Money talks‚ people talk – and now‚ according to new research‚ the plants are talking too. While we knew that plants had been chatting away to each other since 1983‚ one team has taken a closer look at the chemicals involved in this communication.When a plant is damaged by an animal or a careless hiker‚ volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released. Plants nearby to the one under attack receive these VOCs which act as a trigger for the unharmed plants to prime their defenses. More than 30 different plant species are known to communicate in this way‚ however‚ what is happening within the plants on a molecular level remains poorly understood. To better study what was happening‚ the team set up an imaging system using plants expressing a fluorescent Ca2+ biosensor that could capture the moments the VOCs were taken up by other plants. “We constructed equipment to pump VOCs emitted from plants fed by caterpillars onto undamaged neighboring plants and combined it with a wild-field‚ real-time fluorescent imaging system‚” said Professor Masatsugu Toyota‚ the team leader‚ in a statement.The team showed that changes in concentrations of Ca2+ triggered the defenses.“This innovative setup visualized bursts of fluorescence spreading in a mustard plant Arabidopsis thaliana after exposure to VOCs emitted from the insect-damaged plant‚" continued Toyota. "The plants create fluorescent protein sensors for intracellular Ca2+ and therefore‚ changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration can be monitored by observing changes in fluorescence.”         The team found that both VOCs released from leaves feasted upon by caterpillars and VOCs released by leaves smashed artificially by the team triggered Ca2+ changes in the nearby undamaged plants. The researchers decided to look more closely at the types of VOCs that were causing the Ca2+ signal changes. They found two VOCs‚ (Z)-3-hexenal (Z-3-HAL) and (E)-2-hexenal (E-2-HAL)‚ caused changes in Ca2+ signals. These two chemicals smell like grasses and are known as green leaf volatiles (GLV).“Plants do not possess a 'nose'‚ but stomata serve as a plant gateway mediating rapid GLV entry into interspaces in leaf tissues‚” says Toyota.         When looked at in a plant expressing the fluorescent biosensor‚ Z-3-HAL triggered Ca2+ signals in the guard cells first‚ in about a minute‚ and then in mesophyll cells. However epidermal cells were slower to generate the Ca2+ signals. “We have finally unveiled the intricate story of when‚ where‚ and how plants respond to airborne 'warning messages' from their threatened neighbors‚” he says. “This ethereal communication network‚ hidden from our view‚ plays a pivotal role in safeguarding neighboring plants from imminent threats in a timely manner‚” finished Toyota. The paper is published in the journal Nature Communications.

Fossils from the Llangynog Inlier of south Wales have been dated with unprecedented accuracy. As these fossils represent some of the oldest specimens of large multicellular life and match those from other parts of the world‚ this dating helps narrow down the point when life transformed from something we could barely see into an abundance of complex life.As humanity explores more worlds it is quite possible we will learn that it is not having life that makes Earth distinctive‚ but having complex multicellular life. After all‚ life appeared on Earth almost as soon as the planet was cool enough to allow it‚ suggesting it might not be that hard to achieve. Multicellular life took another three and a half billion years.If so‚ the so-called Avalon assemblage‚ when large curious creatures start appearing in the fossil record all across the planet‚ could be one of the outstanding events not just of Earth‚ but of the galaxy. New research has helped reveal when it happened‚ and something of the cause.“These creatures would in some ways resemble modern day marine species such as jellyfish‚ yet in other ways be bizarre and unfamiliar. Some appear fern-like‚ others like cabbages‚ whereas others resembled sea pens‚” Curtin University PhD student Anthony Clarke said in a statement. The Ediacaran fossils contain many species that look like nothing today‚ but wormlike shapes‚ such as this one from the site never go out of fashion.Image Credit: Curtin UniversityWe have found little gradual lead-up to this abundance. Not long before‚ the only life that would have been visible without a microscope would have been colonies of tiny organisms like stromatolites. Relatively simple discs and microbial matting appeared in deeper waters a few million years earlier‚ but then suddenly the Avalon species turned up at similar times in different parts of the world.That makes determining the timing of the event important if we want to know what caused it. Similar fossils have been found to have a maximum age of 564.13 ± 0.65 million years ago‚ but on their own‚ we can’t tell if these were the first.Carbon dating is not remotely capable of measuring timing this old. The strata in which these fossils‚ known as Ediacaran Biota after the hills in which they were first found‚ usually lack good alternatives. Sometimes‚ however‚ volcanic eruptions lend their assistance. Layers of ash can be dated much more accurately‚ and if they lie either above or below – and preferably both – a fossil deposit‚ we have a much better idea of its timing.A volcanic formation sits at the center of the Llangynog Inlier. Zircon crystals‚ beloved of geologists for their easiness to date‚ and rutile are found in layers containing Ediacaran fossils. By dating both‚ Clarke and coauthors obtained dates of 564.09 ± 0.70 million years ago‚ confirming these species bloomed in different parts of the world at closely matching times.The Llangynog Inlier; “Contains the richest occurrence of shallow marine life in Britain‚” Clarke said. “We used outfall from an ancient volcano that blanketed the animals as a time marker to accurately date the fossils to 565 million years‚ accurate down to 0.1 per cent.”All that's left is imprints‚ making it hard to tell the nature of whatever species is represented here.Image Credit: Curtin University“These fossils were found in the late 70s and have gone undated. This is using exciting techniques to apply to small outcrops.”The more places we find the same dates for similar fossils‚ the more confident we can be that they appeared‚ and disappeared‚ at around the same time‚ despite what Clarke admits is a very patchy fossil record.Clarke notes these dates place the appearance of these comparatively large‚ complex species almost immediately after the end of the Snowball Earth era‚ when almost the entire planet was covered in ice. The flux of nutrients washed into the oceans by glaciers scraping over rocks has been proposed as a reason for how these lifeforms were suddenly able to flourish.However‚ Clarke says it’s not the only thing that was happening at the time. “There were massive changes in ocean chemistry‚” he told IFLScience. “Iron levels dropped‚ and oxygen levels shot up. There were also changes in continental thrust. Some researchers propose these were linked [to biological developments]. Britain at the time was near the equator and drifted north. There was a chain of volcanic island that put zircons into the atmosphere and fortunately for us they rained out and allowed us to identify when the species died. The deaths were probably associated with gasses released by these eruptions.”The study is published in the Journal of the Geological Society.

