The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is one of the largest biker clubs in the world. What started off as a way for veterans to connect and create a sense of comradery has developed into a worldwide organization. In recent years the Hell's Angels have been involved in shooting sprees in Las Vegas‚ running narcotics throughout the world‚ and various other criminal enterprises. From being a crucial part... Source

Most recent Gallup polling in March shows that 36% of Americans “approve of Israeli military action in Gaza” and 50% disapprove. Last November‚ a month after the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel that claimed the lives of more than 1‚200 innocent Israeli civilians‚ 55% approved of the military action that Israel initiated. What has happened over the last few months that now barely more than a third of Americans support the clear case of the right of Israel to defend its country? We might also ask why only 55% last November supported Israel’s military action to defend itself. Let’s again recall that Americans were strongly united to condemn and retaliate against the horror of the terrorist attack against our own country on Sept. 11‚ 2001‚ that took the lives of almost 3‚000 American citizens. The 1‚200 Israeli victims of terror‚ in that tiny country of some 9.5 million‚ equates to more than 40‚000 in our country of over 330 million. Why is it not equally clear that Israel must defend itself as we must defend our homeland? Per Brown University’s Costs of War project‚ total casualties in Afghanistan‚ and subsequently in Iraq‚ as a result of U.S. retaliatory military action in the war against terror‚ amounted to 177‚000‚ some six times greater than casualties reported in Gaza. We must also note‚ again‚ that we’re not just talking about murder‚ regarding the 1‚200 Israelis that were killed. We’re talking about subhuman brutality‚ documented in video‚ in which rape‚ beheadings‚ and desecration of bodies occurred. The Hamas terrorists celebrated with joy every Israeli murder and atrocity. Hamas has long been recognized by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization. Why are Americans not united in condemning the sickening murder and brutality of the Hamas terrorists‚ demanding the release of the now estimated 130 hostages they still hold‚ which include six U.S. citizens How could our country abstain in the recent United Nations Security Council vote demanding a cease-fire in Gaza‚ with no condemnation of Hamas terrorism and with no demand of unilateral release by Hamas of the hostages it holds? What is the disconnect that can explain the absence of uniform support among Americans for clear-cut action by Israel to defend itself against brutal terrorists‚ committed to the destruction of its state and homeland? Freedom House is a nonpartisan Washington‚ D.C.-based organization that issues an annual report of the state of freedom around the world. Freedom House‚ in this annual report‚ grades countries worldwide regarding the extent to which they are free. Per Freedom House’s methodology‚ each country is graded on a scale of 1-100‚ based on political rights and civil liberties in that country. In the Middle East region‚ there is only one country that Freedom House scores as free—Israel. Out of a possible 100‚ Israel scores 74. For perspective‚ the United States has a score of 83. Looking at the Middle East neighborhood where Israel exists‚ we see it standing alone as free in a sea of unfree countries. Freedom House scores for Israel’s neighbors: Jordan 33‚ Egypt 18‚ Lebanon 42‚ Syria 1‚ Iraq 30‚ Saudi Arabia 8. Why does the clear lack of freedom across the Middle East not seem to bother anyone while the only free country in the region elicits protests and condemnation? Why‚ 76 years after Israel’s founding‚ and its miraculous emergence as a modern thriving nation—a world center of innovation and technology‚ boasting 13 Nobel prize winners—do many still reject its right to exist? Amid this craziness‚ let’s recall‚ again‚ that Israel is the only Jewish country in the world. There are 49 countries with majority Muslim populations. There are 15 million Jews in the world and 1.8 billion Muslims. Yet‚ worldwide‚ there remains antipathy to this lone‚ tiny yet successful-way-beyond-its-size Jewish country Something is wrong. Very wrong. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation.  The post Why Do Americans‚ UN Support Hamas Terrorists? appeared first on The Daily Signal.

An executive subpoenaed in the House’s investigation of companies involved in so-called ESG policies claims conservative legal activist Leonard Leo is behind a “crusade” to stop the corporate practice.  ESG is an acronym for environmental‚ social‚ and governance practices that promote left-leaning activism among companies and corporations. The House Judiciary Committee is investigating numerous companies and organizations for potential violation of federal antitrust laws in collaborating on such practices.  Leo‚ long affiliated with The Federalist Society‚ is well known in such conservative legal circles. Andrew Behar‚ CEO of As You Sow‚ an ESG-advocating nonprofit‚ brought up Leo’s name in an interview Friday with the left-wing broadcast and internet program “Democracy Now!” hosted by Amy Goodman. “Leonard Leo‚ he’s the‚ you know‚ co-chair of The Federalist Society—those are the folks‚ all of the right-wing judges‚ particularly the Supreme Court‚ but across the whole landscape—he was given $1.6 billion in mid-2022 to lead this crusade‚” Behar said on “Democracy Now!” “It’s a very orchestrated campaign‚” he added. Behar’s syntax may have been scrambled‚ but the CEO of As You Sow appeared to claim that Leo‚ backed by a $1.6 billion slush fund‚ is leading the charge against ESG investment policies. Reached for this story‚ a spokesman for Leo said the conservative attorney had never heard of As You Sow and doesn’t respond to conspiracy theories. Behar likely was referring to reports in 2022 from two left-leaning media outlets‚ The New York Times and ProPublica‚ that Chicago billionaire Barre Seid had donated $1.6 billion to various networks associated with Leo. But that donation extended well beyond ESG as a target of conservative advocacy. A source with knowledge of the House Judiciary Committee’s probe was dismissive of the notion of shadowy motives behind it. “To suggest that the committee is investigating As You Sow because of Leonard Leo is completely ridiculous and laughable‚” the source told The Daily Signal. “It seems that As You Sow is scared of what the committee is uncovering and working overdrive to save face for their lack of cooperation with the investigation.” For his part‚ Behar said during the “Democracy Now!” interview that the organization provided 12‚000 pages of documents to the House Judiciary Committee before getting another subpoena March 28. An August letter to As You Sow signed by Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan‚ R-Ohio‚ and other committee members says:  We write because As You Sow is potentially violating U.S. antitrust law by entering into agreements to ‘decarbonize’ corporate assets and reduce emissions to net zero—with potentially harmful effects on Americans’ freedom and economic well-being. As You Sow is a member of Climate Action 100+. Through Climate Action 100+‚ As You Sow appears to have colluded with other institutional investors to ‘work with the companies in which [they] invest to . . . deliver net zero [greenhouse gas] emissions by 2050. … Collusive agreements harm competition and consumers and are illegal under the Sherman Act. The post ‘Ridiculous and Laughable’: Subpoenaed CEO Blames Conservative Legal Activist for ESG Probe appeared first on The Daily Signal.

FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Documents reveal an organization backed by Obama White House alumni such as Valerie Jarrett and bankrolled by liberal dark money donors advocated using tax dollars to pay college students to get out the vote in the 2024 election‚ doing so before the Biden administration announced the same policy. The Daily Signal obtained the documents through a public records request in which it sought documents from the Wisconsin Elections Commission related to President Joe Biden’s controversial executive order to promote voting.  In January‚ an activist with ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge‚ a project of the liberal group Civic Nation‚ contacted officials with the state of Wisconsin and its capital city‚ Madison‚ about a need to allow money from the Federal Work-Study Program to pay for students to engage in election-related work.  By late February‚ the U.S. Department of Education and Vice President Kamala Harris announced that the Biden administration was doing exactly that.  A new Wall Street Journal poll of voters in battleground states found former President Donald Trump tied with Biden in a two-way race in Wisconsin‚ which Trump lost to Biden in 2020 by only about 20‚000 votes of over 3.2 million cast. In a Jan. 18 email‚ Ryan Drysdale‚ director of impact and state networks for the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge‚ sent an email to Bonnie Chang‚ voter outreach coordinator in the Madison city clerk’s office‚ about U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona’s plans to revise how taxpayer money may be used.  “Lastly‚ as you may be aware‚ the secretary has been working on clarification about Federal Work-Study being eligible for supporting student workers with local election officials and feels confident another letter will come from the WH/Dept of Ed with guidelines‚” Drysdale wrote to Chang‚ referring to the White House and the Department of Education.  The Federal Work-Study Program‚ funded by the Department of Education‚ provides financial aid to eligible undergraduate and graduate students at colleges and universities. The youth vote helped stop an anticipated “red wave” for Republican candidates in 2022. It once was perceived as a core Democrat constituency‚ which is one reason the Biden administration has tried repeatedly to “forgive” student loan debt.   ALL IN asserted that the youth vote was the deciding factor in 2022 elections in Pennsylvania‚ Michigan‚ Nevada‚ and Wisconsin. The initiative announced that 394 colleges and universities across 44 states and the District of Columbia were part of its first program recognizing “Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting.”“I was invited to join a meeting with the secretary‚ the UW-Superior campus team and surrounding local election officials who are exploring both internship and FWS opportunities‚” Drysdale wrote to Madison’s Chang‚ referring to Cardona‚ the University of Wisconsin in Superior‚ Wisconsin‚ and the Federal Work-Study Program.  “There was a lot of excitement even without the FWS component‚” he wrote. “They hope to use UWS [University of Wisconsin-Superior] as a case study for other [Wisconsin] institutions and local election officials to learn from. Happy to share more on a quick call if that would be helpful. There’s a big interest from partners and funders about FWS and these types of opportunities so we’ll be following these developments in WI.” On Jan. 19‚ Chang forwarded Drysdale’s email about the Federal Work-Study Program‚ or FWS‚ to Madison City Attorney Michael Haas. She noted that University of Wisconsin-Madison officials said that “it’s in the federal language that FWS students are not able to work at the polls on Election Day nor engage in GOTV/voter engagement spaces.” GOTV is a reference to “get out the vote.” That same day‚ Haas wrote to Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe.  “If I understand correctly‚ there is a request to change the FWS rules regarding work as election inspectors but I don’t think that has happened yet‚” Haas said of Federal Work-Study rules. “In any event‚ the secretary of state is trying to help make it happen.” The Wisconsin Secretary of State’s Office‚ which oversees elections in the state‚ didn’t reply to inquiries from The Daily Signal by publication time.  The Daily Signal previously reported that Civic Nation’s board includes Jarrett‚ former senior adviser to President Barack Obama; Tina Tchen‚ former chief of staff to first lady Michelle Obama; and Cecilia Muñoz‚ former director of the Obama White House’s Domestic Policy Council. Funders of Civic Nation include left-leaning grantmakers such as the Democracy Fund‚ established by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar; the Carnegie Corporation of New York; the Environmental Defense Fund; and the Joyce Foundation‚ which included Barack Obama on its board before he became president.  Besides ALL IN‚ other groups run by Civic Nation include United State of Women and When We All Vote.  Amanda Hollowell‚ When We All Vote’s national organizing director‚ was among activists who met Feb. 27 at a White House event with the vice president to talk about turning out voters.  “We have been doing work to promote voter participation for students.  And‚ for example‚ we have—under the Federal Work-Study Program—[we] now allow students to get paid‚ through federal work-study‚ to register people and to be nonpartisan poll workers‚” Harris told the gathering at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.  “As we know‚ this is important for a number of reasons‚” she said. “One‚ to engage our young leaders in this process and activate them in terms of their ability to—to strengthen our communities. But also‚ this is the work that we need to do‚ knowing that so many poll workers have left this work for a variety of reasons that we will also discuss.” The city of Madison played no role in pushing for a clarification of U.S. Education Department policy on allowing the program to pay students for election work‚ the city attorney told The Daily Signal.  “City of Madison officials did not lobby the Biden administration to change FWS rules. We have not been involved in that issue except for receiving the email from Ryan Drysdale so I do not [know] details about the FWS regulations or how they changed as they do not affect the city’s operations‚” Haas said. “The city of Madison hires a number of UW-Madison students as poll workers and pays them in the same way as other poll workers with city funds.” The Daily Signal sought comment from ALL IN’s Drysdale and the press contact for Civic Nation. Neither responded.  The Education Department referred The Daily Signal to a “Dear Colleague letter” to college administrators‚ dated Feb. 26‚ from Nasser H. Paydar‚ assistant secretary in the Office of Postsecondary Education. In part‚ the letter says: “The department is today clarifying that FWS funds may be used for employment by a federal‚ state‚ local‚ or tribal public agency for civic engagement work that is not associated with a particular interest or group.”  The documents released to The Daily Signal by the Wisconsin Elections Commission also showed consultation between state officials and the National Institute of Standards and Technology‚ an agency within the Commerce Department.  NIST was putting together its strategic plan to comply with Biden’s executive order on getting out the vote‚ which it later made public. The institute is one of at least four federal agencies to make such a strategic plan public. The Justice Department‚ however‚ has claimed presidential privilege to prevent public release of its own plan for complying with Biden’s order. The post EXCLUSIVE: Records Reveal This Left-Wing Group Pushed Tax Dollars to Pay Students for Election Work Before Biden Admin Did appeared first on The Daily Signal.

One week the Environmental Protection Agency comes for our gasoline-powered cars‚ the next for our diesel-powered trucks. EPA chose Good Friday‚ when many Americans were preparing to celebrate Easter Sunday if not Transgender Day of Visibility‚ to release a new rule requiring that 25% of truck sales be electric by 2032. Practically everything Americans use comes by truck‚ either all the way from the producer or from ports or railroad terminals. That’s why‚ if electric truck and charging technology existed‚ EPA’s new rule would raise costs of everything Americans buy‚ resulting in higher prices for goods and services and inflationary pressures throughout the economy. All this at a time when the Federal Reserve is trying to get inflation down to 2%. But America doesn’t have the electrical grid capacity‚ the charging stations‚ or the technology to make long-haul electric trucks‚ and the nation won’t have them by 2032. Trucking and utility companies would have to invest almost $1 trillion in charging infrastructure before electric trucks could be operational. EPA’s goals either will have to be discarded or moved steadily into the future. The electric truck rule follows regulations released last month that would require 70% of cars and light trucks‚ such as pickup trucks‚ to be electric by 2032. Both these rules face court challenges on the grounds that EPA exceeded its authority.   EPA’s stated rationale is to reduce emissions‚ but electrifying trucks would have minimal effect on global temperatures while raising transportation costs and therefore inflation. The differences in the costs of diesel and electric trucks are monumental‚ and only a government official with no trucking experience could consider one a substitute for another. A diesel truck costs about $120‚000; an electric truck costs in the range of $450‚000 to $500‚000. Trucking companies would have to raise prices to cover these costs‚ and small trucking companies simply couldn’t afford the higher costs and would go out of business. Not only that‚ but a proposed power plant rule from the EPA‚ soon to be released in final form‚ would make electricity more expensive. This rule‚ not mentioned in EPA’s vehicle tailpipe regulations‚ would require power plants to sequester 90% of their carbon emissions by 2039 or close in 2040. Although smaller commercial trucks‚ including school buses and utility trucks‚ often travel locally and can be charged at depots overnight‚ heavy-duty trucks transport goods for long distances. These larger electric trucks can’t carry loads as heavy as diesel trucks do‚ because they lose range. So businesses need more trucks to carry a given volume of product‚ which raises transportation costs. Electric trucks now have a range of 230 to 310 miles‚ and generally must stop and recharge when battery strength falls below 20%. Truckers would have to recharge every 180 to 250 miles‚ which can take one to two hours. Long-haul electric trucks also can’t travel as many miles in a day‚ because truckers are limited to 11 hours on the road‚ and recharging time comes out of that. Truckers are already in high demand‚ with 80‚000 estimated job vacancies. Because of growing e-commerce‚ more trucks are needed‚ rather than fewer. Requiring truckers to stop for two hours to recharge would reduce earnings and make these jobs less desirable. Some drivers would quit‚ and others would have to be paid more to remain on the job. EPA calls the costs of truck electrification “billions of dollars’ worth of investments from trucking fleets‚ vehicle manufacturers‚ and U.S. states‚” as though these investments would have a positive rate of return. But the costs would be borne by all Americans in the form of higher prices. EPA’s massive project to reshape America’s transportation system would lower economic growth and increase the budget deficit as manufacturers attempt to comply with regulations and use green tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act to waste resources investing in products that are unsuited to companies’ needs. EPA justifies its regulation on the grounds that America would have cleaner air as a result. But electric trucks are not emissions-free and impose costs on the environment that gasoline-powered cars don’t. Electricity for battery-powered vehicles comes from coal and natural gas‚ not renewable energy sources. Solar‚ wind‚ and nuclear power are generally fully used for other purposes; additional sources of energy to meet demand for electricity come from fossil fuels and hydropower. Batteries for electric heavy trucks are produced in China using energy from coal-fired power plants. Producing batteries for electric vehicles uses carbon; the longer the range of the battery‚ the more carbon is used. Large electric trucks need two 8‚000-pound