from Daniel Davis / Deep Dive: TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

A recent trip to the Emilia Romagna region of North-Central Italy found me savoring many of its delights. Known as “Food Valley,” the region is renowned for Italian classics like Parmigiano Reggiano, traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena, Prosciutto di Parma, Mortadella Bologna, Lambrusco wine, and more. READ MORE...

  The Sengoku and Heian periods are two much discussed eras in Japanese history. On whether the Sengoku period came before the Heian Period, the answer is no. The Heian period preceded the Sengoku era by centuries. Understanding the timeline of the eras is important for anyone studying the history of the nation, as they represent a shift in the cultural dynamics of the country from a society of literature and art enthusiasts to a nation of warriors. It is worth noting that the Heian period spanned from 794 AD to 1185 AD while the Sengoku period lasted from approximately 1467 to 1615.   How the Heian Period Began The domain of notable clans in Japan (1183).   At the beginning of the era, Emperor Kanmu sought to escape the influence of powerful Buddhist monasteries in Nara and so he moved the capital to Heian-kyo. The move led to the creation of a city modeled after the Tang dynasty capital in China. Within its walls, the aristocratic class spent much of its time engaged in literature, art, and complicated dating rituals. One version of the story suggests that the nobility focused so much on art that they ignored the governing of the other 68 provinces. Nevertheless, the era is credited with coming up with some notable literary works such as The Tale of Genji written in 1008 by Lady Murasaki Shikibu. The text is considered today to be the first novel in the world.   While the court flourished, the Fujiwara family held the actual power through a series of regencies that lasted for generations. It achieved this by marrying its daughters to emperors and controlling the throne through a system known as Sekkan politics.   The Fujiwara Family Maintained Leadership Three Samurai pose for photograph, colorized, by Felice Beato, 1860s. Source: Wikimedia Commons   At the height of their influence, the Fujiwara family ensured that the central government remained stable, despite the lack of a standing national army, by relying on local warriors to quell small rebellions. Gradually, the local guards evolved into the samurai class that would eventually take over the country. Overwhelmed by the growing violence in the 12th century, the era finally fell when the Taira and Minamoto warrior clans fought in the Genpei War that occurred from 1180 to 1185. However, it was in 1192, after the Battle of Dan-no-ura, that the Minamoto established the first shogunate in Kamakura, marking the official end of the Heian way of life.   How the Sengoku Period Came to Be Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa. Source: War History Online   A transitional period followed the fall of the Heian era as the Kamakura and Muromachi shogunates struggled to maintain order. However, long before the Sengoku period started, the central authority of the Ashikaga shogunate began to crumble due to financial problems and internal disputes. In 1467, a succession crisis involving Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa triggered the Onin War, a conflict that lasted for ten years and burned much of Kyoto to the ground. When the fighting officially stopped in 1477, the central government had become a mere shadow of its former self.   Known to history as the Sengoku Jidai, the resulting century of chaos saw hundreds of local lords fighting for territory. While domestic and international trade continued, the lack of a central law meant that power belonged to whoever had the largest army.    The Three Unifiers of the 16th and 17th Centuries in Japan Oda Nobunaga. Source: japantravel.com   Approximately 250 different lords called daimyo fought for territory across the various provinces of Japan in the 16th century. Oda Nobunaga, a low-level lord from Owari, quickly rose to power by winning the Battle of Okehazama in 1560. He is said to have utilized thousands of arquebusiers (soldiers with handguns) to crush the Takeda cavalry at the Battle of Nagashino in 1575. After his assassination in 1582 by his own general, Akechi Mitsuhide, at the Honno-ji temple, his general Toyotomi Hideyoshi took control of the unification project. By 1590, Hideyoshi had subdued the Hojo clan at the Siege of Odawara, effectively bringing the entire archipelago under one leader for the first time in over a century.   Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, by Utagawa Yoshitora, 1873. Source: Japanese Art Open Database Ukiyo-e.org   However, the peace remained fragile because Hideyoshi died in 1598 while his heir was still a child. Tokugawa Ieyasu, a former ally, eventually challenged the loyalists at the Battle of Sekigahara on October 21, 1600. Over 160,000 men reportedly participated in the massive clash. Soon after his victory, Ieyasu was named Shogun in 1603. Some believe that the Sengoku period truly ended after the Siege of Osaka in 1615. The battle resulted in the deaths of thousands and the total destruction of the Toyotomi line. The Tokugawa shogunate would go on to rule for over 250 years in an era of strict isolation and peace.

