Alaska man charged federally with setting fire at Seattle Police East Precinct

justice.gov

(Seattle) –  A 19-year-old Alaska man was charged with arson today for the fire he set Monday, August 24, 2020 at the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  DESMOND DAVID-PITTS was arrested shortly after the fire following a Monday night protest march. DAVID-PITTS appeared today in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

“This is the fourth defendant to appear in federal court after being charged with criminal conduct that went far beyond any peaceful protest,” said U.S. Attorney Brian Moran. “Those who go to protest but choose violence and criminal acts over protected speech will face the full weight of federal criminal sanctions.  This illegal conduct must end.”

“The intentional fire set Monday evening in an organized, pre-planned attack endangered the lives of our officers and our entire community.  This was not a peaceful protest, or demonstration for equity, but an act of lawlessness.  We are grateful our federal partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office recognize the criminal nature of these acts and are holding those responsible accountable,” said Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best.

Deputy Chief Adrian Diaz promised to maintain the SPD’s federal partnerships as he takes command of the Department and added “We are hopeful that the federal charges now filed against Mr. David-Pitts will serve as a warning that crimes of violence will not be tolerated in Seattle.”

According to the criminal complaint, DAVID-PITTS had arrived in Seattle from Alaska just three days before Monday’s protest.  After marching with the group in downtown Seattle, DAVID-PITTS is seen on surveillance video piling up trash against the sally-port door at the Seattle Police East Precinct.  Over an eleven minute period the surveillance video captures DAVID-PITTS not only piling up the trash, but repeatedly lighting it on fire and feeding the flames with more trash.  While DAVID-PITTS was lighting the fire, other people who appeared on the surveillance were attempting to use crowbars and cement-like materials to try to disable the door next to the sally-port to prevent officers from exiting the building.  At various times DAVID-PITTS appeared to be communicating with the others.  Despite efforts to disable the door, officers were able to get outside and extinguish the flames.  A similarly equipped group set a second fire around the corner from the DAVID-PITTS arson, and DAVID-PITTS was seen on surveillance working with the others to cut through a chain-link fence that was a barrier around the building.  The second fire was extinguished by Seattle Police Officers and members of the Seattle Fire Department.

DAVID-PITTS was identified less than an hour later in the crowd outside the precinct because of the distinctive pink camouflage trousers he was wearing.  He was arrested without incident.

Three people have already been charged with federal crimes in connection to civil unrest:

• On July 15, Isaiah Thomas Willoughby was charged with arson in connection with a fire set at the East Precinct.
• On June 11, Margaret Aislinn Channon was charged with arson for setting five Seattle Police vehicles on fire.
• On June 10, Devinare Antwan Parker was charged with possessing a destructive device for bringing an improvised firearm to a protest.

Arson is punishable by a mandatory minimum five years in prison and up to twenty years in prison.

The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the Seattle Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.

david-pitts_complaint.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/alaska-man-charged-federally-setting-fire-seattle-police-east-precinct

C-Span Flooded With Callers Leaving The Democrats To Vote For Trump In 2020 (VIDEO) — American Lookout

Truth2Freedom's Blog

Over the last week, an amazing thing has been unfolding on C-Span.

Caller after caller, is saying that they no longer recognize their party (the Democrats) and that they are now voting for Trump.

Many of them supported Hillary in 2016, and also cite the rioting and violence as a reason for their switch.

They are also being turned by what they are hearing and seeing at the Republican National Convention.

Townhallreports:

Landslide? C-SPAN Had Tons of Callers Explaining Why They Left the Dems to Support Donald Trump

First Lady Melania Trump closed out the second night of the Republican National Convention. It was a great speech that hit on school choice, opioid addiction, the dangers of social media, and her family’s journey to America. She’s an immigrant who is now the First Lady. That’s an indelibly American story.

Given that Fox News has been cutting out of the…

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China can have them…

Made In America Made in China pic.twitter.com/sKRndgHByx

— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) August 27, 2020

Mink, New Hampshire’s Famous Rogue Black Bear, Has Died

nhpr.org

Daniela Allee

Mink, the infamous black bear sow that made the Hanover area its home for several years – and made an impression in New Hampshire and across the country- has died.

