badlands.substack.com Badlands News Brief Burning Bright 14–18 minutes Badlands Media will always put out our content for free, but you can support us by becoming a paid subscriber to this newsletter. Help our collective of citizen journalists take back the narrative from the MSM. We are the news now. The News Cycle is almost impossible to track these days. At least, to do so fully. That’s where we come in. In the Badlands News Brief, the Badlands Media team hand picks news items of interest from the previous days to give you an overview of the biggest goings-on relevant to the Truth Community. Some items feature original commentary from members of our growing team of citizen journalists. Feel free to follow the corresponding link to see their other work. Now, onto the news from Wednesday, April 12 … Police have launched an investigation after a document outlining details of US President Joe Biden’s trip to Northern Ireland was found on the street by a member of the public on Wednesday. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said they were “aware of a security breach,” following the incident that was first reported by BBC Radio Ulster. “We take the safety of visiting dignitaries, members of the public and our officers and staff extremely seriously and will put the appropriate actions in place,” the police statement added. The document appears to outline police deployments for Biden’s visit, which began with events Wednesday in Belfast to mark a quarter-century of the Good Friday Agreement. — CNN Our own Jon Herold has a take on another, not so recent Biden visit to Ireland … “This is not the 1st time Hunter went with Joe to Ireland. Hunter and Jim went with Joe back in 2017. While there, Hunter & Jim met with members of the CEFC group ‘off site’ due to the ‘sensitivity of the discussion and participants.’ Was Joe at the meeting? Here is Joe's flight itinerary: Two things to note: Kathy Chung was coordinating the travel arrangements (Think Rep. James Comer recent activity) Joe was in Ireland from 09/11/17 - 09/17/17 Here is Jim and Hunter's flight itinerary, also arranged by Kathy Chung with the same dates: So Joe, Hunter, and Jim were all in Ireland at the same time from 09/11/17 - 09/17/17. The meeting with CEFC and ‘Trade group folks’ took place on 09/13/17. Which participants of this meeting made it sensitive? Just two days after the meeting, a follow-up email was sent to Jim Biden from Sam Morison of the ‘Trade Group,’ revealing there were 2 options, one of them being ‘the Rosneft transaction.’ The Bidens returned home 09/17/17. Four days later, on 09/21/17, Hunter Biden sent the infamous ‘Office mates’ email. Talk about timing. Hunter and Jim went with Joe to Ireland Hunter & Jim attended ‘sensitive meeting’ with CEFC members and more Four days after returning home, Joe Biden becomes ‘office mates’ with CEFC Did Joe attend the meeting in Ireland?” — Jon Herold Federal investigators are asking witnesses whether former President Donald J. Trump showed off to aides and visitors a map he took with him when he left office that contains sensitive intelligence information, four people with knowledge of the matter said. The map has been just one focus of the broad Justice Department investigation into Mr. Trump’s handling of classified documents after he departed the White House. The nature of the map and the information it contained is not clear. But investigators have questioned a number of witnesses about it, according to the people with knowledge of the matter, as the special counsel overseeing the Justice Department’s Trump-focused inquiries, Jack Smith, examines the former president’s handling of classified material after leaving office and weighs charges that could include obstruction of justice. One person briefed on the matter said investigators have asked about Mr. Trump showing the map while aboard a plane. Another said that, based on the questions they were asking, investigators appeared to believe that Mr. Trump showed the map to at least one adviser after leaving office. A third person with knowledge of the investigation said the map might also have been shown to a journalist writing a book. The Washington Post has previously reported that investigators have asked about Mr. Trump showing classified material, including maps, to political donors. — The New York Times Our Take: “Interesting that this story is out right now, referencing discussions of a supposedly classified map, or a map with classified information on it, being shown to others by Trump after he left the White House … At the exact same time that we have an actual leak of actually classified maps (and other docs, totaling 100+) being leaked onto the internet. Imagine if this story came out two to three weeks ago. US Media would have spent several news cycles talking about the importance of maps, what info could be on maps, types of maps the President might have, what America's enemies could learn from such a map, etc. They’d program their audiences that