Charley Crockett has canceled the nine-date Canadian leg of his winter tour after officials wouldn't let him across the border. Continue reading…

Imagine writing a song in your home gym, thinking it’s just a joke, and then it becomes a hit. Aaron Tippin's story is a wild ride. Continue reading…

Jelly Roll just revealed 11 new tour dates for this spring and summer. Continue reading…

We just saw another tragic shooting in Rhode Island, this time at a high school hockey game. What people want to know in the immediate aftermath of such tragedies is who did it, where, and why – and how many people were injured or died. We instinctively want to know how close it was to us, if it could have happened to us, and if we could avoid a similar fate. Flying in the face of this human need for truth is the woke legacy media, which puts ideology ahead of facts. The Daily Mail, a British paper, reported early on that the Pawtucket perpetrator was a trans-identifying man in his 50s, the chief victims his wife and children, and the motive likely connected with his gender identification and family conflict about it. Their photos supported this. U.S. legacy media, meanwhile, tried to avoid the above facts. Their reason? The woke dogma the media adhere to is that “trans” people are an oppressed minority and always victims. Thus, the growing instances of mass shootings from people suffering from gender-related mental troubles must be given as little coverage and detail as possible. The Washington Post headline was “Shooting at Rhode Island youth hockey game leaves 3 dead, including shooter, and 3 more wounded.” They quoted the police chief as saying “it may be a family dispute” and that the shooter was “Robert Dorgan, who she [the police chief] said also went by the name Roberta Esposito.” The story from the Associated Press was almost the same. The New York Times also danced around the motive, quickly pivoting to “the painful regularity of gun violence in America.” The Federalist demonstrated in one graphic how the legacy media approached this story. They produced headlines from CBS, CNN, NBC, ESPN, AP, and The New York Times. Not one has the word “transgender.” They all reference a “shooting,” which one said was by a “shooter.” Legacy outlets are so predictable on this that one can infer truth from what they leave out. Initial reports on a (barely) previous mass shooting on Feb. 10 in Canada spoke of a “female in a dress,” or a “gunperson,” leading astute readers correctly to guess the shooter was male. The legacy media do this because they don’t want to violate the Fifth Woke Commandment: You Shall Not Know “What Is a Woman.” In The Ten Woke Commandments (You Must Not Obey), I explain how the progressive Left, which dominates American media, demands we ignore obvious truth to defend their ideology. Anything that does not fit the woke model must be refuted or, better still, ignored. That is the agenda the legacy media serves. Gender ideology claims that identity is subjective. You are what you say you are. Hence the mantra “trans women are women,” repeated by everyone from actor Rupert Grint of the Harry Potter movies to British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (in 2022–he later changed his mind). Why does it matter if news outlets report the truth about crimes committed by trans-identifying individuals, or any other identity group? It matters because the gender ideology agenda is to give men who identify as women full, unchallengeable access to women’s spaces, and to label anyone fighting for women’s rights a bigot, transphobe, or worse. Ideologues are also still pushing–against mounting evidence that it does not improve outcomes—what they call “gender affirming care.” That means accepting at their word any individual–even a child–who self-identifies as the opposite sex, and using social acceptance, hormones, and surgery to make the person look more like how they feel. It matters because parents have been bullied and shamed into letting their children go so far down this path they can’t go back. Fox Varian is the first successful “detransitioner” to sue her providers for negligence, winning $2 million. Many others, like Prisha Mosley and Chloe Cole, are bravely countering the narrative that everything works out fine once you “affirm” a child’s fleeting sense of gender. And it matters because we see more and more cases of men who are frustrated at their inability to change reality and force the world to accept it that they hurt themselves or others. Clinical psychologist Dr. Ray Blanchard coined the term autogynephilia–“the love of oneself as a woman”–to describe adult men, often in middle age, who enjoy dressing and acting as women and are sexually aroused by the idea of themselves as women. Men fitting this description are often the most aggressive in insisting on their “right” to women’s sports and spaces from spas to prisons. Their families, co-workers, and friends must decide how to help them, and they are best served by the truth, not obfuscation for the sake of ideology. Accurately describing the perpetrators of violence and their motives is a journalistic duty. Hiding the role of gender-confusion in individuals who commit crimes serves only to propagate myths that sustain gender ideology’s crumbling house of cards and will result in more violence. The post The Media Lies About Trans Shooters appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has gotten heat from MAHA activists after President Trump issued an executive order to prioritize domestic production of “glyphosate-based herbicides” as “critical to national defense and security.” President Trump Issues Executive Order To Prioritize Domestic Production Of Glyphosate As National Security Issue – RFK Jr. And Massie Issue Responses Amid MAHA Outrage Previously, RFK Jr. backed Trump's executive order in a statement to CNBC. “Donald Trump’s Executive Order puts America first where it matters most — our defense readiness and our food supply,” he told the outlet. “We must safeguard America’s national security first, because all of our priorities depend on it. When hostile actors control critical inputs, they weaken our security. By expanding domestic production, we close that gap and protect American families,” he continued. CNBC noted: But Kennedy’s MAHA coalition that supported Trump in the 2024 presidential election hates glyphosate, which has been alleged to cause cancer in myriad lawsuits. Now, the executive order threatens to unravel that coalition ahead of the 2026 midterm elections that could loosen the president’s grip on Washington. “Just as the large MAHA base begins to consider what to do at midterms, the President issues an EO to expand domestic glyphosate production,” Kelly Ryerson, a prominent MAHA activist known as The Glyphosate Girl, said in a post on X. “The very same carcinogenic pesticide that MAHA cares about most.” Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group, a watchdog that has pushed back against chemicals in food for years, said in a statement that he “can’t envision a bigger middle finger to every MAHA mom than this.” “Elevating glyphosate to a national security priority is the exact opposite of what MAHA voters were promised,” Cook said. “If Secretary Kennedy remains at HHS after this, it will be impossible to argue that his past warnings about glyphosate were anything more than campaign rhetoric designed to win trust — and votes.” Kennedy, a former environmental attorney, notably once won a nearly $290 million case against Monsanto for a man who claimed his cancer was caused by Roundup. The executive order came down one day after Bayer proposed paying $7.25 billion to settle a series of lawsuits claiming Roundup causes cancer. On Sunday evening, RFK Jr. provided a lengthier explanation on social media. "I will always tell the American people the truth. Pesticides and herbicides are toxic by design, engineered to kill living organisms. When we apply them across millions of acres and allow them into our food system, we put Americans at risk. Chemical manufacturers have paid tens of billions of dollars to settle cancer claims linked to their products, and many agricultural communities report elevated cancer rates and chronic disease," RFK Jr. said. "Unfortunately, our agricultural system depends heavily on these chemicals. The U.S. represents 4% of the world’s population, yet we use roughly 25% of its pesticides. If these inputs disappeared overnight, crop yields would fall, food prices would surge, and America would experience a massive loss of farms even beyond what we are witnessing today. The consequences would be disastrous," he continued. "I support President Trump’s Executive Order to bring agricultural chemical production back to the United States and end our near-total reliance on adversarial nations. His EO protects two pillars of national strength: our defense readiness and our food supply. When hostile actors control critical inputs, they directly threaten the security of the American people. The Trump administration will secure these supply chains to eliminate that vulnerability," he added. I will always tell the American people the truth. Pesticides and herbicides are toxic by design, engineered to kill living organisms. When we apply them across millions of acres and allow them into our food system, we put Americans at risk. Chemical manufacturers have paid tens… — Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) February 23, 2026 Full statement below: I will always tell the American people the truth. Pesticides and herbicides are toxic by design, engineered to kill living organisms. When we apply them across millions of acres and allow them into our food system, we put Americans at risk. Chemical manufacturers have paid tens of billions of dollars to settle cancer claims linked to their products, and many agricultural communities report elevated cancer rates and chronic disease. Unfortunately, our agricultural system depends heavily on these chemicals. The U.S. represents 4% of the world’s population, yet we use roughly 25% of its pesticides. If these inputs disappeared overnight, crop yields would fall, food prices would surge, and America would experience a massive loss of farms even beyond what we are witnessing today. The consequences would be disastrous. I support President Trump’s Executive Order to bring agricultural chemical production back to the United States and end our near-total reliance on adversarial nations. His EO protects two pillars of national strength: our defense readiness and our food supply. When hostile actors control critical inputs, they directly threaten the security of the American people. The Trump administration will secure these supply chains to eliminate that vulnerability. President Trump did not build our current system — he inherited it. For decades, Washington designed modern agriculture. Policymakers wrote farm policy, directed research dollars, structured subsidies and crop insurance, and shaped commodity markets to reward monocultures and maximum yield. Those deliberate choices locked farmers into chemical dependence and prioritized short-term output over