Wednesday 2/8-23
Verse(s) for today:
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Romans 5:3-5 KJV
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7 KJV
QUOTE of the DAY:
"You know something is wrong with a culture when fornication is a virtue and smoking is a mortal sin."
-Fr. Chad Ripperger
Pastor – Jack HIBBS:
Today’s culture bombards us with so much information that it can be hard to distinguish what is actually true. The devil inserts his deception into the mix in an attempt to lie you into Hell.
Eric Metaxas warns of the haunting similarities between the American church of today and the German church that stood by as Hitler came to power. Metaxas sounds the alarm and calls believers to fight the impending evil that we, in our complacency, have allowed to grow unchecked. [Pastor – Jack HIBBS]
American neo-Nazi duo charged in domestic terrorist plot to attack power grid:
A Florida man and a Maryland woman have been charged with conspiracy to destroy an energy facility, the United States Department of Justice announced Monday.
"The threat posed by domestic violent extremists is evolving and persistent,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI's Baltimore field office.
"This alleged planned attack threatened lives and would have left thousands of Marylanders in the cold and dark," Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron said in the statement.
Sarah Beth Clendaniel, of Catonsville, Maryland, and Brandon Clint Russell, of Orlando, Florida were reportedly "driven by their ideology of racially motivated hatred," the statement says.
The duo reportedly launched their scheme around June 2022. Russell plotted to carry out attacks against electrical substations "in furtherance of [his] racially or ethically motivated violent extremist beliefs."
Police discovered neo-Nazi paraphernalia, including a picture of Oklahoma bomber Timothy McVeigh, among Russell's possessions in 2017 when investigating a separate matter, according to the FBI's affidavit in support of the criminal complaint acquired by Politico.
Russell told authorities during an interview that he had started his own National Socialist Group called "Atomwaffen." The Atomwaffen Division, a neo-Nazi group, has cells in multiple states. AWD targets Jewish people, the LGBTQ community, the United States government, and others.
Russell's plan involved triggering a "cascading failure" by attacking a small number of substations. He reportedly discussed hitting multiple substations simultaneously to maximize the impact of the infrastructure attack.
Clendaniel, Russell's collaborator in Maryland, was targeting five substations. She allegedly said they "would completely destroy this whole city" if they hit multiple stations in the same day. She allegedly reasoned that "a good four or five shots through the center of them. . . should make that happen."
Clendaniel, according to the criminal complaint, mirrors disturbing proclivities. Below is a screenshot from the affidavit showing a person believed to be Clendaniel "wearing tactical gear containing a swastika, holding a rifle and with a pistol in a drop holster on her left leg.
Clendaniel's and Russell's relationship began during or before 2018, while each were incarcerated in separate facilities, the affidavit states.
“The Justice Department will not tolerate those who threaten critical infrastructure and imperil communities in the name of domestic violent extremism," said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen.
[The BLAZE Media]
Watch "30% of Counties Vote to Secede from Oregon" on YouTube:
I was born and raised in Portland. It was a great place to grow up and live in. The hippies were getting a foothold in Portland beginning in about 1964. I left Portland in 1968 when I was 17 and started my military career. Throughout my career I watched the political machine, the hippies, in Oregon slowly transform it into something unrecognizable. Portland was beautiful. Now, it's absolutely disgusting. I retired from my military career in 1993 when my two oldest children were just starting their military careers and my two youngest were 11 and 15 years old. I had to tell my parents back then that I could not, with a clear conscience, move my family back to Oregon because of the political uncertainty and the direction that was trending.
I hope the secession efforts are successful.
[Carol Roch]
Carbon counted on every food you buy:
2 min 20 sec.
In addition to calories and carbs, now you'll have to watch your carbons!
Chris Sky: The GREAT SCAM That Everyone is Missing!!
Thank you, David YEO
REGINA, Saskatchewan (LifeSiteNews) – Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said his government will “not” participate in any type of national healthcare “digital ID” program as a condition to receive funding for health care from the federal government.
In an open letter to the public released last week, Moe wrote that the “Government of Saskatchewan is not creating a digital ID, nor will we accept any requirements for the creation of a digital ID tied to healthcare funding.”
In Canada, as per the constitution, health care falls 100 percent under the authority of the provincial governments, however, some federal money is transferred to provinces, but this amount has been in decline in recent years.
