Shocking moment as homeowner opens fire at four armed robbers who kick his door down, doorbell video show

 

A wild moment was captured on a security camera in Phoenix as four armed robbers who kick in a front door were greeted by the homeowner firing a barrage of bullets.

None of the four appeared to have been injured, and footage showed them immediately fleeing the scene, the Phoenix Police Department said according to Fox News. 

The incident occurred just before 4am August 12, when four men, their faces covered with bandanas, were caught on video getting out of a gray sedan and approaching the residence. 

The footage then shows two of the men as they make their way to the front door. 

One notices the camera and attempts to obscure it, but quickly abandons the idea as the other three get into position.

Two of the masked men then simultaneously kick the front door down, but the moment they do, they are met with immediate gunfire from inside the house. 

A different camera angle from another home down the street shows the four men run off in terror toward a slowly moving getaway car. Two eventually get in and flee, while the other two can be seen running away on foot.

A Phoenix police spokesperson told DailyMail.com that no arrests have been made as of Saturday, and the department is looking for the four men on the video.

Landmark study about honesty is canned after a decade because it was DISHONEST

 

A landmark study on how to curb cheating has been retracted after nearly a decade and the prominent professor whose team produced the paper is himself accused of cheating and relying on faked data. 

Dan Ariely, a professor of psychology and behavioral economist at Duke University, rose to prominence with his 2012 study that found people would be less likely to cheat and lie if they signed an honesty declaration at the top of a form before answering questions. 

The study was used as a springboard by government agencies around the world, including the IRS, who chose to include an honesty declaration at the top of their forms and credited the method with helping to collect an additional $1.6 million from government vendors in the summer of 2015. 

Governments in Canada and other nations also spent thousands of dollars working with researchers to change their own tax forms to fit the model, but to no avail, Scientific American reported.    

The 2012 study was eventually retracted by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences after academics on the Data Colada research blog tried recreating the experiments in the study, only to find that there was no reduction in cheating and lying and that the main experiment was faked 'beyond any shadow of a doubt.'  

The study's co-author, Max Bazerman, a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, said he had raised concerns about inconsistent data during the original study, but Ariely allegedly assured him and everyone else working on the study that the odd findings were correct, The Duke Chronicle reported. 

'I wish I had worked harder to identify the data were fraudulent, to ensure rigorous research in a collaborative context, and to promptly retract the 2012 paper,' Bazerman wrote in a statement.

The three other authors who worked on the study expressed similar concerns and said they played no part in collecting the data, which all went through Ariely. 

Ariely confirmed that he alone was in touch with the insurance company that ran the test with its customers and alleged that the unnamed insurance company was responsible for the fake data, BuzzFeed News reports.

'I can see why it is tempting to think that I had something to do with creating the data in a fraudulent way,' he said claiming his innocence. 'I can see why it would be tempting to jump to that conclusion, but I didn't.' 

He added, 'If I knew that the data was fraudulent, I would have never posted it.'

Aaron Charlton, a marketing professor at Illinois State University who went over the study, claimed Ariely's statement that the insurance company was at fault did not make any sense. 

'Why on earth would an insurance company fabricate data in such a way as to support Dan Ariely's hypothesis,' Charlton wrote on his website.    

This is not the first time Ariely has come under scrutiny over his research. 

In a famous 2008 study, he claimed that asking people to recall the Ten Commandments before a test cuts down on cheating, but another team failed to replicate the same effect. 

In 2010, Ariely was caught lying to NPR, telling the radio network that Delta Dental insurance data shows dentists often disagree on whether X-rays actually show a cavity despite the company never collecting such information. 

And in July 2021, A 2004 study of his on effort received 'expression of concerns' when researchers found statistical discrepancies that Ariely could not answer for. 

Cryi'n Schumer Dancing While '10,000 Americans are stranded in Afghanistan

 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has been slammed on social media for dancing backstage at the We Love NYC: The Homecoming Concert in Central Park on Saturday.