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Mink was found on Tuesday near the Mascoma River in Lebanon. Andrew Timmins, New Hampshire’s bear biologist, says he had noticed there wasn’t much movement on her tracking collar for several days.

Early on, he wasn’t too concerned. But when he checked back on Monday and there was still no movement from Mink, he called a colleague in Hanover to check on her.

“Something was going on. That collar was not moving,” he said. “That usually means one of two things: that means the animal has slipped [off] its collar, or it can mean the animal’s not moving because it’s dead.”

Timmins says based on her injuries and location he suspects Mink was hit by a car.

This year, Mink had a litter of three cubs. Timmins says this summer Mink and the cubs were spending a lot of time eating berries along a powerline corridor, and mostly staying away from residential areas.

Related: Fate of Hanover’s Rogue Mama Bear Up In The Air

“She was a really amazing animal that was highly resourceful and overcame all odds,” he said. “She knew how to move around that landscape very successfully and did it for a long time.”

In 2017, Fish and Game had planned on euthanizing Mink and her cubs, after they had roamed Hanover’s neighborhoods for food. That year, two of the bears got inside a home.

But after public outcry, Gov. Sununu intervened. Mink’s cubs were relocated, and she stayed in the area until 2018.

That year, she was training her cubs to search for food from homes. She was then relocated to northern Coos County, and then made national headlines in 2019 as she walked thousands of miles back to the Upper Valley.

“The vast majority of people out there were pretty fond of Mink,” Timmins said.

For the bear biologist, Mink left another lasting impact in the community.

NHPR’s stories aren’t behind a paywall. Support our journalism by becoming a member today.

“Because of her, Hanover is a lot more bear savvy now than they were five-years ago. She taught people that you can’t have your bird feeders out, you can’t have your garbage unsecured,” he said.  

Timmins says even though Mink is gone, it doesn’t mean other bears in the area are gone and that residents still need to be vigilant about securing garbage and keeping bird feeders down.

Timmins also recommends residents in the area call Fish and Game if they see the cubs, so they can be taken to a bear preserve in nearby Lyme.  The number to call is 603-271- 2461.

https://www.nhpr.org/post/mink-new-hampshires-famous-rogue-black-bear-has-died#stream/0#stream/0

Seems like a lot of sex offenders are protesters who want to defund the police

Joseph D Rosenbaum was the man who died after being shot by Kyle Rittenhouse. @RichieMcGinniss was punched in the head multiple times while loading this man into a vehicle for transport to hospital. I just spoke with Richie in person. pic.twitter.com/min5tYgQfu

— Kalen From Scriberr (@FromKalen) August 27, 2020

5 COVID-19 Charts That Democrats Definitely Don’t Want You To See | Zero Hedge

Truth2Freedom's Blog

…the US is beating the virus!

Amid his confirmation that he “shut the nation down” if scientists told him too, Joe Biden explained just what the Trump admin had got wrong (and how to ‘fix’ it)…

“In order to keep the country running and moving and the economy growing, and people employed, you have to fix the virus, you have to deal with the virus.”

Well the good news is… as thefollowing five charts from John Merline’s Issues & Insights blogshow,the US is ‘beating’ the virus…

If the Democratic National Convention made anything clear, it is that Democrats are entirely invested in making the coronavirus pandemic look worse than it is in the United States.

Almost every speaker decried the response and blamed President Donald Trump for the scale of the disease in the country.

In his acceptance speech, Joe Biden said “Just judge this president on…

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United States sea turtle nesting threatened

Dear Kitty. Some blog

This 20 July 2013 video from the USA is called Loggerhead sea turtles hatching. Sebastian, Florida.

By Florida State University in the USA:

Coastal development, changing climate threaten sea turtle nesting habitat

August 26, 2020

A research team led by Florida State University found that sea turtles in the U.S. will have less suitable nesting habitat in the future because of climate change and coastal development.

Researchers found areas that will remain or become suitable for sea turtle nesting in the future because of climatic changes and sea-level rise will be exposed to increased coastal development, hindering the ability of turtles to adapt to these disturbances. Their work was published in the journal Regional Environmental Change.

