bonginoreport--2020-07-14--Stephen Moore: Will the Left Kill America’s Energy Dominance?

If the `` liberal '' green movement had the political power during earlier periods of our nation 's history that it has now , we would not have built the railroads .
Also , there would be no interstate highway system , and the electric grid system that powers our country would be disconnected and shattered .
What else can one conclude when a significant and vital energy pipeline , the 600-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline from West Virginia into the southern states , has been canceled because of environmental activist opposition ?
Another pipeline , the Dakota Access Pipeline , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's order in recent days .
Even the urgently needed Keystone XL Pipeline , which will transport natural gas and oil from energy-rich areas in Canada and the Dakotas down to Houston for export and delivery across the country , faces a court-ordered injunction .
These actions are all said to be in the name of wetlands preservation , Endangered Species Act issues and other environmental protections .
It is n't safeguarding the safety of our nation .
It is sabotaging it .
Pipelines are the most environmentally safe way to transport America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country .
They are vital infrastructures that enable America to be the world 's energy superpower and make us no longer reliant on Saudi Arabia , Russia and other hostile OPEC countries .
The alternative to pipelines is trucks and rail cars , which crash , derail and explode .
The crusade to stop pipelines has nothing to do with clean air or clean water .
Natural gas is a wonder fuel .
It is cheap , abundant , made in America and clean-burning .
The fracking revolution that gave us low-cost natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emissions in the United States than all environmental groups since the beginning of time .
It is an environmental blessing .
Let 's be honest about what is going on here : The left hates fossil fuels and uses any tactic it can to stop energy development .
They want to force America to use `` renewable '' wind and solar power , both of which are unreliable as stand-alone energy sources .
They are also multiple times more expensive ways to generate power .
More expensive energy makes everything else America produces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ markets .
Liberals say they care about working-class people , but between 5 million and 10 million jobs would be lost without U.S. access to abundant oil , gas and coal resources , according to the American Petroleum Institute .
These are mostly union jobs and would be put at risk .
At least 1.5 million would be put at risk in states such as Ohio , Pennsylvania , West Virginia and other Midwestern states if the Marcellus Shale `` shale revolution '' were to end .
But when the greens are pitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Democrats choose their precious environmental friends .
This year , Joe Biden admitted that he is willing to lose thousands of oil and gas jobs to `` go green . ''
So much for `` Lunch Bucket Joe . ''
The absurdity of the pipeline bans is that we do n't have a cheap way to transport oil and gas from Ohio and middle Pennsylvania to significant urban Northeastern areas such as New York , Boston and the rest of New England .
Without a pipeline , these cities may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vladimir Putin in Russia .
How is that in America 's interest ?
Free market advocates want to continue to drill here in the U.S. , where we have at least 200 years of extractable energy resources , provide low-cost energy to families and businesses , and save millions of high-paying , middle-class jobs .
The greens want to shut it all down .
Stopping pipelines is the first step toward choking off production and surrendering economic and energy power to our enemies .
Stephen Moore is a senior fellow at the Heritage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He is the co-author of `` Trumponomics : Inside the America First Plan to Revive the American Economy . ''
To find out more about Stephen Moore and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists , visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com .

If the "liberal" green movement had the political power during earlier periods of our nation's history that it has now, we would not have built the railroads. Also, there would be no interstate highway system, and the electric grid system that powers our country would be disconnected and shattered.
What else can one conclude when a significant and vital energy pipeline, the 600-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline from West Virginia into the southern states, has been canceled because of environmental activist opposition? Another pipeline, the Dakota Access Pipeline, has been suspended by a federal judge's order in recent days. Even the urgently needed Keystone XL Pipeline, which will transport natural gas and oil from energy-rich areas in Canada and the Dakotas down to Houston for export and delivery across the country, faces a court-ordered injunction. These actions are all said to be in the name of wetlands preservation, Endangered Species Act issues and other environmental protections.
It isn't safeguarding the safety of our nation. It is sabotaging it.
Pipelines are the most environmentally safe way to transport America's oil and gas resources across the country. They are vital infrastructures that enable America to be the world's energy superpower and make us no longer reliant on Saudi Arabia, Russia and other hostile OPEC countries. The alternative to pipelines is trucks and rail cars, which crash, derail and explode.
The crusade to stop pipelines has nothing to do with clean air or clean water. Natural gas is a wonder fuel. It is cheap, abundant, made in America and clean-burning. The fracking revolution that gave us low-cost natural gas has done more to reduce carbon emissions in the United States than all environmental groups since the beginning of time. It is an environmental blessing.
Let's be honest about what is going on here: The left hates fossil fuels and uses any tactic it can to stop energy development. They want to force America to use "renewable" wind and solar power, both of which are unreliable as stand-alone energy sources. They are also multiple times more expensive ways to generate power. More expensive energy makes everything else America produces more costly and less competitive in global markets.
Liberals say they care about working-class people, but between 5 million and 10 million jobs would be lost without U.S. access to abundant oil, gas and coal resources, according to the American Petroleum Institute. These are mostly union jobs and would be put at risk. At least 1.5 million would be put at risk in states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and other Midwestern states if the Marcellus Shale "shale revolution" were to end. But when the greens are pitted against the blues (blue-collar workers), the Democrats choose their precious environmental friends. This year, Joe Biden admitted that he is willing to lose thousands of oil and gas jobs to "go green." So much for "Lunch Bucket Joe."
The absurdity of the pipeline bans is that we don't have a cheap way to transport oil and gas from Ohio and middle Pennsylvania to significant urban Northeastern areas such as New York, Boston and the rest of New England. Without a pipeline, these cities may have to continue to import natural gas from Vladimir Putin in Russia. How is that in America's interest?
Free market advocates want to continue to drill here in the U.S., where we have at least 200 years of extractable energy resources, provide low-cost energy to families and businesses, and save millions of high-paying, middle-class jobs. The greens want to shut it all down. Stopping pipelines is the first step toward choking off production and surrendering economic and energy power to our enemies.
Stephen Moore is a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation and an economic consultant with FreedomWorks. He is the co-author of "Trumponomics: Inside the America First Plan to Revive the American Economy." To find out more about Stephen Moore and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.


bonginoreport--2020-07-14--Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hospitalized for Possible Infection

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participates in a discussion during the Library of Congress National Book Festival at the @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday , August 31 , 2019 .
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was @ @ @ @ @ infection , according to a spokeswoman for the court .
The justice , 87 , @ @ @ @ @ Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore after experiencing fever and chills .
She underwent a procedure to @ @ @ @ @ and will stay in the hospital for a `` few days , '' court spokeswoman @ @ @ @ @ statement .
`` The Justice is resting comfortably and will stay in the hospital for @ @ @ @ @ intravenous antibiotic treatment , '' she said .
Ginsburg , the oldest Supreme Court justice @ @ @ @ @ of health issues in recent years .
In January , she said she was `` @ @ @ @ @ for what was likely pancreatic cancer last year .

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participates in a discussion during the Library of Congress National Book Festival at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday, August 31, 2019.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized Tuesday for a possible infection, according to a spokeswoman for the court.
The justice, 87, received treatment at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore after experiencing fever and chills. She underwent a procedure to clean a bile duct stent and will stay in the hospital for a "few days," court spokeswoman Kathleen Arberg said in a statement.
"The Justice is resting comfortably and will stay in the hospital for a few days to receive intravenous antibiotic treatment," she said.
Ginsburg, the oldest Supreme Court justice, has endured a range of health issues in recent years. In January, she said she was "cancer-free" after undergoing treatment for what was likely pancreatic cancer last year.


bonginoreport--2020-07-14--Grifter Rick Wilson Humiliated in Colbert Interview

The creators of Glee are remembering Naya Rivera as a `` joy to be around , '' and setting up a college fund for her young son , after her tragic death .
Glee creators Ryan Murphy , Brad Falchuk , and Ian Brennan released a tribute to Rivera on Tuesday after officials said they recovered her body at Lake Piru in California , where she went missing days earlier .
The actress , who played Santana Lopez on Glee , was feared dead after her 4-year-old son was found alone in a boat she had rented .
Ventura County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` mustered enough energy to get her son back onto the boat , but not enough to save herself , '' and an autopsy has since confirmed her cause of death as accidental drowning .
She was 33 .
`` We are heartbroken over the loss of our friend Naya Rivera , '' Murphy , Falchuk , and Brennan said , per Variety .
They described her as `` one of the most talented , special stars we would ever have the pleasure of working with , '' someone who was `` a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to direct and a joy to be around . ''
`` She was warm and caring and fiercely protective of the rest of the cast , '' they go on to say .
`` She was tough and demanding .
She was fun .
She was kind .
She was generous .
... Naya was more than just an actor on our show — she was our friend . ''
The statement ends with Murphy , Falchuk , and Brennan saying that their `` hearts go out to her family '' and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creating a college fund for the beautiful son Naya loved most of all . ''
Among Rivera 's former Glee colleagues who previously paid tribute this week were Jane Lynch , who remembered `` what a force '' she was , and Chris Colfer , who wrote , `` Naya was truly one of a kind , and she always will be . ''
Brendan Morrow

