Americans heat their homes in several ways, if that is natural gas, oil, propane, electricity, wood, and even geothermal energy, among others. 

Joshua Stevens, the cartographic editor of Maps.com, published a note highlighting the geographical regions across the Lower 48 that heavily rely on furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, or electric heat pumps. He explained that the choice of heating source primarily depends on the region.

“Immediately, you can notice distinct regions that are dominated by each fuel source,” Stevens said. 

He noted, “The Northeast and Alaska are reliant on oil, while much of the Southeast heats their homes with electricity,” adding, “The Midwest is a battleground between propane and natural gas, and pockets of wood-reliant regions are more common toward the west coast.” 

Here’s more from the note:

A closer look also reveals how geography is a discipline of scales, and patterns change as you zoom in. At the city scale, a dichotomy emerges between rural areas and more densely populated regions. Regardless of the dominant fuel type of their surroundings, highly populated cities frequently exist as enclaves of natural gas customers.

Pipeline installation is costly and requires housing to exist to be most efficient. This makes it difficult for natural gas to be the primary fuel type in areas with few, distant houses that are already reliant on other fuels. But when housing is dense—such as in cities or suburbs—numerous homes and buildings can be served by a low number of lines. This economic factor drives much of the prevalence of natural gas use in major cities. Such a divide has caught the attention of political scientists, too: Despite many cities’ reliance on natural gas, those who dwell in urban areas—and who tend to vote differently than their rural counterparts—note a preference for alternative fuel sources.

Efforts to revamp urban fuel use are underway, but they will not come easily, cheaply, or quickly.

This map highlights the broad use of fossil fuel heating, even as far-left climate activists push to ban the NatGas heating system. The irony is that even if homes do transition to electric heat, someone has to tell the Greta Thunbergs of the world that NatGas power generators supply a majority of the power on certain grids.

By Peter Tchir of Academy Securities

For most of our readers, the days are starting to get longer! The shortest day of the year is behind us! That is unequivocally good news, unless you are a vampire.

On top of that, there is some hope that the annual shift in Daylight Saving Time (that makes it dark early), will be changed! I think that is good news for many, but it is uncertain to occur.

Which brings us to the real question, what will D.C. be like in the coming months and what will it do for markets?

As we advocated for on Friday, I think We Need to Pay Attention to the Budget Debate This Time.

Stocks (and crypto) rallied strongly from overnight lows as it became apparent that a new path forward was being presented that was likely to pass. I guess that there was “relief” that a shutdown would be averted, but I think what is important (going forward) is how things played out, because that might give us an indication of what can be accomplished in the coming months.

A simplistic view is:

1. A very long budget (continuing resolution) was proposed, with very little time to read, let alone debate, the provisions.

2. Largely through social media, an uproar was created, resulting in a much shorter CR, with far fewer appropriations, being submitted for a vote.

3. That vote failed and markets sold off overnight.

4. There was chatter about splitting the CR into 3 things to be voted on separately, but in the end, it looks like only one small CR (in terms of number of pages) was voted on and passed.

Stocks have not been open since the CR was passed, but Bitcoin has been. Normally I refrain from using Bitcoin as a guide to anything (because it is often illiquid and volatile), but I think it is useful in this case.

Crypto wasn’t directly affected by the shutdown (it is 24/7, global, etc.), so I think that at least some of the downward price action can be linked to “sudden” concerns about the ability to get pro-crypto policy through (like the Bitcoin Strategic Reserve, which I think is crazy, but it could happen given the power and donations of many of the proponents for such a plan). We wrote about that in detail in The Genius of Mariah Carey.

Now that something has passed, I would have expected crypto to respond more aggressively. It might still do so, but I think that the price movement highlights a couple of concerns about the budget debate that we all need to be thinking about for broader markets.

