Looking at the schools in the ACC, who are the top teams in the conference going into Week 0 of the college football schedule? In this week’s power rankings, which can be found below, we take a look at each team and how they stack up.
Watch college football all season long on Fubo, ESPN+ and Paramount+.
ACC Power Rankings
Projected records reflect games against only FBS opponents.
No. 1: Florida State
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 10-1
Last Game Result: 63-3 loss against Georgia
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 47th
Next Game
Week 0 Opponent: @ Georgia Tech
Game Time: 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, August 24
TV Channel: ACCN (Watch on Fubo – Regional restrictions may apply)
No. 2: Clemson
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 9-2
Last Game Result: 38-35 win against Kentucky
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 46th
Next Game
No. 3: Louisville
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 9-2
Last Game Result: 42-28 loss against USC
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 36th
Catch college football action all year long on ESPN+.
Next Game
No. 4: SMU
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 8-3
Last Game Result: 23-14 loss against Boston College
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 117th
Next Game
Week 0 Opponent: @ Nevada
Game Time: 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, August 24
TV Channel: CBS Sports Network (Watch on Fubo – Regional restrictions may apply)
No. 5: Duke
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 9-2
Last Game Result: 17-10 win against Troy
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 40th
Next Game
No. 6: North Carolina State
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 9-2
Last Game Result: 28-19 loss against Kansas State
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 39th
Bet on this or any college football matchup at BetMGM.
Next Game
No. 7: Virginia Tech
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 9-3
Last Game Result: 41-20 win against Tulane
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 72nd
Next Game
No. 8: Miami (FL)
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 5-6
Last Game Result: 31-24 loss against Rutgers
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 56th
Next Game
No. 9: Georgia Tech
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 3-8
Last Game Result: 30-17 win against UCF
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 45th
Next Game
Week 0 Opponent: Florida State
Game Time: 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, August 24
TV Channel: ACCN (Watch on Fubo – Regional restrictions may apply)
No. 10: California
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 6-5
Last Game Result: 34-14 loss against Texas Tech
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 19th
Next Game
No. 11: North Carolina
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 7-4
Last Game Result: 30-10 loss against West Virginia
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 59th
Bet on this or any college football matchup at BetMGM.
Next Game
No. 12: Boston College
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 4-7
Last Game Result: 23-14 win against SMU
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 67th
Next Game
No. 13: Virginia
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 1-10
Last Game Result: 55-17 loss against Virginia Tech
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 16th
Next Game
No. 14: Stanford
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 1-10
Last Game Result: 56-23 loss against Notre Dame
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 1st
Next Game
No. 15: Wake Forest
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 3-8
Last Game Result: 35-31 loss against Syracuse
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 43rd
Next Game
No. 16: Pittsburgh
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 4-7
Last Game Result: 30-19 loss against Duke
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 48th
Next Game
No. 17: Syracuse
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 2-9
Last Game Result: 45-0 loss against South Florida
Strength of Schedule Ranking: 73rd
Next Game
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In today’s fast-paced world of entrepreneurship, there’s an old saying that still rings true: “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of offering multiple services or products in an attempt to make more money and grow their businesses. However, this can often lead to a lack of focus and mastery in any one particular area.
The truth is, the key to long-term business success is mastering your area of genius. Whether you’re a financial strategist, a software developer, or a graphic designer, it’s essential to focus on developing your skills and becoming an expert in your industry. This is what sets you apart from the competition and positions you for success in the long run.
Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs don’t realize that their lack of skill and competency can hold them back financially. Those who don’t take the time to perfect their craft often struggle to attract and retain clients, which can limit their earning potential. On the other hand, those who have achieved mastery in their area of genius can command premium prices for their products or services. Clients are willing to pay top dollar for the best quality because they believe they deserve it, even if they can’t afford it.
So, what does it take to achieve mastery in your industry? It starts with identifying your area of genius – the skill or talent that sets you apart from others. Once you’ve identified this, it’s important to invest time and resources into developing and refining your skills. This may involve taking courses, attending workshops, or working with a mentor or coach.
Dr. Nathan Culver is a financial strategist who has spent over 20 years mastering his craft. He has worked with companies ranging in revenue from 100k to 800 million annually and is qualified to help entrepreneurs succeed. He understands that becoming a guru in a specialty area that fills a void in the market is the key to success. In his book, “Where Did The Money Go,” he provides solid strategies that empower entrepreneurs to develop a clear financial path to multi-six and seven-figure status.
