The Kennedy family debacle. The post RFK Jr.’s Siblings Go TDS Postal     appeared first on Frontpage Mag.

Harris is not so much a flip-flopper as a padder. The post Can They Really Reinvent Kamala Harris in 70 Days? appeared first on Frontpage Mag.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM This week provides a rare opportunity for stargazers. Saturn will be at opposition on the night of September 7-8, offering the greatest time of year to see the ringed planet. When Saturn is in opposition, Earth is squarely between Saturn and the Sun, making the planet appear its largest and brightest. It also means that you can find Saturn on the opposite side of the setting sun. This alignment occurs once a year, and after September 8, 2024, Saturn will not be in opposition again until September 21, 2025.  Best time and tools for viewing To properly appreciate Saturn’s beauty, particularly its distinctive rings, a backyard telescope or a pair of powerful stargazing binoculars is required. Saturn is visible to the naked eye, but without a telescope, it looks just like a bright star. Saturn will be visible in the constellation Aquarius on September 7th and 8th, rising between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. EDT and setting between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. EDT. To stay up to date on Saturn’s position in relation to Aquarius, you can make use of these sky charts. Saturn will reach its highest point in the sky at midnight local time on September 8th, making it the best time to observe. Saturn will be closest to Earth at opposition, which happens at 12:27 a.m. EDT on September 8th, making it more visible. For information on the exact rising and setting times, this tool from the US Navy is a huge help. If you miss the peak on September 7-8, don’t worry: Saturn will glow strongly for several days before and after opposition. On these dates, the moon will be a waxing crescent, setting about 10 p.m. EDT ensuring dark skies for ideal viewing throughout the week. The Seeliger Effect One of the most stunning elements of seeing Saturn at opposition is the Seeliger Effect, which causes Saturn and its rings to appear unusually bright. This happens because the Sun’s rays shine straight on Saturn from behind Earth, completely illuminating the planet and its rings. The end effect is a magnificent spectacle, with Saturn appearing extremely bright and its rings well delineated. This event, which is particular to the days surrounding opposition, gives an excellent opportunity for both experienced astronomers and casual stargazers to witness one of our solar system’s most breathtaking spectacles. Whether you’re an experienced stargazer or a newbie, this week provides a unique opportunity to see Saturn at its best. With the correct equipment and some forethought, you’ll be able to see the ringed planet in all its majesty, making this a must-see event.The post Saturn at its brightest: a stargazer’s guide to ‘Saturn at opposition’ first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The U.S. National Park system recently received a dramatic boost with the announcement of a $100 million commitment from Lilly Endowment Inc., the largest single donation in the National Park Foundation’s history. The National Park Foundation, the National Park Service‘s official fundraising arm, will use this historic contribution to support essential initiatives focused on maintaining and improving the park system’s more than 400 sites. “For over 50 years, private philanthropy has played a vital role in bridging the gap between park needs and available funding,” said Will Shafroth, the National Park Foundation’s president and CEO. “This grant will allow us to supercharge our efforts to ensure our national parks are for everyone, for generations to come.” The donation is not just a remarkable milestone for the National Park Foundation, but it is also the largest grant ever made to help US national parks. Education, conservation, history, and experience The $100 million funding will address four major priorities inside the national parks. First, the program will focus on increasing opportunities for young people to visit and experience parks, establishing a stronger connection to nature and outside places. This project seeks to ensure that future generations value and safeguard these natural assets. Conservation is another important area of concern. The funding will be used to conserve fragile ecosystems and species in the parks, solving some of the country’s most serious environmental issues. In addition to environmental conservation, the grant will help to portray a more inclusive and comprehensive story of American history. The National Park Foundation intends to promote the tales of communities whose contributions and experiences have frequently gone unnoticed, resulting in a richer and more diverse narrative within parks. Finally, the money will improve the overall visitor experience at all national parks. With over 320 million yearly visitors, the NPF is dedicated to offering a “world-class” experience, guaranteeing that everyone who enters a national park may fully appreciate and interact with these natural