Supersonic air travel holds the promise to get us across the world faster‚ but it comes with a big and loud drawback: Sonic booms. Supersonic planes are not allowed to travel over land because the boom they create is loud and disruptive. NASA has been working for decades to design an aircraft that can avoid that while still traveling at incredible speeds. The result is the X-59.Developed with Lockheed Martin‚ the experimental aircraft is expected to reach 1.4 times the speed of sound in air‚ or about 1‚490 kilometers (925 miles) per hour – and it does that while staying very quiet. It was unveiled last Friday and it will be tested in actual flight later this year.What Is A Sonic Boom And How Is It Created?A sonic boom is a thunderclap-like sound released by an object moving through air (in this case) faster than the speed of sound. It’s a big release of sound energy‚ and for this reason‚ it is loud. It’s not just special planes that can crack one. The characteristic crack of a bullwhip is an example of a sonic boom. Just a small one‚ since the tip of a bullwhip hasn’t got the same moment of a jet.Any object moving through a fluid would create pressure waves in front and behind itself. The waves travel at the speed of sound. As the speed of the aircraft increases‚ these waves are squished together‚ and when the aircraft reaches the speed of sound they merge into a single shockwave. Boom!As an aircraft moves faster than the speed of sound it constantly creates sonic booms‚ releasing these pressure waves. But as you can imagine‚ it might get pretty loud and annoying if you were to live under the path of a supersonic plane.How Does The X-59 Avoid A Sonic Boom?Avoiding the sonic boom is a matter of breaking those pressure waves – something easier said than done. The X-59 is designed to do just that. The plane has a length of 30.3 meters (99.7 feet)‚ but one-third of it is for its thin tapered nose. This is its secret. The nose is designed to break the pressure waves‚ creating a vehicle that can fly faster than sound without loud bangs.This experimental plane is not the blueprint for future passenger supersonic vehicles‚ but such a design will inform the supersonic plane of the future‚ like the Bell X-1 rocket engine-powered aircraft later informed the development of Concorde.All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current.

If you want to hunt dinosaurs‚ Vernal in Utah is the only place in the world where you can do it legally. That’s because they offer official dinosaur hunting licenses‚ but if you get one‚ we still can’t guarantee you any success.Vernal began issuing dinosaur hunting licenses back in 1951‚ reports The Museum of Hoaxes‚ after Tenney T Johnson’s idea got picked up by the Vernal Chamber of Commerce who started handing them out to around 60‚000 tourists a year.Hunting is a controversial pastime and as director of Jurassic Park Steven Spielberg can attest‚ people can get very passionate about it even when the slain animal is *checks notes* a prop triceratops. If you like the sound of a dinosaur hunt‚ it’s important to note that there still are some rules:This license entitles the holder to hunt‚ pursue‚ shoot‚ kill and remove from that area known as Dinosaur Control Area of Uintah County [...] the following types of reptilian wild game.A. TYRANNOSAURUS REX – 1 only (adult male).B. DIPLODOCUS GIGANTICUS – 1 only (either sex) and not less than 5‚000 pounds live weight.C. STEGOSAURS – 2 only (males) any size.D. PTERODACTYLI – 4 only (without young).While the license grants the holder a green light to hunt in Vernal‚ to date‚ no dinosaurs have died. But you never know… Vernal is a special place palaeontologically speaking‚ home to the Dinosaur National Monument. At over 80‚940 hectares (200‚000 acres) it extends from Utah into Colorado‚ and has been nicknamed "Dinosaurland".The first dinosaur bones discovered here were found by Earl Douglass in 1909. Since then‚ thousands of fossils have been found belonging to Stegosaurus‚ Diplodocus‚ Allosaurus‚ Apatosaurus‚ and Camarasaurus. You can see some embedded in the Wall Of Bones‚ and even touch some fossils dating back 150 million years.And if you happen to spot a dinosaur while you’re exploring Utah’s ancient natural history? Just make sure you have your license handy…