batteries. Miners have to move 500‚000 pounds of earth to get enough critical minerals for one 1‚000-pound passenger car battery‚ according to physicist Mark Mills‚ and multiples quantities of these minerals would be required for electric trucks. Mining for critical minerals is environmentally disruptive. America outsources the work to Asia‚ Latin America‚ and Africa. In 2022‚ the Supreme Court concluded in West Virginia v. EPA that EPA had overstepped its authority in its 2015 Clean Power Plan by forcing states to shut down power plants. Chief Justice John Roberts described the plan as “a regulatory program that Congress had conspicuously declined to enact itself.” Now‚ in a similar sleight of hand‚ the Environmental Protection Agency is trying to determine what vehicles are allowed on the road‚ adopting a program that Congress has not voted into law. EPA wants to require the purchase of electric trucks because companies wouldn’t use them otherwise—just as the agency is requiring more passenger vehicles to be electric than Americans want to buy. It is pure illusion to think that America’s commerce could run on electric trucks. The size and composition of the batteries‚ the network of charging stations‚ and the electricity to run those stations make this whole enterprise fantastical. Far more people believe in the Easter Bunny than believe that EPA will succeed in this particular mission. The post EPA’s Electric Truck Mandate Would Hit Americans’ Wallets appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The View’s staunchly racist and anti-Semitic co-host‚ Sunny Hostin (the descendant of slave owners) came off as rather pro-Hamas during Wednesday’s edition of the show as she demanded that the United States abandon Israel and allow them to lose the war; giving the win to the genocidal terrorists. The ABC co-host also didn’t seem to care about the Israeli and American hostages being held hostage by Hamas. Hostin’s anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism flared during a discussion where the rest of the cast was commending Hillary Clinton for telling the pro-Hamas voters in Michigan and Wisconsin to get over themselves and vote for President Biden. Speaking “as an Arab-American‚” faux conservative Alyssa Farah Griffin didn’t like Clinton’s verbiage but argued: “[Y]ou really think Donald Trump would handle Gaza better than Joe Biden? If he thought‚ it was politically advantageous he would level Gaza without a second thought.” Co-host Joy Behar warned that the Trump administration negotiated peace in the Middle East via “the Abraham Accords and he moved the United States embassy to Jerusalem. So‚ he is the most pro-Israel president running right now‚ more than Biden.” What Hostin took issue with was how the rest of the cast thought it was an easy decision for the pro-Hamas voters to side with Biden over Trump. “I don't think you can tell people whose families have been killed; whole entire lines of their families have been murdered‚ over 32‚000 people‚ women and children‚ the majority that‚ ‘well‚ but if Trump wins it would be [worse]‚’” she decried.     Siding with the United Nations against America and Israel (and citing them as if they had any moral authority on anything)‚ Hostin insisted the U.S. was “complicit” with “murder.” “[T]hat is because the United States sends $3.8 billion worth of aid to Israel and that also including arming them‚” she whined. Citing unnamed “social sciences‚” Hostin argued that‚ “if the United States stopped providing that aid‚ the war would be over…in three days.” The outcome she was advocating for in that scenario would allow Hamas to survive‚ regroup‚ and essentially give them a victory. In a surprisingly snappy rebuttal‚ Behar shot back with: “You know when the war would be over? If Hamas would release the hostages. That's when the war would be over‚ Sunny.” Hostin did see hope for her anti-Israel fantasy: “I think Joe Biden is listening‚ because now at the U.N.‚ my understanding is that while they have voted for a ceasefire‚ the United States instead of vetoing that vote‚ they just abstained. And so there is movement. I think that pressure is working.” Questioning the “humanity” of those who disagreed with her‚ Hostin also falsely claimed the Israeli Defense Forces were intentionally targeting and killing humanitarian aid workers. “We had Jose Andres on our show who said‚ food and water is a human right. His very foundation was targeted by the Israeli government and seven people died‚” she falsely shouted. “They weren't targeted…That's actually a mistake‚” co-host Sara Haines pushed back. Haines also praised Clinton’s chides of Biden’s critics. “It is really nice to watch Hillary Clinton not hold back‚” she boasted. “So‚ I get what she's saying but at this point it is ‘get over yourself!’ It's a bipartisan system and you cannot change it!” The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: ABC’s The View April 3‚ 2024 11:03:46 a.m. Eastern (…) ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: Here's the thing‚ based on Michigan and Wisconsin results we know that the protest vote‚ the sort of ceasefire kind of votes in Michigan‚ were more than the margin of victory that Joe Biden won Michigan in 2020. So‚ this is very real. And I think you have a right‚ I believe a protest vote is part of democracy. I think it's a good way to make your voice heard‚ but I would say to these folks and these are Democrat‚ I'm a Republican‚ take it or leave it. But as an Arab-American you really think Donald Trump would handle Gaza better than Joe Biden? If he thought‚ it was politically advantageous he would level Gaza without a second thought. And I think‚ unfortunately‚ we live in a binary world. I’m conflicted right now because I don't like either option. But you have to think what are the long-term repercussions for what matters most to you. And I think it would be a mistake for these folks to sit it out because it’s not in their interest. JOY BEHAR: People need to understand he [Donald Trump] negotiated the Abraham Accords and he moved the United States embassy to Jerusalem. So‚ he is the most pro-Israel president running right now‚ more than Biden. So‚ these people on the left who are protesting that they should‚ at least‚ know that which is what you're saying and I'm just reiterating it. FARAH GRIFFIN: And I just want to correct; it's approaching Biden's margin of victory in Michigan. It's 100‚000 votes. (…) 11:07:04 a.m. Eastern BEHAR: Now‚ these people who are on the fence‚ what are you thinking?! This is what Hillary is trying to say to people. What are you thinking?! There is no choice here! You have a man‚ Joe Biden is a good person. He understands grief. He's lost a child. He's lost two children. He lost a wife. He's compassionate. He feels for Americans. This guy [Trump]‚ he's a psychopath. SARA HAINES: It is really nice to watch Hillary Clinton not hold back. And for this reason‚ we are seeing more actual Hillary Clinton since she stopped running and actively participating as a candidate herself. She’s literally saying‚ obviously‚ like it's a privilege to have more parties – I as an independent really wish we had more parties in general‚ not this election. So‚ I get what she's saying but at this point it is ‘get over yourself!’ It's a bipartisan system and you cannot change it! FARAH GRIFFIN: I don't think that's going to work with Michigan with really‚ really angry voters. And I'm on the other side of the conflict. HAINES: But the point you made about Trump being pro-Israel – really quick‚ Sunny. He also wouldn't send aid at all. So‚ it's not just that he would annihilate Gaza and everywhere else‚ he would be saying don't even put trucks in there so they will get -- anyone pushing back on Biden's take is going to get ten times worse with Donald Trump. SUNNY HOSTIN: That's right but I don't think you can tell people whose families have been killed; whole entire lines of their families have been murdered‚ over 32‚000 people‚ women and children‚ the majority that‚ ‘well‚ but if Trump wins it would be better.’ The problem here is – HAINES: It would be worse. BEHAR: It would be worse. HOSTIN: It would be worse. WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Worse. HOSTIN: The problem here is that they are making themselves known. Michigan has about 200‚000 Muslim voters. They are losing their family members. And the United States‚ the U.N. has found is complicit in that; and that is because the United States sends $3.8 billion worth of aid to Israel and that also including arming them. Social sciences have found that if the United States stopped providing that aid‚ the war would be over – FARAH GRIFFIN: To be clear‚ the Israelis are – HOSTIN: Let me just finish this. The war would be over in three days. BEHAR: You know when the war would be over? If Hamas would release the hostages. That's when the war would be over‚ Sunny. [Crosstalk] HOSTIN: No. But the issue is‚ those votes matter -- will matter‚ and I think Joe Biden is listening‚ because now at the U.N.‚ my understanding is that while they have voted for a ceasefire‚ the United States instead of vetoing that vote‚ they just abstained. And so there is movement. I think that pressure is working. And I think if you have any shred of humanity‚ you must understand that those people are losing their entire families‚ lines and lines of families‚ and it's a humanitarian crisis. We had Jose Andres on our show who said‚ food and water is a human right. GOLDBERG: Yes. HOSTIN: His very foundation was targeted by the Israeli government and seven people died. HAINES: They weren't targeted. [inaudible] That's actually a mistake. (…)

The PBS NewsHour interviewed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Michigan) on Monday night‚ and the mild online headline was “Gov. Whitmer discusses Democrats’ efforts to protect reproductive rights.” Anchor Amna Nawaz’s questions‚ if they were at all challenging‚ sounded like a worried Biden voter that there’s low enthusiasm and not enough courting of the party’s hard left. On abortion‚ Nawaz channeled the Planned Parenthood crowd and their laments Biden doesn’t proudly use the A-word: NAWAZ: You clearly and other Democratic leaders also believe this is a key issue in mobilizing Democrats‚ also independents. You have said previously that maybe President Biden should speak about reproductive rights and should say the word abortion more frequently than he does. He's displayed some discomfort with that‚ changing the language even in the State of the Union to avoid saying that word. If this is such a key issue for Democrats‚ does his reluctance to say that word hurt him politically? Then the anchor with Pakistani origins picked up the Israel-hating leftist voters who chose “Uncommitted” in Michigan’s primary and call the president “Genocide Joe.” Nawaz asked if Biden could “overcome some of the weaknesses we have seen President Biden displayed so far‚ especially with those more than 100‚000 people in the primaries voting uncommitted?” Then she followed up: "As you know‚ those more than 100‚000 people‚ though‚ were voting as a protest to oppose President Biden's stance in Israel‚ their conduct in the war in Gaza. They were doing it to send a message. I guess‚ as one of the co-chairs of the Biden/Harris reelection campaign‚ where would you point those protesters to say 'they heard you‚ they see you?'" She didn't ask" "Some imams in Dearborn have said they want to kill all the Jews? Are you proud to have their votes?" The funniest Whitmer answer came when Nawaz touted a New York Times columnist forwarding “fantasizing” that Whitmer could replace Biden this year: NAWAZ: As you know‚ Governor‚ you're seen as a rising leader in your Democratic Party. There was a recent New York Times column by Michelle Goldberg I want to ask you about‚ because she wrote this. She said — quote — "There are many reasons that people regularly fantasize about Whitmer replacing Biden on this year's ticket and‚ assuming that doesn't happen‚ see her as a likely presidential prospect in 2028. She insists she's not interested‚ but few seem to believe her" — end quote. I want to ask you‚ how much of that speculation do you think is fueled by what we know is low enthusiasm and dissatisfaction for the Democratic candidate in President Biden right now? And how does that change before November? WHITMER: You know‚ I don't know. I didn't read the article. Yeah‚ sure‚ you didn’t read the article! (Push the Lie buzzer!) Like Kamala Harris‚ Whitmer made noises about how proud she is to be by Biden’s side. What might a Republican ask Whitmer? That’s a good way to figure out what PBS was never gonna ask!

