Stuart Jeanne Bramhall's Blog: The Most Revolutionary Act , page 45
July 11, 2025
Epstein Lawyer Drops Bombshell: List Exists
By Kate Plummer
An interview in which one of Donald Trump‘s former lawyers claimed he knew the names of people on a so-called Jeffrey Epstein list has resurfaced.
Speaking on The Sean Spicer Show in March, Alan Dershowitz, a longtime criminal defense attorney, said he knew the names of individuals referenced in confidential Epstein files and claimed those names are being deliberately withheld.
On Thursday Spicer reshared the interview on X, formerly Twitter, in light of renewed interest in the case. It has racked up 1.5 million views at the time of writing.
Newsweek has contacted Dershowitz by email to comment on this story
Why It MattersTrump’s administration ordered a review of the Epstein case and said it would publish names and evidence about associates of Epstein, a wealthy financier who died by suicide in his jail cell in August 2019, weeks after his arrest on sex trafficking charges. However, a memo by the Department of Justice and the F.B.I. now states there is no “client list,” and there will be no more charges. This has triggered a backlash among those who want transparency about Epstein.
What To KnowDershowitz, who represented Epstein, said in March: “I know the names of the individuals. I know why they’re being suppressed. I know who’s suppressing them…But I’m bound by confidentiality from a judge and cases, and I can’t disclose what I know, but I, hand to God, I know. I know the names of people whose files are being suppressed in order to protect them, and that’s wrong.”
Dershowitz, emphasized that he has pushed for “total transparency” in the release of Epstein-related documents.
“Every single document, no redaction. That’s what I’ve said from day one,” Dershowitz said.
[…]
Via https://www.newsweek.com/jeffrey-epstein-client-list-trump-lawyer-dershowitz-2097653
FBI Deputy Director May Resign Over Epstein Files Clash
By Peter Aitken and Gabe Whisnant
July 11, 2025FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is reportedly considering resignation after a major dispute between the bureau and Department of Justice (DOJ) over the fallout from the release of the Jeffrey Epstein memo, according to sources cited by CNN.
Newsweek reached out to the FBI and DOJ via email and submission form, respectively, for comment Friday afternoon.
Why It MattersEpstein, the financier and sex offender who died in prison six years ago, socialized with some of the world’s most powerful people. While his death was ruled a suicide, conspiracy theories persist that he was instead killed due to his purported “client list,” which many have speculated to contain the names of politicians including President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton and Britain’s Prince Andrew.
Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign suggested he would release files related to Epstein, with a first batch publicized in February by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. However, earlier this week, Trump and Bondi said they found “no incriminating ‘client list'” related to Epstein, triggering major backlash among both Democrats and MAGA supporters.
Billionaire Elon Musk last month said the government had not released records related to the case because Trump “is in the Epstein files.” While the president has dismissed Musk’s claim, it has sparked further interest in the government’s records.
What To KnowTensions within the Trump administration escalated after a heated exchange earlier in the week between Bongino and Bondi regarding management of the case, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reported Friday. Multiple sources told the outlet that Bongino did not turn up to work on Friday, increasing speculation that he is eyeing an exit.
Following the exchange, Bongino told people he has considered resigning, with the infighting over the case and claims that he and FBI Director Kash Patel were behind a story that the FBI wanted more information released but were undermined by the DOJ.
Bongino has denied that allegation, first reported by NewsNation and citing a White House source who said Patel and Bongino wanted to unseal evidence months ago and release “every single piece of evidence they could, while protecting victims.”
[…]
Via https://www.newsweek.com/dan-bongino-fbi-jeffrey-epstein-files-trump-administration-2098012
The Americans are leaving – and the postcolonial world is fine with that
FILE PHOTO: A US soldier carries his belongings to a waiting truck at a military camp on the outskirts of the capital city Niamey, Niger. © Jacob Silberberg / Getty Images
By Moustafa Feturi
A shift appears to be underway in US-Africa relations, judging by the remarks of Vice President J.D. Vance and AFRICOM Commander General Michael Langley. Speaking to new US naval graduates on May 23, Vance talked about re-evaluating the American military role around the world and declared that “The era of uncontested US dominance is over” and that open-ended military engagements “belong to the past.”
Four days later General Langley, while attending an African defense chiefs’ meeting in Gaborone, Botswana, suggested that the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) might be integrated into Central Command (CENTCOM). “If we’re [AFRICOM] that important to (you), you need to communicate that and we’ll see,” Langley said, adding that the US is “reassessing” its military role in the continent. This sends a clear signal that Washington may dismantle or repurpose AFRICOM as part of broader cuts to US global military posture.
The statements, in line with President Donald Trump’s ‘America first’ mantra, reflect Washington’s growing impatience with costly foreign entanglements, while hinting at a fundamental transformation of how the US engages with Africa’s complex security landscape.