Based on the way things went this past year with the trans mob attempting to take every opportunity away from women that they can‚ this is shocking. Madison Marsh‚ 22‚ won the title of Miss America Sunday night. Marsh is from Arkansas and is an active duty member of the United States Air Force. Her win is not only a win for our troops but a win for real women all across the nation. Back in May Marsh won Miss Colorado. Presently‚ she’s a fighter pilot training to be a Top Gun and is the first active duty officer to take part in the Miss America contest‚ Daily Mail reported. Apparently the sky is not the limit for her! Marsh admittedly can’t sing or dance which are typical skills for the “talent” portion of the competition. For her “talent‚” Marsh gave a spoken word piece about her first solo flight when she was just 16-years-old. “I really try to captivate the audience by making them feel like they are in the cockpit with me‚” Marsh admitted.   US Air Force officer crowned as 2024 Miss America‚ Congratulations Lt. Marsh for being the first active duty Miss America! Brains and Beauty. Lt. / Ms. America not only graduated from the US Air Force Academy she earned a pilot slot! Big Salute‚ Happy Monday to all. pic.twitter.com/OY2vTBydWN — Special Warfare Airmen (@SpecWarAirmen) January 15‚ 2024 During the contest which took four nights‚ three being preliminary competitions‚ Marsh was asked what her goals were if she were to win the Miss America title. “The five finalists then faced an additional question about their goals as Miss America. Marsh responded by highlighting her military credentials as an embodiment of her commitment to learning and leading ‘with passion‚’” CNN reported. As Miss Colorado‚ Marsh has been able to mentor and encourage young girls about breaking stereotypes‚ specifically about the intersection of pageants and being in the Military.  Here’s what she said according to Daily Mail: It's an awesome experience to bring both sides of the favorite parts of my life together and hopefully make a difference for others to be able to realize that you don't have to limit yourself. In the military‚ it's an open space to really lead in the way that you want to lead - in and out of uniform. I felt like pageants‚ and specifically winning Miss Colorado‚ was a way to truly exemplify that and to set the tone to help make other people feel more comfortable finding what means most to them. Breaking stereotypes seems to be on brand for Marsh. Aside from serving in our military and now being Miss America‚ Marsh has been working towards her masters degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and has been in cahoots with a professor from the Harvard Medical School to research early detection of pancreatic cancer which her mother died of five years ago. Marsh even started the Witney Marsh Foundation in honor of her mom and has raised over $250‚000 for pancreatic cancer research‚ according to her bio.  It’s incredibly refreshing to see a woman win not only for her beauty but for her honesty‚ her great character and her heart for others and the community.  Contrast that Marsh with other beauty pageant winners we’ve seen this year and Marsh is a star. Remember in October when 28-year-old Marina Machete won the title of Miss Portugal? Yeah well Machete is a biological man who took the title away from actual women across Portugal who competed for that win. Similarly‚ in July‚ another biological man parading around as a woman‚ Rikkie Vallerie Kolle‚ 22‚ “won” the title of Miss Netherlands. For a while it seemed that it didn’t matter what sort of person a contestant was and instead it matters that they were part of the LGBTQ mob.  All that to say‚ this is not just a win for Marsh. This is a win for all (real) women.    

