Texas Senate Passes Redistricting Map Favoring Republicans Texas Senate Passes Redistricting Map Favoring Republicans https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/texas-senate-passes-redistricting-bill-5905166?ea_src=frontpage&ea_med=homepage-v2-0 (emphasis ours), The Texas Senate on Aug. 23 passed a bill that will redraw Texas’s congressional maps and increase Republicans’ hold on the state’s U.S. House delegation by as many as five seats. Its passage in the early hours of Saturday morning came after a daylong session. After passing the Republican-dominated upper chamber in an 18 to 11 party-line vote, the bill now heads to the desk of Gov. Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign it into law. In line with a request from President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice, the bill would redraw the state’s congressional boundaries to favor Republicans. Meanwhile, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Aug. 21 https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/california-legislature-to-consider-redistricting-on-tight-deadline-5904038 a legislative package to authorize a Nov. 4 referendum to redraw California’s congressional maps in favor of Democrats. The changes are expected to be approved in the Democratic stronghold. The map could increase Democrats’ hold on California’s U.S. House delegation by as many as five seats, endangering several previously safe https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/here-are-the-5-republican-seats-at-risk-in-californias-redistricting-5903543 . On Thursday evening, the state Senate’s Special Committee on Congressional Redistricting met to discuss the bill, voting 5–3 in favor of reporting the bill to the Senate with a favorable recommendation. The Texas House of Representatives passed the legislation on Aug. 20, after the more than 50 Democrats who had left the state earlier returned after it became clear that California would approve a legislative response to Texas’s passage of the bill. Those Democrats https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/texas-democrats-end-2-week-walkout-setting-up-vote-on-congressional-map-favoring-republicans-5902623 to the state after a two-week standoff, during which the state Legislature was unable to achieve a quorum and was therefore gridlocked. They returned after two conditions were met: the introduction of a legislative response in California and the end of the first special session of the state Legislature, which had been declared by Abbott. The Trump administration, through the Department of Justice (DOJ), has encouraged the Texas redistricting, claiming that some of Texas’s districts are illegal under the Voting Rights Act, civil rights legislation designed to increase participation in federal elections and prevent discriminatory or race-based voting restrictions. Current boundaries run afoul of the Voting Rights Act by relying on racial demographics to group minority voters into “coalition districts,” where no single racial group forms a majority, according to the DOJ. The Texas bill was initially delayed for two weeks when a walkout by 50 Democratic state House members denied Republicans the quorum needed for a legitimate vote. Those Texas Democrats said the redistricting was an attempt to maintain control of the U.S. House in the upcoming midterm elections. During the state Senate debate on Friday, some lawmakers repeated the criticisms that the new Texas map violates federal law by diluting Hispanic and black voting power and discriminating on the basis of race. State Sen. Royce West (D-District 23) predicted the new map would reduce the number of African Americans representing Texas in Washington from four to two. “I call that retrogression,” West said. State Sen. Phil King (R-District 10) who sponsored the bill, said repeatedly he had not considered race and that lawyers had assured him the bill meets all legal requirements. “From my perspective, why would I use racial data?” he told his fellow senators. “Voting history is just much more accurate and is well established as a legal way to draw maps.” The Democratic National Convention announced on July 28 that it will be sending some 250,000 texts to voters and readying 30,000 grassroots organizers to reach persuadable Republican and independent Texans in key districts. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul vowed on Aug. 4 to explore ways to redraw the state’s congressional maps in response to Texas’s mid-cycle redistricting efforts. The push for redistricting in Texas, California, and other states has prompted many to claim that one or both parties is attempting to make partisan gains through a strategic redrawing of the congressional map—behavior known colloquially as “gerrymandering.” Often, districts are described as “gerrymandered” when they are in an odd or unusual shape that seems designed to ensure a particular outcome. The term originated in the United States in the early 19th century, and is derived from the name of former Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry’s salamander-shaped district. According to a 2022 poll by The Economist and YouGov, two-thirds of Americans considered gerrymandering to be a “major problem” in the United States, with only 23 percent describing it as a “minor problem.” Darlene McCormick Sanchez, Jackson Richman and Reuters contributed to this report. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/23/2025 - 23:20 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/texas-senate-passes-redistricting-map-favoring-republicans

These Are Currently The World's Most Valuable Unicorn Companies These Are Currently The World's Most Valuable Unicorn Companies Unicorn companies are making a comeback fueled by the generative AI frenzy. While startup funding experienced a lull after the 2021 bonanza, private companies are now seeing a flood of investment, particularly in AI-driven firms like https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-the-biggest-ai-funding-rounds-of-2025-so-far/ . At the same time, countries such as India and the UK are producing firms with sky-high valuations, reflecting an increasingly global unicorn landscape. This graphic, https://www.visualcapitalist.com/worlds-most-valuable-unicorn-companies-in-2025/ . Ranked: The Top 30 Biggest Unicorn Companies Below, we show the world’s top 30 unicorns by valuation as of July 4, 2025: Texas-based SpaceX is expected to see $15.5 billion in revenue in 2025, according to a founder Elon Musk. Driving the majority of revenue is its satellite business Starlink, which includes clients such as United Airlines, Deere, and the U.S. government. This year, Starlink is estimated to bring in $12.3 billion in revenue while NASA is set to drive $1.1 billion in space exploration contracts. OpenAI ranks second globally with a $300 billion valuation. So far in 2025, it has reportedly doubled its annualized revenue to $12 billion, driven by its global user base of 700 million weekly active users. With a $220 billion valuation, TikTok-parent ByteDance follows next. This year, the company expects revenue to grow 20% to $186 billion, hovering close to Meta’s projected $187 billion revenue estimates in 2025 To learn more about this topic from a global perspective, check out this https://www.voronoiapp.com/work/The-Worlds-Fastest-Growing-Jobs-by-2030-5830  on the world’s fastest growing jobs by 2030. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/23/2025 - 22:45 https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/these-are-currently-worlds-most-valuable-unicorn-companies

