Reader’s Links for January 25th, 2024

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Each day at just after midnight Eastern, a post like this one is created for contributors and readers of this site to upload news links and video links on the issues that concern this site. Most notably, Islam and its effects on Classical Civilization, and various forms of leftism from Soviet era communism, to postmodernism and all the flavours of galloping statism and totalitarianism such as Nazism and Fascism which are increasingly snuffing out the classical liberalism which created our near, miraculous civilization the West has been building since the time of Socrates.

This document was written around the time this site was created, for those who wish to understand what this site is about. And while our understanding of the world and events has grown since then, the basic ideas remain sound and true to the purpose.

So please post all links, thoughts and ideas that you feel will benefit the readers of this site to the comments under this post each day. And thank you all for your contributions.

This is the new Samizdat. We must use it while we can.

For those interested, please check out https://vladtepesblog.substack.com/ as an another avenue of expression.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

46 Replies to “Reader’s Links for January 25th, 2024”

  7. The reason that these female Israeli soldiers give for refusing their border assignment is fear that their superiors won’t act on their warnings that they have evidence that an attack is coming, which is what they said happened on Oct 7th. After I saw the photos of their attractive, fallen comrades, I noticed a difference between them and the more business-like stance of American female soldiers.

    https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-01-24/ty-article/dozens-of-female-idf-spotter-recruits-refuse-to-serve-in-unit-after-assignment/0000018d-3c26-d07d-a79d-fde7dbf60000

    • IDF has been a bastion of male chauvinism since the beginning. Part of a Soviet culture – women in the army to service men – and the ME attitude about the “fair sex”.

      Occasional puff pieces from the English language PR machine make it look all kinds of modern, but it is what it is.

      Prof. Martin von Creveld:
      Not for the IDF Alone

      Ever since the first day of the current Israeli-Palestinian war on 7 October 2023, Israel’s media have been bristling with stories about heroic Israeli (not Palestinian, needless to say) women. How they received their mobilization orders just as men did. How they took their leave of home and hearth (including, in some cases, their children) just as men did. How they donned uniform, took up their weapons, and went out to fight just as men did. How some of them were killed just as men were.

      Here I want to say, loud and clear: almost all of it is nonsense. Nonsense in tomato juice, as we Israelis like to say. Nonsense of the kind that, in the long run, will do the IDF incalculable harm.

      http://www.martin-van-creveld.com/not-for-the-idf-alone/

  8. (out of curiosity, the only successful publicized hostage rescue– related to women in combat)
    https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-771074 (Nov 30, 2023)
    Gaza is not the Entebbe Airport in Uganda. The hostages are not being held together in one room but are undoubtedly spread throughout the Gaza Strip and apparently being held by more than one organization…the details of which have wisely been hidden from the public so as not to give the enemy any operational intelligence,…punches a small hole into what Hamas wants Israelis to believe, which is the only way to secure the hostages’ release is by giving in to the terrorists’ demands.

  9. Diplomacy — the profession, activity or skill of managing international relations
    —Skill or tactic in dealing with people.

    On Tuesday, Canada’s not so diplomatic leader of the NDP spoke about the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.

    “Donald Trump is frankly in completely a world of his own. The things that he has done, the things that he has said, the type of person he is, there is no other comparison to someone who is as bad for democracy, as bad for people, as bad for the planet as Donald Trump”.

    I read a quote today:
    “With today’s court ruling, the Freedom Convoy has been vindicated. The abuse of power deployed by this current crop of politicians, requires full accountability. NEVER forget what they did, but always celebrate the beauty in what forced them to do it”.

    Donald Trump is not on my list of people who are bad for democracy:
    1. Chrystia Freeland, World Economic chairperson
    2. Justine Trudeau member of WEF
    3. Jagmeet Singh, questionable past and WEF member
    4. Mark Carney, WEF member
    5. Steven Guillbeault, make his own rules and WEF member
    6. Melanie Joly, WEF member
    7. Klaus Schwab, head of the World Economic Forum
    8. Bill Gates, drug promoter
    9. Alex Soros
    10. George Soros
    11 Barack Obama, destroyed hope and brought about dire change

  11. Ynet is back to its revolting politics.

    Security officials warn: politicians could prompt 3rd West Bank intifada

    Security officials have been voicing concerns over a possible flare-up in the violence on the West Bank that could lead to a third intifada, Palestinian uprising, due to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to further prohibit Palestinians from entering Israel for work.

    In an unusual move, a defense official spoke out against the political leaders who are preventing a discussion on the matter. “The same politicians who are inciting, calling for the Palestinian Authority to be dissolved and insisting on preventing Palestinian workers from entering the country, are knowingly and maybe intentionally, leading to a third intifada,” he said.

    https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1opoyj9t
    …………..
    Hamas’ detailed intelligence on what to invade where on 10/7 came from trusted workers from Gaza [‘like family’]. Who also participated in the looting, raping, murder.

    Couple good comments:
    •”Writing this article with citing anonymous sources is poor journalism. If the “Security Officials” are afraid to give their names, they should keep quiet or resign. In a time of war the rules are different.”

    • Somebody really has to discover a way to purge the left out of the upper echelons of the military and intelligence community. They want to go back to October 6 but the measures they recommend will lead to another October 7.

  12. The Israeli Left’s New Military Messiah

    A joint American-Israeli plan to topple Netanyahu starring General Gadi Eisenkot gains steam as the war in Gaza grinds

    The Israeli mainstream media is full of disheartening stories that say we are losing the war: They say that it’s unwinnable, that the economy is on the verge of a downturn, that reservists are torn between state and family, that students are losing the academic year and couples are breaking up, that we should Bring Them Home, Now!—not to mention the horror stories about the fate of the hostages, and the constant display, front and center, of the terrible predicament of the families.

