Noise Decoder
Tylenol Derangement Syndrome
President Trump and top medical officials unveiled a long-awaited report on autism causes. Headlines focused on Trump’s focus on a possible link between Tylenol use in pregnancy and autism, a claim supported by a recent Harvard study. Vaccine skeptics were underwhelmed, saying most of the findings of the report are known in their circles. But they welcomed proposals to break up the childhood vaccine schedule, spacing shots over years and delaying some, such as HepB, until age 12 or later.
Despite the evident desire for transparency and more information for parents, the internet began filling up with videos of pregnant women taking Tylenol to stick it to Trump or some such thing. But emergency rooms also filled up with one tragic story of a pregnant mom with liver failure from too much acetaminophen.
Tylenol manufacturer, Kenvue has deleted old posts advising against pregnant women using any of their products, noting that Tylenol was never tested on pregnant women, which is not unusual for clinical trials.
Looking to the cross: It’s a strange time when people would rather harm themselves than admit an enemy might be right. The worship of politics has grown so warped that truth itself gets graded by pedigree: if my side says it, it must be good; if theirs says it, it must be evil. That is not wisdom. That is idolatry. In a world drunk on tribal loyalty, the Church must be sober-minded, clinging to what is true and good, even when it costs.
A Dressing Down
President Trump used his allotted time (and then some) at last week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York to berate the institution and its members. Amid a broken escalator, a missing teleprompter, and a faulty sound system, Trump lambasted European leaders. The President said Europe is in “serious trouble” after ignoring their populations’ calls to curb mass immigration and following harmful economic policies informed by what he called the “green energy scam.” The BBC noted there were audible gasps.
He also startled some observers by declaring there was “no reason Ukraine shouldn’t have all its territory back” — a departure from his previous position that Russia would inevitably keep its annexed land. Trump further pressed the Assembly to defend “the most persecuted religion in the world, Christianity,” while insisting he was doing a better job at keeping peace globally than the U.N. itself.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has had his U.S. visa stripped after telling a crowd of pro-Palestine supporters in New York that U.S. soldiers should disregard orders and incite violence. Petro was in N.Y.C. for the United Nations General Assembly.
Speech A-Go Go
Jimmy Kimmel returned to air after a bunch of celebrities appealed to Disney over free speech concerns. Affiliates Sinclair and Nexstar are still refusing to air his show, urging the FCC to examine national network control over local outlets. Kimmel’s comeback was described by critics as a “fraud”, replete with “crocodile tears.” He offered admiration for Erika Kirk’s forgiveness of her husband’s killer but offered no apology for his own insensitivity or for falsely branding the shooter as “MAGA”. While Kimmel portrayed himself as a victim of free speech violations, Hollywood commentator Christian Toto said he conveniently overlooked the mass censorship of conservatives by tech companies at the behest of Democrat administrations.
Meanwhile, YouTube says it will allow banned accounts back on its platform, admitting “the Biden administration exerted its executive authority, pressuring the tech company to censor people and remove certain content.”
On the Radar
Life
Birth, Death and Marriage
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also had words for the United Nations, telling a conference on preventing and combating chronic illnesses that U.N. had overstepped its authority by releasing the United Nations Political Declaration on Non-Communicable Diseases. RFK said the World Health Organization’s top down approach steamrolls local customs and was attempting to manufacture consent using “language that pushes destructive gender ideology.” The Secretary also said the U.S. would not endorse a document that “claims of a constitutional or international right to abortion.” (Life Site)
The U.S. National Right to Life says complications from chemical abortions are likely underreported. (WNG)
Crime and Punishment
Courts, Law and Policing
Four people have been killed and seven more are in critical condition after a shooting at a Mormon church in Michigan, during Sunday service. The shooter rammed his truck into the building before opening fire. He later shot himself. (Fox)
A newly released after-action report confirms that 274 federal agents were present during the January 6 Capitol riot in 2021, with some frontline agents saying they were sent in unequipped and put at risk for political purposes. (Just the News)
North Carolina’s General Assembly passed a sweeping crime bill named after murdered Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarustka. The measure eliminates cashless bail and requires mental health evaluations for certain violent offenders. (WNG)
The man charged with attempting to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh after the Dobbs decision leak identifies as transgender. (Daily Wire)
I’ve found some careful takes on political violence, which show that the left has a bit to reckon with:
Tribes and Tongues
Immigration and Race
A new executive order from President Trump imposes a $100,000 fee on all new H-1B visas. Critics warn of damage to tech and finance sectors and strained relations with India and South Korea, who supply the bulk of H-1B workers. However, supporters of the new conditions say the H-1B system was supposed to bring highly-skilled workers to the US is now not fit-for purpose, with “corporations abusing the system to import cheap, pliable, and unprotected labor.” (CNBC, Washington Examiner)
The superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools in Iowa has been detained by Immigration officers. Ian Roberts’ immigration history is not entirely clear at the moment. Although he visited on a student visa in the 1990s and both his parents appear to have emigrated in the 1980s, his resume is a little sketchy with many unsubstantiated credentials claimed. A “final order of removal” was issued for his deportation in May last year. (Des Moines Register, Not the Bee)
A manhunt for a Florida teen has been called off after the boy was found safe and well. It appears the young man texted his mother falsely claiming he had been shot at and abducted for “four Hispanics”. (Local 10)
Metropolis
Politics and the State
Former F.B.I. Director James Comey has been indicted for lying under oath during testimony five years ago. Comey has maintained his innocence and accused President Donald Trump of politicizing the Justice Department. (PJ Media, BBC)