Trump showing someone a map with possibly classified intel on it was the worst thing ever. A possible violation of the Espionage Act, even. Then, the news of the 100+ classified docs off a discord server breaks, complete with maps and current intel—all classified. Media would then have to report on how bad that leak was OR ignore it. I’m thinking this NYT story was timed to go out a couple weeks ago and is late. It just seems like an intentional sync that was mistimed, perhaps. Simulation winking at us, or an intentional sync?” — Just Human Less than a week after Twitter labeled the BBC "government funded media," owner Elon Musk gave an impromptu interview to the news agency on Tuesday evening at Twitter HQ, where he discussed topics ranging from layoffs, to misinformation, to his work habits, to the fact that most of the advertisers who left in a huff have now returned or said they will. But who cares about most of that. Elon totally crushed the BBC reporter, James Clayton, by calling him out over the nanny state's favorite straw man - 'hate speech,' and then trying to get Clayton to admit he likes large black penises. When asked why there's 'so much more hate speech on Twitter' since he took over, Musk pushed back - challenging Clayton to provide a single example. Clayton couldn't. Then says ' "You said you've seen more hateful content but you can't name a single example. Not even one." To which Clayton replied: "I'm not sure I've used that feed for the last three or four weeks and I --" "Then how could you see the hateful content? .. I'm asking for one example. You can't give a single one." Musk interjected. "Then I say sir that you don't know what you're talking about ... because you can't give a single example of hateful content, not even one tweet. And yet, you claimed that the hateful content was high. That's false. You just lied!" Clayton then points to "many organizations that say that that kind of information is on the rise." "Give me one example!" says Musk. — ZeroHedge Our Take: “Musk did it again. He managed to school yet more fake news media. The interview is a joy to watch, a bit of ‘what's good for the goose’ if I ever saw it. Musk has been slapping Government Funded Media labels on fake news media outlets for weeks, now. Mainstream media and social media, in partnership with globalist NGOs, clamped down on free speech years ago. The propensity for spinning a rather benign comment into labelled hate speech is now a secured arm of many media outlets. If accusations of hate speech, misinformation, and the like, were paying out a dime a piece, the BBC and outlets like it would be flush with cash. Let's just say being a billionaire has its perks. Musk was, with a bit of critical thinking, able to make this reporter look the fool. It's not ‘PC’ to call someone out on their blatantly irrational and downright deceptive statements—especially a media outlet. But it is precisely what we should be doing, en masse, if we want to make inroads in the culture war. Musk, I would say, with this interview, hopefully helped remind people of what critical thinking looks like: You entertain a claim on its face, avoiding strawman reactions. Then you ask for evidence to support the claim offered. If they don't match up, then you're either dealing with a liar, a misinformed person, or an idiot. Yes, I know, the word idiot isn't PC either. But let's call a spade a spade. Just because someone can form an opinion doesn't mean that opinion is intelligent. And just because someone works for a media outlet, doesn't mean they know how to think, form good arguments, or have an honest bone in their body. Someone who doesn't spend the time to do proper research, form arguments, or use the reason and logic they possess is not as smart as someone who can do these things. Unfortunately for the truth, and freedom, our once-competent institutions have been infested with mental midgets—people who have the power to be smarter, but have set aside their intelligence in favor of dimwitted, virtue signaling ESG-like tropes. We can highlight the idiocy without shaming the one who expresses it. Just as a coach of a sports team can call out the poor playing of his players, their failure to use their full potential, without attacking the players’ dignity. In the end, the players and the team are better for it. Why wouldn't the same be true for the game of truth we play in society? Another question arising from this article is … should we trust Elon Musk? A question that is no doubt on the mind of many a freedom-oriented person. The same can be asked of many people we presume to be on the side of freedom and truth. Since it's difficult to know whether someone is, on the whole, totally trustworthy or totally untrustworthy, let's instead look at what happened and ask what effect this had. It's far easier to gain a firm grip on events that we can observe with our eyes and ears than to plumb the depths of a person's soul, which is, in effect, trapped within a singularity—a black