On Saturday's PBS News Weekend‚ anchor John Yang and his appointed expert Sarah Binder of George Washington University discussed how Republican "hardliners" are weaponizing impeachment. The online headline was "Expert analyzes the rise of impeachment as a weapon of partisan politics‚" but there was no discussion of Democrats cheapening impeachment as Pelosi's House impeached Trump twice.  Binder‚ who began her career as an aide to Democrat Congressman Lee Hamilton‚ wasn't as blatantly partisan as Michael Gerhardt on the NewsHour last month. Yang noted that then-Congressman Gerald Ford said in the 1970s that impeachment is whatever a majority of the House says it is. Binder agreed with that in a political sense.  "We live in an inherently and intensely partisan time‚" she said‚ "Of course‚ you know‚ we have very tight majorities‚ very slim majorities‚ and you can't impeach somebody with a simple majority. You can't convict them‚ that is. And so it festers -- right? -- partisanship as it spreads. So soon‚ we get more and more of these threats‚ to impeach someone over policy differences."   Yang asked: "Does that devalue the impact‚ or the import of impeachment?" Binder said that if impeachments are doomed because of slim majorities‚ "The risk then is that impeachment‚ which might have been used and perceived as a way to constrain presidents in their exercise of power‚ that that's not going to work to constrain those presidents anymore in that I think the Framers might not be surprised. But I think they'd be a little quite a bit worried about." Yang asked her to elaborate on the "dangers‚" and then it became about Trump.  BINDER: Well‚ first of all‚ there's the sense and we can look to recent‚ former President Trump‚ right? There's the risk here that presidents feel unconstrained. That is they only feel beholden to their party base. They might only feel beholden to the set of voters who can get them reelected. Now‚ that's not unique to one party or the other. But the danger here is‚ if you don't fear any constraint from the Senate‚ or from the United States conduct [?]‚ you can violate the public trust‚ you can abuse your power‚ knowing that there's very little that stands in your way. And that can be harmful. It can be harmful for national security. It can be harmful for social welfare. There's all sorts of ways in which the American public and that's sort of the strength of a democratic system‚ relies on holding politicians accountable for how they wield power. Yang wondered "Is this a product of this particular moment in American politics? Or do you think the use and the attitude toward impeachment has really shifted forever?" Again‚ there's no sense that Democrats shifted this‚ in any way. BINDER: There is something different I think‚ going on here. Certainly‚ it seems in this Congress‚ with a Republican majority in the House‚ which is in the past‚ leaders seem to be able to kind of constrain their members‚ constrain the hardliners who really want to go after the other party's president or his cabinet. These‚ we've had two speakers of this Congress‚ neither has really been willing or able to rein in their hardliners. And in fact‚ it seems speakers are trying to get out ahead of the parade‚ that maybe impeachment is the one thing that will unite their party. And that's seems quite a bit new to me historically. What about very recent history? There's zero sense that Nancy Pelosi failed to "constrain the hardliners" on impeaching Trump twice‚ or that she led a parade. You're left with the false impression that only one party has "hardliners" who use impeachment as a political football.  This partisan tilt on the PBS NewsHour is brought to you by the American taxpayers‚ and by the leftist Ford Foundation. 

On Monday‚ ABC’s Good Morning America broke the nearly week-long blackout among the “big three” of ABC‚ CBS‚ and NBC on their flagship morning and evening newscasts in reporting the 2020 election case against former President Trump and his 18 co-defendants could fall apart as Fulton County‚ Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis has been facing allegations of a romantic relationship with one of the special prosecutors hired to assist her. According to the claim filed by the attorney for Michael Roman‚ one of Trump’s co-defendants‚ Willis hired a man named Nathan Wade as one of three people to help prosecute the case‚ but Roman’s lawyer claims not only are Wade and Willis romantically involved‚ but allege money Wade has received for work thus far was used for the two to vacation together.     There’s no doubt some leftist viewers were thrown off by this revelation in an opening tease by co-host and former Clinton flack George Stephanopoulos: “The Georgia D.A. prosecuting President Trump responds publicly for the first time to allegations she had an improper relationship with one of the lawyers she hired for the case.” Following another tease‚ the three-minute-and-10-second piece came up in the second half hour with Stephanopoulos tossing to correspondent Steve Osunsami‚ who said there was hope among “many people...who wanted to hear her deny one of the biggest allegations against her‚ that she was allegedly in a relationship with one of the special prosecutors she hired to work the case against the former President.” But‚ during remarks at Big Bethel AME Church‚ Osunsami said “she did not confirm or deny any of that.” Trouble in paradise!  “It’s the first time she’s spoken since being accused of having‚ ‘an improper relationship’ with Nathan Wade‚ the special prosecutor in the alleged election interference case who she hired‚ who records show took the job a day after he filed for divorce from his wife‚” Onsunsami added in the lead-in to a clip of Willis playing the race card by fretting only Wade was being attacked since the other two are white. For any Resistance readers here‚ you might want to skip this next sentence as Osunsami leveled the boom by noting Willis would only say “she was flawed and imperfect” and has had to endure “racism”‚ not whether the claim is true about her newfound romance. Following another race-baiting clip from Willis‚ Osunsami recapped the allegation from Roman’s counsel and went to an ABC News legal contributor‚ who insinuated this could‚ at the minimum‚ delay the case from going to trial and‚ at worst‚ could end with it being thrown out (click “expand”): OSUNSAMI: But a lawyer for Michael Roman‚ a co-defendant of the former President‚ says race has nothing to do with it. In a legal filing‚ she’s accusing the Fulton County prosecutor and Nathan Wade of having a “self-serving....arrangement” where she says they “purchased tickets for...cruise lines” and “traveled together to Napa Valley.” And‚ without evidence‚ the lawyer accuses Willis and Wade of paying for these alleged vacations with the nearly $650‚000 in legal fees that Wade has earned since working the case. In a statement Sunday‚ the lawyer said “the biggest difference” between the white and black special prosecutors “is that neither” of the white hired lawyers have taken Ms. Willis to California‚ Florida or on cruises to the Caribbean.” She wants her client’s indictment thrown out and Willis removed from the case. ABC NEWS LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR CHRIS TIMMONS: There’s a potential that she could get disqualified from the case. And then‚ if you have a new prosecutor appointed to it‚ somebody who doesn’t like the case‚ the case could be dismissed because they don’t think that it should be moved forward. On cue‚ Osunsami turned the ire on Republicans for pointing out the severity of the allegation (in other words‚ Republicans pounce): “Republicans in Washington are already all over this. The House Judiciary Committee‚ led by Republican‚ is now investigating. An attorney for Donald Trump says that he’s considering adopting this same motion against Willis.” He then closed by noting how‚ if the case isn’t delayed and Willis’s timeline is agreed to by a judge‚ the Georgia case could “begin in August‚ setting up a scenario we could potentially have a president-elect in November being called to state trial here in Georgia.” To see the relevant transcript from January 15‚ click “expand.” ABC’s Good Morning America January 15‚ 2023 7:01 a.m. Eastern [TEASE] [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New This Morning; Georgia D.A. Speaks Out] GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: The Georgia D.A. prosecuting President Trump responds publicly for the first time to allegations she had an improper relationship with one of the lawyers she hired for the case.  (....) 7:18 a.m. Eastern [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New This Morning; Georgia D.A. Prosecuting Trump Speaks Out; Responds to Allegations of Being Romantically Involved with Lawyer She Hired] STEPHANOPOULOS: And we hear from the Georgia D.A. leading the election interference against Donald Trump.  (....) 7:34 a.m. Eastern [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New This Morning; Georgia D.A. Prosecuting Trump Speaks Out; Responds to Allegations of Being Romantically Involved with Lawyer She Hired STEPHANOPOULOS: We turn now to the Georgia District Attorney leading the case against former President Trump. Fani Willis spoke for the first time on Sunday about her alleged improper relationship with one of the lawyers she hired. Senior national correspondent Steve Osunsami is in Atlanta with the story. Good morning‚ Steve. STEVE OSUNSAMI: Good morning to you‚ George. There are many people here — many of them her supporters — who wanted to hear her deny one of the biggest allegations against her‚ that she was allegedly in a relationship with one of the special prosecutors she hired to work the case against the former President. In her comments‚ she did not confirm or deny any of that. FANI WILLIS: I’m a little confused. OSUNSAMI: It’s the first time she’s spoken since being accused of having‚ “an improper relationship” with Nathan Wade‚ the special prosecutor in the alleged election interference case who she hired‚ who records show took the job a day after he filed for divorce from his wife. WILLIS: I appointed three special counsels as it’s my right to do. Paid them all the same‚ hourly rate. They only attack one. OSUNSAMI: Speaking before one of the oldest black churches in America on Sunday‚ Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis shared she was flawed and imperfect‚ and spoke about the racism she has endured. She says no one is focusing this way on the two other special prosecutors she’s appointed who are white. WILLIS: Isn’t them who’s playing the race card when they only question one? OSUNSAMI: But a lawyer for Michael Roman‚ a co-defendant of the former President‚ says race has nothing to do with it. In a legal filing‚ she’s accusing the Fulton County prosecutor and Nathan Wade of having a “self-serving....arrangement” where she says they “purchased tickets for...cruise lines” and “traveled together to Napa Valley.” And‚ without evidence‚ the lawyer accuses Willis and Wade of paying for these alleged vacations with the nearly $650‚000 in legal fees that Wade has earned since working the case. In a statement Sunday‚ the lawyer said “the biggest difference” between the white and black special prosecutors “is that neither” of the white hired lawyers have taken Ms. Willis to California‚ Florida or on cruises to the Caribbean.” She wants her client’s indictment thrown out and Willis removed from the case. ABC NEWS LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR CHRIS TIMMONS: There’s a potential that she could get disqualified from the case. And then‚ if you have a new prosecutor appointed to it‚ somebody who doesn’t like the case‚ the case could be dismissed because they don’t think that it should be moved forward. OSUNSAMI: Republicans in Washington are already all over this. The House Judiciary Committee‚ led by Republican‚ is now investigating. An attorney for Donald Trump says that he’s considering adopting this same motion against Willis. Donald Trump‚ Mr. Roman‚ and 17 others pleaded not guilty last August after prosecutors charged them with attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Four of them took plea deals in exchange for testifying against other defendants. The judge has not set a date for trial yet‚ but Fani Willis is asking that it begin in August‚ setting up a scenario we could potentially have a president-elect in November being called to state trial here in Georgia. There’s a hearing likely next month to discuss some of these accusations where Fannie Willis will have a chance to respond. Guys ROBIN ROBERTS: We’ll see what happens. All right‚ Steve. Thank you.