Attorney-General, Pam Bondi, has ordered Department of Justice agents to protect immigration facilities, “to safeguard federal agents, protect federal property, and immediately arrest all individuals engaged in any federal crime.” President Trump also said he has sent troops to Portland for the same aim, sending Antifa into a tizzy over the weekend. (ZeroHedge, BBC, Red State)
Former NYC mayor Eric Adams has dropped out of the mayoral race. (NBC)
Treasure
Money, Markets and Jobs
The Supreme Court has issued a preliminary stay to allow the Trump administration to spend around $4 billion appropriated by Congress in March last year. The money pegged for foreign aid programs is the latest skirmish in a “convoluted legal battle over Trump’s efforts to slash foreign aid.” (The Hill)
Anthropic says it is reducing recruitment of recent graduates, as tasks once assigned to junior employees are increasingly handled by artificial intelligence. (Final Round)
You may have heard: beef and coffee prices are up. (The Hill)
Reality Bytes
Digital Technology
The President has signed an executive order that would see TikTok's American branch bought out by a conglomerate of investors with Oracle taking charge of the app’s security operations and cloud computing services for the new TikTok U.S. firm. Investors say the price tag of $14 billion is a steal. While Vice President Vance says Beijing has approved the plan, there has been no official word from President Xi. (CNBC, Yahoo Finance)
Heritage
Arts, History and Sport
I’ve no idea if anyone’s taken it off any sweet jumps, but it looks pretty fine. (Tomato)
Health
Medicine and Food
Doctors say a combination of “gene therapy given during 12 to 18 hours of delicate brain surgery” has slowed the progress of Huntington’s Disease in patients, even three years later. (BBC)
Who knew? A new study claims “people with stronger grips experience better brain function, less anxiety, reduced depression symptoms and greater life satisfaction.” (Ask Men)
Hearts and Minds
Philosophy, Hacks and Human Connection
Why we collect things. (Cazadora)
A photojournalist’s insight into the “routine and isolation” of life of a container ship crew. (It’s Nice That)
Yay or nay? Pianos in airports. Surely, even Chopsticks is better than piped retail radio? (Inside Hook)
Are liberals better at art? I wrote about the Star Wars series, Andor and found more than a few conservative ideals holding it all together:
The Elements
The Natural World
The Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, a $2.2 billion Obama-era project, is being closed after failing to reach even 75% of projected output. The plant produced more CO₂ than a conventional power station and killed thousands of birds annually. (New York Post, Hot Air)
After major cleanup efforts, the Chicago River saw its first open swim competition in a century last week. (NBC)
The Bride And The Counterfeits
Religion and the Church
A new video released from out of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America says the sin of patriarchy is detrimental to women and girls and has identified lots of Scripture verses that are too. “A Lutheran reading, centred on Christ, frees us from taking all the Scriptures only literally, we don’t have to conform to the social and cultural practices of the ancient world.” [Passes Bible out of frame] (Protestia via X)
Three octagenrian nuns have run away from their care home to return to their abandoned convent. (BBC)
War and Rumors of War
Conflict and Weaponry
Denmark’s banned the flying of drones after a number of suspect Russian drones were seen over airbases. (Yahoo, The Guardian)
The U.N. Security Council has voted to impose fresh sanctions on Iran after satellite photos showed that missile tests had been carried out at an undeclared nuclear site. Russia and China attempted to block the vote, saying it is the USA that has closed down negiotiions over Iran’s nuclear program. (AP, PBS)
A number of nations last week joined those who “recognize a Palestinian state.” As far definitions go, Palestine has met few of the criteria for statehood, with an economy mostly dependent on aid and employment inside Israel, no airport, no army, no capital and no functional government at the moment. Analysts say the recent affirmations will do little to change anything, but perhaps please the restive Muslim populations in Western countries. Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu called the recognition a “reward for Hamas”. (The Guardian, International Intrigue, Arab News) | Microsoft cut cloud serves to Israel after reports that it was being used to surveil Palestinians phone communications. (CNBC)
Stories From Far Away
World News
🇲🇲 Myanmar’s junta and allied crime syndicates may be holding more than 100,000 trafficked people hostage in scam centers targeting Westerners. A new report notes dozens of new compounds opening along the Myanmar–Thailand border. Survivors say they were forced to befriend strangers online under threat of brutal punishment if they missed targets. (The Guardian)
🇬🇧 UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says digital identification will be mandatory for employment by 2029, a move he argues is necessary to curb illegal immigration and counter the rise of the Reform UK party. Critics doubt illegal entrants would comply with such a system, calling it ineffective. Several European countries already use digital IDs, and ex-PM Tony Blair has long championed them. Commentator Ben Sixsmith calls the policy proof that elites are “out of ideas” on immigration. (Reuters, The Critic)
🇻🇪 Venezuela has asked President Trump to stop spreading “fake news” about drug boats. (PJ Media)
🇭🇹 A group of nations has requested more help for anti-gang forces stationed in Haiti. Soldiers lead by Kenyan troops have reclaimed some of the territory occupied by gangs, but need help securing what they’ve gained and winning against gangs. (WNG)
🇨🇩 Congo has lifted its ban on cobalt exports, and is imposing quotas instead. The country is the source of 70% of the world’s cobalt supply, but mining is unregulated. Meanwhile, Congolese Christian leaders have launched a prayer initiative to pray for their nation, with a “silent genocide” claiming around 6 million lives since 1994.(Mining, WNG)
Quickhits For The Eyebuds
🐚 A sea wookie
🐺 Wire wildlife sculptures
🏴 The mystery of a Scottish wedding crasher solved after four years
🥶 The ten coldest countries in the world
🏝️ Crazy stories of survival
🚲 How the Muppets went outside
Let us pray. O God, You are the strength of all who trust in You, and without Your aid we can do no good thing. Grant us the help of Your grace that we may please You in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
You can also make a one-off or recurring donation here. Thank you!