Making a Single Change Can Cut Your Microplastics Intake From 90,000 to 4,000 Particles per Year

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. . .Microplastics are everywhere — in the beauty products we wear, the cleaning supplies we use and even in the food we eat. Research suggests that these particles, smaller than a grain of rice, can harm reproductive, digestive and respiratory health, potentially leading to colon and lung cancer.

In a new scientific paper, three physicians report that switching from bottled water to filtered tap water could cut your microplastic intake by about 90% — from 90,000 to 4,000 particles each year.

“Given the widespread presence of microplastics in the environment, completely eliminating exposure is unrealistic. A more practical approach is to reduce the most significant sources of microplastic intake,” the researchers wrote this week in the Genomic Press.

This advice may be tough to swallow. Bottled water was America’s favorite packaged drink last year, according to industry data, with 16.2 billion gallons consumed, a 2% increase from 2023.

Microplastic exposure occurs when particles break off from the bottle’s inner surface and enter the water, particularly when the bottle is squeezed or exposed to heat. (Read more from “Making a Single Change Can Cut Your Microplastics Intake From 90,000 to 4,000 Particles per Year” HERE)

Popular Over-The-Counter Drug Can Slow the Spread of Breast, Bowel and Prostate Cancers

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Breast cancer rates are on the rise for women under 40 in the US, with recent research showing they have increased by more than 0.5% per year in 21 states.

Additionally, prostate cancer rates have increased by 2% to 3% annually, and colon cancer rates have risen by 1% to 2% per year among individuals younger than 55, data shows.

Now, a new study has identified one popular drug as a potential agent in slowing the progression of certain cancers — including those of the breast, bowel and prostate — and the best part is that it’s available over the counter.

Aspirin can help the immune system fight cancer spread by blocking a chemical (TXA2), made by blood platelets, that would otherwise weaken the body’s T cells, which are important for attacking cancer cells, the study found.

Previous research has indicated that aspirin has the potential to slow the progression of some cancers.

A 2021 analysis that reviewed 13 studies with over 140,000 breast cancer patients found that aspirin use was linked to a 31% reduction in breast cancer-specific mortality and a 9% decrease in recurrence or metastasis risk. (Read more from “Popular Over-The-Counter Drug Can Slow the Spread of Breast, Bowel and Prostate Cancers” HERE)

CNN Steps On A Rake After ‘Fact-Checking’ Trump’s ‘Transgender Mice’ Funding Claim

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CNN issued a correction after the network inaccurately asserted that President Donald Trump “falsely claimed” the Biden administration spent $8 million to make mice transgender.

During his joint address to Congress on Tuesday, Trump cited several examples of “appalling waste” he had cut, including $8.2 million in NIH-funded studies on “gender-affirming” hormone treatments mice. CNN’s Deidre McPhillips initially tried to dispute the claim, arguing only about $500,000 had been allocated for similar research in monkeys — she was later forced to issue a correction after the White House proved CNN’s “fact check” inaccurate in a statement.

“Last night, President Donald J. Trump highlighted many of the egregious examples of waste, fraud and abuse funded by the American taxpayers, including $8 million spent by the Biden Administration ‘for making mice transgender,’” the White House statement reads. “The Fake News losers at CNN immediately tried to fact check it, but President Trump was right (as usual).”

“Trump falsely claimed that the Department of Government Efficiency identified government spending of ‘$8 million for making mice transgender,’” CNN’s original fact check read.

The White House then released a statement listing six NIH grants for studies on hormone treatments in mice, a combined total of $8,290,053. The Biden-era grants included $455,000 to study “gender-affirming hormone therapy on HIV-vaccine induced immune responses, $2.5 million to study the reproductive consequences of hormone therapy, $299,940 to study testosterone therapy on breast cancer risk and treatment outcomes, $735,113 to study the effects of hormone therapy on mouse microbiomes, $1.2 million to study “androgen effects on the reproductive neuroendocrine axis” and $3.1 million to study hormones as mediators of sex influences in asthma. All listed studies involved hormonal replacement in mice. (Read more from “CNN Steps On A Rake After ‘Fact-Checking’ Trump’s ‘Transgender Mice’ Funding Claim” HERE)

Trump Has ‘Sidelined’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio

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President Donald Trump “has effectively sidelined” Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is often out of the loop when major foreign policy decisions are made, according to Vanity Fair.

