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Revealed: Google’s Groundbreaking Plan to Release 64 Million Mosquitoes for Global Health Revolution

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June 6, 2026
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Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is planning to introduce 64 million male mosquitoes, which have been infected with bacteria, into the states of Florida and California.

Could this initiative go awry?

There is potential for complications.

As part of the Debug Project, Verily—Alphabet’s life sciences branch—intends to release a large number of male mosquitoes treated with Wolbachia bacteria. The goal is for these sterilized insects to mate with female mosquitoes, thereby decreasing the population of these pests that carry the West Nile Virus.

This approach is essentially “insect birth control,” as explained by Dr. Laura C. Harrington, a biologist at the CDC who is an expert in mosquito behavior and reproductive patterns.

Sounds great. What’s the catch?

Well, says Dr Harrington, ‘I am concerned about manipulating the genetics in the environment.’

Sounds bad… go on.

Google’s parent company is seeking to release 64 million, bacteria-infected, male mosquitoes into Florida and California. What can possibly go wrong?

‘In another Culvex species [aka the typical house mosquito], there have been a couple of lab studies where they’ve shown infection with this type of bacteria enhances virus transmission,’ she said.

The italics are mine, as is the paralyzing fear and skepticism about one of the world’s largest tech companies monkeying around with Mother Nature and potentially producing flying monsters with super-charged West Nile.

To calm my nerves, I reached out to my favorite congressional conspiracy theorist, Tennessee Representative Tim Burchett.

He didn’t hold back. ‘Anytime we upset God’s plan it backfires on us. And we just never learn our lesson. We play God and we pull back a nub,’ he said.

Burchett went on to describe various ‘well-intentioned’ biological experiments that failed spectacularly, like the introduction of kudzu – a nutrient rich fast-growing vine – in the late 1800’s that was supposed to feed cattle and prevent erosion. One hundred and fifty years later, this invasive species is known as ‘the vine that ate the south’ after blighting massive swaths of once beautiful farmland.

Then, Burchett gave me meat-sweats by telling me about a tick that makes humans allergic to meat. It’s called the Lone Star tick (I had to Google it) and it can carry the Alpha-gal Syndrome which causes hypersensitivity to the sugar molecules found in beef, pork, lamb and venison.

Burchett (who, mind you, has appeared in the documentary American Sasquatch: Man, Myth or Monster) blames all of it on ‘the one world government crowd’ whose profit motive for shutting down meat consumption stems, he alleges, from being in the business of ‘producing artificial beef.’

Man, I started out today worrying about angry mosquitoes and now I’m obsessed with meat-ticks who are about to squash my ribeye mojo.

As Burchett aptly put it, ‘We should’ve learned our lesson under Covid.’ We should’ve learned our lesson by watching The Island of Dr. Moreau!

‘Anytime we upset God’s plan it backfires on us. And we just never learn our lesson: We play God and we pull back a nub,’ said Burchett

To be fair, Dr Harrington said that she doesn’t suspect Alphabet of doing anything ‘sinister’ or ‘dangerous,’ but she warned, ‘no matter what we do it seems like Mother Nature always has the upper hand.’

‘Even though we’ve been studying [mosquitos] for a long time, there’s a lot we don’t know about the males,’ Dr Harrington explained. ‘I’m a specialist in their mating interactions and the males have been ignored for a long time because they don’t blood feed, they don’t bite, and so we don’t know a lot about them.’

‘We don’t really know what an optimal diet is, or what they actually consume in nature on a regular basis, as far as nutrients.’

I’m starting to get a very bad feeling.

Bruchett told me that only one man can stop this experiment and that’s Environmental Protection Agency head Lee Zeldin.

‘I have a lot of faith in Lee Zeldin. He is incredibly brave and he’s smart,’ said Burchett.

I, for one, hope he has a giant canister of Raid to go along with that whoop-ass!

Not a virgin

The Material Granny hazarded a wardrobe function at a surprise Pride concert held three stories above Times Square on Thursday.

The crowd gasped as Madonna, 67 – sporting some questionable lingerie – tried to hoist her creaky bones over a flimsy plexiglass barricade.

Like a prayer, Madge – and thousands of virgin eyes – were spared.

The Material Granny hazarded a wardrobe function at a surprise Pride concert held three stories above Times Square on Thursday

Wackos of the world, unite!

