The Full Belmonte, 2/14/2023
Police ride an armored vehicle on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing Monday night.
Michigan shooting
“At least three people were killed and five others critically wounded in a mass shooting at Michigan State University on Monday night. A 43-year-old man identified as the suspect had no affiliation with the school, police said during a press conference this morning. The gunman opened fire at two campus locations, turning the university where over 19,000 students live into a crime scene and forcing terrified students to hide as hundreds of officers in tactical gear swarmed the school. The suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said, adding they have yet to establish a motive. The identities of the victims are not being released at this time.” [CNN]
Mass shootings leave America feeling helpless
Michigan State University students are led to a safe area on campus in East Lansing, Mich., last night. Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images
“Last night, a shooting on Michigan State University's East Lansing campus left three people dead and five others in critical condition.
The gunman fatally shot himself after hundreds of officers scoured the campus and terrified students hid in the dark.
It was a tragedy, but not a rarity: The U.S. this year has had at least 67 mass shootings — four or more people shot or killed, not including any shooter — according to the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive.
Why it matters: The school massacre in Parkland, Fla., was five years ago this afternoon. Since then, continuing mass shootings have reinforced a sense of helplessness and fear, Axois' Keldy Ortiz, Niala Boodhoo and Russell Contreras report.
By the numbers: Last year, the U.S. had 690 mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive — a 153% jump from 2014.
From 2014 to 2022, there was a 60% increase in the number of children younger than 11 who died from mass shootings.” [Axios]
US defends decision to shoot down 3 unidentified objects
By ERIC TUCKER
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Monday, Feb. 13, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
“WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday defended the shootdowns of three unidentified objects in as many days even as it acknowledged that officials had no indication the objects were intended for surveillance in the same manner as the high-altitude Chinese balloon that traversed American airspace earlier this month.
The three objects, including one shot down Sunday over Lake Huron, were unmanned and traveling at such a low altitude as to pose a risk to civilian commercial air traffic, said White House national security spokesman John Kirby. And though the Biden administration does not yet have evidence that they were equipped for spying purposes, officials have not ruled that out either, he said….” Read more at AP News
Judge to release parts of Georgia special grand jury report
By KATE BRUMBACK
Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at the South Carolina Statehouse, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
“ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia judge on Monday ordered the partial release later this week of a report by a special grand jury that investigated efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss.
The report’s introduction and conclusion, as well as a section in which the grand jurors expressed concerns that some witnesses may have lied under oath, will be released on Thursday, said Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney.
Any recommendations on who should or should not be prosecuted will remain secret for now to protect their due process rights, McBurney wrote.
McBurney’s order came three weeks after hearing arguments from prosecutors, who urged the report be kept secret until they decide on charges, and a coalition of media organizations, which pressed for its release.
The release is a significant development in one of several cases that threaten legal jeopardy for the former president as he ramps up a 2024 White House campaign. The special grand jury spent about seven months hearing testimony from witnesses including high-profile Trump allies, such as attorney Rudy Giuliani and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and high-ranking Georgia officials, such as Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Gov. Brian Kemp.
McBurney wrote that the report includes recommendations for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, including ‘a roster of who should (or should not) be indicted, and for what, in relation to the conduct (and aftermath) of the 2020 general election in Georgia.’ The special grand jury did not have the power to issue indictments, and it will ultimately be up to Willis to decide whether to seek indictments from a regular grand jury.
The special grand jury’s final report was requested by Willis and is meant to inform her investigative decision-making process, McBurney wrote, adding that the panel’s investigation was largely controlled by the district attorney and her team and was ‘a one-sided exploration.’
There was ‘very limited due process’ for people for whom the grand jurors recommended charges, McBurney wrote. Some may not have had the opportunity to appear before the panel, and those who did appear did not have the right to have their lawyers present or to offer any rebuttal.
For that reason, the judge concluded, it is not appropriate to release the full report at this time.
