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By Oliver Darcy of Campus Reform

In a recent interview, a well-known professor who taught at Columbia University for 46 years questioned whether or not President Obama actually attended the Ivy League school.

Prominent Columbia professor Henry Graff says he isn’t sure President Obama ever attended the Ivy League school.

“I taught every significant politician that ever studied at Columbia,” said Columbia Emeritus Professor of History Henry Graff, in an interview last week with Wayne Root, a contributor at The Blaze. “Between American History and Diplomatic History, one way or another, they all had to come through my classes.”

“Not Obama,” he continued. “I never had a student with that name in any of my classes. I never met him, never saw him, never heard of him.”

Graff alleged that “none of the other Columbia professors knew him either” and said he is “very upset” to hear Obama referred to as a graduate of Columbia University.

“I am angry when I hear Obama called ‘the first President of the United States from Columbia University,’” he said. “I don’t consider him a Columbia student. I have no idea what he did on the Columbia campus. No one knows him.”

Graff is the recipient of the Kaul Foundation Award of Excellence in the field of education, an honor that is tied to a prize of $100,000. He is the author of multiple books and is known for teaching the first course on the history of the Presidency.

Via Open The Books,

Disassembling and “deleting” federal agencies is proving to be a difficult task for the Trump administration, which has been working to slash bureaucratic red tape and federal spending, especially for left-wing radicalism like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

Unlike some of the intermediate steps President Trump has taken through Executive Order, truly closing an agency will require a 60-person majority in a Senate vote, a tall order with only 53 Republicans in the upper chamber.

But there are still some low-hanging fruits left for the administration to pick. Chiefly, it can end relationships with all professional societies promoting principles of DEI and radical gender ideology.

The federal government contracts with a myriad of these organizations across all the major agencies. Professional societies set the atmosphere and guidelines for practitioners in their fields, and they can have hundreds of thousands of members.

If those organizations become ideologically captured, the impact will be felt across society.

There is no reason for the federal government to fund such organizations. DOGE should identify these organizations and give Congress and taxpayers the information they need to make informed budget decisions.

Doing so will allow state and local governments to make better decisions as well.

As DOGE continues the work of identifying bloat, some of those activities and decisions will shift to state and local government where they rightly belong. But elected officials will still be presented with the same outside groups seeking their business. Officials at the state and local level, and taxpayers who fund those entities, have the right to know more about organizations seeking public funds.

The following are just a handful of examples of professional societies that have become ideologically captured:

SHAPE America

The Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) America is a professional organization representing over 200,000 physical education teachers.

Federal spending since 2020: Over $2.5 million
$2.52 million from CDC, $82,245 from the DoDEA

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), which runs the Pentagon’s K-12 school system for the children of servicemembers worldwide, contracts with SHAPE to provide training to their teachers. SHAPE creates learning standards for instructors to teach to, such as the 2021 National Sex Education Standards, promoted on its website.

These standards are currently featured on the CDC website.

They include goals like:

• By 2nd grade, define gender identity

• By 5th grade children should be able to describe the role of puberty blockers on those who identify as transgender. Fifth graders should differentiate between sexual orientation and gender identity and explain that gender expression and gender identity exist along a spectrum

• By 8th grade define anal sex and describe “pregnancy options” including abortion.

Gender Spectrum, a nonprofit organization that promotes the concept of “neogenders,” whereby students can “identify” their “gender" as animals, objects, and mental health disorders, also consulted on these standards.

During a 2021 DoDEA presentation on implementing SHAPE standards, a DoDEA teacher articulated the extremist ideology inculcated by SHAPE, writing in presentation materials that talking about “heterosexuality as the ‘norm’” somehow “causes conflict.”

Before the Trump administration issued its executive order on gender ideology, SHAPE promoted the anti-science stance that women and men are biologically equal.

(READ THE EO: Defending women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government)

The SHAPE website included the claim that “even though young people who have gone through a male puberty are taller and stronger than most young people who have gone through a female puberty, it is important to acknowledge that not all boys are stronger, taller, faster or more athletically talented than all girls.” The website also included support for the use of harmful puberty blockers to “neutraliz[e]” that valid concern.

Science is clear: with extremely rare exceptions, males are categorically stronger and faster than females.

The neo-Marxist concept of “equity” is also a fundamental principle at SHAPE. Indeed, the Centers for Disease Control is currently contracting with SHAPE to “engage school administrators as champions to advance healthy schools through equitable and inclusive programs, policies, and practices” in support of the CDC’s “Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child” framework for addressing health in schools.

North American Association for Environmental Education

A professional organization representing about 20,000 members, typically in the education field.

Federal spending since 2020: $15.7 million
$8.8 million from EPA, $4.7 from Commerce, $1.7 from Department of Agriculture, and $505,500 from the Department of the Interior

President Trump’s Executive Order on Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity prohibited DEI practices for federal contractors. Before this order was given, the NAAEE website was replete with “Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion” (JEDI) content. Teachers were recommended resources like “Teaching About Race, Racism, and Police Violence” by the Southern Poverty Law Center, “Your Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk About Race,” and “A Guide to Gender Identity Terms.”