“A reduction in available nesting habitat coupled with the pressures associated with coastal development could likely have detrimental impacts on the reproductive output of sea turtle nesting areas in the U.S. and population…

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Eric Berger: Stupid Meteorologist Tricks

Iowa Climate Science Education

Guest ?Letterman shtick? by David Middleton

Who else remembers way back when David Letterman was funny? Two skits really stood out:

1. Top Ten Lists
2. Stupid Pet Tricks

Eric Berger provided his version of Stupid Meteorologist Tricks in this ARS Technica article:

GO AWAY, LAURA ?
There?s a big hurricane headed toward Texas, and it?s a nightmare forecast
As a meteorologist, all I can think is ?here we go again.?
ERIC BERGER ? 8/25/2020

It seems increasingly likely thatHurricane Laurawill continue to intensify on Tuesday and Wednesday before making landfall along the upper Texas coast, or possibly southwestern Louisiana, early on Thursday.

Of all the many named storms in 2020?and we are on the ?L? storm already with the early September peak of the Atlantic hurricane season still looming?this one has the potential to wreak the most widespread devastation yet. This is because Laura will likely become a major…

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D.C. Police disbanding Mounted Unit

Tuesday's Horse

Disbanding of horse mounted police units continues across the U.S. The horse mounted unit in the nation’s Capitol is the latest casualty.

WJLA reports:

The Horse Mounted Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department is being disbanded, D.C. police confirmed.

A spokesperson for the department said the changes are a result of recent budget cuts by D.C. City Council.

The D.C. Horse Mounted Unit had four horses and four officers

A petition on Change.org that aims to support the MPD Horse Unit is seeking 1,500 signatures.

According to the petition, the MPD Horse Unit was established in 2002 and has been a huge success with the citizens of Washington, D.C. The horse unit reportedly costs $70,000 a year to run.

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This amount is an immeasurable amount to pay compared to all of the good will that we’ve displayed as part of the community events, block parties, parades, crowd control, high-visibility…

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No words are needed…

This smart dog does this to everyone who walks into the store pic.twitter.com/yGfb6RGpv8

— Life on Earth (@planetpng) August 27, 2020

With an 36-mile diameter and 150 mile an hour sustained winds, an air parcel in the eyewall makes a full lap around the eye in 45 minutes

Wow, this is a flashback to Michael on October 10, 2018. #Laura is literally a sneeze away from being a Category 5 hurricane, just as it's about to make landfall. Lots of radar loops at https://t.co/O5tXQxhxEP.@UMiamiRSMAS @capitalweather #dejavu pic.twitter.com/LY2jaTmd8O

— Brian McNoldy (@BMcNoldy) August 27, 2020

Bette Midler under fire for racists Tweets about Melania Trump

America's Watchtower

  Once in awhile one of these elitists who like to lecture everybody on ethical and moral grounds will open up their mouths and give us a true glimpse into their souls. Such was the case last night with Bette Midler, who was driven to show us how she really felt about people who do not look or sound like her when  she watched the First Lady speak.

  Here is more:

Entertainer Bette Midler was ripped on social media after mocking Melania Trump‘s accent during the first lady’s Republican National Committee speech from the Rose Garden late Tuesday and for referring to her as an “illegal alien.”

  This is ironic, of course, because Trump supporters have been labeled as racists, Xenophobes, and white supremacists by people like Bette Midler for four years now. Actually the attacks go back even further than that, the same was said about anybody who opposed…

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Richa blueberry muffin overnight oats

Tuesday's Horse

You must do this, especially if you really want to treat yourself and have something awesome to wake up to.

View this post on Instagram

NEW!! Blueberry Muffin Overnight Oats! Layers of zesty blueberry compote topped with oats, chia seeds, non dairy milk and more berries! GF Recipe —> https://www.veganricha.com/blueberry-muffin-overnight-oats/ Clickable link in bio Blueberry muffins in overnight oats form! Use other berries for variation. #VeganFoodShare #BlueberryMuffins #OvernightOats #VeganCommunity #VeganRecipe #VeganBreakfast#Feedfeedvegan

A post shared by Vegan Richa | By Richa Hingle (@veganricha) on

Yes, yes and yes!