Critics voiced their outrage that Schumer would dare to dance while 10 thousand Americans and Afghans who helped the United States remain in Afghanistan. 

Others noted that the concert was held despite the oncoming Hurricane Henri, which is expected to hit either Long Island or New England on Sunday.

Meanwhile, some critics slammed New York officials like Mayor Bill de Blasio for holding the concert while the Delta variant of COVID-19 wreaks havoc on America.

The offending video showed Schumer dancing with The Late Show host Stephen Colbert and was posted to Twitter by Bill Neidhardt, the press secretary for de Blasio.

'Backstage antics,' Neidhardt had captioned the video.

Taliban wearing US army gear mock iconic WW2 image of Marines raising flag on Iwo Jima in 1945 and release footage showing them armed with American weapons

 

A group of Taliban fighters released a collection of propaganda footage, including a photo where they mocked the famed World War II picture of soldiers raising the American flag on Iwo Jima.

In the original 1945 photograph, a group of six Marines are depicted hosting the flag on Mount Suribachi.

The Taliban's Badri 313 Battalion recreated the image this week. 

In their version, a group of soldiers is seen hoisting the Taliban flag in a similar fashion while sporting U.S. weapons and gear that was likely stolen from allied militaries during patrols of Kabul.

The Badri 313 is a special unit of Taliban fighters that dress like U.S. soldiers by wearing camouflage, combat boots and body armor. The soldiers drive armored Humvees and carries M4 carbines.

The Badri 313 was reportedly named after the Battle of Badr that is written about in the Qur'an, in which the Prophet Mohammed successfully defeated an enemy force with just 313 men - some 1,400 years ago. 

The unit, previously unveiled by the Taliban in promotional material, are reportedly highly trained and equipped with state-of-the-art military equipment. 

Where the unit acquired the equipment is unknown, but it appears to be a combination of U.S. military hardware and that use by Afghan forces, likely seized as Western and allied forces withdrew from the country.

In videos released by the group, the Badri 313 soldiers are seen with military helmets and sunglasses instead of the usual tuban, bullet proof vests over camouflage jackets and trousers instead of the typical robes, and armed with tactical rifles.

In addition, the unit appears to be armed with modern sidearms, wearing modern combat boots, and even have night vision goggles - making them difficult to distinguish from any other country's special combat units.

U.S. officials say the militant group has seized what remains of the approximately $28billion in weaponry that America gave the Afghan forces between 2002 and 2017.

'Everything that hasn't been destroyed is the Taliban's now,' one official told Reuters on the basis of anonymity.

Most face masks won’t stop COVID-19 indoors, study warns

 

New research reveals that cloth masks filter just 10% of exhaled aerosols, with many people not wearing coverings that fit their face properly.

WATERLOO, Ontario — N95 or KN95 face masks may be the best way to avoid COVID-19 during crowded indoor events. That’s the recommendation from a new study reporting most cloth masks just don’t do the job when it comes to stopping the spread of coronavirus within enclosed spaces.

Researchers from the University of Waterloo simulated a person breathing in a large room with a cloth face mask on. Despite wearing a mask, the study finds a large buildup of aerosol droplets suspended in the air. Besides raising awareness on the vulnerability of certain face masks, these findings also emphasize the need for proper ventilation indoors. More ventilation means less of a chance for potentially viral aerosols to linger around.

“There is no question it is beneficial to wear any face covering, both for protection in close proximity and at a distance in a room,” says study leader Serhiy Yarusevych, a professor of mechanical and mechatronics engineering, in a university release. “However, there is a very serious difference in the effectiveness of different masks when it comes to controlling aerosols.”

Studies continue to show that aerosols exhaled by infected individuals can indeed infect others with COVID-19, even if someone is standing more than six feet away.

Why do most face masks fail to offer adequate protection?