Florida Appeals Judge's Ruling Against Expansion Of 'Alligator Alcatraz' Florida Appeals Judge's Ruling Against Expansion Of 'Alligator Alcatraz' https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/florida-appeals-judges-ruling-against-expansion-of-alligator-alcatraz-5905108 (emphasis ours), Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration on Aug. 21 appealed a ruling made by a federal judge halting the expansion of the “Alligator Alcatraz” illegal immigrant detention center in the Everglades. The appeal follows U.S. Judge Kathleen Williams’s https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/federal-judge-prohibits-us-florida-from-holding-new-detainees-in-alligator-alcatraz-5904626 on Aug. 21 in favor of environmental groups who had brought a lawsuit against the facility, saying that it endangers the Everglades and its wildlife. The ruling requires the state to stop sending detainees to the center and bars new construction there. It also orders that some aspects of the facility be dismantled as current detainees are moved elsewhere. In response, DeSantis said at a news conference on Aug. 22 that the state remains committed to its mission of removing illegal immigrants despite the judge’s order on the usage of the detention facility. The governor said the judge’s ruling was expected and that his office would “respond accordingly.” “This is a judge that was not going to give us a fair shake. This was preordained,” he said. “This is not going to deter us. We’re going to continue working on the deportations, advancing that mission.” DeSantis called Alligator Alcatraz a success, citing growing demand for similar facilities. The state plans to open a second detention center in Baker County. He said the new facility, to be named “Deportation Depot,” will have the capacity to hold up to 2,000 detainees. “This mission is important. You either have a country or you don’t. You have people that are in this country that have already been ordered to be removed by the current system and yet the previous administration didn’t want to do anything about it,” he said. The state filed a https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.692544/gov.uscourts.flsd.692544.132.0.pdf of appeal with the Eleventh Circuit on Aug. 21. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier https://x.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/1958947847337857132?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1958947847337857132%7Ctwgr%5E3f6cdd0bb3b65f95373c80d8840f0b07f5058bcb%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmynews13.com%2Ffl%2Forlando%2Fnews%2F2025%2F08%2F22%2Fstate-appeals-ruling-against--alligator-alcatraz- on X that the appeal was filed “within hours” of the ruling. The facility “remains operational” to support the state’s immigration enforcement efforts, he added. In the order, Williams https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/federal-judge-prohibits-us-florida-from-holding-new-detainees-in-alligator-alcatraz-5904626 that authorities remove “all generators, gas, sewage, and other waste and waste receptacles that were installed to support this project” within 60 days. Some fencing and additional lighting that had already been installed must also be removed. The judge said the decision was driven by a desire to align with Florida environmental law protecting the endangered Everglades. For several years, “every Florida governor, every Florida senator, and countless local and national political figures, including presidents, have publicly pledged their unequivocal support for the restoration, conservation, and protection of the Everglades,” Williams wrote. “This order does nothing more than uphold the basic requirements of legislation designed to fulfill those promises.” Joseph Lord contributed to this report. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/23/2025 - 22:10 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/florida-appeals-judges-ruling-against-expansion-alligator-alcatraz

Americans Spent Less On Plant-Based Foods In 2024 Americans Spent Less On Plant-Based Foods In 2024 Having long been limited to a handful of mostly soy-based products, plant-based alternatives to dairy and meat have made giant leaps forward over the past few years. Thanks to advances in food science, people can now enjoy a creamy oat milk cappuccino, have a tasty burger based on pea protein or even try chicken-free chicken nuggets that mimic the real thing surprisingly well. And whether it’s due to allergies, intolerances, voluntary diet choices or simply to reduce the carbon footprint of their food intake, many people are enjoying the new variety of plant-based alternatives to dairy and meat. https://www.statista.com/chart/25390/sales-of-plant-based-meat-and-dairy-alternatives/ , U.S. retail sales of plant-based foods amounted to $8.1 billion in 2024, which is a slight decline from the previous year but still more than double of where the market was in 2017. https://www.statista.com/chart/25390/sales-of-plant-based-meat-and-dairy-alternatives/ You will find more infographics at https://www.statista.com/chartoftheday/ With retail sales of $2.8 billion and $1.2 billion, respectively, milk alternatives and https://www.statista.com/topics/6057/meat-substitutes-market-in-the-us/  and seafood remain largest segments by far, despite both categories facing some headwinds more recently. The slowdown in several categories can partly be explained with higher food and consumer prices in general, which may have impacted plant-based alternatives disproportionately. In an environment with widespread frustration over high food prices, it's not surprising that consumers tend to cut back on plant-based alternatives, which still carry a significant price premium over conventional meat, dairy or eggs. According to consumer research conducted by the Good Food Institute, taste and price are top barriers to eating plant-based meat, as consumers are looking for additional benefits (e.g. to their health) to make the switch. In terms of adoption, plant-based milk alternatives are far ahead, with 4 in 10 U.S. household purchasing plant-based milk in 2024 versus just 13 percent who bought plant-based meat and seafood. Milk alternatives also stand out in terms of customer satisfaction, with 76 percent of buyers making repeat purchases. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/23/2025 - 21:35 https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/americans-spent-less-plant-based-foods-2024

Coinbase Tightens Workforce Security After North Korea Remote-Worker Threats Coinbase Tightens Workforce Security After North Korea Remote-Worker Threats https://cointelegraph.com/news/coinbase-tightens-workforce-security-after-north-korea-remote-worker-threats Coinbase, the world’s third-largest cryptocurrency exchange by volume, has come under a wave of threats from North Korean hackers seeking remote employment with the company. North Korean IT workers are increasingly targeting Coinbase’s remote worker policy to gain access to its sensitive systems. In response, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong is rethinking the crypto exchange’s internal security measures, including requiring all workers to receive in-person training in the US, while people with access to sensitive systems will be required to hold US citizenship and submit to fingerprinting. “DPRK is very interested in stealing crypto,” Armstrong told Cheeky Pint podcast host John Collins in a Thursday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeVny5KHj4g . “We can collaborate with law enforcement […] but it feels like there’s 500 new people graduating every quarter, from some kind of school they have, and that’s their whole job.” He added that some operatives are coerced into working for the regime. “In many of these cases, it’s not the individual person’s fault. Their family is being coerced or detained if they don’t cooperate,” said Armstrong. Brian Armstrong on the Cheeky Pint podcast. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeVny5KHj4g Armstrong’s comments come amid a wave of rising North Korean cyber activity beyond Coinbase. In June, four North Korean operatives infiltrated multiple crypto firms as freelance developers, stealing a cumulative https://cointelegraph.com/learn/articles/how-4-north-korean-agents-stole-900k-from-a-us-crypto-startup  startups, Cointelegraph reported. Coinbase data leak could put users in physical danger Armstrong’s new measures come three months after the exchange confirmed that less than 1% of its transacting monthly users were affected by https://cointelegraph.com/news/coinbase-breach-physical-crime-techcrunch-founder  in reimbursement expenses, Cointelegraph reported on May 15. However, the “human cost” of this data breach may be much higher for users, according to Michael Arrington, the founder of TechCrunch and Arrington Capital, who https://x.com/arrington/status/1924587249674412266  that the breach included home addresses and account balances, leading to potential physical attacks. Source: Michael https://x.com/arrington/status/1924587249674412266 Among all United States crypto firms, the Coinbase brand was most impersonated in phishing attacks in 2024, fraudulently used across 416 reported phishing scams in the four previous years, according to a Mailsuite report shared with Cointelegraph. US brands most impersonated by scammers. Source: https://mailsuite.com/blog/the-brands-and-industries-that-phishing-scammers-impersonate-the-most/ Accounting for all US brands, Facebook’s parent company, Meta, was the most impersonated brand by scammers, appearing in at least 10,457 reported scam incidents during the past four years. The US Internal Revenue Service was the second on the list, having been impersonated in at least 9,762 scams. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/23/2025 - 21:00 https://www.zerohedge.com/crypto/coinbase-tightens-workforce-security-after-north-korea-remote-worker-threats