    Read the Israeli papers, watch mainstream TV and you may arrive at the conclusion that all this is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fault, not Yahya Sinwar’s: Netanyahu is extending the war for his own political survival, Netanyahu kept Hamas alive with Qatari money, Netanyahu tore Israel apart over the judicial reform, Netanyahu is sidelining the generals—Benny Gantz, Yoav Gallant, and Gadi Eisenkot—in his own war cabinet, Netanyahu will ruin our relations with the U.S., Netanyahu puts his own career over Israel’s vital interests, and so on. These talking points run parallel to Washington’s messaging campaign against Netanyahu, as the Biden administration looks to impose its agenda on Israel, with help from its local clients.

    https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/israel-middle-east/articles/gadi-eisenkot-netanyahu-palestinian-state

  13. Bridgeport Democrat Mayor Wins Race After His Associate Is Caught Stuffing the Local Ballot Drop Boxes with Bags of Ballots
    by Jim Hoft Jan. 25, 2024 7:30 am740 Comments

    Mayor Joe Ganim won another victory on Tuesday in the Bridgeport, Connecticut special election for the Democratic primary for mayor. Ganim quickly claimed victory after winning the in-person tally by 274 votes.

    In November a local judge overturned the initial primary election after Wanda Geter-Pataky, the Vice Chairwoman of the Democratic Town Clerk and a vocal supporter of incumbent Mayor Joe Ganim, was caught on video stuffing the ballot drop boxes with dozens if not hundreds of absentee ballots.

    So Mayor Ganim won again on Tuesday against John Gomes in the Democrat primary.

    Superior Court Judge William Clark ordered a new election to be held, citing bombshell video evidence of election fraud as the basis for his decision. The ruling has far-reaching implications, not just for Bridgeport but for the entire country, as it sets a precedent for ongoing and future cases involving mail-in ballot fraud.

    The Gateway Pundit reported in September that mayoral candidate John Gomes’ campaign released a damning video showing evidence of election fraud in the Bridgeport Democratic primary. The video has prompted an investigation by the Bridgeport Police Department for “possible misconduct.”

    The video on the Gomes campaign’s Facebook page shows a woman dropping stacks of ‘illegal’ ballots into an absentee ballot box outside the Bridgeport government center, where the city’s Registrar of Voters office is located.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/bridgeport-democrat-mayor-wins-race-after-his-associate/

  14. Kamala Harris Says We Could “Lose This Democracy” if We Elect a President Who Would Weaponize the DOJ and “Go After Their Political Enemies” (VIDEO)
    by Cristina Laila Jan. 25, 2024 11:00 am554 Comments

    Kamala Harris sat down for a one-on-one interview with Katie Couric to discuss Joe Biden, Donald Trump and the 2024 election.

    As expected, it was a softball interview between two friends.

    Katie Couric and Kamala Harris exchanged pleasantries and even complained about online reports describing them as shorter than they are.

    “It’s like literally, they just want to make us smaller,” Harris said complaining Wikipedia describes her as standing at 5’2?.

    At one point Kamala Harris actually claimed we will “lose this democracy” if we elect a president who would weaponize the Justice Department and “go after their political enemies.”

    Of course, this is precisely what Joe Biden is doing.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/kamala-harris-says-we-could-lose-this-democracy/

  15. SICK: German Justice Minister Wants to Downgrade Possession and Distribution of Child P*rn From a Crime Into a Misdemeanor!
    by Paul Serran Jan. 25, 2024 9:30 am350 Comments

    Germany’s failing governing coalition is led by the most unpopular Chancellor of this century, Olaf Scholz.

    And just when we thought that this government couldn’t get any worse, it turns out it could – and much worse.

    It was just 3 years ago when Germany decided to reform and strengthen Section 184b of the Criminal Code: then Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht oversaw the change that changed ‘the distribution, acquisition and possession of child pornographic content’ from a misdemeanor to a crime.

    Now, there is a real risk of a year-long prison sentence.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/sick-german-justice-minister-wants-downgrade-possession-distribution/

  16. Speaker Mike Johnson Offers Full Support to Governor Abbott to Protect State of Texas from Invasion
    by Jim Hoft Jan. 25, 2024 9:00 am331 Comments

    Speaker Mike Johnson offered full support to Governor Greg Abbott to defend the state of Texas from invasion.

    This comes after the US Supreme Court ruled that Texas must allow Border Security to remove wire fencing and continue the flood of illegal invaders into the state. Of course, this is pure insanity.

    Conservative justices Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett (Trump appointee) sided with the liberals and granted the Biden Regime’s emergency request. This is the 9th time that the Supreme Court has sided with the Biden regime out of 14 emergency applications.

    Despite the Supreme Court’s decision, Texas officials, including Governor Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, have expressed their intent to continue measures to reinforce the border. Texas National Guard members began installing more razor wire in Eagle Pass.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/speaker-mike-johnson-offers-full-support-governor-abbott/

    ===================================================

    Democrats Urge Joe Biden to Seize Control Over Texas National Guard Amid Border Dispute
    by Jim H?ft Jan. 25, 2024 8:45 am696 Comments

    Texas Governor Greg Abbott is steadfast in asserting the state’s right to defend its borders against invasion.

    This stance has led to a growing dispute with the Biden regime and prompted some Democrats to call for Joe Biden to federalize Texas National Guard as the debate over border security intensifies.

    On Wednesday, Abbott released a comprehensive declaration condemning the Biden administration for neglecting federal immigration laws and compromising the contractual agreement between the federal government and individual states.

    “President Biden has instructed his agencies to ignore federal statutes that mandate the detention of illegal immigrants. The failure of the Biden Administration to fulfill the duties imposed by Article IV, § 4 has triggered Article I, § 10, Clause 3, which reserves to this State the right of self-defense,” said Abbott.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/democrats-urge-joe-biden-seize-control-texas-national/

    =========================================================

    Two Americas: One For U.S. Citizens Is Heavily Regulated And Monitored, The Other For Illegals Is Free Of Mandates, Regulations And Bureaucratic Harassment
    by Guest Contributor Jan. 25, 2024 8:15 am182 Comments

    If you’re a U.S. citizen and don’t believe we live in a two-tiered society, try getting on an airplane at any U.S. airport without showing ID. Then watch an illegal board, no questions asked.