• On Twitter, where you can find a lot of detail on “issues” with the original/long CR, it seems that the “algo” isn’t highlighting details on the new/smaller CR. It is easy to find stories about how small the final CR (that got passed) is, but there is very little on the details. And what you can find on the details seems to raise as many questions as answers. Without a doubt, Twitter highlighted issues with the original, in some level of detail, but it now seems to only feed through information about the much smaller document. It seems weird to me, and might be part of why Bitcoin isn’t rallying, because this wasn’t a “clean” win or a strong indication of change in D.C.
• Every Democrat voted for the plan and it was only Republicans who voted against it. That does seem slightly weird, especially when linked to the point above. If it was a huge “win” and a sign of change, why did the voting turn out like that?

I think it is great that we got the CR done and averted a government shutdown (though I wasn’t panicked at all by the potential for a short one, which we’ve had before).

I think that we saw some “changes” in how things will be handled. There was much more use of social media to influence politicians (which I view largely as good, but not without its dangers, as social media tends to be excellent at feeding headlines, but can fail to arouse a lot of attention regarding the details).

I’m not sure that the success of getting this CR through tells us that the Trump administration will have an easy time getting their entire agenda through, which is largely market friendly, and is a big reason why stocks have done so well!

Bottom Line

Be wary on bonds. Nothing from the past few days tells us that there won’t be a lot of spending, just that the direction of the spending will be altered.

Yes, there is some hope of discipline, but the “swamp” seems well entrenched, so I see consistent upward pressure on bond yields (despite the respite in inflation with Friday’s PCE release).

Equities, unclear. The seasonals should be supportive, but we have now had multiple 3% moves in a week (the FOMC down day, and the overnight low to high on Friday). That makes for tricky trading, and I think we are unlikely to see broad-based buying until it becomes more clear what policies are likely to be enacted.

Credit, a touch weaker with equities, but the story for credit remains robust (despite the Fed starting to harp on leverage in their November Minutes). They mentioned leverage by investors, but also in lending, and I assume it will get even more scrutiny in the December minutes and concerns about leverage likely played into their decision to come across as hawkish as they did.

As painful as it might be, watch Bitcoin as it seems about as close to a “pure” signal as we can get on how much of the Trump/Musk (I had to go there) agenda is going to be achievable!

Donald Trump warned that his new administration could try to regain control of the Panama Canal that the United States “foolishly” ceded to its Central American ally, contending that shippers are charged “ridiculous” fees to pass through the vital transportation channel linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

We’ll see about that!

Donald Trump Truth Social 05:12 PM EST 12/22/24 pic.twitter.com/Vkp8r3iwJg

— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) December 22, 2024

“The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the US,” Trump wrote. “This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop.”

pic.twitter.com/3xaubgZcrO

— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) December 22, 2024

“The Panama Canal is considered a VITAL National Asset for the United States, due to its critical role to America’s Economy and National Security” Trump wrote adding that “if the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question.”

He ended by warning “the Officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly!“

Panama’s conservative president José Raúl Mulino, who was elected in May on a pro-business platform, roundly rejected the  notion as an affront to his country’s sovereignty.

#EsNoticia🔴El presidente de la República, @JoseRaulMulino, habla al país mediante un video sobre las polémicas declaraciones del presidente electo de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, sobre el @canaldepanama. pic.twitter.com/RQu0bl2FOJ

— ECOtvPanamá (@EcoPanamaTV) December 22, 2024

The president-elect’s comment came during his first major rally since winning the White House on Nov. 5. Addressing supporters at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Arizona, Trump pledged that his “dream team Cabinet” would deliver a booming economy, seal U.S. borders and quickly settle wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.

“The Panama Canal is considered a VITAL National Asset for the United States, due to its critical role to America’s Economy and National Security.

If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama… pic.twitter.com/LLUO358P9Y

— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) December 22, 2024

“I can proudly proclaim that the Golden Age of America is upon us,” Trump said. “There’s a spirit that we have now that we didn’t have just a short while ago.”

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Standing before you today, I can proudly proclaim that the GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA IS UPON US! pic.twitter.com/kZ6zM9fott

— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) December 22, 2024

Trump also suggested that the canal was in danger of falling into the wrong hands, saying the canal isn’t China’s to manage. China is its second-biggest customer of the canal after the US.

