Category: Opinion

According to police, a Chicago officer on vacation in Florida was detained early yesterday after being observed peeing into an ice machine at a beachside bar. The officer was charged with battery and disorderly conduct.

Around 12:30 AM, a Jimmy B’s Beach Bar employee in St. Petersburg allegedly saw Henry Capouch “‘pissing’ on the ice in the machine” as he was “attempting to get ice from the ice machine.”

According to an arrest affidavit, when the employee Richard Klees asked Capouch to stop, Capouch cursed and shoved Klees “a couple times.” Police claim that Capouch then shoved a security guard.

Police discovered Capouch and his girlfriend on the nearby sand when they arrived at the bar, which is a part of the Beachcomber resort. Capouch “was actively resisting” and “not obeying lawful commands while being detained,” according to the police.

Battery and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors, led to Capouch’s arrest. He posted a $650 bond and was released from custody early on Monday.

The affidavit states that Capouch showed an “indication of alcohol influence.”

Capouch is a Chicago Police Department officer who has been serving on the force for five years.

A Grinch impersonator was jailed by Michigan police for assault and battery after becoming involved in a holiday party dispute with a coworker dressed as a reindeer, according to police reports.

Late on Saturday night, police were called to a hotel in Traverse City where a “work Christmas party started an altercation in the bar area.” The men fighting are workers for a nearby supplier of oil and gas equipment.

The argument spilled out of the bar and into the Hotel Indigo’s main lobby before the police arrived. Police were informed by employee Keri Stock that she witnessed a fight and “yelling back and forth” between “the man in the green Grinch outfit” and a man sporting a plaid jacket.

Jared Archbold, a 35-year-old hotel employee, tried to step in at this point.

Archbold reported to police that he was pushed backwards by a “male in the reindeer suit.” The hotel employee allegedly received a beating from the Grinch while Archbold was on the ground, resulting in “redness to his left eye” and a broken watch.

Cops identified the Grinch as Tucker Lee Davis, 30. Archbold, described as “drunk and angry,” reportedly admitted to being the “aggressor” during the conflict, adding that he “took [Archbold] down to the ground in a ‘grappling style.’”

Davis was arrested and booked into the Grand Traverse County jail on a misdemeanor assault and battery count. Ryan Jones was not charged but was put on the naughty list.

Although consumer prices remained close to a multi-decade high in November, inflation moderated more than anticipated, continuing to put pressure on millions of American households and small businesses.

The consumer price index, which measures a variety of prices for goods and services such as gasoline, groceries, and rent, increased by 0.1% from October to November, according to data released by the Labor Department on Tuesday. On an annual basis, prices increased by 7.1%.

Both of those numbers were below the 7.3% headline figure and the 0.3% monthly increase predicted by Refinitiv economists, which may have been encouraging for the Federal Reserve as it attempts to rein in runaway inflation through a series of brisk interest rate increases. Since December 2021, it represented the lowest annual inflation rate.

Another indicator that the economy’s underlying inflationary pressures are beginning to ease is that November’s increase in core prices, which exclude volatile categories like food and energy, was 0.2% rather than the 0.3% seen in October. Core prices increased 6% from this time last year.

Core prices were expected to increase 6.1% from the previous year and by 0.3% on a monthly basis, according to economists.

On the strength of the better-than-anticipated report, stocks rose and futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by more than 700 points. S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures both increased by 2.8% and 3.9%, respectively.

According to the report, the cost of used cars, health care, and airline tickets all decreased last month. Although inflation has slowed down, prices are still significantly higher than the Fed’s 2% target.

Only a few hours after American soccer journalist Grant Wahl passed away on Sunday, a second journalist covering the World Cup in Qatar also passed away.

According to the Gulf-Times, Qatari photojournalist Khalid al-Misslam “died suddenly” while covering the competition there. He worked for Al Kass TV.

“Al Kass TV photojournalist Khalid al-Misslam passed away recently,” the Gulf-Times wrote in a tweet. “Al-Misslam, a Qatari, died suddenly while covering the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. We believe in Allah’s mercy and forgiveness for him, and send our deepest condolences to his family.”

Only a few hours earlier, Wahl had died while covering an Argentina vs. Netherlands World Cup match. During extra time, Wahl sat back in his seat in a section of Lusail Stadium, and nearby reporters called for help.

He was covering his eighth World Cup, and he noted on Monday that while in Qatar, he went to a medical facility. He sought medical attention for his symptoms but the COVID-19 test came back negative.

https://youtu.be/wnY0pyshbhw

“My body finally broke down on me. Three weeks of little sleep, high stress and lots of work can do that to you,” Wahl said. “I went into the medical clinic at the main media center today, and they said I probably have bronchitis. They gave me a course of antibiotics and some heavy-duty cough syrup, and I’m already feeling a bit better just a few hours later. But still: No bueno.”