    Joe Biden’s Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, is working with Customs and Border Protection to allow illegal aliens to fly without proper identification.

    This is in contrast to the treatment of U.S. citizens, who are required to show identification at airports before they are allowed to board a flight.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/two-americas-one-u-s-citizens-is-heavily-2/

    ========================================================

    Gen. Flynn: The Constitution Literally Allows Texas to Engage in War at the Southern Border – Here’s How
    By Michael Flynn, Western Journal January 25, 2024 at 8:19am

    The Supreme Court’s decision this week to order Texas not to protect its border with Mexico will go down in history as one of the court’s most cowardly decisions that could doom our nation — if it is allowed to stand.

    That decision was not just about razor wire. It was about the role of states in our federal system and the betrayal of the nation — first by a president, and now by two Republican-appointed justices.

    I ask you to invest the time to stay with me through this article, as we need to spend some time together to think through the background of the crisis that is now upon us — for it could be a truly existential threat to the nation.

    https://ijr.com/gen-flynn-constitution-literally-allows-texas-engage-war-southern-border/

    • DEVELOPING: Red State Governors Stand with Texas Against Lawless Biden Regime Over Border Crisis
      by Jim H?ft Jan. 25, 2024 7:15 am967 Comments

      In a significant escalation of tensions over the U.S.-Mexico border policies, several Republican governors are uniting in support of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s challenge against the Biden regime.

      This move comes in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision allowing the removal of razor wire installed by Texas at the border.

      Governor Abbott deployed approximately 30 miles of razor wire near Eagle Pass, Texas, as a barrier against illegal immigration.

      However, this move was challenged in court, leading to a complex legal battle. Despite setbacks in lower courts, the state’s efforts were momentarily buoyed by a decision from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which was overturned by the Supreme Court’s 5-4 vote.

      https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/developing-red-state-governors-stand-texas-against-lawless/

    • President Trump Calls on ‘All Willing States’ to Deploy Their National Guards to Texas to Defend U.S-Mexico Border as Red State Alliance Grows to 25
      by Cullen Linebarger Jan. 25, 2024 7:00 pm27 Comments

      As the Gateway Pundit reported earlier, several Republican governors are uniting in support of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s challenge against the Biden regime to defend the southern border. Now, President Trump is voicing his support and calling on them to raise the bar further.

      Trump, a short time ago, called on ‘all willing states’ to send their national guards to Texas to defend the U.S.-Mexico border. He also vowed to work with Governor Abbott to stop the invasion on Day One of his Presidency.

      We encourage all willing States to deploy their guards to Texas to prevent the entry of Illegals, and to remove them back across the Border,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

      All Americans should support the commonsense measures by Texas authorities to protect the Safety, Security, and Sovereignty of Texas, and of the American people.”

      When I am President, on Day One, instead of fighting Texas, I will work hand in hand with Governor Abbott and other Border States to Stop the Invasion, Seal the Border, and Rapidly Begin the Largest Domestic Deportation Operation in History.

      Even before Trump’s announcement, the number of states supporting Texas putting up razor wire and deploying other measures to seal the border grew from 14 to 25.

      https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1750634263739798005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1750634263739798005%7Ctwgr%5E236f4d66c3400c8495f175753020dae95f196350%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2024%2F01%2Fpresident-trump-calls-all-willing-states-deploy-their%2F

      The states now backing Texas are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

      read more at:

      https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/president-trump-calls-all-willing-states-deploy-their/

    • Charlie Kirk
      @charliekirk11
      Gov. Abbott is being very smart. The Supreme Court didn’t actually order Texas to DO anything. The Court gave the Biden Regime permission to do something. Those are two very different things! Texas is simply laying more wire and moving in more resources. Also the court deferred on the majority of the case that is still before the 5th Circuit. Abbott is exploiting this window to rally more governors, more personnel, and to secure the moral high ground.

      Good for Abbott, good for Texas, good for America.

      HOLD THE LINE TEXAS!

      https://twitter.com/charliekirk11/status/1750570470448275946

      • A Well Regulated Militia
        An absolute right and privilege, our Constitution. We hold that line no matter what.

        For those who were deprived of civics class in school, a quickie video might inspire young Americans.

  17. U.S. Prepping To Abandon Bases In Eastern Syria And Turn To China
    by Larry Johnson Jan. 25, 2024 7:00 am210 Comments

    The leaks have started and that almost always is a great indicator about an impending shift in U.S. foreign policy. In this case it concerns Syria, Iraq, Iran and Turkey. The United States has been engaged in a decade long military adventure in Syria. It started out in 2014 as an ostensible mission by special ops forces to find, fix and finish ISIS (that is military speak for killing the “terrorists”), but it evolved into an insurgent support operation to assist the Kurds in their battles against Syria and Turkey. Oh yeah. Almost forgot. The U.S. military personnel primary mission was to protect the Conoco oil facility on Kurdish territory. It is all about the oil. Looks like there is a change on the horizon.

    One of the U.S. military contractors employed as a social media influencer, OSINTdefender, posted the following

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/u-s-prepping-abandon-bases-eastern-syria-turn/

  18. SHOWDOWN: Governor Abbott Holds the Line, Invokes Texas’ Constitutional Authority to Defend Itself Against Lawless Biden Regime
    by Cristina Laila Jan. 24, 2024 5:20 pm856 Comments

    Governor Greg Abbott (R) invoked Texas’ Constitutional authority to defend itself against the lawless Biden Regime.

    Abbott escalated his fight against Joe Biden on Wednesday after the US Supreme Court sided with the Biden Regime and allowed Border Patrol agents to remove razor wire installed on the Texas-Mexico border.