Cold War legacySince its creation in 2008, AFRICOM has served as the centrepiece of US military strategy on the continent. Over nearly two decades, the command has expanded its reach and budget significantly, shaping security partnerships and playing a pivotal role in regional conflicts. Yet today, AFRICOM’s future is uncertain, caught at the crossroads of shifting US priorities, rising African assertiveness, and intensifying competition from rival powers such as Russia and China.
Africa has long figured into the broader framework of US global military and political strategy. During the continent’s era of anti-colonial struggle and liberation movements, Washington, obsessed with countering Soviet influence, viewed nearly every liberation movement through the narrow lens of Cold War anti-communism.
AFRICOM was established by President George W. Bush, who emphasized its importance by stating that it would “strengthen our security cooperation with Africa and create new opportunities to bolster the capabilities of our partners.” AFRICOM was intended to centralize US military operations on the continent, replacing the fragmented structure inherited from the Cold War era, when Africa was divided among three different US military commands. Then-Secretary of Defense Robert Gates described the move as a long-overdue correction to an “outdated arrangement left over from the Cold War.”
Between 2008 and 2025, the cost of sustaining AFRICOM and financing its activities is estimated to have risen from around $50 million to between $275 million and $300 million. It is not a huge amount because the command borrows personnel and equipment from other US military commands, meaning the cost is accounted for anyway. This is likely to draw scrutiny from President Trump, who has made slashing federal spending a key priority. His administration has launched a dedicated initiative within the Office of Management and Budget – dubbed DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) – to identify and eliminate what it considers excessive international and domestic expenditures. Trump’s return to office in 2025 marked a clear strategic pivot: a retreat from costly overseas commitments in favor of a narrow, transactional approach to foreign policy.
The Sahel region: A case study in US withdrawalThe Sahel region illustrates the consequences of America’s retrenchment in Africa. Once a central focus of US counterterrorism efforts, countries such as Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have witnessed the gradual reduction of American military presence amid growing local resistance. Coupled with political upheavals and anti-French sentiment, US forces have faced mounting pressure to leave or scale back operations. The withdrawal has left a security vacuum that regional powers and international actors struggle to fill, fueling instability and humanitarian crises. This retreat highlights the limits of America’s influence and the complexities of African geopolitics in an era of shifting alliances.
A stark example of the US pullback is Niger, where the military coup in 2023 prompted the expulsion of American forces and the shutdown of a $100-million drone base critical to regional surveillance and counterterrorism. The abrupt exit underscored the fragility of US military footholds amid shifting political dynamics.
Meanwhile, Russia has swiftly moved to fill this security vacuum, leveraging military cooperation, renewed political ties with the region and arms deals to become a preferred partner for several African states. Moscow’s approach – often perceived as less conditional and more respectful of sovereignty – has resonated with governments disillusioned by Western interference and demands, accelerating realignment in Africa’s security landscape.
”Russia does not come with lectures or conditions”African nations approach foreign military partnerships with a mix of pragmatism, skepticism, and growing assertiveness. Many governments are wary of traditional Western powers, associating them with a legacy of colonialism, exploitative aid, and conditional alliances that undermine sovereignty. In contrast, Russia’s more transactional and less intrusive engagement style appeals to some leaders seeking security support without political strings attached.
However, this trust is far from uniform – some African civil society groups and international observers often warn against swapping one form of dependency for another, emphasizing the need for genuine partnerships that respect African agency and prioritize long-term stability over geopolitical rivalry.
African countries’ relative trust in Russia compared to the US or former European colonial powers stems from historical and ideological factors. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union supported numerous African liberation movements, often standing in opposition to Western-backed regimes and colonial interests. Unlike Western powers, Russia’s approach has often emphasized non-intervention in internal politics, focusing primarily on military cooperation and economic deals without pressing for political reforms. This contrasts sharply with Western demands for governance changes as a precondition for aid or security support.
As Malian analyst Amina Traore noted, “Russia does not come with lectures or conditions; it offers partnership based on mutual respect and shared interests.” Similarly, Senegalese former defense official Cheikh Diop remarked, “African countries want security partners who respect their sovereignty and do not drag them into endless conflicts or political battles.” These sentiments underscore why Russia has gained ground as a preferred security ally, even as questions linger about the long-term implications of this pivot.
The possible disappearance or transformation of AFRICOM signals a shift in US military engagement across Africa. Whether integrated into other commands or scaled back significantly, this change reflects Washington’s recalibration of its global military priorities amid domestic pressures and evolving international dynamics.
For Africa, the retreat of a long-standing security partner opens a strategic vacuum – one increasingly filled by Russia and other global actors eager to expand their influence. The shift challenges US policymakers to rethink their approach beyond military presence, emphasizing genuine partnerships based on respect, shared interests, and support for African-led security solutions. Ultimately, the future of US-Africa relations will depend on Washington’s ability to adapt to a multipolar world where influence is no longer guaranteed by military might alone, but by diplomacy, economic engagement, and mutual respect.
