Joe Jaquint host one of the longest running financial radio programs in the country delivering economics with attitude with news to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed.
Joe Jaquint host one of the longest running financial radio programs in the country delivering economics with attitude with news to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed.
Featuring Joe Jaquint & Jason Walker
Featuring Joe Jaquint & Jason Walker
Joe Jaquint host one of the longest running financial radio programs in the country delivering economics with attitude with news to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed.
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Kevin Lorusso
Despite the world being “back to normal” after the pandemic, news has broken that All-NBA forward Paul George will miss tonight’s Clippers’ game due to health and safety protocols. The Clippers forward is believed to have COVID-19. George did not feel well Thursday and underwent testing. That is a massive development less than 12 hours before the game is to be tipped off. This is a massive blow to the teams considering the Los Angeles Clippers were unable to clinch their playoff spot, losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night. That forced them into the win-or-go-home game against the New Orleans Pelicans Friday night. Will they be able to pull a win tonight with George on the bench?
Clippers’ Star Guard Missing Game Spells Trouble for Team
As those Twitter users point out, the Clippers played 82 games and finished six games ahead of the Pelicans for the eighth seed. Now, they are likely to be eliminated. The Clippers have seen a large number of injuries this season. George missed 51 games earlier this season. He was out for three months with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He returned for five regular-season games, and the Clippers have won six of their last eight with a healthy George in the lineup. He averaged 24.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists this season. He had 34 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists in the team’s 109-104 loss at Minnesota in the play-in game for the seventh spot on Tuesday.
The Clippers are still without Kawhi Leonard (with no word when he will be back from his injury) and George has already missed most of the season as well. Just as soon as it looked like the Clippers had turned a corner with the return of George, he is now once again absent, and for the biggest game of the year.Other fans simply had takeaways of all shapes and sizes. “This is another challenge for our group,” Lawrence Frank said at the team shootaround. “The group has dealt with challenges all year. We’ve had guys in and out of the lineup and dealt with overcoming large deficits and yet this group has always responded. A very resilient group. We have a great deal of faith and a talented and deep roster and have a great coach in Ty Lue.”
Clippers’ Paul George’s to be Absent from Playoffs
Frank said the team is following the NBA’s lead when it comes to health and safety protocols. “This is a challenge but it has just been a series of challenges and may be fitting that this is a situation where all those reps and experiences that the group has had, they have been in these moments many, many times before this year.” There is no clear word for the rest of the team but the game is still expected to occur. Regardless of which team they might be rooting for, the real loser is the fans. Tonight should have been showcasing two of the best scorers in basketball, with CJ McCollum and Paul George. The Clippers will need Norman Powell and Robert Covington if they want to continue playing.
With Paul George being taken out of the game due to COVID it begs the question: Why does everything seem to be going back to normal if people are still getting COVID? If things are back so “back to normal” why is this still an issue? Do you believe COVID is the real reason George won’t be playing in tonight’s game? How “back to normal” do you believe the world truly is?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Aurora will soon become the first city in Colorado to exempt diapers from local sales tax since the City Council approved the measure Monday night. The measure passed on a 6-3 vote, with council members Zvonek, Danielle Jurinsky, and Angela Lawson voting against the ordinance. Council member Zvonek said he understood the desire to help residents with rising costs, but he’d prefer a more comprehensive “across-the-board reduction,” rather than what he called a carve-out, to help residents keep more money in their pockets and the city be more competitive.
What Does The New Aurora Ordinance Do?
Council member Curtis Gardner brought forward the ordinance this year after successfully passing a city sales tax exemption on menstrual products he sponsored last year. City research shows that no other city in the state has adopted a measure to exempt diapers from local sales taxes. The ordinance will take effect June 1 and applies to infant diapers as well as adult incontinence products. The ordinance exempts those items from the city’s sales tax of 3.75%. It would cost the city about $575,000 in revenue per year, according to a staff analysis. A statewide measure is also moving through the legislature to exempt menstrual products and diapers from the state sales tax, but that won’t affect local taxes unless councils like Aurora make that change. Denver, for example, already exempts menstrual products from its city taxes.