While the website is seemingly getting scrubbed of DEI verbiage, some remnants remain. NAAEE announced the addition of five new board members in 2021, stating their credentials would help “push for social justice and center equity in all that we do.” Two are still on the board.

The organization houses a Coalition for Climate Education Policy’s steering committee, whose governance documents state that members agree to “always consider equity and justice in our collective work.”

The costliest NAAEE program funded by the federal government is the ee360+ initiative, which supports “a cadre of environmental education leaders to increase environmental literacy for everyone, everywhere.” These education leaders are assisted by federal and state institutions and nonprofits to disseminate NAAEE’s “Environmental Education Guidelines.”

"Decoding Whiteness” educator training provided by NAAEE

The NAAEE Guidelines push left-wing concepts of “environmental justice” and “equity,” and fuse environmental education with “civic engagement.” In other words, students are made to develop a “critical perspective” by fixating on their own and others’ race, “gender identity,” national origin, and socio-economic status. Then, they are asked to advocate for policies taking their new critical perspective into consideration.

While environmental education sounds nice, children are not learning about tadpoles and butterflies. Through NAAEE the federal government is funding left-wing advocacy and woke identity politics in classrooms nation-wide.

IMAGE: Highlights from the Environmental Education Programs Guidelines for Excellence Part 4

National Council for History Education

A 501c3 nonprofit professional society for history educators. The organization does not disclose the number of its members.

The federal checkbook USASpending indicates that federal spending since 2020 is $1.3 million, however these figures are undercounted.

NCHE’s tax documents show that from June 2023-June 2024 the organization received $2.4 million in federal tax dollars between the Department of Education, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Library of Congress.

Between 2019 and 2021 NCHE received $1,474,657 in American History and Civics grants from the Department of Education. The grants were to develop a “Learning and Exploring American Democracy” (LEAD) project. NCHE was also awarded two other American History and Civics grants in 2023, worth over $2.5 million each, disbursed over five years. While these grants show up on the Department of Education website and on the NCHE tax documents, they are not represented on the federal checkbook, highlighting issues with reporting on USASpending.

By examining some of the NCHE activities funded by these grants, we can get an idea of how the organization is putting its taxpayer dollars to use.

LEAD is intended to provide history and civics-related resources for teachers to incorporate into their lessons. Part of this program includes at least one “Equity Summit,” which, along with select other webinars offered by the program, raise questions about the history and civics lessons the federal government is funding for American children.

The keynote speaker for the 2020 Equity Summit, Hasan Jeffries advocated for the removal of historical monuments, even of Christopher Columbus in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio:

“So here in Columbus, Ohio there have been moves and movements with some success to remove statues of Christopher Columbus for example, so we're not just talking about Confederate soldiers and monuments to them, we're talking about all of these figures, all of these memorials that commemorate—that celebrate rather—white supremacy. And so the Black Lives Matter protests are very much about the past as well.”

Jeffries goes on to say that racism is foundational to the American nation:

“In fact, racism is very much encoded in our DNA. Racism and capitalism together are really that double helix of our DNA; they are intertwined, they have been with us from the beginning. They are encoded in our society. They are encoded in our person.”

Other presentations include the radical left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Hard History program, which provides materials and advice for teachers to engage in the topic of American slavery.

During the talk, speaker Kate Shuster suggested students are complicit in slavery unless they take steps to “redress inequalities:”

“We need to make it clear to students when we teach about slavery that the question is not ‘are they guilty of the crime of enslaving people?’ The question is ‘How are they going to move forward to redress the inequalities that are left over from the abolition of slavery?’ So, complicity can exist without the act of owning slaves, but people don't like to be told that they're complicit.”

Shuster was invited back for another presentation on the same topic for a LEAD program webinar in 2021. That video is not available.

Another Equity Summit was held in 2024, this one kicking off with a “land acknowledgment.” NCHE Executive Director Jessica Ellison displayed a “You are on Dakota/Ojibwe Land” poster behind her.

The irony of an organization -- primarily funded by the U.S. government-- denying the sovereignty of the United States is evidently lost on Ellison.

Jessica Ellison, who became NCHE Executive Director in 2023, recommended the controversial book White Fragility to teachers in June 2020.

Other recent activity includes telling teachers how to fight back against “book bans” of divisive, pornographic content in school libraries

Unfathomably, in the age of DOGE, NCHE received a new grant through the Library of Congress in April 2025. Through this grant, NCHE will direct the Library’s regional granting entity in the Great Plains region, deciding which other organizations in the area can access taxpayer funding.

CONCLUSION

As of May 2, DOGE has claimed an estimated $160 billion in savings for taxpayers. We’re working to verify this total, but more must be done to broaden the impact of their critically important work. All of the organizations profiled here have ongoing grants that have not been cut by DOGE. These organizations have proven to be incredibly effective at spreading their ideas throughout society.

As DOGE finds efficiencies and cuts waste agency by agency, auditors must identify grantees trafficking in radical politics and share their findings with the public and policymakers at all levels of government. Taxpayers have the right to know where their tax dollars are going so they can hold their elected officials accountable.