"Time For This Boondoggle To Die" - House Committee Launches Probe Into California's High-Speed Rail "Time For This Boondoggle To Die" - House Committee Launches Probe Into California's High-Speed Rail https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/house-committee-launches-probe-into-californias-high-speed-rail-5905037?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=ZeroHedge California’s beleaguered high-speed rail project is under investigation by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The https://oversight.house.gov/release/chairman-comer-investigates-californias-high-speed-rail-boondoggle/ , launched Aug. 19, will focus on whether project officials knowingly misrepresented the ridership projections and financial viability of the long-delayed and expensive rail line to secure federal and state funds. Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) has requested a staff-level briefing, documents, and communications related to the project. “The [California High Speed Rail] Authority’s apparent repeated use of misleading ridership projections, despite longstanding warnings from experts, raises serious questions about whether funds were allocated under false pretenses,” Comer said in a statement. “The massive cost overruns and lack of progress warrant a reassessment of whether [the authority] acted with transparency and complied with the law.” The High Speed Rail Authority was first established in 1996 to plan a railway connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles. Costs for the project were originally expected to reach $33 billion, and Californians were told it would be completed by 2020. Voters authorized the rail line in 2008, but to date, the state has not laid any track, and the railway is now expected to cost up to $128 billion. Officials at the authority dismissed the investigation. “This is yet another baseless attempt to manufacture controversy around America’s largest and most complex infrastructure project,” an authority spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email. “The Authority has already addressed these recycled criticisms in its response to the FRA’s compliance review supported by facts, noting the ridership critiques are ‘nonsensical, cherrypicked and out-of-date, and therefore misleading.’” President Donald Trump https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-says-he-will-investigate-californias-high-speed-rail-project-5804366 in February that his administration would investigate the project. During Trump’s predecessor President Joe Biden’s final days in office, the project received https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/california-gets-6-billion-in-federal-dollars-for-high-speed-rail-connecting-los-angeles-san-francisco-5544095 for the initial segment connecting Merced, Fresno, and Bakersfield—the largest grant the program had received. The funding came from Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the rail construction has created 12,000 union jobs. The cost to build the initial 171-mile stretch through central California has increased by about $8 billion. Chairman of the House Oversight Committee Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) presides over a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 5, 2025. Comer has opened an investigation into California's high-speed rail project. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times The Federal Railroad Administration, however, clawed back https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-pulls-plug-4b-california-high-speed#:~:text=WASHINGTON%2C%20D.C.%20%E2%80%93%20U.S.%20Transportation%20Secretary,roundtrip%20flights%20between%20the%20cities. in unspent federal funding in July after the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s responses to a compliance review were not adequate in addressing the administration’s concerns, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. “Gov. Newsom and the complicit Democrats have enabled this waste for years,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. “Federal dollars are not a blank check—they come with a promise to deliver results.” The Merced-to-Bakersfield segment had a funding gap of at least $6.5 billion, of which $4 billion was promised by the Biden administration, https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Schedule-Engagement-Report-FINAL-A11Y.pdf to the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s Inspector General. Duffy said it was “time for this boondoggle to die.” https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/23/2025 - 19:50 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/time-boondoggle-die-house-committee-launches-probe-californias-high-speed-rail

Trump Says He Will Make 'Very Important Decision' On Russia-Ukraine Negotiations In 2 Weeks Trump Says He Will Make 'Very Important Decision' On Russia-Ukraine Negotiations In 2 Weeks https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-says-he-will-make-very-important-decision-on-russia-ukraine-negotiations-in-2-weeks-5904971?utm_source=Morningbrief&src_src=Morningbrief&utm_campaign=mb-2025-08-23&src_cmp=mb-2025-08-23&utm_medium=email&est=h6HRgvtjVREyWjaS6eaf9l4dLogx%2FBQMM12Lz6EqtRufqyLIsu7d%2FbhI9WALhZMfeQ%3D%3D (emphasis ours), WASHINGTON—U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he will give Russia and Ukraine two weeks to hold talks aimed at ending the war between the two countries, and if no progress is made, he will decide on the next steps, which could include heavy sanctions or tariffs. “We'll see what happens over the next two weeks. We’re going to find out which way it’s going to go,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. Trump said he expects to watch the attitudes of both sides during that period before determining his course of action. Calling it “a very important decision,” the president said he will determine “whether or not it’s massive sanctions or massive tariffs or both—or do we do nothing and say, ‘It’s your fight.’” Trump made the remarks in the Oval Office during an event announcing that the 2026 World Cup draw will be held at the Kennedy Center in Washington in December. At the event, Trump showed a photo of himself with Putin, taken at last week’s Alaska summit. He stated that the Russian president may visit the United States for the World Cup next summer. He later expressed his disappointment with Russia’s latest overnight strikes, which hit a U.S. factory in Ukraine. “I’m not happy about it,” he said. “I’m not happy about anything about that war. Nothing.” Last week, Trump hosted high-stakes peace talks with Putin in Alaska, which ended without a cease-fire. On Aug. 18, he met with Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House to discuss the Alaska summit and next steps. Following those talks, Trump began arranging a bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, after which he said the three leaders would hold a trilateral session. So far, however, neither Russia nor Ukraine has announced a date or location for the bilateral meeting. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with NBC aired on Friday that there’s no agenda for a potential summit. “Putin is ready to meet with Zelenskyy when the agenda would be ready for a summit. And this agenda is not ready at all,” Lavrov said, adding no meeting was therefore planned for now. During the Alaska summit, Putin agreed to accept security guarantees for Ukraine after the war. Trump later announced that European countries would provide security guarantees to Ukraine in coordination with the United States, and suggested that Europeans agreed to provide troops on the ground to prevent future aggressions. Lavrov, however, https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-says-ukraine-cannot-win-war-without-striking-russia-5904157 on Aug. 20 that European proposals to deploy troops in Ukraine after the war would mean “foreign intervention,” which he said was unacceptable to Moscow. Speaking during a press conference, Lavrov said Moscow won’t agree with collective security guarantees negotiated without the Russian Federation. “It is a road to nowhere,” he said. On Aug. 22, Zelenskyy criticized Moscow for demanding to be included in any security guarantees. “Russia does not want, did not want, and will not want to end the war now,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “It wants to issue ultimatums, and to use those to delay the possibility of ending this war.” In a surprise post on Aug. 21, Trump said that Ukraine cannot win its war without launching attacks on Russia, criticizing prior U.S. policy that only allowed Kyiv to defend itself, not attack. “It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invader’s country,” Trump https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115067017601499775 on Truth Social. “It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia.” Trump criticized the previous administration for limiting Kyiv. He wrote, President Joe Biden “would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND. How did that work out?” “Regardless, this is a war that would have NEVER happened if I were President—ZERO CHANCE. Interesting times ahead!!!” https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/23/2025 - 18:40 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-says-he-will-make-very-important-decision-russia-ukraine-negotiations-2-weeks