Candace Owens, Andrew Tate and Steven Seagal are some of unsavory attendees of Russia’s ‘Davos,’aka the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, this week.

Antisemites, misogynists and alleged rapists.

With comrades like these, who needs enemies?

Sponsored by…

Tennis fans will be seeing a lot less of Serena Williams when she busts out of retirement next week at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club in London.

The lady legend’s chiseled new look is brought to you by a GLP-1 brand backed by her tech-savvy husband.

That’s what I call product placement.

The lady legend’s chiseled new look is brought to you by a GLP-1 brand backed by her tech-savvy husband (Pictured: Serena Williams at the Met Gala in May)

Candace Owens, Andrew Tate and Steven Seagal are some of unsavory attendees of Russia’s ‘Davos,’ aka the St. Petersburg Economic Forum (Pictured: Owens and Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Russia in St Petersburg on June 5)

Mr Whiskers

Trump’s cranky ex-national security adviser John Bolton has pleaded guilty to a charge of illegally possessing classified documents.

The 77-year-old hawk will pay a $2 million fine as part of his punishment.

I wonder where the war-happy walrus hid those secret papers… in his voluminous mustache?

Creepy mom alert!

Jason Biggs’ soon-to-be ex-wife Jenny Mollen wins for most vomitous celebrity post of the year, after posting pictures of her lying on top of their 12-year-old son, with his legs splayed open.

‘Your eldest son will be the most toxic guy you ever date,’ she wrote.

Huh, I wonder why Biggs and Jenny couldn’t work things out?

Jason Biggs’ soon-to-be ex-wife Jenny Mollen wins for most vomitous celebrity post of the year

Trump’s cranky ex-national security adviser John Bolton has pleaded guilty to a charge of illegally possessing classified documents

The Obamalisk

President Obama’s unsightly $850 million monument to himself is finally opening on Chicago’s South Side after nearly a decade of construction.

But it’s an ugly hunk of concrete that’s being compared to a Klingon prison.

That’s good, because someone should find the architects… and lock them up!

President Obama’s unsightly $850 million monument to himself is finally opening on Chicago’s South Side after nearly a decade of construction

Birdbrains

Hundreds of Black Crowes fans just got up and left the band’s Tampa concert after singer Chris Robinson shutdown chants of ‘USA! USA!’

‘Thanks for the geography lesson,’ Robinson mocked, before adding, ‘I don’t know what you have to be so proud of right now.’

Hey, Chris. You’d fit in great at the Russian Davos.

Storm Team 3 Predicts Soaring Temperatures and Increased Humidity Leading into the Weekend

Local News

NewsFinale Journal
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June 6, 2026
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SAVANNAH, Ga. () – Prepare for yet another warm and humid day as high pressure drifts toward the coast, intensifying the mugginess across the region. A building southerly breeze is set to usher in even warmer, more humid air, pushing afternoon temperatures into the upper 80s and lower 90s under clear, sunny skies.

Tomorrow, as high pressure continues its move offshore, expect an uptick in both heat and humidity. While the sun will still dominate the sky, temperatures are likely to peak in the lower 90s, and the increased humidity will make it feel like the mid-90s.

Looking ahead to the work week, a typical summertime pattern will take hold. This means the continuation of hot and humid conditions, coupled with the daily possibility of a few isolated afternoon and evening showers and storms. Temperatures are forecasted to hover in the upper 80s to lower 90s, with warm and muggy overnight lows in the lower 70s.

Given the combination of rising temperatures and moisture, heat index values are expected to frequently reach the mid-90s, potentially nearing the upper 90s by week’s end. It’s important to stay hydrated and take regular breaks if you’re venturing outdoors.

Assessing the Consequences of Legal Missteps: A Critical Opinion on Client Safety

Crime

NewsFinale Journal
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June 6, 2026
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Left: Associate Justice Clarence Thomas sits during a group photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, Friday, April 23, 2021. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times via AP, Pool). Right: Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh stands during a group photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, on April 23, 2021. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times via AP, Pool).

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court nullified a capital murder conviction due to repeated prosecutorial misconduct by Doug Evans, the same prosecutor involved in another overturned case. In 2019, the court reversed a conviction in the case of Flowers v. Mississippi, highlighting Evans’ “extraordinary” and “blatant” efforts to exclude Black jurors, which the court described as a “relentless effort.”