[…]
Via https://www.rt.com/africa/621339-africa-turning-away-us-military-might/
Degrowth, Deindustrialization, Depopulation and the Fraud of Global Warming
Matthew EhretIn a recent article, Defeating the Depopulation Agenda, I took aim at an insidious ideology which has infiltrated society in the form of a movement to ‘protect nature from humanity’.
In that feature, we reviewed how those forces behind this revival of the pagan Gaia earth mother cults of ancient times were directly connected to the Anglo-Dutch royal families- with explicit focus on Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands (‘former SS officer) and Prince Philip Mountbatten.
While I received much positive feedback from readers who appreciated getting greater clarity to the cultish Gaia worship underlying the eco-imperial agenda which has infested so much of our western education, cultural and even religious institutions… something was missing.
In this article, I will attempt to address that missing ingredient which will involve a summary appreciation of the fraud of climate science per se which has perverted science itself, around a statistical mode of analysis designed to frame a wonderful molecule named carbon dioxide for genocide.
After introducing a rehabilitation and defense of CO2, I will end with some basic facts about the essentials of a true climate science premised around astro-climatology and the actual galactic forces shaping earth’s climate.
Many people were taken aback by the findings published by a team of scientists analyzing the results of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments on NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites.
NASA’s website[5] described the findings (published on February 11, 2019[1]) in the following way:
“The research team found that global green leaf area has increased by 5 percent since the early 2000s, an area equivalent to all of the Amazon rainforests. At least 25 percent of that gain came in China.”
Up until this study’s publication, scientists were not certain what role human economic activity played in this anomalous greening of the earth.
The NASA study demonstrated that this dramatic rate of greening between 2000-2017 was being driven largely by China and India’s combined efforts at eradicating poverty, which involves both reforestation, desert greening efforts (see China’s Move South Water North megaproject[2]), agricultural innovation and also, general industrial growth policies.
The later policies represent genuine efforts by Asian nations to wipe out poverty by investments into large scale infrastructure… a practice once used in the west before the days of “post-industrialism” induced a collective insanity of consumerism in the early 1970s.
A perplexed reader might now be heard to ask: but how can industrial growth have anything to do with greening of the planet?
One simple answer is: carbon dioxide.
CO2: An Innocent Victim Framed for GenocideAs children, we are taught that CO2 is an integral part of our ecosystem and that plants love it.
The processes of photosynthesis, which evolved over long spans of time with the advent of the chlorophyll molecule eons ago requires constant infusions of carbon dioxide that are broken down along with H2O, releasing oxygen back into the biosphere. Over time, free oxygen slowly formed the earth’s ozone layer and fueled the rise of ever higher life forms that relied on this “plant waste” for life.
Today, large amounts of carbon dioxide is regularly generated by biotic and abiotic activity from living animals, decaying biomass as well as volcanos which constantly emit CO2 and other greenhouse gases. A surprisingly small portion of that naturally occurring CO2 is caused by human economic activity.
Taking the entire composition of greenhouse gases together, water vapour makes up 95% of the bulk, carbon dioxide makes up 3.6%, nitrous oxide (0.9%), methane (0.3%), and aerosols about 0.07%.
Of the sum total of the 3.6% carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, approximately 0.9% is caused by human activity.
To restate this statistic: Human CO2 makes up less than 1% of the 3.6% of the total greenhouse gases influencing our climate.
During the mid-20th century, a belief began to emerge among some fringe climate scientists that the 400 parts per million (PPM) average carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the “natural and ideal amount”, such that any upset of this mathematical average would supposedly result in destruction of biodiversity.
These same mathematicians also presumed that the biosphere could be defined as closed systems, such that rules of entropy were the natural organizing principles- ignoring the obvious fact that ecosystems are OPEN, connected to oceans of active cosmic radiations from other stars, galaxies, supernova and more, while being mediated by nested arrays of electromagnetic fields.
As film maker Adam Curtis demonstrated in his, All Watched Over By Machines of Love and Grace (2011)[3], this belief slowly moved from the fringe into mainstream thinking despite the fact that it is simply wrong.
Beyond the facts already presented above, another persuasive piece of evidence can be found in carbon dioxide generators that are commonly purchased by anyone managing a greenhouse[4]. These widely-used generators increase CO2 to amounts as high as 1,500 PPM.
What is the effect of such increases?
Healthier, happier, greener plants and vegetables.
Temperature and CO2: Who Leads in this Dance?Amidst the frantic alarms sounding daily over the impending climate emergency threatening the world, we often forget to ask if anyone ever actually proved the claim that CO2 drives the climate.
To begin to answer this question, let’s start with a graph showcasing the rise of human industrial CO2 from 1751-2015 broken down into various regions of the earth. What we can see is consistent increase from the mid 19th century until 1950, when a vast spike of emission rate increases can be viewed.
This increase obviously accompanies world population growth and the correlated agro-industrial output.