It doesn't appear Rick Wilson, the longtime Republican strategist who helps run The Lincoln Project super-PAC, knew he was walking into an ambush when he agreed to speak with the cartoon news anchors on CBS's Tooning Out the News, executive produced by Stephen Colbert. The Lincoln Project has been received warmly by many on the left for its ruthless savaging of President Trump. And the interview started out in that vein — until Wilson called Trump "a whining bitch addicted to Twitter," and "Inside the Hill" cartoon anchor Sarah Sabo (Maureen Monahan) jumped in, deadpanning: "Yes, he is a bitch. That is the biggest insult, comparing someone to a woman — I hate us."
Co-anchor Richard Ballard (Addison Anderson) started the battering in earnest by noting that seven members of The Lincoln Project's leadership (though not Wilson) are alumni of George W. Bush's campaign, adding, "I gotta say, we really miss Bush: He always did what was right for the country — and that country being Saudi Arabia." Things got increasingly uncomfortable from there, with Ballard, Sabo, and their color commentators highlighting Wilson's past tweets about liberals then digging into The Lincoln Project's use of its millions in donations.
The coup de grâce was with a Lincoln Project–style video on the "savvy grifters" at The Lincoln Project. Wilson did not appear amused, but there was a slightly lighter moment at the end. Watch below. Peter Weber


bonginoreport--2020-07-14--Ghislaine Maxwell Denied Bail After Pleading Not Guilty

U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan said “ the risks are simply too great ” to allow Maxwell to be released on bail during a virtual hearing Tuesday afternoon .
Maxwell pleaded not guilty to charges that she groomed minors for sex with Epstein , and her trial is scheduled July 12 , 2021 , until which time she will remain in custody .
Over 500 people listened to the hearing remotely which was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic .
( RELATED : Ghislaine Maxwell Pleads ‘ Not Guilty ’ To Charges That She Groomed Minors For Sex With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be given bail due to a number of factors that indicate she poses an “ extreme flight risk , ” including her vast array of wealth dispersed through several countries , which she has not thoroughly disclosed , her strong international ties , and her demonstrated ability to hide herself from the public .
Maxwell ’ s attorneys argued that her wealth should not be a factor in whether or not she was denied bail , offering as examples several notable cases in which high profile figures were given bail and still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British socialite and heiress , who has been accused of involvement in Epstein ’ s crimes against young women , was arrested in her home by the FBI at 8:30 a.m. July 2 in Bradford , New Hampshire .
A grand jury for the United States District Court of Southern New York grand jury indicted Maxwell on charges of conspiracy entice minors to engage in illegal sex acts , conspiracy to transport minors to these illegal sex acts , transportation of a minor to engage in illegal sex acts , and perjury .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ years old , the indictment said , noting that both Maxwell and Epstein “ knew that certain victims were in fact under the age of 18.
” Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

A federal judge denied convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s cohort Ghislaine Maxwell’s request for bail Tuesday.
U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan said “the risks are simply too great” to allow Maxwell to be released on bail during a virtual hearing Tuesday afternoon. Maxwell pleaded not guilty to charges that she groomed minors for sex with Epstein, and her trial is scheduled July 12, 2021, until which time she will remain in custody.
Over 500 people listened to the hearing remotely which was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. (RELATED: Ghislaine Maxwell Pleads ‘Not Guilty’ To Charges That She Groomed Minors For Sex With Epstein)
Prosecutors argued that Maxwell should not be given bail due to a number of factors that indicate she poses an “extreme flight risk,” including her vast array of wealth dispersed through several countries, which she has not thoroughly disclosed, her strong international ties, and her demonstrated ability to hide herself from the public.
BREAKING: A judge has denied bail for Ghislaine Maxwell after she pleaded not guilty to sex abuse charges. Maxwell is accused of recruiting girls for financier Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse more than two decades ago. https://t.co/JUVhypHJVC — The Associated Press (@AP) July 14, 2020
Maxwell’s attorneys argued that her wealth should not be a factor in whether or not she was denied bail, offering as examples several notable cases in which high profile figures were given bail and still showed up for their trial.
The British socialite and heiress, who has been accused of involvement in Epstein’s crimes against young women, was arrested in her home by the FBI at 8:30 a.m. July 2 in Bradford, New Hampshire.
A grand jury for the United States District Court of Southern New York grand jury indicted Maxwell on charges of conspiracy entice minors to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors to these illegal sex acts, transportation of a minor to engage in illegal sex acts, and perjury.
The victims were as young as 14 years old, the indictment said, noting that both Maxwell and Epstein “knew that certain victims were in fact under the age of 18.”
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


bonginoreport--2020-07-14--Narco-Terrorist on Most Wanted List Arrested in Mexican Border State

PIEDRAS NEGRAS , Coahuila – State investigators arrested a cartel gunman officially identified as taking part in a terror attack that killed 23 as more than 150 shooters stormed a rural town and tried to burn city hall .
The gunman was on an international wanted list targeting key cartel figures .
The arrest took place last week in Coahuila when Jorge Manuel “ N ” was charged for the kidnapping of a local police officer during a November 2019 terror attack in Villa Union .
Authorities moved Jorge Manuel to a detention center in Saltillo where he will await @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guevara in a prepared statement to Breitbart Texas confirms authorities arrested and charged 11 suspects for the attack .
On November 30 , 2019 , a group of approximately 150 gunmen from the Cartel Del Noreste faction of Los Zetas used dirt roads to move from Nuevo Laredo to Villa Union , where they fired at the city hall , torched police vehicles , and started a shootout that went on for hours that led to at least 17 dead gunmen , four dead police officers , two dead firefighters , and several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angel Riquelme said captured gunmen explained their goal was to spread fear and intimidate the residents .
In the months after , authorities learned more about the role of Jorge Manuel and added him to a Most Wanted list between Coahuila state authorities and U.S. Customs and Border Protection called “ Se Busca.
” The suspect was added as the # 5 fugitive .
The list began in South Texas as a way to share information and has since been replicated in other border regions .
Editor ’ s Note : Breitbart Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Coahuila , and Nuevo León to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities .
The writers would face certain death at the hands of the various cartels that operate in those areas including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas if a pseudonym were not used .
Breitbart Texas ’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish .
This article was written by “ J.M .
Martinez ” from Coahuila .

PIEDRAS NEGRAS, Coahuila – State investigators arrested a cartel gunman officially identified as taking part in a terror attack that killed 23 as more than 150 shooters stormed a rural town and tried to burn city hall. The gunman was on an international wanted list targeting key cartel figures.
The arrest took place last week in Coahuila when Jorge Manuel “N” was charged for the kidnapping of a local police officer during a November 2019 terror attack in Villa Union. Authorities moved Jorge Manuel to a detention center in Saltillo where he will await trial. Coahuila Attorney General Gerardo Marquez Guevara in a prepared statement to Breitbart Texas confirms authorities arrested and charged 11 suspects for the attack.
On November 30, 2019, a group of approximately 150 gunmen from the Cartel Del Noreste faction of Los Zetas used dirt roads to move from Nuevo Laredo to Villa Union, where they fired at the city hall, torched police vehicles, and started a shootout that went on for hours that led to at least 17 dead gunmen, four dead police officers, two dead firefighters, and several other shooting victims. Coahuila Governor Miguel Angel Riquelme said captured gunmen explained their goal was to spread fear and intimidate the residents.
In the months after, authorities learned more about the role of Jorge Manuel and added him to a Most Wanted list between Coahuila state authorities and U.S. Customs and Border Protection called “Se Busca.” The suspect was added as the #5 fugitive. The list began in South Texas as a way to share information and has since been replicated in other border regions.
Se Busca Informacion! In coordination with Joint Task Force West, and officials from the Government of Mexico, we are seeking information on criminal targets who operate within our communities. #sebusca #USA #delriotx pic.twitter.com/WmMB9EZNsg — Chief Patrol Agent Austin Skero (@USBPChiefDRT) July 13, 2020
Editor’s Note: Breitbart Texas traveled to the Mexican States of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo León to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities. The writers would face certain death at the hands of the various cartels that operate in those areas including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas if a pseudonym were not used. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by “J.M. Martinez” from Coahuila.


bonginoreport--2020-07-14--Rioter Decides to Rip Open Door of Civilian’s Car, Immediately Regrets it

Over the weekend , an activist got a rude awakening near the Justice Center in Portland when he opened the door of a car that was stationary on the street .
The driver leaped out of the car , executed a perfect leg-sweep takedown , then crouched over the supine activist , thundering at him , “ Don ’ t you EVER , EVER come into my vehicle again !
Do you understand me ?
!
” As the other suddenly frightened members of the group , identified as Antifa , scurried away , one calling out from a safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ f*** out of here , ” the driver continued yelling at the supine man , “ Do you understand me ?
Get up !
” The supine man protested , “ I wasn ’ t trying to do anything.
” The driver was having none of it , yelling , “ Get up !
” As he climbed back in his car and closed the door , the other activists , suddenly more courageous , started taunting the driver : “ Get the f*** out of here !
” “ That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ What was that ?
!
” another asked .
Then , one of the members of the group made a shocking revelation : “ He ’ s got arrows in the back of his car .
He ’ s got a bag of bows !
He ’ s got arrows in his car .
Hey , we need a bunch of people down here now !
Bow and arrows !
Let ’ s take a picture of his license plate.
” Video of the incident has circulated online : As The Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday on the actions of a self-styled “ anti-fascist ” group operating in the area : The Times stated that authorities are investigating the group , which the Times described as “ emerging as a persistent militant voice ” in the riots in Portland .
For the Youth Liberation Front ’ s anonymous leaders , these protests are part of the revolution .
They are resolutely anti-capitalist and anti-fascist , and express disdain for those who work for reform within what they view as a failing political system … three of their leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still in high school , said they were spurred to activism over a range of issues that included climate change , law enforcement misconduct and the rise of right-wing hate groups .
“ The group ’ s leaders remain anonymous , and its Twitter page urges community members to join them in the streets while also commenting in real time about what is unfolding , ” the Washington Examiner reported .
Last Friday , acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf commented on the protests in Portland .
“ I think what we see in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we see around the country regarding some of the civil unrest and the attacks on law enforcement , ” he said .
“ We ’ ve had to send in additional individuals .
We ’ re making arrests .
But there has been violence , there ’ s been assaults on federal law enforcement officers .
And it really just shouldn ’ t occur .
We should have more support of the local police there.
” The Daily Wire is one of America ’ s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member .