As the CEO of Culver Consulting Firm LLC, a division of Culver Enterprises, Dr. Culver focuses on empowering individuals to become impactful in their industry. He knows that mastering your area of genius is the foundation for building a profitable business that can withstand the test of time. By investing in your skills and expertise, you can position yourself for long-term success and achieve your financial goals.
If you’re an entrepreneur looking to build a profitable business, it’s essential to focus on mastering your area of genius. By identifying your skills and investing in your development, you can set yourself apart from the competition and command premium prices for your products or services. As Dr. Culver has shown, becoming a guru in a specialty area is the key to building a successful and sustainable business.
If you’re interested in learning more about Dr. Nathan Culver and his work as a financial strategist, you can visit his website at www.nathanculver.com or tune in to his show, “Mastery Talks with Dr. Nathan Culver,” on www.nathanculver.tv. He also maintains an active presence on social media, with Twitter (@drnathanculver), Instagram (@drnathanculver), LinkedIn (@drnathanculver), and Facebook (@drnathanculver) accounts. If you’re looking to work directly with Dr. Culver, you can book a consultation with him at www.calendly.com/nathanculver
Silver Trumpets Blown On Temple Mount/Did An Earthquake Prevent An Attack On Israel?
By Michael Snyder
So much is going on in the world right now that it is truly difficult to keep up with it all. I have a number of things that I wanted to share with you today, and so I decided to throw all of it into one article. Before I get into some of the developments from the other side of the world, let me give you [] what is happening in Chicago.
***
Yesterday I wrote about how law enforcement authorities were bracing for enormous anti-Israel protests, and it is a good thing they were prepared to intervene…
***
Protesters broke through a portion of the security fence on West Washington Boulevard.
Officers donned riot gear as they faced off with the large crowd.
Protesters were arrested, according to Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling.
The good news is that it appears that nobody was seriously hurt.
***
But this is not what the Democrats wanted.
What they wanted was a nice, calm convention during which they could attempt to convince everyone that the new Kamala Harris is not the same as the old Kamala Harris.
Now that I have given you a quick update on the DNC, I want to switch gears and discuss what has been taking place over in Israel.
Several days ago, on Tisha B’Av, silver trumpets were blown on the Temple Mount for the very first time in nearly 2,000 years…
On Tisha B’Av, the day commemorating the destruction of the Jewish Temples in Jerusalem, Josh Wander brought his silver trumpets specially made for use in the Temple to the Machkama building. Built about 700 years ago, it is currently used as a Border Police station. The building faces the Western Wall Plaza but juts out over the Temple Mount.
This was a highly significant moment for Jewish people all over the globe, and I don’t understand why more people aren’t talking about this.
These silver trumpets were designed to be copies of the silver trumpets that were used in Solomon’s Temple, and Josh Wander had previously blown them at a couple of important events here in the United States…
After exhaustive research and under strict rabbinic supervision, Josh Wander, a resident of the Mount of Olives, has recreated the silver trumpets from Solomon’s Temple. Josh blew these trumpets at the National Religious Broadcasters’ Conference in Tennessee and at CPAC in Washington DC, both attended by Donald Trump. As mandated by the Bible, Josh blew the trumpets for the IDF troops as they went out to war against Hamas in Gaza.
Also on Tisha B’Av, a magnitude 5.4 earthquake greatly shook areas of Syria and Lebanon.
It is being suggested that this may have prevented a large attack on Israel that was planned for that day. The following comes from the Jerusalem Post…
In our collective memory, Tisha B’Av has always been a solemn day, marked by the destruction of the First and Second Temples. This year, however, the day bore witness to what many of us view as a modern-day miracle—a testament to divine intervention that could not have come at a more crucial time.
Reports confirmed a 5.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Syria and Lebanon, profoundly impacting the region. This was not just any seismic event; it may have served as an unanticipated yet divine act that thwarted a grave threat against the Jewish nation. Hezbollah, an established proxy of Iran, had been preparing to launch an attack on Israel—a direct affront planned deliberately for Tisha B’Av. Many of the group’s underground tunnels, teeming with armaments, may have been reduced to rubble by an act of God to protect His children, which could effectively halt Hezbollah’s nefarious plan before it could materialize.
It is hard to perceive it as mere coincidence that the earth shook on the very day Hezbollah had intended to send Israel into mourning once more. With tunnels collapsing and their arsenals buried, what could have been a devastating assault turned into a day of bewildering relief and gratitude.
Could it be possible that there was a connection between the blowing of the silver trumpets and the earthquake that rattled Syria and Lebanon?
I don’t know, but that is definitely a very interesting question.
I do believe that all-out war is coming to the Middle East.
But the time for that all-out war has not arrived just yet.
Elsewhere, Russian President Vladimir Putin just did something that made me chuckle.