Next, let us look at the global mean temperature changes from 1880-present.
Here, several anomalies strike the thinking mind.
For starters, absolutely no warming accompanies the period of intensive industrial growth of 1940-1977. In fact during this period, many climate scientists were ringing the alarm over an impending ice age![5]
Another anomaly: Since carbon dioxide emissions have increased continuously over the past 20 years, one would expect to see a correlated spike in warming trends; however, this expected correlation is entirely absent between the year 1998 and 2012, when warming tappers off to a near standstill, sometimes called “the global warming pause” of 1998-2012[6]. This has been an embarrassment for all modellers whose scare-mongering predictions have fallen to pieces to the point that they can only pretend this pause doesn’t exist.
Again, the question must be asked: why would this anomaly appear if CO2 drove temperature?
Let’s take one more anomaly from our temperature records before digging into the hard proof that CO2 does not cause temperature changes: The medieval warming period [see graph].
[…
The Vikings in Greenland had no coal plants or SUVs, and yet, mean temperatures were still warmer than today by a long shot.
Why?
[…]
[…]
Going back even further into the climate records, it has been revealed that during many of the past ice ages, carbon dioxide had risen up to 800% higher than our current levels, despite the fact that human activity played zero role[9].
A Brief Look at Space Weather[…]I would like to introduce one more dramatic piece of evidence that gets us back on the path of a true science of climate change and ecosystems management: Astroclimatology.The fact that the earth is but one of a multitude of spherical bodies in space speedily revolving around an incredibly active sun within the outskirts of a galaxy within a broader cluster of galaxies is often ignored by many computer modelling statisticians for a very simple reason: anyone who has been conditioned to look at the universe through a filter of linear computer models is obsessed with control, and is incredibly uncomfortable with the unknown.
The amount of actual factors shaping the weather, ice ages, and volcanism are so complex, vast and mostly undiscovered that computer modellers would prefer to simply pretend they don’t exist… or if they do acknowledge such celestial phenomena to have any function in climate change, it is often dismissed as “negligible”.
Despite this culture of laziness and dishonesty, the question is worth asking: WHY does evidence of climate change occur across so many other planets and moons of our solar system?
Ice caps on Mars melt periodically[10] and have been melting at faster rates in recent years. Why is this happening? Could the sun’s coronal mass ejections, solar wind, or electromagnetic field be affecting climate change within the solar system as one unifying process?
Often Venus with its atmosphere of 96.5% CO2 is used as a warning for people on the earth what sort of terrible oven we will create by producing more CO2. It is hot, after all, with temperatures averaging 467 degrees Celsius (872 degrees Fahrenheit); however, if CO2 were truly to blame for the heating, then why is Mars so cold with temperatures averaging minus 125 degrees Celsius (-195 degrees Fahrenheit) despite the fact that it’s atmosphere is 95% CO2?
Similarly, what role does cosmic radiation play in driving climate change? Based on the recent discoveries of Heinrich Svensmark and his team in Denmark, strong correlations were found linking cloud formation, climate and cosmic radiation flux over time. Cosmic radiation flux into the earth is a continuous process mediated by the earth’s magnetic field, as well as the oscillating magnetic field of the sun, which shapes the entire solar system as we revolve around the galactic center of the Milky Way every 225-250 million years.
Svensmark’s discovery was outlined beautifully in the 2011 documentary, The Cloud Mystery.[11]
Going back even further into the climate records, it has been revealed that during many of the past ice ages, carbon dioxide had risen up to 800% higher than our current levels, despite the fact that human activity played zero role[9].
A Brief Look at Space Weather[…]
But I would like to introduce one more dramatic piece of evidence that gets us back on the path of a true science of climate change and ecosystems management: Astroclimatology.
The fact that the earth is but one of a multitude of spherical bodies in space speedily revolving around an incredibly active sun within the outskirts of a galaxy within a broader cluster of galaxies is often ignored by many computer modelling statisticians for a very simple reason: anyone who has been conditioned to look at the universe through a filter of linear computer models is obsessed with control, and is incredibly uncomfortable with the unknown.
The amount of actual factors shaping the weather, ice ages, and volcanism are so complex, vast and mostly undiscovered that computer modellers would prefer to simply pretend they don’t exist… or if they do acknowledge such celestial phenomena to have any function in climate change, it is often dismissed as “negligible”.
Despite this culture of laziness and dishonesty, the question is worth asking: WHY does evidence of climate change occur across so many other planets and moons of our solar system?
Ice caps on Mars melt periodically[10] and have been melting at faster rates in recent years. Why is this happening? Could the sun’s coronal mass ejections, solar wind, or electromagnetic field be affecting climate change within the solar system as one unifying process?
