Month: April 2023

California Teachers Sue School District Over Transgender Policy Allegedly Forcing Them To Lie To Parents

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– California Teachers Sue School District Over Transgender Policy Allegedly Forcing Them To Lie To Parents:

Authored by Matthew Vadum via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Teachers from a California middle school are suing officials in their school district in federal court over policies that they say force them to conceal the transgender status of young students from parents.

The lawsuit happens to come after President Joe Biden’s remarks earlier this month in support of the nation’s teacher of the year angered parents by suggesting government knows best when it comes to the raising of children.

Biden quoted the teacher when he said, “There’s no such thing as someone else’s child.” The president then said, “Our nation’s children are all our children.”

Read moreCalifornia Teachers Sue School District Over Transgender Policy Allegedly Forcing Them To Lie To Parents

Colorado Gov Signs Four New Gun Control Measures Into Law

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“They will not be happy until all law-abiding gun owners are disarmed, and only the criminals have guns.

– Colorado Gov Signs Four New Gun Control Measures Into Law:

Joining Washington state in a 2023 western-United States gun control blitz, Colorado Governor Jared Polis on Friday put his signature on four bills restricting the exercise of the human right of armed self-defense.

“No action can ever bring back the loved one that you lost,” said Polis, surrounded by gun control advocates and shooting victims and family members. “But turning your own personal tragedy into action in a way that will make others safer, will really prevent others from having to go through what you went through.”

Here’s what they do:

Read moreColorado Gov Signs Four New Gun Control Measures Into Law

Ukrainian Kamikaze Drones Blow Up Crimean Fuel Depot, ‘Answering’ Yesterday’s Air Strikes

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– Ukrainian Kamikaze Drones Blow Up Crimean Fuel Depot, ‘Answering’ Yesterday’s Air Strikes:

The day after Russia mounted large-scale airstrikes and cruise missile attacks on cities across Ukraine, drones penetrated Crimea air defenses on Saturday and blew up a fuel depot in the peninsula’s main port of Sevastopol.

Home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, the port city has throughout the war come under sporadic long-distance drone attacks from Ukraine, also as President Zelensky has continued to promised its “liberation”.

Throughout much of Saturday a huge fire raged in the Kazachya Bay district of the city, with governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhayev first announcing on Telegram that “according to preliminary information, it was caused by a drone strike.”

He also confirmed the fire’s very large size, at “around 1,000 square meters” – as social media images and footage circulate showing a massive fireball and smoke cloud.

“There is no threat to civilian infrastructure,” he said of the attack which resulted in no fatalities or injuries. Later in the day the fire was reported to be under control and contained by emergency responders.

According to more from Russian state media, “The governor also revealed that the oil storage had been targeted by at least two unmanned aircraft, the first of which was shot down by the depot’s guards.” And further, “The second one, however, made it through, causing the massive fire.”

Ukrainian UAVs have of late also been making it deep into Russia-proper, with a drone on Monday being found crashed in a forest outside of Moscow.

Ukrainian forces are trying to make life uncomfortable for Russian leadership, given the recent rumors of “assassination” attempts using drones.

Last month President Putin himself visited Crimea for ceremonies marking the the ninth anniversary of its annexation from Ukraine through the ‘popular referendum’ held by authorities there, which resulted in an overwhelming vote to join the Russian Federation.

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Europe Is Buying Record Amounts Of Refined Russian Fuels Through India, And Paying A Huge Markup

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– Europe Is Buying Record Amounts Of Refined Russian Fuels Through India, And Paying A Huge Markup

“Russian oil is finding its way back into Europe despite all the sanctioning and India ramping up fuel exports to the west is a good example of it. With India taking in so much Russian barrels, it’s inevitable.”

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The Diversity Officer Employment Aptitude Test

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– The Diversity Officer Employment Aptitude Test:

This assessment reveals if you are a good candidate.

Demand for Diversity Officers may have peaked and may even be on the wane.

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion hustle is running its course and may soon be out of steam, but it’s not too late to collect your share of the loot.

This means you shouldn’t delay applying for one of the lucrative positions carrying the generic title of “DEI Officer.” 

While the typical DEI position requires no expertise of any sort, it does require a collection of attitudes toward your fellow men and women, an ability to utter shameless platitudes and clichés, and embrace a clearly identifiable and primitive Manichean worldview grounded in paranoia.

If you aim to become a promising candidate for a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) position, either in the corporate world or in academia, you can easily discover if you have the necessary self-conscious virtue by taking this five-minute employment aptitude survey.

Answer “Yes” to the following statements if you agree, and add or subtract the points assigned for each question based on your Yes answer.

Then score yourself by comparing your results with those in the chart at the end. Good luck!