long-term soil vitality and human health. We are now changing course — without destabilizing the food supply. Alongside @USDA @SecRollins, we are accelerating the transition to regenerative agriculture by expanding farming systems that rebuild soil, increase biodiversity, improve water retention, and reduce reliance on synthetic chemicals, including pre-harvest desiccation. We are also driving the rapid adoption of next-generation technologies, including laser-guided weed control, electrothermal and electrical systems, robotics, precision mechanical cultivation, and biological controls that replace blanket spraying with precision intervention. These solutions are not theoretical. Farmers are already putting them to work. Markets are scaling them. Now the federal government will act with urgency to expand their reach and accelerate adoption nationwide. I have met with hundreds of farmers and agricultural leaders across the country. They understand the pressures firsthand. Chemical inputs cut into margins. Chemical-resistant pests are spreading. Soil health is declining. Foreign markets are shutting out American produce. Farmers want workable alternatives, and they want policies that support transition without threatening their livelihoods. At HHS, I am leading a coordinated effort grounded in gold standard science. I am working with Secretary Rollins and @EPALeeZeldin to expedite a better future where a thriving agricultural system is less dependent on harmful chemicals. We are sharing data, coordinating strategy, and supporting farmers through a practical transition. The Make America Healthy Again agenda forces us to challenge long-standing assumptions about how we grow food, structure markets, and measure success in this country. Reform at this scale will test entrenched interests, and it will not move in a straight line. President Trump has opened the door to this debate and backed meaningful change — not only in policy, but in the national conversation about health and agriculture. American farmers stand at the center of this movement. They deserve policies rooted in rigorous science and economic reality. Our children deserve a food system that protects and strengthens their health. With President Trump’s leadership, we are securing critical supply chains, confronting the health risks embedded in our current system, and deploying every available tool to build a stronger, safer, more resilient American food supply. The criticism RFK Jr. has faced is largely due to his prior comments about glyphosate. “I believe that glyphosate causes cancer," he said on a recent podcast. “I believe that glyphosate causes cancer.” - RFK Jr Glyphosate must be taken out of our food supply! pic.twitter.com/c1dZlQUatp — Paul White Gold Eagle (@PaulGoldEagle) February 23, 2026 “The herbicide Glyphosate is one of the likely culprits in America’s chronic disease epidemic. Much more widely used here than in Europe. Shockingly, much of our exposure comes from its use as a desiccant on wheat, not as an herbicide. From there it goes straight into our bodies. My USDA will ban that practice,” he said while running for president in 2024. The herbicide Glyphosate is one of the likely culprits in America’s chronic disease epidemic. Much more widely used here than in Europe. Shockingly, much of our exposure comes from its use as a desiccant on wheat, not as an herbicide. From there it goes straight into our bodies.… — Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) June 14, 2024 During an appearance on "This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von" earlier this month, RFK Jr. agreed with Von that "we're dependent upon something that we know makes us sick." "Farmers don’t wanna be using chemicals," RFK Jr. said. "They have some of the highest cancer rates of any profession," he continued. "The issue is, how do you transition off of it without putting farmers out of business?" he added. Footage below: RFK Jr. reveals that HHS is working to build an “off-ramp” for glyphosate and pesticide-based farming. “Farmers don’t wanna be using chemicals.” “They have some of the highest cancer rates of any profession.” “And farmers care about their land.” “They wanna leave it for their… pic.twitter.com/5aR4xLPUJK — Farm Action (@FarmActionUS) February 13, 2026 Fox News shared further: A MAHA Commission report released in May 2025 highlighted the concerns surrounding glyphosate as well. "Some studies have raised concerns about possible links between some of these products and adverse health outcomes, especially in children, but human studies are limited," the report said. "For example, a selection of research studies on a herbicide (glyphosate) have noted a range of possible health effects, ranging from reproductive and developmental disorders as well as cancers, liver inflammation and metabolic disturbances." Trump's executive order was immediately praised by agriculture industry leaders, but MAHA loyalists were sharply critical. "This move betrays the very MAHA voters who put this administration in power," Kelly Ryerson, co-executive director of American Regeneration and a leading grassroots voice within MAHA, said in a statement. "It stands in direct opposition to the President’s original promise to address the contribution of pesticides to chronic disease." "The right is captured by Big Glyphosate," added Alex Clark, a podcast host affiliated with Turning Point USA, founded by the late-Charlie Kirk. "It feels like MAHA is going through a breakup, or just found out our husband was having an affair," she told the Wall Street Journal.