Often Venus with its atmosphere of 96.5% CO2 is used as a warning for people on the earth what sort of terrible oven we will create by producing more CO2. It is hot, after all, with temperatures averaging 467 degrees Celsius (872 degrees Fahrenheit); however, if CO2 were truly to blame for the heating, then why is Mars so cold with temperatures averaging minus 125 degrees Celsius (-195 degrees Fahrenheit) despite the fact that it’s atmosphere is 95% CO2?
Similarly, what role does cosmic radiation play in driving climate change? Based on the recent discoveries of Heinrich Svensmark and his team in Denmark, strong correlations were found linking cloud formation, climate and cosmic radiation flux over time. Cosmic radiation flux into the earth is a continuous process mediated by the earth’s magnetic field, as well as the oscillating magnetic field of the sun, which shapes the entire solar system as we revolve around the galactic center of the Milky Way every 225-250 million years.
Svensmark’s discovery was outlined beautifully in the 2011 documentary, The Cloud Mystery.[11]
[…]
Via https://matthewehret.substack.com/p/the-fraud-of-global-warming
Survivors of Seven-Month Ukrainian Occupation of Kursk Region
Sudzha: We Survived
Directed by Olga Kiriy and Artem Merkushev (20250
Film Review
https://en.rtdoc.tv/films/2028-sudzha-we-survived
Sudzha in the Kursk region of Russia was occupied for seven months by Ukrainian troops between August 2024 and March 2025. Most civilians successfully evacuated prior to the Ukrainian invasion. Approximately 1000 elderly and disabled residents were left behind. This documentary follows Russian troops as they search for survivors in the bombed out villages and undergo shelling and attacks by Ukrainian Kamikaze drones as they evacuate them on stretchers.
Among the ruins they find NATO uniforms, discarded as illegal NATO troops donned civilian clothes before fleeing the Russian liberators.
The filmmakers also interview one of the middle aged Sudzha civilians who stayed behind to fight the invading Ukrainians with other unofficial “partisans” war and provide trapped civilians with food and water. He explains the Ukrainians became extremely careless when they were looting and became easy targets for partisan snipers.
He asserts the Ukrainians had the name and addresses of all Sudzha residents and were specifically seeking out FSB (Russia’s federal security force) members, police, gas officers and employees from the Kursk nuclear plant. He also reveals that Polish and Muslim mercenaries were assisting the Ukrainian troops.
What’s most striking about the documentary is the large number of corpses lying around. The Ukrainian occupiers explicitly prohibited remaining residents from burying them.
July 10, 2025
MEP Warns EU will soon collapse without Russian resources
Milan Uhrik. © AP Photo/Petr David JosekRT
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is leading the EU down a path of self-destruction by attempting to sever energy ties with Russia, Slovak MEP Milan Uhrik has said.
In May, von der Leyen unveiled a plan to phase out all Russian oil and gas imports by the end of 2027, as part of the EU’s REPowerEU roadmap, which aims to eliminate the bloc’s dependence on Russian fossil fuels and shift to renewable sources.
”[Von der Leyen], you will destroy the EU, and I am convinced that the EU will soon collapse because you are doing everything to make it happen,” Uhrik said in a speech in the European Parliament on Wednesday.
Moscow has argued that EU restrictions are self-defeating, causing surging energy prices and weakening the bloc’s economy. Since 2022, Germany has fallen into recession, while growth across the EU has stagnated.
Brussels is also discussing an 18th sanctions package targeting Russia’s energy and financial sectors. The proposal stalled after Slovakia vetoed it last week. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico argued that Slovakia was “fighting for our households and businesses” against “harmful ideological decisions” from Brussels. Neighboring Hungary also blocked the measure, warning it would cripple its energy security and spike prices.
Uhrik stressed that Russian hydrocarbons remain vital for Slovakia’s industrial base. “Without them, our industry would either not function or would not be competitive,” he said. He urged fellow Slovak politician Maros Sefcovic, currently the EU’s commissioner for trade and economic security, to “stand up for Slovakia” on the issue.
Uhrik also took aim at NATO’s proposal to raise member states’ defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. “No, thank you – that’s enough. We just don’t want this,” he said, adding that Slovaks did not envision such a future when they joined the EU.
[…]
Via https://www.rt.com/news/621300-eu-collapse-without-russian-energy/
Ultra Processed Foods: Inflammatory and Addictive
By Daniel Nuccio
[…]
Practically everyone has heard the term “processed food” at some point. Most, if pressed, could probably make some reasonable guesses about what is and isn’t a processed food, especially if presented with two clear options (e.g., a fresh grilled chicken breast and a chicken nugget).
[…]
According to this system, food can be categorized into four groups. Group One is comprised of natural, unprocessed, or minimally processed foods. These are the edible parts of plants, animals, fungi, and algae. Water is also included in this category. Some basic level of processing to make food safer, more edible, or last a little longer does not inherently preclude food from this category.
[…]
Group Two foods are processed culinary ingredients often derived from Group One foods and used when preparing other Group One foods. Generally, these would not be eaten alone. Examples include oils, sugars, and butter.