It is not clear if or when Willis will present the case to a regular grand jury with the purpose of getting one or more indictments. At a Jan. 24 hearing, she said decisions are ‘imminent’ but did not elaborate.
Trump told The Associated Press last month that he did ‘absolutely nothing wrong.’ He said he felt ‘very confident’ that he wouldn’t be indicted.
At the January hearing, Willis had argued against the immediate release of the report, saying it could violate the rights of potential defendants and negatively affect the ability to prosecute those who may be charged with crimes….” Read more at AP News
Nikki Haley Enters GOP Presidential Race as First Major Trump Challenger
Former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador will hold formal 2024 campaign launch event Wednesday
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is the first major Republican candidate to commit to taking on Donald Trump.PHOTO: MEG KINNARD/ASSOCIATED PRESS
“Nikki Haley, a former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador, said Tuesday she is entering the 2024 Republican presidential nomination race in a move that puts her in direct competition with her one-time boss, former President Donald Trump.
‘It’s time for a new generation of leadership to rediscover fiscal responsibility, secure our border, and strengthen our country, our pride and our purpose,’ Ms. Haley said in an announcement video released a day before she is scheduled to give a formal campaign launch speech in Charleston, S.C.
Ms. Haley’s remarks seemed to reference the age of some of the top candidates expected to be in the race. Mr. Trump is 76, while President Biden, who is expected to make a formal announcement in March or April about seeking the Democratic nomination, is 80.
’The socialist left sees an opportunity to rewrite history,’ Ms. Haley said in the video. ‘China and Russia are on the march. They all think we can be bullied. Kicked around. You should know this about me: I don’t put up with bullies. And when you kick back, it hurts them more if you’re wearing heels.’
The 51-year-old is the first major Republican candidate to commit to taking on Mr. Trump, who launched his third consecutive White House bid in November and remains the party’s dominant figure even after disappointing GOP results in the past three national elections.
After her Charleston event Wednesday in an 1800s-era building, Ms. Haley will travel in the coming days to Iowa and New Hampshire, the two states that will start the GOP nomination balloting about a year from now….” Read more at Wall Street Journal
Teen girls' crisis
Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
“The teen mental health crisis is affecting girls almost twice as much as boys, Axios' Sabrina Moreno writes from federal data out yesterday.
Why it matters: There's a pronounced gender gap in who is experiencing suicidal thoughts, sexual assault and persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.
The CDC report found teenage girls are in the midst of the worst mental health decline in a decade, with nearly a third reporting they've seriously considered taking their lives.
1 in 5 girls said in 2021 that they recently had experienced sexual violence — a 20% increase since 2017, when the CDC began tracking the statistic.
Teen girls were nearly four times more likely than boys to say they had ever been forced to have sex.
What's happening: There's no single factor leading to this mental-health decline in teen girls, said Debra Houry, CDC's chief medical officer.
The pandemic, social media, stressors at school, online misinformation and societal conflict all play a role.
Past studies have suggested girls tend to dwell on negative emotions as a coping mechanism — and are more likely than boys to be perfectionists to the point of burnout and intense self-critique.
Flashback: The mental health crisis among teen girls predates COVID.
A Pew Research study in 2019 found teen girls in the U.S. were three times more likely than boys their same age to have depression.
What we're watching: Parents and legislators increasingly recognize the responsibility schools have in addressing mental health concerns.