A fierce blizzard has grounded air travel to a standstill in several major metropolitan areas, including New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston. According to CNBC, flight disruptions will last at least through Tuesday. The winter storm, which has already dropped over a foot of snow in some areas, has led to thousands of flight cancellations. Over 3,000 flights canceled at NYC airports as historic blizzard threatens to bury region in 2-feet of snow https://t.co/qbP0YtTvyV pic.twitter.com/bQ1ES3Qc0x — New York Post (@nypost) February 22, 2026 CNBC explained further: Much of the East Coast from Maryland to Maine was under a blizzard warning, with heavy snow totaling nearly two feet in parts of New Jersey and on Long Island, New York, as of Monday morning, and high winds expected to last throughout the day, the National Weather Service said. The NWS warned that travel will be treacherous, with blowing snow causing low visibility. More than 3,800 flights on Monday, or 15% of the total scheduled U.S. departures, were canceled, according to aviation-data firm Cirium. Daily cancellations usually run around 1%. Over 1,000 departures and arrivals in and out of New York’s LaGuardia Airport, about 90% of the day’s schedule, were canceled. More than 90% of the flights at Boston Logan International Airport and more than 80% of the flights at Philadelphia International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey were also scrubbed. Flight disruptions were set to continue on Tuesday, with around 40% of the flights at LaGuardia and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport canceled, with roughly the same amount canceled in Boston, according to FlightAware. Airlines routinely cancel flights ahead of major storms to avoid having aircraft and crews out of place and to make it easier to restart operations after the storm passes. New York and New Jersey issued states of emergency ahead of the storm, which intensified Sunday night into Monday morning. ALERT: New York City Under Blizzard Warning As Vicious Nor’easter Targets Northeast Some residents are being advised not to leave their homes unless necessary due to treacherous road conditions. "Good morning, New York City. Snowfall: 8”-15” last night. Forecast: More snow until early afternoon. Winds: Gusts of 40-60mph. Travel: Roads are CLOSED until at least noon today. Essential & emergency trips only. Coastal Flood Warnings: Lifted at 5am," New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. Good morning, New York City. Snowfall: 8”-15” last night. Forecast: More snow until early afternoon. Winds: Gusts of 40-60mph. Travel: Roads are CLOSED until at least noon today. Essential & emergency trips only. Coastal Flood Warnings: Lifted at 5am. Text NotifyNYC to… — Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) February 23, 2026 CBS News has more: Travel restrictions were also issued for Long Island and Westchester, New York, as well as New Jersey and Rhode Island. The National Weather Service said travel conditions were "nearly impossible." New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the storm was expected to make history as one of the top 10 worst winter storms in the last 150 years. Some parts of New Jersey and Long Island were seeing just shy of two feet of snow early Monday as the storm continued to strike. Heavy snow and gusty winds were creating blizzard conditions between New York City and Boston, causing chaos on Interstate 95. On highways in Connecticut, some drivers resorted to pushing their cars stuck in the snow, while others left to tend to their vehicles caught up in wrecks that caused hours-long traffic delays. In Boston, the mayor urged people to stay off the roads. Parts of New England could get up to two feet of snow. "Boston is no stranger to nor'easters, but this is gonna be a big one," said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. "And so we need everyone to just be inside, stay warm, stay safe, and let the plows do their work." More than half a million power outages were reported across the East Coast as of early Monday, according to poweroutage.us. Many of them were in Massachusetts and New Jersey.