Fox News host Laura Ingraham blasted the Biden Administration and woke airline companies for putting so many resources into woke diversity‚ equity and inclusion initiatives to the possible detriment of passenger safety.  Ingraham told guest and Washington Times Opinion Editor Charlie Hurt that “people could die as a result of DEI” during the Jan. 12 edition of the Ingraham Angle. Ingraham ripped the obsessive focus of the Biden administration and Boeing on DEI initiatives‚ noting that both had overseen bone-headed lapses in flight safety. Ingraham asked those responsible for the safety of hundreds of people traveling hundreds of miles per hour through the sky to focus on their responsibilities and hire competent people regardless of identity politics. Ingraham contrasted the rhetoric of President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on diversity with a brutal safety statistic and a story about an air traffic controller pretending to know more about landing aircraft than a veteran pilot because she “googled it.” Ingraham said that “near mid-air collisions have skyrocketed under Biden by 63%.” The Fox News host also tore into Boeing‚ reading from a 2023 Boeing DEI report that boasted that 92.5% of interviewees were diverse. Ingraham immediately followed with a haunting video of a Boeing plane flying with its door ripped off. Ingraham suggested that Boeing rethink its approach after this “near-catastrophic” incident and to focus on hiring its staff based purely on competence. Ingraham added‚ “[M]aybe just focus on getting the best employees so there is never any doubt. Hold them to the highest standards‚ no matter what their background‚ their skin color‚ their ethnicity‚ their gender‚ just merit.” Ingraham made the point here that Boeing and the Biden Administration had not only lost focus on their real responsibilities by embracing DEI‚ but were also failing to find the best employees due to their obsession with reaching diverse employment targets. Hurt agreed‚ ripping into DEI proponents: “[N]ot only is it going to cost people's lives‚ not only will this insanity kill people‚ but it also doesn't even achieve the goal they’re going for.” Hurt moved beyond public safety to attack DEI as an idea. “If what they're going for is equality‚ this is not how you reach equality. The only way you reach equality is as you said earlier‚ you judge people on the content of their character and their capabilities‚ and you put them and‚ of course‚ you educate people‚ which‚ of course‚ these people are also against that as well‚ and this what you wind up with.”  DEI does not promote equality. Diversity‚ equity and inclusion efforts deify corporate and government discrimination. For example‚ leftist outlet Bloomberg News enthusiastically published propaganda that only 6 percent of corporate jobs at analyzed companies went to white Americans in 2021‚ referring to this apparent discrimination as “progress.”  Conservatives are under attack. Contact ABC News (818) 460-7477‚ CBS News (212) 975-3247 and NBC News (212) 664-6192 and demand they report on the dangers of leftist DEI ideology infecting corporate America

The New York Times columnist David French has debased himself to become the Paul Krugman of the culture wars: consistently on the wrong side of the argument. French‚ the pompous NeverTrumper‚ lectured in his latest piece of propaganda that the “Actual Danger” of Diversity‚ Equity and Inclusion – already embroiling universities and workplaces – wasn’t the ideology itself. Instead‚ he pointed to the “unconstitutional” way in which DEI was being “advanced” through speech codes and other restrictive measures. But French still proceeded to ridiculously defend the concept. French led-off his Jan. 14 op-ed claiming that “[DEI] — like the related progressive concepts of wokeness and critical race theory — used to have an agreed-upon meaning but has now been essentially redefined on the populist right.” Given that DEI is inherently nebulous‚ it’s unclear where French got the idea that there was some universally accepted definition out there. Newsweek Senior Editor-at-Large Josh Hammer tore into French’s argument in a Jan. 14 X post: “In what world did DEI ever have an ‘agreed-upon meaning?’ Are you kidding‚ ⁦@DavidAFrench⁩?.”  In comments to MRC Business‚ Hammer ripped French further for genuflecting to his overlords at The Times by regurgitating leftist drivel. “David French continues to beclown himself‚ seemingly reaching yet another new low with every new column‚” he said. “There is no lie too egregious for him to spout‚ if it gains him favor in the eyes of his liberal paymasters.”  In what world did DEI ever have an “agreed-upon meaning?” Are you kidding‚ ⁦@DavidAFrench⁩? pic.twitter.com/MeKZWHWBgg — Josh Hammer (@josh_hammer) January 14‚ 2024 Hammer is right on point. French even engaged in a bit of self-hating anti-white agitprop to validate the “D” component of DEI: “[T]he immense backlash from parts of the right against almost any diversity initiative is a sign of the extent to which millions of white Americans are content with their vastly disproportionate share of national wealth and power.” Hammer concluded: “At this point‚ we can reasonably expect him to campaign for AOC for president in 2028 or 2032.” If French is that adamant about “white American” privilege‚ why doesn’t he give up his lucrative Times column to a minority writer more worthy of the space than he is? After all‚ one should “practice what one preaches‚” right?  To prove his point about the darned‚ ruling “white Americans‚” French linked out to a report from the Federal Reserve of St. Louis‚ which conveniently excluded Asian Americans and other minorities from its analysis to make it appear that “white Americans” were the dominant race when it came to racial wealth disparity.  The problem for French is‚ they aren’t. Pew Research Center reported in December 2023 that “Asian households overall had more wealth than other households two years since the start of the pandemic.” Pew Research added‚ “In 2021‚ Asian households had a median net worth of $320‚900‚ compared with $250‚400 for White households.” Is that still “vastly disproportionate” according to French’s logic or does that only apply when it concerns his self-loathing smear of white Americans? Asking for a friend.  