There has been some talk that future federal funding could be tied to a sort of national healthcare “digital ID.”
Moe flat-out rejected that Saskatchewan would take any money from the federal government should a digital ID be on the table.
“The Government of Saskatchewan will not share any personal medical information with the federal government. This information is protected under The Health Information Protection Act and will remain so,” Moe wrote.
He stressed that the only information that his government shares with the feds when it comes to health care are public healthcare statistics.
“The Government of Saskatchewan may share already publicly available healthcare statistics, including the number of physicians in Saskatchewan and surgical wait times if requested by any party, including the federal government,” Moe wrote. “The Government of Saskatchewan will not surrender or weaken any personal health privacy rights when signing a new Canada Health Transfer agreement.”
Moe’s letter comes after a public backlash and letter-writing campaign in the province that came about after people were concerned a digital ID could be in the cars in the province.
Today, all of Canada’s premiers met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to try and hash out a funding deal for health care with the federal government. It is not yet clear what has come from this meeting.
Canada’s premiers collectively are asking the federal government to live up to its end of the bargain in healthcare funding, after the total amount has dropped from 35 percent to 22 percent.
“In recent years, federal funding of health care has fallen from 35% of healthcare costs to 22%,” Moe wrote.
He demanded that the federal government be a full partner in funding with no strings attached.
When it comes to digital IDs, the federal government under Trudeau has been actively open to the idea.
Last year, through an Inquiry of Ministry, Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) MP Leslyn Lewis demanded information from the Trudeau government and Transportation Minister Omar Alghabra over its participation in the World Economic Forum’s “Known Traveler Digital Identity (KTDI)” pilot program.
Through this action, it was reported that the Trudeau government has a $105.3 million contract with the WEF to create a digital ID system for travel.
The provinces of Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and New Brunswick have already forged ahead with pushing a digital ID on the public and are all listed on the Digital ID and Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC) as members.
Saskatchewan did at least temporarily pause implementing its own local digital ID system last year after a public outcry.
Last year, Moe told Trudeau that his extreme environmental policies can go to “hell,” and that his province will assert full autonomy over its natural resources. [life Site Media]
[Patrick Bestall]
London Council of Canadians Petition the City of London to declare a state of emergency:
Do not support this petition. Change.org is a front for the London Council of Canadians which is a leftist organization. Perhaps we should create a petition to counter this, one which does not demand housing as a "human right" but reminds us that faith hope and charity are better than socialism. The poor need all three. The city should minister to the poor in mind, body and spirit.
"You have given me everything to live with but nothing to live for."
"You can give a man a fish and feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and he will still go hungry unless you give him reasons to fish and protect him from those who would take his fishing rod away.
London Regional Social Forum started this petition.
We request the City of London declare a state of emergency related to housing:
· The average rent increased by 36.9 % in the last year.
· There is a 1 % vacancy rate.
· 6236 families and individuals are on a waitlist for social housing.
· Over 2000 people are experiencing homelessness in London
· London Cares reports a 68 % increase in their interactions with the homeless in the last year.
· Frontline workers are burnt out and on the brink of collapse.
· 57 people have died on the streets in the last year.
Declaring a state of emergency can allow the city to access resources from the provincial and federal governments that can help avoid more deaths and suffering in the City of London. [Patrick Bestall]
Norfolk Southern derailment in Ohio continues to burn:
Ohio governor issues new evacuation order for East Palestine, warning of possible tank car explosion
NTSB investigators indicate axle defect may have caused derailment
Authorities continue to warn of ‘high probability’ of explosion of tank car at NS accident site in Ohio. [Patrick Bestall]
Why didn't the US just send a missile to puncture the balloon?
The Chinese Spy Balloon is just one of several key things you need to know about China and how they have positioned themselves as a threat to the United States and our allies.
[Pastor – Jack HIBBS]
[Patrick Bestall]
Horrendous earthquakes in Turkey remind us all to stay prepared for disaster:
We pray for all those in Turkey and Syria who have been horribly impacted by the devastating earthquakes, and in today's podcast, I reveal what we're doing to try to provide some measure of support for those who have been impacted.
These sudden, catastrophic earthquakes remind us all to stay prepared at all times, because unexpected events can impact us all.
Right now, we face the prospects of nuclear war, cyber-attacks, financial collapse, power grid collapse and even a potential domestic invasion by foreign enemies.
