News Sasquatch Sunset Sasquatches Get Spicy in the Trailer for Sasquatch Sunset Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keogh star as an unusual family. By Molly Templeton | Published on February 13‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed Sasquatches: they’re just like us. They make friends with wildlife‚ sometimes unwisely; they have families; they do chores together; they… okay‚ the part where they’re boning in the woods with an audience might be a little less ordinary by human standards. But to each their own‚ right? Sasquatch Sunset comes from directors David and Nathan Zellner‚ and stars Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough as two members of a family of sasquatches (why do I want to call them “sasquatchi”?) as they go about their ordinary sasquatch lives. More than a decade ago‚ the Zellners made a short film called “Sasquatch Birth Journal No. 2‚” and now they’ve given the maybe-probably-definitely mythical creatures the feature film treatment. Here’s the synopsis: In the misty forests of North America‚ a family of Sasquatches—possibly the last of their enigmatic kind— embark on an absurdist‚ epic‚ hilarious‚ and ultimately poignant journey over the course of one year. These shaggy and noble giants fight for survival as they find themselves on a collision course with the ever-changing world around them. Starring Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg‚ acclaimed directors David and Nathan Zellner (Kumiko‚ the Treasure Hunter) bring you the greatest Bigfoot story ever told. This is a red-band trailer‚ presumably because of the sasquatch sex‚ though said sasquatch sex is pretty tame‚ really. The Hollywood Reporter reviewed the film‚ writing‚ “The Zellners’ fondness for wacky scenarios‚ the film’s unexpected turns and its deep appreciation for the natural world culminate in a project at once committed to a comedic bit that overstays its welcome and a somewhat poignant narrative competing for space and attention.” Sasquatch Sunset is in select theaters April 12th‚ and nationwide April 19th. [end-mark] The post Sasquatches Get Spicy in the Trailer for <;i>;Sasquatch Sunset<;/i>; appeared first on Reactor.

Both chambers of Congress are locked in fierce battles over spending legislation. A “supplemental” package has found bipartisan support in the Senate after the removal of flawed border and immigration provisions. However‚ its $95 billion price tag—$60 billion of which would go to Ukraine—means there will be stiff resistance in the House. Meanwhile‚ Congress is also working on regular spending bills (known as appropriations) that fund national defense and federal agencies. The most recent deal funds part of the federal government through March 1 and the rest through March 8. It remains to be seen whether these bills will be honest—or loaded with gimmicks‚ such as phony “emergency” spending in an attempt to trick the public about what’s going on. The spending bills aren’t happening in isolation. Decades of budget gimmicks‚ spending sprees and handouts to far left institutions have put America in an unsustainable position as these new charts show. While the federal government has a sorry track record of running deficits most of the time‚ the size of the gap is also important. When deficits get too high‚ as happened during the COVID-19 pandemic‚ it adds to inflationary pressures on the economy. If current trends continue‚ driven by the growth of spending as a share of the economy‚ deficits will balloon even in years without a recession or a major war. The first-ever $1 trillion deficit happened in fiscal year 2009 and helped fuel the tea party movement in response. Incredibly‚ not only are $1 trillion deficits now standard operation procedure‚ but the federal government is set to crack $2 trillion deficits every year as soon as 2031—even sooner if any new legislation expands the swamp. Years of hefty deficits have added to the national debt. Relative to the size of the economy‚ the public national debt is now nearly as large as it was during World War II. However‚ there’s a vital difference between then and now: Once the war was over and civilization was saved‚ federal spending came down and the debt receded. In contrast‚ most current federal spending is for categories where Uncle Sam has made firm commitments in the future‚ such as Social Security‚ Medicare and interest on the debt. In turn‚ these categories represent the vast majority of expected spending growth‚ which is what drives long-term debt and deficits. Both the Social Security and Medicare trust funds are on pace to go bust within the next decade‚ a reality that most of Washington would rather not talk about. While there are ways to save money on the programs that would retain the core safety-net aspect for seniors‚ addressing these imbalances will require political courage. While the growth of the national debt is an important factor behind the recent rise of interest payments‚ the