But districts are hard-pressed to keep counseling, screenings, teletherapy and other services that have been sustained with federal COVID relief dollars.” [Axios]
“Christian nationalism is seen as a fringe ideology. But new research shows more than half of Republicans believe the country should be a strictly Christian nation, with 21% agreeing the U.S. should adhere to the ideals of Christian nationalism and 33% sympathizing with those views. However, Americans broadly disagree.” [NPR]
Plane plunge
“A United Airlines 777 leaving Hawaii made a scary plunge toward the ocean shortly after takeoff, flight tracking data shows. The incident occurred in December when the plane dived toward the ocean for 21 seconds a little over a minute after takeoff. Neither United nor the FAA indicated anyone was injured on the flight. Still, passengers on board were startled after the plane lost more than half its altitude and came within 775 feet of sea level, according to data from FlightRadar24. ‘There were a number of screams on the plane,’ a passenger told CNN. ‘Everybody knew that something was out of the ordinary, or at least that this was not normal.’ United said it conducted an investigation with the FAA and the pilots union ‘that ultimately resulted in the pilots receiving additional training,’ adding the investigation is ongoing.” [CNN]
Climate
“Flowers and trees are blooming up to three weeks earlier than normal in the Eastern US. Experts say changes in climate are ushering in many full blooms across parts of the country -- when they should still be nearly a month away. Much of the ‘early spring’ has to do with the warm start to 2023. Several parts of the South and Southeast are off to their top-10 warmest years on record, and many cities are seeing their top-five warmest: Houston, Jackson, Nashville and Atlanta. It is even more dramatic in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Philadelphia and New York City are experiencing their warmest start to the year on record, so the early bloom will most likely expand into the Northeast in the weeks ahead.” [CNN]
“An evacuation order was lifted in East Palestine, Ohio this week after a train derailment earlier this month caused a dayslong fire and released toxic fumes into the air. But returning residents have been experiencing a burning sensation in their eyes, animals falling ill and a strong odor lingering in the town.” [NPR]
11 states consider ‘right to repair’ for farming equipment
By JESSE BEDAYN
In this photo provided by Danny Wood, a combine harvests grain on his farm in northeastern Colorado in July 2022. Wood's combine has broken down, but the manufacturer doesn't allow him to make certain fixes, forcing Wood to wait precious days for service. That's why lawmakers in Colorado and 10 other states have introduce bills that would force farming equipment manufacturers to provide the tools, software, parts and manuals needed for farmers to do their own repairs. (Danny Wood via AP)
“DENVER (AP) — On Colorado’s northeastern plains, where the pencil-straight horizon divides golden fields and blue sky, a farmer named Danny Wood scrambles to plant and harvest proso millet, dryland corn and winter wheat in short, seasonal windows. That is until his high-tech Steiger 370 tractor conks out.
The tractor’s manufacturer doesn’t allow Wood to make certain fixes himself, and last spring his fertilizing operations were stalled for three days before the servicer arrived to add a few lines of missing computer code for $950.
‘That’s where they have us over the barrel, it’s more like we are renting it than buying it,’ said Wood, who spent $300,000 on the used tractor.
Wood’s plight, echoed by farmers across the country, has pushed lawmakers in Colorado and 10 other states to introduce bills that would force manufacturers to provide the tools, software, parts and manuals needed for farmers to do their own repairs — thereby avoiding steep labor costs and delays that imperil profits….” Read more at AP News
Thousands of Israelis protest against judicial reforms
“About 100,000 Israelis descended upon parliament in Jerusalem on Monday to protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reforms.” [Vox] [New York Times / Patrick Kingsley and Isabel Kershner]
“Israel’s new right-wing government introduced legislation that weakens the power of Israel’s Supreme Court and changes the way judges are selected.” [Vox] [Reuters / Maayan Lubell]
“The government claims the reforms will restore the balance of power, however, opponents say the plans will destroy Israel’s democracy and trigger ‘societal collapse.’” [Vox] [BBC / Yolande Knell and Raffi Berg]
“Despite the protests, the bill passed a committee vote Monday and will face a first reading, and vote, Wednesday. After three successful rounds of voting it will become law.” [Vox] [CNN / Hadas Gold]
Assad Opens Two More Border Crossings
“U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres announced that Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad has opened two additional border crossings to the disaster-stricken country. Until Monday, the only crossing allowing aid and rescue workers into the country was Bab al-Hawa between the Turkish city of Antakya and Aleppo in Syria.
