Totally Irresponsible 🇺🇸
Where news meets rational thinking
Good morning, It’s Thursday, July 18th. In today’s news, the Secret Service claims ‘total responsibility’ for Trump rally security design, Bjorn Lomberg takes on climate alarmism, Canadian therapists say kids identifying as transgender need ‘talk therapy’ not drugs, Trump stock shorts ballooned before assassination attempt, and much more.
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Secret Service ‘Totally Responsible’ for Trump Rally Security Design, Director Says
The Secret Service Director, Kimberly Cheatle, acknowledged that the agency was responsible for the security plan at a Pennsylvania rally where a shooter targeted former President Donald Trump. "The Secret Service is totally responsible for the design and implementation and the execution of the site," Cheatle said.
Criticism has mounted over the Secret Service's performance, with Cheatle initially suggesting local law enforcement was responsible for the building from which Crooks fired. She later clarified that responsibilities were divided, stating, "We divided up areas of responsibility, but the Secret Service is totally responsible for the design and implementation and the execution of the site."
In light of the shooting, Cheatle has faced calls to resign, but she has pledged to remain in her position and learn from the incident. "What happened is a terrible incident and should never happen," she said. "We are obviously going to make sure moving forward we take whatever lessons that come out of this and adjust accordingly."
Former President Trump has praised the Secret Service agents for their actions, while his son, Eric Trump, defended the agency during an MSNBC interview. Despite the praise from the Trumps, questions remain about the Secret Service's handling of the event. The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general has launched an investigation to “evaluate” the Secret Service’s “process for securing former President Trump’s July 13, 2024 campaign event.”
Cheatle defended her agents, saying they “performed their job flawlessly,” but acknowledged, “Everyone works for the Secret Service never wants to have a day like that.”
With roughly 7,800 staff members, the Secret Service is tasked with protecting current and former presidents and other high-level officials. More
Tiny Thought: Objectively, the Secret Service did not perform their job flawlessly. In fact, the more this unravels, the more it appears the shooter had help from the inside. We’re digging pretty deep on this and will have a dedicated article out later this week.
Bjorn Lomborg Takes on Climate Alarmism at Alliance for Responsible Citizenship
At the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) event, climate economist Bjorn Lomborg challenged the prevalent climate alarmism promoted by politicians and costly green policies. He argued that while global warming is real and man-made, the threat is often exaggerated. Lomborg debunked several myths, such as the claim that "the world is burning because of climate change," noting a significant decline in the percentage of the global surface area burned over the past century.
Lomborg highlighted human ingenuity in reducing fires and emphasized that cold-related deaths far exceed those caused by heat, particularly in Europe and the US, where cold kills ten times more people annually. He criticized politicians for focusing solely on heat-related issues.
Lomborg also pointed out that deaths from climate-related disasters have decreased by over 98% in the last century due to technological advancements. Economically, he estimated a GDP reduction of 2-3% by the end of the century due to global warming, cautioning against spending 10-15% to fix such a problem, which he deemed a poor investment. He labelled current climate policies as unrealistic, unsustainable, and financially impractical.
He also noted that wildfires have decreased over the past twenty years, yet media reporting on climate change increased by 400% between 2010 and 2022. Source: TCS
Therapists: Kids Identifying as Transgender Need ‘Talk Therapy,’ Not Drugs
Paul Garcia-Ryan, a New York City psychotherapist and head of Therapy First, leads a group of mental health providers, including Canadians, who challenge the belief that children and teens with gender dysphoria are "born in the wrong body" and require medical interventions such as hormones or surgery.
“When a mental health professional doesn’t view gender dysphoria through a gender-affirming lens, they can begin to conceptualize the case more broadly and see other factors that are also contributing to the distress,” Garcia-Ryan explained.
Garcia-Ryan, who detransitioned at 30 after experiencing gender dysphoria in his youth, advocates for psychological approaches as the primary treatment. Therapy First argues that puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones are experimental and should be avoided if possible.
This approach, while logical, is controversial. Critics label it as a form of conversion therapy, which is illegal in Canada. They argue it pathologizes trans identities and aims to prevent transitions. In contrast, Canada’s gender-affirming care, endorsed by groups like the Canadian Paediatric Society, allows medical transition to begin with puberty blockers and, for older teens, cross-sex hormones.