    Full statement from Abbott:

    “The Executive Branch of the United States has a constitutional duty to enforce federal laws protecting States, including immigration laws on the books right now,” reads the statement. “President Biden has instructed his agencies to ignore federal statutes that mandate the detention of illegal immigrants. The failure of the Biden Administration to fulfill the duties imposed by Article IV, § 4 has triggered Article I, § 10, Clause 3, which reserves to this State the right of self-defense. For these reasons, I have already declared an invasion under Article I, § 10, Clause 3 to invoke Texas’s constitutional authority to defend and protect itself. That authority is the supreme law of the land and supersedes any federal statutes to the contrary.”

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/governor-abbott-holds-line-invokes-texas-constitutional-authority/

  19. DEI hires pushed onto the FBI are putting the country’s safety at risk for the sake of being ‘woke’
    By Social Links for Miranda Devine
    Published Jan. 24, 2024, 10:43 p.m. ET

    An alarming deterioration in recruitment standards for the FBI has been exposed in a report delivered to the House Judiciary Committee by an alliance of retired and active-duty agents and analysts.

    Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) requirements pushed by FBI Director Chris Wray have degraded recruitment standards in all areas including “physical fitness, illicit drug use, financial irregularities, mental health, full-time work experience and integrity,” and pose a threat to the FBI’s ability to protect America from harm, say the authors.

    The report cites cases of new agents who are so fat and unfit, they can’t even pass the new relaxed standards for fitness; who are illiterate and need remedial English lessons; who don’t want to work weekends or after hours; have serious disabilities or mental-health issues, and “create drama.

    FBI is no longer recruiting the “best and brightest” to be special agents, but selecting candidates based on “race, gender and/or sexual orientation.”

    The alliance of anonymous FBI reformers includes senior former executives and agents from the counterintelligence and counterterrorism branches who warn that today’s FBI “lacks the fortitude and skills warranted to defeat [existential] threats .?.?.

    “And if the current trajectory of FBI Special Agent recruitment and selection continues — using DEI as the primary and sole measure — our homeland security efforts will be significantly hampered.”

    An increasing number of “lower-quality candidates — described by one source as ‘breadcrumbs’ because they were rejected by other federal law-enforcement agencies” — are applying to become FBI special agents; and are being recruited because they “satisfy the FBI’s priority to meet Diversity, Equity and Inclusion mandates.”
    ‘Fewer applying’

    Flying in the face of Wray’s boast to Congress last year that recruitment numbers are soaring, especially in red states, the report finds that FBI’s special-agent hiring numbers are down, “likely due to the decline in the nation’s trust in the FBI and a corresponding decrease in the number of individuals interested in applying to the FBI for employment.”

    A former senior counterintelligence agent involved with writing the report said controversies engulfing the FBI in the Trump era have had the perverse effect of attracting recruits who want to be “agents of social change versus protecting the country.”

    Recruitment has become “self-destructive” and is setting up the FBI for “generational failure.”

    Another former agent who helped draft the report said: “Why are we funding a new FBI headquarters if you’re hiring second-rate people?”
    The FBI is no longer recruiting the “best and brightest” to be special agents, but selecting candidates based on “race, gender and/or sexual orientation.” An alarming deterioration in recruitment standards for the FBI has been exposed in a report delivered to the House Judiciary Committee by an alliance of retired and active-duty agents and analysts.

    The report is written as if it were an official FBI intelligence product, with code names given to sources and sub-sources who anonymously provided firsthand knowledge of FBI recruitment and selection practices.

    They include instructors and counselors at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va., application coordinators and assessors from FBI field offices across the country, and supervisors and executives from FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC.

    They reveal a farcical situation with new recruits:

    Veteran supervisor special agent SIERRA 72 disqualified a black female applicant because she was more than 50 pounds overweight using the FBI’s body-fat index and could not pass the physical fitness test.

    But FBI HQ ordered SIERRA 72 to push the candidate through the recruitment process.

    Other supervisors say a high percentage of candidates fail the mandatory fitness test, despite the fact that standards have been relaxed.

    They “simply quit in the middle of the 1.5-mile run.”

    One veteran agent who works as a recruitment coordinator, codenamed SIER­RA 87, said the drug policy for new agents has been “liberalized to include applicants who had a lifestyle of using drugs.”

    A candidate who “was arrested and fought with police officers” was not disqualified. Nor are candidates with driving-under-the-influence convictions, or people with “documented mental illness.”

    Nor are candidates who lie during the recruitment process.

    SIERRA 72 disqualified a special-agent applicant because their only work experience was “working two years as a coffee-shop barista and having a bachelor’s degree in art history.”
    Keep up with today’s most important news

    But FBI HQ ordered SIERRA 72 to push the applicant through.

    SIERRA 23, a special agent for four years in counterterrorism, observed that most new agents “disappear during the day, go home early, or never want to work late for after-hours operations. SIERRA 23 does not trust most of the agents with his/her life since they have questionable competence, tactical abilities and work ethic.”

    SIERRA 22 said one applicant recently rejected by a local police department and one who was a long-term unemployed “gamer” were pushed through by FBI HQ for non-special-agent positions despite objections from the field office.

    Other recruits have to be given remedial English classes because they are not capable of writing basic reports “in a coherent manner [and] often fail to utilize proper capitalization, punctuation and sentence structure.”

    In one case, training agent SIERRA 11 “advised a new agent that his/her writing skills needed improvement and that the new agent needed to pay attention to detail.”

    The new agent complained to the supervisor that SIERRA 11 was “too difficult and expecting too much.”

    A female minority recruit “could not compose a simple FD-302,” the standard FBI interview report,” said SIERRA 79, a criminal investigator of four decades.

    “The agent never made a case or wrote an affidavit and had to be pulled along to support investigations [and] could not be trusted in court.”