spike in interest rates is especially concerning. Incredibly‚ the Congressional Budget Office revealed that the federal government will likely spend more on interest payments in 2024 than on national defense. And if debt and deficits continue to grow out of control‚ that will remain the case. Interest payments don’t help protect the nation or fund public investments. Instead‚ they represent the bill coming due on big-government spending from the past. If Congress remains asleep at the wheel‚ rising interest costs will continue to snowball and threaten the fundamentals of the entire economy. Legislators will have important opportunities over the next few weeks to start the process of tapping the brakes on deficits. That means: Saying “no” to new deficit spending‚ which includes balancing any potential increases in one area with real cuts somewhere else. Getting rid of earmark boondoggles that waste taxpayer money on political cronies and white elephant projects. Cutting subsidies for unnecessary government operations‚ especially those captured by activists. With Washington’s culture used to easy money‚ going the other direction will not be easy. However‚ it is absolutely necessary for America’s fiscal health and prosperity. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the url or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post 5 Charts Show Why Congress Must Stop Deficit Spending appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The Higher Education Act‚ signed into law in 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson‚ profoundly influences almost every facet of higher education in America. Today‚ this law governs federal student aid‚ including all loans and grants and work-study. It defines what constitutes an academic year and “gainful employment.” And it authorizes numerous other federal programs that send taxpayer money to colleges and universities. Critically‚ the Higher Education Act cemented federally approved accrediting agencies as gatekeepers to student financial aid‚ establishing a troubled marriage between accreditors and Congress.  Conservatives have called for reforms to the Higher Education Act since 2014‚ the last time it was due for reauthorization. In January‚ Rep. Virginia Foxx‚ R-N.C.‚ chairwoman of the House Education and Workforce Committee‚ introduced HR 6951‚ legislation to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. Later in the month‚ her committee voted to advance the bill‚ called the College Cost Reduction Act‚ a first step in getting consideration on the House floor. Many of the policies included in the bill are a step in the right direction because they would reduce federal subsidies and increase accountability for taxpayers. Five key policies would:   1. Eliminate PLUS Loan Programs. The proposal would discontinue the Grad PLUS and Parent PLUS loan programs‚ which permit borrowers (either graduate students or the parents of undergraduates) to borrow practically unlimited sums from federal coffers. As currently operated‚ the PLUS loan programs enable students or their parents to borrow up to the entire cost of attending university from the federal government‚ which is a considerable driver of tuition inflation. Evidence indicates that nearly unrestricted access to federal student aid is associated with an increase in tuition costs. Eliminating the PLUS programs would bring down college costs and reduce dependence on federal student aid programs to finance higher education. 2. Establish Risk-Sharing Requirements for Public Universities. This change would mean that schools have some skin in the game and would be held accountable for the quality of the product they produce. If student loans remain unpaid‚ colleges would be on the hook for a portion of student loan defaults‚ shifting the burden of defaults from the taxpayer to the university.  Under Foxx’s proposal‚ universities would be responsible for annually reimbursing the government for a portion of unpaid interest and principal on loans tied to their former students. The repayment would be determined by the average total program cost and the earnings of graduates or the institution’s completion rate for nongraduates.   3. Repeal Harmful Regulations Imposed by the Biden Administration. The College Cost Reduction Act would rightly rescind two rules that unfairly target the for-profit sector: the Obama-era gainful employment rule and the 90/10 rule. The gainful employment rule requires graduates of for-profit colleges to achieve government-defined debt-to-earnings income ratios. The 90/10 rule stipulates that federal funding cannot exceed 90% of an institution’s total revenue. The 90/10 rule wrongly applies only to the for-profit sector. A 2013 report found that if the rule were applied to all higher education institutions‚ “80%  of public two-year colleges would fail the test‚ as would 40% of public four-year colleges.” 