DeSantis Orders Removal Of Gay Pride Crosswalks From Florida Streets DeSantis Orders Removal Of Gay Pride Crosswalks From Florida Streets Let's make one thing very clear from the start:  LGBT pride flags are political symbols for a political movement with an undeniable agenda.  They are not "art murals" or expressions of civil rights, they are information weapons designed to saturate the American environment https://lbpost.com/news/city-begins-unveiling-updated-rainbow-crosswalks-at-broadway-corridor/ .  Woke activists have no right to paint their ideological symbols on taxpayer funded roadways.  No political group has that right.  The fact that progressives and Democrats were allowed to hijack US flagpoles and streets as their own personal indoctrination tools shows just how far America has fallen into the abyss in the past several years.  Luckily, the pendulum is swinging back to center.       Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been disinfecting his state and killing the woke mind virus ever since his victory against the attempted coup by Disney in 2023.  Leftists were dumb enough to believe that Florida needed Disney more than Disney needed Florida and the end result was predictable. This blitz against progressive infiltration has extended to Florida roadways which Democrats have exploited with impunity, bombarding residents with gay pride flags to remind them who really controls their communities.  A number of citizens in Florida have been prosecuted for "defacing" these flags painted on crosswalks as if they are protected public property.  Some people have even been accused of "hate crimes". In other words, LGBT activist propaganda is allowed to be embedded into every facet of daily life as a method of "protest", but if you protest this by burning a tire mark through one of those flags then you're not an activist, you are a "fascist" that must be punished.  Thus, the woke movement made it impossible to counter-protest their takeover by making counter-protest an act of hate.     DeSantis has ordered the immediate removal of all pride propaganda from public facilities and roads and state workers are already panting over the flags without oversight from city officials.  Local progressive politicians are, of course, having a meltdown, but there is no mercy in this dojo. Activists have attempted to use chalk to recolor the crosswalks, apparently forgetting that it rains heavily and regularly in Florida.   As for the Pulse Nightclub shooting, that was almost ten years ago, perpetrated by a Muslim who pledged allegiance to ISIS.  Today, leftists are aggressively seeking a political alliance with Muslim groups that promote the same Sharia law standards that inspired the nightclub attack.  They don't actually care about the people who were killed, the event was simply a useful tragedy to use as a rationale for painting gay flags on roads.  We will not allow our state roads to be commandeered for political purposes. https://t.co/AXY1qxsZNW — Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1958583393714667572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Multiple Florida cities are now facing deadlines in the coming days after being https://apnews.com/article/florida-lgbtq-rainbow-crosswalks-desantis-58b22e99150bc89f91362e0bd99aa52a rainbow crosswalks.  In letters from the state transportation department, communities have been told to remove them by early next month.  “I am outraged by the State of Florida’s decision to forcefully remove Pride crosswalks — symbols of love, support, and unity in our communities,” Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Thursday.  “These vibrant installations are more than paint on pavement. They reflect the values we hold dear in Miami-Dade: respect, appreciation of fellow neighbors, and the fundamental right to live and love openly,” she said in a statement. A statement from the Florida Department of Transportation said the agency has a duty “to ensure the safety and consistency of public roadways and transportation systems.”  “That means ensuring our roadways are not utilized for social, political, or ideological interests,” it said. It's not the job of city officials to commandeer public streets to project their personal values and politics.  Besides, the LGBT movement is not about "love", it's about control.  Controlling people words, thoughts and behaviors with fears of mob persecution and cancellation.  These are not good people with good intentions and their time is thankfully coming to an end. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/23/2025 - 18:05 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/desantis-orders-removal-gay-pride-crosswalks-florida-streets

Newsom Prepares To Violate State Constitution To Save 'Democracy' In Redistricting Battle Newsom Prepares To Violate State Constitution To Save 'Democracy' In Redistricting Battle https://amgreatness.com/2025/08/22/newsom-prepares-to-violate-state-constitution-to-save-democracy-in-redistricting-battle/ Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom is moving ahead with a controversial plan to redraw his state’s congressional maps by overriding the state’s non-partisan redistricting commission to counter https://abc7.com/tag/redistricting/  in Texas. Newsom has launched a $100 million campaign that is backed by Planned Parenthood, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the California Teachers Association (CTA) and the California Federation of Labor Unions and a handful of billionaire donors. Lawmakers in California https://abc7.com/live-updates/california-redistricting-state-supreme-court-denies-gop-petition-delay-vote-new-congressional-maps/17590010/  on Thursday, labeling it “Democracy’s Best Bet.” Hello Governor Newsom, In 2010, California voters passed Prop 20 by a landslide (62–38) to take redistricting out of politicians’ hands and enshrine an independent citizens' commission in their state constitution. That was the will of the people. Now you've launched a $100… https://t.co/XvIrEnw3BK — DataRepublican (small r) (@DataRepublican) https://twitter.com/DataRepublican/status/1958640067733594145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw However, serious concerns remain as to whether Newsom’s plan can survive legal scrutiny for a number of reasons. In 2010, a decisive percentage of California voters (62-38) passed Prop 20 which took redistricting out of the hands of politicians and created an independent citizens commission in the state constitution. Constitutional attorney Mark Meuser says Newsom’s redistricting plan would violate California’s constitution by holding hearings on a bill less than 30 days after introduction and by drawing maps without authority. Meuser also says Newsom’s plan runs afoul of the state constitution by drawing maps contrary to its requirements and by drawing mid-decade maps, which are prohibited. I believe Gavin Newsom and I have different definitions of "legal." To pass his redistricting plan, he must: 1. Violate the Constitution by holding hearings on a bill less than 30 days after introduction. 2. Violate the Constitution by drawing maps without authority. 3. Violate… https://t.co/AXwV1HPNK6 — Mark Meuser (@MarkMeuser) https://twitter.com/MarkMeuser/status/1958001882888302757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Meuser further claims that Newsom will need to change the law that requires 131 days notice for special elections on constitutional amendments. Newsom’s actions appear to put the will of billionaire donors and politically connected special interest groups ahead of the will of the people of California who voted to amend their state’s constitution to make redistricting less susceptible to political mischief. Under these conditions, Newsom’s determination to save “democracy” appears to mean doing whatever it takes to claw back Democratic control of Congress. Even if that means ignoring or undermining the will of millions of residents of California. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/23/2025 - 17:30 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/newsom-prepares-violate-state-constitution-save-democracy-redistricting-battle