Stay prepared and be ready to help others to the extent you can.
See the feature stories below on the earthquake, and hear today's important podcast here:
https://www.brighteon.com/808fad52-d3e3-4353-a48b-dc45b00ce0d1 [Brighton Media]
An echo of Turkey's quakes? 3.8 in Niagara Falls yesterday:
At about 6:15 am on Monday, a small earthquake was strongly felt by many in the Buffalo, New York area. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported it as a 3.8 magnitude earthquake, centred 2 km east northeast of West Seneca… [Niagara Falls]
“It is unknow yet if there is any damage from the earthquake,” the U.S. National Weather Service stated early Monday. Initial reports showed the quake had been felt as far north as Niagara Falls and St. Catharines, Ont. According to Earthquakes Canada, who rated it as a 4.2 magnitude earthquake, it was "lightly felt in southern Ontario."
"There are no reports of damage, and none would be expected," Earthquakes Canada said. [Patrick Bestall]
What Tanks in Ukraine Tell Us About America in the Pacific
U.S. hopes that Europe can take care of itself appear to be farfetched.
Germany’s insistence that the United States move first in the decision to send tanks to Ukraine tells us much about security dynamics in Europe, but it also has implications for America’s strategy in the Indo-Pacific: it reveals the futility of hoping that Europe might soon stand on its own so that Washington can focus more on the Pacific theater.
Deliberations over whether to send tanks to Ukraine took longer than many hoped, but the end result should nonetheless help increase the odds of a Ukrainian victory. The deal was clinched by U.S. willingness to take the lead, announcing it would supply Ukraine with American-made M1A2 Abrams tanks, even though these tanks require a more robust maintenance and logistical support capability. Moreover, Washington will only provide 31 Abrams tanks—just 10 percent of what Ukraine has apparently indicated it needs—and they won’t arrive in any case for several months, meaning they probably won’t play any role in an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive this spring.
The fact that Germany in particular refused to provide tanks without America doing so first is frustrating to Washington. Berlin alone has the economic, technological, and political heft to lead Europe; other candidates all fall short for various reasons. Great Britain is looking increasingly less “great,” thanks in large part to Brexit, which is forcing its military to shrink. France has the will to lead but lacks the economic and military strength; Macron’s commitment to expand military spending from 2024-30 will take years to yield results. Paris also lacks the respect of Eastern Europeans, who perceive it as too willing to negotiate with Moscow over the heads of Warsaw, Prague, Vilnius, and so forth. Farther afield, Italy and Spain appear largely uninterested in a broader leadership role in Europe – perhaps more importantly, they both have their eyes trained on instability to the south and the waves of migrants it generates.
Germany’s singular heft notwithstanding, it currently lacks the will to lead. Berlin steadfastly avoids getting ahead of either international or domestic opinion. Internationally, Berlin is unwilling to act without consensus among allies, otherwise known as “leading from the middle.” Domestically, German leaders reflected the reluctant but slowly shifting sentiment among the German electorate.
Moreover, Berlin still wants the United States in the pole position when it comes to security matters in Europe. After all, Germany lacks a nuclear deterrent of its own, remaining reliant on America’s umbrella. And the albatross of historical guilt remains around Berlin’s neck when it comes to sending military forces or even military equipment anywhere but especially in Eastern Europe.
All of this has implications for the United States, certainly in Europe but also well beyond. First, it’s clear that for the foreseeable future, Washington will need to lead actively in Europe. Even if war in Ukraine ended tomorrow with a victory for Kyiv, however that’s defined, any subsequent attempt by Washington to pull up stakes in Europe or ‘lead from behind’ is likely to backfire. Prematurely backing away from Europe would endanger enduring vital American interests there.
More consequentially, in the event of a crisis in the Indo-Pacific, Washington can’t rely on Europeans to completely ‘backfill’ the United States in Europe. Aside from the lack of will in Germany – the only major European ally with the wherewithal to lead – most major U.S. allies in Europe are either limiting or reducing their military capacity while they focus on building capabilities over this decade. [Defense One Media]
Rumors: Rumors: Rumors: Rumors: Rumors: Rumors: Rumors:
This is just ‘Informational’ and YOU
must make up YOUR OWN MIND!
Diss the Misinformation:
If someone told you that that misinformation killed 2,800 Canadians based on a single opinion poll by Abacus Data, would you believe them? I would have a hard time buying it.