Group Three foods are processed foods comprised of Group One foods to which a limited number of Group Two foods have been added for preservation or as part of preparation. Canned vegetables and canned fish fall into this category, as do some cheeses and freshly baked breads.
Lastly, there are Group Four foods, also known as ultra-processed foods, or UPFs. Critics and researchers of UPFs are generally reluctant to even refer to such items as food, instead opting for such terms as “industrial products” and “industrial formulations.” Often, such items are comprised of cheap ingredients derived from high-yield crops and animal remnants subjected to processes absent from the kind of preparation that could typically be carried out in one’s home or a standard restaurant kitchen. Additionally, they also may contain multiple Group Two ingredients and a plethora of additives. Such additives may help with preservation. Alternatively, they may serve solely cosmetic purposes to enhance appearance, smell, taste, or texture.
The end result is often a food-like item that is energy dense but nutrient poor, simultaneously possessing higher levels of both fats and sugars than what would normally be found in nature. Compared to Group One foods, UPFs also generally have less fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Examples include sweet or salty packaged snacks, pizza, french fries, TV dinners, and reconstituted meat products.
[…]
Ultra-Processed Foods: They’re Grrrreatly InflammatoryAs I wrote in an article for Brownstone Journal about a year ago, there are a number of health problems associated with what has been dubbed the “Western diet.” Disturbances to the composition of microbial community in one’s gut, the deterioration of intestinal barriers, and increased inflammatory processes, both in the gut and the rest of one’s body, are among the greatest concerns here.
[…]
On a broad level, many additives commonly found in UPFs like artificial preservatives, colorants, emulsifiers, and sweeteners, have been linked to perturbations of gut microbial communities, the erosion of one’s intestinal lining, and inflammation.
For example, colorants such as Red 40 and Yellow 6 have been shown to trigger inflammatory bowel disease-like colitis in genetically susceptible mice. Aluminum has been associated with chronic inflammation and granuloma formation. Emulsifiers are believed to disturb microbial gut communities in a manner that increases the prevalence of bacteria that trigger inflammatory processes that contribute to colitis and metabolic disease. Experiments using rodent models suggest fructose exposure also perturbs gut communities, as well as induces the death of cells in the intestinal barrier leading to its deterioration and the entry of bacterial endotoxins into one’s bloodstream, where they can damage organs like the liver.
[…]
Once You Start, You Just Can’t StopA growing body of research on UPFs suggests that the consumption of such foods likely rewires the brain in much the same way as addictive drugs, thus giving new meaning to some now seemingly ill-advised marketing slogans.
[…]
To better understand how food can become addictive, one must first look at how food processing influences the availability of the nutrients you can obtain from a particular food, the neurophysiological processes that regulate your motivation to eat, and how nutrient availability can affect these regulatory processes.
To start, when you consume food, your body breaks down that food into nutrients that can then pass through your gastrointestinal tract and into your bloodstream, which then transports those nutrients to different organs around your body. Cooking, along with other basic processing techniques such as boiling, baking, and crushing, can increase the availability of these nutrients and thus how quickly they can reach different organs. Simply put, there are more available calories in a cooked sweet potato than in a raw sweet potato or a cooked piece of meat compared to a raw piece of meat.
Neurophysiologically, nutrients and other stimuli in the gut trigger signals that ultimately reach the brain to influence feeding behavior. More specifically, a part of the brain referred to as the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (the hypothalamus being a part of the brain involved in many basic behaviors related to survival) contains two sets of neurons that play important roles in the regulation of feeding behavior. One group, agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons, is activated by hunger and fasting and can prompt mammals to search for and consume food. The other group contains proopiomelanocortin neurons that are activated by positive energy balance and encourage fasting.
Under experimental conditions, when different nutrients such as lipids and glucose are infused directly into the gut, AgRP neuron activity is inhibited, leading to a decrease in food consumption. Where this ties into addiction is that the hypothalamus shares a number of interconnections with the brain’s reward system and hence the various structures (e.g., the striatum and ventral tegmental area), circuits (e.g., the mesocorticolimbic circuit), and neurotransmitters (e.g., dopamine) involved in learning and addiction. This is also the system that drugs of abuse are said to hijack.
Over the course of evolutionary history, this reward system and all it entails likely developed to help mediate associative learning as it relates to biologically relevant behaviors such as reproduction and the consumption of food. With regard to food, this system appears to be influenced by both an organism’s explicit sensory response to food, as well as by signaling in the gut triggered by a food’s nutritional contents. As these two signaling processes are paired, the sensory experience of consuming a particular food becomes linked to its nutritional value. Subsequently, an organism comes to experience sensations of pleasure when consuming that food (or similar foods) and becomes motivated to seek out such foods in the future.