He signed a decree that allows those seeking to escape the “destructive neoliberal ideological agenda” that is dominant in so many western countries to apply for temporary residency in Russia…
President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a decree allowing foreign citizens and stateless individuals to apply for temporary residency in the country if they share “traditional Russian spiritual and moral values,” even in cases when a person does not speak Russian.
The decree states that those who oppose the “destructive neoliberal ideological agenda” in their home country can seek “humanitarian support” from the Russian authorities by applying for a temporary residence permit.
It also tasks the government and Foreign Ministry with creating a list of countries Moscow considers to be “pursuing a destructive neoliberal agenda” within 30 days.
The radical agenda of the liberal elite is most certainly destroying the western world.
But Russia is definitely not a paradise either.
And I don’t know why anyone would consider moving to Russia at this point, because if they have the slightest suspicion that you might be a spy you could end up in some horrifying prison for many years to come.
The last thing that I wanted to mention in this article involves the Shroud of Turin.
A team of scientists examined it using “wide-angle X-ray scattering” to determine when the cloth was originally manufactured…
For the new study, scientists at Italy’s Institute of Crystallography of the National Research Council conducted a recent study using wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS).
The technique measures the natural aging of flax cellulose and converts it to time since manufacture.
The team studied eight small samples of fabric from the Shroud of Turin, putting them under an X-ray to uncover tiny details of the linen’s structure and cellulose patterns.
So what did they discover?
Well, they were able to determine that the cloth was consistent with another linen sample that was from the land of Israel in the first century…
‘The data profiles were fully compatible with analogous measurements obtained on a linen sample whose dating, according to historical records, is 55-74 AD, found at Masada, Israel [Herod’s famous fortress built on a limestone bedrock overlooking the Dead Sea],’ reads the study published in the journal Heritage.
In other words, this study strengthens the argument that the cloth on which the image appears is about 2,000 years old.
Needless to say, this will provide even more fuel for debates over the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin.
As you can see, a lot has occurred over the past several days.
And I believe that the pace of events will accelerate even more as we approach the end of 2024, because we have entered a time of great chaos for the entire planet.
Sadly, most people do not understand what is taking place.
Most people just assume that life will eventually “return to normal”, but that simply is not going to happen.
**********
(TLB) published this article by Michael Snyder from The Most Important News
Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.
Header featured image (edited) credit: Israel/Temple Mount/WP open public card
Emphasis and editing by (TLB)
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EVANSVILLE, Ind. (TCN) — A married couple was taken into custody over the weekend about two months after the wife’s emaciated father was found dead and “sunken” into the couch surrounded by his own feces.
Vanderburgh County Jail records show Frederick Groves, 60, and Carmen Groves, 49, were both booked on charges of neglect of a dependent causing death, altering the scene of a death, and failure to report a dead body. Frederick Groves has also been charged with exploitation of a dependent or endangered adult.
According to the affidavit cited by the Evansville Courier & Press, on June 23, Frederick Groves contacted the Evansville Police Department and said the victim, 73-year-old Kenneth Rickenbaugh, died that day or the day prior at Groves’ residence. Officials got to the home and reportedly noticed Rickenbaugh was “beyond help” because rigor mortis had already set in. He appeared emaciated and was found in the fetal position on the couch. His skin reportedly stuck to the fabric of the furniture.
WFIE-TV, which also cites the affidavit, says Rickenbaugh was “sunken into” the couch and its stuffing.
The Evansville Courier & Press reports the responding officer noted the house “smelled heavily of feces,” but the floor “was moist as if it had just been mopped.”
Frederick Groves allegedly told officers his wife mopped the floor because she wanted to clean dog feces “so first responders wouldn’t step on it.” Carmen Groves, however, reportedly said cold medicine had spilled onto the floor, and she wanted to mop it up.
According to the court documents, Frederick Groves reportedly said he “assumes Rickenbaugh just defecated and urinates on himself while lying on the couch,” though he admitted he would regularly hear Rickenbaugh saying, ‘Help. Help.’”
WEHT-TV reports Carmen Groves allegedly provided conflicting timelines about when she found her father deceased. She also reportedly believed her father was not disabled and used the restroom on his own when she and her husband weren’t there.
According to the Evansville Courter & Press, Rickenbaugh collected an $800 Social Security check each month that Frederick Groves deposited. However, investigators reportedly found footage of Frederick Groves withdrawing large amounts of cash. Rickenbaugh’s account had reportedly been “cleaned out.”
Rickenbaugh’s cause of death was determined to be cardiovascular disease with emphysema, failure to thrive, dehydration, and pressure sores as contributing factors, WEHT reports.
