Post reported:  Two Russian billionaire pals of Hunter Biden were again spared from being hit by financial sanctions as President Biden announced his latest round of penalties on numerous Vladimir Putin-connected people Friday‚ the Post has learned. Though some 500 Russian oligarchs‚ companies and third-country sanctions evaders were hit‚ real estate developer Yelena Baturina and Vladimir Yevtushenkov again skated free of winding up on the list. The White House did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment and has not offered explanation in the past as the pair dodged earlier rounds of sanctions. The omissions have attracted the attention of House Republicans leading an impeachment inquiry into the president’s links to his relatives’ foreign business dealings. Baturina‚ the widow of late Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov‚ built her $1.3 billion fortune through real estate and investments and dined with Hunter Biden and then-Vice President Joe Biden at least once at DC’s Café Milano. ABC‚ CBS‚ NBC evening and morning show coverage: 0 seconds.   Jim Biden Used His Brother’s Name to Promote Americore Hospital Chain‚ That Was Accused of Medicare Fraud and Has Now Collapsed On February 18‚ Politico reported:  In 2017‚ a hospital operator set out to build a rural health care empire with the help of a Philadelphia-area consultant. The consultant‚ Jim Biden‚ had no experience running hospitals. But he did understand the federal government and had ties to labor unions. Perhaps more important‚ he was the younger brother of Joe Biden. The final years of the Obama administration had cemented the former vice president’s towering stature in the world of health care‚ where he had made the fight against cancer a top federal priority and‚ then‚ a centerpiece of his legacy-building efforts. For then 67-year-old Jim Biden‚ the third of four Biden siblings‚ his ties to his older brother made up much of his pitch as he pursued deals that could help Americore make money from drug rehab‚ lab testing and even cancer treatment. “This would be a perfect platform to expose my Brothers team to [your] protocol‚” Jim Biden wrote to the CEO of a Tampa-area company that controlled licensing rights to an experimental cancer treatment the hospital operator wanted to offer. “Could provide a great opportunity for some real exposure.” The email‚ obtained by POLITICO from a person close to the company‚ documents one of the many ways in which Jim Biden invoked his brother’s name and clout in the course of his work with Americore‚ which has since gone bankrupt‚ wreaking havoc in rural communities in the process. ABC‚ CBS‚ NBC evening and morning show coverage: 0 seconds.   Hunter’s Ex-Business Partner: Joe Biden “The Enabler” of the “Family’s Business‚” Was Sold as “The Brand”  On February 16‚ the New York Post reported:  Former Biden family associate Tony Bobulinski steadfastly accused Joe Biden of being involved in his son and brother’s foreign dealings in China in impeachment inquiry testimony that was released publicly Friday — hours after the Justice Department charged an FBI informant for allegedly falsely accusing the Bidens of taking bribes from Ukraine. “Joe Biden was more than a participant in and a beneficiary of his family’s business; he was an enabler‚ despite being buffered by a complex scheme to maintain plausible deniability‚” Bobulinski claimed about the president’s role in a business venture with Chinese state-linked CEFC China Energy. Bobulinski said in his closed-door House testimony Tuesday that Joe Biden was the “brand” hawked by his relatives and that he’s lied repeatedly about not interacting with their partners. The former Navy officer also unveiled a text message indicating that relations with CEFC began in 2015 when Joe Biden was still vice president — before it culminated in millions of dollars in transfers shortly after he left office as VP in 2017. The testimony included a screenshot of an apparent Dec. 24‚ 2015‚ text message to Bobulinski from another associate‚ James Gilliar‚ which corroborated prior testimony from Biden family partner Rob Walker that the CEFC venture began during the final stretch of the Obama-Biden administration. “There will be a deal between one of the most prominent families from US and them constructed by me‚ I think this will then be a great addition to their portfolios as it will give them a profile base in NYC then LA‚ etc‚” the alleged message from Gilliar read. “For me‚ it’s a no-brainer but culturally they are different but smart so let’s see… Any entry ticket is small for them. Easier and better demographic than Arabs who are a little anti-US after Trump.” Bobulinski also repeated his prior claim to have briefly discussed CEFC twice with Joe Biden in May 2017‚ the same month that Gilliar penciled in a 10% cut for the “big guy” — who Bobulinski says was clearly Joe Biden. ABC‚ CBS‚ NBC evening and morning show coverage: 0 seconds.   