beauties. Legacy of Lilly Endowment’s commitment to the natural world Members of the Lilly family, the founders of the pharmaceutical behemoth Eli Lilly and Company, created the Lilly Endowment in Indianapolis in 1937. The Endowment has a long history of funding activities that connect people to the natural environment. N. Clay Robbins, chairman and CEO of Lilly Endowment, reflected on the family’s inspiration: “The group’s founders were inspired by the beauty and wonders of the natural world and supportive of research and educational programs about archaeology and the cultural history of our nation.” This major donation builds on that tradition, reaffirming the Endowment’s commitment to protecting the beauty and heritage of America’s national parks for future generations. As the NPF prepares to execute these projects, the impact of this gift will be felt across the country, ensuring that the natural and cultural riches of the park system are accessible and preserved for all.The post US National Parks get a historic $100 million boost first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

Former President Donald Trump spoke about a wide range of issues Wednesday during a town hall event that was initially scheduled to be a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.  The event was in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, one of the most fiercely contested battleground states in the country.  Trump announced last month that his campaign reached agreements for a debate with Fox News on Sept. 4 and NBC News on Sept. 25.  However, the Harris campaign has only agreed to do one debate on Sept. 10 on ABC News that was already scheduled by the campaign of President Joe Biden before Biden dropped out of the race in July.  The town hall was hosted by Sean Hannity, a conservative host. Had it been a debate, it would have been hosted by news anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, Hannity said.   “I would have preferred a debate,” Trump said.  Here are the six key highlights from the event.  1. ‘More Terrorists’ in 3 Years Than 50 Years  Trump talked about the border policies under the Biden-Harris administration, noting that 21 million illegal immigrants have entered the country–“larger than New York.” “More terrorists have come into the United States in the last three years than I think probably 50 years, there has never been anything like it,” Trump said. “If they won, you would have not 20 million, you would have 100 million people.” “You won’t have Social Security, you won’t have Medicare, you won’t have anything,” Trump continued. “Already, if you look at the numbers, you’re not going to have anything. Already, if you look at the numbers, they are filling up and loading up Social Security and Medicare with illegal immigrants that have come into our country, many of them from jails, and many of them from very bad places. And we are not going to destroy our country.” Trump also talked about the high crime by illegal immigrant gangs in Colorado.  “Take a look at Aurora in Colorado where Venezuelans are taking over the whole town! They’re taking over buildings, the whole town,” Trump said. “They have AK-47s. They are knocking down doors and knocking down the doors of people. The people are petrified.” In Aurora, Colorado–a Denver suburb and sanctuary city–Venezuelans are about 40% of the immigrant arrivals. Members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua reportedly took over an apartment complex called The Edge at Lowry, which was the site of a shootout last month.  2. ‘Other Things Perhaps, But We’re Not Weird’  During the interview, Hannity mentioned Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential candidate. Hannity said Walz “wants free college education, legal drivers licenses [for illegal immigrants].” Trump noted that members of the Walz family endorsed him.  “I was so honored, his brother endorsed me, his whole family,” Trump said. “I saw the picture. Honestly, it was a very nice looking family. His brother endorsed me and the whole family endorsed me.” Tim Walz's family back in Nebraska wants you to know something…@realDonaldTrump @JDVance #SaveAmerica?? pic.twitter.com/zp08nuKAun— Charles W. Herbster (@CWHerbster) September 4, 2024 The New York Post reported that Jeff Walz, the brother of Tim Walz, had posted on Facebook, ““I’m 100% opposed to all his ideology,” referring to his brother and suggested in a comment he was considering endorsing Trump. Jeff Walz suggested in a later interview with NewsNation he was unlikely to play a public role, saying, “It wasn’t my intent, it wasn’t our intent as a family, to put something out there to influence the general public.” The Walz family members posted in the social media image were related to Tim Walz via his grandfather’s brother, reported the Washington Examiner.  Walz was among the first to refer to Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, as “weird.”  Trump responded that Walz was weird.  “There is something weird with that guy. He’s a weird guy. JD is not weird. He’s a solid rock,” Trump said. “I happen to be a very solid rock. We are not weird. We are other things perhaps, but we’re not weird.”  