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View original post

Happy International Dog Day

Scientists Film Hummingbirds Flying Through Waterfalls, And It’s Beautiful And Genius

(Victor Ortega-Jimenez) NATURE

Tessa Koumoundouros

23 August 2020

For all the little creatures out there, falling water can be a big hazard. When water drops are a large percentage of your body size, you need clever adaptations to survive even commonly occurring phenomena such as rain. So even greater volumes of falling water, like a waterfall, may as well be a wall to delicate fliers. https://d-2291265815793245117.ampproject.net/2007302351001/frame.html

But for some insects and small birds, this seemingly impenetrable barrier is surmountable. Several species of birds at least, make use of these natural barriers by tucking their nests safely behind the shimmering walls. Some are known to fly right through this plummeting liquid.

To get a better idea of how this works, researchers filmed hummingbirds passing through falling water. And were surprised at the clever and elegant way they tackle this obstacle.

As we can see below, most of the Anna’s hummingbirds (Calypte anna) in the experiment pushed through the water side on – using a leading wing to pierce the wet veil.

“Nothing in the literature could predict that,” lead researcher, biologist Victor Ortega-Jimenez from Kennesaw State University, told Science.

(Victor Ortega-Jimenez et al, R. Soc. Open Sci., 2020)

Hummingbirds fly through heavy winds and rain, and have been observed bathing within pools at waterfall bases, so these slight birds (measuring only up to 4.5 grams in weight) do naturally encounter waterfalls.

They are also related to swifts, birds known to nest behind such tumbling rivers.

Researchers expected to see them take on the water head first with wings tucked to minimise their surface area as much as possible, like birds do when they dive.

But while one of the four hummingbirds did lead with its beak, most of these petite and pretty aeronauts positioned themselves so that only one wing pierces the water, sweeping open a window through it, while the other wing remained free to generate thrust.

This allowed them to break through the water veil in less than 100 milliseconds.

To capture the footage, Ortega-Jimenez and colleagues set up an artificial water curtain and trained hummingbirds to use feeders, which they then placed on the other side of the water to the birds.

They also put some flying insects to the test, using light to lure them through the water curtain. Many of the insects did not fare well. 

(Victor Ortega-Jimenez et al, R. Soc. Open Sci., 2020)

While some flies were able to pierce the surface tension, overcome the downward inertia imposed by the moving water and resist the impacts of water drops to make it through to the other side, fruit (Drosophila melanogaster) and crane (Tipula sp.) flies all succumbed to the forces of the flowing, gravity-obeying liquid.

The house flies (Musca domestica) that made it, had to fly at least 1.6 m/s (5.2 fps) to break through. Some of these then failed to recover their flight and continued to descend after their watery encounter, but a few resumed their path relatively unscathed.

The researchers also tested the properties needed to overcome their waterfall by flinging different sized balls through their water wall at different speeds.

Natural waterfalls are more complicated, of course, but the basic principles would still be the same.

They concluded that animals larger than a hummingbird are able to achieve this using their momentum, whereas those that are smaller need to rely more on greater speeds.

“Waterfalls can thus represent impenetrable physical barriers for small and slow animal fliers”, the researchers wrote, speculating that some birds may be taking advantage of waterfalls to protect themselves from both predators (by hiding) and parasites that are unable to pass the water wall.

They suggest comparing parasitic loads between nestlings to confirm this, and the team plans to study the waterfall nesting swifts using drones.

This research was published in Royal Society Open Science. © ScienceAlert Pty Ltd. All rights reserved

https://www-sciencealert-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.sciencealert.com/watch-the-genius-and-beautiful-way-hummingbirds-fly-through-waterfalls/amp?usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D&amp_js_v=0.1#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencealert.com%2Fwatch-the-genius-and-beautiful-way-hummingbirds-fly-through-waterfalls

Controlled Burns Work!!

A century ago, California banned Native American tribes from their traditional practice of controlled burns.