Garcia-Ryan and colleagues emphasize that exploratory psychotherapy can help understand the broader context of a patient's distress and reveal other underlying issues. They assert that psychotherapy is time-intensive but can empower youths to make fully informed decisions. Critics worry that delaying medical interventions could exacerbate gender distress, but Garcia-Ryan maintains Therapy First's approach is about avoiding medical harm, not determining who is truly trans. More
Tiny Thought: It's rather surprising that it's illegal to put kids who believe they are transgender into therapy, as it's considered a form of conversion therapy. This is especially wild given that being transgender was classified as a mental illness until 2022. Now, instead of providing therapy to help resolve these issues, we just support the mental illness and go straight to medical intervention. Doing this to children is absolutely criminal.
Trump Stock Shorts Ballooned Before Assassination Attempt
Financial records reveal that short positions on Trump Media & Technology Group's stock doubled in the days leading up to the recent assassination attempt on the former President. Between July 1 and July 12, short positions against Trump Media stock surged from 7 million to 15 million shares, the highest since its trading debut, according to Finbold.
Even though it’s clear certain individuals were betting that the stock would crash, the correlation with the assassination attempt could of course be coincidental. Source: The Counter Signal
Tiny Thought: The 'coincidental' surge in stock shorting during historical crises statistically suggests that some traders had prior knowledge of the assassination attempt. We will be investigating these traders.
Immigration Minister Admits Gangs Exploit Canadian Immigration Vulnerabilities
Liberal Immigration Minister Marc Miller acknowledged that gang members are exploiting vulnerabilities in Canada’s immigration system and entering the country undetected. Miller admitted that sophisticated criminal organizations, regardless of the country, often bypass Canada’s immigration requirements. He emphasized that while Canada has robust vetting processes, they are not foolproof. Miller highlighted that unreliable police certificates from certain countries allow criminals to slip through. Despite the government's efforts, criminals occasionally enter and commit crimes. More
Wildfires Erupt Across Alberta Threatening Oilsands Operations
Hot and dry conditions have sparked dozens of new wildfires across Alberta, threatening over 400,000 barrels per day of Canada's oil production. In the past 24 hours alone, Alberta has seen 47 new fires, primarily south of Fort McMurray, the unofficial capital of the oilsands. More
Several EU Countries Protest Commission's Boycott of Hungarian Presidency
Several European Union countries have voiced complaints after the European Commission decided to boycott Hungary's presidency, cancelling planned visits and abstaining from informal council meetings. The decision came following Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's diplomatic trips to Moscow and Beijing, seen as potentially undermining EU unity. The move, described by the Commission as symbolic, has sparked concerns among member states about its impact on future political relations within the EU. More
Former CIA Official Charged as Secret Agent for South Korea's Intelligence Service
Former CIA employee and senior National Security Council official Sue Mi Terry has been charged with acting as a secret agent for South Korea's intelligence service. She allegedly received payments while advocating South Korean government positions, sharing confidential information, and facilitating access to US officials. Terry denies the allegations. More
Corus Stock Hits All-time Low of $0.12 Amid Restructuring and Layoffs
Corus Entertainment, the parent company of Global News, saw its stock price plummet to 12 cents on Tuesday, nearing penny stock status from its peak of $25.16 in 2013—a decline of 99.52% over a decade. The company reported a third-quarter net loss of $769.9 million and a year-to-date loss of $747 million amid challenging advertising conditions. Co-CEOs Troy Reeb and John Gossling are implementing cost-cutting measures, including reducing the workforce by 25% and shedding legacy assets. Corus faces significant challenges following the loss of key programming rights and plans to streamline operations to manage liabilities and strengthen its balance sheet.
Tiny Thought: Mainstream media's future looks grim. Once sports fully transition to streaming, I’m not sure anything will be able to save them.