Early in the competition, Wahl was detained because he was wearing a rainbow T-shirt in support of LGBTQ rights. Prior to his detention, he was initially denied entry but was later granted access.

Brittney Griner returned to the United States on Friday when she landed at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, after being arrested and given a nine-year prison sentence for drug smuggling in Russia.

Griner would be released from a Russian penal colony and be sent back to the United States in exchange for Viktor Bout, a convicted arms dealer dubbed the “Merchant of Death.” The Biden administration and Russia approved this prisoner exchange.

Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas said that while Griner was gathering herself at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, she picked up a basketball for the first time in ten months and dunked the ball.

When the Phoenix Mercury star was returning to her Russian basketball team in February, she was detained. She was arrested at a Moscow airport after bringing vape cartridges with cannabis-derived oil through the building. Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the arrest took place, but it took weeks for news of it to reach Western media.

Now that Griner is back at home, she will take some time to get acclimated to her surroundings. It wasn’t immediately clear if she would play professional basketball again.

“If she wants to play, it will be for her to share. She has the holidays to rest and decide what’s next without any pressure,” Colas said. “She’s doing really, really well. She seems to have endured this in pretty incredible ways.”

Griner has not made any public remarks since her release. She was captured on camera smiling and interacting with the crew on her return flight.

Colas stated that Griner will now work to increase awareness of other Americans held captive in other nations, citing U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan as an example. Whelan and his family have vehemently denied being a spy, and he is currently being held in Russian custody.

Some British elite supposedly want Prince Harry and Meghan Markle banned from King Charles III’s coronation next spring after the release of their Netflix docuseries, “Harry & Meghan.”

“They shouldn’t come to the coronation. They categorically shouldn’t come,” he said, also adding that Brits “would be perfectly entitled to boo” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex if they attend.

Prince Harry was born into the monarchy, but prior to her marriage to Harry in May 2018, Meghan Markle held the position of senior royal until they announced their separation in January 2020.

Iain Duncan Smith, a current member of parliament and a former leader of the Conservative Party, asked the Daily Mail about the couple, “If they dislike the Royal Family so much, why would they attend the coronation?”

According to British author Lady Antonia Fraser, “Because I want the king and queen to command attention, I sincerely hope they do not arrive. I’m concerned that if they show up, the cameras might focus too much on them. In Hollywood, they ought to continue holding hands.”

Harry and Meghan have faced a great deal of criticism since the debut of the first three episodes of their Netflix series, primarily from British audiences.

A second batch of episodes will be released later this month during which Kate Middleton will tape her ITV special: “Royal Carols: Together at Christmas.”

King Charles was pictured meeting A-list actor Ryan Reynolds in North Wales a few days after the episodes were released to talk with Rob McElhenney about buying the Wrexham Association Football Club.

While taking pictures with his wife of the area, a hiker from New Hampshire fell off a mountain’s summit and plunged hundreds of feet down a cliff, where he perished early on Saturday.

The incident happened around 10:30 a.m. on the summit of Mt. Willard in Crawford Notch, New Hampshire, said Fish and Game.

“The hiker’s wife heard her husband yell and looked over to notice him falling over the edge of the mountain down a steep cliff that extended to the bottom approximately 800 feet,” according to the agency.

His wife was unable to reach him due to the steep and icy terrain on the summit, so she dialed 911 for assistance.

Around 2:30 pm, rescue personnel showed up and rappelled down the cliff, where they discovered the hiker who had fallen about 300 feet below the summit. At the scene, the hiker’s death was confirmed.

The deceased hiker was rescued from the cliff’s face by Mountain Rescue Service personnel, who then raised him to the summit.

The body was then transported by rescuers to the trailhead parking area, where they arrived at 6:45 p.m., according to officials.

Until the hiker’s family was notified, officials withheld the hiker’s name and other personal information.

Fish and Game stated that there was no additional information available right away.

Mount Willard, which rises to a height of about 2,865 feet, is located in the heart of Crawford Notch not far from Hart’s Location.

CNN recently warned the GOP to stay away from digging into Hunter Biden’s shady business deals and “wokeness” if they want to win elections. But this is a misguided attempt to silence the Republican Party and distract voters from the truth.

The GOP should not back down on Hunter Biden or wokeness, because it is important that they stand up for what they believe in.

Hunter Biden’s Business Deals Must Be Investigated

It is essential that Republicans continue to investigate Hunter Biden’s business dealings and push back against any attempts by Democrats to cover them up. We know that Hunter was involved in numerous questionable international deals while his father, Joe Biden, was serving as Vice President of the United States.

At best, these deals look like Biden used his political power to enrich himself; at worst, he may have committed a felony by violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. It is up to Republicans to make sure these issues are not swept under the rug and that justice is served.