Read moreThe Diversity Officer Employment Aptitude Test

Poland Seizes Russian School, Kremlin Vows Retaliation For “Blatant Violation”

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– Poland Seizes Russian School, Kremlin Vows Retaliation For “Blatant Violation”:

Moscow is furious after on Saturday Polish police reportedly raided a Russian school attached to the Russian embassy in Warsaw and took it over. School staff were then given hours to pack up their things and vacate the building, according to RIA Novosti, following local authorities bursting into the grounds using a crow bar.

Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Lukasz Jasina said the state was enforcing a court ruling over the building building which says it was “illegally leased by the Russian embassy for years.” Thus Poland is asserting that the building and school isn’t protected under diplomatic status, which Moscow disputes.

Russia’s foreign ministry blasted the “hostile actions” of Polish authorities which are a “blatant violation” of official Russian diplomatic property.

Read morePoland Seizes Russian School, Kremlin Vows Retaliation For “Blatant Violation”

“Something Clearly Went Wrong”: Fauci & Friends Desperately Try To ‘Close The Book’ On COVID

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– “Something Clearly Went Wrong” – Fauci & Friends Desperately Try To ‘Close The Book’ On COVID:

Billed as the most in-depth interview yet, the New York Times published a very long piece that contains some rather startling admissions, claims, and defenses from Anthony Fauci, the face of lockdowns and shot mandates.

The author and interviewer is David Wallace-Wells, who before (and now after) Covid specialized in writing about climate change, invokes every predictable trope.

So there was a sense in which this interview was a lovefest between the two.

Still it netted some interesting results.

Here are my top-ten picks of Fauci quotes.

Read more“Something Clearly Went Wrong”: Fauci & Friends Desperately Try To ‘Close The Book’ On COVID

‘Modern-Day Slave Traders’: Hawley Demands Probe Into 85,000 ‘Lost’ Migrant Children

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Rodas says she witnessed adult sponsors who were allowed to take in “10, 20, 30 and 40 children” without any concerns from HHS.

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– ‘Modern-Day Slave Traders’: Hawley Demands Probe Into 85,000 ‘Lost’ Migrant Children:

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) is demanding that the FBI investigate the exploitation of thousands of unaccompanied alien children (IUAC) who may have been brought into the United States via child smuggling operations.

According to data from US Customs and Border Protection, approximately 345,000 minors have crossed into the United States unaccompanied since President Joe Biden took office, while a report from the NY Times suggests that the Department of Health and Human Services has lost contact with 85,000 of these minors.

Read more‘Modern-Day Slave Traders’: Hawley Demands Probe Into 85,000 ‘Lost’ Migrant Children

Russian Next-Gen T-14 Tank Makes Ukraine Debut

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– Russian Next-Gen T-14 Tank Makes Ukraine Debut:

While Western nations are working to upgrade Ukraine’s ground game with US M-1 Abrams and German Leopard 2 tanks, Russia has now introduced its latest-generation tank into the war in Ukraine, according to Russia’s state-owned RIA. 

The new Russian tank is the T-14 Armata, which features an unmanned turret, with a three-man crew operating the vehicle from what RIA describes as an “isolated armored capsule located at the front of the hull.” The tank has a maximum highway speed of 50 miles per hour.

It’s equipped with a 125mm smoothbore main gun with a reported range of 8 kilometers. The gun is fed by an automated loader with a 45-round capacity, and can also fire laser-guided missiles.

On defense, it has both reactive armor that explodes outward upon a projectile’s impact, and an “active protection system” (APS), which BBC has described as “essentially an anti-missile system for tanks, with radars capable of tracking the incoming anti-tank missile, and projectiles that are launched to disrupt or destroy it.” The T-14 is additionally distinguished from predecessor T-90 tanks by having higher ground clearance.

A developer also claimed the tank would have technology to hide it from radar- and heat-seeking targeting systems: “We essentially made the tank invisible.” RIA reports the deployed T-14s have received “additional side protection from anti-tank ammunition.”

Read moreRussian Next-Gen T-14 Tank Makes Ukraine Debut

These 12 States Can Seize Your Home Over Delinquent Property Taxes

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– These 12 States Can Seize Your Home Over Delinquent Property Taxes:

Authored by Petr Svab via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

It was a dream come true—or rather about to come true—when the Halls bought their forever home. It had everything they needed and more: five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a family room, a dining room, a roomy garage, good schools, and a good neighborhood. Sure, a fixer-upper, but they felt up to it. Prentiss Hall, a home improvement contractor, made it his life project, and everybody lent a hand—his wife, Tawanda, and six children, cousins, and friends.

Read moreThese 12 States Can Seize Your Home Over Delinquent Property Taxes

Masks Had No Effect On COVID Cases Among Children: Study

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– Masks Had No Effect On COVID Cases Among Children: Study:

Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The imposition of mask mandates among school children during the pandemic did not affect the incidence of COVID-19 infection, according to research conducted in Finland.