California to Develop Massive Offshore Wind Farms to Cost Over Ten Billion
The California Energy Commission has approved a plan to develop a floating wind farm off the state’s central and northern coasts. This project aims to power up to 25 million homes by 2045 with over 1,600 turbines located at least 20 miles offshore from Humboldt Bay and Morro Bay. The turbines, reaching heights similar to the Eiffel Tower, will feed energy into California’s main transmission grid. Private companies will develop the turbine sites, while the state focuses on upgrading ports and infrastructure, anticipating costs between $11 billion and $12 billion. More
John Deere Ditches DEI Initiatives After Significant Pushback
John Deere announced it is scaling back several diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to prioritize customer trust. The company will stop participating in external social or cultural events, audit training materials to remove socially motivated messages and confirm that diversity quotas and pronoun identification are not company policies. Employee resource groups will now focus on professional development and talent recruitment. John Deere is the second agriculture-based company, after Tractor Supply Company, to reduce DEI initiatives recently. More
Scientists Use Karaoke to Find Cause of Blushing
Blushing is a spontaneous emotional reaction rather than a result of cognitive self-reflection, according to new research. The study, conducted by the University of Amsterdam, involved females aged 16 to 20 who sang karaoke and watched playback of their performances. The results showed that participants blushed more intensely while watching themselves sing compared to watching others. Brain activity recorded during the experiment indicated that blushing is linked to emotional arousal rather than self-awareness. This suggests that blushing is an automatic response to social exposure, alerting us to situations that might impact our social status. More
Liquid Lakes On Saturn's Moon Have Waves And Currents
Saturn's largest moon, Titan, hosts rivers, lakes, and seas of liquid hydrocarbons like ethane and methane, far exceeding Earth's oil and gas reserves. A new study in Nature Communications explores Titan's waves, currents, estuaries, and straits using data from NASA's Cassini mission. Titan's lakes, over 300 feet deep, reveal varying methane and ethane levels. The upcoming Dragonfly mission, launching in 2027, aims to explore Titan's prebiotic chemistry and methane cycle. With temperatures at -290°F and gravity at 14% of Earth's, Titan offers a unique landscape, appearing Earth-like despite its extreme conditions. More
The 152nd British Open at Royal Troon Starts Today: Odds and Predictions
The 152nd Open Championship is set to begin at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland. This marks the 10th time Royal Troon has hosted the tournament since it first did so in 1923.
Rory McIlroy is a strong contender, with the second-best odds at +750, just behind Scottie Scheffler at +550. Other notable contenders include Xander Schauffele (12/1), Bryson DeChambeau (14/1), and Collin Morikawa (14/1). Tommy Fleetwood and Tony Finau, both seeking their first major win, have intriguing odds at 25/1 and 50/1 respectively. Fleetwood, familiar with the course, and Finau, with recent strong performances, are moderate long shots worth considering for small bets. More
Tiny Thought: Our money is on McIlroy this week.
Drake’s $100-million Mansion Flooded in Toronto Downpour
Drake's $100-million Toronto mansion, The Embassy, was flooded with ankle-deep water during Tuesday’s downpour. Drake shared footage on Instagram showing muddy water inside his 50,000-sq-ft home. The video featured a man trying to hold a door shut against the water and Drake, barefoot and holding a broom, wading through his flooded hallway. The extent of the damage is still unknown. The mansion, located in Toronto’s affluent Bridle Path neighborhood, boasts features like an NBA-regulation basketball court and a great room with a 44-foot-high ceiling. More
Judge Blocks Banned NBA Player Jontay Porter from Playing in Greece
A federal judge has denied former NBA player Jontay Porter's request to resume his basketball career in Greece while awaiting sentencing for his involvement in a betting scandal. Porter sought to modify his bond conditions to retrieve his US passport, travel in Europe, and play for the Greek club Promitheas BC. Despite no opposition from federal prosecutors, Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall denied the request. Porter, banned from the NBA after admitting to throwing games to aid bettors, pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy crime and faces 3.5 to 4 years in prison. More
Largest, Most Intact Stegosaurus Fossil Ever Found Sells for $44.6 Million - The dinosaur remains, nicknamed “Apex”, exceeded its pre-sale low estimate by more than 11 times. The remains measure 3.4 metres tall and 8.2 metres long, showing evidence that it had arthritis.
Husband Uses Drone to Catch Wife Cheating on Him with Her Boss - A Chinese man reportedly caught his wife cheating with her boss during work hours by using a remote-controlled drone to spy on them from afar. One day, while monitoring his wife, he spotted her exiting her office with a mystery man and getting into a car with him. They drove away to a remote mountainous area where the drone caught them holding hands and walking to a secluded dilapidated-looking house.
Body Surfer Swept Out to Sea Rescued Thanks to Apple Watch: I Used ‘Technology to Save My Life’ - Australian body surfer Rick Shearman, 49, credits his Apple Watch for saving his life after he was swept out to sea at Tallow Beach in Byron Bay. Caught in rough surf, Shearman used his watch to call emergency services, guiding responders to his location as he drifted half a mile offshore. Rescuers quickly located and airlifted him to safety.