Worth Knowing, Probably Not Quite Threadworthy, 10/22

[SVPete]

Northwestern University Can Toss Students Who Refuse To Complete Anti-Semitism Training, Judge Rules

https://freebeacon.com/campus/northwestern-university-can-toss-students-who-refuse-to-complete-anti-semitism-training-judge-rules/

Northwestern University can strip students’ financial aid, access to on-campus housing, and even their student status for refusing to complete a mandatory anti-Semitism training, a federal judge ruled Monday.

The ruling represents an early blow to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in the lawsuit it filed against Northwestern on behalf of the school’s Graduate Workers for Palestine, alleging the training violates federal civil rights law and bans "expressions of Palestinian identity." The plaintiffs had asked the court for a temporary restraining order to stop the school from punishing students who boycotted the training while the case played out, but Judge Georgia Alexakis rejected that request.

"Because the plaintiffs have failed to meet their burden in this threshold inquiry, we do not move on to conduct a balancing of the harms," Alexakis said, according to the student paper, the Daily Northwestern. "For that reason, I have to deny the motion."

This doesn't settle the lawsuit, though it bodes ill for the Arap Pali plaintiffs. The ruling denies the TRO they requested.

This could be interesting, as it has to do with universities right to select courses required for graduation and student status. Needless to say, Prog-driven universities can, and do, have degree-required uber-PC courses.

[SVPete]

US military buildup in Caribbean sees bombers, Marines and warships converge near Venezuela

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/us-military-buildup-caribbean-sees-bombers-marines-warships-converge-near-venezuela

The United States has significantly increased its military presence across the Caribbean under U.S. Southern Command, deploying bombers, warships and Marines as part of an expanded campaign targeting drug-trafficking and so-called "narco-terrorist" networks operating near Venezuela.

In addition to seven strikes on boats believed to be carrying narcotics, the Trump administration has built up thousands of troops in the region.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth this month announced the creation of a new counter-narcotics Joint Task Force operating near Southern Command, saying it was established "to crush the cartels, stop the poison, and keep America safe." The task force will coordinate air, maritime and special-operations missions across the region — marking the largest U.S. military effort in the Caribbean in decades.

U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bombers and Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II fighters recently conducted a bomber attack demonstration over the region — a show of force captured in War Department imagery. For four hours on Wednesday, B-52s from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana patrolled near Venezuela’s coast in a display of military might aimed at Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.

U.S. Reopens Puerto Rico Base, Deploys Bombers and Drones Near Venezuela

https://wokespy.com/u-s-reopens-puerto-rico-base-deploys-bombers-and-drones-near-venezuela/

The United States has expanded its military presence in the Caribbean under U.S. Southern Command, deploying bombers, Marines, and naval forces in what defense officials describe as the largest regional buildup in decades, as reported by Fox News.

The campaign, directed by President Donald Trump and the War Department, aims to target drug-trafficking and “narco-terrorist” networks operating near Venezuela.
...
In Puerto Rico, ten F-35 fighters and three MQ-9 Reaper drones have been deployed, transforming the island into a key logistics hub. Satellite images show Naval Station Roosevelt Roads — closed since 2004 — has been reactivated for operations.

Photographs from José Aponte de la Torre Airport reveal an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship equipped with Hellfire missiles on the tarmac.

Special operations aviation activity has increased as well. MH-6 “Little Bird” helicopters and MH-60M Black Hawks were spotted training near Trinidad and Tobago earlier this month.

The Pentagon has not specified the duration of the buildup, but analysts estimate the U.S. posture is the most significant in the region since the early 2000s.

[SVPete]

Alexa, Who Was President? NYT Omits Biden in Story on Growing Car Payment Delinquencies

https://newsbusters.org/blogs/business/joseph-vazquez/2025/10/21/alexa-who-was-president-nyt-omits-biden-story-growing-car

The New York Times came out with a story on rising car payment delinquencies that at first glance would make readers think it was President Donald Trump’s fault. But — as always — the devil’s in the details: This issue was a lingering carry-over from the Biden administration.

“Lower-Income Americans Are Missing Car Payments,” Times business reporter Sydney Ember’s October 20 headline read. She wrote that “Inflation and a tough job market are making it harder for some people to pay back the car loans they signed in better times.”

Sounds pretty bad, unless you’re a political opportunist looking to whack Trump with any political cudgel you can get your hands on. But the hidden plot twist would make anyone paying attention do a double-take: “The share of subprime auto loans that were 60 days or more past due reached a high of nearly 6.5 percent in January and has lingered near that level, according to Fitch Ratings.”

Hmm, who was president for most of January? Because it certainly wasn’t Trump. Ember never mentions Biden at all — of course —and proceeded to keep her story devoid of the necessary context:

[SVPete]

COVID-19 vaccines may help some cancer patients fight tumors

https://srnnews.com/covid-19-vaccines-may-help-some-cancer-patients-fight-tumors/

WASHINGTON (AP) — The most widely used COVID-19 vaccines may offer a surprise benefit for some cancer patients – revving up their immune systems to help fight tumors.

People with advanced lung or skin cancer who were taking certain immunotherapy drugs lived substantially longer if they also got a Pfizer or Moderna shot within 100 days of starting treatment, according to preliminary research being reported Wednesday in the journal Nature.

And it had nothing to do with virus infections.

Instead, the molecule that powers those specific vaccines, mRNA, appears to help the immune system respond better to the cutting-edge cancer treatment, concluded researchers from MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and the University of Florida.

The vaccine “acts like a siren to activate immune cells throughout the body,” said lead researcher Dr. Adam Grippin of MD Anderson. “We’re sensitizing immune-resistant tumors to immune therapy.”

I have zero to do with anything medical (sorry, folks who want to believe I'm a paid shill for Big Bogey-Pharma), but it's pretty much common sense that revving up people's immune system sometimes has effects beyond the intended effect of the vaccine.

That said, PULL!