The detective who wrote the affidavit noted, “Carmen and Frederick Groves did not care for nor seek help for Rickenbaugh despite having voluntarily assumed care of him. They made no arrangements for him to use the restroom, eat or drink.”
He continued, “Instead, they allowed Rickenbaugh to lay in his own urine and feces without accessible food or water for the days — and likely weeks — preceding his death.”
MORE:
Vanderburgh County Jail inmate information
Daughter, son-in-law charged in Evansville man’s death – Evansville Courier & Press
Couple charged in neglect death of man left on couch in own waste – WFIE
Evansville couple accused of neglecting disabled elder causing death – WEHT
CHICAGO — PolitiFact is live fact-checking the third night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, including tonight’s speeches by the Democratic vice presidential nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and former President Bill Clinton.
PolitiFact fact-checks politicians across the political spectrum. We also fact-checked the Republican National Convention in July. Read more about our process.
Continue to check back as we update this story.
Economy
Former President Bill Clinton: “Since the end of the Cold War, in 1989, America has created about 51 million new jobs. … What’s the score? Democrats 50 (million), Republicans 1 (million).”
Mostly True.
The number of jobs created from 1989 through March 2024 — under Republican Presidents George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Donald Trump, and Democratic Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden — was 50.6 million. Of that number, a bit over 1 million, or about 2.6%, were created during the Republican presidencies.
Including the 617,000 jobs added since March, when we last fact-checked a claim like this, further tilts the Democratic advantage.
Some economic research supports the notion that the economy under Democrats has performed especially well, including a 2014 paper by Princeton University economists Alan Blinder and Mark Watson.
However, attributing job creation to policies or presidents isn’t clear cut. The Republican Congress of 1995 to 2001 might deserve some of the credit for the job growth under Clinton.
Also, if you go back to the 1950s, the partisan job creation divide is less dramatic, but still uneven: 70% of jobs emerged under Democratic presidents and 30% emerged under Republican presidents.
Project 2025
Emily’s List President Jessica Mackler: Project 2025 would give a Trump-Vance administration “the power to monitor your pregnancy and even prosecute doctors for mailing abortion medication.”
Half True.
It’s accurate that Project 2025 recommends criminalizing mailing abortion medication, which could lead to the prosecution of doctors who mail them. It also would require states to report to the federal government additional maternal mortality statistics and how many abortions happen within their borders.
The statement leaves out important details: the Project 2025 recommendations are just that and do not carry the power of law; Trump has distanced himself from the project; and the project does not track all pregnant women.
The project recommends that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reverse its 2000 approval of mifepristone, the first pill taken in a two-drug medication abortion regimen. Medication is the most common form of abortion in the U.S. — accounting for about 63% in 2023.
If the FDA doesn’t reverse approval of mifepristone, Project 2025 has several recommendations for the drug. One is implementing new rules for the medication, including returning to a policy that would require that it be provided in person, and outlaw its distribution by mail.
The project also calls for the Justice Department to enforce the 1873 Comstock Act — which bans the mailing of “obscene” materials — on mifepristone.
The plan proposes withholding federal money from states that don’t report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention how many abortions occur in their states. It also says the statistics should be separated by category, including spontaneous miscarriage, treatments that incidentally result in fetal death (such as chemotherapy), stillbirths and “induced abortion.”
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis: “On Page 455, Project 2025 says that states have to report miscarriages to the Trump administration.”
True.
Project 2025 says the CDC abortion surveillance and maternal mortality reporting systems are inadequate and calls for “accurate and reliable statistical data.”
Trump’s campaign was not involved in the document’s creation and has distanced itself from the project. The project manual is styled as recommendations for an incoming 2025 Republican administration.
Page 455 of the document calls for the Health and Human Services Department to “use every available tool, including the cutting of funds, to ensure that every state reports exactly how many abortions take place within its borders, at what gestational age of the child, for what reason, the mother’s state of residence, and by what method.”
It also says the statistics should be separated by category, including spontaneous miscarriage, treatments that incidentally result in fetal death (such as chemotherapy), stillbirths and “induced abortion.”
Comedian Kenan Thompson: “Page 319 calls for the complete elimination of the Department of Education.”
True.
Project 2025 says federal education policy “should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated.” The plan scales back the federal government’s role in education policy and devolves the functions that remain to other agencies.
Aside from eliminating the department, the project also proposes scrapping the Biden administration’s Title IX revision, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It also would let states opt out of federal education programs and calls for passing a federal parents’ bill of rights similar to ones passed in some Republican-led state legislatures.