Disney Wants Men Back In Theaters After Years Of Catering To Feminism Disney Wants Men Back In Theaters After Years Of Catering To Feminism A recent report from https://variety.com/2025/film/news/disney-marvel-lucasfilm-gen-z-1236494681/ that the top echelons of Disney are scrambling to figure out how to entice the male demographic back into theaters, specifically Gen Z men.  Apparently, a media company alienating 50% of their audience base is, in fact, a bad business decision.  The mind boggles...    Keep in mind, this is the same company that coined the phrase "The Force Is Female" and "Her-O" (instead of "Hero"...very clever).  This is the same company that tried to embed gay and trans characters into movies for toddlers.  This is the same company that actually went to war with the state of Florida to force them to accept LGBT and gender fluid indoctrination in public schools in opposition to the vast majority of the voting population.  Finally, this is the same company that tried to bait and switch legendary male heroes for feminist "Girl Boss" heroes in every significant action/fantasy/sci-fi franchise they own the rights to.  They turned Star Wars and Marvel, two of the biggest box office properties of all time, into the menstruation huts of the cinema world.  They went from making billions per project, to bombing harder than Nagasaki in theaters and in streaming.  The crux of the problem is that media companies have systematically eliminated any factors that might remotely interest men.  This was not an accident, they did this by design.  This includes going to war against the "male gaze" and the archetype of the male protector (knight in shining armor).  Female protagonists alone are not a deal breaker, but remove all femininity, all sex appeal and browbeat the audience with anti-male messaging about how women "don't need no man" and there goes your biggest potential cash pool.     Disney has been at the forefront of the woke deconstructionist agenda to rewrite or destroy every masculine western pop culture figure of the past 50 years.  They treated these icons as sacrificial lambs; joyfully slaughtered to appease the demonic gods of feminism.  And now, they want the men they openly despise to come running back with wallets in hand? That's a new level of crazy.  But hey, that's Disney. Even worse, the Variety story doesn't indicate that Disney ever plans to admit what they did wrong.  Anyone waiting around for an apology doesn't understand how the political left operates - They never admit they are wrong.  As Variety notes: "Leadership at Walt Disney Studios has been pressing Hollywood creatives in recent months, multiple sources tell Variety, for movies that will bring young men back to the brand in a meaningful way..." "Every film studio is looking for better ways to convert young audiences into habitual moviegoers. Numerous studies show that Gen Z men in particular are a lonely, gaming-obsessed group who were hampered in their formative years by COVID-19 lockdowns — not the easiest segment to grasp..." It sounds like they still hate the Gen Z male demographic while pretending as if those men are mysterious, stunted and hard to please.  At no point does Disney question their previous DEI production policies.  The obvious conclusion is that woke politics and the targeting of masculinity drove the male demographic away.  Almost every Disney film with overt woke messaging has lost significant earnings in the past five years. Some people argue that Disney doesn't care about profits anymore and they are willing to sacrifice the box office in the name of promoting progressive ideology.  Clearly this is not true if the company (along with hundreds of other companies) is now scrambling to remove DEI from their marketing and find ways to get men back to the ticket counter.  Even Disney still needs to bring in profits, not just to keep operations running but to maintain an image of cultural relevancy.  They can dip into their reserves and pump out all the woke propaganda they want, but it doesn't mean anything if no one is watching.  Eventually they will collapse, and it will be for nothing.  Their large cadre of leftist writers were laughing a few years ago at the "chuds"; now those talentless hacks are crying all the way to their local LA homeless shelter.  The bottom line is that when Disney says they want to court the male audience, what they really mean is that they need the moderate and conservative male audience.  To do that requires more than original IPs, it requires a complete overhaul of the Hollywood system and a return to masculine formats more common in the 1980s and 1990s.      Disney no longer has the intelligence or imagination power on staff to create anything inventive or original.  To appeal to conservative men, they would have to hire conservative writers, directors and producers, which they will never do.  Instead, they will go through the motions of rehashing old franchises in a desperate bid to appeal to people's nostalgia. This won't work and the majority of their products will continue to flop.  Even if they remove all woke messaging from their content, new movies still have to be good.  They don't know how to make anything good and the DEI hires infesting their company halls will continue to drag them down into failure. Disney's renewed quest for the male audience is a case study in Get Woke, Go Broke.     https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/23/2025 - 16:55 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/disney-wants-men-back-theaters-after-years-catering-feminism

Canada's Carney Backs Down On Tariffs As Trump Welcomes Another Win Canada's Carney Backs Down On Tariffs As Trump Welcomes Another Win Another major economy and country backs down, and Trump wins again - as on Friday Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada will drop its retaliatory tariffs in step with the United States as both countries work to de-escalate their trade dispute. Carney in a Friday press conference said the US side clarified it would not apply tariffs to Canadian products that adhere to the terms of the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement. Even Politico starkly https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/22/carney-tariffs-trump-00519624 Carney backs down in a major concession: "We have the best deal of anyone in the world right now," Carney told reporters in Ottawa, noting that the average U.S. tariff rate on Canadian goods is 5.6 percent, the lowest among America’s trading partners. "Today, the Government of Canada is harmonizing its tariffs with the U.S." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announces that Canada will be DROPPING their retaliatory tariffs against the US and removing tariffs on US goods covered by existing trade deals.https://t.co/Y9ONDpOk1g — Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1958937329541779512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw However, he noted that some duties, particularly on steel, aluminum, and automobiles, will still remain in effect. Other sources quoted in various reports have also indicated this. "In this context and consistent with Canada’s commitment to USMCA, I am announcing today that the Canadian government will now match the United States by removing all of Canada’s tariffs on US goods specifically covered under USMCA," said Carney, previewing that the change will take effect on September 1. "Canada and the US have now re-established free trade for the vast majority of our goods," he added. The White House hailed the move: "We welcome this move by Canada, which is long overdue. We look forward to continuing our discussions with Canada on the Administration's trade and national security concerns," a Trump admin official said. And more via breaking Canadian media https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/livestory/trump-calls-carneys-tariff-removal-nice-wants-to-be-good-to-canada-9.6876782 : U.S. President Donald Trump commended the tariff removal, calling it "nice" and saying he wanted to "be good to Canada." Trump raised tariffs on some Canadian goods to 35 per cent on Aug. 1. The Trump administration said Canada's rate was being hiked in response to fentanyl trafficking and Canada's earlier decision to hit back with counter-tariffs. The Canadian dollar is strengthening notably against the US dollar today (helped by Powell's words and Carney's actions)... Reuters has https://www.newsmax.com/us/white-house-tariffs-canada/2025/08/22/id/1223555/  of the transition from Trudeau: Carney's predecessor as prime minister, Justin Trudeau, imposed 25% tariffs on $21 billion in goods imported annually from the U.S. on March 6 in response to Trump's initial duties. The C$30 billion was part of an overall retaliation plan to target C$155 billion worth of imported goods from the U.S., though the remaining C$125 billion has been delayed. Carney had repeatedly claimed he had a mandate from the public to 'stand up to' the Trump administration, but alas he's the latest in a line of global leaders to sit down amid the immense tariff and trade pressure. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Fri, 08/22/2025 - 15:05 https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/canadas-carney-backs-down-tariffs-trump-wh-welcomes-another-win