4. Limit Bureaucratic Authority. The bill would prevent the nation’s secretary of education from establishing new student loan repayment plans or altering existing ones in a way that raises costs for taxpayers. The legislation also would mandate that the secretary verify that any new regulations or executive actions concerning the student loan program would not raise costs for the federal government. It also would prohibit the issuance of any regulations that fail to meet this cost threshold. 5. Provide Much-Needed Accreditation Reform. Under the Higher Education Act the federal government has dictated to accreditors their role as gatekeepers for all federal student loan and grant programs established in Title IV. Initially started as a voluntary system‚ accreditation of higher education institutions evolved into a mandatory practice under the Higher Education Act. Accreditors often overstepped their authority. As researchers at the Texas Public Policy Foundation found‚ they interfered “with legitimate governance of public colleges in conservative states and demand[ed] racial preferences in admissions.” Accreditation today also has proven to be an inadequate measure of program quality and student outcomes. It hinders innovative‚ low-cost alternatives to the traditional four-year college model from gaining traction. *** The proposed College Cost Reduction Act would create a new marketplace for accreditation by granting states the flexibility to designate accreditors tailored to specific industries. It would offer a pathway for new accreditors and require all accreditors to establish outcome standards for student achievement. The bill also would forbid accreditors from mandating that institutions and programs meet any litmus tests‚ such as adherence to diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion standards‚ as a prerequisite for accreditation. Some areas for policy improvement remain‚ namely this bill would retain time-based student loan cancellation as part of the existing Income-Driven Repayment program. Overall‚ however‚ the policies proposed in the College Cost Reduction Act include vital reforms for higher education‚ addressing many concerns about its value and affordability.   Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post This Education Proposal Would Reduce Federal Subsidies‚ Increase Accountability appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The George W. Bush Institute has joined in the push to cement and expand various forms of speech control and censorship on legacy media as this election year unfolds. Among those mentioned in a positive way in a piece authored by the institute’s Senior Editorial Advisor William McKenzie is the controversial former head of the former Disinformation Governance Board‚ Nina Jankowicz. McKenzie organized his thoughts about “disinformation” and “misinformation” in a year of elections into five points‚ and says that these concepts and ideas originate from news‚ webinars‚ and interviews. Given the dramatic importance it is being assigned to (mostly as justification for imposing free speech restrictions)‚ you’d think misinformation is a new phenomenon. And‚ the incessant parroting that “4 billion people” in dozens and dozens of countries will go to the polling stations this year makes it seem that even the holding of elections is a new and curious phenomenon‚ or at least‚ that they hardly ever before coincided in different countries. Brookings Institution’s Darrell M. West is quoted in the post‚ promoting that narrative by warning of “a perfect storm of disinformation” because many elections will be held around the world. Another “deep disinformation thinker” and no doubt‚ “expert‚” is cited by McKenzie – it’s Nina Jankowicz. Despite the disastrous attempt to make her the face of the rapidly disbanded Disinformation Governance Board‚ Jankowicz is still held in high esteem among mostly the current administration’s supporters in the media and elsewhere. And even despite her now trying to make dystopian concepts like “pre-bunking” happen. It is‚ quite literally as far as proponents of this are concerned‚ the media reporting “ahead of time how lies may be coming our way.” And what if they are not coming our way‚ but we’re in fact dealing with simply information that somebody‚ for political profit‚ decided to brand as “disinformation?” That point doesn’t seem to have been addressed as Jankowicz spoke at a webinar held at Germany’s New York Consulate. “Pre-bunking‚” fear-mongering‚ and singling out non-English speakers (like Latinos in Texas) for targeted “fact-checking” – in other words‚ filtering information available to them – is what these days passes off as “media literacy‚” if the likes of McKenzie are to be believed. The post George W. Bush Institute Senior Advisor Urges Legacy Media Outlets to “Pre-Bunk” “Disinformation” appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

Martina Navratilova Slams Male Athlete's Championship Setting NH State Record

Will We Know Who Replaces George Santos Tonight?