Now, officials say reducing the risk of wildfires means restoring "good fire" — much like the state's tribes once did.https://t.co/YGpdvrrbi1

— NPR (@NPR) August 24, 2020

10% of the Amish vote and they say more are going to vote this time…

 

VIDEO Leaked Footage Of Bill Clinton Being Racist Going VIRAL

From 2011-2015 The Number Of US Mail Collection Boxes Was Reduced By More Than 12,000 – OIG Audit

Mining Awareness +

Don’t use it, you lose it. If you don’t patronize a business or service and it disappears, don’t be surprised. How many were burned in the recent “protests”?

Excerpts from Collection Box Removal Process – Eastern Area
“Audit Report Report Number DR-AR-16-007 August 22, 2016
Background Mail collection boxes are a visible representation of the U.S. Postal Service to the American public and are reliable, secure, and convenient receptacles for mail. As the Postal Service adapts its collection infrastructure to meet customers’ needs at a reasonable cost, it has eliminated underused collection boxes that on average receive fewer than 25 pieces a day, and added collection boxes that are convenient for customers.

To identify underused collection boxes the Postal Service uses density tests to determine the average volume of mail collected, including an annual national density test, which was last conducted over a 2-week period in August and September…

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US Elections: Absentee Voting by Mail (ballot requested) vs Universal Mail-in (ballot not requested)

Mining Awareness +

The media has made no effort, that we have seen, to explain the differences in voting by mail. Thus, people are unable to have an intelligent discussion on the topic, which is the first step in intelligent decision making.

According to the Brookings Institute, “There are two kinds of mail balloting systems. Some states have what are called universal “vote by mail” in which states mail ballots to all voters. In most states, however, vote by mail is through absentee balloting in which the voter must request an absentee ballot… “ https://www.brookings.edu/policy2020/votervital/how-does-vote-by-mail-work-and-does-it-increase-election-fraud/

Trump on voting by mail: “Again, absentee good, universal mail-in very bad.” (August 13, 2020) https://youtu.be/6o0-gJy-eyI

It’s clear that mailing ballots to all voters will result in many being sent to places where the voter no longer lives, and many will end up in trash cans. And, yes, it is possible that when ballots arrive…

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Risk to Alaskan polar bear cubs from oil exploration in coastal Wildlife Refuge is small

polarbearscience

A bill recently introduced to US Congress (30 July 2020) is supposedly meant to “safeguard the Beaufort Sea polar bear’s denning habitat”.  However, the bill is named the “Polar Bear Cub Survival Act”, which tells us this is an appeal to emotions rather than a call for rational decision-making. In fact, few Southern Beaufort Sea polar bear cubs are born on land in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge and the risks to them from oil exploration is not overwhelming.

Despite a modest decline in summer sea ice since 1979, only about half of Southern Beaufort Sea polar bear females currently make their dens on the sea ice in late fall. Recent research confirms results from older studies that show denning females in Alaska are highly tolerant of the kind of disturbance associated with oil exploration and few dens are found more than about 1 km from the shore. This emotion-laden…

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Kamala Harris’ Uncle Called Russia “Steadfast Friends” After Russia Annexed Crimea

Mining Awareness +

Both Kamala’s uncle Dr Gopalan Balachandran, and grandfather, PV Gopalan, have served as high ranking public servants for India, primarily serving the Congress Party, which was mostly Soviet allied. India has remained close to Russia.

At her swearing in, in 2017, Kamala Iyer Harris told Biden that her uncle, Dr. Gopalan Balachandran, is a journalist and mathematician, which covered up his India Ministry of Defense and India government connections. India’s journalists have made his connections clear. Western media is apparently hiding it.

“And after the flurry of calls Balachandran received on the selection, he jokingly says he plans to print visiting cards saying “G. Balachandran, the favorite uncle of Kamala Harris.” Cited in “Kamala Harris’ Family in India Rejoices Over VP Pick” By Anjana Pasricha August 12, 2020 10:04 AM VOA http://archive.is/1qFCU

“The Big Picture – Has India-Russia relations been re-drawn? Dec. 2014, https://youtu.be/5VXdj28-u_Q…

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VP Candidate Kamala Iyer Harris: Bad News for American Workers; Pleases Wall St. & Silicon Valley (& Wanna Be Immigrants from India)