The newly opened crossings—Bab al-Salam and Al Ra’ee—will be open ‘for an initial period of three months to allow for the timely delivery of humanitarian aid,’ according to Guterres. ‘As the toll of the 6 February earthquake continues to mount, delivering food, health, nutrition, protection, shelter, winter supplies and other life-saving supplies to all the millions of people affected is of the utmost urgency,” he added.
The announcement comes after a Syrian rebel leader urged the outside world to provide help for the northwest province of Idlib in the wake of last week’s deadly earthquakes. Ahmed Hussein al-Shara, better known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, was once leader of the Nusra Front, an al Qaeda splinter group. The United States designated him a terrorist in 2013, and he has a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head.
‘The United Nations needs to understand it’s required to help in a crisis,’ said Jolani, who told the Guardian, ‘From the first hour of the earthquake, we sent messages to the United Nations asking for aid. Unfortunately, no support for our search and rescue teams arrived, as well as no specific aid to combat this crisis.’
Jolani is among the many people who have argued that Assad’s regime cannot be trusted to deliver aid to hard-hit rebel-held areas.” [Foreign Policy]
“Australia wants ‘unequivocal’ control of submarines. Australia’s nuclear-power submarine taskforce, Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead, has stressed that Australia will have ‘unequivocal’ control of the submarines, even if U.S. or British engineers are on board to provide technical guidance.
Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has questioned whether the AUKUS deal between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States will compromise Australian sovereignty, asking the government to answer whether the submarines will be ‘operated, sustained and maintained by Australia without the support or supervision of the U.S. navy’ and whether the deal would mean ‘sovereignty would be shared with the U.S.’
‘We would expect anyone, whether it be a foreign engineer or an Australian engineer, to provide advice. Ultimately the commanding officer of that submarine—the Australian—would have command and control over the reactor, over the submarine, unequivocal,’ Mead told ABC TV’s Sarah Ferguson.” [Foreign Policy]
Ukraine
“Amid the escalating conflict in Ukraine, analysts say new video appears to show heavy losses for Russian armored formations. The footage suggests failures in Moscow's command and tactics as Russian forces prepare for a spring offensive. This comes as Russia is gearing up for a ‘maximum escalation’ of the war, potentially as soon as the next few weeks, according to a top Ukrainian national security official. In response, Ukrainian officials are renewing calls for more advanced weaponry from Western allies to counter the threat. A group of 40 countries including the US has provided nearly $50 billion in ‘lethal assistance’ to Ukraine since the start of Russia's invasion last year, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said today.” [CNN]
“Israel to recognize unauthorized settlements. Israel’s security cabinet has announced it will recognize nine West Bank settlements that had been built without authorization. ‘In response to the murderous terrorist attacks in Jerusalem, the security cabinet decided unanimously to authorize nine communities,’ the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. Netanyahu said Sunday that he wants to ‘strengthen settlements,’ which are regarded as illegal under international law.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, ‘We are deeply troubled by Israel’s decision yesterday to advance reportedly nearly 10,000 settlement units and to begin a process to retroactively legalize nine outposts in the West Bank that were previously illegal under Israeli law.’ Blinken also said ‘we call on all parties to avoid additional actions that can further escalate tensions in the region and to take practical steps that can improve the well-being of the Palestinian people.’ The European Union also said it ‘rejects’ the legalization.” [Foreign Policy]
“Chinese alleges U.S. spy balloons. China is now saying that the United States, which shot down what it said was a Chinese spy balloon on Feb. 5 and has since shot down three other unidentified objects, is guilty of sending spy balloons to China. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, which denied that the object the United States shot down was a spy balloon, is now saying that the United States has sent at least 10 spy balloons into Chinese air space over the past year.