Over the weekend, an activist got a rude awakening near the Justice Center in Portland when he opened the door of a car that was stationary on the street.
The driver leaped out of the car, executed a perfect leg-sweep takedown, then crouched over the supine activist, thundering at him, “Don’t you EVER, EVER come into my vehicle again! Do you understand me?!”
As the other suddenly frightened members of the group, identified as Antifa, scurried away, one calling out from a safe distance, “Well, get the f*** out of here,” the driver continued yelling at the supine man, “Do you understand me? Get up!”
The supine man protested, “I wasn’t trying to do anything.”
The driver was having none of it, yelling, “Get up!”
As he climbed back in his car and closed the door, the other activists, suddenly more courageous, started taunting the driver: “Get the f*** out of here!”
“That’s on video!” one yelled. “What was that?!” another asked.
Then, one of the members of the group made a shocking revelation: “He’s got arrows in the back of his car. He’s got a bag of bows! He’s got arrows in his car. Hey, we need a bunch of people down here now! Bow and arrows! Let’s take a picture of his license plate.”
Video of the incident has circulated online:
Over the weekend, masked antifa in Portland opened a black man’s car door during a violent protest. Watch how he responded to them: pic.twitter.com/p8gNADCkGM — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 13, 2020
The absolute best thing in this video is all the other pastys run off like roaches when that dude hits the concrete. https://t.co/3kBD7LCqoy — Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) July 13, 2020
This video is awesome for so many reasons. He executed a fantastic leg-sweep take down, and then they freaked out because of a bow and arrow. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/WcsU8ycITq — Matthew Betley (@MatthewBetley) July 13, 2020
They want to be the only one with weapons. — Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 13, 2020
As The Daily Wire noted, the Seattle Times reported Monday on the actions of a self-styled “anti-fascist” group operating in the area:
A report in the Seattle Times claims that an “anti-fascist” group, the Pacific Northwest Youth Liberation Front, is behind a month-long period of violent unrest in downtown Portland, Oregon, and is supplying and arming protesters who have staged nightly attacks on law enforcement officials in an effort to emancipate and occupy a federal courthouse.
The Times stated that authorities are investigating the group, which the Times described as “emerging as a persistent militant voice” in the riots in Portland.
The Times wrote:
For the Youth Liberation Front’s anonymous leaders, these protests are part of the revolution. They are resolutely anti-capitalist and anti-fascist, and express disdain for those who work for reform within what they view as a failing political system … three of their leaders, one of whom identified himself as still in high school, said they were spurred to activism over a range of issues that included climate change, law enforcement misconduct and the rise of right-wing hate groups.
“The group’s leaders remain anonymous, and its Twitter page urges community members to join them in the streets while also commenting in real time about what is unfolding,” the Washington Examiner reported.
Last Friday, acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf commented on the protests in Portland. “I think what we see in Portland is really a smaller example of what we see around the country regarding some of the civil unrest and the attacks on law enforcement,” he said. “We’ve had to send in additional individuals. We’re making arrests. But there has been violence, there’s been assaults on federal law enforcement officers. And it really just shouldn’t occur. We should have more support of the local police there.”


bonginoreport--2020-07-14--What You Need to Know About Possible IRS Glitch for July Tax Filers

A majority of Americans choose to file their tax returns electronically each year , but due to a glitch in the system related to the coronavirus stimulus check , some individuals may be required to file a paper return .
The tax filing deadline , which was extended by three months from April 15 to July 15 as a result of the virus pandemic , is fast approaching .
But some Americans are discovering they have no choice but to file a paper return for 2019 -- a bug caused by their use of the `` Non-Filers '' tool on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CONTRIBUTING TO YOUR IRA BEFORE TAX DEADLINE ?
THESE ARE THE BENEFITS The glitch was first reported by the Detroit Free Press .
The IRS created the tool earlier this year so that low-income people , homeless people and others who are n't required to file a tax return could provide the agency with their address or direct deposit information in order to receive the stimulus money , part of the $ 2.2 trillion CARES Act signed into law at the end of March .
The non-filers tool is intended for couples who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who earn less than $ 12,200 , as well as those who are homeless .
The IRS said individuals who plan to file a 2019 return should not use the tool , warning that it could slow down the processing of the tax return and distribution of a refund .
TRUMP HINTS AT 'GENEROUS ' SECOND STIMULUS CHECK .
HERE 'S HOW MUCH YOU COULD GET However , some people who are regular tax filers used the non-filers tool to obtain the cash payment -- up to $ 1,200 for Americans earning less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in trying to enter their information via the `` Get My Payment '' tool and now are running into issues as they try to file their returns ahead of the July 15 deadline .
One individual told the Detroit Free Press that the `` Get My Payment '' tool kept telling him he did not qualify or his information was not available for the stimulus payment , which he knew was incorrect .
He then used the `` Non-Filers '' tool to enter his information ; however , the IRS is now treating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' tool as his return and is rejecting his attempt to file an electronic return .
`` If you used the IRS non-filer tool or filed a return with $ 0 or $ 1 of income , then you need to file a new tax return by U.S. mail instead of electronically with “ Amended EIP Return ” written or printed at the top , '' H & R Block said in an alert posted to its website on Friday .
If individuals filed their 2019 return with $ 2 or more of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxes using Form 1040-X to amend the return .
MILLIONS OF TAXPAYERS AWAITING REFUNDS FROM IRS COULD FACE 'EXTREME DELAYS' Tax returns must be mailed by July 15 ; if you do not file a return or request an extension by then , you could be hit with a financial penalty .
Americans who submit a paper return and are entitled to a refund may be in for a long wait .
In a report to Congress , the National Taxpayer Advocate said the IRS had a backlog of 4.7 million returns for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the agency had temporarily suspended processing paper returns .
That 's because , during the pandemic , the IRS continued to process electronic returns and issued refunds via direct deposits .
But when the agency directed most of its employees to work remotely in mid-March , it created a tremendous backlog of paper returns .
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said that the IRS has 12.3 million pieces of mail , some of which include paper returns .
The agency is processing roughly one million paper returns a week , he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had processed about 128.5 million returns , down 10.6 percent from last year .
By comparison , it had received about 140 million returns , a drop of just 3.5 percent from the same time last year .
The agency has issued roughly 93 million refunds so far , down 10.3 percent from this point in 2019 .
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A majority of Americans choose to file their tax returns electronically each year, but due to a glitch in the system related to the coronavirus stimulus check, some individuals may be required to file a paper return.
The tax filing deadline, which was extended by three months from April 15 to July 15 as a result of the virus pandemic, is fast approaching.
But some Americans are discovering they have no choice but to file a paper return for 2019 -- a bug caused by their use of the "Non-Filers" tool on the Internal Revenue Service's website.
CONTRIBUTING TO YOUR IRA BEFORE TAX DEADLINE? THESE ARE THE BENEFITS
The glitch was first reported by the Detroit Free Press.
The IRS created the tool earlier this year so that low-income people, homeless people and others who aren't required to file a tax return could provide the agency with their address or direct deposit information in order to receive the stimulus money, part of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act signed into law at the end of March.
The non-filers tool is intended for couples who earn less than $24,400 and individuals who earn less than $12,200, as well as those who are homeless.
The IRS said individuals who plan to file a 2019 return should not use the tool, warning that it could slow down the processing of the tax return and distribution of a refund.
TRUMP HINTS AT 'GENEROUS' SECOND STIMULUS CHECK. HERE'S HOW MUCH YOU COULD GET
However, some people who are regular tax filers used the non-filers tool to obtain the cash payment -- up to $1,200 for Americans earning less than $99,000 -- amid some trouble in trying to enter their information via the "Get My Payment" tool and now are running into issues as they try to file their returns ahead of the July 15 deadline.
One individual told the Detroit Free Press that the "Get My Payment" tool kept telling him he did not qualify or his information was not available for the stimulus payment, which he knew was incorrect. He then used the "Non-Filers" tool to enter his information; however, the IRS is now treating his information entered through the "Non-Filers" tool as his return and is rejecting his attempt to file an electronic return.
"If you used the IRS non-filer tool or filed a return with $0 or $1 of income, then you need to file a new tax return by U.S. mail instead of electronically with “Amended EIP Return” written or printed at the top," H&R Block said in an alert posted to its website on Friday.
If individuals filed their 2019 return with $2 or more of income, they should file their 2019 taxes using Form 1040-X to amend the return.
MILLIONS OF TAXPAYERS AWAITING REFUNDS FROM IRS COULD FACE 'EXTREME DELAYS'
Tax returns must be mailed by July 15; if you do not file a return or request an extension by then, you could be hit with a financial penalty.
Americans who submit a paper return and are entitled to a refund may be in for a long wait.
In a report to Congress, the National Taxpayer Advocate said the IRS had a backlog of 4.7 million returns for the 2019 tax year as of mid-May because the agency had temporarily suspended processing paper returns.
That's because, during the pandemic, the IRS continued to process electronic returns and issued refunds via direct deposits. But when the agency directed most of its employees to work remotely in mid-March, it created a tremendous backlog of paper returns.
IRS, TAXPAYERS FACE HOST OF CHALLENGES AHEAD OF JULY 15 FILING DEADLINE
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said that the IRS has 12.3 million pieces of mail, some of which include paper returns. The agency is processing roughly one million paper returns a week, he said.
As of June 26, the IRS had processed about 128.5 million returns, down 10.6 percent from last year. By comparison, it had received about 140 million returns, a drop of just 3.5 percent from the same time last year. The agency has issued roughly 93 million refunds so far, down 10.3 percent from this point in 2019.
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bonginoreport--2020-07-15--Fire Suppression System on USS Bonhomme Richard Was Not Operating When Ship Caught Fire