In French’s view‚ the leftist concepts of Diversity‚ Equity and Inclusion were “all vital values.”  Apparently‚ French is ignorant to the fact that the terms in “DEI” have been hijacked to push leftist politics onto employees and students alike‚ and the outcomes of such initiatives have not been worth the resources. As Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow Chris Rufo pointed out in a July 2023 Times column: Even on its own terms‚ does D.E.I. actually work? And the answer‚ according to the best available evidence‚ appears to be no. Researchers at Harvard and Tel Aviv University studied 30 years of diversity training data from more than 800 U.S. companies and concluded that mandatory diversity training programs had practically no effect on employee attitudes — and sometimes activated bias and feelings of racial hostility. There is no reason to believe that similar programs on university campuses have better outcomes. Jack Miller Center President Jack Miller wrote in an April 2023 piece repudiating DEI as a concept that “the meaning of words can change over time‚” a fact that apparently flew over French’s head. “Rather than the Founders’ vision of equal opportunity for all‚ the use of the word ‘equity’ today denotes equal outcomes for all. The implementation of this ‘equity agenda‚’ however well-intentioned‚ will lead to terrible consequences.” But for French‚ DEI is just a “another catchall boogeyman” for the populist right. French appears to be hopelessly plagued by the “Woke Mind Virus‚” and it doesn’t seem like he’s recovering from it any time soon.  After all‚ this is the same French who called children’s Drag Queen Story Hour “one of the blessings of liberty.” He also notoriously castigated Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) for issuing a directive treating the chemical and surgical castration of children as “abuse” “regardless of the good faith and desires of the parents‚ children and caregivers involved.” It’s not surprising that he’s out with new terrible take on DEI. Conservatives are under attack. Contact The New York Times and demand it report the truth about the leftist concept of DEI and its dangers for workplaces and universities across the U.S.

On the third Monday of every January‚ Americans enjoy a national holiday in honor of a man who helped shape the second half of the 20th century and our nation’s history. So important was Martin Luther King Jr.’s contribution to American life that he is one of only three people to have a national holiday in his honor — the other two being George Washington and Christopher Columbus. Americans will be inundated with stories today about Dr. King. We won’t hear many stories about Reverend King‚ or the book that animated his life and his father’s‚ too: the Bible. King never operated on any patients because he wasn’t that kind of doctor. He was a doctor of the academic variety‚ earning a Ph.D. in theology from Boston University in 1955. Which is a really fancy way of saying he studied the Bible a lot. He’d previously earned a bachelor of divinity degree from Crozer Theological Seminary. King understood early on that the greatest things that ail mankind — yesterday‚ today‚ and tomorrow — are spiritual in nature. That our greatest enemy is the person staring back at us in the mirror. And that our greatest struggles are with our own minds and hearts‚ our own demons and angels. What you won't hear as we celebrate King’s life is much about his early life or his father‚ Martin Luther King Sr.‚ who studied the Bible a lot too. The senior King received a bachelor’s degree in theology in 1931 and led the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta as its pastor for 40 years. You likely won’t hear the story of Martin Luther King Jr.’s name and how it came to be. His birth name was Michael‚ as was his father’s. A 1934 trip to Germany‚ the birthplace of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation‚ prompted King Sr. to change his first name to Martin. He changed his son’s name‚ too. His son was 5 years old at the time. You won’t hear anything about Martin Luther King Jr.’s first job as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery‚ Alabama. After preaching there for six years‚ King Jr. served until his death as a co-pastor at his father’s church in Atlanta‚ the city he called home until his assassination. You won't hear the countless references to scripture and God in King’s best sermons and speeches. One is an epic sermon called “Knock at Midnight‚” first delivered in February 1962 and adapted over the years‚ which focused on Jesus Christ’s parable of the friend at midnight‚ found in Luke 11:5-6. And he said unto them‚ Which of you shall have a friend‚ and shall go unto him at midnight‚ and say unto him‚ Friend‚ lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me‚ and I have nothing to set before him? Why did King begin his sermon with one of Christ’s parables? What possible relevance could such an ancient story have in the middle of the 20th century? King wasted no time explaining. Although this parable is concerned with the power of persistent prayer‚ it may also serve as a basis for our thought concerning many contemporary problems and the role of the church in grappling with them. It is midnight in the parable; it is also midnight in our world‚ and the darkness is so deep that we can hardly see which way to turn. King was just getting started. He went on to talk about the miracles of modern science but also its limits. "But alas! Science cannot now rescue us‚ for even the scientist is lost in the terrible midnight of our age‚" King said. He then launched into a broadside against moral relativism. Moral principles have lost their distinctiveness. For modern man‚ absolute right and wrong are a matter of what the majority is doing. Right and wrong are relative to likes and dislikes and the customs of a particular community. We have unconsciously applied Einstein's theory of relativity‚ which properly described the physical universe‚ to the moral and ethical realm. This mentality has brought a tragic breakdown of moral standards‚ and the midnight of moral degeneration deepens. King was tough on the technology and science crowd but didn't leave the church