Records of Biden Family Credit Cards Allegedly Paid for By China Company‚ Subpoenaed By Comer On February 15‚ the New York Post reported:  House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer issued subpoenas Thursday for records on “several” credit cards that the Chinese state-linked company CEFC China Energy allegedly provided members of President Biden’s family for personal expenses — including a card loaded with $100‚000 for a “global spending spree.” “We’re subpoenaing several credit card companies‚” Comer (R-Ky.) said in a morning interview on Fox Business. “Through the interviews and depositions we’ve conducted thus far‚ we’ve learned that there were several credit cards that were used by members of the Biden family — we believe for personal expenses — and we believe that these credit cards were being paid by CEFC or through CEFC-funded affiliates.” An Oversight Committee staff member told The Post that the subpoenas cast a wide net for records as part of the impeachment inquiry into alleged corruption during Joe Biden’s vice presidency. CEFC‚ a now-defunct reputed cog in Beijing’s “Belt and Road” foreign influence campaign‚ was one of the largest and most mysterious sources of overseas income for the first family. … First brother James Biden and first son Hunter Biden reportedly netted more than $7 million in 2017 and 2018 from CEFC for what critics call influence peddling. The first tranche of more than $1 million flowed shortly after Joe Biden met Ye and was a “thank you” for services during his vice presidency‚ Walker said. … CEFC allegedly provided James Biden and his wife‚ Sara Biden‚ with a credit card to go on a $100‚000 “global spending spree‚” according to a September 2020 report by Republican-led Senate committees. The Oversight Committee rep said the panel recently received corroborating information from witnesses. “The American people deserve transparency‚ and these subpoenas will be more evidence of the Biden family’s influence peddling around the globe‚” the committee aide said. ABC‚ CBS‚ NBC evening and morning show coverage: 0 seconds.   E-Mail Allegedly Shows Bidens Were Doing Business with Beijing-Linked Firm While Joe Was VP On February 13‚ the New York Post reported:  A newly surfaced document allegedly helps prove Hunter Biden was working with Chinese state-linked CEFC China Energy while his dad was vice president — as suspected by Republicans leading the impeachment inquiry into reputed corruption by the president. President Biden has repeatedly claimed his family never got money from China​ — despite his own alleged direct involvement in relations with two different Chinese government-backed firms‚ including CEFC. “We anticipate working together on a number of opportunities in the US and abroad‚” says the potentially damning March 22‚ 2016‚ letter addressed to CEFC Executive Director Jianjun Zang on Hunter’s letterhead about 10 months before his dad Joe left office as vice president. “I believe we have presented a collection of projects that parallel the interests of you and your team and we look forward to discussing them in detail‚” says the draft letter to Zang‚ which was distributed among Hunter and his partners Rob Walker and James Gilliar as an e-mail attachment. “As we await your next visit to the United States‚ please continue to coordinate all matters with my confidant and trusted advisor‚ James Gilliar‚” the letter says. ABC‚ CBS‚ NBC evening and morning show coverage: 0 seconds.     Joe Biden Met With the Chairman of Chinese Firm That Hunter Worked With On February 13‚ FoxNews.com reported:  President Biden met with the chairman of the Chinese energy firm Hunter Biden sought to create a joint venture with at the Four Seasons in Washington D.C. in 2017‚ a former business partner of the first son told congressional investigators. Rob Walker‚ a former business associate of Hunter Biden‚ testified at the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees earlier this month as part of the House impeachment inquiry against President Biden. Walker‚ during his closed-door transcribed interview‚ told congressional investigators that Joe Biden attended a meeting where he‚ Hunter Biden‚ their other business partners and CEFC Chairman Ye Jianming were having lunch. … Ye Jianming‚ at the time‚ was the chairman of Chinese energy company CEFC. Walker said the purpose of the meeting was to discuss “ways we could work together.” “I don’t think we had structured a deal on how to work together at this point‚” Walker said‚ noting the meeting lasted “probably an hour and a half‚” but said Biden “was not” there for the entirety of the meeting. “The former vice president was not there the entire time. He was there maybe 10 minutes‚” Walker said. “He spoke nice‚ you know‚ normal pleasantries. I think he probably did most of the talking and then left.” Walker testified that Biden addressed the entire group — which consisted of approximately 10 CEFC-linked individuals— during his visit.  