The outlet published a report by Gabriel Sherman on Tuesday, stating that Rubio is privately “frustrated” that as the nation’s top diplomat, he is often not consulted on foreign affairs. Just last Friday, Rubio was in the Oval Office during a tense exchange between Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump and Vance berated Zelensky, whom the vice president called “disrespectful.” Rubio appeared visibly uncomfortable during the conversation, but later that day went on CNN and praised Trump.

Vanity Fair reported:

While Rubio was quick to get in line in the days after the Zelenskyy showdown, the historic confrontation did indeed reveal a fault line inside the administration: Rubio is privately frustrated that Trump has effectively sidelined him. According to four prominent Republicans close to the White House, Rubio, who has been a Russia hawk and Ukraine supporter, has told people he is upset by his lack of foreign policy influence despite being, on paper at least, the administration’s top diplomat. One of the sources said they felt as though Rubio is often the last to know when foreign policy decisions are made in the White House.

(Read more from “Trump Has ‘Sidelined’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio” HERE)

The Dems’ Reaction to Trump’s Speech Was as Expected, but What the Hell Was This?

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The Democrats’ reaction to President Trump’s first address to Congress since the 2024 election wasn’t out of the ordinary for these surly, puerile mental invalids. Yet, when you can’t cheer for law enforcement, that’s a problem. It’s baffling when you can’t cheer for someone accepting to West Point. But when you refuse to clap or stand for a 13-year-old with cancer who wants to be a police officer, it’s deplorable.

What the hell is your problem? In the words of the late Gunnery Seargent Hartman, “What is your major malfunction, numbnuts? Didn’t mommy and daddy show you enough attention when you were a child?”

(Read more from “The Dems’ Reaction to Trump’s Speech Was as Expected, but What the Hell Was This?” HERE)

UK, France to Craft Ukraine Peace Plan to Present to USA

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UK Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer said ahead of a Lancaster House summit on Sunday that Britain and France will work to craft a Ukraine ceasefire deal that would be presented to the United States.

Echoing the language of former U.S. President George W. Bush, the Labour Party leader said that London and Paris will seek to build a “coalition of the willing” to enforce a peace in Ukraine.

The UK and France have already committed to sending troops into the former Eastern bloc nation to act as peacekeepers, but other European nations, notably Italy, Germany, and Poland, have so far shot down the idea.

“We’ve got to find those countries in Europe that are prepared to be a bit more forward-leaning,” Prime Minister Starmer said per The Telegraph.

“I’m not criticising anyone here, but rather than move at the pace of every single member, every single country in Europe, which would in the end be quite a slow pace, I do think we’ve got to probably get to a coalition of the willing now.” (Read more from “UK, France to Craft Ukraine Peace Plan to Present to USA” HERE)

F-16 Fighter Jets Scramble Near Trump’s Florida Home as Numerous Aircraft Violate Airspace

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F-16 fighter jets scrambled Saturday near President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home after multiple aircraft violated restricted airspace in a short time span, sparking an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service.

“NORAD F-16s intercepted 3 civilian aircraft violating airspace restrictions over Palm Beach, FL today,” the North American Aerospace Defense Command said on X.

“Flares were deployed during two intercepts. All aircraft were safely escorted out of the area. Reminder: Always check FAA NOTAMs!” . . .

The violations occurred within a short period of time, with the3 first at 11:05 a.m., the second at 12:10 p.m., and the third at 12:50 p.m.

Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander of NORAD and the U.S. Northern Command, stated: “NORAD and the FAA work closely together to keep the skies over America safe, with close attention paid to areas with Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR).