Why Did Aurora Exempt Diapers From Sales Tax?
In 2019, Aurora-based WeeCycle, which operates a diaper bank program, donated 237,000 diapers to families in need. In 2021, that number shot up to 1.1 million (with support from state funding), “still only scraping the surface of the need that exists in our state,” said Development Director Lindsey Zaback. Many less fortunate families were forced to send their kids to school with napkins or plastic bags taped to them in place of diapers or feminine hygiene products.
When Curtis Gardner heard from school districts and community groups about families who couldn’t afford diapers and menstrual products, he tried to do something about it. “Diapers kind of fall under the same category (as feminine hygiene products) in terms of they’re a necessary product,” Gardner said in an interview. “We exempt groceries, we exempt other medical supplies, and so to me, diapers, are the same kind of thing. …I thought it was a good way to signal that we want to help families in our city.” Seniors on a fixed income who may struggle to buy supplies they need could also be positively impacted by this new ordinance.
Do Conservatives Back the New Aurora Ordinance?
The Aurora ordinance was passed with support from conservative and progressive members of the City Council. However, Gardner says he was “flabbergasted” that he wasn’t able to convince all his fellow conservative members to get on board. “I really don’t understand why there’s pushback on helping families in our city. It’s been pointed out that costs continue to rise. It’s been pointed out that we exempt other products, and yet we are drawing the line in the sand here,” he said. “It seems to me if there was a sales tax cut that came forward for developers I bet you we’d pass that in no time. But for whatever reason, when we have an opportunity to help families in our city, there’s a lot of hesitance to do that.”
Council member Zvonek said, “I don’t believe that this is good policy. It might be good politics, maybe. But I think it’s bad policy.” Is this policy a bad policy? Do you think the new Aurora Ordinance exempting diapers from sales tax will have a negative effect in some way? Would the possible negatives outweigh the good it could do for struggling families and seniors? The only way to know for sure is to watch the situation unfold and see what follows.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Former President Donald Trump is publicly endorsing Dr. Mehmet Oz, a Turkish-American TV physician, for the Republican U.S. Senate primary race in Pennsylvania. Trump made his endorsement public during a North Carolina rally. “This is all about winning elections in order to stop the Radical Left maniacs from destroying our country,” Trump said in a statement promoting the celebrity heart surgeon-turned-politician this weekend. “I have known Dr. Oz for many years, as have many others, even if only through his very successful television show. He has lived with us through the screen and has always been popular, respected, and smart.” The former president also praised Dr. Oz’s medical and academic credentials. Trump’s endorsement of Dr. Oz has ignited fury and ridicule among Trump supporters, republicans, and conservatives.
Why Are Trump Supporters Angry At Dr. Oz endorsement?
Trump supporters believe that Oz, who has ever-changing feelings about abortion, isn’t a trustworthy “America First” Republican candidate. Just one example of reasons conservatives don’t trust Dr. Oz, despite his many credentials, occurred in March 2011. According to the National Library of Medicine, Oz stated on his show that homeopathy could ease people’s aches and pains without the use of prescription medication. His guest, Russ Greenfield, MD, claimed homeopathy works, even in extremely dilute concentrations, when not a single molecule of the original drug remains. “The essence of the medication—oh, let’s say the spirit of the medication—is imbibed and it sends a message to the body to heal itself,” according to Greenfield. Oz stated, during the same show, that his family often uses homeopathic treatments.
