NC passes abortion bill banning abortion to 12 weeks
North Carolina representatives have passed a bill banning abortion after 12 weeks. The bill is expected to pass both Houses of the North Carolina Congress along party lines. Governor Roy Cooper has vowed to veto the bill. This threat may not be as intimidating as the governor believes; with a super majority the State congress is expected to override Cooper’s veto. Critics claim the bill further restricts the rights of mothers in the state of North Carolina. The bill will also require consultation with a doctor in person instead of the option of consultations over the phone. It will also provide more funding for childcare and paid leave for government employees and teachers following the birth of a child. State law previously restricted abortions to 20 weeks. Protestors who gathered in front of the state capital building to protest called the new law an infringement on women’s rights.
Dept. of Navy debuts sailor’s drag queen persona as part of recruitment efforts
The US Department of the Navy has launched a new campaign to recruit members to its branch.
Their latest initiative involves a digital ambassador by the name of Harpy Daniels. This name is the drag queen persona of a member of the Navy named Joshua Kelley. Kelley debuted the recruiting video on social media claiming he has shared being a drag queen and has performed for his fellow sailors. According to government officials there have also been drag queen story hours held on military bases without the knowledge of military officials. Critics including conservative politicians and former service members criticized this new digital initiative. Dan Crenshaw, a congressman, and former Navy Seal called the new ambassador campaign, “a perceived politicizing of the military”. Crenshaw blamed these kinds of woke campaigns as the reason for a drop in recruitment throughout all branches of the armed forces. Another military veteran Graham Allen commented that the enemies of the US are, “laughing at us”. The armed forces report that for the second year in a row recruitment is at a historic low across all branches; critics blame COVID shot mandates and woke agendas for the drop in recruitment numbers.
Annual National Day of Prayer held in the US
Conservatives and leaders of faith celebrated the national day of prayer. The annual event has been nationally observed by the US since 1952. This annual day is a time set aside for prayer for the nation. This year’s theme was based on James 5:16 which reads, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Members of the faith community and conservatives around the nation observed the day, taking to social media. Several released statements about the history and the importance of continued prayer for our nation. Congresswoman Kat Cammack called for unity and prayer for comfort and strengthen for the nation and its citizens. Rev. Franklin Graham released a statement calling for prayer and asked followers to pray for members of the government at the national and state levels. Graham also encouraged followers to make prayer a priority as the Bible instructs. The National Day of Prayer has been recognized by the nation since 1952, but its origins can be traced back as far as the foundation of the Continental Congress, which observed a day of prayer and fasting yearly starting in 1775 until the group dissolved in the 1780s.
SNBC Health Report: researchers believe they have found proof that too much TV has an effect on the human brain
According to the study published in Harvard Health Publishing there is evidence of cognitive changes when watching too much TV. The study was published mainly on dementia. The research followed in one study followed under 500 participants. The researchers did include previous studies from 2005 and 2018 both of which concluded that over 3 hours of TV does have a negative effect on the brain. According to the author of the study, Dr. Andrew Budson, the Harvard study simply confirms the previous studies’ findings. The research also referenced a British study conducted last year. The study by UK Biobank followed over 100-thousand participants and found a 24 percent increase in those who developed a risk of dementia from watching more than four hours of TV daily. The participants were compared to those who spent extended periods of time on a computer. Dr. Budson concluded the article by advising those who watch more than one hour of TV per day to trade off this activity by doing physical exercise, using the computer, listening to music, doing a crossword puzzle or some kind of activity that challenges the brain.