Authored by Chris Morrison via The Daily Sceptic,

A gleeful, self-satisfied Mr Punch was often heard to remark: “That’s the way to do it.” Today we examine how Mark Poynting, one of the BBC’s top doom-mongering Net Zero activists, uses the trusted ‘scientists say’ message to turn a centennial sea level rise of around 30 cm into prose stating: “The world could see hugely damaging sea-level rises of several metres or more over the coming centuries”. Added fear is inserted into the mix with the warning that the disappearing act will occur, “even if the ambitious target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C is met, scientists have warned”.

Poynting and the BBC are essentially telling a worldwide audience that coastal land and beyond across the world could be overwhelmed with several metres of sea rise if the global temperature is three-tenths of a degree centigrade higher. This message properly belongs on a doomsday sandwich board walker, not least because the rise in temperature is almost within the margin of error of constantly-adjusted and unnaturally-heated global temperature datasets.

Extrapolating computer modelled data rigged with improbable ‘pathways’ that even the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change more or less dismiss as ‘low confidence’ – that’s the way to do it.

The BBC story is based on the recent compilation and interpretation of material from a group led by Geography Professor Chris Stokes. This provides just the sort of findings that are catnip to the BBC. At one point the authors seem to think that humans can control the amount of ice on both Greenland and Antarctica, arguing that the global mean temperature should be reduced with further work “urgently required to more precisely determine a ‘safe limit’ for ice sheets“. Given the catastrophic consequences of a rapid collapse of one or more ice sheets, the authors state, “we conclude that adopting the precautionary principle is imperative and that a global mean temperature cooler than present is required to keep ice sheets broadly in equilibrium”.

That’s the way to do it. Poynting could have informed his gaslit readers that overall ice loss in Antarctica is minimal with suggestions of an annual 100 gigatonnes reduction equivalent to 0.00041% of the total mass – well within the margin of error. At current rates of melting on a continent that has seen no overall warming for at least 70 years, it would take around 300,000 years for all the ice to disappear. And this assumes no intervening glaciations, a new ice age, or just more accurate measurements. Instead he reports the comments of the Stokes crew that the “major concern is that melting could accelerate further beyond ‘tipping points’ due to warming caused by humans”. That’s the way to do it – talk about ‘tipping points’ that never occur and then cover yourself by adding “though it’s not clear exactly how these mechanisms work and where the thresholds sit”.

Instead of “not exactly clear”, try, “haven’t got a clue”. But it is “precautionary” to remove hydrocarbons from modern use and drive humanity back to the dark ages – just in case the model inventions do occur.

It is of course easy to see how the metres-high scare is concocted. Under a low emission ‘pathway’ used by computer models, the rise by 2100 in sea levels due to ice melting ranges from 4 cm to 37 cm. Such is the range, another imputation of cluelessness might be justified. But a mere 37 cm doesn’t look very enticing on the sandwich board even though it is higher than the current trajected growth, so the highest pathway was consulted to give 12-52 cm. Alas, this is still pretty dismal when mass climate psychosis is the order of the day, so the suggestion from the IPCC was noted that it could not rule out that the pathway with ‘low confidence’ could point to a total sea level rise  of over 15 metres by 2300. That’s the way to do it. Treble metres, and more, all round.

It might be noted at this point that the improbable pathway known as SSP5-8.5 is in common use in climate science circles and is behind most if not all the computer modelled alarms that gaslight the readers of almost all mainstream media. The science writer Roger Pielke Jr has long been a critic of the 8.5 pathway that provides the important propaganda messaging backing the collectivist Net Zero fantasy. He states that the continuing misuse of these scenarios has become pervasive and consequential, “so that we can view it as one of the most significant failures of scientific integrity in the 21st century so far”. His short explanation as to why it has been so popular for so long: “Groupthink fuelled by a misinformation campaign by activist scientists.”

Activist journalists as well. Poynting is rapidly emerging as the BBC climate activist to watch in a strong field including Justin Rowlatt and Matt McGrath. Who can forget his recent sterling ‘scientists say’ effort that the Gulf Stream “appears to be getting weaker” under the headline, ‘Could the UK actually get colder with global warming?’ This effort drew much critical appreciation, not least because it headed off the awkward findings published the month before in a Nature paper that observed the Gulf Stream had not declined in strength since the 1960s.

Chris Morrison is the Daily Sceptic’s Environment Editor.

In another clear indicator of just how drastically everything has changed in Syria in the wake of Bashar al-Assad's ouster in December last year, a militant group attempted to storm Russia's Hmeimim air base on Syria’s coast on Wednesday. Already the future of the base is uncertain, but Russia has still been maintaining it - given also Hmeimim is Moscow's only airbase on the Mediterranean.

"Militants attacked a Russian air base in Syria, killing two soldiers, a Syrian government official and a local activist said Wednesday," according to The Associated Press. Russian statements, which offered little detail, did not indicate if the slain were Russian soldiers or possibly foreign nationals who were contractors.

At least two militants were killed during their assault on the airbase. They are being widely reported as foreign Islamist fighters affiliated with the new Syrian government's military under President Sharaa (Jolani).