The fire suppression system aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard was not operating and was under maintenance at the time that the ship caught fire .
Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck , the commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 3 , told the Hill on Monday that the Halon gas system “ was not in operation just because it was being worked on ” while the Bonhomme Richard was in the shipyard undergoing maintenance .
Halon gas , or bromotrifluoromethane , is a chemical fire suppressant that is used on Naval vessels in order to contain blazes .
About 160 people were onboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cargo hold of the 840-foot amphibious assault ship Sunday at about 9 a.m. local time .
The blaze has been burning for more than 24 hours and was still going into Monday evening .
At least 36 sailors and 23 civilians were treated for various injuries , including smoke inhalation .
Five people still remain hospitalized .
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday called the fire a “ terrible tragedy ” in a Sunday night statement released on Twitter .
“ We are grateful for the quick and immediate response of local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USS Bonhomme Richard .
Our thoughts and prayers are with our BHR Sailors , their families , and our emergency responders who continue to fight the fire .
Godspeed , ” Gilday said .
Despite the massive inferno , there is still hope that the ship will be salvageable after the fire is extinguished .

The fire suppression system aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard was not operating and was under maintenance at the time that the ship caught fire.
Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, the commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 3, told the Hill on Monday that the Halon gas system “was not in operation just because it was being worked on” while the Bonhomme Richard was in the shipyard undergoing maintenance. Halon gas, or bromotrifluoromethane, is a chemical fire suppressant that is used on Naval vessels in order to contain blazes.
About 160 people were onboard when a fire began in the lower cargo hold of the 840-foot amphibious assault ship Sunday at about 9 a.m. local time. The blaze has been burning for more than 24 hours and was still going into Monday evening. At least 36 sailors and 23 civilians were treated for various injuries, including smoke inhalation. Five people still remain hospitalized.
Smoke rises from the USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego Sunday, July 12, 2020, in San Diego after an explosion and fire Sunday on board the ship at Naval Base San Diego. (Denis Poroy/AP)
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday called the fire a “terrible tragedy” in a Sunday night statement released on Twitter.
“We are grateful for the quick and immediate response of local, base, and shipboard firefighters aboard USS Bonhomme Richard. Our thoughts and prayers are with our BHR Sailors, their families, and our emergency responders who continue to fight the fire. Godspeed,” Gilday said.
Despite the massive inferno, there is still hope that the ship will be salvageable after the fire is extinguished.
“I feel absolutely hopeful,” Sobeck said at a livestreamed Monday afternoon news conference.


bonginoreport--2020-07-15--Woman Who Lost 2016 Election Claims “Everybody Knows” Mail-In Voting Isn’t Fraudulent

Monday on Comedy Central ’ s “ The Daily Show , ” former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential @ @ @ @ @ knows there is not fraud in vote-by-mail .
Host Trevor Noah said , “ It @ @ @ @ @ an ominous path to a November date when there is going to be a lot @ @ @ @ @ the election .
Donald Trump is vehemently against mail-in voting .
What do you make @ @ @ @ @ do you think the path is to getting people the easiest access to casting their @ @ @ @ @ , “ Republicans have to prongs to their strategy to try and win .
The @ @ @ @ @ many people who think they won ’ t vote for them from voting .
So @ @ @ @ @ lines really long where young people vote or African-Americans vote or Hispanics vote .
Try @ @ @ @ @ as possible , claim it ’ s fraudulent when indeed it ’ s not , @ @ @ @ @ how Donald Trump votes and everybody who knows about vote-by-mail understands that .
”

Monday on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential vote-nominee Hillary Clinton said everybody knows there is not fraud in vote-by-mail.
Host Trevor Noah said, “It seems like America is on an ominous path to a November date when there is going to be a lot of questions in and around the election. Donald Trump is vehemently against mail-in voting. What do you make of this, and what do you think the path is to getting people the easiest access to casting their votes?”
Clinton said, “Republicans have to prongs to their strategy to try and win. The first one is prevent as many people who think they won’t vote for them from voting. So you know, make the lines really long where young people vote or African-Americans vote or Hispanics vote. Try to make vote-by-mail as difficult as possible, claim it’s fraudulent when indeed it’s not, in fact, that is how Donald Trump votes and everybody who knows about vote-by-mail understands that.”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN


bonginoreport--2020-07-15--China Starts Mass Producing New Stealth Fighter Jet

China is beginning “ mass production ” of fifth-generation J-20B stealth fighter jets in a bid to seize control of the local airspace from neighboring U.S. allies .
“ It 's going to be really hard for us to keep up with the numbers that China ’ s going to have , ” said the American Enterprise Institute ’ s Zack Cooper , a former Pentagon official who specializes in U.S.-China military competition .
`` That 's going to be a really big struggle.
” Chinese officials announced the manufacturing initiative last week , just as State Department officials finalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal to sell 105 F-35 fighter jets to Japan .
“ The U.S.-Japan Alliance is the cornerstone of peace , security , and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region , ” a State Department official said .
“ We value Japan ’ s purchase of advanced U.S. defense items , taking on new roles and missions within the alliance and contributing more to international security.
” That reference to Japan ’ s “ new roles and missions ” likely will deepen Beijing ’ s belief that Tokyo ’ s military buildup represents a threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the Global Times , a Chinese state-run propaganda outlet , said of the U.S. decision to approve the sale .
“ Wolves always go hunt in group .
And as an alpha wolf , it is leading a so-called international coalition with wolf pack tactics.
” For China , stealth fighter jets could prove valuable in a prospective invasion of Taiwan — the island refuge of the government overthrown during the Chinese Communist revolution , analysts say .
“ The Chinese are interested in air superiority because air superiority is seen as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the ground or at sea , the Heritage Foundation ’ s Dean Cheng said .
“ Advanced surface-to-air missile systems are very , very lethal , so the idea that you 're going to fly a combat mission with non-stealthy aircraft is pretty much a nonstarter.
” Japan , on the other hand , could use the F-35s to defend its interests in the Senkaku Islands , which are claimed by both Beijing and Tokyo , as well as other small islands south of Okinawa and near Taiwan .
These islands have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outposts for observing or even interfering with Chinese efforts to sail warships from the mainland into the open ocean .
“ So , one of the fears is that in the event of a conflict between China and Japan , or China and the United States , or even China and Taiwan , that maybe the Chinese would try to grab these little islands , ” Cheng added .
That ’ s an important issue for American strategists .
Not only does the U.S. have a security treaty with Japan and a long-standing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but constraints on Beijing ’ s ability to flex military muscle in the region are also valuable in light of Washington ’ s perception that the rising communist power is engaged in “ a cold war ” with the U.S .
Still , the lethality of China 's new challenge is unknown .
“ We ’ re not going to really know how good the J-20 is until we see it in combat , ” Cooper said .
“ And hopefully , that 's not going to happen for quite some time @ @