Walker testified that the visit‚ and Biden’s appearance‚ “likely” took place before his Robinson Walker LLC received $3 million from State Energy HK Limited—a CEFC-linked entity. … The House Oversight Committee told Fox News Digital that it can “now confirm Joe Biden met with nearly every foreign national who funneled money to his son‚ including Russian oligarch Yelena Baturina‚ Romanian oligarch Kenes Rakishev‚ Burisma’s corporate secretary Vadym Pozharsky‚ Jonathan Li of BHR‚ and CEFC Chairman Ye Jianming.” ABC‚ CBS‚ NBC evening and morning show coverage: 0 seconds.   GOP Rep Demands IRS Look Into Joe Biden’s Loan Repayments From Jim Biden On January 22‚ the New York Post reported:  Republican Rep. Dan Meuser has demanded the IRS investigate $240‚000 in loan repayments President Biden received from his brother‚ saying the committee probing the financial transactions for foreign business ties has been stonewalled by the White House. “The potential lack of formal written agreements or promissory notes raises questions about the legality and transparency of these loans‚” Meuser (Pa.) wrote in a Jan. 17 letter to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel. “Of particular interest is whether President Biden collected interest on these loan repayments‚ and if so‚ whether this interest was duly reported in his tax filings‚” he added. “If the payments were neither a loan repayment nor a gift‚ they were in fact ordinary income received by Joe Biden‚ Jill Biden‚ or entities connected to them.” Meuser‚ who served as Pennsylvania’s revenue secretary from 2011 to 2015‚ demanded a “thorough review” and “detailed responses” from the IRS about the payments‚ saying it was “not only a matter of tax compliance but also one of upholding the public’s confidence in the integrity of our governmental institutions.” He told The Post that the IRS investigation should be able to “determine the legitimacy of the supposed loan Joe Biden made to his family members that they now claim to be paying back.” “If the IRS cannot verify the existence of the loans‚ then Joe Biden‚ the receiver of the payments‚ is intentionally misrepresenting what the payments were for and is in violation of state and federal tax laws‚” he said. “This falsifying of records would only be done to conceal payments made indirectly to Joe Biden from foreign entities‚ including a $40‚000 payment from a Chinese Communist Party-linked company. If an average citizen had skirted tax law in this manner‚ they would be in jail.” ABC‚ CBS‚ NBC evening and morning show coverage: 0 seconds.   Art Dealer Admits Hunter Knew Names of Art Buyers‚ Despite White House Claims to Contrary On January 9‚ the New York Post reported:  Hunter Biden’s Manhattan art dealer said Tuesday that he never worked with the White House on an ethics pact to ensure buyers would remain anonymous — and added that the top purchasers were known to the first son‚ contrary to prior claims from President Biden’s aides. Georges Bergès also revealed that in addition to the lack of supposed anti-corruption safeguards he actually met and spoke on the phone with the president while repping his son‚ the House Oversight Committee said in a readout of a closed-door deposition. The art dealer testified that Hunter‚ 53‚ knew who bought about 70% of his art — including Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali‚ who obtained works by the first son before and after scoring a prestigious presidential appointment. Bergès disclosed that he personally interacted with Joe Biden on multiple occasions‚ including at a closed-to-press White House wedding for Hunter’s daughter Naomi in 2022. … Hirsh Naftali‚ who scored repeated visits to the White House during the timeframe in question‚ inked a $42‚000 sale in February 2021‚ before her appointment that July by Joe Biden to the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad‚ and then another for $52‚000 in December 2022. Bergès also confirmed that the first son was aware that Hollywood lawyer Kevin Morris‚ who met Hunter at a political fundraiser in December 2019 before bankrolling his tax payments and living expenses‚ was his top patron‚ buying $875‚000 worth of art in a January 2023 deal. “The Biden White House appears to have deceived the American people about facilitating an ethics agreement governing the sale of Hunter Biden’s art‚” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said in a statement. “Hunter Biden’s gallerist never had any communication with the White House about such an agreement to make sure there was any sort of ethics compliance at all‚ and he provided information to the committee revealing how Hunter Biden’s amateur art career is an ethics nightmare.”  ABC‚ CBS‚ NBC evening and morning show coverage: 0 seconds.   