    During the agent’s probationary period, her supervisor went up the chain of command to request that her employment be terminated but was told “we need minority female agents.”

    An FBI-agent recruit “stuttered and appeared to have Tourette syndrome or other tic disorder that hindered [his/her] ability to communicate,” said SIERRA 32, a veteran supervisor at the academy who wondered how this recruit “would function in a high-threat, hostile environment.”

    Ivy League graduates were being hired fresh out of college and placed in high-level positions to do “strategic planning .?.?. responsible for establishing policy, procedures and goals with counterproductive results.”

    Recruiters are required to host “Diversity Applicant Recruitment” events based on race, gender and sexual orientation.

    “Straight white males may not attend. If a recruiter chose not to attend a Pride Parade or fly the Pride flag .?.?. the recruiter would most likely be removed immediately.”

    The report urges the House Judiciary Committee to order a 90-day audit of the FBI’s recruitment practices, to introduce legislation to strengthen the oath of office for FBI special agents, and to call Director Wray to testify before Congress over whether he is “willfully lying to conceal significant deficiencies” in recruitment or has been misinformed by subordinates.
    What do you think? Post a comment.

    A spokesman for committee Chairman Jim Jordan said the panel was evaluating the report:

    “We are thankful that these brave FBI officials have come forward with this report that described some of the ridiculous things happening at the bureau. We will continue to work with these officials .?.?. so we can further implement the proper legislative changes.”

    The authors want to remain anonymous because those still serving know they will be “crushed” like whistleblowers before them, says one of the authors.

  20. January 25, 2024
    Trump’s VP Pick
    By J. Robert Smith

    Donald Trump knew what he had to do nearly eight years ago. As a political outsider, he played the smart card. Trump, the GOP’s presidential nominee, picked a stiff as his running mate, someone that, first, reassured the Republican establishment. That stiff was Mike Pence. No, no, no… Set aside hindsight. Pence was a solid choice in July 2016.

    Trump wanted to build a Team of Rivals. Pence was meant as a bridge to the Ryans and McConnells and the broader D.C. establishment. That move failed bigly. The establishment didn’t want a bridge. Accommodation? Nah, unless Trump sold his soul.

    Now it’s 2024. Trump doesn’t owe the rotting establishment a blessed thing — other than payback (alternatively called justice). His veep pick this go-round won’t have anything to do with making nice to D.C. lifers. Trump has been emancipated by the very elites who have worked overtime to trip him up and destroy him. The irony is richer than Mark Zuckerberg.

    What scares elites is that Trump as 47 would be “one and done.” His 48-month lease on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue would expire at high noon on January 20, 2029, no exceptions. No looking ahead to a second term. No worrying about reelection. Trump unleashed makes elites tremble.

    Of course, Trump has to get elected. Given the crummy state of the nation and Biden’s feebleness and corruption, Trump wins a fair fight. But the fight coming will be anything but fair, that we know. We’re in for a heckuva brouhaha. Victory isn’t guaranteed.

    Last Sunday, Trump downplayed who he’d pick as his running mate. He told Fox News’ Brett Baier (via The Hill) that “People won’t be that surprised.” Of course, Trump knows a wee bit about marketing. Is it possible that he’s underselling? Everything is timing, so maybe Trump is planning a surprise.

    Trump also said: “Well, it’s [the VP pick] never really had that much of an effect on an election, which is an amazing thing, both election and primary.”

    True that mostly, particularly when Trump is centerstage. Trump rivets. The man is a phenomenon in politics. Otherwise, voters are wondering if the ‘24 elections explode. It’s kind of a morbid fascination. Add to the mix the establishment’s fiendish attempts to railroad 45. If lawfare doesn’t work, the elites will hatch other schemes to try to waylay Trump. By comparison, a VP pick may seem incidental, but it’s not, not this go-round.

    In fact, for Democrats, the veep choice wasn’t an afterthought in 2020. Cast your mind back four years. Elites insisted that addled Joe Biden run with acid-tongued, birdbrained Kamala Harris. She’s of-color and identifies as female, though that ranks lower than trans, nonetheless… Brains, talent, temperament? Small stuff.

    If Biden is incapacitated or dies, does anyone this side of box checking progressives and googly-eyed suburban women believe that President Kamala would imperil the Republic?

    Reports the Guardian: a new book out on January 24 quotes a top-level Harris 2020 campaign staffer as saying, “This person [Harris] should not be president of the United States.”

    No gray area there.

    Plenty of former Harris staffers have poor-mouthed Kamala. SFGATE, December 6, 2021, quotes an ex-staffer as saying: “With Kamala you have to put up with a constant amount of soul-destroying criticism and also her own lack of confidence. So you’re constantly sort of propping up a bully and it’s not really clear why.”

    What are the chances that Trump picks an incompetent, poorly dispositioned, and insincere running mate? He’s already poured cold water on Nikki Haley. A good bet is zero.

    Will Trump choose someone who’s young enough and vigorous?

    Trump, like Biden, is an old guy. Come swearing-in day, he’ll be seventy-eight. Unlike Biden, nothing suggests that Trump is unfit to serve. We should pray we’re in Trump’s shape, physically and mentally, when we’re in our late 70s. But facts are facts. People Trump’s age can decline fast or just up and die.

    So, Trump needs a running mate in his or her prime — or close enough. Health? No room for doubts. Oh, and definitely no low-energy type.

    Beyond that, what?

    If Trump wins, he’ll face monster challenges. He’s got to get the nation back on the rails. Fixing the economy, border, and diffusing tensions overseas are priorities. Tackling any one of those issues would be a tall order for most presidents. But does anyone think Trump isn’t up to the challenge?

    Yet there’s a remaining challenge that overshadows the others.

    For Trump to be an historic president – as in Mt. Rushmore great — he’ll need to be a change agent on the order of Franklin Roosevelt. Roosevelt’s New Deal gave a big push to big government. Trump’s push needs to be in the other direction.