Russian Hmeimim Air Base in Jabla in Latakia, Syria. Anadolu Agency

The Jolani/HTS government has tried to distance itself from the attack, as it is still seeking diplomatic normalization with Russia and a reset in relations:

The government official said the two militants who were killed were foreign nationals who had worked as military trainers at a naval college that was training members of the new government’s military. He said they had acted on their own in attacking the base and were not officially affiliated with any faction.

Damascus has on Thursday deployed additional forces in an effort to stabilize the security situation in villages near the airbase.

"The city of Jableh and the villages surrounding the Russian Hmeimim air base in the Jableh countryside are witnessing a security alert. Heavy deployment of public security forces has been observed in the villages of Al-Sharashir and Al-Qubaisa, both close to the base," the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) says.

SOHR had further described "clashes in which medium and heavy machine guns were used, coinciding with the sounding of alarm sirens inside the base" - when the incident unfolded.

One regional outlet has said Russian soldiers were killed, and that it was Uzbek terrorists behind the assault:

According to a report by the Erem outlet, the 20 May attack resulted in the killing of three Russian soldiers and the injury of at least six others. The report says the attack was carried out by an Uzbek-led faction, which afterwards began to mobilize in the village of Al-Sharashir, just two kilometers from the base.

Erem also said the Uzbek armed group, responsible for past atrocities including the killing of children, have displaced and intimidated scores of residents and have seized homes in in the nearby town.

#BREAKING | Islamist militants reportedly affiliated with ruling HTS attacked Russia’s Khmeimim Air Base in Syria around 4–5 AM. Russian forces returned fire, reportedly killing four militants. https://t.co/UQGcfjWqt0 pic.twitter.com/JorasQW3My

This coastal area near Latakia has for months seen attacks and massacres conducted by Islamic militant factions against the minority Alawite community of Syria. Christians and Druze have also been targeted.

Thousands of Alawites have been reported killed, and while the Jolani government has formally condemned the killings, eyewitnesses have consistently said the attacks had the involvement of HTS (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) fighters, which remains the ruling faction in Damascus.

During the height of the sectarian killings, Alawite families sought refuge at Hmeimim air base in large numbers. Many thousands have been camped out on the base tarmac, with at times Russian troops seen handing out food and water and necessities of survival.

Back in March, Alawites expressed their distrust of HTS provided "security"...

HTS AlQaeda reps try to convince Syrian Alawi refugees to leave the Russian Hmeimim air base and go home. "Trust us now, mistakes happen, things got out of control". pic.twitter.com/JIpzSHpAB0

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier this week expressed particular concern about the chaotic situation in Syria, where he said extremist militant groups are carrying out "real ethnic cleansing and mass killings based on ethnic and sectarian identity". He blasted what he called the West’s "stunning" indifference to mass killings acts of terrorism.

The strong comments followed in the wake of President Trump meeting with Syria's Sharaa while in Saudi Arabia earlier this month. This stunned even some Washington officials, given that Sharaa/Jolani has long been a US-designated terrorist. Trump has said he wants to give Syria a fresh start, and also announced the US will drop sanctions.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week told a Senate hearing that Syria could collapse within just weeks; however, he didn't acknowledge in the testimony that it was the CIA's Operation Timber Sycamore which served to weaken and destabilize the country in the first place.

Authored by Brendon Fallon and Emily Allison via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

We all want to live as long and as healthily as possible. Many healthy living hacks, such as lounging in a hot sauna or taking a cold plunge, claim to increase lifespan, but how effective are they?

Growing research points to a different answer, suggesting that a few simple, consistent lifestyle habits can be far more effective at boosting longevity and well-being.

Avoid Smoking, Drugs, and Drinking Excessive Alcohol

Referring to a 2024 study examining nearly 720,000 U.S. veterans ages 40 to 99, Dr. Damon Noto, a rehabilitation medicine specialist, stated on the Epoch TV show Vital Signs that among eight lifestyle factors found to influence a person’s lifespan by more than 10 years, the most significant are whether a person has smoked, had an opioid use disorder, and their level of physical activity.

Eat Healthy and Stay Active

We know exercise is a healthy habit, but do we consider it life-saving? Noto said the veteran’s study shows exercise may add as much as a decade or more to our lives. He also examined the type of physical activity in the study. People in the study often stayed active by engaging in natural movement, such as gardening or participating in sports with their friends. He believes these lifestyle or social activities are especially beneficial because building physical activity into someone’s daily life can help a person stay consistent with moving the body. 

Diet can also impact a person’s lifespan. Those living in blue zones tend to eat homegrown and home-cooked foods and avoid overeating. Those who ate highly processed foods and sweets had shorter lifespans than those who followed a nutritious diet, according to the same study.

Live With Purpose and Be Part of a Community

Noto highlights a social component of longevity. Research suggests that individuals who have friends and a sense of community tend to live longer than those who are lonely or isolated.

“A lot of these studies have shown that people who have purpose, especially purpose greater than themselves, not only live longer, but they live happier lives and more successful lives,” said Noto. “So purpose is something we found to be extremely important.” 

Noto points out that those in blue zones tend to place family and faith as a high priority in their culture.