These kinds of associations are obviously important for an organism’s survival. Being motivated to eat things that provide nutrients can be beneficial for not dying of malnutrition. However, the development of these associations and subsequent behaviors can be influenced by a number of variables that can maladaptively affect food preferences and an organism’s motivation to eat, sometimes leading to a suite of behaviors and neurophysiological alterations akin to what one might see in addiction.
On a very basic level, simple food preparation can influence food preference. For example, under experimental conditions, rodents will come to prefer cooked sweet potatoes to raw sweet potatoes. Likewise, more complex food processing can influence a person’s ability to control how much they eat, as well as the desirability and perceived value of a food item.
Research involving human participants shows self-reported behaviors indicative of addictive eating (e.g., a perceived loss of control over how much of a food one eats) tend to be more associated with foods that are high in both fat and sugar, a characteristic of many UPFs (e.g., pizza, ice cream, milk chocolate), than foods that are high in either fat (e.g., salmon) or sugar (e.g., bananas). In an experiment involving a quasi-artificial bidding task, people similarly showed a preference for such foods in terms of their bidding activity. When snacks possessing this combination are incorporated into the diets of healthy participants, these individuals come to report a decreased desire for low sugar snacks and a decreased preference for low fat (and also very high fat) snacks.
Research using an fMRI has shown that the regular consumption of such snacks increases activity in several parts of the brain, including parts relevant to learning and addiction, when participants are presented with cues meant to predict the delivery of a high-fat-high-sugar snack and when they are consuming such a snack. Borrowing even more from the frameworks used to understand addiction, some researchers have suggested that the concentration of sugar and the speed with which sugar from a food is absorbed into the bloodstream can also influence the food’s potential for addiction. (In addiction terms, an addictive substance injected directly into one’s blood would have a greater potential for addiction than if swallowed in a time-release capsule).
Commentaries and opinion pieces in peer-reviewed journals take the comparison between UPFs and drugs of abuse even further, emphasizing how UPFs meet the scientific criteria for addictive substances put forth by the US Surgeon General in 1988 when cracking down on cigarettes. Namely, these pieces argue that UPFs cause compulsive use, alter one’s mood through effects on the brain, are reinforcing in Pavlovian and Skinnerian terms, and trigger cravings.
They also highlight that if a similarly harmful and addictive substance were to be introduced into our society today, we likely never would allow it to become available to the general public, especially not to children.
The Cornucopia of Mostly Bad SolutionsBecause of their addictive nature, and the other harms they do, the stated or implied conclusion to which most UPF researchers arrive is that UPFs should be regulated in much the same way as tobacco products.
Needless to say, many of those who do this research tend to come off as do-gooders, would-be-social engineers who wholeheartedly embrace the idea of governments working with experts like them to micromanage every aspect of the food industry along with the personal diets of individuals and their families through the standard array of regulations, taxes, incentives, and nudges. Among the proposed suggestions for waging war on UPFs are greater taxation of the ingredients used in UPFs and the final products, a ban on advertising for UPFs, and a prohibition on the sale of UPFs within convenient walking distance of schools.
For those who are more libertarian-leaning, these kinds of solutions likely seem like government overreach and come off as undesirable. So should more technocratic solutions that embrace health surveillance devices that at best encourage Americans to hand over vast amounts of personal information to corporations (and possibly the government) in exchange for questionable benefits to their individual health. (RFK, Jr. himself seemed to come out in favor of something along these lines at a Congressional hearing, although, in fairness, he later made some clarifications). Back in March, Robert Malone wrote a piece regarding some of the practical and philosophical issues the MAHA movement faces here as they work to define the “acceptable limits” of the government’s role in their health.
However, whether one agrees with these kinds of solutions or not, their possible undesirability should not diminish the scientific merit of much of the research done in this area. Also, if one does not support the nanny-statist and/or technocratic approaches to UPFs, that leaves the lingering question of what, if anything, should be done about them.
To start, not all the ideas put forth by the experts are inherently bad. Better education about diet, nutrition, and the preparation of healthy meals through science, nutrition, and home economics classes in K-12 is a fairly reasonable idea that most people should be able to support. Encouraging exercise and fitness (and I would add putting an end to the embrace of obesity as an alternative lifestyle to be celebrated) would also be a good step in the right direction.
Removing UPFs from the menus of public schools, and possibly those of prisons and hospitals, probably aren’t the worst ideas either (although when dealing with populations of free adults, providing healthy choices would be the fairer option).
[…]
Via https://brownstone.org/articles/ultra-processed-foods-inflammatory-and-addictive/
Hawai’i County Passes Law Keeping Cell Towers Away from Homes and Schools
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Environmental Health Trust
Hawai’i County, commonly known as the Big Island, has passed an ordinance limiting how close cell towers may be constructed to homes and schools. The ordinance is the first of its kind in the island state, and Debra Greene, founder of Safe Tech Hawaii, said this “paves the way for other local jurisdictions in Hawaii to follow suit and implement similar ordinances.”