Researchers theorize many people wear masks that don’t fit their face properly. As a result, many cloth and surgical masks only filter about 10 percent of exhaled aerosols. The rest make their way past the mask, most through the top, and spread into the surrounding environment. Conversely, higher-quality, more expensive N95 and KN95 masks filter over 50 percent of all aerosol droplets.

In light of these findings study authors recommend that everyone wear a N95 or KN95 mask if possible whenever indoors in the company of others.

“A lot of this may seem like common sense,” Prof. Yarusevych comments. “There is a reason, for instance, that medical practitioners wear N95 masks – they work much better. The novelty here is that we have provided solid numbers and rigorous analysis to support that assumption.”

It’s also worth mentioning that ventilation tests show even modest ventilation rates provide about the same level of protection as the highest quality masks.

The findings appear in the journal Physics of Fluids.

Denver Yeshiva Ruling out "Anti-Semitism" in Murder of Shmuli Silverberg

 

Dear Parents, Alumni, and the Denver Community:

Our Yeshiva Toras Chaim community continues to be profoundly and deeply pained by the unspeakable events that transpired this past Tuesday evening, claiming the life of our dear and beloved, Shmuel (Shmuli) Silverberg z”l. While we remain in a state of shock, there is much to do and much for which we must be grateful, Baruch Hashem.

We are supremely thankful for the tireless work of the local, state, and Federal law enforcement authorities that moved swiftly to identify and arrest four suspects in the case. We are particularly indebted to Chief Paul Pazen for his leadership and commitment to making the security, community well-being, and the safety of Toras Chaim a top priority. We also want to extend our deep gratitude to our local Jewish Federation, Secure Community Network, Chai Lifeline, Dr. Fox, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Rose Community Foundation for activating immediately to provide all the support we need to cope with this crisis. In this time of sorrow, our thoughts are with all the others that were caught in the string of events that took place on Tuesday night.

As the Denver Police Department reported at a news conference yesterday, it appears that Shmuli was caught in a random string of horrific violence. The attack began outside the Yeshiva, and ended with the death of Shmuli inside the first set of doors at our Kitchen entrance. Though vicious and tragic, it is our belief at this current time that this was not a targeted hate crime motivated by anti-Semitism. However, if evidence is discovered that it was, the Denver Police Department said it would work with the Denver District Attorney’s Office to add any appropriate charges.

There are many conflicting stories and rumors as to what unfolded at the Yeshiva that night. Untruths are being amplified on social media and are causing unnecessary and additional pain for all those involved which adds to our pain. The Yeshiva’s foremost priority is to protect the Silverberg family from any more pain and to get the Bochurim and staff the professional counseling help and support that they need. To this end, the Yeshiva is connecting with mental health professionals and services to engage the resources we need to help Yeshiva Toras Chaim in the healing process. At the same time, we are working closely with security experts to enhance our security systems and protocols to ensure that the safety of our Yeshiva is best in-class.

We are humbled and supremely grateful for the outpouring of support from our Alumni, friends and broader community. We are inspired by all of you and by our students. We will continue to keep you apprised of developments.

During these days of Elul, may the Almighty comfort our Yeshiva and our Community as we move forward with resolve.

Rabbi Aaron Boruch Kagan
Rabbi Naftali Seidenfeld
Rabbi Ahron Yisroel Wasserman

CNN’s Clarissa Ward Escapes Afghanistan after Taliban Executes Journalist’s Family Member After Door-To-Door Search

 

The Taliban executed the relative of a journalist and seriously harmed another after a door-to-door search for the reporter in Afghanistan.

The unnamed journalist, who works for German state-owned broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), is one of several reporters the Taliban have hunted in the aftermath of the Afghan government’s collapse, the media outlet reported. The journalist is reportedly safe and currently living in Germany.

“The killing of a close relative of one of our editors by the Taliban yesterday is inconceivably tragic, and testifies to the acute danger in which all our employees and their families in Afghanistan find themselves,” DW Director General Peter Limbourg said in a statement.