During another show, Oz interviewed Dr. Mosaraf Ali, miracle healer to Sylvester Stallone, Prince Charles of England, and others. Most of the show focused on Dr. Ali’s use of iridology. According to this widely debunked theory, each part of the iris corresponds to a specific area of the body. This leads to a belief that a person’s state of health can be diagnosed by examining particular regions of the iris. After expressing his amazement at Dr. Ali’s diagnostic abilities, Oz stated, “I want to applaud Doctor Mosaraf Ali because these are ancient traditions and they have been around for centuries so who am I to dismiss them?” Oz’s frequent attempt to agree with guests, even when their theories have been debunked previously, makes conservatives fear this same mentality will be brought to his political career. Someone who has the ability to take a sure stance of their own on important topics is important to conservatives. Many conservatives and Trump supporters believe candidate Dave McCormick, who has ex-Trump administration official Hope Hicks by his side, is the better candidate. The former George W. Bush administration official’s resume closely fits the Republican mold. McCormick is also married to Dina Powell, a former Trump White House official.
What Have Trump Supporters Said About Dr. Oz Endorsement?
“I have enormous respect for President Trump. I was honored to have his endorsement in PA. Twice,” Sean Parnell, the former Trump-backed candidate, who dropped out of the race after abuse allegations surfaced from his ex-wife, wrote on Twitter. “But I’m disappointed by this. Oz is the antithesis of everything that made Trump the best president of my lifetime.” Conservative radio host Erick Erickson tweeted, “it’s like Donald Trump’s staff is sabotaging Trump by convincing him to make the worst possible endorsements.”
“This endorsement could divide MAGA in the only way that matters: he could lose America First conservatives over it,” Breitbart News’ Joel Pollak wrote.
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL), who is running for the Senate, but recently split with Trump over back-and-forth accusations of election interference, blames the Oz endorsement on Trump’s staff. “This is happening because Trump’s surrounded himself by staff who are on McConnell’s payroll & hostile to the MAGA agenda. Everybody telling Trump who to endorse in primaries works for The Swamp,” said Brooks. “They played him. Again.” Lesser-known pro-Trump media personalities also stepped into the fold, including Townhall columnist Kurt Schlichter, who wrote: “It’s pretty hard for me to fully express how disappointed in Trump I am for endorsing Oz.”
While many Republicans, conservatives, and Trump supporters has been bashing Dr. Oz’s endorsement from former president Trump, the doctor seems to have an ally in Fox News host Sean Hannity. “I am supporting his nomination to be the Republican candidate,” Hannity said in March. “I have known him for many, many years.” Dr. Oz has been a highly controversial figure over the last few years, especially during the pandemic. Do you believe Dr. Oz will make a good Republican candidate? Do you support or reject Trump’s endorsement of the TV physician?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Members of the Secret Service were placed on leave after receiving gifts from two men posing as federal agents. The two men posed as Department of Homeland Security officers in Washington tricking several members of the Secret Service, providing them with tens of thousands of dollars in gifts. The men provided members of the Secret Service and a Homeland Security employee rent-free apartments, iPhones, surveillance systems, a drone, a flat-screen television, a generator, and a case to store an assault rifle. Arian Taherzadeh and Haider Ali began their two-year scheme in February 2020. Both men appeared by videoconference on Thursday at a hearing in federal court in Washington. Mr. Ali held several visas that had been issued by Pakistan and Iran. Prosecutors said Mr. Ali told witnesses he had connections to the Inter-Services Intelligence in Pakistan. Joshua Rothstein, an assistant U.S. attorney, told the judge during the court proceeding on Thursday that both men are flight risks and should remain in custody. A detention hearing for both defendants, who did not enter pleas, is scheduled for Friday afternoon.
Postal Service Uncovers Two Men Posing As Federal Agents
The investigation of Taherzadeh and Ali began after a letter carrier with the United States Postal Service was assaulted in March at an apartment complex where the men had been living. A U.S. postal inspector went to the complex to interview the two men, who were witnesses. The men told the inspector they were investigators with the U.S. Special Police Investigation Unit undercover investigating gang-related activity, as well as the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Other residents of the building told the inspector the men had identified themselves as Homeland Security agents. According to those residents, the men used other apartment units in the building and drove around in black SUVs equipped with emergency lights that looked like official Homeland Security vehicles. Residents said Taherzadeh and Ali placed various pieces of surveillance equipment around the building and told residents they had access to everyone’s cellphones and personal information. The inspector reported the information to the Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General, which referred the case to the F.B.I.