The legal team at EHT has been working with Big Island residents and Safe Tech Hawaii for months to help push this new regulation over the finish line. “The passage of Bill 24 is a notable victory because, to my knowledge, Hawai’i County, with a population of over 200,000, is the largest community in the U.S. with 600-foot installation setbacks,” said Environmental Health Trust Legal Fellow Zoe Berg.
The unanimous passing of the bill on June 19, 2025 marks a clear victory for residents, many of whom don’t feel that more wireless coverage on the island is needed, and who have fought hard to keep new cell towers at a safe distance from homes and schools. It’s notable that Hawai’i County passed a resolution in 2020 calling for a halt to 5G deployments until independent testing can determine the safety of RF radiation emissions generated by such infrastructure. And earlier this year, Hawaiian Telcom unveiled an ambitious plan to make Hawaii the first fully fiber-enabled state by 2026, which would allow all Hawaiians to rely on fiber-optic cables rather than wireless networks for internet connectivity.
“The passage of Bill 24 in Hawai’i County acknowledges that buffers between powerful, wireless radiation-emitting technology and sensitive environments like homes and schools are important to protect public safety and public health,” Zoe Berg said. “We thank Debra Greene and all of the residents of Hawai’i County for their hard work in getting Bill 24 passed. We also thank the honorable members of the Hawai’i County Council for supporting more responsible, thoughtful wireless telecommunications infrastructure siting throughout the county.”
Both Verizon and AT&T submitted letters to the council expressing concerns about the setback requirement and requesting waivers, which ultimately were not granted. The final bill nonetheless represents a compromise; the process for telecom companies to get their towers permitted has been simplified, but those towers must be verified to survive winds of 100 mph or more, and in many of the county’s zones placed more than 600 feet from homes and schools (with exceptions for emergency communications facilities) and at a minimum distance of 120% of the height of the tower from all property lines. This is notably safer than the requirements on Oahu, where towers can be at a distance of only one fifth the tower’s height—putting private property at risk from falling towers.
With this new law, Hawai’i County joins dozens of communities across the United States which have passed ordinances regulating size and placement of cell towers with consideration to public safety, including cities and counties in New Hampshire, New York, California, and Massachusetts. Internationally, dozens of countries in the EU and beyond have implemented policies aimed at reducing children’s exposure to cell phones and wireless radiation.
If you would like to take action in your community to promote safer siting of cell towers, protecting vulnerable populations as well as property values, read Environmental Health Trust’s Action Steps on Cell Towers near Homes. This page includes links to scientific evidence, legal precedents, resources for organizing, and more to help win a local campaign for safer cell tower placement.
[…]
Via https://ehtrust.org/hawaii-county-passes-law-keeping-cell-towers-away-from-homes-and-schools/
Ukrainian Citizens Terrified of Forced Mobilization CHEER as Russian Strikes Target Recruitment Centers
By Paul Serran
Ukrainians are cheering the attacks and tipping Russian channels on Telegram about Recruitment Centers’ locations.
Here in TGP we have long been reporting on the veritable tragedy that has become the forced mobilization push in Ukraine, with Territorial Recruitment Centers increasingly violent snatching of people off the streets to send them – with negligible training – to die in the frontlines.
Below you have a small selection of those stories.
THE HUNT FOR DRAFT DODGERS: Ukraine Consulates Abroad Stop Services for Military-Aged Men
Here you have a thread of LordBebo on X showing a collection of videos of the absurd situation with the mobilization gangs snatching people on the streets to die in the front.
[…]
CIA Whistleblower Reveals How Intel Agencies Gather Blackmail On Politicians
Zero Hedge
John Kiriakou reveals his superior got a promotion and a medal when he recruited a copy machine repairman.
At first, Kiriakou laughed, but then he realized the brilliance of the plan when he learned that the repairman secretly sent every document from a prime minister’s office straight to the CIA.
How did he do it? By planting a tiny device on the copy machine.
“He [my trainer] said, all of us want to recruit the prime minister. We’re not going to recruit the prime minister. We’re not even going to have access to the prime minister. But the prime minister’s got a copy machine in his office.
“And every once in a while, that machine is going to need to be cleaned and serviced. So you recruit the copy machine repairman. And when he goes in there to make his repair or to clean the drums or whatever, he installs a little device that we give him so that every time somebody makes a copy, it transmits a copy back to the CIA.”
What happened next?
He said, “I got a promotion. I got a medal. I got a photo op with the director. It made my career…”
Because this flow of information was pure leverage for the CIA:
“You know what they’re thinking. You know their next move. You know who their enemies are and who their allies are. Maybe it’s their position on trade negotiations. Maybe the prime minister has a health problem you need to plan for. You never know what might come through,” Kiriakou explained.
“That ONE critical nugget is all it takes.”
That, he says, is EXACTLY what Epstein was to intelligence agencies: someone with access (like the copy machine repairman) who quietly delivered leverage on the world’s elite.
[…]
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