Manage Stress

Noto said that all those with longer lifespans had some way to deal with stress in their regular routines, whether it was socializing with friends, taking walks, praying, or working around the house. 

Be Conscientious 

 The Longevity Project, which began in the 1920s, followed 1,500 Americans with high IQs from childhood to death. Initially, it was thought that because these children were intelligent, they would succeed and do well in life, but that was not the case.

The study showed that the more conscientious a person was, the longer they lived. Character qualities such as discipline, hard work, organization, thoughtful decisions, and a sense of responsibility greatly influences success in life.

Get Quality Sleep

Sleep impacts the length of a person’s life. Getting enough REM sleep is crucial to adding years to your life.

Noto recommends getting a sleep-tracking device to ensure you get the proper sleep quality. Those who suffer from chronic anxiety or sleep apnea were shown to have shorter lifespans. However, he also emphasizes the body’s ability to do amazing things, even under stress. He believes that having a sense of purpose helps through times of stress or low sleep, and significantly impacts a person’s health and life. 

Watch “8 Habits of Long Life” on Vital Signs here. 

President Donald Trump is expected to sign executive orders as early as Friday to boost the nuclear energy industry by streamlining reactor approvals and reinforcing fuel supply chains, Reuters reported on Thursday afternoon.

Four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the forthcoming orders aim to simplify the regulatory process for approving new nuclear reactors and to strengthen nuclear fuel supply chains amid mounting concerns over U.S. dependence on foreign suppliers.

The news sent nuclear stocks soaring in the after hours session, with names like NuScale and Oklo up 13% and 17%, respectively. 

As we noted less than a week ago, both names are moving forward with SMR permitting and plans. Sam Altman-backed Oklo says it is navigating what CEO Jacob DeWitte calls “good uncertainty” as potential Trump administration executive orders could accelerate Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensing, expand military and Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear roles, and boost U.S. nuclear fuel supply chains, according to UtilityDive.

On Oklo’s Q1 2025 earnings call, DeWitte confirmed the company is engaged in a “pre-application readiness assessment” with the NRC, aiming to smooth its formal license submission for a newly upsized 75-MW reactor design in Q4 2025. The company still targets late 2027 or early 2028 for first power production at its Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site.

DeWitte noted the recent departure of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman as Oklo board chair removes a potential conflict of interest should OpenAI become a future power customer. Oklo already holds about 14 GW in nonbinding agreements with data centers and industrial operators.

The White House is weighing four nuclear-related executive orders, including directives to overhaul NRC licensing with an 18-month deadline for new applications, reconsider radiation exposure limits, and authorize military and DOE property for reactor deployments—potentially bypassing standard NRC approvals.

These efforts aim to boost U.S. nuclear capacity to 400 GW by 2050, up from about 100 GW today. While the NRC is already implementing changes from last year’s ADVANCE Act, further reforms could shorten Oklo’s expected 24- to 30-month licensing timeline.

The UtilityDive report says that Zero Hedge favorite Oklo is also among eight companies eligible for the military’s Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations program, enabling on-base reactor deployments. It’s developing nuclear fuel fabrication facilities capable of reusing spent fuel that would otherwise sit in long-term storage.

Meanwhile, as we noted on X this evening, OKLO is now up 9x since Jim Cramer said "I can't even look at it" back in October 2024. 

Booya!

Authored by Jeffrey Folks via American Thinker,

Not long ago, U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. defended Trump’s nomination of Casey Means as surgeon general.  In his nomination remarks, Trump wrote that Means would “work closely” with Kennedy “to ensure a successful implementation of our Agenda in order to reverse the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and ensure Great Health, in the future, for ALL Americans.”

Trained as a head and neck surgeon, Casey Means abandoned her career in surgery to become a prominent “wellness” influencer.  Like RFK Jr., Means promotes preventive and alternative medicine that might result in fewer surgeries and other invasive treatments.  She practices “functional medicine” and is not board certified in a medical specialty.  No wonder her nomination has been attacked by professional groups associated with surgeons and other members of the medical establishment.

Means has promoted what some see as “controversial” ideas, such as removing ultra-processed foods in school lunches and replacing them with unprocessed foods, especially fresh fruits and vegetables.  This might seem like common sense, but it threatens a food industry that is focused on processed meat, dairy, and other foods and that employs powerful lobbies to maintain sales.

There is also her view that glucose “as a molecule has caused more destruction of the human mind and body than any other substance in human history.”  Like RFK Jr., Means supports food warnings and possibly outright bans on high-sugar foods.

During the Sep. 27, 2024, Roundtable Discussion of Children’s Health: A Second Opinion, Means joined Sen. Ron Johnson, RFK Jr., and a dozen experts in a discussion of preventive options for children’s health.  At the roundtable, Dr. Means stated that “if the current trends continue ... at best, we’re going to face profound societal instability and decreased American competitiveness, and at worst, we’re going to be looking at a genocidal level health collapse.”