China is beginning “mass production” of fifth-generation J-20B stealth fighter jets in a bid to seize control of the local airspace from neighboring U.S. allies.
“It's going to be really hard for us to keep up with the numbers that China’s going to have,” said the American Enterprise Institute’s Zack Cooper, a former Pentagon official who specializes in U.S.-China military competition. "That's going to be a really big struggle.”
Chinese officials announced the manufacturing initiative last week, just as State Department officials finalized plans to approve a $23 billion deal to sell 105 F-35 fighter jets to Japan.
“The U.S.-Japan Alliance is the cornerstone of peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region,” a State Department official said. “We value Japan’s purchase of advanced U.S. defense items, taking on new roles and missions within the alliance and contributing more to international security.”
That reference to Japan’s “new roles and missions” likely will deepen Beijing’s belief that Tokyo’s military buildup represents a threat. “Washington is a wolf,” the Global Times, a Chinese state-run propaganda outlet, said of the U.S. decision to approve the sale. “Wolves always go hunt in group. And as an alpha wolf, it is leading a so-called international coalition with wolf pack tactics.”
For China, stealth fighter jets could prove valuable in a prospective invasion of Taiwan — the island refuge of the government overthrown during the Chinese Communist revolution, analysts say.
“The Chinese are interested in air superiority because air superiority is seen as an important prerequisite” for any conflict on the ground or at sea, the Heritage Foundation’s Dean Cheng said. “Advanced surface-to-air missile systems are very, very lethal, so the idea that you're going to fly a combat mission with non-stealthy aircraft is pretty much a nonstarter.”
Japan, on the other hand, could use the F-35s to defend its interests in the Senkaku Islands, which are claimed by both Beijing and Tokyo, as well as other small islands south of Okinawa and near Taiwan. These islands have outsized military importance because they can hold outposts for observing or even interfering with Chinese efforts to sail warships from the mainland into the open ocean.
“So, one of the fears is that in the event of a conflict between China and Japan, or China and the United States, or even China and Taiwan, that maybe the Chinese would try to grab these little islands,” Cheng added.
That’s an important issue for American strategists. Not only does the U.S. have a security treaty with Japan and a long-standing policy of buttressing Taiwanese defenses against China, but constraints on Beijing’s ability to flex military muscle in the region are also valuable in light of Washington’s perception that the rising communist power is engaged in “a cold war” with the U.S.
Still, the lethality of China's new challenge is unknown. “We’re not going to really know how good the J-20 is until we see it in combat,” Cooper said. “And hopefully, that's not going to happen for quite some time.”


bonginoreport--2020-07-15--ESPN Avoids Scrutiny of Their Own China Ties By Suspending NBA Reporter

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley insisted he didn ’ t want an apology from or a punishment for ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski , but that he wanted ESPN to start reporting on the NBA ’ s ties to China .
However , that is not really an option for ESPN because of its own reliance on China and the NBA .
Wojnarowski ended up receiving an undisclosed suspension for responding to a Hawley statement with an email simply saying “ f -- - you.
” Hawley ’ s letter to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver ripped the league for its deference to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afterward that China was his target by asking ESPN not to punish Wojnarowski .
Wojnarowski knows firsthand the consequences of ESPN being critical of China .
His show Woj in the House was broadcast by the Chinese company Tencent and was described by ESPN as the most watched basketball show in the world .
When Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey voiced his support for the Hong Kong protests , Wojnarowski liked the tweet .
Shortly after , his show was canceled by Tencent .
ESPN agreed to a deal with Tencent in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in which the Chinese company would feature “ exclusive Chinese-language ( Mandarin ) ESPN content.
” As ESPN said at the time , “ This agreement will help us serve millions of Chinese fans and bring our coverage of basketball , international soccer , and other sports to them like never before.
” ESPN landing the exclusive rights to NBA broadcasts in China was huge for the company .
The NBA ’ s own deal with Tencent was projected to be worth $ 700 million over five years .
It puts ESPN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China into context .
ESPN used the “ nine-dash line ” Chinese propaganda map in 2019 coverage , which shows Taiwan and the South China Sea as belonging to the country .
ESPN released an internal memo telling staff to avoid talk about Hong Kong in their coverage of Morey ’ s tweet and its aftermath .
ESPN didn ’ t punish Wojnarowski for cursing at a United States senator .
This is clear enough from the NBA players , who couldn ’ t be bothered to talk about China ’ s detention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to tweet the “ # FreeWoj ” hashtag .
The idea that left-wing havens such as ESPN and the NBA think cursing at Republicans is beyond the pale is laughable .
Both are deeply financially intertwined with China , and so making this issue about Wojnarowski instead allows them an out to avoid this uncomfortable discussion for a little longer .
Stephen A. Smith , arguably ESPN ’ s most recognizable personality , blasted Morey last year by saying , “ You have an obligation to adopt and embrace the interest of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be hard-pressed to explain ESPN ’ s standing with China any better than that .

Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley insisted he didn’t want an apology from or a punishment for ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, but that he wanted ESPN to start reporting on the NBA’s ties to China. However, that is not really an option for ESPN because of its own reliance on China and the NBA.
Wojnarowski ended up receiving an undisclosed suspension for responding to a Hawley statement with an email simply saying “f--- you.” Hawley’s letter to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver ripped the league for its deference to China, and Hawley made it clear afterward that China was his target by asking ESPN not to punish Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski knows firsthand the consequences of ESPN being critical of China. His show Woj in the House was broadcast by the Chinese company Tencent and was described by ESPN as the most watched basketball show in the world. When Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey voiced his support for the Hong Kong protests, Wojnarowski liked the tweet. Shortly after, his show was canceled by Tencent.
ESPN agreed to a deal with Tencent in 2016, and extended it in 2019, in which the Chinese company would feature “exclusive Chinese-language (Mandarin) ESPN content.” As ESPN said at the time, “This agreement will help us serve millions of Chinese fans and bring our coverage of basketball, international soccer, and other sports to them like never before.” ESPN landing the exclusive rights to NBA broadcasts in China was huge for the company. The NBA’s own deal with Tencent was projected to be worth $700 million over five years.
It puts ESPN’s coverage of the NBA and China into context. ESPN used the “nine-dash line” Chinese propaganda map in 2019 coverage, which shows Taiwan and the South China Sea as belonging to the country. ESPN released an internal memo telling staff to avoid talk about Hong Kong in their coverage of Morey’s tweet and its aftermath.
ESPN didn’t punish Wojnarowski for cursing at a United States senator. This is clear enough from the NBA players, who couldn’t be bothered to talk about China’s detention camps for Uighur Muslims, lining up to tweet the “#FreeWoj” hashtag. The idea that left-wing havens such as ESPN and the NBA think cursing at Republicans is beyond the pale is laughable. Both are deeply financially intertwined with China, and so making this issue about Wojnarowski instead allows them an out to avoid this uncomfortable discussion for a little longer.
Stephen A. Smith, arguably ESPN’s most recognizable personality, blasted Morey last year by saying, “You have an obligation to adopt and embrace the interest of those you collect a paycheck from.” You would be hard-pressed to explain ESPN’s standing with China any better than that.


bonginoreport--2020-07-15--Oliver Stone Says That Hollywood is Too Politically Correct

Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone ( “ Platoon , ” “ JFK ” ) has had enough of Hollywood ’ s “ sensitivity.
” Speaking with The New York Times to promote his upcoming memoir , Stone said the film industry has become too politically correct , “ too sensitive , ” and “ too fragile.
” This shift has pushed him into making documentaries instead of narrative-based films such as “ Snowden , ” about NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden , which was released in 2016 .
“ The problem is in Hollywood .
It ’ s just so expensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too fragile , too sensitive , ” he said .
“ Hollywood now — you can ’ t make a film without a Covid adviser .
You can ’ t make a film without a sensitivity counselor .
It ’ s ridiculous.
” When pressed to explain why a “ sensitivity counselor ” is ridiculous , Stone said , “ The Academy changes its mind every five , ten , two months about what it ’ s trying to keep up with .
It ’ s politically correct [ expletive ] , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m anxious to run out into .
I ’ ve never seen it quite mad like this .
It ’ s like an ‘ Alice in Wonderland ’ tea party.
” “ Oh , David , don ’ t go there .
That ’ s going to be your headline , ” responded Stone .
“ You know , I just read something about how films are going to be very expensive to make now , because you need to take all these precautions , and a 50-day shoot becomes a 60-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ s what I ’ m talking about.
” Asked if he ’ s “ felt marginalized by Hollywood in the past , ” Stone said , “ I don ’ t think they think about me .
I don ’ t feel bitter about it.
” “ ‘ Savages ’ was my last was my last movie in the mainstream , so to speak , ” he continued .
“ I thought it was mainstream , and Universal did too , up until they distributed it .
They decided to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall to summer .
So they put us in the middle of a schedule that was pretty tough.
” “ I do still get offered stuff , but I ’ m not inspired to make a movie , ” said the director .
“ I don ’ t feel anything inside me , fire for going through that pain and misery .
The last film I did was ‘ Snowden.
’ It was so difficult to make .
We struggled to get financing — I believe — because of the subject matter.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Putin following the 2016 presidential election , Stone said that the United States put way too much emphasis on Russia ’ s influence on the election .
“ I think he sees American destabilization as a dangerous thing because he thinks about the safety of the world , ” Stone said of Putin .
“ If anything , he would like a balance of power to exist and he would like to have a nuclear treaty with us .
It ’ s very difficult to talk when America doesn ’ t talk .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with him in a long time.
” When the interviewer suggested that perhaps Stone was being a “ useful idiot , ” Stone replied that much of the documentary was filmed in 2014 before the election took place .
“ Where is it clear that I ’ m an idiot ?
I think it ’ s a very articulate dialogue , ” he said .
“ I would also point out that when we started , which was in 2014 roughly , the relationship with the United States was not as bad as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one of America ’ s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news , opinion , and entertainment .
Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member .

Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone (“Platoon,” “JFK”) has had enough of Hollywood’s “sensitivity.”
Speaking with The New York Times to promote his upcoming memoir, Stone said the film industry has become too politically correct, “too sensitive,” and “too fragile.” This shift has pushed him into making documentaries instead of narrative-based films such as “Snowden,” about NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, which was released in 2016.
“The problem is in Hollywood. It’s just so expensive — the marketing. Everything has become too fragile, too sensitive,” he said. “Hollywood now — you can’t make a film without a Covid adviser. You can’t make a film without a sensitivity counselor. It’s ridiculous.”
When pressed to explain why a “sensitivity counselor” is ridiculous, Stone said, “The Academy changes its mind every five, ten, two months about what it’s trying to keep up with. It’s politically correct [expletive], and it’s not a world I’m anxious to run out into. I’ve never seen it quite mad like this. It’s like an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ tea party.”
“In what respect?” the interviewer, David Marchese, shot back.
“Oh, David, don’t go there. That’s going to be your headline,” responded Stone. “You know, I just read something about how films are going to be very expensive to make now, because you need to take all these precautions, and a 50-day shoot becomes a 60-day shoot, and social distancing for actors. That’s what I’m talking about.”
Asked if he’s “felt marginalized by Hollywood in the past,” Stone said, “I don’t think they think about me. I don’t feel bitter about it.”
“‘Savages’ was my last was my last movie in the mainstream, so to speak,” he continued. “I thought it was mainstream, and Universal did too, up until they distributed it. They decided to move it at the last second from fall to summer. So they put us in the middle of a schedule that was pretty tough.”
“I do still get offered stuff, but I’m not inspired to make a movie,” said the director. “I don’t feel anything inside me, fire for going through that pain and misery. The last film I did was ‘Snowden.’ It was so difficult to make. We struggled to get financing — I believe — because of the subject matter.”
Regarding his interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin following the 2016 presidential election, Stone said that the United States put way too much emphasis on Russia’s influence on the election.
“I think he sees American destabilization as a dangerous thing because he thinks about the safety of the world,” Stone said of Putin. “If anything, he would like a balance of power to exist and he would like to have a nuclear treaty with us. It’s very difficult to talk when America doesn’t talk. It hasn’t been dealing honestly with him in a long time.”
When the interviewer suggested that perhaps Stone was being a “useful idiot,” Stone replied that much of the documentary was filmed in 2014 before the election took place.
“Where is it clear that I’m an idiot? I think it’s a very articulate dialogue,” he said. “I would also point out that when we started, which was in 2014 roughly, the relationship with the United States was not as bad as it would become.”


bonginoreport--2020-07-15--Washington Post Editor Says MLB’s Texas Rangers’ “Violent and Racist” Name “Must Go”

A Washington Post editor said Monday that the Texas Rangers team name “ must go.
” On the same day that the National Football League ’ s Washington Redskins announced it would do away with its 93-year-old team name , Global Opinions editor Karen Attiah said that the Major League Baseball team must deal with “ the violent and racist implications of its name.
” “ To know the full history of the Texas Rangers is to understand that the team ’ s name is not so far off from being called the Texas Klansmen , ” Attiah wrote in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Attiah , who grew up in Dallas , reminisced about going to Rangers games with her father as a child , but said at the time she didn ’ t know the Rangers “ were a cruel , racist force when it came to the nonwhites who inhabited the beautiful and untamed Texas territory.
” The Texas Rangers were unofficially created by Stephen F. Austin in 1823 as a statewide investigative law enforcement agency , headquartered in the capital of Austin .
The Rangers stopped the assassination of President William Howard Taft and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More than 120 have died in the line of duty .
Attiah , who said she is part of a Ghanaian immigrant family and calls herself a “ black Texan , ” said “ the first job of the Rangers … was to clear the land of Indian for white settlers.
” That was just the start .
The Rangers oppressed black people , helping capture runaway slaves trying to escape to Mexico ; in the aftermath of the Civil War , they killed free blacks with impunity .
“ The negroes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in a local newspaper in 1877 , after Rangers fired on a party of black former Buffalo soldiers , killing four of them and a 4-year-old girl .
A jury would later find that the black soldiers “ came to their death while resisting officers in the discharge of their duty , ” an unsettling echo of the justification for modern-day police killings .
The editor cited a new book , “ Cult of Glory : The Bold and Brutal History of the Texas Rangers , ” in which author Doug J.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anglo civilization ’ s slow march , they functioned as executioners .
Their job was to seize and hold Texas for the white man.
” The Post writer isn ’ t the first to call for the Texas Rangers to change their name .
After a Chicago Tribune piece last month , the team made a statement .
“ While we may have originally taken our name from the law enforcement agency , since 1971 the Texas Rangers Baseball Club has forged its own , independent identity , ” said the team statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stands for equality .
We condemn racism , bigotry , and discrimination in all forms .
“ To help bring about meaningful change , we are committed to listening to and supporting our communities of color .
… We go forward committed to do even more , with a renewed promise that the Texas Rangers name will represent solutions and hope for a better future for our communities , ” said the team .
The Daily Wire is one of America ’ s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member .

A Washington Post editor said Monday that the Texas Rangers team name “must go.”
On the same day that the National Football League’s Washington Redskins announced it would do away with its 93-year-old team name, Global Opinions editor Karen Attiah said that the Major League Baseball team must deal with “the violent and racist implications of its name.”
“To know the full history of the Texas Rangers is to understand that the team’s name is not so far off from being called the Texas Klansmen,” Attiah wrote in an op-ed for the liberal newspaper.
Attiah, who grew up in Dallas, reminisced about going to Rangers games with her father as a child, but said at the time she didn’t know the Rangers “were a cruel, racist force when it came to the nonwhites who inhabited the beautiful and untamed Texas territory.”
The Texas Rangers were unofficially created by Stephen F. Austin in 1823 as a statewide investigative law enforcement agency, headquartered in the capital of Austin. The Rangers stopped the assassination of President William Howard Taft and pursued such outlaws as Bonnie and Clyde. More than 120 have died in the line of duty.
Attiah, who said she is part of a Ghanaian immigrant family and calls herself a “black Texan,” said “the first job of the Rangers … was to clear the land of Indian for white settlers.”
That was just the start. The Rangers oppressed black people, helping capture runaway slaves trying to escape to Mexico; in the aftermath of the Civil War, they killed free blacks with impunity. “The negroes here need killing,” a Ranger wrote in a local newspaper in 1877, after Rangers fired on a party of black former Buffalo soldiers, killing four of them and a 4-year-old girl. A jury would later find that the black soldiers “came to their death while resisting officers in the discharge of their duty,” an unsettling echo of the justification for modern-day police killings.
The editor cited a new book, “Cult of Glory: The Bold and Brutal History of the Texas Rangers,” in which author Doug J. Swanson wrote, “In service to Anglo civilization’s slow march, they functioned as executioners. Their job was to seize and hold Texas for the white man.”
The Post writer isn’t the first to call for the Texas Rangers to change their name. After a Chicago Tribune piece last month, the team made a statement.
“While we may have originally taken our name from the law enforcement agency, since 1971 the Texas Rangers Baseball Club has forged its own, independent identity,” said the team statement. “The Texas Rangers Baseball Club stands for equality. We condemn racism, bigotry, and discrimination in all forms.
“To help bring about meaningful change, we are committed to listening to and supporting our communities of color. … We go forward committed to do even more, with a renewed promise that the Texas Rangers name will represent solutions and hope for a better future for our communities,” said the team.