In response, Elon Musk, whom liberals now accuse of being Trump’s puppetmaster having seemingly vanquished Putin in this alleged task, responded that “2025 is gonna be so lit“, which it of course will be if Trump pulls a Russia and decides that it is indeed time to annex the Panama canal.

2025 is gonna be so lit 🤣🤣 https://t.co/1i5S00FhPm

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 22, 2024

Billionaire venture capitalist Joe Lonsdale is urging for a shift in U.S. military strategy, criticizing the costly, failed attempts to rebuild nations like Afghanistan while championing tech-driven solutions.

Lonsdale, a co-founder of Palantir and investor in Anduril Industries, told podcast host Dave Rubin this week that he envisions a future where autonomous weaponized vessels, AI-powered drones, and microwave-based defense systems replace traditional combat, minimizing risk and maximizing efficiency. Lonsdale argued these innovations can protect American interests without spilling the blood of U.S. troops.

.@JTLonsdale Predicts The Future of Warfare: AI Drone Swarms, Autonomous Vessels, and Microwave Weapons

“We wasted a ton of money in Afghanistan. I think we had stupid adventures. I was very for our technology helping fight and kill thousands of terrorists. I was very for… pic.twitter.com/ZADkbRs9ri

— CAPITAL (@capitalnewshq) December 22, 2024

DAVE RUBIN: Do you think technology can solve our [national security] problems? Wars are going to look very, very different from now. Even from what they look like right now.

JOE LONSDALE: This is a big thing. I think we wasted a ton of money in Afghanistan. I think we had stupid adventures. I was very for our technology helping fight and kill thousands of terrorists. I was very for eliminating the bad guys. I was very against putting trillions of dollars into these areas to try to rebuild a broken civilization, which is not our job to do. We should have been building our civilization. I’m very pro-America, but part of being pro-America is fighting these wars without sacrificing American lives and keeping people very scared of us so that we don’t have to fight, and they do what they’re supposed to do. We have a bunch of companies right now that are kind of replacing the way the primes work. And so, for example, in the water, you want to have thousands or tens of thousands of smart and enabled autonomous weaponized vessels of different sorts that coordinate together. That’s what you want. And then, on the land, you know, we sent 31 tanks to Ukraine, and 20 destroyed.

For the same cost or even less, you could have sent 10,000 tiny little vehicles that are smart, have weapons on the fight, and are coordinated. There are all these new ways you can use mass production with advanced manufacturing and AI, and you don’t put American lives at risk. You turn the bad guys, and for much cheaper, you can do it.

Then the other one is really cool, just mentioned, we have the enemy also has, like, you see China where they fly hundreds of thousands of drones. It’s crazy. So we have something called Epirus, which is now deployed. It’s like a force field, but it’s a burst of microwave radiation in a cone. We can turn off hundreds of drones per shot from miles away.

The US has spent upwards of $2 million per unit to defeat drones that cost hundreds to thousands. Drones are easily mass-produced, while the US kinetic arsenal can face years-long lead times. Leonidas costs pennies per kill, is ready for production now and its magazine is… pic.twitter.com/kGRRf0IdEN

— Epirus (@epirus) November 1, 2024

DAVE RUBIN: That seems like sort of the next version of the Iron Dome or something in some sense.

JOE LONSDALE: It’s a little bit like Star Trek. But you need these sorts of things to fight back, rather than waste million-dollar missiles to shoot down one of these drones. And there are so many of them. What you need is electronic warfare. So there are all sorts of new things we’re doing that are really cool and taking the best of Silicon Valley, combining with the best, and by the way, who doesn’t want a really great shield? This is a great thing for civilization that it’s easier to build shields now. So there’s things like this we need to be doing. 

Meanwhile, as RealClearDefense notes, this is approaching Terminator shit…

AI’s role in maritime warfare brings additional strategic risks. Autonomous systems and decision-making platforms could alter the nature of naval conflicts, making engagements faster and less predictable. This heightens the risk of escalation in already tense regions, such as the South China Sea. Misidentifications or unintended actions by AI systems could spark conflicts, and the absence of international agreements on the use of AI in military applications increases the potential for miscalculations. For example, an AI-powered naval drone could perceive a civilian or non-threatening vessel as hostile, prompting unnecessary or disproportionate responses. Such incidents could trigger a chain reaction in high-tension regions, potentially drawing major powers into conflict.