In a recent ruling on Pitchford v. Cain, the court once again annulled a murder conviction and death sentence, citing Evans’ identical unconstitutional actions.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who authored the opinions in both cases, detailed Evans’ openly discriminatory tactics over six separate jury trials spanning two decades. During these trials, Evans dismissed 41 out of 42 Black jurors, only retaining one in the final trial presumably to avoid accusations of racial bias. Kavanaugh pointed out that Evans’ actions were an attempt “to obscure an otherwise consistent pattern of opposition to seating Black jurors.” The Mississippi state court noted that one of Evans’ prosecutions presented as clear a case of racial discrimination as they had ever encountered.

Evans frequently justified his jury dismissals of Black individuals by distorting records and fabricating facts. Kavanaugh remarked that Evans’ drastically different questioning of Black and white potential jurors was almost laughably obvious.

In the Pitchford case, Evans’ behavior was consistent with his past actions. He claimed his reasons for excluding Black jurors were “race neutral,” yet he allowed white jurors to serve under identical circumstances that led to Black jurors being dismissed.

But the Pitchford case was different in one significant respect, which probably accounted for the closer division in the court. In Flowers, the court was almost unanimous; Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, standing up for Evans and accusing the court of taking the case “to boost its self-esteem” and “because the case has received a fair amount of media attention.” Thomas, in his 42-page dissent in Flowers, argued that Evans gave “race neutral” reasons for his removal of Black jurors. Indeed, Thomas repeated 27 times that Evans gave race-neutral reasons.

But, of course, anyone remotely familiar with the 1986 landmark case of Batson v. Kentucky knows that when prosecutors strike jurors because of their race they always give “race-neutral” reasons to defend their strikes. Does Thomas actually believe that a prosecutor would stand up in court and proclaim: “I removed that juror because she was Black”?

The Pitchford case was trickier, not because of Evans’ misconduct, but because of the actions of Pitchford’s counsel; he did not preserve the record as well as he could have done. He did not make explicit the proper argument required under Batson. Although he argued that Evans violated Batson, he did not specifically say that Evans’ argument for striking Black jurors was pretextual. And so, wrote the Mississippi Supreme Court, Pitchford’s lawyer “waived” the Batson claim that the prosecutor engaged in racially discriminatory conduct, and thus, because of his lawyer’s waiver, Pitchford should be executed.

Kavanaugh, in his opinion for four other justices — John Roberts, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson — reviewed the colloquy at trial under the three-step Batson framework. Pitchford’s counsel properly raised the Batson objection and made a prima facie showing that Evans’ removal of four Black jurors was based on their race — that was the first step. Second, the trial court then asked Evans to give race-neutral reasons for his strikes, which Evans did. But although the record is a bit murky as to the third step, it appears that the trial court may not have afforded defense counsel a sufficient opportunity to rebut Evans’ race-neutral reasons as pretextual. Nor did the judge make any findings whether the prosecutor’s race-neutral reasons were pretextual. Indeed, at the close of jury selection, when Pitchford’s counsel attempted to raise the Batson claim again, the judge cut him off, saying he had “already made those objections.”

The jury convicted Pitchford and sentenced him to die.

The Mississippi Supreme Court on appeal affirmed the judgment, finding that Pitchford’s counsel “waived” his Batson objection by not explicitly stating that Evans’ purported race-neutral reasons were pretextual. Pitchford then filed a habeas corpus petition, but under habeas corpus jurisprudence, if a state court’s determination is not unreasonable, the petitioner loses.

And for anyone familiar with death penalty litigation, if the defense lawyer makes a procedural error, the client may pay with his life.

The Supreme Court found that the Mississippi Supreme Court unreasonably applied Batson and unreasonably determined that Pitchford’s counsel waived his objection to Evans’ strikes as pretextual. As the majority found, “the trial court never conducted the essential third step of the Batson inquiry.” When defense counsel tried to raise as pretextual the prosecutor’s reasons for his strikes, “the trial court twice cut off defense counsel,” stating that “I think you already made those [objections] and they are clear in the record.” In granting the writ of habeas corpus, the federal district judge found that “perhaps Pitchford’s counsel should have been more assertive,” but there was no waiver by counsel. The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, probably the most conservative circuit in the country, reversed the district court and reinstated the judgment.