bonginoreport--2020-07-16--Radiation Emerges As Possible COVID-19 Treatment

Back in 2013 , toxicologist Edward Calabrese and a colleague at the University of Massachusetts , Amherst , were combing over a cache of century-old data on low-dose radiation therapy , hunting for evidence on the scientific idea that small doses of certain poisons might actually be beneficial .
They found small amounts of radiation were surprisingly successful in combating pneumonia .
Again and again , doctors reported symptoms subsided within hours of a single X-ray .
Hardly anyone took notice .
Calabrese ’ s ideas had sometimes been brushed off by his peers as too out-there , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long been dismissed in favor of more modern treatments .
The paper only gained a smattering of citations .
That all changed when Covid-19 snowballed into a crisis , fueling fresh interest in anything that might ease the devastating cases of pneumonia in some patients .
At least 52,000 of the more than 135,000 deaths due to Covid-19 in the U.S. have involved pneumonia , according to federal health data .
“ Back in February , I started getting just dozens and dozens and dozens of emails from radiation oncologists —people who treat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had come across our paper and they thought that this might be a vehicle by which they could help suffering and dying Covid patients perhaps survive , ” he said .
“ Clinical trials are now going on across the country.
” There are at least a dozen trials worldwide testing low-dose radiation therapy , or LDRT , as a treatment for pneumonia related to Covid-19 , some spurred by the same historical data Calabrese and colleagues scoured years ago .
The theory : Targeted radiation to the lungs will halt the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that bookends the course of some Covid-19 patients .
But the revived interest in radiotherapy has sparked a debate among physicians and researchers , who are divided on whether the idea is even ready for test-driving in clinical trials .
With little known about the way LDRT works on inflamed lungs , some experts say it might exacerbate respiratory damage , while introducing the additional risk of cancer .
Others say patients participating in the trials may suffer by missing out on more promising treatments .
On the other side , though , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a clear and urgent need for Covid-19 treatments that work , particularly for cases that become severe .
Antibiotics can help treat cases of pneumonia from bacterial infections , but not those caused by viruses .
Those experts argue compelling historical data gives LDRT a promising head start .
“ It seems to be such an almost emotional topic , ” said Dörthe Schaue , a radiation oncologist at UCLA , on the debate raging over LDRT .
“ You get two extremes on the spectrum and the truth is probably somewhere in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider all the pluses and minuses.
” The new wave of low-dose radiation trials are registered at academic centers and hospitals around the world , including in Italy , Spain , Iran , India , and the U.S .
The studies are recruiting anywhere from five to 106 Covid-19 patients with pneumonia , and half require participants to be at least 40 years of age .
Arnab Chakravarti , chair of Ohio State ’ s radiation and oncology department , is spearheading two of the four LDRT trials in the U.S .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around 100 oxygen-dependent Covid-19 patients at up to 20 hospitals around the country .
The second trial , VENTED , is limited to Ohio State , where it will recruit 24 critically-ill patients who require ventilator support .
Unlike PREVENT , VENTED is open to participants as young as 18 .
Chakravarti hypothesizes that LDRT will tamp down the unchecked inflammation that ultimately overwhelms the lungs of some Covid-19 patients .
In these individuals , immune cells overreact to the virus and secrete a dangerous excess of proinflammatory cytokines , known as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illness and death that we see from Covid-19 pneumonia appear to be mostly due to the inflammatory response to the infection in the lung tissues , ” said radiation oncologist David Kozono , who is launching a LDRT trial at Brigham and Women ’ s Hospital .
“ The idea is that low-dose lung radiation has the potential to reduce this inflammatory response.
” Some experts have theorized that small amounts of radiation might flip a switch on these immune cells so that they release soothing , anti-inflammatory cytokines instead , though this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The history of the utilization of ultra-low-dose radiation for viral pneumonia actually dates back to the 1920s and ’ 30s and ’ 40s — just post the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 , ” Chakravarti noted .
He said literature from that era indicates that LDRT was effective in 75 to 90 % of influenza-induced viral pneumonia cases , though the therapy “ fell out of favor ” after the development of antiviral therapies and vaccines .
Beyond historical data , Chakravarti said that his hypothesis is staked in recent evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial at Emory testing low-dose radiation in ten patients with Covid-19 .
All of the first five patients , averaging 90 years of age , were alive two weeks after treatment , and researchers reported three patients were weaned off oxygen within 24 hours of receiving radiation .
“ So there is now accumulating data to support this type of approach not just in the setting of influenza viral pneumonia , but also in the setting of specifically Covid-19 based on the small but very promising study from Emory University , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data this month from 10 patients — including the initial five in the first study — in preprint paper , which found that LDRT was associated with a reduction in clinical recovery time from 12 to three days .
A single patient died , while another suffered gastrointestinal acute toxicity .
They are now recruiting for a 52-person trial .
Kozono , the Brigham and Women ’ s researcher , said the initial data from Emory was part of the reason they pushed to launch their own trial .
But not all radiation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a small study are worth running with just yet .
“ No one ’ s going to be able to tell if it worked or not , unless it ’ s a huge trial .
By that time there will be some other treatment like steroids , which is a lot less dangerous and makes a lot more sense and is a lot more scientifically based , ” said Ralph Weichselbaum , a radiation oncologist at UChicago Medicine , referring to the initial five-person study .
“ It ’ s not thought-out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t take anything from these cases.
” A number of experts , incuding Weischselbaum and colleagues from Duke , Stanford , and the University of Nevada , Las Vegas , wrote a letter about LDRT recently in the Journal of Radiotherapy and Oncology , describing the risks of the treatment as “ unacceptable ” for future clinical trials — especially in the absence of clinical or preclinical evidence that meets today ’ s experimental standards .
But Mohammad Khan , a radiation oncologist leading the Emory trial , pushed back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study that supports the findings and arguing that Emory ’ s trial started out small to demonstrate safety and look for early signs of efficacy .
The idea , too , has won the backing of Calabrese and Gaurav Dhawan , the collaborator on the 2013 study .
They and other experts penned a paper in May supporting the idea of testing LDRT to fight Covid-19 , with caveats .
“ Certainly , we do not endorse the use of RT for all COVID-19 patients ; but we do offer its consideration for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and for whom other treatments options are unsuccessful or unavailable , ” they wrote .
But with limited understanding of how LDRT interacts with the systemic inflammation seen in Covid-19 , Weichselbaum said it ’ s possible that the therapy could put patients at risk of greater harm .
“ Everything I know about pulmonary effects of radiation would make something like this worse , not better , ” he said .
In their paper , Weichselbaum and his colleagues also expressed concern that radiation could kill the immune cells that the body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more susceptible to attack .
That and other risks make LDRT a “ double-edged sword , ” according to Fatemeh Ghahremani and Amirhosein Kefayat , physicians in Iran who authored a letter cautioning colleagues against conducting further clinical trials before learning more about its effects .
They warned that radiation therapy has actually been demonstrated in some studies to increase the activation , transcription , and spread of some viruses — which could prove harmful for patients with Covid-19 .
There is research to suggest LDRT can combat the hallmark inflammation in people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the treatment ’ s success in managing local inflammation doesn ’ t mean it will be able to beat back the extensive , systemic inflammation that ravages the lungs of some Covid patients .
“ Therefore , there is a high probability that the anti-inflammatory effect of LDRT may not be enough for inhibiting the Covid-19 cytokine storm , ” they said in an email to STAT .
Experts said there are also still a number of unanswered questions about the cytokine storm itself .
Among them : Why do only some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might age , gender , genetics , and weight play ?
“ In my mind , we don ’ t really know what we ’ re dealing with , ” said Schaue , the UCLA radiation oncologist .
Schaue said there ’ s a need for carefully designed clinical trials that scrupulously record data about cytokine storms and the biological mechanisms at play .
Other experts said so much is unknown that researchers launching clinical trials of LDRT for Covid-19 should pause their projects and conduct more animal testing first .
“ In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethical thing to do and conservative thing to do would have been to do this in some non human primates first , ” Weichselbaum said .
Weichselbaum has another big ethical concern : Patients enrolled in radiation trials are being denied drugs “ that might actually work in the long run.
” With more than 1,200 clinical trials related to Covid-19 registered worldwide since January — and a limited number of eligible patients who live close enough to study centers to participate — researchers might have to compete for participants .
The worry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might snatch a patient away from a drug trial that is safer or more promising .
Kozono argued , however , that LDRT could prove faster-acting than the treatments currently being used , including the antiviral drug remdesivir .
There ’ s also concern among some experts that LDRT might increase a patient ’ s risk of cancer .
Kozono said that of all the possible risks of radiation , cancer was his chief concern as he prepared to enroll nearly 50 patients in his clinical trial .
Still , he said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of radiation that the risk of cancer remains low , particularly when compared to the risks of a severe case of Covid-19 .
“ When one thinks about this being relatively low risk — one in 10,000 chance [ of cancer ] per year — compared to the very immediate life threatening consequences that this infection can pose , it may be a reasonable treatment to offer to the sort of patients we are aiming to help — people who are hospitalized , who need to be on oxygen or on ventilators because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Kozono added his study will include an extra cohort of patients who will receive LDRT in just one lung .
“ Our idea is that radiation to one lung might be enough to help the patient breathe , while cutting the exposure to radiation effectively in half , ” he said .
He added that leaving one lung untreated might also allow the body to straddle the fine line between running a robust immune response and getting overwhelmed by inflammation .
In addition to the question of whether to treat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oncologist William McBride said it is unclear when in the disease course physicians should administer LDRT .
“ It ’ s quite a complex disease .
You don ’ t really know when to give the radiation , ” he said .
With so much still not known , McBride and other experts warn it is premature to champion LDRT over drugs currently in trial .
“ It ’ s not that low-dose radiation won ’ t work .
I think it has a reasonable chance at the moment , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has to be done thoughtfully .
“ It ’ s not a slam dunk kind of therapy because of all these unknowns , and the speed with which the disease changes in the patient , ” he added .
“ As a result , it ’ s quite hard to run a very tight clinical trial on itself and you need an awful lot of patients to prove it .
”