    Massively overhauling the federal leviathan — ousting corrupt players, creating new bulwarks to guard citizens’ rights, and reducing Uncle Sam’s footprint — are legacy making stuff. The era of big — incestuous, crony, and corrupt — government is over, said weaselly Bill Clinton. But it wasn’t. Trump’s greatness would rest in his sealing the deal.

    The Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute (AFPI) is creating a plentitude of blueprints for outsized reforms. The plans will be ready.

    Trump’s running mate has to be shoulder-to-shoulder in the trenches with him. No summer soldier or sunshine patriot wanted. Pushing an historic reform agenda will invite all sorts of blowback from the establishment. Trump’s veep better hold up under fire. The elites would be fighting for their power and prerogatives, and they’ll fight like wildcats.

    Should Trump fall, his vice president will need to pick up the flag and advance.

    If Trump is elected, elites will rue the day they screwed him out of his second term. A second consecutive term may have been about as uneventful as most others. Grover Clevelanding Trump liberates him. Unintended consequences can be a bitch.

    A second first term for Trump won’t be much about picking up where he left off.

    The betting is that Trump will strive to make history. He’ll want to forge a legacy that adds him to Mt. Rushmore. To help him do that, he’ll benefit from a vice president as passionate about making history as he is.

    Will Trump surprise us with an unexpected veep choice? Well, if he does, I’ll go with Vivek Ramaswamy, who’s talked about lately as vice presidential timber. Some, though, think he’s too green. Others believe he’s too new to conservative world to be trusted. But another candidate was new to conservative world in 2016, and he became president.

    On the campaign trail, Ramaswamy demonstrated toughness, adroitness, and a wicked talent for communications and debate that’s sorely needed among Republicans. At thirty-eight, he has the chops to appeal to younger voters. Like Trump, he’s a successful entrepreneur. He’s a next generation conservative, and that would complement Trump smartly. Ramaswamy is an America First stalwart. He wasn’t shy to declare that our liberties are endangered by power-hungry elites.

    So, does Trump go bold or go safe? Will his selection be a Teddy Roosevelt or a William Howard Taft? What do you think?

    https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/01/trumps_vp_pick.html

  23. RPG Disovered By Officers During Search of Minneapolis Home, National Guard and Bomb Squad Called to the Scene
    by Anthony Scott Jan. 25, 2024 12:40 pm336 Comments

    Hennepin County Sheriff deputies made a shocking discovery while conducting a search warrant at a Minneapolis home.

    The Hennepin County Sheriff’s office announced they discovered an RPG, two handguns, and a large quantity of fentanyl while exercising a search warrant at a Minneapolis residence.

    The Minnesota National Guard, along with the Minneapolis Police Department Bomb Squad, were both called to the scene to investigate the RPG.

    Upon further investigation, authorities determined the RPG was not active.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/rpg-disovered-officers-during-search-minneapolis-home-national/

  28. Microsoft Cuts 1,900 Jobs in Gaming Division Three Months After Activision Blizzard Acquisition
    by Jim H?ft Jan. 25, 2024 4:20 pm135 Comments

    Microsoft has announced a significant reduction in its workforce, laying off approximately 1,900 employees in its gaming division. This move comes just over three months after the tech giant’s $69 million acquisition of video game maker Activision Blizzard.

    The internal company memo, obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday, reveals that the job cuts amount to an 8% reduction of Microsoft’s 22,000-person gaming workforce. Impacted employees were from various teams including Activision Blizzard, Xbox, and ZeniMax — all under Microsoft’s umbrella.

    Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, commented in the memo, “As we move forward in 2024, we are committed to aligning on a strategy and execution plan with a sustainable cost structure to support our growing business.”

    Blizzard President Mike Ybarra also announced his departure from the company on Thursday on X. In his post, Ybarra expressed support for the impacted employees.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/microsoft-cuts-1900-jobs-gaming-division-three-months/

  29. Saudi Arabia launches National Biotechnology Strategy set to transform the Kingdom

    Saudi Arabia launched the National Biotechnology Strategy on Thursday, which will help position the Kingdom as a biotechnology leader in the Middle East and North Africa region by 2030 and transform it into an international biotechnology hub by 2040.

    Launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the new strategy is a comprehensive roadmap designed to enhance the Kingdom’s position as a leader in the sector.

    https://english.alarabiya.net/News/saudi-arabia/2024/01/25/Saudi-Arabia-launches-National-Biotechnology-Strategy-set-to-transform-the-Kingdom

  30. Billionaire Investor Bill Ackman and Wife Buy 4.9% Stake in Tel Aviv Stock Exchange

    Ackman has figured prominently on social media since the war’s outbreak on October 7, when Hamas terrorists raided southern Israel, massacring more than 1,200 Israeli and taking captive over 240 to the Gaza Strip.

    Since then, he has defended Israel and even led a campaign against his former university Harvard, and their disgraced former president Claudine Gay after she refused to condemn calls for genocide against Jews.

    His wife is a renowned designer who grew up in Haifa and has a Ph.D. from MIT. The couple married in 2019 and have since been working together on Ackman’s firm’s philanthropic arm, Pershing Square Foundation.

    The purchase of shares of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange is Ackman’s first investment in the country since the Israel-Hamas war started on October 7.

    https://www.algemeiner.com/2024/01/24/billionaire-investor-bill-ackman-and-wife-buy-4-9-stake-in-tel-aviv-stock-exchange/
    ……….
    ~ *\o/* ~
    $135 million in bequests to the Harvard endowment have been transferred to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

    https://www.bgu.ac.il/en/standarts/about-bgu/

  31. Will The Growing China Crises Infect The World?
    Dohmen Capital Research’s Photo
    by Dohmen Capital Research
    Thursday, Jan 25, 2024 – 7:32

    On Monday, January 22nd, China was almost melting down, with the CSI 1000 Index plunging nearly 6%.