On a broader strategic level, AI is altering the balance of power in maritime security. Nations with advanced AI capabilities have a distinct advantage, as they can integrate sophisticated technologies into their maritime operations, creating a technological gap between themselves and less-developed states. This disparity could lead to a concentration of power among a few dominant nations, undermining collective maritime security efforts. Additionally, adversaries with access to AI capabilities, such as autonomous naval vessels or intelligent cyberattack platforms, could challenge the dominance of traditionally superior navies, leveling the playing field in asymmetric conflicts.

AI also has strategic implications for economic security. Global supply chains rely heavily on the safe and efficient movement of goods across oceans, and disruptions in maritime security could have severe economic repercussions. AI-powered systems that enhance port operations and maritime logistics can mitigate these risks, but their growing reliance on interconnected digital networks introduces vulnerabilities that adversaries could exploit. A targeted cyberattack on a major port or shipping lane could not only disrupt trade but also destabilize regional economies and create ripple effects in the global market.

The integration of AI into maritime security raises ethical and legal concerns. Accountability for decisions made by AI systems is a critical issue, particularly in incidents involving autonomous vessels or weaponized platforms. Determining responsibility in the event of an error or failure becomes challenging when human oversight is minimal. Moreover, the unequal access to AI technologies could exacerbate disparities in maritime security, leaving smaller nations at a disadvantage compared to technologically advanced powers. These challenges could undermine trust among allies and weaken collaborative efforts to ensure maritime stability.

This is nothing. In a few years, that bot will move so fast you’ll need a strobe light to see it. Sweet dreams… https://t.co/0MYNixQXMw

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 26, 2017

Watch the entire interview below (discussion on combat begins at 35:30):

Authored by John Kiriakou via ConsortiumNews.com,

On the surface of things, Kash Patel is the kind of person most of us would want to keep out of government.

A MAGA true believer, and Donald Trump’s choice to head the F.B.I., he’s the tip of the spear of Trump’s apparent effort to use the courts to go after his perceived enemies in the media and on Capitol Hill. 

The mainstream Democratic-oriented press is apoplectic about the appointment.  The Christian Science Monitor said it most clearly when it wrote that,

“Democrats invoke (the notorious late F.B.I. Director J. Edgar Hoover) as they warn about Mr. Patel, suggesting he will target political enemies.  Republicans, though, compare Hoover’s tenure to what they say is a modern ‘deep state” resisting and harassing Mr. Trump.” 

That’s the bottom line. Democrats compare him to Hoover while Republicans argue that he’s the anti-Hoover.

I’m here to argue that Kash Patel is exactly what Americans need right now at the F.B.I.  We need somebody with the guts and the political authority to burn the F.B.I. down, at least figuratively.

First, I’m under no illusions that Kash Patel is a good guy. According to former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly, Patel is “salivating” at the opportunity to investigate and, apparently, charge former Rep. Liz Cheney with some sort of crime because of her work on the Jan. 6 Committee. 

This is not only wrong, it also ignores the fact that Cheney had congressional immunity for her work because she was serving in an official capacity for the committee. Nothing will come of any investigation.  

The press also has opined that Patel will target police officers who arrested protestors at the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol for investigation.  Again, the police have qualified immunity, and nothing will come of the idea. 

Police reinforcements guard the Capitol after rioters were pushed out of the building on Jan. 6, 2021. (Tyler Merbler, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0)

He has also called for the prosecution of a wide range of political figures, including President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and outgoing F.B.I. Director Christopher Wray.  Again, they have immunity, and nothing will come of Patel’s rhetoric.

With that said, my view is that it’s the F.B.I. that’s the “bad guy” here.  Here’s just a sampling of F.B.I. crimes over the years; 

• The F.B.I. over the years has spied on thousands of Americans simply because they have held progressive political views.  Some of these Americans included music star Elvis Presley (a well-known Republican, actually), crooner Frank Sinatra, comedian Groucho Marx, entertainer and former Republican Congressman Sonny Bono, musician Bob Dylan, “King of Pop” Michael Jackson, and even baseball star Mickey Mantle.  Why?  Nobody knows.  