Last week, a report by the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) made the brash claim that misinformation killed 2,800 Canadians during nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The model behind this figure assumed that belief in misinformation caused most cases of non-vaccination. It was too simplistic to be useful, but that didn’t really matter — the feds produced yet another expert-backed report that connected the word “misinformation” with death and fear that would stoke hysteria in the press .
The science department serves as the CCA’s financial backbone, giving grants that average $3 million per year (these grants form, the bulk of the organization’s annual revenue). These federal grants come with substantial annual reporting to the responsible minister — financial plans, work schedules, and even policies for diversity, equity, and inclusion all must be disclosed. The CCA might not be a crown corporation, but it walks and talks like one.
The independent report used a methodology that would pin actual deaths on “misinformation” — the regulation of which is a key goal of the current government. The authors drew their model’s assumptions on Canadian misinformation beliefs from an Abacus Data poll conducted in August 2021. The poll examined the beliefs of people who were vaccine hesitant as well outright refusers. Participants selected any number of reasons from a list of 17 to explain their stances on vaccines.
Only two of the 17 reasons in the poll were categorized as misinformed beliefs by the CAA: that vaccines caused many problems that were covered up and that COVID was either a hoax or exaggerated. (Even this is a bit too broad to be useful: grand theories of hoaxes and coverups are far-fetched, but some might reasonably argue that the severity of the pandemic was exaggerated.) Of the vaccine-hesitant, 34 per cent believed that COVID was a “hoax/exaggerated” and 66 per cent believed that vaccines caused covered-up problems. Of the refusers, 73 per cent believed former, while 85 per cent believed the latter.
Related video: COVID-19 misinformation led to at least 2,800 deaths: study (Global News)
Assuming that misinformation caused vaccine hesitancy, the report authors modelled what COVID vaccination rates would look like if no one believed in either types of misinformation. The “no misinformation” models contained a smaller number of unvaccinated individuals, so fewer people were at risk of dying of COVID. The authors concluded that misinformation kills.
It’s not fair to assume that eliminating all misinformed beliefs would have caused that much more vaccination, though. Abacus’ data showed that the biggest reason given for remaining unvaccinated was hating being told by the government what to do. Others included those “reluctant to take any vaccines,” lack of trust in government, preference to avoid prescriptions, unease with the COVID vaccine’s speedy development and hatred of needles. Finally, apathy — less prominent during covid, but a large factor in Canada’s historical flu vaccine coverage of 30 per cent.
Applying the CAA report’s reasoning to other snippets of Abacus’ data, I could argue that having an untrustworthy government caused 2,800 deaths. With the right assumptions, any model is possible.
The rest of the report’s 260 pages were spent on (very broadly) characterizing misinformation. Citing a multitude of studies on topics under the misinformation umbrella, the authors described types of misinformation, sources, targets, effects and so on. The report even applied the term “misinformation” to politics. To describe Ontario’s old cap-and-trade carbon pricing system as a “job killing carbon tax” was misinformation, the report said . Even disagreements on economic policy weren’t safe from the word — the net was cast too wide by the authors.
Despite the focus on misinformation, the CAA’s report cited dodgy academic work itself. It claimed that unvaccinated individuals can increase the risk of infection among those who are vaccinated, citing a faulty modeling study that was criticized by public health scholars for not taking into account that unvaccinated individuals can still have post-infection immunity.
The CAA’s report is useful in rhetoric, shaping the misinformation accusation into a life-or-death matter that is useful against opponents. It’s notable that the study was chaired by sociologist and former Clerk of the Privy Council Alex Himelfarb, who’s academic and governance background extends into the left-wing think tank world. Himelfarb is also a fellow of the Broadbent Institute and chair of the federally-funded Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives ’ national office board — both left-wing organizations that wield accusations of misinformation to discredit opposing political views.
The CCA believes it has a low risk of being perceived as lacking independence and objectivity, according to its 2022-23 corporate plan . Perhaps this risk should be revised up — using back-of-the-napkin math and opinion polling to prove that misinformation carries a quantifiable death toll really serves the legislative goals of those who fund the whole thing.
[Patrick Bestall]
National Post
Jamie Sarkonak’s columns appear first in the special subscriber-only Friday edition of our NP Platformed newsletter.
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