‘The first thing the U.S. side should do is start with a clean slate, undergo some self-reflection, instead of smearing and accusing China,’ said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, who added, ‘If you want to know more about U.S. high-altitude balloons illegally entering China’s airspace, I suggest you refer to the U.S. side.’” [Foreign Policy]
“Portuguese Catholic Church scandal. An independent commission charged with investigating the sexual abuse of minors by the Catholic Church has said it has documented cases suggesting there were more than 4,800 victims. The commission described this as ‘the tip of the iceberg.’ The commission looked at cases dating back to 1950 and documented 564 experiences of abuse, many of which pointed to other abuses, bringing the number of estimated victims into the thousands. Twenty-five cases have reportedly been passed to public prosecutors. Others were outside the statute of limitations.” [Foreign Policy]
“Marco Goecke, head of Hanover State Opera’s ballet company, has been suspended and is now under investigation after smearing dog excrement on the face of a journalist who had described one of his productions as ‘boring’ in a review. Goecke, owner of a Dachshund named Gustav, is alleged to have first accosted the critic verbally and then pulled out a bag of dog feces from his coat. Goecke has been barred from the opera house and criminal complaint has been filed. Gustav the dog, who appears to have been an unwitting accomplice to the crime, is presumed innocent.” [Foreign Policy]
Pappy Van Winkle probe: Love of rare bourbons lands Oregon officials in criminal investigation
“SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Justice is opening a criminal investigation into allegations that senior officials in the state’s alcohol regulatory agency violated ethics laws by diverting rare, sought-after bourbons including Pappy Van Winkle for personal use, the state attorney general said Friday.
The officials said they were paying for the whiskey, which can cost thousands of dollars a bottle, but they allegedly used their knowledge and connections at the commission to obtain the products, according to an internal investigation by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission.
The practice had purportedly been going on for many years and involved not only state employees but also members of the Oregon Legislature, the OLCC investigator was told.
The practice consequently deprived well-heeled whiskey aficionados among the public of the tiny-batch boutique bourbons including Pappy Van Winkle’s 23-year-old whiskey.
It also violated several Oregon statutes, including one that prohibits public officials from using confidential information for personal gain, according to the commission’s investigation.
Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek expressed outrage at the findings and on Wednesday asked the OLCC board of commissioners to fire Executive Director Steve Marks and others who have been implicated.
Kotek also asked Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to conduct an independent civil investigation. Instead, the justice department’s criminal division opened an investigation, Rosenblum announced, adding that a civil probe would come later.
‘The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission will comply fully with the criminal investigation announced today by the Oregon Attorney General,’ commission spokesman Mark Pettinger said in an email….” Read more at USA Today
Ford plans $3.5 billion battery plant in Michigan
Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company, speaks yesterday in Romulus, Mich. Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images
“Ford announced plans to build a $3.5 billion factory in Michigan that will employ at least 2,500 people to make lower-cost electric-vehicle batteries.
The plant, 100 miles west of Detroit, will start making batteries in 2026, AP reports.
The factory, near Marshall, would produce batteries with a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry, which is cheaper than the nickel-cobalt-manganese chemistry now used in many EV batteries.
‘The whole intent here is to make EVs more affordable and accessible,’ said Marin Gjaja, chief marketing officer for Ford EVs.
Ford says a wholly owned subsidiary will own the factory and employ the workers.
China's Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL), known for lithium-iron-phosphate expertise, will supply technology, some equipment and workers.
Breaking: Ford said today that it will cut 3,800 jobs in Europe over the next three years — 2,300 in Germany, 1,300 in the U.K. and 200 elsewhere on the continent. Go deeper.” [Axios]
Crypto crackdown
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
“The U.S. securities regulator made clear with two recent enforcement actions that it views most crypto products and services as securities, reports Crystal Kim, co-author of Axios Crypto.
‘This really should put everyone on notice in this marketplace,’ SEC Chair Gary Gensler said on CNBC.