Two Men Charged with Posing as Federal Agents
Taherzadeh, 40, and Ali, 35, were charged with one count of false impersonation of an officer of the United States, the affidavit said. Four members of the Secret Service have been placed on administrative leave while the case is being investigated, according to an affidavit filed in federal court in the District of Columbia. The F.B.I. arrested the men, both of whom are U.S. citizens, on Wednesday in Southeast Washington. “Taherzadeh and Ali have attempted to use their false and fraudulent affiliation with D.H.S. to ingratiate themselves with members of federal law enforcement and the defense community,” David Elias, an F.B.I. special agent, wrote in the affidavit. Elias did not say why the men carried out the impersonation.
One witness spoke of being recruited by Taherzadeh and Ali to be a Homeland Security employee and serve on a task force. As part of the recruitment process, the men shot the witness with an Airsoft rifle “to evaluate their pain tolerance and reaction,” Mr. Elias wrote.
The men told the witness, who was not identified in the affidavit, that they needed to conduct research “on an individual that provided support to the Department of Defense and intelligence community,” according to the affidavit. Federal prosecutors declined to give a motive or provide further information about the two men. Michelle Peterson, a federal public defender who represented both men, said they planned to ask to be released at the hearing on Friday. If convicted on the impersonation charge, they face up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Real Federal Agents Find Arsenal of Law Enforcement Equipment
Rothstein said investigators searched five apartments and several cars used by Taherzadeh and Ali. They found equipment and paraphernalia associated with law enforcement, including body armor, gas masks, zip ties, hand-held radios, a drone similar to ones used by S.W.A.T. teams, Homeland Security patches, 40 to 50 rounds of ammunition, weapon stocks, and documents that were stamped “law enforcement sensitive.” Taherzadeh often carried a Glock 19. He sent one Secret Service agent pictures of himself posing in front of a stack of large cases that are often used to carry firearms. He also sent an agent a photo that he claimed showed a training session for Homeland Security Investigations.“The investigation revealed that the photo Taherzadeh sent is a stock photo from the internet,” Mr. Elias wrote. “Although Mr. Taherzadeh was very outspoken about his job,” Mr. Elias wrote, “he claimed that he was part of a covert task force.”
The White House did not respond to a request for comment. In a statement, a spokesman for the Secret Service said that the agency was working with investigators and that the employees involved in the case had been restricted from accessing Secret Service facilities, equipment, and systems. “The Secret Service adheres to the highest levels of professional standards and conduct and will remain in active coordination with the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security,” the spokesman, Kang Lee, said. How could something like this go on for so long before it was detected? What security risks do these two men pose? How could not one, but two people with fake credentials, trick part of the secret service? How can we trust the security of the nation if we can’t trust the people who are supposed to protect us?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Governor Jared Polis, signed a bill into law creating a “fundamental right” to abortion, contraception, and other forms of “reproductive health-care rights.” The law creates rights for “a pregnant individual,” explicitly denying rights for the unborn. The bill addresses the Supreme Court’s upcoming decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which is expected to replace the abortion precedent in Roe v. Wade (1973). Polis signed H.B. 22-1279, the “Reproductive Health Equity Act,” which the Polis says “codifies a person’s fundamental right to make reproductive health-care decisions free from government interference.”
Colorado Backs Abortion
“In the State of Colorado, the serious decision to start or end a pregnancy with medical assistance will remain between a person, their doctor, and their faith,” Polis said during his statement Monday. The law prohibits state and local public entities from denying, restricting, interfering with, or discriminating against a person’s right to use or refuse contraception or to continue a pregnancy or to have an abortion. It also bars public entities from restricting abortion due to the individual’s “potential, actual, or perceived impact on the pregnancy, the pregnancy’s outcomes, or the pregnant individual’s health.”Jeff Hunt, president of the Colorado think-tank the Centennial Institute, lamented Polis’ signing of the bill. “This will go down as one of the worst days in Colorado history,” he wrote on Twitter. “Pro-abortionists at the Colorado capitol sealed the fate of countless lives.”