Consumer prices jumped hotter-than-expected‚ and leftist media outlets were predictably fumbling over themselves trying to spin the bad news in any which way they could to protect the floundering Biden economy. The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation report showed that consumer prices spiked 3.1 percent year-over year‚ with a 0.3 percent increase month-over-month‚ both exceeding expectations. CBS News even conceded the new hot numbers “complicat[ed]” the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut interest rates. The outlet also noted that higher prices “remain sticky.” The Dow Jones Industrial Average also tumbled over 400 points following the news. But that didn’t stop outlets like CNN from trying to flip the script as if their readers were too stupid to see right through the manufactured haze. “Good news for Americans: Inflation cooled back down in January‚” read CNN’s twisted headline. CNN’s ridiculous tweet of its story was just as bad: “US inflation cooled down in January‚ offering some relief for Americans who have suffered through the steepest price hikes in four decades.” Saying “Inflation cooled less than expected” is a completely backward way of describing a hot inflation report. [Emphasis added.] CNN and others in the media who followed this logic should know that too much spin makes people dizzy. CNN must have realized the stupidity of its original headline for its story‚ because it was stealth-edited later. Arguing that hotter-than-expected inflation simultaneously means prices “cool[ed]” is the epitome of an oxymoron‚ but don’t expect Biden’s media lackeys to be logically consistent. As MRC Business Vice President Dan Schneider concluded in a statement: “‘Hell is not as hot as we thought it was going to be.’ That’s the typical response we get from Biden’s fawning media. They just can’t help themselves. They stopped being journalists a long time ago.” US inflation cooled down in January‚ offering some relief for Americans who have suffered through the steepest price hikes in four decades https://t.co/stXY7HZUSW — CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) February 13‚ 2024 ABC News tried to have its cake and eat it too in its headline on the new numbers. “Inflation fell markedly in January but still higher than expected‚ latest data shows.” At least one of the outlet’s affiliated publications seems to have also gotten its orders from the mothership. ABC News affiliate KOMO News’ reporting in its headline fell along similar lines: “Inflation remains stubborn‚ falling slower than expected.” [Emphasis added.] The New York Times‚ to its credit‚ was straight forward in its headline: “January Inflation Report: Prices Are More Stubborn Than Expected.” However‚ the outlet quickly did a 180-degree turnaround and tried to spin the story using the same absurd logic employed by CNN in its lede paragraph: “Inflation cooled less than expected in January and showed worrying staying power after stripping out volatile food and fuel costs — a reminder that bringing price increases under control remains a bumpy process.” [Emphasis added.] The Times’s competitor‚ The Washington Post‚ tried a different strategy. First‚ the outlet embedded the spin in its headline: “Inflation eased in January‚ but not as much as expected.” Secondly‚ the outlet decided to bury the straightforward news in its sub-headline‚ giving a completely different picture than what was implied in the headline: “[Inflation] came in slightly hotter than analysts expected‚ causing the markets to flash red. The Fed is contemplating when to cut interest rates.” [Emphasis added.] The Associated Press also took a shot at putting lipstick on the Bidenomics pig‚ emphasizing the ludicrousness of making the hot inflation report anything more than the bad news that it was: “US inflation slows but remains elevated in sign that price pressures are easing only gradually.” Of course‚ nowhere in its report did the AP concede that the numbers were hotter than expected. “Consumer inflation in the United States cooled last month yet remained elevated in the latest sign that the pandemic-fueled price surge is only gradually and fitfully coming under control‚” read AP’s gaslighting. [Emphasis added.] Not to be outdone‚ NBC News was adamant in its clownish headline that “[p]rice growth continued to cool in January‚ but not as much as hoped for.” The outlet attempted to sugarcoat the numbers by giving the false impression that consumers are just fine with the higher prices in its sub-headline: “Still‚ consumers appear to be adjusting to a new normal of higher prices‚ including for fast food and other goods and services.” Good grief. Yahoo! Finance took it a step further and utilized the CNN logic to infect how it reported on the stock market tumbling after the bad BLS numbers were released: “Stock market today: US stocks fall after inflation cools less than anticipated.” Yeah sure‚ the reason stocks dipped was because inflation cooled‚ not because it was “hot‚” right Yahoo! Finance? Make it stop.  Conservatives are under attack. Contact CNN at 404-827-1500‚ ABC News at (818) 460-7477‚ The New York Times at 800-698-4637‚ NBC News at (212) 664-6192‚ The Associated Press at 212-621-1500 and Yahoo! News at (408) 349-3300 and hold them to account for trying to gaslight the American people on the bad inflation numbers.   