A full four-hour video of the roundtable is available online and is well worth watching for what it says about America’s health care crisis and about the views of RFK Jr. and Casey Means.  Several panelists referred to the “corruption” and economic self-interest of food and health care systems that, in their opinion, are making Americans chronically ill.  As Means stated, every segment of the current “health care” system “makes more money when we are sick.”  It is not a matter of degree, one panelist stated, but of “black and white ... good and evil.”  According RFK Jr., if a foreign country did these things to us — the poisoning of our food supply and corruption of our health care system — “it would be considered an act of war.”

A crucial point is that President Trump himself stands behind, and in fact set in motion via his appointment of RFK Jr., Means and others in this effort to transform America’s health.  More than anyone, it is Trump who is spearheading the effort to transform health care and diet, as well as to lower the cost of prescription drugs and other medical costs.  One recalls that in his first term, Trump passed the “Right to Try” legislation that has opened ongoing clinical trials to those willing to pay for them.

Many persons associated with the medical establishment might label Means and RFK Jr. as radicals because of their intention to fundamentally transform American health.  This transformation involves many elements, but at its heart, it is a change of approach among physicians away from treating symptoms to promoting wellness.  Along with this, there would be major changes in diet and exercise.

Whether Kennedy and Means are radicals is, of course, a matter of opinion.  But no one can deny that, despite spending more per capita than any other country in the world, the U.S. has one of the highest levels of chronic and acute disease.  This is a problem that must be addressed either by government or by individual choice.

The rate of adult obesity in the U.S. stands at 40% and it is rising.  Three fourths of U.S. adults have at least one serious marker of disease — high blood sugar, high blood pressure, obesity or overweight, heart disease, arthritis, and others.  We are not a well nation.  Just recently I sat outside a local grocery for 30 minutes (waiting on my wife) and observed that a majority of shoppers coming out, their carts piled with Mothers’ Day foods and presents, were either overweight or obese.  This is not natural, and it is not the way most of us want it to be.  But as many commentators have written, we live in an unhealthy environment that deliberately promotes unhealthy choices.

This is not to say that individual choice plays no role in our predicament.  Pizza is the most popular food in America, and this choice is not forced on us.  Hamburgers, often loaded with cheese and extra meat patties, are second — again, not because of a conspiracy on the part of the medical establishment, but because they are quick, filling, and tasty.  To really change American health, it would be necessary to shift eating patterns from pizza and burgers.  Only three percent of Americans consistently eat whole plant-based foods at present.

Many critics believe that these changes are too extreme and that the chances of bringing them about are slim.  But health advocates have pointed out that as late as the 1980s, a majority of Americans still smoked on a regular basis, and now that figure stands at 14%.  Change in health habits is possible if driven by public education and social and economic pressure.  The price of a pack of cigarettes has risen from about 30 cents in 1960 to six dollars today, a result mostly of higher taxation and litigation designed to restrict consumption.  A similar program of education and taxation could be applied to sugary foods and drinks.

“Transformation” is difficult to achieve, as I fear Kennedy and Means will find out.  But incremental changes are possible, and I believe they should be implemented.  As a conservative, I believe that healthy choices are a matter of individual choice, but it is a fact that government policy toward reducing smoking has saved an estimated 8 million lives, 3.5 million of them from lung cancer.  Even minor changes to food and medical systems will, I believe, save an equal number of lives.  It is right to ban artificial food dyes.  It is right to educate the public about the harm of excessive sugar.  It is right to promote consumption of more natural foods.

As with the appointment of RFK Jr., Trump’s nomination of Casey Means as U.S. surgeon general is a shot across the bow of America’s health care system and the food and drink industry.  Trump campaigned on making America “healthy again.”  There is a crisis, and every American is affected in some way — if not directly by disease, then by the burden of health care spending.  Trump’s appointment of RFK Jr. and his nomination of Casey Means are steps in the right direction.

Authored by John Rampton Via The Epoch Times,

Who doesn’t look forward to retirement? After all, it’s a much-deserved break after decades of work. During this time, you can travel, enjoy hobbies, and spend quality time with loved ones. Unfortunately, scammers tend to strike during this time as well. Due to their savings, home ownership, and perhaps less familiarity with digital threats, retirees are prime targets for financial fraud.

TetianaKtv/Shutterstock

In 2023 alone, Americans over the age of 60 lost more than $3.4 billion to scams. Furthermore, despite fraud being underreported, older victims who file complaints often report higher losses than younger victims. Specifically, scams resulted in $1,450 for those 80 or older, compared with less than $500 for those 20 to 59.

Suffice it to say, this should be a wake-up call. The good news? Your best defense is awareness. This post will explain how to protect yourself and your financial future from common retirement scams.

Understanding the Predator’s Mindset: Why Retirees Are Targeted

To understand the underlying reasons why older adults are often the targets of common scams, it is imperative to understand the following:

• Accumulated wealth. Often, retirees have substantial assets like retirement accounts, pensions, and home equity, making them attractive targets for financial gain.
• Lower technological familiarity. Many retirees may not be familiar with sophisticated online threats, like phishing emails, website spoofing, and other forms of fraud, making them more susceptible to deception.
• A more trusting nature. Older adults may have grown up when trust was more readily given. Consequently, they may be less inclined to question seemingly authoritative figures or strangers who seem overly friendly.
• Social isolation and loneliness. It is common for scammers to prey on feelings of loneliness and isolation, especially in those who have lost their spouses or have limited social interaction. Ultimately, they exploit their victims by cultivating false friendships or romantic relationships.