Trump Hits International Criminal Court With 2nd Round Of Sanctions Trump Hits International Criminal Court With 2nd Round Of Sanctions The Trump administration has expanded its punitive measures against the International Criminal Court (ICC) for its going after Israel, on Wednesday imposing sanctions on two judges and two prosecutors from the ICC. This is also based on the court's past decision to investigate US officials over alleged war crimes committed by American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the The Hague-based court a "national security threat" and accused it of being used for "lawfare" against the US and Israel - at a moment a warrant for the arrest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is still active.  The sanctioned judges and deputy prosecutors have been identified as Nicolas Yann Guillou of France, Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji, Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal, and Kimberly Prost of Canada - as named by the Treasury and State Department. The list of people have all have been involved in ICC cases related to the US or Israel - but Washington says they've been involved in the politicization and overreach represented in the court's recent actions. "United States has been clear and steadfast in our opposition to the ICC's politicization, abuse of power, disregard for our national sovereignty, and illegitimate judicial overreach," Rubio stated. This is the second wave of sanctions in only less than three months - with the first involving action against four additional judges. In reaction, the court condemned the new US sanctions, https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/icc-strongly-rejects-new-us-sanctions-against-judges-and-deputy-prosecutors "These sanctions are a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 States Parties from all regions." "They constitute also an affront against the Court’s States Parties, the rules-based international order and, above all, millions of innocent victims across the world," it continued. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has prepared arrest warrant applications for Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich on charges of apartheid. However, ICC sources are concerned they will not submit them for fear of sanctions. https://t.co/wNq1wT4tfV — Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye/status/1956564263524323671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Additionally she statement published to the ICC website said, "The Court calls upon States Parties and all those who share the values of humanity and the rule of law to provide firm and consistent support to the Court and its work carried out in the sole interest of victims of international crimes." Trump intensified the effort shortly after resuming office in January 2025. Within days, he issued an executive order warning that sanctions would be imposed on anyone participating in ICC investigations concerning alleged war crimes by the US or Israel. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Thu, 08/21/2025 - 19:40 https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-hits-international-criminal-court-2nd-round-sanctions

Israel Calls Up 60,000 Reservists Ahead Of Gaza City Takeover Israel Calls Up 60,000 Reservists Ahead Of Gaza City Takeover Israeli media is reporting that around 60,000 Israeli reservists are set to receive call-up orders on Wednesday as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) gear up for a major assault on Gaza City. A report in https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-august-20-2025/#liveblog-entry-3623997 notes that reservists will have up to two weeks before going to their duty stations, but not all will be directly involved in the Gaza City offensive, as some are needed replace Israeli forces currently stationed in other parts of Gaza. The controversial Netanyahu-ordered expanded offensive which aims to achieve total control of Gaza City is expected to displace over a million Palestinian civilians. The IDF is prepared to use artillery to forcibly remove them, and a ramped-up air campaign has already been underway. Arab media sources, including Al Jazeera, have said that areas with a lot of tent shelters for refugees have at times been directly struck. Israel's military has issued evacuation orders, and is framing this as simply a mass transfer, while the Palestinian side along with international human rights monitors have decried an ethnic cleansing and land grab in progress. Reports in Israeli media have further described that after capturing the city, the IDF plans to spend over a year systematically demolishing it, which is precisely what previously happened in Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and Jabalia. The ostensible justification is for removal of "Hamas infrastructure" - but critics have said it is ultimately to pave the way for Jewish settlement of the Gaza Strip. The question remains, where will these Gazans go? Israel has been seeking to pressure some regional and even north African countries to take them in.  To be expected, these conversations have gone nowhere especially as regional Arab states have already historically absorbed hundreds of thousands. For example, the majority of the population of Jordan actually has Palestinian roots. Just life Rafah... "Gaza, Gaza City itself, should look just like Rafah, which we turned into a pile of rubble." Speaking on Channel 14, Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen of the Likud party called for the total destruction of Gaza City. https://t.co/CNBbDhNXHS — Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye/status/1958152067643539647?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw The Trump administration has meanwhile appeared to greenlight the takeover plans, in a break from Europe - which has grown much more critical of Israeli policy and loud over the last months. Some EU states like Denmark are even mulling sanctions on Israel, and several major US allies are set to recognize the state of Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly meeting in September. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Wed, 08/20/2025 - 21:20 https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/israel-calls-60000-reservists-ahead-gaza-city-takeover

Court Upholds Nearly $1 Million Fine Against Restaurant That Ignored Pandemic Indoor Dining Ban Court Upholds Nearly $1 Million Fine Against Restaurant That Ignored Pandemic Indoor Dining Ban A Washington state restaurant that ignored a 2020 state COVID-19 pandemic order must pay a fine of $936,000 - $18,000 per day, for each day it remained in operation while the state's emergency order banning indoor dining was in place, an appeals court has ruled. The ban, imposed in late 2020 by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D), went into effect following a jump in cases and hospitalizations (unaudited!). In response, the owners of Stuffy's II restaurant, Bud and Glenda Duling, ignored the order - resulting in the financial punishment.  The fine was levied by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries - which the Dulings say they cannot pay. Meanwhile, the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals did not have their back, refusing to weigh in after saying they don't have the authority to deal with constitutional matters. A superior court judge upheld the decision. Despite providing tax returns showing that it operated at a loss in 2020 and received a PPP loan, the court ruled that the Dulings have not provided evidence that their company cannot pay the fines. "Duling has not demonstrated that it is unable to pay the fine or that the fine is excessive," Judge Rebecca Glasgow https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/D2%2059382-3-II%20Published%20Opinion.pdf for the unanimous panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals of the State of Washington judges that considered the case. "There is nothing in the record about what savings or assets Duling had," Glasow continued, adding "Duling had ample opportunities to provide additional documentation and deposition testimony to support its contention that it was unable to pay the fine, and it did not do so." In a Dec. 5, 2020 Facebook post, the Dulings https://www.facebook.com/117155543542/videos/2991739301053606/ they had made the decision to resume indoor dining.  "It has come down to the point where we shut our doors after today and call it quits after 32 years of proudly serving the community, or we fight," they wrote. "We have made the decision over closing that we are fighting. If we go down, at least our employees will be able to have a better chance at having a better holiday season! This is not just about us as the owners struggling; this is about our Stuffy’s family." https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Wed, 08/20/2025 - 20:30 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/court-upholds-nearly-1-million-fine-against-restaurant-ignored-pandemic-indoor-dining-ban