PolitiFact Chief Correspondent Louis Jacobson, Senior Correspondent Amy Sherman, Staff Writers Grace Abels, Kwasi Asiedu, Madison Czopek, Samantha Putterman, Sara Swann, Loreben Tuquero and Maria Ramirez Uribe and Researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this story.
Our convention fact-checks rely on both new and previously reported work. We link to past work whenever possible. In some cases, a fact-check rating may be different tonight than in past versions. In those cases, either details of what the candidate said, or how the candidate said it, differed enough that we evaluated it anew.
As we head into Week 0 of the college football schedule, which team is on top of the UAC? We break it all down below in our newly updated power rankings.
Watch college football all season long on Fubo, ESPN+ and Paramount+.
UAC Power Rankings
Projected records reflect games against only FCS opponents.
No. 1: Tarleton State
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 8-2
Strength of Schedule Ranking (FCS): 62nd
Next Game
Week 0 Opponent: McNeese
Game Time: 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, August 24
TV Channel: ESPN (Watch on Fubo – Regional restrictions may apply)
No. 2: Southern Utah
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 7-2
Strength of Schedule Ranking (FCS): 39th
Next Game
No. 3: Central Arkansas
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 9-1
Strength of Schedule Ranking (FCS): 13th
Catch college football action all year long on ESPN+.
Next Game
No. 4: Austin Peay
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 8-2
Strength of Schedule Ranking (FCS): 48th
Next Game
No. 5: Eastern Kentucky
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 5-4
Strength of Schedule Ranking (FCS): 24th
Next Game
No. 6: Abilene Christian
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 3-7
Strength of Schedule Ranking (FCS): 54th
Bet on this or any college football matchup at BetMGM.
Next Game
No. 7: North Alabama
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 3-7
Strength of Schedule Ranking (FCS): 23rd
Next Game
Week 0 Opponent: Southeast Missouri State
Game Time: 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, August 24
TV Channel: ESPN (Watch on Fubo – Regional restrictions may apply)
No. 8: Utah Tech
Current Record: 0-0 | Projected 2024 Record: 0-10
Strength of Schedule Ranking (FCS): 10th
Next Game
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Today we’d like to introduce you to Gelcys Basulto .
It’s an honor to speak with you today. Why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. How did you get to where you are today?
When I was 16 my mom was diagnosed with MS. At that time that disease was fairly new and I didn’t understand what it was. I wanted to know how she got it, how I could help her, and how can I prevent from getting it. I changed my whole lifestyle at such a young age . Fast forward to now, I’m 43 and I’m still living a healthy lifestyle. I want to help people pursue a healthier lifestyle but don’t know where to begin.
I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?
I left my hometown when I got married. I had to start over in a sense. No family or friends and I would get homesick. I became a stay at home and that was challenging since I always worked. At this time in my life my mom’s MS became debilitating. My dad couldn’t take care of her by himself anymore. I suggested that they move in with us so I can help and they did. During that time kids were in school and I was anxious to start a new career but wasn’t sure what to do. I prayed a lot. I prayed for wisdom and asked him what is my purpose here. I prayed a lot. God’ started to give me visions. My first vision was to start a nonprofit for Children; I did just that. Giuliana’s Playroom (named after my daughter) is a nonprofit geared towards education. We donate books to children in need. We set up books fairs in schools where students can take home books to keep. This kept me busy but by far not a career. I prayed more and God gave me my next vision, become a Health and Wellness Coach. While my mom was dying I was her caretaker. I was blessed to be by her side until the end. After she passed I pushed forward and opened up A Journey To Wellness. AJTW started off with a few products and me coaching. I later changed the name to All Things Organic Boutique.
Let’s talk about the work you do. What do you specialize in and why should someone work with you over the competition?
I’m a Health and Wellness Coach and have lived a healthy lifestyle for over 20 years. In those 20 plus years I’ve researched ingredients so I know what is good for your body and what you should avoid. I hand pick every product in my boutique based on high quality of organic ingredients and the products actually work.
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life?
God gave each and everyone talents. Figure out what your talents are. Nurture them daily. Whichever one you are the most passionate about and aligns with your God given purpose. That’s what you should be focused on and success will come.
Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you?
Success for me means happiness and being content no matter where you are or what you are doing.
What’s next for you?
I would like to grow my online store and open up another store. I’d like to write a book one day too from expanding on my blog posts I’ve done over the years.
Finally, how can people connect with you if they want to learn more?
I have my website www.ajourneytowellness.org @ajourneytowellnesswithgelcys FB & Insta @allthingsorganicboutique FB & Insta www.allthingsorganicboutique.com
Most of us get the big things right: Don’t touch fire, wrestle alligators, or play in traffic. But beneath these necessary survival strategies, we are boundless reservoirs of delusion.