3. The Debate and the ‘Most Dishonest Network’ Trump talked about the ABC News debate that will occur next week–so far the only debate that Harris has agreed to.  “They are the most dishonest network, the meanest, the nastiest, but that is what I was presented with. I was presented with ABC and George Sloppodopolous,” Trump said, a reference to ABC news anchor and commentator George Stephanopoulos, a former Clinton White House official and Democratic Party operative.  “He’s a nasty guy. I’ve had him up to here,” Trump said of Stephanopoulos. “He’s a very, very bad kind of a guy. But I watched his interview with Joe Biden, it was like the softest interview I’ve ever seen. It was softer than the CNN interview of Kamala.” “A lot of people are going to watch to see how nasty they are,” Trump continued. “I agreed to do it because she wouldn’t do any other network. Another thing, her best friend is the head of the network. Her husband’s best friend is married to the head of the network. I’ve already heard that they’re [Harris campaign] are going to get the questions in advance.” A Disney executive, Dana Walden, is reportedly close friends with Harris. “On paper, the potential for a conflict of interest seems obvious: ABC News, the host of next month’s high-stakes presidential debate, falls under the purview of a top corporate executive at Disney [Dana Walden] who happens to be longtime friends with the Democratic nominee,” reported the New York Times last month.  The outlet also reported that ABC News “says that the executive, who oversees 18 businesses across the sprawling Disney empire, is only involved in the news division’s corporate matters (like budgets and staff size) and that she has no say in editorial decisions.” He noted that Donna Brazile, a former Democratic operative, works for ABC News and in 2016 sent Hillary Clinton questions before a town hall on CNN that year. Brazile later resigned from CNN. “We have a clause in the contract, you can’t give them the questions,” Trump said. “You might give her the questions and give her the answers with the questions. I’m not sure it’s going to help her.”  4. ‘I Got Shot At. I Got Hit’ Trump made an almost joking reference to the assassination attempt against him from July 13 in Pennsylvania. He was making the case that he could have had better things to do than run for president.  “If Joe Biden had been a great president, I would be very happier than [him] being the worst president in the history of the country,” Trump said  “I have very nice places I could be. This is not easy,” Trump said of campaigning. “I got shot at. I got hit. I could have been all over the place. But you know what? It’s very simple. It starts with make America great again.” This prompted some laughter and significant applause from the audience.  5. ‘These Clowns … World War III’ Hannity showed clips of Harris saying she had the “courage” to not use the phrases “illegal immigrant” or “radical Islamic terrorist.” “She wants to be politically correct, and we can’t be politically correct anymore,” Trump said.  He referenced the Hamas terrorist attack last year on Israel and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, and Iran having the money to fund terrorism groups.  “We went four years without any blowups. We had no World Trade Center blow up,” Trump said. “We had no radical Islamic terror because we were very tough at the borders, we were very tough with our statements. The whole world was a safe place.” By contrast, Trump said now, “The world is blowing up.” He continued warning about the dangers of World War III.  “I understood nuclear for a long time, the power of nuclear weapons. You need a president that’s not gonna be taking you into war. We won’t have World War III when I’m elected. With these clowns that you have in there now, you’re gonna end up having World War III. It’s going to be a war like no other.” 6. ‘Even if You Don’t Like Me’ Hannity showed past clips of Harris saying that she wanted to ban fracking. She has recently reversed her position.  As a presidential candidate in 2019, Harris said “there is no question I’m in favor of banning fracking.”  But Trump said, “Pennsylvania cannot even take a chance” on what position she would take as president.  “If she won, you are not going to have any fracking in Pennsylvania. You have 500,000 jobs. Think of that. That’s your biggest business,” Trump said. “And you get a big majority of your income from fracking. You have someone who is not going to allow fracking. She’s not going to allow it. You can’t take the chance.” Trump stressed this is a case where voters might even put aside their personal feelings.  “You’ve got no choice. You’ve got to vote for me,” Trump said. “You’ve got to, even if you don’t like me, you can say I can’t stand that guy, but there’s no way I’m going to vote for her. You have to have fracking.” The post 6 Takeaways From Trump Town Hall That Was Supposed To Be a Debate appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Part II of CBS’s “Eye on America” culminates a black eye for the Tiffany Network, as it seeks to cast Trump-supporting evangelicals in an adverse light. As something far out of the mainstream of America, or what the left calls “the other”. Watch the introduction to tonight’s feature on Trump-supporting evangelicals- the second part of a series by Major Garrett: CBS EVENING NEWS 9/4/24 6:50 PM NORAH O’DONNELL: We are continuing our look at Donald Trump's relationship with evangelical Christians. In tonight's "Eye on America," CBS's Major Garrett has an interview with a man who doesn't talk to reporters often: a self-described Christian nationalist. He sees Trump's movement as more than defeating Democrats. LANCE WALLNAU: You can't make America great again until you restore an awakening with God again. MAJOR GARRETT: Under a massive circus tent in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Lance Wallnau is the ringleader, preaching Christian nationalism and political activism to a rapturous following. Not 30 seconds in, we have references to a circus and to a ringleader. Garrett leaves it to viewers to determine who the clowns and monkeys are. As our own Tim Graham pointed out when examining Part I of this series: Don’t expect a probe into black evangelical Christians and their fervent backing of Democrats. That kind of mix doesn’t bother CBS. For that matter, CBS is less concerned about Islamists mixing church and state in American politics. This isn’t so much a look into the political actions of religious people as it is a pointing out of religious people engaged in wrongthink, and encouraging others to do the same. Proof evident of that is Garrett trotting out Matthew Taylor, author of The Violent Take It By Force: The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our Democracy, for the second part of this story.  And it’s deceptive, to say the least, to introduce the guy who thinks your interview subject is a threat to democracy as a “religious scholar”. Deceptive but instructive. Because, otherwise, we wouldn’t really know what to make of the boring interview of Lance Wallnau, who appears to have headlined the event at Eau Claire, Wisconsin, or of the series in general.  Its purpose, clearly, is to cast Trump-supporting evangelicals as a threat to democracy. By necessity, this also means that unapproved free speech is also considered a threat to democracy. Considering the authoritarian season we find ourselves in, this reporting seems extremely helpful. Terrifying, but helpful. Click “expand” to view the full transcript of the aforementioned report as aired on the CBS Evening News on Wednesday, September 4th, 2024:  CBS EVENING NEWS 9/4/24 6:50 PM NORAH O’DONNELL: We are continuing our look at Donald Trump's relationship with evangelical Christians. In tonight's "Eye on America," CBS's Major Garrett has an interview with a man who doesn't talk to reporters often: a self-described Christian nationalist. He sees Trump's movement as more than defeating Democrats. LANCE WALLNAU: You can't make America great again until you restore an awakening with God again. MAJOR GARRETT: Under a massive circus tent in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Lance Wallnau is the ringleader, preaching Christian nationalism and political activism to a rapturous following. WALLNAU: Unless you learn how to mobilize, and how to move in at a local level, then you are letting the devil dominate your culture. GARRETT: Wallnau is a business consultant and firebrand influencer in the growing Christian nationalist movement, reaching millions of believers across his platforms. He views Trump as a once-in-a-thousand-years figure: flawed, yet divinely chosen to navigate chaotic times. WALLNAU: I caught that idea in 2015 when I first met Trump. And I got a lot of pushback after he got elected because they were searching around for “how, why could, how could the evangelicals justify voting for some, you know, barbaric character like Trump, they are hypocrites, that they are”. GARRETT: Wallnau admits that Trump, twice divorced and roundly accused of other moral failings, does not align with traditional evangelical expectations. WALLNAU: I said listen, give the guy some time. He doesn't know who we are but his values resonate with our community. God’s raising up an outsider. If at the end of the day we haven't activated you to either be a poll watcher, poll worker, somebody involved with election integrity, or somebody who can help someone else get out and vote, I'm not sure that we have done what we have to do. GARRETT: What I watched today, was that about spiritual revival or political activism? WALLNAU: That's a combination platter. It's about spiritual activism. GARRETT: Can an energized Christian sit out this election? WALLNAU: I don't see how anyone with moral clarity sits out an election like this. I mean, the issues are so clear. I tell Christians, I say, “you know, what would you say during the Civil War?” GARRETT: The terminology at Wallnau's revivals is apocalyptic. WALLNAU: It's not us that's dangerous, it's them. GARRETT: Describing a spiritual battle between pious believers, and demons who speak through Democrats or liberals. WALLNAU: It's not just a person, it's a spiritual force. GARRETT: Demonic or…? WALLNAU: Demonic. Yeah. They can influence people with bodies. MATTHEW TAYLOR: They believe it was a demonic