Mining Awareness +

From NumbersUSA:
“VP Candidate Kamala Harris — Pleases Wall St. & Silicon Valley, which means Bad News for American Workers
PUBLISHED:
Wed, AUG 12th 2020 @ 9:43 am EDT by Chris Chmielenski
In picking Sen. Kamala Harris of California to complete his ticket, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has made two groups very happy — Wall St. and Silicon Valley. If her voting record on immigration is any indication, Sen. Harris will aggressively advocate for the Biden-Sanders ‘Unity Plan’ — a list of policy recommendations that would increase legal immigration while all but eliminating immigration enforcement. That’s good news for Big Business and bad news for American workers and their wages.

Sen. Harris has only been in the Senate for three and a half years, but she’s already taken close to 50 actions on immigration and has yet to earn a single positive point on our Immigration Reduction…

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A Biden-Harris presidency would largely end oil and gas production

thehill.com

By Jason Hayes, opinion contributor

Joe Biden’s selection of Kamala Harris as his vice presidential running mate could mean the end to the affordable energy that makes modern American life possible.

In comparison to the Trump administration, which has prioritized deregulation and energy dominance, the former vice president and California senator have both committed themselves to heavily restrict fracking as they focus on climate change and renewable energy. If enacted, the Biden-Harris plan would reduce energy choices, increase prices and drive Americans back to international markets for essential energy supplies.

On issues of energy supply, Biden has been clear. For example, moderators at the Democratic Party debates asked him about his position on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, the means by which American natural gas producers have helped to free us from many of the vagaries of international energy markets. He boldly replied, “No more drilling on federal lands. No more drilling, including offshore. No ability for the oil industry to continue to drill, period. Ends!” Later, in the same debate, he added, “No new fracking.”

That broad and somewhat vague pronouncement likely raised blood pressure readings among supporters in Biden’s campaign. Promising to put as many as 1.7 million American workers out of a job by banning fracking would be a hard sell for any campaign, especially in gas-producing states such as Texas or Pennsylvania. So no one was surprised to see Biden staffers walk back the former VP’s ambiguous promises immediately after the debate. They quickly limited his anti-fracking rhetoric to targeting energy development on federal lands.

And Biden staffers aren’t the only ones openly correcting policy stances for the former vice president. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), who co-chairs the Sanders side of the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force, is getting in on the action, too. Jayapal has publicly bragged about her ability to “significantly push Joe Biden to do things that he hadn’t signed on to before.” Biden is, in her estimation, “movable.”

That malleability is not terribly surprising given that, for some time now, Biden has been seen as increasingly confused and frail. Keying in on those concerns, a recent Rasmussen poll indicated that 59 percent of Americans believe that he will not finish a first term, were he to win the upcoming election. For that reason, American voters must recognize that, come November, they may well be considering Harris as the actual Democratic presidential candidate. So, her take on energy policy should be understood as well.

While The New York Times recently tried to sell Harris as a “pragmatic moderate,” on issues of energy, her policies align far more closely with the progressive wing of the party. For example, Harris recently introduced the Climate Equity Act with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). In the Democratic presidential debate, Harris bluntly stated that she “support[s] a Green New Deal,” the nearly $100 trillion climate change policy authored by Ocasio-Cortez. In that same appearance, Harris promised that, “on day one as president,” she would “reenter us into the Paris Agreement.”

In last year’s CNN climate town hall, Harris was asked about her views on fracking by a climate activist with the environmental group 350.org. Without pause, Harris confirmed, “There is no question I’m in favor of banning fracking.” She then gave a simple, one-word answer, “Yes!” to CNN host Erin Burnett’s follow-up question, “So, would you ban offshore drilling?”

The Biden-Harris position on fracking and natural gas production is abundantly clear, as reported by a recent string of tweets from Alex Epstein, author of “The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels.” Epstein contends that fracking is the means by which the U.S. produces 60 percent of our oil and 75 percent of our natural gas. Banning it would put millions out of American workers back in unemployment lines already swollen by policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stifling the development of the fuels and technologies that power our economy with clean, affordable and reliable energy would be like killing the goose and then tossing the golden egg out the window. That’s an extremely bad way for the freshly minted progressive duo to start their campaign.