Texas Dem Has 'Oh Sh*t' Moment After 'Felony' Bathroom Call Texas Dem Has 'Oh Sh*t' Moment After 'Felony' Bathroom Call A Texas Democratic lawmaker who fled the state earlier this month abruptly hung up on a call with Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin and other top party leaders on Wednesday, after she says she was warned that she was committing a felony. "Sorry, I have to leave," state Rep. Nicole Collier (D) said during the call - interrupting Martin. "They said it’s a felony for me to do this. Apparently I can’t be on the floor or in a bathroom." "You told me I was only allowed to be here in the bathroom," she told someone off camera. "No, hold on — bye everybody, I’ve got to go." Texas State Rep. Collier says she's forced by police to abruptly hang up a press call: "I have to leave. They said it's a felony for me to do this. Apparently I can't be on the floor or in the bathroom." https://t.co/veshtYJ5gP — FactPost (@factpostnews) https://twitter.com/factpostnews/status/1958249790912794828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Collier snuck off to the Texas Capitol's bathroom to participate in the call as the state House moved forward with a vote on a GOP-friendly House map (that the Dems fled the state to try and block, only to return after their their paychecks were changed to in-person pickup).  Democrats who wanted to leave and come back to the Capitol in between House meetings could only do so after “agreeing to be released into the custody of a designated DPS officer appointment under the rules of the House,” according to Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R). They also have to sign a form saying they will come back to the state Legislature. Collier declined to agree to the terms and instead has slept inside the state House in protest. -https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5462242-texas-democrat-lawmaker-felony-warning Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) called the incident "outrageous," adding "Rep. Collier in the bathroom has more dignity than Donald Trump in the Oval Office." "That is outrageous. What they’re trying to do right there, is silence an American leader, silence a Black woman and that is outrageous." https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Wed, 08/20/2025 - 18:50 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/texas-dem-has-oh-sht-moment-after-felony-bathroom-call

You Won't Believe What They're Calling "Nazi Propaganda" Now... You Won't Believe What They're Calling "Nazi Propaganda" Now... https://modernity.news/2025/08/19/you-wont-believe-what-theyre-calling-nazi-propaganda-now/ The US Department of Labor and the National Guard have just released motivational ads drawing on American patriotism, so cue disturbed America-hating leftists calling it all fascist. The USDL ad is vintage ‘your country needs you’ type ad featuring a young blue collar worker. Here it is: We need YOU to help unleash the Golden Age of America.https://t.co/IuqkysM2kp — U.S. Department of Labor (@USDOL) https://twitter.com/USDOL/status/1956845311143420186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw But, hang on, white man + patriotic lingo = Nazi. This is nazi propaganda https://t.co/P6IELa6iwH — Organizermemes (@OrganizerMemes) https://twitter.com/OrganizerMemes/status/1956855014481367166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Of course it is. You may as well start posting in German. It'll feel more authentic ,,🙄 — ✙Woke AF Fella🇺🇸🇺🇦✙ (@PewPewPotatoe) https://twitter.com/PewPewPotatoe/status/1957838311797518473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw OMG, can you replicate Nazi Germany more? What a disgrace. — jmcw (@jmwiebke) https://twitter.com/jmwiebke/status/1957833855584411863?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw This is literally Nazi style propaganda with an English translation. I hope all of you fucks burn in hell. — Peripheral Brainslaughter (@Nealsoad) https://twitter.com/Nealsoad/status/1957833323130024070?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Literally Hitler. Fuck off w your Nazi propaganda — #RepubsHateWomen (@eventre75) https://twitter.com/eventre75/status/1957778113112199594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw A fucking Nazi like the Orange Nazi in the White House. Get goose stepping. — Jazzjam#6 (@kickoutthejam6) https://twitter.com/kickoutthejam6/status/1957672925475090539?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Holy Nazi propaganda, Batman — Heywood Jay (@heyward12321) https://twitter.com/heyward12321/status/1957635032102613290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Any ad featuring a white person is Nazi prop now? — Moneymoves (@Comeonmomletsgo) https://twitter.com/Comeonmomletsgo/status/1957105381714362544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw If you’re a lunatic shit-lib, yep. Why? Because it features a white male? Grow up. — Renatta Michele Oxendine (@RenattaOxendine) https://twitter.com/RenattaOxendine/status/1957149651817070815?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw It’s all a coded dog whistle, you see. https://t.co/IJ87IMeekv — Right Wing Nevada (@GoonBoolder) https://twitter.com/GoonBoolder/status/1957123200539881596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw No, THIS is Nazi propaganda. THAT is a recruitment poster for the DOL. If you don’t want the job, you’re free to move along. Do you see the difference? At all? Hello? Echo! https://t.co/DV4dXOJLpn — Dan Quixote (@PsyChiGuy) https://twitter.com/PsyChiGuy/status/1957126182228615233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw These individuals really hate their own country. Anytime somebody posts something motivational about our country it's Nazism — American Cincinnatus (@OregonBlueDog) https://twitter.com/OregonBlueDog/status/1957164473829245351?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw The National Guard also released this ad that dares to depict America positively. This mission reflects the D.C. National Guard's dedication to safeguarding the Nation's capital while upholding the trust of the https://twitter.com/hashtag/citizens?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw — District of Columbia National Guard (@DCGuard1802) https://twitter.com/DCGuard1802/status/1956869668230025279?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw And guess what… National Guard is now posting Nazi style propaganda videos https://t.co/OqOYnLuDQ3 — Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) https://twitter.com/WUTangKids/status/1957232070104601018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Did they even watch it? Shhhhhh, stop confusing it with facts. — J🌞e (@JerseyJoe74) https://twitter.com/JerseyJoe74/status/1957835414410056140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Oh, yes. Very "Nazi style" propaganda video. 😂😂 https://t.co/vb69A9Ebz6 — NeoUnrealist (@NeoUnrealist) https://twitter.com/NeoUnrealist/status/1957454482486198663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw “Everything I don’t approve of is a 1930’s German political party” Screech more, Commies. — 🇺🇸 UltraMAGA Hillbilly 🇺🇸 (@TruthingtonPost) https://twitter.com/TruthingtonPost/status/1957339286245666956?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Nazis sure look different these days. All those black Nazis 😅🤣😂 https://t.co/cXDqDdMPSw — Dee Dee Weeks (@DeeDeeWeeks) https://twitter.com/DeeDeeWeeks/status/1957472071312671138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw So many black and brown nazis — stargazer ✨ (@bronzeagrindset) https://twitter.com/bronzeagrindset/status/1957434099846545636?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw But, it’s the military, and Nazis were the military too… or something. “Nazism is when the military does stuff” — Ben (@AmericanaFan1) https://twitter.com/AmericanaFan1/status/1957543517137334391?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw This ‘everything is a nazi’ argument isn’t going to land them on the ‘right side of history’. This isn’t the winning argument. — WW (@the_urb) https://twitter.com/the_urb/status/1957279893462355994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Keep going. You guys are really trying hard to erase all meaning behind the word Nazi… — Boomer-Tiro (@BoomerTiro) https://twitter.com/BoomerTiro/status/1957470639306019146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again even though it doesn’t work. Chill out with that logic dude, thats a Nazi thing. — mcpeppers (@mcpeppers) https://twitter.com/mcpeppers/status/1957689829979799750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw *  *  * Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via https://pauljosephwatson.locals.com/support . https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Wed, 08/20/2025 - 18:25 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/you-wont-believe-what-theyre-calling-nazi-propaganda-now