Joe Biden Used An Alias In Emails Sent to Hunter’s Business Partners‚ Totaling 327 Times Over Nine Years On December 5‚ FoxNews.com reported:  As vice president‚ Joe Biden used email aliases and private email addresses to communicate with son Hunter Biden and Hunter’s business associates hundreds of times‚ new records released by the House Ways &; Means Committee revealed. The committee obtained metadata from IRS whistleblowers Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler that reveals Joe Biden used alias email accounts 327 times during a nine-year period — 2010 to 2019 — to correspond with his son‚ Hunter‚ and one of Hunter's key business associates‚ Eric Schwerin‚ among others. The majority of the email traffic took place while Biden was vice president. The committee says 54 of the emails were “exclusively” between Joe Biden and Schwerin‚ who the committee describes as “the architect of the Biden family’s shell companies.” ABC‚ CBS‚ NBC evening and morning show coverage: 0 seconds.   Hunter’s Firm Sent Joe Biden a Recurring $1‚380 Payment Starting in 2018     On December 4‚ the New York Post reported:  President Biden received a recurring payment of $1‚380 from his son Hunter’s law firm beginning in late 2018 shortly after a bank money laundering officer warned that the same account was receiving millions of dollars in Chinese government-linked funds without “any services rendered.” A bank order shows that Owasco PC set up a “monthly” transfer to then-former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.‚ with a voided check for the future president included in the documentation‚ which was released Monday by the House Oversight Committee. A source told The Post that at least three payments were made — on Sept. 17‚ Oct. 15 and Nov. 15‚ 2018 — totaling $4‚140 to the elder Biden from Owasco PC‚ according to the firm’s bank records. “President Biden and his family must be held accountable for this blatant corruption‚” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said in a video release. “This wasn’t a payment from Hunter Biden’s personal account but an account for his corporation that received payments from China and other shady corners of the world‚” Comer said. ABC‚ CBS‚ NBC evening and morning show coverage: 0 seconds.   Stonewalling: Joe Biden Has Turned Over Only 14 of 82‚000 Requested E-Mail Pages On December 1‚ the New York Post reported:  House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer accused the White House Friday morning of obstructing an impeachment inquiry into President Biden — as the White House countered with a memo claiming it actually has shown remarkable cooperation. A source familiar with Comer’s remarks during a closed-door meeting of Republican lawmakers told The Post that he emphasized the administration’s failure to produce emails sent or received by Biden using email accounts registered under pseudonyms during his eight-year vice presidency. Comer (R-Ky.)‚ who on Friday afternoon sent a letter to first son Hunter Biden’s legal team requesting confirmation that he will appear for his scheduled deposition later this month‚ told colleagues that his panel has received just 14 out of about 82‚000 pages of Biden’s vice presidential emails known to exist. ABC‚ CBS‚ NBC evening and morning show coverage: 0 seconds.

NBC’s Seth Meyers celebrated ten years of being the host of Late Night on Monday‚ not only by wearing a suit and tie for a change‚ but also by welcoming President Joe Biden to the program‚ where the two‚ along with Meyers’s former SNL colleague Amy Poehler‚ gushed over Biden’s alleged acting skills and Dark Brandon memes. Before all that‚ Meyers criticized Sen. John Fetterman for claiming that Democrats criticizing Biden might as well put on their MAGA hats‚ “No‚ that's not how it works. Criticizing or mocking our leaders is a healthy thing in a democracy. I mean‚ Joe Biden seems to be able to take a joke. We here at Late Night make jokes about him all the time and I think if we ever invited him‚ he'd come on the show unfortunately‚ we have no way of knowing.” According to a 2023 NewsBusters study‚ Seth Meyers told over three times as many jokes about Donald Trump as Joe Biden.      Later‚ Biden would join Meyers and Poehler as the trio would recall Biden’s appearance on Poehler’s Parks and Rec‚ “How was‚ Amy‚ how was the president as a scene partner?” Poehler gushed that it was “an awesome time to go to D.C.‚ because we met with then Mr. Vice President - Mr. President Vice President‚ President.” She then hyped Biden’s acting abilities‚ “we met people from both sides of the aisle and then if you remember‚ we did that scene together and then you said to me‚ ‘How should I act?’ and I said‚ ‘Just act like what is this lady doing here?’ And you nailed it.  Switching gears‚ Meyers wondered how much joy Biden—more accurately‚ his social media team—gets out of trolling people on the internet‚ “There's something that I've been very -- it just speaks to the era we live in now. There's a Dark Brandon conspiracy meme and this is something that you seem to have a lot of fun with. You've co-opted -- you've co-opted Dark Brandon. This is a yard sign. Do you enjoy playing around with the Dark Brandon meme?”     