• A 1985 congressional report found that the F.B.I. had conducted electronic surveillance against more than 7,000 Americans without any legal authority to do so.

• COINTELPRO, the F.B.I.’s illegal Counterintelligence Program, targeted groups and individuals that the bureau had deemed to be “subversive,” including such “dangerous radicals” as Martin Luther King, Jr., the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and a myriad of anti-Vietnam War groups, black political groups and women’s rights groups.

Chicago police on Dec. 4, 1969, removing the body of Fred Hampton, national spokesman for the Black Panther Party, from a building on the city’s west side where he was assassinated during a COINTELPRO operation. (Associated Press – Chicago Sun-Times, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

• In 1964, the F.B.I. wrote an anonymous letter to Martin Luther King, Jr., meant to blackmail him for alleged sexual dalliances and urged him to commit suicide.  

• In 1965, a white civil rights worker, Viola Liuzzo, was murdered by a member of the Ku Klux Klan, Gary Thomas Rowe.  Rowe also happened to be an F.B.I. informant at the time. So the F.B.I. spread a rumor that Liuzzo was a Communist and heroin addict and that she had abandoned her children to run off with a black man. F.B.I. documents show that J. Edgar Hoover personally briefed this lie to President Lyndon Johnson.  

• In a 1992 siege at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, F.B.I. agents seeking to serve a warrant on Randy Weaver shot and killed Weaver’s wife, son and dog.  Weaver in turn shot and killed a U.S. Marshal in what a court later deemed to be self-defense. The F.B.I. was forced to pay Weaver a settlement of $3.38 million.  

After the Ruby Ridge siege, F.B.I. agents escort Randy Weaver down the mountain on Aug. 31, 1992. (Jim Botting, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

• In 2007, a Caltech grad student found that the F.B.I. was changing Wikipedia entries related to the bureau so that they contained only pro-F.B.I. information.  

All of this is to say nothing of the F.B.I.’s involvement in the 2016 election with its investigation of Hillary Clinton, in allegedly using electronic surveillance against the 2016 Trump campaign and in infiltrating and disrupting such groups as Occupy Wall Street, racial justice and environmental groups, and pro-Palestine peace groups.

The bureau also investigated candidate Trump and participated in the Russiagate fiasco in Operation Hurricane Crossfire.

I’ve had my own negative experience with the F.B.I. In 2009, the bureau secretly opened a criminal case against me in response to my having blown the whistle on the C.I.A.’s torture program. 

In the end, I was charged with five felonies, including three counts of espionage.  I hadn’t committed espionage, of course, and those charges were dropped, but not until I had declared bankruptcy.  

To make the case go away, I pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and served 23 months in a federal prison.  I had been facing 45 years.  In the intervening years, three F.B.I. agents have reached out to me to apologize for their role in the case, saying that it was political in nature and that they were ordered to target me. 

That’s the F.B.I. That’s what it does.

And that is why we need Kash Patel at the helm of the F.B.I. right now. 

We need somebody who is willing to tear this organization down to its bare studs.  The F.B.I. is a criminal organization.  It should be dealt with like a criminal organization.  There should be a price to pay for its crimes against the American people.

Just what we need at the peak of drone hysteria – more drones in the skies over the U.S.

But this latest batch will be courtesy of Google’s parent company Alphabet, whose subsidiary Wing will be “expanding its drone delivery service to DoorDash customers in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex”, according to The Verge.

Wing’s drones are designed for small parcel delivery, combining vertical takeoff with fixed-wing forward flight for speed and range. Powered by electric batteries, they feature redundant systems like extra propellers for safety.

And starting last week, DoorDash users in Frisco and Fort Worth can receive drone deliveries from 50 local merchants, with items arriving in as little as 15 minutes, via Wing, the report says.

The drones fly at speeds up to 65 mph and hover at 150 feet to safely lower orders. Eligible Dallas-Fort Worth addresses can access this option, and locals can check eligibility on Wing’s website.