Back in 2013, toxicologist Edward Calabrese and a colleague at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, were combing over a cache of century-old data on low-dose radiation therapy, hunting for evidence on the scientific idea that small doses of certain poisons might actually be beneficial. They found small amounts of radiation were surprisingly successful in combating pneumonia. Again and again, doctors reported symptoms subsided within hours of a single X-ray.
Hardly anyone took notice. Calabrese’s ideas had sometimes been brushed off by his peers as too out-there, and the idea of low-dose radiation as therapy had long been dismissed in favor of more modern treatments. The paper only gained a smattering of citations.
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That all changed when Covid-19 snowballed into a crisis, fueling fresh interest in anything that might ease the devastating cases of pneumonia in some patients. At least 52,000 of the more than 135,000 deaths due to Covid-19 in the U.S. have involved pneumonia, according to federal health data.
“Back in February, I started getting just dozens and dozens and dozens of emails from radiation oncologists —people who treat cancer patients with targeted radiation. And they had come across our paper and they thought that this might be a vehicle by which they could help suffering and dying Covid patients perhaps survive,” he said. “Clinical trials are now going on across the country.”
There are at least a dozen trials worldwide testing low-dose radiation therapy, or LDRT, as a treatment for pneumonia related to Covid-19, some spurred by the same historical data Calabrese and colleagues scoured years ago. The theory: Targeted radiation to the lungs will halt the out-of-control inflammation responsible for the devastating pneumonia that bookends the course of some Covid-19 patients.
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But the revived interest in radiotherapy has sparked a debate among physicians and researchers, who are divided on whether the idea is even ready for test-driving in clinical trials. With little known about the way LDRT works on inflamed lungs, some experts say it might exacerbate respiratory damage, while introducing the additional risk of cancer. Others say patients participating in the trials may suffer by missing out on more promising treatments.
On the other side, though, are experts who say there’s a clear and urgent need for Covid-19 treatments that work, particularly for cases that become severe. Antibiotics can help treat cases of pneumonia from bacterial infections, but not those caused by viruses. Those experts argue compelling historical data gives LDRT a promising head start.
“It seems to be such an almost emotional topic,” said Dörthe Schaue, a radiation oncologist at UCLA, on the debate raging over LDRT. “You get two extremes on the spectrum and the truth is probably somewhere in the middle, where you have to consider all the pluses and minuses.”
The new wave of low-dose radiation trials are registered at academic centers and hospitals around the world, including in Italy, Spain, Iran, India, and the U.S. The studies are recruiting anywhere from five to 106 Covid-19 patients with pneumonia, and half require participants to be at least 40 years of age.
Arnab Chakravarti, chair of Ohio State’s radiation and oncology department, is spearheading two of the four LDRT trials in the U.S. The first trial, PREVENT, will enroll around 100 oxygen-dependent Covid-19 patients at up to 20 hospitals around the country. The second trial, VENTED, is limited to Ohio State, where it will recruit 24 critically-ill patients who require ventilator support. Unlike PREVENT, VENTED is open to participants as young as 18.
Chakravarti hypothesizes that LDRT will tamp down the unchecked inflammation that ultimately overwhelms the lungs of some Covid-19 patients. In these individuals, immune cells overreact to the virus and secrete a dangerous excess of proinflammatory cytokines, known as a “cytokine storm.”
“The severe illness and death that we see from Covid-19 pneumonia appear to be mostly due to the inflammatory response to the infection in the lung tissues,” said radiation oncologist David Kozono, who is launching a LDRT trial at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “The idea is that low-dose lung radiation has the potential to reduce this inflammatory response.”
Some experts have theorized that small amounts of radiation might flip a switch on these immune cells so that they release soothing, anti-inflammatory cytokines instead, though this is just one among many proposed mechanisms.
“The history of the utilization of ultra-low-dose radiation for viral pneumonia actually dates back to the 1920s and ’30s and ’40s — just post the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918,” Chakravarti noted. He said literature from that era indicates that LDRT was effective in 75 to 90% of influenza-induced viral pneumonia cases, though the therapy “fell out of favor” after the development of antiviral therapies and vaccines.
Beyond historical data, Chakravarti said that his hypothesis is staked in recent evidence from an interim analysis of a clinical trial at Emory testing low-dose radiation in ten patients with Covid-19. All of the first five patients, averaging 90 years of age, were alive two weeks after treatment, and researchers reported three patients were weaned off oxygen within 24 hours of receiving radiation.
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“So there is now accumulating data to support this type of approach not just in the setting of influenza viral pneumonia, but also in the setting of specifically Covid-19 based on the small but very promising study from Emory University,” he said.
The Emory researchers published updated data this month from 10 patients — including the initial five in the first study — in preprint paper, which found that LDRT was associated with a reduction in clinical recovery time from 12 to three days. A single patient died, while another suffered gastrointestinal acute toxicity. They are now recruiting for a 52-person trial.
Kozono, the Brigham and Women’s researcher, said the initial data from Emory was part of the reason they pushed to launch their own trial.
But not all radiation experts are convinced that findings from such a small study are worth running with just yet.
“It’s not thought-out. It’s not of value. I don’t take anything from these cases.” Ralph Weichselbaum, radiation oncologist, UChicago Medicine
“No one’s going to be able to tell if it worked or not, unless it’s a huge trial. By that time there will be some other treatment like steroids, which is a lot less dangerous and makes a lot more sense and is a lot more scientifically based,” said Ralph Weichselbaum, a radiation oncologist at UChicago Medicine, referring to the initial five-person study. “It’s not thought-out. It’s not of value. I don’t take anything from these cases.”
A number of experts, incuding Weischselbaum and colleagues from Duke, Stanford, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, wrote a letter about LDRT recently in the Journal of Radiotherapy and Oncology, describing the risks of the treatment as “unacceptable” for future clinical trials — especially in the absence of clinical or preclinical evidence that meets today’s experimental standards.
But Mohammad Khan, a radiation oncologist leading the Emory trial, pushed back on those criticisms, citing another small study that supports the findings and arguing that Emory’s trial started out small to demonstrate safety and look for early signs of efficacy.
The idea, too, has won the backing of Calabrese and Gaurav Dhawan, the collaborator on the 2013 study. They and other experts penned a paper in May supporting the idea of testing LDRT to fight Covid-19, with caveats.
“Certainly, we do not endorse the use of RT for all COVID-19 patients; but we do offer its consideration for those patients who are most critical, and for whom other treatments options are unsuccessful or unavailable,” they wrote.
But with limited understanding of how LDRT interacts with the systemic inflammation seen in Covid-19, Weichselbaum said it’s possible that the therapy could put patients at risk of greater harm.
“Everything I know about pulmonary effects of radiation would make something like this worse, not better,” he said. In their paper, Weichselbaum and his colleagues also expressed concern that radiation could kill the immune cells that the body deploys to fight Covid-19, rendering it more susceptible to attack.
That and other risks make LDRT a “double-edged sword,” according to Fatemeh Ghahremani and Amirhosein Kefayat, physicians in Iran who authored a letter cautioning colleagues against conducting further clinical trials before learning more about its effects. They warned that radiation therapy has actually been demonstrated in some studies to increase the activation, transcription, and spread of some viruses — which could prove harmful for patients with Covid-19.
There is research to suggest LDRT can combat the hallmark inflammation in people with arthritis. But Ghahremani and Kefayat said the treatment’s success in managing local inflammation doesn’t mean it will be able to beat back the extensive, systemic inflammation that ravages the lungs of some Covid patients.
“Therefore, there is a high probability that the anti-inflammatory effect of LDRT may not be enough for inhibiting the Covid-19 cytokine storm,” they said in an email to STAT.
Experts said there are also still a number of unanswered questions about the cytokine storm itself. Among them: Why do only some patients experience it, and what role might age, gender, genetics, and weight play?
“In my mind, we don’t really know what we’re dealing with,” said Schaue, the UCLA radiation oncologist.
Schaue said there’s a need for carefully designed clinical trials that scrupulously record data about cytokine storms and the biological mechanisms at play. Other experts said so much is unknown that researchers launching clinical trials of LDRT for Covid-19 should pause their projects and conduct more animal testing first.
“In [our] opinion, the most ethical thing to do and conservative thing to do would have been to do this in some non human primates first,” Weichselbaum said.
Weichselbaum has another big ethical concern: Patients enrolled in radiation trials are being denied drugs “that might actually work in the long run.” With more than 1,200 clinical trials related to Covid-19 registered worldwide since January — and a limited number of eligible patients who live close enough to study centers to participate — researchers might have to compete for participants. The worry is that recruitment for a LDRT trial might snatch a patient away from a drug trial that is safer or more promising.
Kozono argued, however, that LDRT could prove faster-acting than the treatments currently being used, including the antiviral drug remdesivir.
There’s also concern among some experts that LDRT might increase a patient’s risk of cancer. Kozono said that of all the possible risks of radiation, cancer was his chief concern as he prepared to enroll nearly 50 patients in his clinical trial. Still, he said the study will use such a low dose of radiation that the risk of cancer remains low, particularly when compared to the risks of a severe case of Covid-19.
“When one thinks about this being relatively low risk — one in 10,000 chance [of cancer] per year — compared to the very immediate life threatening consequences that this infection can pose, it may be a reasonable treatment to offer to the sort of patients we are aiming to help — people who are hospitalized, who need to be on oxygen or on ventilators because of pneumonia from this virus,” he said.
Kozono added his study will include an extra cohort of patients who will receive LDRT in just one lung.
“Our idea is that radiation to one lung might be enough to help the patient breathe, while cutting the exposure to radiation effectively in half,” he said. He added that leaving one lung untreated might also allow the body to straddle the fine line between running a robust immune response and getting overwhelmed by inflammation.
In addition to the question of whether to treat one or both lungs, UCLA radiation oncologist William McBride said it is unclear when in the disease course physicians should administer LDRT.
“It’s quite a complex disease. You don’t really know when to give the radiation,” he said.
With so much still not known, McBride and other experts warn it is premature to champion LDRT over drugs currently in trial.
“It’s not that low-dose radiation won’t work. I think it has a reasonable chance at the moment,” he said. But, he emphasized, it has to be done thoughtfully.
“It’s not a slam dunk kind of therapy because of all these unknowns, and the speed with which the disease changes in the patient,” he added. “As a result, it’s quite hard to run a very tight clinical trial on itself and you need an awful lot of patients to prove it.”