Click to Skip Ahead How Cats’ Eyes Work Advantages &; Disadvantages Frequently Asked Questions Like humans‚ cats navigate the world using their senses of smell‚ hearing‚ taste‚ touch‚ and sight. Cats’ vision is optimized for their crepuscular hunting habits. Cats can see better than humans in low-light conditions‚ but they can’t see well up close‚ and they need to be nearer to objects than people do to be able to see reasonably clearly‚ as their way to adjust their lenses to focus on nearby things is different than in humans. Humans’ color vision is richer‚ while cats have an edge when it comes to seeing quickly moving objects. Cat vision is interesting in part because it’s so different from that of humans. Keep reading to learn more about how cats’ eyes work. How Do Cats’ Eyes Work? Cats’ eyes work much like human ones and include several parts‚ such as the sclera‚ conjunctiva‚ cornea‚ iris‚ pupil‚ and lens. They gather information that’s sent to the brain and interpreted as images. The eyeball sits in a bony socket known as the orbit‚ which also holds nerves‚ muscles‚ blood vessels‚ and tear ducts. Image Credit: Petkeen.com Third Eyelid and Tear Glands Each cat’s eye has a nictitating membrane or third eyelid that provides additional protection by keeping their eyes moist and helping remove particles that land in their eyes. They also have lacrimal glands that make the watery part of the tears that help keep cats’ eyes moist. Tears are made of mucus‚ oil‚ and water‚ and the conjunctiva and eyelids also play a role in the tear-forming process. Sclera‚ Conjunctiva‚ and Cornea The conjunctiva‚ a thin semitransparent membrane‚ covers the sclera‚ or the white part of the eye. The clear‚ curved structure covering the front of the eye is called the cornea. It keeps the eye protected‚ allows the light to enter the eye‚ and provides an assist when directing light to the retina. In the retina‚ the light gets processed and travels to the brain to complete the process of vision.  Cats’ relatively large corneas contribute to their night vision by allowing lots of light into their eyes. Iris‚ Pupil‚ and Lens The iris is the colored part of the eye. Yellow‚ green‚ and blue are just a few of the eye colors commonly found among cats. The iris expands and contracts to enlarge or shrink the pupil‚ the “hole” in the middle that controls the amount of light in the eye. The black opening in the middle of the eye is the pupil‚ which is opened and closed by a sphincter muscle. Cats’ pupils shrink in response to bright light and open to allow more light in darkness. When constricted‚ the pupil is slit-shaped‚ and as it opens‚ it takes on a rounder shape‚ permitting lots of light into the eye and giving cats a serious advantage when it comes to seeing at times like dusk and dawn. The lens sits behind the iris and adjusts its shape to focus light onto the retina. Lens movement is largely controlled by the ciliary muscles‚ which contract when cats focus on nearby objects. Retina and Tapetum Lucidum The retina’s photoreceptor cells pick up light and translate it into electrical impulses. Each cell is linked to a slender nerve thread. The threads join together to form the optic nerve‚ which carries electrical impulses to the brain interpreted as visual images. The tapetum lucidum is located behind the retina‚ in the choroid layer‚ and enhances visual sensitivity under low light conditions as it reflects light back to the retina to give cats fantastic sight when it’s relatively dark. Image Credit: Adventuring Dave‚ Shutterstock Cones and Rods Cats’ retinas feature two types of photoreceptor cells: cones and rods. Cones are great at picking up details‚ and they’re responsible for the ability to see in color. Rod cells pick up images in low light conditions exceptionally well and detect fast moving objects really well. The large proportion of these cells in the cat’s retina is one of the reasons cats can see so well at night. Advantages and Disadvantages of Cat Vision Cats see the world quite differently than people‚ at least partly due to the differences between feline and human eyes. Cats can see about six times better than humans in low light thanks to their tapetum lucidum and because they have more rod cells than people. Night Vision It also allows them to see scurrying creatures in dark conditions amazingly well‚ which gives cats an edge when hunting during their favorite periods of dusk and dawn. Because they have fewer cones than people‚ cats cannot see colors as intensely as humans. Image Credit: Paul W Thompson‚ Shutterstock Day Vision Humans have better vision in bright daylight conditions‚ and cats need to be more than seven times closer to an object to see it as sharply as a human would do.  Field of View  When it comes to the differences between feline and canine vision‚ eye placement makes a difference in the way the two species see the world. Dogs have a larger area of peripheral vision than cats; however‚ cats have a wider area of frontal binocular vision enhancing their depth perception.  In both species the fact that eyes are located frontally means they have a large blind spot behind them. This is not the case with prey animals such as the horse‚ whose eyes are located laterally giving them an almost 360 degrees panoramic vision with a tiny blind spot behind them. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Do Cats Suffer From Vision Problems? Yes‚ cats can experience problems when it comes to their eyesight. Some of the most common conditions include uveitis‚ scratches‚ retinal detachment‚ and cataracts. Uveitis is essentially a form of intraocular inflammation that’s often caused by infections such as feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)‚ feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)‚ or feline leukemia virus (FeLV). High blood pressure‚ caused by kidney disease and hyperthyroidism‚ for example‚ can cause retinal detachment. Cats can also develop cataracts; however‚ this is a less common problem than in dogs. Cataracts in cats often appear as a consequence of other eye diseases. They can also be present at birth (congenital) or be linked to old age or genetics. Image Credit: Anna Krivitskaya‚ Shutterstock Is It True That Cats Can See Ultraviolet Light? A 2014 study demonstrated that some mammals‚ including cats and dogs‚ have lenses that allow some frequencies of ultraviolet light through‚ even without having UV-sensitive visual pigments such as some rodents and bats. A cat’s visible light range rests between 400 and 750 nanometers. The ultraviolet section of the spectrum starts around 400 nanometers and goes all the way to about 10 nanometers. People have lenses that soak up light in the ultraviolet range and never reach their retina. That is why humans are insensitive to UV light. Are Kittens Born Unable to See? Yes. Kittens enter the world unable to see or hear. Their eyes are shut‚ and their ear canals are closed when they’re born. Most open their eyes when they’re between 1 and 2 weeks old. Kittens all have blue eyes at first‚ and it’s possible to tell what color their eyes will be when they reach about 8 weeks old. Their ear canals generally start opening when kittens are about 10 days old‚ and the process is usually complete when they’re 2 weeks old. Image Credit: Garmasheva Natalia‚ Shutterstock Conclusion Cats’ eyes are sensory organs designed to gather information and send it to the brain‚ where it can be processed and interpreted as visual images. They consist of several parts: the cornea‚ the “window glass of the eye”; the iris‚ or the colored part of the eye‚ which expands and contracts to allow more or less light into the eye through the pupil; the lens‚ that changes its shape to focus light onto the back of the eye; and the retina‚ which holds photoreceptor cells that are attached to nerve fibers that together form the optic nerve and take electrical impulses to the brain to be interpreted as visual images. Sources https://www.msdvetmanual.com/cat-owners/eye-disorders-of-cats/eye-structure-and-function-in-cats https://www.petmd.com/cat/slideshows/ultimate-guide-cat-vision https://www.petmd.com/cat/slideshows/10-interesting-facts-about-newborn-kittens https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29508528/ Featured Image Credit: dio arapogiannis‚ Pexels The post How Do Cat Eyes Work? Vet-Reviewed Facts &; FAQ appeared first on Pet Keen.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) suggested Tuesday that college athletes who disrespect the national anthem should face consequences.Ahead of the much-anticipated matchup between LSU and Iowa in the women's NCAA tournament on Monday‚ LSU caught flak for apparently skipping the national anthem. The Iowa Hawkeyes‚ however‚ were on the court during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner." — (@) After the game — a 94-87 Iowa victory — LSU women's basketball head coach Kim Mulkey addressed the incident."Honestly‚ I don't even know when the anthem was played‚" she said."We kind of have a routine when they're on the floor and they come off at the 12-minute mark. I don't know‚ we come in and we do our pre-game stuff‚" she explained. "I'm sorry‚ listen‚ that's nothing intentionally done."But the damage was done‚ at least in the eyes of Gov. Landry.On Tuesday‚ the Republican governor advocated for university officials to enact a policy that requires student athletes be present for the national anthem — or risk losing their scholarship."My mother coached women’s high school basketball during the height of desegregation‚ no one has a greater respect for the sport and for Coach Mulkey‚" Landry said in a statement. "However‚ above respect for that game is a deeper respect for those that serve to protect us and unite us under one flag!" he continued. "It is time that all college boards‚ including Regent‚ put a policy in place that student athletes be present for the national anthem or risk their athletic scholarship!" he said. "This is a matter of respect that all collegiate coaches should instill."But is this a matter of student athletes disrespecting the national anthem?It appears not.According to a Louisiana sports reporter who covers the LSU women's basketball team‚ the players are never on the court during the national anthem. Instead‚ the team leaves the court before pregame festivities after their warm-ups‚ before reentering the court for team introductions — just as Coach Mulkey said.A spokesperson for LSU‚ associate athletic director Cody Worsham‚ confirmed that LSU's basketball teams are never on the court for the national anthem."Our basketball programs have not been on the court for the anthem for the last several seasons. Usually the anthem is played 12 minutes before the game when the team is in the locker room doing final preparations‚" Worsham said.Landry's idea‚ meanwhile‚ is already receiving pushback from state leaders‚ according to the Louisiana Illuminator.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

In a recent appearance‚ the notorious atheist Richard Dawkins lamented the lost influence of Christianity‚ going so far as to declare himself a “cultural Christian.”While achieving a level of notoriety for his work in the field of biology‚ Dawkins became best known for his vocal opposition to religion in general and Christianity in particular. Now that public Christianity has been purged from his native Britain‚ the biologist is surprised that instead of becoming a secular utopia‚ the country has been slowly conquered by Islam. Like many atheists‚ Dawkins is discovering too late that the religious beliefs he worked so hard to destroy were‚ in fact‚ the foundation on which his civilization rested.Christianity had been successfully purged from the public square‚ but instead of being replaced with reason and rationality‚ a far more extreme denial of reality took hold.Dawkins has served as a public antagonist of Christianity since the 1980s‚ but with the publication of his book “The God Delusion” in 2006‚ the scientist became