    As a result, China’s government prohibited short selling of stocks that same day.

    That is always the failing remedy for interfering with market forces. What is next? Prohibiting all selling of stocks? Don’t laugh, it has happened in the past.
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    Now there is lots of speculation about different types of rescue packages China could be considering. Heavily shorted China stocks rallied the past two days on that news. However, getting a rescue package assembled in Beijing will take time.

    Below we show the monthly chart of the popular ASHR ETF (CSI 300 index), which includes the top 300 Chinese stocks and is therefore commonly traded by the average investor. It has plunged nearly 45% so far in this bear market since December 2021.

    ASHR 1-23-2024

    Notice on the chart above how the ASHR is currently hovering around strong support. Therefore, this is not the time to sell this market short. Support areas at minimum create rallies.

    Below is the weekly chart of Alibaba (BABA), the premier consumer company in China. It had a much more severe plunge, falling a whopping 80% in 2 years (from its October 2020 high to its October 2022 low).

    Baba

    Alibaba is not a favorite firm of the rulers of China. In fact, it went public as a VIE, special type of firm that allows foreign investors with permission of the government. BABA stock sold to Americans was not BABA CHINA, but a Cayman Island firm that is a VIE. Wall Street was careful not to divulge that.

    We have read that the China government can rescind that status. What would happen to the stock traded in the US?

    RECESSION: We have written all last year that we and the world economies are already in recessions.

    The worst big country economy is China, formerly called the “locomotive for the world economies.” China’s economy has a serious problem; their unemployment of younger people is around 25%.

    In fact, we have been warning for several years that “China will lead the global markets into the abyss” in our award-winning Wellington Letter.

    China is now faced with an economy that has not only stalled out but is actually showing negative growth. At the same time, manufacturing labor costs have soared and are now roughly 400% higher than other competing manufacturing countries in South East Asia.

    Here is a chart comparing China’s labor costs (red line) to other Asian countries (via The Economist). As you can see, with China’s soaring costs it is no longer competitive.

    china costs

    China is already in deflation. Below is the chart of foreign capital inflows/outflows in China (FDI). See the chart below going back to the year 2000 (via axios), which shows the inbound FDI flows to China has plunged significantly recently.

    Note on the chart how suddenly in late 2023 over $100 billion of foreign capital flowed out of China. It is a record plunge in inflows. This is a huge problem for China and the world as foreign capital is fleeing out of China as fast as it can.

    CONCLUSION: We think the crisis in China may have arrived, but very few seem to have noticed.

    Watching financial TV, we have heard very few discussions about China. Amazing! Apparently, Wall Street doesn’t consider China very important.

    Or is it that Wall Street now has to quickly change their own portfolios before they send their minions out into the media to warn about China? That will come when they have made their own portfolio changes needed to prepare for a collapse and bear market.

    Eventually, over the coming decade, the flight out of China may even be positive for the US as manufacturing comes back to the US. Another beneficiary could be India. The attractive low labor costs in China have mostly vanished.

    US firms are tired of having to give away their Intellectual Property (IP) to China and putting up with their coercive policies. It is time to come home to the US once the radical left has been ousted. India is still not ready to be the alternative because of the huge and corrupt bureaucracy. Will it ever change? Probably not.

    Perhaps this coming November we’ll see a change in leadership that will put America first. The path the US has been on over the past 3 years cannot be sustained for the republic to survive.

    In the near-term, we will have to see how the China crisis affects the US markets and the rest of the world.

    Will it prompt China to invade Taiwan in order to distract from their own domestic problems? That is what dictators do.

    In our September 4, 2023 Wellington Letter, we warned our members about this possibility:

    “When a totalitarian government as in China orders the media not to report on the economy, you know the situation is serious…

    The biggest danger: when a powerful dictatorship finds that its policies have driven the economy to the wall, it has to divert attention from the internal misery. How? Start a war!

    It is obvious that China will never have a weaker opponent in the US than now…

    Therefore, we believe that probability of an invasion of Taiwan has risen significantly.”

    Or will the China crisis cause a renewed rush out of stocks and back into cash here in the US, just as we saw one year ago in early 2023?

    During the stock market rally over the past 2+ months, the bullish enthusiasm here in the US, by numerous measures, was at or near record highs. That is typically seen when the markets are forming an important top.

    We will continue to keep our Wellington Letter members informed as the China crisis, and their government’s response efforts, develop.

    Wishing you successful investing

    Bert Dohmen
    Founder, Dohmen Capital Research

    https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2024-01-24/will-growing-china-crises-infect-world

  32. (Richard: The bill would outlaw all firearms training not conducted by a government agency, what about the private security companies that provide armed guards for armored cars and banks? Are they going to be outlawed also?)

    Read more: https://www.ammoland.com/2024/01/opinion-the-true-intent-of-the-democrats-anti-militia-bill-is-to-infringe-on-firearm-training/#ixzz8PsoQCpDw
    Under Creative Commons License: Attribution
    Follow us: @Ammoland on Twitter | Ammoland on Facebook

    Only Purpose of Democrats’ Anti-Militia Bill is to STOP Firearm Training

    As a law-abiding citizen of this great country, I can form my own militia if I so choose, appoint myself colonel, enlist my friends as privates or PFCs, and we can run around the woods until we all keel over from heatstroke or heart attacks – whatever comes first. It’s all perfectly legal, at least for now.

    We have the right to criticize our government. We can sit around the campfire at our secret militia base nursing our sore muscles and fire ant bites and talk about how Joe walks like a penguin, or how it would take Kamala a good 20 minutes just to tell you you’re on fire. It’s all perfectly legal and protected speech, at least for now.

    We have the right to train with our firearms. We can draw from a holster, shoot while moving, practice CQB and send as much lead downrange as our bank accounts will allow. It’s all perfectly legal conduct, at least for now.