(Read more from “F-16 Fighter Jets Scramble Near Trump’s Florida Home as Numerous Aircraft Violate Airspace” HERE)

Pete Hegseth Just Obliterated Hillary Clinton

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth didn’t hold back when he responded to twice-failed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s recent remarks accusing him of “cowering to Vladimir Putin.” The former Fox News host fiercely defended his stance, calling out Clinton’s baseless attack and making it clear that his views on Russia are rooted in a pragmatic, America-first approach. Hegseth’s fiery rebuttal shot down Clinton’s claims, with him pointing to the need for a more strategic, measured approach to dealing with global threats.

On Sunday, Clinton took to social media to taunt Hegseth, sharing an article from Gizmodo titled, “Trump’s Defense Secretary Hegseth Orders Cyber Command to ‘Stand Down’ on All Russia Operations.” . . .

Attached to her X post, Clinton wrote, “Wouldn’t want to hurt Putin’s feelings.”

On Sunday, Clinton took to social media to taunt Hegseth, sharing an article from Gizmodo titled, “Trump’s Defense Secretary Hegseth Orders Cyber Command to ‘Stand Down’ on All Russia Operations.”

In response, Hegseth posted a photo of then-Secretary of State Clinton attempting to “reset” relations with Russia.

(Read more from “Pete Hegseth Just Obliterated Hillary Clinton” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Mike Pence Stokes Backlash for Calling Pope Francis ‘Holy Father,’ Posting Anti-Trump Op-Ed

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Former Vice President Mike Pence drew criticism over the weekend for a Friday X post in which he referred to Pope Francis as “the Holy Father,” prompting some to accuse him of affirming Roman Catholicism despite being an outspoken Evangelical Protestant.

“One of my greatest honors as Vice President was the hour I spent with Pope Francis at the Vatican in January 2020,” Pence tweeted. “[Karen Pence] and I join Catholics around the world Praying for this humble and godly man. God Bless the Holy Father.” . .

Pence was raised Roman Catholic but later left the Catholic Church to become an Evangelical when he was in college, according to a profile in The New York Times. . .

“‘Holy Father’?? Remember when the evangelical establishment chided us all about not giving the seriousness of Pence’s Protestant faith due respect…,” tweeted author and Daily Wire reporter Megan Basham.

Pence’s papal tweet came the same day he drew backlash for tweeting an op-ed by the Editorial Board of the Wall Street Journal titled “Putin Wins the Trump-Zelensky Oval Office Spectacle.” (Read more from “Mike Pence Stokes Backlash for Calling Pope Francis ‘Holy Father,’ Posting Anti-Trump Op-Ed” HERE)

New Law Makes State First To Axe Transgender Protections From Civil Rights Code

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Republican Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law Friday a bill expunging transgender protections from the state’s civil rights code, making the Hawkeye State the first in the nation to do so.

The bill specifies gender will be considered in state law as synonymous with biological sex rather than gender identity. In addition, people with sexual developmental disorders — including persons with intersex traits — would be afforded legal protections that cover people with disabilities. The terms “gender” and “gender identity” were also struck out in the bill.

Distinctions in state law based on sex apply to various spaces including detention facilities, locker rooms and restrooms, and align with the state government’s “objectives of protecting the health, safety, and privacy of the persons in these contexts.” Furthermore, surgeries to remove sex organs or hormonal treatments affecting biological sex would no longer be grounds for state approval of a new birth certificate for Iowans, according to the bill.

The bill — first introduced Feb. 24, 2025 as the culmination of years-long Republican-led efforts to protect women and girls — goes into effect July 1, 2025, The Associated Press (AP) reported. A similar effort by Reynolds in 2024 did not reach the voting stage at the Iowa House or Senate.

All Iowa House and Senate Democrats voted against the bill, according to AP. Five Iowa House Republicans joined them. (Read more from “New Law Makes State First To Axe Transgender Protections From Civil Rights Code” HERE)