While many of our unmoored beliefs are specific to us – I seem to be the only person who thinks I have a beautiful singing voice – some are universal. Chief among these is the claim: I’m my own worst critic.
Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, Wikimedia Commons
Instead, we cut ourselves slack at every turn. I have a million reasons why I fell down on the job and disappointed my pals. You see, it’s like this … But woe to the other guy who falls short. Come on, man, stop making excuses.
We instinctively make ourselves the hero of our own story, concocting tales to convert our vices into virtue. This dynamic is ever at work in each of us. On the plus side, if we don’t love ourselves, who will?
But delusion can also grip us on a mass scale – it is the great danger of ideology and fuels the madness of crowds.
We are seeing this unfold with terrible consequence as the dominant media betrays the very foundations of journalism – starting with demanding that only certain leaders answer questions – to transfigure Kamala Harris into a combination of Rosa Parks, Franklin Roosevelt, and Beyoncé.
Their partisanship is so manifold and manifest that it has created a cottage industry in conservative media, which creates terabytes of content each day exposing the false narratives and double standards advanced by Democrats and their laptop lackeys. Such debunking is necessary and important. But there’s a bit of delusion at work here, too: Despite all evidence to the contrary the critics somehow believe their fact-checking and truth-telling will pressure the propagandists into changing their ways.
It won’t. They are impervious to challenge. They are beyond shame.
How come? To figure out why they persist in this untoward conduct, daily compromising the values of skepticism, fairness, and bringing truth to power that they say they hold dear, we need to ask: What higher value do they believe they are serving? What do they tell themselves so they can see their corruption as heroic?
The answer is obvious: They sincerely believe that Donald Trump is an existential threat to democracy, an American Hitler. If that’s the case, why would you give him a fair shake or hold his opponents’ feet to the fire?
I know this explanation is not revelatory; the Hitler analogy has been critiqued for years. But I’m not so sure that we have fully reckoned with how deeply a large percentage of the nation is in the grip of this delusion.
Displaying textbook symptoms of the addled, they insist that falsehoods are truths. Despite unimpeachable evidence to the contrary, they continue to maintain that Trump conspired with Vladimir Putin to steal the 2016 election, that he called all Mexicans rapists, praised neo-Nazi marchers at Charlottesville, advised Americans to inject bleach to combat COVID, and promised a “bloodbath” if he loses in November.
They are not lying when they make these claims – they sincerely believe they are expressing truths the rest of us just can’t see. This makes them immune to reason.
Echoing multiple conversations I’ve had with educated and engaged Democrats, a respected plastic surgeon recently told me, “If Trump wins, we will not have any more elections.”
He saw Jan. 6, 2021, as a dress rehearsal for the coming coup – never mind that Trump left office peaceably two weeks later. When I asked him how Trump might pull this off, he said the former president would declare a national emergency and GOP leaders would rally to his call for martial law, rounding up and jailing those who oppose him.
I pushed him again, to explain how all this might work. “Let’s say Trump and his Republican allies truly want to cross that Rubicon,” I said. “They couldn’t do it alone, right? They would probably need the Supreme Court, many state leaders, and the military to come on board. Do you really think the armed forces would support the overthrow of the Constitution?”
He didn’t respond. “Most important,” I said, “he would need the backing of his voters. Do you really believe that half the American people think ending elections and jailing untold numbers of people is fine and dandy?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Okey, dokey,” I said, switching the conversation to my concerns about the New York Yankees’ starting pitching.
His last comment suggested the dangerous depth of the delusion so many Democrats take for reality. They don’t just see Trump, but the other half of America as an existential threat to our Republic. Maybe they will defeat Hitler this November, but what to do with his tens of millions of brown-shirts?
Extreme times will require more extreme measures – more coercion, more censorship, more abrogation of rights in the name of liberty. They will heroically destroy our country in order to save it.
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This article was originally published by RealClearPolitics and made available via RealClearWire.
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(TLB) publishded this article by J. Peder Zane via RealClear Politics with permission and our appreciation for this perspective
Header featured image (edited) credit: Harris/Watz/Pete Kiehart for NBC News
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BLOUNT COUNTY, Ala. (TCN) — A 60-year-old doctor was sentenced this week after he previously pleaded guilty to trying to meet an underage patient for sex and asking to be her “sugar daddy.”
According to WIAT-TV, a judge sentenced Dr. Janaki Earla to 15 years in prison, though only three of them will be served with him incarcerated. He also received three years of probation. If he violates the terms of his probation, he could go back to prison for the rest of his 15-year sentence. In addition, Earla will be deported back to his home country of India following his release.