The study, published in the journal BMC Public Health on April 21, was conducted in three Finnish cities—Helsinki, Turku, and Tampere. These cities had similar baseline incidences of COVID-19 between August and September 2021. At the time, the federal government had recommended using masks in schools for children aged 12 years and above. In Helsinki and Tampere, the national recommendation was imposed as mandates at schools while in Turku, the mandate was levied on kids aged 10 and above.

The research team looked at the effects of masks on two groups of children—those between seven and nine years and those between 10 and 12. While the seven to 10-year-olds were not subject to mask mandates, 10-12 years olds had to wear masks.

“According to our analysis, no additional effect was gained from mandating masks, based on comparisons between the cities and between the age groups of the unvaccinated children (10–12 years versus 7–9 years),” the study said.

“Face mask recommendations in schools did not reduce COVID-19 incidence among 10–12-year-olds in Finland. This may indicate that COVID-19 cases in schools merely reflect community infections than school outbreaks.”

Read moreMasks Had No Effect On COVID Cases Among Children: Study

600 Army Aviators Told They Owe Three More Years Than Previously Assured

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– 600 Army Aviators Told They Owe Three More Years Than Previously Assured:

As the Army struggles to come anywhere close to its recruiting goals, more than 600 US Army aviators who thought they were nearing the end of their service obligations have been notified they owe three more years. 

The affected officers, commissioned via West Point or ROTC, participated in a program called BRADSO, for Branch of Choice Active Duty Service Obligation. It let cadets choose their specific Army branch of choice in exchange for tacking on three more years onto their existing active duty service obligation (ADSO).

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Inflation Still Too High? Let Them Eat EVs

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– Inflation Still Too High? Let Them Eat EVs:

Inflation rose 5% last month compared with one year prior, according to the latest consumer price index. That is the lowest level of price increases since May 2021, though it’s still not down to pre-Biden and pre-pandemic levels. Inflation’s easing may provide some relief, but it will be too late to rescue many once-thriving American households.

The harsh reality is that excessive government spending, starting with the American Rescue Plan in 2021, spurred inflation and the ensuing hardship that households – especially middle-class households – are struggling with today.

Read moreInflation Still Too High? Let Them Eat EVs

US Army Grounds Aviators After Two Mid-Air Crashes, Killing 12 Soldiers

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– US Army Grounds Aviators After Two Mid-Air Crashes, Killing 12 Soldiers:

After the tragic loss of 12 soldiers in two mid-air helicopter accidents in Alaska and Kentucky within the past month, the US Army immediately grounded aviation units for training.

“The move grounds all Army aviators, except those participating in critical missions, until they complete the required training,” the Army said in a statement, according to AP News.

Read moreUS Army Grounds Aviators After Two Mid-Air Crashes, Killing 12 Soldiers

Biden Authorizes Southern Border Deployment Of Reservist Troops

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Which couldn’t have been done two years ago because…?

– Biden Authorizes Southern Border Deployment Of Reservist Troops:

Authored by Chase Smith via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

President Joe Biden authorized the deployment of reserve troops to the southern border to combat “international drug trafficking” under the National Emergencies Act in an executive order signed April 27.

The executive order authorizes the secretaries of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD) to order to active duty reserve troops as they “consider necessary.”

“I am authorizing the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to order to active duty such units and individual members of the Ready Reserve under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned,” Biden wrote in a subsequent letter to Congress. “The authorities that have been invoked will ensure the Department of Defense can properly sustain its support of the Department of Homeland Security concerning international drug trafficking along the Southwest Border.”

Read moreBiden Authorizes Southern Border Deployment Of Reservist Troops

“We Simply Don’t Have The Ammo” – Polish General Says Can No Longer Supply Ukraine, Warns Russia Has Resources To Continue War

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– “We Simply Don’t Have The Ammo” – Polish General Says Can No Longer Supply Ukraine, Warns Russia Has Resources To Continue War:

Speaking at a strategy session of the National Security Bureau, the Polish Armed Forces chief of staff General Rajmund Andrzejczak said that when he analyzes the war in Ukraine politically, he is pessimistic.

This is, he explained, because “there is nothing that indicates that Russia will lack the resources to continue the conflict.”

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How Smart Is ChatGPT?

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– How Smart Is ChatGPT?:

ChatGPT, a language model developed by OpenAI, has become incredibly popular over the past year due to its ability to generate human-like responses in a wide range of circumstances.

In fact, ChatGPT has become so competent, that students are now using it to help them with their homework. This has prompted several U.S. school districts to block devices from accessing the model while on their networks.

So, how smart is ChatGPT?

In a technical report released on March 27, 2023, OpenAI provided a comprehensive brief on its most recent model, known as GPT-4. Included in this report were a set of exam results, which Visual Capitalist’s Marcus Lu and Rosey Eason visualized in the graphic above.

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