Jason Hayes is director of environmental policy at the Mackinac Center in Midland, Mich. Follow him on Twitter @jasonthayes.

https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/512601-a-biden-harris-presidency-would-largely-end-oil-and-gas-production?amp&__twitter_impression=true

NASA Researcher Arrested for False Statements and Wire Fraud in Relation to China’s Talents Program

justice.gov

A criminal complaint has been unsealed today, charging Zhengdong Cheng, 53, of College Station, Texas, for conspiracy, making false statements and wire fraud. 

Texas A&M University (TAMU) Professor Zhengdong Cheng is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam Sheldon today at 10 a.m. in Houston, Texas.  Authorities took him into custody Sunday, Aug. 23. 

Cheng allegedly led a team conducting research for NASA. According to the criminal complaint, for several years he willfully took steps to obscure his affiliations and collaboration with a Chinese University and at least one Chinese-owned company.  The terms of Cheng’s grant prohibited participation, collaboration or coordination with China, any Chinese-owned company or any Chinese University, according to the charges.

“Once again, we have witnessed the criminal consequences that can arise from undisclosed participation in the Chinese government’s talent program,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers.  “Professor Cheng allegedly made false statements to his university and to NASA regarding his affiliations with the Chinese government.  The Department of Justice will continue seeking to bring participation in these talent programs to light and to expose the exploitation of our nation and our prized research institutions.”

“China is building an economy and academic institutions with bricks stolen from others all around the world,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick for the Southern District of Texas. “While 1.4 million foreign researchers and academics are here in the U.S. for the right reasons, the Chinese Talents Program exploits our open and free universities. These conflicts must be disclosed, and we will hold those accountable when such conflict violates the law.”

“As alleged, Zhengdong Cheng knowingly deceived NASA officials about his association with Chinese owned companies and universities, willingly accepted U.S. government funding, and defrauded his university,” said Assistant Director Alan Kohler, Jr. of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division.  “The FBI is committed to aggressively pursuing those individuals who try and undercut our U.S. research institutions and government agencies by concealing their participation in Chinese talent recruitment programs and to hold them accountable for their actions.” 

“NASA’s funding restrictions are in place to protect taxpayer-financed research dollars and intellectual property,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Zielinski, NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG) – Eastern Field Office.  “We will continue pursue anyone who attempts to circumvent these guidelines and conceal affiliations with Chinese institutions and companies in order to obtain NASA grant money.”

“Dr. Cheng is accused of hiding his affiliation with the Guangdong University of Technology, along with other foreign universities, while disregarding the rules established under his NASA contract during his employment at TAMU,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner.  “These alleged actions came to light through the tireless work of the FBI-Bryan Resident Agency and NASA-OIG investigative teams.  We are grateful to TAMU, TAMU System and TAMU Engineering Experiment Station for providing significant assistance through their partnership with us throughout this case.”

The charges allege Cheng and TAMU received funds based on Cheng knowingly providing false information to TAMU and consequently to NASA.  In addition to the funds, Cheng personally benefited from his affiliation with TAMU and NASA with increased access to unique NASA resources, such as the International Space Station, according to the complaint.  This access allegedly allowed Cheng to further his standing in China at Guangdong University of Technology and other universities.  The charges further allege he held senior research positions there unknown to TAMU and NASA and was able to serve in the People’s Republic of China Talents program.  China’s Talents Plans are allegedly designed to attract, recruit and cultivate high-level scientific talent in furtherance of China’s scientific development, economic prosperity and national security.

The FBI-Bryan Resident Agency and NASA-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of TAMU.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko and S. Mark McIntyre are prosecuting the case with the assistance of trial attorney Matthew McKenzie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/nasa-researcher-arrested-false-statements-and-wire-fraud-relation-china-s-talents-program

WOW 🙄

Joe Biden: ‘I’m Going to Beat Joe Biden’ pic.twitter.com/P5IGWSYu8W

— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) August 22, 2020

“I have a right to make sure that my home is secure” says Chicago Mayor Lightfoot Of Police Presence

Caitlin Bassett

The Chicago Police Department has banned protesters from Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s residential block.