AL.com reports the teen victim was a patient of Earla’s on Oct. 4, 2022. He reportedly placed a stethoscope on her breasts and complimented the girl’s beauty. He got the teen’s cellphone number and told her, “You can text me whenever you feel like.”
The teen told her mother, who then contacted the Blount County Sheriff’s Office. On Oct. 5, 2022, Earla texted her again and asked her to “please promise me that you won’t tell anyone. I mean it.” AL.com reports Earla wrote, “Let’s keep it a secret and I won’t tell anything to anyone I promise. I respect your mom and dad, and this is between you and me.”
Blount County investigators took control of the teen’s phone and pretended to be the victim while communicating with Earla. During one of those messages, he offered to be her “sugar daddy” and sent a definition of the term. When the investigator who was posing as the teen asked if Earla was her sugar daddy, he replied, “Yes. Love you baby.”
Earla said he wanted the teen to “play with me and own me” and treat him like a “lover.”
AL.com reports he wrote, “I took a risk and asked you to be my sugar baby. I was afraid to say, and you may freak out. I am a middle-aged sad man and you’re a bubbly senior in high school and about to [go to] college and one of my friends said that he had a sugar baby who is also a senior in school and she made a big difference in his life, and they had fun together and said that you will see a huge, nice experience.”
Earla and the investigators pretending to be the teen arranged a rendezvous for Oct. 11, 2022. He said he was going to bring condoms, pizza, money, and alcohol. When Earla showed up to a hotel, he was approached by deputies and other law enforcement agencies. Earla reportedly confessed and was charged with possession of child pornography in December 2022.
WIAT reports Earla pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of obscene material depicting a child under the age of 17 and one count of first-degree human trafficking.
MORE:
Former Trussville doctor who tried to be teen patient’s ‘sugar daddy’ sentenced for human trafficking, child porn – AL.com
Former Trussville doctor who tried to meet 17-year-old patient for sex sentenced to 3 years behind bars – WIAT
Ala. doctor accused of sex trafficking teen patient and offering to be her ‘sugar daddy’, 10/14/2022 – TCN
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks often about his family’s struggle with fertility. He’s also accused his vice presidential opponent, Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, and other Republicans, of wanting to end in vitro fertilization treatments, commonly known as IVF.
Vance, who opposes abortion, has said he supports continued access to IVF treatments.
IVF was thrust into the political spotlight in February after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are people, and that someone could be held liable for destroying them. Amid the already heated debate about abortion rights, reproductive rights advocates worried that Republican states would also move to limit access to the treatments.
Walz has tied the IVF discussion to his family’s fertility challenges.
But in speaking about IVF — a treatment that involves collecting mature eggs from ovaries and fertilizing them with sperm in a lab — Walz has at times made statements that have given the impression that he and his wife started their family using IVF, including in his inaugural remarks as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate. But the Walzes used another fertility treatment called IUI, or intrauterine insemination, which is often a precursor to IVF for patients.
“Today’s IVF day. Thank God for IVF, my wife and I have two beautiful children,” Walz said in a July interview on MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki.”
“If it was up to him (J.D. Vance) I wouldn’t have a family because of IVF,” Walz said in a video clip shared online Aug. 9 by the Harris-Walz campaign. “My kids were born through that way,” said Walz, who was speaking in an interview on the “Pod Save America” podcast in July before Harris chose him as her running mate.
The New York Times reported that in April, the Tim Walz for Governor campaign office sent out a fundraising letter in an envelope that said, “My wife and I used I.V.F. to start a family.”
In Walz’s March State of the State speech in Minnesota, Walz called the Alabama Supreme Court’s IVF ruling that frozen embryos can be considered children “a direct attack on our family. It was a direct attack on my children.”
In speeches after Harris chose him as her running mate, Walz made comments that could be read either as the couple having IVF treatments, or that they had nonspecific fertility treatments.
In Walz’s first speech after Harris chose him as her running mate, Aug. 6 in Philadelphia, he said Republicans should mind their own business when it comes to people’s personal choices. “Look, that includes IVF, and this gets personal for me and my family,” he said. “When my wife and I decided to have children, we spent years going through infertility treatments.”
Walz made similar comments in speeches in Glendale, Arizona, Detroit and Eau Clarie, Wisconsin, saying IVF was personal to him and describing the couple’s experience with fertility treatments.
Other times, Walz has referred only to his family having fertility treatments or treatments “like IVF.”
In a Feb. 25 Facebook post, Walz wrote, “Gwen and I have two beautiful children because of reproductive health care like IVF. This issue is deeply personal to our family and so many others.”