conspiracy that stole the 2020 election. GARRETT: Religious scholar Matthew Taylor has made a careful study of Wallnau and others in the charismatic Christian movement. TAYLOR: They are using the experiences of charismatic spirituality to galvanize Christians politically. And saying, now you've had these experiences, now you need to go and use that to change our country. GARRETT: Wallnau rarely grants interviews but is willing to describe, as he sees it, the forces arrayed against Trump. WALLNAU: He’s virtually up against academia, media, government, the intelligence communities, and to an extent, a whole lot of corporate businesses. GARRETT: He believes hyper-focused Christian political energy can overcome those perceived obstacles. WALLNAU: The tendency to just look at elections, pray about them, eat popcorn, watch the result and then go to bed is over. Christians as believers probably should be engaged in this process of shaping culture far more aggressively and intentionally from now on. GARRETT: As for their impact on the election, God only knows. For Eye on America, I’m Major Garrett in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  

The latest installment in the Regime Media’s ongoing “Hide the Bidenomics Suck” series features a new twist: omitting an unpopular policy prescription for the underlying problem mentioned in the report. Watch this CBS report on the proposed merger between two supermarket chains and see if you can spot what’s missing (click “expand” for transcript”): CBS EVENING NEWS 9/4/24 6:41 PM NORAH O’DONNELL: Tonight, there are new questions about what would be the largest grocery store merger in U.S. history. The CEOs of two major chains testified today at a trial defending Kroger's nearly $25 billion purchase of Albertsons. Federal regulators are trying to block the deal, saying it could hurt shoppers. Here is CBS's Jo-Ling Kent. JO-LING KENT: The prices you pay at the grocery store are now under scrutiny in federal court. SHOPPER: Nothing has gone down. It’s all going up. SHOPPER: Things that you used to buy, like eggs, it's just gotten really expensive. KENT: Today, the CEOs of grocery chains Kroger and Albertsons defended a proposed $25 billion merger under oath, saying the combined chains would be better positioned to compete with Walmart and Amazon. Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen promising in court, “the day that we merge is the day that we will begin lowering prices”, vowing that the combined company would invest $1 billion to lower prices if the merger goes through. The Federal Trade Commission has sued to halt this merger, alleging it would raise prices by reducing competition in some areas of the country. Is that an accurate argument? ANTHONY DUKES: I'm not convinced of that argument. So if they are somehow able to combine their stores, some of those cost savings through their wholesale prices could be passed onto consumers. KENT: The two chains combined operate about 5,000 stores. Currently, Walmart dominates the grocery market by dollars spent, as shoppers have faced stubborn inflation since the pandemic. Since 2019, according to the CBS "Money Watch" price tracker, a dozen eggs more than doubled. Bread jumped 54%, and chicken 33%. But wages have also risen 23%, keeping pace with overall prices. ANALYST: But that’s not how a lot of consumers think. They just see that grocery bill at the end and they are like, “oh, my gosh, this is so expensive”. And they are right. KENT: Now earlier in this hearing a Kroger senior director admitted that the grocery giant had raised prices for eggs and milk beyond inflation levels for a period of time, but since then, the CEO of Kroger has insisted prices would come down if these two chains are able to merge. Norah. O’DONNELL: Everyone watching that very closely. Jo-Ling Kent, thank you so much. It is oddly fascinating that, in a Regime Media report about a supermarket chain merger stalling due to concerns over pricing, there is no mention of Vice President Kamala Harris’s proposal to combat high food prices via the imposition of what amounts to price controls. It wasn’t that long ago that CBS’s Margaret Brennan suggested such characterizations were “false”, but never specified how. Now, they simply get left off the report. Food prices are the true heart of the story, as opposed to the merger proposal. The slide showing that wages are barely keeping up (if at all) with rising food costs is devastating. The real buried lede is that people still struggle with food prices. In fact, one recent CBS report suggests that an increasing number of Americans must choose between food and energy bills.  Somehow, this did not make it into the report. Also missing from the report: the fact that the grocery business is very low-margin. The report does enough sleight of hand so as to keep the viewer focused on supermarket chains without pointing out the real culprit of the increase in the price of bacon: Bidenomics.   

The daughter of Fani Willis, the anti-Trump Georgia prosecutor whose case was thrown into disarray by revelations about her relationship with a special prosecutor she paid more than $600,000 to work on…

THC is the 'victim'.