Trump, Netanyahu: War Heroes? Trump, Netanyahu: War Heroes? Should they be getting military medals pinned on them? ...Not quite (imagined 'battlefields' and self-delusions notwithstanding), but President Trump in an interview which aired Tuesday with Mark Levin hailed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "war hero" for ordering his military to launch a surprise attack on Iran in June. Trump then quickly followed by saying that the same label should apply to himself. He had started in the interview by calling Netanyahu a "good man" - echoing the chummy atmosphere of self-congratulations on display when the two leaders met at the White House in July, following the 12-day war which by the end saw the US military hit three key Iranian nuclear sites, upon orders from the Commander-in-Chief. "He’s a war hero, because we work together. He’s a war hero," Trump said of 'Bibi'... "I guess I am too," he added. Show host Levin can be heard quickly chiming in with a "yup" - apparently in full agreement. Listen to the brief exchange below: Donald Trump on Benjamin Netanyahu: “He is a war hero because we work together. He’s a war hero, I guess I am too” HUH? 🥴https://t.co/wsl4x4DNIq — Lucas Sanders 💙🗳️🌊💪🌈🚺🟧 (@LucasSa56947288) https://twitter.com/LucasSa56947288/status/1957937397309796662?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Trump had elsewhere in the interview proclaimed, "I’ve settled six wars, and we did Iran, and I wiped out their total nuclear capability, which they would have used against Israel in two seconds if they had the chance." But this of course ignores the fact that a significant chunk of Trump's base was outraged over the new and brazen US military adventurism targeting Iran - given he had long campaigned on not starting new wars in the Middle East, and Iran has not attacked the United States. Also, Trump has lately in effect given a greenlight for Israel to obliterate and decimate Gaza and the hundreds of thousands of civilians therein. As for the 'war hero' comments, Trump himself has of course never served in the military. One prior report https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-avoided-the-military-draft-which-was-common-at-the-time-vietnam-war-2018-12 that "Donald Trump avoided the military draft 5 times, but it wasn't uncommon for young men from influential families to do so during the Vietnam War." An additional irony is that all of this was said on Mark Levin's show - a pundit who for many years has presented on Fox News. In any other context whatsoever, Levin and his Fox neoconservative-leaning audience would rant and rage over 'stolen valor'... but of course this is Trump we're talking about, and so there's barely a whimper out of the mainstream Right - he gets a permanent pass, apparently. To be fair, this is nothing new for the upper echelons of the political elite class. Remember last-action-hero Hillary Clinton claiming to have come under 'sniper fire' during a 90s visit to Bosnia? "I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base," she said at the time. And then https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/mar/25/hillaryclinton.uselections2008 : Hillary Clinton has been forced to admit she exaggerated claims of coming under sniper fire during a visit to Bosnia in the 1990s after video footage showed the then first lady walking calmly from her plane. ...The row centers on a comment she made during a campaign stop in Washington DC last week. Keen to talk up her experience, she spoke vividly about a harrowing and dangerous trip she made in March 1996 to Tuzla airport, in Bosnia. We could also bring up Senator Richard Blumenthal to further illustrate the propensity for the political class, who make decisions to initiate acts of war on faraway foreign lands from posh air-conditioned offices and their hand-stitched leather chairs, to envision themselves as 'heroes' and as 'courageous'. From 2018 false claims about having https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/exaggerated-politician-military-stolen-valor/ ... Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he had “misspoken” about his service in the Vietnam War. His admission came after The New York Times obtained his Selective Service Record showing he received five draft deferments before joining the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, according to a https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/richard-blumenthal-vietnam/ . Trump's latest comments about himself and Netanyahu, while absurd and laughable, sadly stand in a long tradition of American politics. Skin in the Game: Talk is Cheap All of this is illustrative of a decline and illusions of empire which was aptly articulated by Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his book https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/537828/skin-in-the-game-by-nassim-nicholas-taleb/ : But what we call "empty suits", of the kind you see in think tanks or large corporations – those who want to increasingly run our lives or intervene in Libya - look like actors playing the part, down to their vocabulary and the multiplicative meetings. Talk is cheap and people who talk and don’t do are easily detectable by the public because they are too good at talking. Taleb continues with an explanation which now could just as easily apply to Trump's 'surprise' bombing of Iran this summer alongside Israeli jet raids - which killed many unsuspecting Iranian civilians - from https://www.amazon.com/Skin-Game-Hidden-Asymmetries-Daily/dp/042528462X  [emphasis ZH]: Now some innocent people-Ezidis, Christian minorities in the Near (and Middle) East, Mandeans, Syrians, Iraqis, and Libyans - had to pay a price for the mistakes of these interventionistas currently sitting in comfortable air-conditioned offices. This, we will see, violates the very notion of justice from its prebiblical, Babylonian inception - as well as the ethical structure, that underlying matrix thanks to which humanity has survived. The principle of intervention, like that of healers, is first do no harm (primum non nocere); even more, we will argue, those who don’t take risks should never be involved in making decisions. Further, We have always been crazy but weren’t skilled enough to destroy the world. Now we can. We will return to the “peacemaking” interventionistas, and examine how their peace processes create deadlocks, as with the Israeli-Palestinian problem. Taleb further emphasizes, "This idea of skin in the game is woven into history: historically, all war- lords and warmongers were warriors themselves, and, with a few curi- ous exceptions, societies were run by risk takers, not risk transferors." At this moment, Lindsey Graham is probably the absolute worst offender, simultaneously salivating over ramping up offensive actions https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-set-crush-russia-economy-if-putin-evades-zelensky-sen-graham , Gaza, and Iran. And then China (over Taiwan) will likely soon follow.  https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Wed, 08/20/2025 - 18:00 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-netanyahu-war-heroes