Recognizing these inherent risk factors is crucial to enhancing retirees’ and their loved ones’ protection from financial abuse.

Unmasking the Deception: Common Retirement Scams and Their Tactics

Now, let’s examine some of the most common scams targeting retirees, dissecting how they work and the telltale signs to watch out for.

Imposter Scams: Authority Scams (IRS, Medicare, or Social Security)

During this scam, unsolicited calls will be received from individuals who impersonate official government agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Medicare, or Social Security Administration. Typically, scammers claim you owe back taxes, have problems with your Medicare coverage, or are about to lose your Social Security benefits. Often, they threaten arrest, legal action, or immediate suspension of benefits if you do not act immediately.

• Red flags. A red flag might include threats of immediate arrest, demands for payment through unconventional and untraceable methods like gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency, and a false sense of urgency.
• How to protect yourself. No legitimate government agency will demand payment over the phone, especially in unconventional ways. When you receive such a call, call the agency directly. Never provide your Social Security or Medicare number if you did not initiate the call.

Tech Support Scams: The Digital Distress Call

It typically starts with a pop-up message that says, “Warning! Your computer has been infected! Call this number right away!” You may also receive an unsolicited call from someone pretending to represent a well-known tech company such as Microsoft or Apple, offering to “remotely fix” a problem you do not have.

• Red flags. Unexpected popups that ask you to call a specific number, unsolicited phone calls about alleged computer problems, and requests for remote access to your computer.
• How to protect yourself. If you receive an unsolicited tech support offer, do not trust it. In case of a pop-up that appears suspicious, do not call the number displayed. Also, you should never grant remote access to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly. Further, ensure you have reputable antivirus software installed and that your operating system and applications are up-to-date. Whenever you need technical assistance, contact a trusted and verified company yourself.

The Grandparent Scam: Exploiting Familial Love

The grandparent scam manipulates older adults by exploiting their emotional bonds through urgency and fear. Typically, this begins with a vague call—“Hi Grandma, do you know who this is?”—inviting the grandparent to guess. When a name is offered, the scammer pretends to be the grandchild in crisis, asking for money to pay for car trouble, rent, medical expenses, or bail.

The scammer often asks the grandparent not to tell anyone else, adding emotional pressure. In more elaborate schemes, a second caller calls pretending to be an authority figure, like a police officer or doctor. Due to AI, scammers can now clone authentic voices to make their impersonations more convincing.

Usually, they request payment through untraceable methods like wire transfers or gift cards. Rarely but alarmingly, scammers send couriers to collect cash.

• Red flags. A stranger pretending to be a grandchild, urgent requests for money, secrecy, muffled or off-sounding voices, and demands for untraceable payments.
• How to protect yourself. When telling a story to your grandchild or a family member, you should always pause and verify the story. You should never send money to someone until you have verified their identity. Never trust anyone who insists on secrecy or a fast turnaround.

Romance Scams: The Illusion of Love and Connection

Typically, this scam is perpetrated online, via dating websites or social media. During the scam, the scammer establishes a romantic relationship with the victim, showering them with affection and declarations of love. When they have gained the victim’s trust and established an emotional connection, they will inevitably ask for money, often claiming a sudden medical crisis, a promising but urgent business investment, or a plane ticket to a destination.

• Red flags. Oftentimes, the individual avoids meeting in person or engaging in video calls, and their stories often contain inconsistencies or change frequently.
• How to protect yourself. Whenever you interact with individuals online, exercise extreme caution. Be wary of people who express their feelings too quickly. Never send them money or share your financial information if you haven’t met the person in person. If unsure, talk to a trusted friend or family member who can provide an objective perspective on the relationship. You can also check their profile pictures for stolen identity by performing a reverse image search.

Investment and Retirement Account Scams: The Siren Song of Guaranteed Riches

These schemes involve scammers posing as legitimate financial advisors or brokers and offering unrealistically high returns. Sometimes, investors might be pushed to make quick decisions or invest in obscure or unregistered securities.

• Red flags. Frequently use high-pressure sales tactics, promise high profits with no associated risk, lack proper documentation or registration, and refuse to provide verified credentials.
• How to protect yourself. Before entrusting your money to any financial advisor or broker, thoroughly research. You can verify their credentials and disciplinary history through FINRA’s BrokerCheck or the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) website. Also, do not rush into investing decisions based on pressure or unrealistic promises. Never give access to your account to anyone you do not know well and do not trust implicitly.

Financial Services Scam: The Illusion of Legitimacy

A financial services scam mimics the behavior of a genuine financial institution, such as a bank or loan company. It is common for fraudsters to use phone calls, texts, or emails that appear and sound authentic. It is possible for them to claim your account was compromised or to offer fake services such as better loan rates. You might even be threatened with arrest if you do not pay your medical bills.