    However, a new bill making its way through Congress known as the “Preventing Private Paramilitary Activity Act of 2024,” would make all of this illegal or at least suspicious enough to draw scrutiny from the feds. More importantly, it would paint a target on the back of every single American gun owner, which is the actual intent of this ill-conceived and extremely unconstitutional legislation.

    To be clear, if Joe Biden ever signs this bill, the second he puts down his crayon the feds will flock to local gun ranges in numbers that will make it nearly impossible for actual members to find a place just to park. This bill would give them license to investigate anyone who trains with a gun in order to determine whether they’re a militia member – and don’t think for a second that they won’t.
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    The FBI recently investigated law-abiding Americans whose sole transgression was shopping at a Cabela’s or a DICK’s Sporting Goods. Evidently, the FBI, the country’s so-called premier law enforcement agency, wasn’t aware DICK’s stopped selling guns and ammunition eons ago. Nowadays, the most dangerous thing on their shelves is a pickleball paddle.

    When the Framers wrote the Second Amendment, militia membership was not only encouraged, it was required. All able-bodied men were instructed to own a firearm, powder and shot and to keep them clean and serviceable in the event they were ever needed. Now, under the guise that it might be militia-related, a handful of lawmakers are trying to criminalize firearm training – especially anything tactical. In my humble opinion, it is just another step toward their ultimate goal of total civilian disarmament.
    The bill

    H.R.6981, the Preventing Private Paramilitary Activity Act of 2024, was sponsored by Congressman Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland who apparently has never taken a constitutional law class.

    Raskin and co-sponsor Senator Edward J. Markey, (D-Mass.) said in a press release they introduced the bill to “hold individuals liable who directly engage in certain types of conduct, including intimidating state and local officials, interfering with government proceedings, pretending to be law enforcement, and violating people’s constitutional rights, while armed and acting as part of a private paramilitary organization.” (As an aside, there are already plenty of federal statutes on the books to address these types of crimes.)

    The two lawmakers, of course, raised the specter of Jan. 6th to help sell their legislation.

    “Private military organizations pose a threat not only to national security, but they also present a public safety problem that extends beyond any single state; for example, private paramilitary actors like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers traveled across state lines on January 6th,” they said in the joint press release.

    The bill defines a Private Military Organization – the authors’ new term for militia – as “any group of 3 or more persons associating under a command structure for the purpose of functioning in public or training to function in public as a combat, combat support, law enforcement, or security services unit.”

    According to this overly broad definition, the private security teams established by churches, synagogues and mosques across the country could be classified as militias, as could dozens of other groups.

    Like its definitions, the conduct the bill proscribes is overly broad too. The legislation defines “dangerous conduct” as:

    publicly patrolling, drilling, or engaging in harmful or deadly paramilitary techniques
    interfering with or interrupting government proceedings
    interfering with the exercise of someone else’s constitutional rights
    falsely assuming the functions of law enforcement and asserting authority over others
    training to engage in such behavior

    What exactly are harmful or deadly paramilitary techniques? Does CQB qualify? How about movement? Could transitioning, malfunction drills or off-hand shooting lead to my arrest? How about plain ole punching holes in paper on a flat range? The authors don’t say. They would leave it up to federal agents and prosecutors to determine what violates the law. What could possibly go wrong …

    Anyone who violates Raskin’s anti-militia bill could face fines and up to a year in a federal prison. Repeat violators could face up to two years. If the violation involves bodily injury there’s a five-year penalty. If a death occurs, the bill calls for a life sentence.

    The authors also added a forfeiture clause to confiscate your guns: “Any person who violates subsection shall forfeit to the United States any property, personal or real, involved in, used, or intended to be used, in any manner or part, to commit, or to facilitate the commission of, the violation, or that constitutes or is derived from proceeds traceable to the violation.”
    True intent

    Raskin’s legislation is an unconstitutional nightmare. The bill clearly violates the First and Second Amendments and would have a chilling effect on any organized firearm training. The normal banter about the Biden-Harris administration that almost always occurs during breaks in training classes would have to stop, lest it be misconstrued as a threat. Team training would have to end. Instructors, especially the tactical ones, would have to understand they are only one over-zealous prosecutor away from losing everything. This is all by design, of course. It’s exactly what Raskin and his ilk wanted when they sponsored this abomination of a bill.

    Fortunately, the Founders left a few roadblocks for Jamie, Joe and Kamala: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Assembly, and of course our Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

    Thomas Jefferson once said that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. Nowadays, in terms of our civil rights, he could not have had better precognition.
    This story is presented by the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project and wouldn’t be possible without you. Please click here to make a tax-deductible donation to support more pro-gun stories like this.

    https://www.ammoland.com/2024/01/opinion-the-true-intent-of-the-democrats-anti-militia-bill-is-to-infringe-on-firearm-training/#axzz8Pr867brg

  33. Avi Mayer @AviMayer
    Friday morning in Gaza’s Khan Yunis Sector. An incident that took place with one of the battalions operating under the 4th Brigade:

    Before carrying out a raid, the force sent up a drone after spotting a suspicious figure. Through the drone they saw an elderly woman bound to a bed.

    The investigator called out to her in Hebrew and Arabic.

    The suspicion of a luring event [i.e., an attempt to lure the soldiers into an ambush or a trap] was ruled out. The force went up to the apartment together with the investigator.

    They found a 75-year-old woman bound by her arms and in very poor health. Her arms were extremely swollen, and she was severely dehydrated.

    The investigator questioned her (the incident has been documented by the IDF) while a doctor treated her on site.

    According to the woman, her family fled south. Two Hamas operatives in IDF uniforms arrived, bound her to the bed, and told her to say that the IDF did it. She lay like that for two days.

    There are more and more monstrous and insane cases of bound elderly women, boobytrapped elderly men, and other outlandish things…

    https://twitter.com/AviMayer/status/1750237928305852722