Wokeness Is A Threat To Freedom Of Speech

The rise of “woke culture” – which involves increasingly rigid adherence to politically correct language and ideologies – poses a serious threat to our freedom of speech. We must ensure that everyone has the right to express their opinions without fear of being canceled or ostracized for having different views than what is acceptable in “woke culture.”

We must also push back against any attempts by Democrats and the media to silence those who disagree with them by labeling them as racists, homophobes, or whatever other insults they can come up with. This type of censorship cannot be tolerated if we wish to remain a free society.

TL;DR

The GOP should not back down on either Hunter Biden or wokeness if they want to succeed in future elections. Investigating Hunter’s business dealings will help uphold the principles of justice and accountability while pushing back against woke ideology will protect our freedom of speech from those who wish to censor it for political gain.

It is only through standing firm on these issues that Republicans will be able to demonstrate their commitment to preserving American values and winning over voters in upcoming elections.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden released Viktor Bout, a dangerous Russian weapons trafficker convicted on terrorism charges in 2011, in exchange for Brittney Griner, an American citizen who is serving a nine-year sentence in Russia on drug charges.

This dangerous prisoner swap has U.S. officials concerned that Bout will go right back to trafficking weapons across the world and potentially put American lives at risk.

It’s no secret that President Biden has had a shaky start to his presidency. His first major scandal was the botched response to the COVID-19 pandemic and now he’s embroiled in yet another controversy related to his decision to release a convicted terrorist in exchange for an American citizen who has a criminal record stemming from a domestic violence incident several years ago.

The potential consequences of this decision are immense and could have disastrous implications for U.S.-Russia relations as well as global security. The fact that Biden decided to make such a risky exchange without consulting any of his advisors or national security experts is concerning, especially since there are reports that Bout was planning to use the weapons he was trying to sell to shoot down U.S. military helicopters and kill DEA agents!

What makes this situation even more alarming is that it doesn’t appear as though Biden has any plan for preventing Bout from going back into the arms trade after being released from prison. Without proper oversight and monitoring, it would be all too easy for him to resume his illegal activities with impunity.

“I think there is a concern that [he] would return to doing the same kind of work that he’s done in the past,” a senior Defense Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic, told Politico following Bout’s release.

And if he does manage to get away with it, then the consequences could be catastrophic—not only for America but also for countries around the world who rely on American aid and protection against terrorists like Bout!

TL;DR

President Joe Biden’s decision to release Viktor Bout—a dangerous Russian weapons trafficker convicted on terrorism charges—in exchange for Brittney Griner is deeply concerning and could have dire consequences not only here in America but all over the world if Bout goes back into the arms trade unchecked.

It’s imperative that Biden take immediate action by putting measures in place that ensure Bout does not return to trafficking weapons or putting innocent lives at risk ever again. Anything less is unacceptable and puts us all at risk!

Media Research Center President Brent Bozell recently appeared on Fox News and brought attention to the influence of billionaire philanthropist George Soros.

Bozell revealed that 253 media organizations around the world are connected to Soros through his Open Society Foundations. These organizations, including Poynter Institute and Wikipedia, have a significant impact on how we consume information. But is this influence dangerous? Let’s take a closer look.

The Impact of Soros’ Funding

It has been well-documented that Soros has provided funding to numerous media outlets over the years. This includes organizations like The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Public Radio, CNN, and many more. The Open Society Foundations also fund independent news sources like BuzzFeed News, ProPublica, and Mother Jones. Even more alarmingly, they have even funded prominent fact-checking websites like Poynter Institute and Wikipedia.

In addition to the sheer quantity of media sources funded by Soros, their content can also be questionable at times. For example, The Daily Beast recently ran an article criticizing Tucker Carlson for his “anti-Muslim rhetoric.” However, what many people didn’t know was that the Daily Beast’s parent company had received millions in funding from Open Society Foundations over the years.

This strongly suggests that there may be an agenda behind some of these outlets’ reporting which could potentially lead to biased coverage of certain topics.

What Can We Do?

Given the amount of influence these outlets have over our perception of current events, it is important to be aware of who is behind them and their potential agendas. Fortunately, there are tools available such as Google Transparency Report which allow us to track where a website’s funding comes from and who its advertisers are so that we can make informed decisions about what we choose to read or watch online.

It is also important for consumers of news media to remain skeptical and question even seemingly reputable sources before accepting them as fact.

TL;DR

Overall it is clear that George Soros’ global media influence poses a significant threat to the accuracy of information being shared online today. His immense financial resources allow him to control large numbers of news sources without much scrutiny or oversight from outside parties which could lead to biased coverage or inaccurate reporting in some cases.

However with proper research tools available at our disposal as well as skepticism towards even seemingly reputable sources we can all do our part in ensuring accuracy remains paramount when consuming news online today!