The Verge reports that Wing has completed over 400,000 global deliveries since its first U.S. pilot in 2019.

Previously, it had partnered with DoorDash in Australia and Virginia, the latter focusing on Wendy’s deliveries. In Dallas-Fort Worth, Wing has worked with Walgreens for airdrops, while Walmart runs its own drone program in collaboration with Wing and Zipline.

Wing launched takeout deliveries in Bonython, Australia, in January 2019. By April 2019, it became the first drone company to earn an FAA Air Operator’s Certificate to operate as an airline in the U.S. In early 2022, it completed over 50,000 deliveries.

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

Disney has decided to abandon plans to have a transgender storyline in its upcoming animated series Win or Lose.

The show, which centres around characters on a co-ed middle school softball team, was originally scheduled to feature a transgender character.

However, The Hollywood Reporter notes that while the character will remain in the show, all references to its transgender identity have been removed.

A Disney spokesperson told the outlet “When it comes to animated content for a younger audience, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline.”

The report notes that the decision was made several months ago, but the company has not provided any further details.

The decision comes following backlash directed at several recent Disney productions that have pushed similar themes and flopped.

The tide must definitely be turning on transgenderism if Disney ditched a whole character’s storyline from their new series. They’re finally getting the message: if you want people to pay to watch your movies and TV shows, quit pandering to the demands of a tiny minority. https://t.co/qbKfk91COi

— Sal Robins 💜🤍💚 (@Sal_Robins) December 18, 2024

if this is a show aimed at kids, This is perfectly fair.

if it was a show aimed at an older audience that includes relationships then it’s a different story.

— Devski (@DevskiTweets) December 17, 2024

why was there a transgender storyline in the first place

— Sepzeno⚡️ (@SepzenoOfficial) December 17, 2024

They finally learning

— Sniper (@sniperdagoat12) December 17, 2024

*  *  *

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

Even though Waymo’s robotaxis have surpassed the 25-million-mile mark on public roadways, AI trainers have yet to prepare these vehicles for every possible scenario. The latest incident highlights how humans—in certain situations—remain superior.

X user Liam McCormick snapped a photo of a Waymo Jaguar I-PACE SUV that ignored traffic cones and work area signs and ended up stuck knee-deep in wet cement.  

Oops! @Waymo pic.twitter.com/DM2XaCCQ8C

— Liam McCormick (@LiamDMcC) December 20, 2024

“There were ones, but spaced far enough apart that the Waymo was able to drive between them.  New concrete poured in sections, the final section was fresh,” McCormick “aid. 

There were cones, but spaced far enough apart that the Waymo was able to drive between them. New concrete poured in sections, the final section was fresh. pic.twitter.com/zxhUgeOyBM

— Liam McCormick (@LiamDMcC) December 21, 2024

Smart AI robotaxi can’t outsmart wet cement. Is LiDAR to blame?

Authored by Matt Margolis via PJMedia.com,

There truly aren’t enough words to describe just how big of a scandal the White House cover-up of Joe Biden’s mental decline really is.

As I’ve said before, the liberal media doesn’t feel that it has to protect Joe Biden anymore, and there have been a torrent of stories exposing how Biden’s mental decline was handled for four years. The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and even the New York Times have all hit the story.

The fallout from this could be extensive for the Democratic Party.

Democratic donor and operative Lindy Li hasn’t held back in her critiques of the party. For weeks, she’s been relentless, taking aim at Kamala Harris for squandering a billion dollars, criticizing her selection of Tim Walz, and calling out her embrace of radical positions. Li has even provided intriguing insider details about how Joe Biden was ultimately ousted, and what Pelosi and Obama really think of Kamala. Now, she’s dishing on Joe Biden’s mental decline.

“Let’s just be very honest what’s happening here,” Li said during a recent interview on Fox News.

“The president has not been cognitively fit to assume the duties of the Oval Office for a number of years now. And it breaks my heart because I know President Biden and I love the man, but he is in no shape or form able to carry out the duties that the Commander in Chief requires, and it’s just devastating.”