Justice Neil Gorsuch dissented, joined by Justices Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, and Thomas. The dissent argued that Pitchford’s counsel could have made a pretext argument but never did — he merely made the statistical argument that Batson was violated by the prosecutor’s race-based strikes, and therefore the state court’s determination that counsel waived the argument was not unreasonable. Nor, the dissenters argued, is there any basis in the record that defense counsel was “muzzled,” or that the trial judge prevented counsel from being more assertive and making a more adequate record.

It is gratifying that a majority of the Supreme Court believes that racism still exists in America, at least in the criminal justice system if not in the racial gerrymandering of election districts.

It is also gratifying that a majority of the Supreme Court is hesitant to allow a man to be executed because his lawyer may have failed to adequately preserve the record.

This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.

Unveiling the ‘Ghost Fat’ Phenomenon: The Unexpected Challenge After GLP-1 Weight Loss

US

NewsFinale Journal
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June 6, 2026
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Sometimes, appearances can be deceiving.

Across the United States, people are shedding pounds more rapidly than ever before, thanks to popular obesity medications such as Wegovy and Zepbound. Currently, about one in eight American adults are using these GLP-1 drugs to help them lose weight.

However, some individuals are experiencing an unexpected psychological effect alongside their physical transformation.

This phenomenon has been dubbed “ghost fat” by experts. It describes a situation where individuals who have lost a considerable amount of weight still perceive themselves as being larger than their current size.

This is somewhat similar to phantom limb syndrome, where individuals experience the sensation that an amputated limb is still present, functioning, and sometimes even in pain.

At its core, ghost fat reflects a disconnect between the brain and the body. A person’s internal self-image — shaped by years of emotional memories, body dissatisfaction, trauma, stigma and other factors — can lag behind physical reality.

“We see this not only with weight loss but with other body-altering procedures. It takes the brain time to catch up to the new appearance,” Dr. David Sarwer, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University’s Barnett College of Public Health, told Medscape.

“In rhinoplasty, for example, it may take patients a while before they become accustomed to looking at their new face in the mirror after decades of looking at a more prominent nose.”

Researchers believe ghost fat may be more prevalent among people who lose weight rapidly, like through bariatric surgery or GLP-1s, compared with those who slim down more gradually.

One study of 40 women who were 18 to 30 months post-bariatric surgery found that nearly two-thirds still perceived themselves as obese despite having lost a substantial amount of weight.

That disconnect can affect behavior in surprising ways.

Someone struggling with ghost fat might automatically reach for a larger clothing size than they need or choose a wider seat out of habit. They may also instinctively turn sideways when walking through tight spaces, even when there’s plenty of room.

Others continue avoiding mirrors or photographs, conditioned by years of dissatisfaction with their appearance.

The feeling of still being in a larger body despite significant weight loss can take a real emotional toll, fueling low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and a sense of disconnect from one’s own self-image.

For some, it leads to social withdrawal. Others become preoccupied with their appearance, constantly checking the mirror or seeking reassurance from those around them.

Adding another layer of complexity, many people who lose a significant amount of weight are left with loose, sagging skin. Those folds can look and move in ways that closely resemble body fat, making it difficult for some to recognize just how much their bodies have changed.

Fortunately, in most cases, the brain eventually catches up, and a person’s self-image begins to align with their new physical reality.

Experts say several strategies may help speed the process along.

“For my weight-loss patients, I have started to recommend cognitive behavior therapy,” Dr. Fred Pescatore, a physician who has experienced ghost fat himself, told First For Women.

“I truly believe this can help them navigate their ‘new world.’ They have to learn to align their inner thoughts with their body image,” he continued. “It takes time to overcome the stigma of your weight.”

Mindfulness practices such as meditation, body scans and breathing exercises may also help people pull themselves out of their heads and reconnect with their physical selves.

Experts also recommend shifting attention away from appearance and the number on the scale.

Instead of focusing solely on how you look, it can be helpful to celebrate achievements that reflect improved health and fitness — whether that’s climbing a flight of stairs without getting winded or lowering your cholesterol levels.

For some people, the solution can be surprisingly simple: spend more time looking in the mirror.

Take Sandra, a GLP-1 user who lost 41 pounds over six months but continued seeing her pre-weight-loss body staring back at her.

Normally, she avoided her reflection. But for one week, she challenged herself to stop and really look.

The exercise initially made her anxious. By the end of the week, however, she said she was already beginning to feel more comfortable in her new shape.

“It’s not that I forgot what my previous body looked like,” she told Psychology Today. “It’s more like I finally started seeing what felt like me in the mirror instead of a stranger.”

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