unscathed. When the man in the parable knocked on his friend's door and asked for the three loaves of bread‚ he received the impatient retort‚ “Do not bother me; the door is now shut‚ and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.” How often have men experienced a similar disappointment when at midnight they knock on the door of the church? King was referring to the white churches in the South that did little to end the injustice of racial segregation and much to perpetuate it. King also understood that sin and believers who sinned against their God were nothing new but were as old as the Old Testament. Here's how he closed that sermon: The dawn will come. Disappointment‚ sorrow‚ and despair are born at midnight‚ but morning follows. “Weeping may endure for a night‚” says the psalmist‚ “but joy cometh in the morning.” This faith adjourns the assemblies of hopelessness and brings new light into the dark chambers of pessimism. I doubt you will hear a word of that sermon anywhere else today‚ though you can find it with one quick search on Google. Here’s another sermon of King’s you likely won’t hear. He delivered it in 1967 in his father’s home church. This time‚ he began with a story from the Old Testament: There was a day when many of the Israelites found themselves in bondage in Babylon. There was a king of Babylon by the name of Nebuchadnezzar‚ who was a mighty king‚ and when he issued an order‚ he meant business. And Nebuchadnezzar issued an order. He made a golden image‚ and his order was that everybody under the reign of his kingship had to bow before that golden image and worship it. But there were three young men around there. One's name was Shadrach‚ the other one's name was Meshach‚ and the other name was Abednego. And they answered — and I read it from the scripture — and said to the king: “O Nebuchadnezzar‚ we are not careful to answer thee in this manner. If it be so‚ our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace‚ and he will deliver us out of thine hand‚ O king.” King then did what great pastors do‚ connecting ancient scripture to real-life applications. I tell you this morning‚ my friends‚ that history has moved on‚ and great moments have often come forth because there were those individuals‚ in every age in and every generation‚ who were willing to say‚ “I will be obedient to a higher law.” These men were saying‚ “I must be disobedient to a king in order to be obedient to the King.” And those people who so often criticize those of us who come to those moments when we must practice civil disobedience never remember that even right here in America‚ in order to get free from the oppression and the colonialism of the British Empire‚ our nation practiced civil disobedience. King wasn’t finished. For what represented civil disobedience more than the Boston Tea Party? And never forget that everything that Hitler did in Germany was legal! It was legal to do everything that Hitler did to the Jews. It was a law in Germany that Hitler issued himself that it was wrong and illegal to aid and comfort a Jew in Hitler's Germany. But I tell you‚ if I had lived in Hitler's Germany with my attitude‚ I would have openly broken that law. I would have practiced civil disobedience. And so it is important to see that there are times when a man-made law is out of harmony with the moral law of the universe‚ there are times when human law is out of harmony with eternal and divine laws. And when that happens‚ you have an obligation to break it‚ and I'm happy that in breaking it‚ I have some good company. I have Shadrach‚ Meshach‚ and Abednego. I have Jesus and Socrates. And I have all of the early Christians who refused to bow. King concluded this remarkable speech by returning to where he started‚ to those three men in the Old Testament who challenged that ancient king. Now‚ the second interesting point is that these men never doubted God and his power. As they did what they did‚ they made it very clear that they knew that God had the power to spare them; they said that to the king: "Now we know that the God that we worship is able to deliver us." And that grew out of their experience. They had known God‚ they had experienced God in nature‚ and they knew God as the creator. And then they had seen God in history. And then they had seen God‚ I'm sure‚ in their personal lives. They never doubted God's power to deliver. King understood why tyrants and totalitarians throughout history hated Christians: because Christians believe there is a higher source of power than man or the state. It’s why the secular media — especially secular liberals and progressives — don’t much care for Christians‚ either. Because they believe Christ is the solution to many of our problems‚ not the government. Of the many speeches you won’t hear or see in the coming days‚ King’s last on April 3‚ 1968‚ in Memphis‚ Tennessee‚ may be his most prophetic. There were a dozen references to the Bible‚ and he even spoke about his own death as he ended things. Like anybody‚ I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. ... And so I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man! Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord! King didn't know those would be the last words he’d ever speak in public. His life ended the next day by an assassin’s bullet on the second-floor balcony of the Lorraine Hotel. You won’t hear any of this today. And there’s no good reason — and lots of bad ones. Either indifference to or ignorance of King’s faith – or worse‚ antipathy. Leaving the Bible and Jesus Christ out of King’s life is like leaving basketball out of Michael Jordan’s life or hamburgers out of Ray Kroc’s. The truth is‚ one of the most influential men of the 20th century was inspired to do the things he did by a book written thousands of years ago. That book remains meaningful to more than 200 million Americans today who call themselves Christians and millions more who call themselves Jews. And all because it expresses eternal truths — timeless truths — about the nature of man and the God they serve. Like the statesman who led the charge against slavery in America‚ King’s desire to serve the God he loved forever changed the country he loved. That's a truth that the media can't change or erase‚ no matter how hard they try.