What Does The Law Says
The law itself states that “Access to abortion and reproductive health care is currently under attack across the nation. Impending federal court cases, including Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization,… jeopardize access to legal abortion care for tens of millions of people, particularly those living in most Southern and Midwestern states.”
“Every individual has a fundamental right to make decisions about the individual’s reproductive health care, including the fundamental right to use or refuse contraception,” the law states. “A pregnant individual has a fundamental right to continue a pregnancy and give birth or to have an abortion and to make decisions about how to exercise that right. A fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus does not have independent or derivative rights under the laws of this state,” the law adds.
Now that the state allows abortions it will be up to conservative Colorado counties or municipalities to try to pass local measures banning or significantly limiting access to abortion procedures or medication in their county. House Bill 1279 changes only state statute, not the state constitution, so Republicans could still introduce bills and ballot measures seeking to limit abortion access. Only a constitutional amendment, which would require approval by 55% of voters, could more permanently settle the question. Do you believe Colorado counties should be doing more to fight against the new abortion law?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
A Colorado Senate candidate and film producer who pitched projects to the ‘Mouse House’ in the past is now warning the company’s adoption of “wokeness” will be their downfall. Deborah Flora, a Republican seeking to challenge Democrat Senator Michael Bennett in the 2022 midterm election, posted that “The Walt Disney Company may not survive the injection of “wokeness” flowing through…” Disney seems to be backing itself into a corner amid the recent political controversy. People from both sides are hitting Disney with criticism for a multitude of reasons. Could this be the beginning of the end for the ‘happiest place on earth?”
Disney Protests ‘Don’t say Gay’ Bill
Disney CEO Bob Chapek has faced many former Disney fans criticizing his choices as CEO and stances on recent controversies like Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill. Until recently, the Disney theme Parks stayed as non-political as possible. Known as the “Don’t Say Gay Bill”, this piece of legislation is as simple as the title. As stated by NPR, “The legislation prohibits any instruction about sexuality or gender between kindergarten and third grade, or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” Bob Chapek finally addressed how The Walt Disney Company felt about the bill.
He said he and the rest of the company do not support it and Disney was “opposed to the bill from the outset”. Chapek also announced the company was pledging $5 million to the Human Rights Campaign in order to help further protect LGBTQ+ communities. In a wild turn of events, the Human Rights Campaign actually announced that it would be rejecting this sizable donation until “more meaningful action was taken” by the company. After playing both sides of the fence for years, have people on both sides decided they can no longer trust the happiest place on earth? The ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill is not the only thing that has republicans and conservatives angry with Disney.
Disney Supporting Abusive Nations
Deborah Flora is not only a politician but a film producer who founded Lamplight Entertainment. Her husband, Jonathan Flora, is a former Walt Disney Studios producer. The Republican Senate candidate also said that she and her husband pitched a movie to Disney that was rejected for being “too Americana.” Disney went on to say the pitched film also “would not sell in China.” Flora is outraged with Disney for its dealings in China, especially during the government genocide of Uyhgur Muslims. She went on to call China “one of the largest human rights abusers on the entire planet.” Disney supports this nation while simultaneously vilifying parents’ rights. “It is absolutely hypocritical,” Flora said. “And it’s really disturbing because when Walt Disney is now synonymous with ‘wokeness,’ we know that this ideological agenda that is out of touch with the vast majority of American people has hit a point where we all need to stand up and take notice.”
Flora says parents in her community have told her and her non-profit organization, Parents United America, that they will “never go” to Disney’s theme parks again. Those same parents claim that when Disney removed “boys and girls” from their theme park greeting in the name of inclusion it made them heartsick. “It’s a sad day for America, but honestly, I believe it’s going to be the downfall of The Walt Disney Company because they have just ignored the very demographic that they are supposed to be appealing to,” Flora warned.