one of the most prominent figures in the burgeoning New Atheist movement. The New Atheists saw themselves as champions of enlightenment and reason who would finally purge the last vestiges of religious nonsense from the Western mind‚ delivering on the true promises of classical liberal ideology.The New Atheist movement was a mainly online affair existing on internet message boards like Reddit and video platforms like YouTube‚ though there were several conventions and other public events organized around the cause.Along with a few best-selling books‚ the highest profile draw of the New Atheists was the public debates. Often held at universities‚ these debates featured personalities from the movement who would verbally spar with apologists from different faiths‚ but Christianity was by far the most frequent target. Before Ben Shapiro became known for owning blue-haired college feminists with facts and logic‚ the New Atheists were making a spectacle out of deconstructing Christianity.The New Atheists lost as often as they won‚ but many of them mastered a snarky style of sophistry popular at the time‚ and the crowd was on their side. Sam Harris‚ Daniel Dennett‚ Christopher Hitchens‚ and Richard Dawkins were dubbed the “Four Horsemen” by their fans‚ an apocalyptic vanguard on a mission to end the dominance of ignorant religion and deliver humanity into a more advanced age. Ayaan Hirsi Ali‚ a former Somali Muslim‚ was often cited as the fifth “horsewoman” and regularly attended atheist conferences. Along the way‚ opponents warned the “Four Horsemen” that the Christianity they were gleefully dismantling was not just a collection of bronze-age myths but a critical aspect of society. Dawkins and his New Atheist brethren dismissed these warnings as the last desperate gasps of a dying superstition that was attempting to stay relevant in the face of modernity. Religion was the refuge of the weak and ignorant‚ a silly fable that backwoods rubes told their children. Nothing could stop the inevitable march of progress‚ and the New Atheists would be its intellectual champions. The first hint that all may not be well inside the brave new world the atheists had forged came with the birth of the woke revolution on college campuses.New Atheism had always been dominated by leftists who thought of themselves as pro-feminist‚ pro-LGBTQ‚ and anti-racist. But now‚ many of their allies were making some very strange claims. Feminists were pretending there were no statistical differences between men and women‚ minority activists were claiming all differences in material outcomes were due to racism‚ and LGBTQ activists were asserting that men could become women. All of this was obviously and empirically false‚ and this struck at the core of the atheist belief that religion had been the primary cause of opposition to scientific truth. Christianity had been successfully purged from the public square‚ but instead of being replaced with reason and rationality‚ it had been replaced with a far more extreme denial of reality.The second and most significant blow to the New Atheist delusion followed the migrant crisis in Europe.As millions of migrants flooded the shores of Western nations‚ it quickly became clear that the lack of cohesive religious identity made it difficult for the native populations to resist the cultural onslaught. European elites raised on a steady diet of liberal ideology could not formulate a reason to deny entry to the large influx of Islamic migrants and‚ in many cases‚ competed to see who could be more accommodating.While these immigrants were happy to soak up the financial plenty of their new host nations‚ they had no interest in assimilating to a culture that they believed to be weak and decadent. Islam had very different ideas about how to deal with Pride parades or scantily clad feminist protestors‚ and the sheer size of the migration meant that large ethnic ghettos could form to protect those beliefs from liberal reeducation. Terrorism‚ sexual assault against women‚ and no-go zones where police dared not enter became commonplace.This is the malaise that Douglas Murray managed to capture in the title of his book “The Strange Death of Europe.” Without Christianity to spiritually animate the other aspects of its cultural identity‚ Europe seemed to slowly lose the will to live‚ abandoning its fate to a new and energetic population that was fundamentally hostile to the European way of life.Dawkins focused in his British radio interview on the lost Christian symbols of his youth as Ramadan replaced Easter and abandoned cathedrals became mosques. The biologist reiterated that he was happy to hear that fewer people believe in Christianity‚ but he was sad to see the hymns‚ Christmas carols‚ and Christian churches that he associated with England give way to another culture.Dawkins is a child clutching a handful of dead flowers he cut from their roots long ago and wondering why they have wilted. Despite the repeated warnings from his Christian interlocutors‚ Dawkins assumed the traditions that formed his cultural identity were silly and unnecessary things that could be discarded without much consequence. The scientist also assumed that a respect for scientific truth was universal instead of being the very particular result of a specific culture.So now Dawkins‚ the archenemy of religion‚ has followed in the footsteps of his New Atheist colleague Ayaan Hirsi Ali in declaring himself a cultural Christian‚ but do not shed any tears on his behalf. Unlike Ali‚ who seems to be making a sincere attempt at understanding the value of faith‚ Dawkins still celebrates the demise of religion. His lament is that of an old man who is watching the culture he helped murder pass away and finding himself lonely and cold without understanding why. The time of the New Atheists has come and gone as the delusion of a rational secular utopia fades into the distance. The future will belong to the faithful‚ and the only question is which faith will guide the future of the West.