What we're watching: The SEC isn't the only arm of government homing in on crypto. The Fed, the FDIC, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) — even the White House — are taking icier stances.” [Axios]
Twitter’s plan to charge for crucial tool prompts outcry
By BARBARA ORTUTAY
FILE - Members of a search and rescue team work on a collapsed structure after the earthquake in Antakya, southeastern Turkey, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023. Starting Monday, a crucial Twitter tool known as Application Developer Interface, used by software developers to comb the platform for calls for help from earthquake victims, may be accessible only by paying a $100 monthly fee. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)
“In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria, thousands of volunteer software developers have been using a crucial Twitter tool to comb the platform for calls for help — including from people trapped in collapsed buildings — and connect people with rescue organizations.
They could soon lose access unless they pay Twitter a monthly fee of at least $100 — prohibitive for many volunteers and nonprofits on shoestring budgets.
‘That’s not just for rescue efforts which unfortunately we’re coming to the end of, but for logistics planning too as people go to Twitter to broadcast their needs,’ said Sedat Kapanoglu, the founder of Eksi Sozluk, Turkey’s most popular social platform, who has been advising some of the volunteers in their efforts.
Nonprofits, researchers and others need the tool, known as the API, or Application Programming Interface, to analyze Twitter data because the sheer amount of information makes it impossible for a human to go through by hand….” Read more at AP News
AI porn is easy to make now. For women, that’s a nightmare.
Easy access to AI imaging gives abusers new tools to target women
“QTCinderella built a name for herself by gaming, baking and discussing her life on the video-streaming platform Twitch, drawing hundreds of thousands of viewers at once. She pioneered ‘The Streamer Awards’ to honor other high-performing content creators and recently appeared in a coveted guest spot in an esports champion series.
Nude photos aren’t part of the content she shares, she says. But someone on the internet made some, using QTCinderella’s likeness in computer-generated porn. This month, prominent streamer Brandon Ewing admitted to viewing those images on a website containing thousands of other deepfakes, drawing attention to a growing threat in the AI era: The technology creates a new tool to target women.
‘For every person saying it’s not a big deal, you don’t know how it feels to see a picture of yourself doing things you’ve never done being sent to your family,’ QTCinderella said in a live-streamed video.
Streamers typically don’t reveal their real names and go by their handles. QTCinderella did not respond to a separate request for comment. She noted in her live stream that addressing the incident has been ‘exhausting’ and shouldn’t be part of her job.
Until recently, making realistic AI porn took computer expertise. Now, thanks in part to new, easy-to-use AI tools, anyone with access to images of a victim’s face can create realistic-looking explicit content with an AI-generated body. Incidents of harassment and extortion are likely to rise, abuse experts say, as bad actors use AI models to humiliate targets ranging from celebrities to ex-girlfriends — even children.
Women have few ways to protect themselves, they say, and victims have little recourse.
As of 2019, 96 percent of deepfakes on the internet were pornography, according to an analysis by AI firm DeepTrace Technologies, and virtually all pornographic deepfakes depicted women. The presence of deepfakes has ballooned since then, while the response from law enforcement and educators lags behind, said law professor and online abuse expert Danielle Citron. Only three U.S. states have laws addressing deepfake porn….” Read more at Washington Post
Super Bowl Jesus advert draws ire on left and right
Image caption, One of the adverts that ran during the game showed scenes of violence and disorder before the words 'Jesus loved the people we hate' popped up on the screen
“Most Super Bowl adverts plug things like fizzy drink and cars, but one of the most talked-about commercials the day after the big game was selling Jesus - and it upset several very different political tribes.
Advertisements for an evangelical Christian website called He Gets Us have been shown on US TV since last year, during sporting events and the Grammys.
The ads use striking black-and-white photographs of recent events to project Christian values on to modern life.
They alternatively portray Jesus as a ‘cancelled’ influencer, a refugee, a struggling worker and other archetypes.