Li continued, “And we saw that confirmed by the Wall Street Journal expose yesterday and also many exposes in the New York Times, in the Washington Post, over and over again, how his inner circle is actively covering for him and stepping up to the plate because he simply cannot.”

As we previously reported, the Wall Street Journal revealed in a lengthy exposé how White House aides were aware of Biden’s diminished mental state and actively covered it up pretty much from day one of his presidency.

Li herself isn’t blameless either. She told of a fundraiser for Biden on May 1 in Washington, D.C.: “I remember one of my family members, after interacting with President Biden, they said, oh, we’re … effed.” 

Privately DNC Donors were reacting “We’re fucked” when confronted with Joe Biden’s mental decline:
Lindy Li: “Kevin [Corke] let’s just be very honest. The President has not been cognitively fit to assume the duties of Oval Office for a number of years now.
We saw that confirmed… pic.twitter.com/eDg7gmOzyQ

— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) December 21, 2024

Former Clinton operative Al Mottur has also expressed regret over aiding a cover-up. 

“I’m disappointed in the Wall Street Journal story only in the sense that there are people now leaking on the record who may have been the same people telling us everything was fine,” he said.

Former Hillary Clinton Campaign Advisor scolds Democrats for covering up Joe Biden’s mental decline, and admits Democrats have lost the moral high ground:
Al Mottur: “I’m disappointed in the Wall Street Journal story only in the sense that there are people now leaking on the… pic.twitter.com/W9bgttKzUu

— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) December 20, 2024

The dominoes really are falling quickly. We have the media rushing in with stories they should have reported years ago, and now operatives are piling on. This scandal is likely to have long-term devastating consequences if this keeps up.

The legacy of prank YouTubers and TikTokers has been an endless plunge into degeneracy for western society; a mindless clamor for online clout, clicks and social media followers that don’t necessarily translate to dollars or success.  The new currency of the digital era is attention and narcissistic affirmation.  The new motto:  “I am viral, therefore I exist”.  

This has created a culture of clout at any cost and a complete abandonment of basic morality or shame.  The more these content “creators” and “influencers” get away with it, the more they inspire others to mimic their behavior.  At least in the case of 27-year-old Charles Smith, a TikToker going by the name Wolfie Kahletti, the attention he gains will be brief and the time he spends in prison will hopefully be long.

Smith faces multiple charges after he allegedly filmed himself spraying poisonous bug killer on produce at an Arizona Walmart Supercenter and then posted the video online.  Mesa police said they arrested Smith on Saturday in connection with an incident that happened on Thursday at the Walmart at Stapley Drive and Baseline Road. 

NEW: Influencer who filmed himself spraying insect k*ller on Walmart produce, arrested by the Mesa Police Department.

27-year-old Charles Smith grabbed the pesticide off the shelf without paying for it before filming himself poisoning the produce.

“He then sprayed the pesticide… pic.twitter.com/LPWS9hXVEo

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 21, 2024

According to police, Smith entered the store with plans to film social media pranks, and he grabbed a can of Hot Shot Ultra Bed Bug and Flea Killer without paying for the item.

Video uploaded to social media, but later deleted, showed Smith spraying the pesticide on various produce items available for purchase, including vegetables, fruit and rotisserie chickens, police said.

A Walmart spokesperson said workers removed the impacted products and cleaned and sanitized the affected area of the store.

The cult of social media pranksters has been met mostly with disdain, but the allure of watching people do stupid things on camera cannot be denied.  Much like witnessing a train wreck, it’s hard for some viewers to look away.  Numerous online pranksters have been arrested in the past few years, all of them end up violating the property and privacy of others, or actually threatening innocent lives.

In some cases, the clout chasers mess with the wrong victims and end up injured or dead.  Last year, prank YouTuber Tanner Cook tried to intimidate a delivery driver at a food court in Dulles Town Center in Virginia for a video, only to be shot when the man pulled a concealed pistol.

Cook survived the encounter and the driver, Alan Colie, was later acquitted on charges of aggravated malicious wounding in the shooting after pleading not guilty on the grounds of self defense.  No one today cares who Tanner Cook is, they only remember him as the YoutTuber who “F’d around and found out”.