A new survey shows which states have the best Halloween spirit. It is North Dakota, Delaware, and Idaho.
In Case You Missed It
🏥 The CDC has now formally recognized Gulf War illness by assigning a new medical diagnostic code, giving long-sidelined veterans legitimacy and allowing doctors to better track and treat symptoms they’ve endured for over three decades.
🌍 Greta Thunberg has been released from Israeli custody and has condemned the nation, confirming reports of detainee mistreatment.
🤝❌ President Trump has formally ended diplomacy with Nicolás Maduro’s government in Venezuela, a move seen as increasing the risk of regime change by other means.
❄️ Hundreds of hikers were rescued from Mount Everest after a sudden snowstorm stranded them on its eastern slopes, but scores remain missing amid treacherous conditions.
*Stock data as of market close, cryptocurrency data as of 5:00 AM.
Lead: Israel’s $4 Million PR Push, TikTok Takeover, and CBS Connection
Photo credit: Getty Images
Israel plans to spend $4.1 million on marketing to save its reputation in the United States, according to the Jewish Telegraph Agency. Most of the marketing will be aimed at American Christians.
The documents, filed under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, show a plan for what they call the “Largest Christian Church Geofencing Campaign in U.S. history.” It will be run by an entity called Show Faith by Works, LLC – a reference to the popular verse in James that says “faith without works is dead.”
Israel’s media push is becoming painfully transparent. Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bragged that the TikTok purchase will be “consequential” for Israel because the app will be run by Oracle’s Larry Ellison, who is the largest individual donor to the Israeli Defense Force. (As an aside, why is an American citizen allowed to donate to a foreign army?)
Now Israel has a steadfast supporter at the head of CBS News in Bari Weiss, a self-described “Zionist fanatic.” CBS is owned by Paramount, which is run by Larry Ellison’s son, David Ellison, who is now accused of helping Israel spy on American citizens participating in the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Weiss is an odd choice if the network was trying to freshen up its image. She made her name calling out wokeness, which is now the U.S. government’s own ideology. She isn’t exactly a major name in independent journalism. The Free Press has fewer views than other independent sites such as The Daily Caller or Unherd and yet CBS reportedly paid $150 million to buy it.
Her announcement about joining CBS has fewer than 25,000 views in its first day. Most of her videos have fewer than 10,000 views. CBS can hardly claim that they are chasing her power as an influencer.
The Holocaust Remembrance Alliance says that making allegations about “Jews controlling the media” is antisemitic. So why can Netanyahu brag about it? And are we allowed to notice that all of these Zionist supporters are being promoted to powerful media positions or is that antisemitic too?
Trump Demands Democrats Reopen Government Amid Health Care Standoff
Photo credit: The White House
President Trump demanded that the government be re-opened yesterday. He accused Democrats of sabotaging “one of the most successful Economies.”
Democrats voted against a bill that would fund the government. They say that they will not vote for any new bill unless it restores the health-care provisions cut from the Big Beautiful Bill.
A few Democrats have broken ranks to back the measure, including Senators **John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Angus King.
President Trump said that he would work with Democrats to address their health care concerns but only after they re-open the government. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer agreed, saying “we need the president involved.”
So… have that meeting today, gentlemen.
The White House has a count-up clock counting the hours that Democrats have refused to pass a spending bill. It shows each state’s financial impact of the shutdown and letters endorsing a spending bill to re-open it.
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CDC to Americans: The COVID Shot Is Now “Up to You”
Photo credit: Mayo Clinic
The new CDC policy for the COVID vaccine is basically: It’s up to you. They call it “individual-based decision making.”
What they are basically saying here is: We don’t recommend healthy people get this vaccine but you can talk to your doctor and choose to get it and this way your insurance will still pay for it.
This is very unusual. Most vaccines are either recommended for the general population or advised only in specific cases — travel, occupational risk, or underlying conditions. The CDC is now treating the Covid shot like deodorant: use it if you think you need it.
You can’t just “decide” to take chemotherapy, insulin, or any other prescription therapy. That’s not how medicine normally works.
If a treatment’s benefit is clear, it’s recommended. If it’s not, it’s restricted to specific conditions or clinical trials. So when public health officials say, “It’s up to you,” they’re quietly admitting:
The risk-benefit ratio is no longer universally favorable.
The data doesn’t support a one-size-fits-all mandate.
They don’t want to own the outcomes of individualized use.
But they know some people have built their identity around supporting the Covid vaccine — and the drugmakers still need to sell doses to them. Now the CDC provides the cover to keep that market alive and gives insurers a reason to keep billing for it.
On the one hand, this should appease Democrats and diffuse their fear narrative that RFK Jr. would somehow “take away” vaccines. It signals continuity and choice, which reassures the pro-vaccine base without provoking a fight over mandates.
On the other hand, by leaving the door open under this vague “case-by-case” model, they’re encouraging some people to take a biologic with minimal benefit and known adverse events.
It’s unnerving to see public health try to play both sides of politics.
News By The Numbers
Photo credit: Starbucks
$32.95. That is the price of the new stainless steel Hello Kitty cold cup at Starbucks, which is part of the new Hello Kitty holiday collection.
23%. That is how much AMD stock jumped on Monday due to rumors that OpenAI could acquire the chipmaker.
8. That is how many U.S. Senators were spied on by the Biden administration’s FBI, according to new documents released by one of the victims, Senator Ron Johnson.
What’s Trending?
Photo Credit: Arby’s
Steak nuggets are trending because Arby’s introduced this limited-time food item. At first I thought these would be breaded steak bites and I was offended but upon closer inspection, they are not breaded. I shall experiment and report back.
Anika Nilles is trending because she will be touring with the band Rush as their new drummer.
LeBron James is trending because of this post where he teased his “Second Decision.” In 2010, he announced that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat and he called that announcement The Decision so this might mean that he is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers. Or something altogether different.
The War on Asthma: Your Inhaler Is Now a Climate Threat
Photo Credit: AI-generated image (ChatGPT/OpenAI)
A new study in JAMA claims that asthma inhalers are contributing to climate change.
Yes, really.
Researchers calculated that the propellants in puff inhalers release greenhouse gases and that is killing the polar bears.
They didn’t mention the polar bears but that’s clearly the implication.
They estimate U.S. inhalers generated 24.9 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalents over the past decade. That sounds like a big number but Americans emit that much in just a few hours of drive time on any given day.
Which begs the question: why would someone do such a dumb research project like this? Here is why: The researchers suggest that patients switch to “eco-friendly” dry-powder inhalers which are incidentally more expensive, harder to use, and not suitable for children, the elderly, or anyone in an asthma attack.
Because they’re powder-based, you need strong lungs to use them — something asthmatics don’t have. They also cause more throat irritation and can fail in humid conditions.
But pharma companies love them. New device, new patent, higher price tag. So how do they sell them? Climate guilt! That oughta do it!
The idea that someone wheezing through an asthma attack should worry about their carbon footprint is beyond parody.
Medicine should be about keeping people alive not auditing their emissions.
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This newsletter is written and researched by Natali Morris. Please feel free to reach Natali at [email protected] for any editorial feedback.
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