Jon Stewart returned to the anchor chair of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show on Monday‚ where he lampooned both Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s age and some of their more infamous bloopers. This did not sit well with left-wing media outlets‚ who have become accustomed to late night comedians simply being one of them. However‚ when Stewart did briefly digress from age issues‚ it was clear he was still very much on the left. When Stewart did digress to talk policy‚ it was about Biden’s recent remarks that Israel’s response to October 7 has been “over the top‚” which struck Stewart as a massive understatement‚ “You know‚ I like how Biden describes Israel's incessant bombing of civilians the same way my mother talks about the Super Bowl halftime show. ‘It was a little much. Did they need to be on roller skates?’ ‘Whatever happened to music? Using the song and people will love it‚ but with the abs and the twirling.’”     Despite that attack on Biden from the left and the age jokes‚ Stewart insisted: Look‚ Joe Biden isn’t Donald Trump. He has not been indicted as many times‚ hasn't had as many fraudulent businesses or been convicted in a civil trial for sexual assault or been ordered to pay defamation‚ had his charities disbanded‚ or stiffed a shit-ton of blue-collar tradesmen he hired. Should we even get to the “grab the pussy stuff?” Probably not. But the stakes of this election stuff don't make Donald Trump's opponent less subject to scrutiny. It actually makes him more subject to scrutiny. If the barbarians are at the gate‚ you want Conan standing on the ramparts‚ not ‘chocolate chip cookie’ guy.  However‚ Stewart also made sure to tell his audience that regardless of whether Trump or Biden wins‚ the country will not end‚ which couldn’t have sat well with the reviews. The Daily Beast senior editor Matt Wilstein lamented “using his old platform to tell Americans that their two choices for president are both not that different and equally terrible.” Over at Rolling Stone‚ Alan Sepinwall mourned Stewart’s supposed approach to the news‚ “But even amidst all that mendaciousness‚ the push toward racism and fascism‚ or the sheer incompetence displayed by so many people in so many important positions affecting the lives of every American‚ Stewart was still sticking with the same Both Sides Are Equally Bad approach.” The other five late night hosts have also made plenty of jokes about Biden’s age and mental acuities‚ but they are still very much to the left. Stewart is not that different‚ he just happened to debut on a day when Biden’s age was very much in the news. Later in the show‚ during an interview with the Economist editor-in-chief‚ Zanny Minton Beddoes‚ Stewart wondered if Biden is as mentally astute as his defenders say he is‚ then why does the White House keep him away from interviews‚ “It makes it seem conspiratorial.” Beddoes‚ who would eventually claim the Economist is an outlet for “English liberalism” in line with Ronald Reagan‚ Margaret Thatcher‚ and Bill Clinton‚ tried to have it both ways. She said that: I hear the same thing‚ ‘He's very sharp‚ he talks for a long time‚ he can outlast anyone in a meeting.’ I am perfectly paired to believe that on some subjects‚ that's true. Joe Biden knows a huge amount about foreign policy. He is exactly the right person to have in the Oval Office in the world as we have today‚ and I'm sure on certain things‚ he can go for hours and hours and hours. He can probably be in negotiations for a long time‚ but does that mean he should be president for another two terms? I think it's worrying. One term‚ another term.  Yes‚ Stewart poked fun at Biden’s age and recent blunders‚ but other than trying to out-progressive him on Israel‚ he did not really go after Biden’s liberalism. That’s not really “both sides.” Here is a transcript for the January 12 show: Comedy Central The Daily Show 2/12/2024 11:07 PM ET JON STEWART: Garbanzo... Garment... Gaza. By the way‚ the response in Gaza has been... "Over the top?" You know‚ I like how Biden describes Israel's incessant bombing of civilians the same way my mother talks about the Super Bowl halftime show. "It was a little much. Did they need to be on roller skates?" "Whatever happened to music? Using the song and people will love it‚ but with the abs and the twirling” … Look‚ Joe Biden isn’t Donald Trump. He has not been indicted as many times‚ hasn't had as many fraudulent businesses or been convicted in a civil trial for sexual assault or been ordered to pay defamation‚ had his charities disbanded‚ or stiffed a shit-ton of blue-collar tradesmen he hired. Should we even get to the “grab the pussy stuff?” Probably not. But the stakes of this election stuff don't make Donald Trump's opponent less subject to scrutiny. It actually makes him more subject to scrutiny. If the barbarians are at the gate‚ you want Conan standing on the ramparts‚ not "chocolate chip cookie" guy.  … All the people behind the scenes are saying‚ “you don't know like we know‚ he's leading these meetings‚ he is unbelievable. You-- I wish you could see it‚” but certainly‚ there are press people that travel with the president. Surely‚ I have not seen people come out with first-hand accounts. They have not come out and said— ZANNY MINTON BEDDOES: What‚ bounding along Air Force One? STEWART: -- Right‚ or just said‚ “I follow the president‚ I'm with him every day‚ he is unbelievably sharp‚ he is just kind of camera shy” or whatever it is‚ but nobody is making those. It makes it seem conspiratorial.  BEDDOES: Yeah‚ and I think what is clear is it is quite hard to get access to this president. He is very carefully shepherded around. He doesn't do many press conferences. He doesn't do very many interviews. I assume that is for a reason and I hear the same thing‚ “He's very sharp‚ he talks for a long time‚ he can outlast anyone in a meeting.”  I am perfectly paired to believe that on some subjects‚ that's true. Joe Biden knows a huge amount about foreign policy. He is exactly the right person to have in the Oval Office in the world as we have today‚ and I'm sure on certain things‚ he can go for hours and hours and hours. He can probably be in negotiations for a long time‚ but does that mean he should be president for another two terms? I think it's worrying. One term‚ another term. 

Writing anything good about climate change runs the risk of the writer getting lynched — metaphorically at least — by the online enforcers of a cultist apocalyptic narrative. For years‚ doomsayers have insisted that polar bears are in danger of extinction because of man-made warming‚ even as experts have shown that populations have increased. In fact‚ the bears are thriving to the point that the native Inuit in Arctic Canada want an increase in hunting quotas. Likewise‚ I’ve documented how the Bengal tiger population in India has doubled‚ personally verifying the increase by visiting their habitats. The same is true with other species of mammals and birds that have benefited from the protection of conservation projects. A phenomenal increase in the bee population should make us wonder how we’ve been fooled into thinking the opposite is true. Now honeybees‚ another important creature‚ are showing a dramatic increase in population despite the fearmongering of the climate crowd. A long-running narrative of a looming apocalypse has clung to the reporting on the fate of our beloved bees. Headlines painted a dire picture of collapsing colonies and a world teetering on the brink of ecological disaster because of vanishing pollinators. The Natural Resources Defense Council published an article titled “Colony Collapse Disorder: Why Are Bees Dying?” CNN wonders‚ “Bees are dying – what can we do about it?” National Public Radio asked‚ “Why Are Bees Disappearing?” While threats to bee populations undeniably exist‚ most media have failed to tell the truth: Bee populations are not declining but thriving. Globally‚ the number of managed honeybee colonies has been steadily increasing over the past several decades. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations‚ the estimated number of colonies worldwide climbed by 46% between 1990 and 2021. Such a phenomenal increase in the bee population should make us wonder how we’ve been fooled into thinking the opposite is true. This trend isn't limited to a few isolated regions. Countries across the globe — from Brazil to China — have witnessed substantial growth in managed bee populations. Even Europe‚ once considered particularly problematic for bee decline‚ has seen a more modest recovery in recent years — an 11% increase between 1990 and 2021. In the Americas (North and South)‚ the increase has been around 20%. Other areas recording increases in colonies included Africa‚ 38%; the Oceania region around Australia and New Zealand‚ 90%; and Asia‚ a massive 95%. This has resulted in large amounts of honey production for human consumption‚ with China‚ Iran‚ and Turkey being the major producers. According to a 2022 peer-reviewed research paper in the journal Nature‚ between 1969 and 2017‚ “there were increases in the number of managed honeybee colonies (85%)‚ honey production (181%) and beeswax production (116%). … The yield of honey per colony improved globally by about 50%‚ with the greatest improvements being in Asia and Europe where they peaked at more than 100% between 1961 and 2017.” Scientists say that the narrative of large-scale global decline in bees and similar doomsday stories “are usually based on research reports limited to one or a few countries with observations over a relatively short period of time.” You will seldom hear about the scientific assessment of an increase in bee numbers in a media more inclined to cherry-pick data showing random regional drop-offs of bee populations. Purveyors of a climate doomsday take advantage of an ill-informed populace‚ using news reporters who are equally ignorant of the facts or willing participants in the deception. It is not unreasonable‚ however‚ to suggest that honeybees are thriving partly because of our modern era’s modest natural warming and increasing atmospheric carbon from human activity‚ both of which have greened Earth over the last several decades. A January 2022 paper presented evidence that forest cover within two kilometers of bee populations had a positive effect on their numbers. “Since wild bees are highly dependent on forest patches as a nesting habitat in agricultural landscapes‚ it is possible to attract more populations from pollinators by creating new forest patches‚” the paper reported. So it would seem that today’s climate is a boon for bees.

A Mexican man was caught after trying to smuggle several duffel bags filled with more than 150 pounds of meth into California on Monday‚ according to Fox News Digital.Agents with the El Centro Sector Border Patrol zeroed in on a beige sedan while keeping an eye on Interstate 10 around Dillon Road. They pulled the vehicle over around 5:00 a.m. A U.S. Border Patrol K-9 unit was on the scene‚ and officers asked the driver to consent to have the vehicle searched.When the man refused to have his vehicle searched‚ the K-9 carried out an exterior inspection of the vehicle. The K-9 alerted officers to the interior of the vehicle‚ where they eventually discovered several duffel bags full of meth wrapped in cellophane packages. U.S. Customs and Border Protection noted that this is a common way for drug dealers to transport narcotics. After a sample of the substance was taken‚ officers confirmed that there was meth in the packages. The total weight of all the drugs discovered in the search was 154 pounds‚ which could amount to $278‚000 worth of narcotics.The driver of the vehicle‚ who was a Mexican citizen with a border crossing card‚ was quickly arrested and his entry benefits revoked‚ according to reports. The vehicle and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Agency. The statement did not mention where the man planned to take the narcotics or if any other individuals were involved.The effort to crack down on drug trafficking is known as Operation Apollo‚ which was initially set up to slow the spread of fentanyl throughout the U.S. Courthouse News Service reported in October 2023 that the task force was a "Southern California counter-fentanyl joint operation with a focus on intelligence collection‚" adding that it was made up mostly of state‚ local‚ and tribal law enforcement agencies.“As synthetic drugs continue to devastate individuals across the United States‚ the operation will also look to uncover and better understand the tactics‚ techniques‚ and procedures utilized by transnational criminal organizations to procure‚ produce‚ store‚ and transport fentanyl and fentanyl-related materials throughout the country‚" the agency said last year.The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reported that drug traffickers generally distribute fentanyl by the kilogram‚ which is reportedly enough to kill 500‚000 people.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!