In a March 13 X post, Walz wrote, “My wife and I went through fertility treatments for seven years. It’s no coincidence that we named our daughter Hope. Reproductive care like IVF is personal — to our family and so many others. We’re going to make sure it stays protected in Minnesota.”
At an Aug. 10 Las Vegas rally, Walz said IVF and reproductive care are personal to him, and he spoke about a nurse coming over to give fertility shots to his wife. Both IVF and IUI treatments can require a patient to receive injectable medication.
At an Aug. 17 speech in Omaha, Nebraska, Walz said, “When my wife and I decided we wanted to have kids, we spent years in fertility treatments.”
In two separate news interviews in March and August, Walz referred to the couple receiving fertility treatments at the Mayo Clinic, but didn’t specify what kind of treatments.
In an Aug. 19 Glamour article, Gwen Walz, his wife, described the couple’s fertility issues and said they used IUI treatments.
In this 2018 file photo, a container with frozen embryos and sperm stored in liquid nitrogen is removed at a fertility clinic in Fort Myers, Fla. (AP)
How do IVF and IUI compare?
IUI is another common fertility treatment that increases the chance of pregnancy by injecting sperm directly into the uterus at the time of ovulation. Oftentimes, doctors will start patients on IUI treatments before escalating to IVF, as it’s less invasive and less expensive.
IUI does not involve frozen embryos, as do IVF treatments. Some abortion opponents are opposed to IVF treatments because frozen embryos not used can be destroyed.
Gwen Walz said in a statement shared with PolitiFact that she and her husband had kept their fertility treatments to themselves, but decided to discuss them publicly after seeing “extreme attacks on reproductive health care across the country,” particularly in Alabama.
After the Glamour article was published, Vance accused Walz of lying about using IVF. “Who lies about something like that,” he wrote in an Aug. 20 X post, sharing a video the Harris-Walz campaign had shared of Tim Walz speaking on the “Pod Save America” podcast.
Harris campaign spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg told PolitiFact in a statement that “Governor Walz talks how normal people talk. He was using commonly understood shorthand for fertility treatments.”
Ehrenberg said, “Infertility is a deeply personal journey, but the Governor and Mrs. Walz came forward to share their story because they know that MAGA attacks on reproductive rights are putting all fertility treatments at risk.”
Fertility doctors PolitiFact interviewed said patients often conflate the terms IVF and IUI.
It’s “incredibly common,” said Dr. Eve Feinberg, a Northwestern Medical Group Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility specialist. “And I would say especially for the male partner. Their role is the same in both, they provide sperm. So I often find that male partners use the terms interchangeably.”
Dr. Leah Roberts, a reproductive specialist at Boca Fertility in Florida, also said her patients often use the term “IVF” to mean other fertility treatments.
“Most people who are not OBGYNs even, most people who are even physicians, or people in the general United States will often conflate the two,” Roberts said.
Roberts said most people undergoing IVF treatments today are actually undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection, a type of IVF treatment.
“A lot of this does come down to semantics, where the general population will use IVF to mean anything done in a reproductive endocrinologist’s office for infertility care,” Roberts said.
Roberts said once patients are done with their treatments, it’s easier to just tell people they had IVF rather than explain IUI to others.
“If you say IVF, people generally will understand that you went through infertility treatments without getting into the nitty-gritty of exactly how, when and where your children were conceived,” Roberts said.
Reproductive rights advocates argue abortion restrictions could also threaten IUI availability
Ryan Stitzlein, vice president of political and government relations for Reproductive Freedom for All, an abortions rights group that supports the Harris-Walz campaign, said if IVF clinics were forced to close, access to IUI treatments could be limited.
“They’re the same clinics; they’re the same doctors they’re going after,” Stitzlein said, noting that some Alabama fertility clinics shut down after the court ruling.
Feinberg agreed with Stitzlein, saying that an IVF ban would limit access for IUI treatments because fertility specialists perform the majority of treatments.
“So, if IVF becomes illegal and the clinics shut down, then it’s going to severely restrict access for all,” Feinberg said.
Roberts said fewer fertility clinics would mean less access to IUI treatments. Whether a law banning IVF would affect IUI directly, would depend on how the law was written, she said, but warned that laws can often have broader ramifications than lawmakers intend.
Roberts added it wasn’t common for people in Walz’s generation to discuss fertility treatments, and credited them for speaking out now.
“We should just encourage everybody to talk about it and address it and realize that 1 in 6 couples have infertility, and so it’s more common than people may realize,” Roberts said.
Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, Wikimedia Commons