“It is evident that the Taliban are already carrying out organized searches for journalists, both in Kabul and in the provinces,” he continued. “We are running out of time!”

The Taliban has raided the homes of at least three other DW journalists, according to the media outlet. Insurgents also reportedly kidnapped the employee of a Middle Eastern television network and killed the head of a radio station.

“With the Taliban takeover, the lives of Deutsche Welle employees and their families in Afghanistan are under acute threat,” DW executives Karl Jüsten and Peter Clever said in a translated joint statement. “Alone the fact that they worked for a western broadcaster could result in torture and death.”

German Federation of Journalists Chairman Frank Überall issued a statement calling upon German Chancellor Angela Merkel to expedite the evacuations of German journalists from Afghanistan, according to DW. “The people are in very grave danger because of their work,” he said.

The three largest American media companies have similarly asked the U.S. government to facilitate safe transport of its employees out of Afghanistan, The Wall Street Journal reported. A WSJ spokesperson said “the situation on the ground remains extremely perilous” in a statement.

“The Biden administration can and should do all within its power to protect press freedom and stand up for the rights of the vulnerable Afghan reporters, photographers, and media workers,” Committee to Protect Journalists Executive Director Joel Simon said on Monday.

Kabul Airport Gates Are Closed, Taliban Confiscating U.S. Passports

 

The Kabul airport gates are reportedly closed Saturday, as additional details indicate the Taliban is confiscating U.S. passports.

“All of the entrance gates to the airport were closed on Saturday morning because of the dangerous situation,” the New York Times reported, adding that the U.S. embassy in Kabul is advising evacuees not to travel to the airport in light of “security threats.”

“Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport,” the embassy alerted on its website, “we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so.”

The active security threats come as the New York Post reported the Taliban is “now attempting to take their U.S. passports and identification orders in an attempt to stop them from leaving the country.”

“I got to the gates and was about to show my passport, but the Taliban got it, and he said you are not allowed to go through and wouldn’t give it back,” one Afghan American on the ground told the Post. “I was lucky a U.S. marine was right there and forced him to give it back.”

Former Navy SEAL Ephraim Mattos, who works to evacuate people on the ground, also confirmed the reports to the Post.

Hundreds of released Gitmo detainees back to killing Americans

 

Twenty years after the 9/11 attacks, U.S. intelligence documents reveal 229 “rehabbed” former Gitmo detainees have returned to terrorism and killing Americans — and an alarming 66% of them have not been recaptured and are still at large.

Meanwhile, President Biden is quietly freeing more of these terrorist suspects from the Guantanamo Bay prison, all to fulfill his old boss’ pledge to permanently close the facility in Cuba.

Shortly after taking office, Biden reversed President Trump’s executive order to keep Gitmo open and is lining up inmates to transfer out of the prison with the goal of emptying it and shuttering it — even though the remaining prisoners have long been classified by military intelligence as the worst of the worst and too dangerous to release.

Last month, the president freed his first prisoner — accused terrorist Abdul Latif Nasser — leaving the number of remaining detainees at 39. Ten others have been cleared for release, including some of Osama bin Laden’s bodyguards and 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s safehouse operator, according to Gitmo parole board documents.

Still other detainees have appealed to the Biden administration through their pro-bono defense lawyers to ensure their release, despite the risk of them returning to militant activities. The suspected 20th hijacker, Mohammad al-Qahtani, and a dozen other inmates are slated for parole hearings this year, documents reveal.

Biden is clearing out the cells despite being fully briefed by his intelligence agencies that one in three released detainees have gone back to fighting against America — and some have actually managed to kill more Americans.

“Based on trends identified during the past 17 years, we assess that some detainees currently at GTMO will seek to reengage in terrorist or insurgent activities after they are transferred,” a recent US intelligence report warned.

Zera Shishon Parshas Ki Teizei