Officers are to arrest anyone protesting near her residence. Police presence has been heavy, barricades have been established, and IDs are even being checked to allow residents in while keeping potentially violent protesters out. https://lockerdome.com/lad/13085152993555558?pubid=ld-2798-4453&pubo=https%3A%2F%2Fdavidharrisjr.com&rid=&width=604

Lightfoot has defended the police actions which protect her home, referencing threats that have been made against her, her wife, and their home on a daily basis.

“I think that residents of this city, understanding the nature of the threats that we are receiving on a daily basis…understand I have a right to make sure that my home is secure,” said Lightfoot.

https://davidharrisjr.com/caitlin/i-have-a-right-to-make-sure-that-my-home-is-secure-says-chicago-mayor-lightfoot-of-police-presence/

Being kind has its own reward

Grateful Sloth Waves and Smiles Back at Man Who Saved Him from Traffic During Rush Hour pic.twitter.com/qMeU3LCwDr

— Life on Earth (@planetpng) August 22, 2020

Britain’s oldest polar bear dies aged 22 at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

dailymail.co.uk

By Joseph Laws For Mailonline 16:55 22 Aug 2020, updated 17:13 22 Aug 2020

• Oldest polar bear in Britain dies aged 22 after suddenly falling ill in wildlife park
• He had terminal kidney failure and after he suddenly fell ill vets put him to sleep 
• Victor was rehomed in Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster in 2014

Britain’s oldest polar bear has died aged 22 after falling ill on Friday.

The animal, named Victor, was living at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster after being moved from various zoos in Europe. 

He had terminal kidney failure and after he suddenly fell ill, vets put him to sleep. The animal, named Victor, was living at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster after being moved from various zoos in Europe

Victor was born at Rostock Zoo in Germany, before moving to Rhenen in the Netherlands. 

After he retired from the European breeding programme, he was rehomed in Yorkshire in 2014. He fathered 13 cubs during his time in the breeding programme.

The directors of the park thanked the team of vets from Portland House Veterinary Group who responded so quickly and the ‘dedicated’ team who had ‘loved and cared’ for the bear since his arrival.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park said: ‘Victor was a great ambassador for his species, inspiring generations and drawing attention to the plight of his species in the wild and the threat of climate change. He will be greatly missed by everyone.’ The animal, named Victor, was living at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster after being moved from various zoos in Europe

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8654121/amp/Britains-oldest-polar-bear-Victor-dies-aged-22-Yorkshire-Wildlife-Park.html?__twitter_impression=true

Cumberland County residences receiving misleading election mail

https://media.fox43.com/embeds/mobile/video/521-346efea4-4e8b-4429-a627-3d4c09d54eae/amp#amp=1 News

County officials say the mail isn’t coming from the county. Author: Lyndsay Barna (FOX43) Published: 4:59 PM EDT August 21, 2020

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — Some Cumberland County voters are getting voter registration forms in the mail that aren’t from the county.

“It’s causing confusion and making people think we have deceased people on our voter rolls which is not accurate,” said Bethany Salzarulo, Cumberland County Director of Elections.

The county says they do not send unsolicited or political mail without a request. https://d9e7d337ae58bff7ddf6a4178442a34b.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html?n=0

Salzarulo says the voter information is not coming from the county. They do voter maintenance twice a year and get reports monthly about deaths from the Department of Health to stay up to date.

She also went onto say, “they (voters) should contract that organization and let them know that it’s not okay and obviously if they have any questions they can call us and we can confirm we don’t have this person on our list.”

The information inside the mailers is legitimate but the mail is being sent out to voters who are deceased or voters who do not live at the current location, anymore and it’s voter fraud if these applications are filled out.

“It’s very frustrating because our job is to administer elections and that’s what we do and we’re here for the voters of Cumberland County,” said Salzarulo. https://d-20656997942957050438.ampproject.net/2007302351001/frame.html

https://www.fox43.com/amp/article/news/cumberland-county-residences-receiving-misleading-mail-in-ballots/521-5ded67e0-fd49-4cb3-9e0f-5b4ab158b3c1?__twitter_impression=true