box where information cannot escape. In this case, Musk exposed a fake news reporter, reminded the people of what benevolent confrontation looks like, and also highlighted the fact there is no clear definition of what hate speech is. This last point exposes what's really going on: the hate label is a psychological warfare tactic, meant to capitalize on sociological dynamics that have the power to influence an individual and culture through a biologically instantiated shame circuit. Thankfully, social influences of this type only work on an inactive mind. Once critical thinking comes online, a social pressure can be seen for what it is, and the truer or righter path can be claimed despite it.” — Justin Deschamps A large explosion and fire broke out at South Fork Dairy in Dimmitt, Texas on Monday night. The cause is still unknown. Reports say the explosion engulfed multiple structures. The smoke from the explosion could be seen from as much as 80 miles away. According to Texas authorities, more than 18,000 cattle died during the explosion. “There’s some that survived, there’s some that are probably injured to the point where they’ll have to be destroyed,” according to Castro County Sheriff Sal Rivera. — The Gateway Pundit Our Take: “Is ‘machinery malfunction’ the new slang for sabotage? The same kind of malfunction we saw in the Maricopa County election centers last November? Maybe somebody lit off one of those climate-changing methane cow farts. Of course, everyone knows just how unstable and flammable cow’s milk can be; just one little ‘machinery malfunction,’ and whole, non-pasteurized milk ignites like nitro glycerin (I'm being sarcastic). Additionally, what kind of factory machinery can cause that big of an explosion and kill 18,000 cows? I'd love to see the details of this ‘machinery malfunction’. I don't think a factory would be designed or set up for that kind of failure to even be possible. It seems more like a bomb explosion, but what do I know? It's probably nothing more than another coincidence in a long line of coincidences that are creating a serious problem in this country. I recently heard somebody claim that we are approaching something like 300 or so ‘accidents’ like this since Biden took office, but thankfully Bill Gates and the Chinese own enough farmland in the US to keep us well fed on crickets and antibiotic-rich chicken, not to mention veggies thoroughly plastered with glyphosate and heavy metals.” — Ryan DeLarme The Democratic National Committee is parting ways with Democratic super lawyer Marc Elias, multiple sources told us Tuesday. The DNC and Elias had a number of strategic disagreements, according to sources familiar with the internal deliberations. Elias has represented the DNC since 2009. His firm, the Elias Law Group, represents all of the major Democratic entities in Washington. Elias will continue to work for the DCCC, DSCC, DAGA and DLCC. And Elias counts a slew of senators and members as clients. Most notably, Elias, a former partner at Perkins Coie, has been behind what he calls the “Democracy Docket” — an array of voting rights challenges nationwide. On Tuesday, Elias said this covered 45 cases in 18 states. And Elias has a knack for winning these cases, raising the ire of Republicans. Elias’ firm has pulled in roughly $100,000 this year already from the DNC, according to FEC filings. In the 2022 cycle, the DNC paid Elias’ firm just shy of $2 million, according to campaign reports. — PunchBowl Our Take: “It seems unlikely that the DNC would want to part ways with an attorney who has brought them so much success over the past several years. He’s been integral to their electioneering efforts pre and post Election Day for many cycles, now. 2024 is coming up and the groundwork is being laid for it. One would assume that Elias would again be a key member of the DNC's 2024 Election plans. Apparently not, though. Some possibilities: Elias has so much else going on (45 lawsuits across 18 states currently) that he can’t effectively serve the DNC as he has before. Elias/DNC figure he can be more effective/useful if not directly working for the DNC. Elias is in trouble (we know Durham has interviewed him and put him in front of a grand jury) and they are separating from him before that trouble becomes public. The third option is of course the preferred one. And it may be the most likely one, as well.” — Just Human We hope you enjoyed this brief look back at the major news items you might have missed in this ever-escalating and ever-accelerating news cycle as the Information War continues to rage on around us. The Badlands Media team will continue to combine our cognitive powers in order to slow things down and find the signal amidst the noise as this series expands. As always, if you have any thoughts on these news items or the MANY others swirling in the digital ether, drop into the comments below to share them with your fellow Badlanders. Subscribe to Badlands Media Honesty and integrity from citizen journalists.