Scammers can appear convincingly legitimate with spoofed caller IDs and near-identical email addresses. Under the guise of security or assistance, they will ask you for sensitive information, such as passwords, Social Security numbers, or payment via peer-to-peer (P2P) apps.

• Red flags. There will be unexpected communication about account issues or offers, pressure to act quickly, requests for sensitive data, suspicious links, and payment demands via P2P apps.
• How to protect yourself. Personal or financial information shouldn’t be shared unless you initiated contact via a verified phone number or website. You should also avoid clicking links or opening attachments from unknown senders. Whenever in doubt, hang up and call your bank or lender directly.

Sweepstakes and Lottery Scams: The Phantom Prize

Scammers typically call, email, or mail you unexpectedly, claiming to have won a prize you didn’t even enter in a sweepstakes or lottery. You are, however, instructed to pay upfront fees or taxes to claim your supposed winnings.

• Red flags. There are no records of you entering the contest or lottery; you are asked to wire money, purchase gift cards, or make other upfront payments to claim your prize, and there is no legitimate verification that you won.
• How to protect yourself. Winners of legitimate sweepstakes and lotteries will never have to pay upfront fees or taxes to claim their prizes. If a prize sounds too good to be true, it is likely a scam. As such, you should never send money or provide financial information to claim a prize.

Business Impostor Scams: Exploiting Trust in Familiar Names

An imposter scam targets older adults by posing as a well-known company or charity representative. Scammers use fake caller IDs, emails, or websites to appear authentic. Their goal? Pretending to resolve an issue or confirm a transaction to steal money or information.

They might claim that your account is locked, your payment is late, or you won a prize. Some of these sites ask for gift cards or ask for sensitive information so that you can “verify” your identity. People often comply without suspicion because they impersonate familiar names like Amazon, PayPal, local utilities, or national charities.

• Red flags. You may receive unsolicited messages from companies or charities, urgent demands for payment or donations, gift card payments, and personal information requests.
• How to protect yourself. Never trust a familiar name without verifying it independently. For confirmation, call the company’s official number or visit their official website. If you receive an unexpected or high-pressure communication, do not give out any personal information or send money, no matter how convincing it may seem.

Proactive Measures: Smart Ways to Protect Yourself and Your Money

Besides recognizing red flags of specific scams, you can also enhance your security by adopting these proactive habits:

• Guard your personal information. Shred any documents containing sensitive data before discarding them. Unless you initiated the contact and are certain of the recipient’s legitimacy, you should never share your Social Security number, bank account details, credit card information, or passwords.
• Employ strong passwords and two-factor authentication. Keep your online accounts secure by using unique, complex passwords. If two-factor authentication is available, enable it, as it adds another layer of security beyond your password. If you have many passwords to manage, consider using a reputable password manager.
• Monitor your accounts diligently. Check your bank and credit card statements carefully each month for unauthorized transactions. If you notice unusual transactions or withdrawals, set up account alerts through your financial institution. For identity theft protection, obtain and review your credit report annually with AnnualCreditReport.com.
• Communicate openly with trusted individuals. If you notice any suspicious activity, feel free to discuss financial matters with trusted family members, friends, or your financial advisor. A second opinion can often help identify scams. When considering a significant financial decision, talk to a trusted friend or family member about it thoroughly.
• Stay informed and educated. Follow updates from reputable organizations like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to stay up-to-date on scam trends and fraud prevention tips. Participate in local seminars or webinars to increase your knowledge of elder fraud protection. Whenever you doubt the legitimacy of something, always ask questions and verify the information.

Taking Action: What to Do if You’ve Been Targeted by a Scam

Unfortunately, even the most vigilant individuals can fall victim to sophisticated scams. If you believe you have been targeted or have fallen for a scam, remember that you are not alone and that swift action is imperative.

• Cease all communication. You should immediately cease all communication with the suspected scammer. Do not answer any further calls, messages, or emails.
• Report the incident. The following authorities should be notified: the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): ReportFraud.ftc.gov, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3):www.ic3.gov, and the AARP Fraud Watch Helpline: 877-908-3360. You can also contact your local police department, especially if you have suffered financial loss.
• Contact your financial institutions. You should immediately freeze your bank account or credit card if you provided any details to the scammer.
• Monitor your credit. To help prevent further identity theft, place a fraud alert or a credit freeze on your credit report.
• Talk about your experience. In addition to providing emotional support, telling others about your scam experience can prevent others from falling prey to similar scams and reduce the stigma associated with scam victims.

Final Thoughts

In retirement, you should feel peaceful and fulfilled, not stressed and concerned about your finances. Being vigilant, informed, and open to conversations about money will help you protect yourself from ever-evolving scams.

It is important to remember that legitimate organizations will never pressure you to make quick decisions, ask for sensitive information over the phone, or demand payment in untraceable forms like gift cards. If you’re unsure, pause, verify, and speak up.

It’s worth protecting because you’ve worked hard for your financial security.

By John Rampton

The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors. They are meant for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation. The Epoch Times and ZeroHedge does not provide investment, tax, legal, financial planning, estate planning, or any other personal finance advice. The Epoch Times and ZeroHedge hold no liability for the accuracy or timeliness of the information provided.