And during the Super Bowl the commercial brought together opposite ends of the ideological spectrum - in outrage.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the left-wing Democratic congresswoman from New York City, tweeted: ‘Something tells me Jesus would *not* spend millions of dollars on Super Bowl ads to make fascism look benign.’
Image caption, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted her distaste at the campaign during the game
Meanwhile, Charlie Kirk, founder of the right-wing campus group Turning Point USA, said the adverts ‘pander to liberals’. He's previously called the campaign ‘one of the worst services to Christianity in the modern era’ and the people behind it ‘woke tricksters’.
So who's behind the campaign and why did it attract such a wide range of detractors?
The campaign is run by the Servant Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in Kansas, which is also known as The Signatry.
The website is coy about where funding comes from, noting that: ‘Most of the people driving He Gets Us, including our donors, choose to remain anonymous because the story isn't about them, and they don't want the credit.’
However, David Green, the billionaire founder of arts and crafts chain store Hobby Lobby, confirmed in November that he was one of the main donors behind the campaign, which had an initial budget of around $100m.
Mr Green hews to conservative Christian values. In a landmark Supreme Court case in 2014, Hobby Lobby won the right to refuse on religious grounds to cover contraception and the morning-after pill as part of its employee health plan. The company has previously been accused of homophobia.
Jacobin, a socialist magazine, noted that the Servant Foundation has donated $50m to the Alliance Defending Freedom, an organisation that is designated as an anti-LGBT hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Who's upset by the ads?
The site says ‘we're not 'left' or 'right' or a political organization of any kind’.
And while left-wing anger at the campaign online was focused on the people behind it - and its vast expense, money which some argued would have been better spent elsewhere - criticism by conservative activists was triggered by the content of the advertisements themselves.
Many singled out an advert which tells the story of Jesus' family while images of Latin American families fleeing towards the United States flash up on the screen. The commercial ends with the words: ‘Jesus was a refugee.’
Some interpreted this and other adverts as pushing left-wing political views about immigration and diversity.
‘Do you think open borders is biblical?’ Mr Kirk asked before the game.
Image caption, Charlie Kirk leads a conservative campus activist group
The number of Americans identifying as Christian has steadily declined in recent decades.
In response to questions, He Gets Us didn't respond directly to the critics but instead pointed out that the campaign was successful in attracting attention, citing two marketing firms which rated the campaign as among the most-talked-about Super Bowl ads online.
Along with all the tweets, Google data showed a big spike in searches for the campaign during the game.
‘The goal is that the two commercials will not only inspire those who may be sceptical of Christianity to ask questions and learn more about Jesus, but also encourage Christians to live out their faith even better and exhibit the same confounding love and forgiveness Jesus modelled,’ said He Gets Us spokesman Jason Vanderground.” [BBC]
Skiers seek climate change moves: ‘The seasons have shifted’
By ANDREW DAMPF
FILE - People ski on a strip of snow near Schladming, Austria, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. Mother Nature and global warming are having just as much say about when and where to hold ski races these days as the International Ski Federation. Warm weather and a lack of snow wiped out nearly a month of racing at the start of this season. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)
“COURCHEVEL, France (AP) — Overall World Cup winners Mikaela Shiffrin, Federica Brignone and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde are among nearly 200 athletes from multiple disciplines who have signed a letter addressed to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation demanding action over climate change.
The letter was delivered during the skiing world championships after warm weather and a lack of snow wiped out nearly a month of racing at the start of this season, with preseason training on melting European glaciers heading toward extinction and the impact of climate change on the schedule being seen even in January….” Read more at AP News
1 heart thing: Candy shock
Photo: Consumers World. Used by permission
“Edgar Dworsky — a consumer advocate who is founder and editor of Consumer World — tells me he bought a Whitman's Sampler Valentine's assortment to show how much space the packaging takes up.
He took out the plastic divider and put the candy back in the box (above).
Why it matters: This is known as ‘slack-fill’ — when the packaging overwhelms the content inside, The Washington Post's Laura Reiley writes.” [Axios]