Disney Follows Hollywood Wokeness
Flora also warned that Disney is following the rest of Hollywood leftward and publicly displaying dangerous “woke thinking” that has forced conservatives into hiding over fears of being victims of cancel culture or forced out of the industry for not going along with the group think. “McCarthyism is alive and well in Hollywood, but it’s the exact opposite,” Flora said. “If you are someone who holds traditional values, if you are someone that believes that the history of America is a great history, if you are someone that is willing to stand up in a non-work non-PC manner, you are now on that hit list.”
Amid all the other controversy, The Walt Disney Company is also dealing with the backlash after a cheer team performed a racist and offensive chant on Main Street U.S.A. in Disney World recently. The Disney Parks are building a few brand new rides and attractions in an attempt to gain new customers and stay afloat. While Disney may never fall completely, this recent controversy has definitely seen a hit in the number of current Disney fans. Many people are canceling their Disney plus memberships and not buying season passes for the year. How are you reacting to Disney amid the recent controversy? Will you be supporting Disney in the future?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Global prices for food, energy and other commodities have soared this year as countries roll back COVID-19 restrictions, triggering supply shortages. Prices around the world continue to climb and show no sign of slowing down any time soon. Food prices are the highest they’ve been in over a decade, according to a report by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Agency. Higher prices are felt by everyone, but especially hard on impoverished households who were already barely making it paycheck to paycheck.
Inflation Leads to Food Shortages
Farmers have reduced their harvests this year for a myriad of reasons. A recent surge in energy prices is also feeding food price inflation. At the end of last year, the FAO Food Price Index was led by vegetable oils, with prices increasing 9.6 percent. At the same time, cereal prices rose as well, gaining 3.2 percent. Within the cereals category, wheat prices reached their highest level since 2012.
One of the major causes of inflation and shortages of food is the Russian invasion of Ukraine and sanctions enacted by the West in response. Ukraine is a major wheat producer. Russia is also a major grower and world’s largest fertilizer manufacturer, but war will prevent either country from exporting to the world. The Russian Ukraine War also has affected things such as gas prices.
Inflation Affects Gas and Transportation Significantly
Li said “Car and truck rental prices doubled from 2020, while plane tickets are 25 percent more expensive. More vaccinations, relaxed business restrictions, stimulus and record household savings accelerating the price trends. And you also have outside factors, like shortages for workers, chips, and raw materials, exaggerating the price increases.” Overall vehicle consumer inflation soared 7% in 2021, the biggest increase in nearly 40 years, the Labor Department said.
Used car and truck prices shot up 37% last year, with the average used vehicle now costing $29,000, according to Auto Website Edmunds. While prices will fall again eventually, they don’t seem to be anytime soon. “Competition for new vehicles will be fierce as inventory shortages persist in 2022,” said Ivan Drury, senior manager of insights for Edmunds.
Unemployment Causes Inflation To Rise Exponentially
Neil Cavuto with the Fox News show “Your World” says, “ We have not seen a pace like that since 2008, when George W. Bush was president of the United States.” In the same episode, his guest Susan Li said consumer prices were rising the fastest they have in 13 years. She claimed a portion of the rise in prices could be blamed on a portion of the unemployed. “Consumers are spending, because they’re armed with stimulus checks, while shortages of labor and materials made goods even more expensive.”
Now we are seeing unemployment numbers dropping slowly. The drop in unemployment came even as the number of people working or looking for jobs grew by 418,000, pushing the labor force participation rate from 62.3% to 62.4%, highest since March 2020. More people who had been fearful of COVID or caring for children, among others, are returning to a favorable labor market with rising wages. Hopefully the workforce will begin to return to work in larger numbers.
If we were to see a large return to the workforce inflation would likely ease a little, at least in America. The Russian Ukraine war will continue to affect prices world wide as long as it continues and likely for years to come with the damage done in Ukraine. The best way for you to combat inflation is to save what money you can and buy fewer unnecessary items. Do you think there are other causes for the current inflation of global prices? How is inflation affecting you? What are you doing to combat inflation in your daily life?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