Pulling out a pair of aviators‚ a sarcastic Biden replied‚ “No‚ I resent the hell out of it.” Continuing with that theme‚ Meyers added‚ “my favorite one recently is there are 18 percent of Americans‚ according to recent polling‚ have-- believe that you and Taylor Swift actually are working in cahoots. And after the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl‚ you posted this on social media‚ you wrote -- you wrote‚ ‘Just like we drew it up‚’ Now‚ can you -- I have you on the hot spot here. Can you confirm or deny that there is an active conspiracy between you and Miss Swift?” Biden‚ still trying to be cool‚ answered‚ “Where are you getting this information? It's classified.” After a commercial break‚ Poehler departed and Meyers asked a more serious question about the Hur Report‚ “You mentioned some classified materials‚ some documents recently leaked‚ some classified documents. And this isn't a gotcha show‚ but I do want to ask about it‚ that says you're currently 81-years old.” Biden tried to dodge the question‚ “Who the hell told you that? That’s classified‚” but Meyers persisted‚ “All jokes aside‚ according to recent polling‚ this is a real concern for American voters. How do you address that concern going forward as you come up to the 2024 election?” That allowed Biden to turn the show into Late Night DNC‚ “Well‚ a couple things. Number one‚ you gotta take a look at the other guy. He's about as old as I am‚ but he can't remember his wife's name… Look‚ I mean‚ this is a guy who wants to take us back. He wants to take us back in Roe v. Wade‚ he wants to take us back on a whole range of issues.” And now we know why Team Biden chose Late Night for his rare interview.  Here is a transcript for the February 26-taped show: NBC Late Night with Seth Meyers 2/27/2024 12:44 AM ET SETH MEYERS: No‚ that's not how it works. Criticizing or mocking our leaders is a healthy thing in a democracy. I mean‚ Joe Biden seems to be able to take a joke. We here at Late Night make jokes about him all the time and I think if we ever invited him‚ he'd come on the show unfortunately‚ we have no way of knowing.   … 1:06 AM ET MEYERS: How was‚ Amy‚ how was the president as a scene partner?  AMY POEHLER: Well‚ it was an awesome time to go to D.C.‚ because we met with then Mr. Vice President - Mr. President Vice President‚ President.  MEYERS: That is right. JOE BIDEN: Joe. Joe. POEHLER: I don’t want to get it wrong‚ but we met people from both sides of the aisle and then if you remember‚ we did that scene together and then you said to me‚ “How should I act?” and I said‚ "Just act like what is this lady doing here? And you nailed it.  MEYERS: There's something that I've been very -- it just speaks to the era we live in now. There's a Dark Brandon conspiracy meme and this is something that you seem to have a lot of fun with. You've co-opted -- you've co-opted Dark Brandon. This is a yard sign. Do you enjoy playing around with the Dark Brandon meme?  BIDEN: No‚ I resent the hell out of it. MEYERS: Now‚ my favorite one recently is there are 18 percent of Americans‚ according to recent polling‚ have-- believe that you and Taylor Swift actually are working in cahoots. And after the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl‚ you posted this on social media. you wrote -- you wrote‚ "Just like we drew it up” Now‚ can you -- I have you on the hot spot here. Can you confirm or deny that there is an active conspiracy between you and Miss Swift? BIDEN: Where are you getting this information? It's classified.  … MEYERS: You mentioned some classified materials‚ some documents recently leaked‚ some classified documents. And this isn't a gotcha show‚ but I do want to ask about it‚ that says you're currently 81-years old.  BIDEN: Who the hell told you that?  MEYERS: Yeah.  BIDEN: That's classified. MEYERS: That's classified. All jokes aside‚ according to recent polling‚ this is a real concern for American voters. How do you address that concern going forward as you come up to the 2024 election?  BIDEN: Well‚ a couple things. Number one‚ you gotta take a look at the other guy. He's about as old as I am‚ but he can't remember his wife's name. MEYERS: Yeah.  BIDEN: Number one. Number two‚ it's about how old your ideas are. Look‚ I mean‚ this is a guy who wants to take us back. He wants to take us back in Roe v. Wade‚ he wants to take us back on a whole range of issues that are 50‚ 60 years they've been solid American positions and -- and I really mean this sincerely they-- I think it's about -- about the future and everything -- every single thing we've done‚ and I think we've gotten some good things done. Everything -- and they told us we couldn't get them done because things are so divided and‚ but I think everything we've gotten done‚ he -- has friendly stated‚ he wants to do away with if he gets elected and I really think his views on where to take America are older than – anyway‚ I don't wanna get going.

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