Many of our biggest fears are often given amplification by our own minds. For example, let’s say one has a fear of public speaking. Then when one actually does it, they find it is nowhere near as bad as they feared it would be.

That’s because the human brain, a strange and wonderful thing, can often be our worst enemy. It can make us ruminate, ponder and even obsess. And sometimes, we create monsters in our heads.

Something that one is afraid of becomes overblown, turning into a huge, terrifying thing that is often nowhere near as bad as our minds have made it. That is what is happening with the GOP right now. The Republican party finds itself in a quandary. Senator Warnock has won re-election. The Democrats won the Senate. We increased our majority to 51. The House was won by republicans but by a tiny majority.

And many of the failures of the GOP can trace back to Donald trump. HIS candidates lost. His strategies failed. Time and time again, the GOP has let their disturbed general lead them into mayhem, chaos, and loss. And still, they cannot denounce him.

The act of denouncing him would likely not be anywhere near as bad as they think it would be. Not if they all came together.

But you see, it’s those monsters in their heads. The GOP kind of waited too long. It certainly was long enough for their brains to play tricks on them and turn the denouncement of trump into one long agonizing monster.

So now they’re stuck. And it’s all because of the faulty wiring of their brains, which tells them the denouncement would be worse than what they have to deal with now. And they’re mad. They’re angry at Donald Trump. Many of them are VERY upset that Herschel Walker’s loss. Some are blaming Donald Trump. But only in secret.

As long as the GOP remains in a state of utter paralysis, letting their mind monsters dictate their every move, they’re doomed. If only they would listen to their better angels. Then again, I’m not so sure they would even recognize them.

The post Monster of their own making appeared first on Palmer Report.

TAIPEI (Reuters) – China is building capabilities that put most U.S. space assets at risk, and China sees the domain as crucial to their military strategy, the head of the U.S. Space Command said on Friday.

Historically lagging in an area dominated by the United States and Russia, Beijing has made significant advances in recent years that have alarmed Washington and other Western nations, including testing an anti-satellite missile in 2007.

U.S. Army General James H. Dickinson, commander of U.S. Space Command, told reporters on a teleconference from Hawaii that such ASAT, or anti-satellite, tests congest space with debris.

“They continue to build and build capabilities that really, quite frankly, hold most of our assets at risk in the space domain. It really is an advancement if you will in their capabilities,” he said, referring to China. “Their understanding (is) that space is a very important piece to not only their economic or the global economic environment but also the military environment. We continue to watch that very closely as they continue to increase capabilities.”

China says its space programme is for peaceful purposes.

Three Chinese astronauts landed on earth on Sunday onboard the re-entry capsule of the Shenzhou-14 spacecraft, state broadcaster CCTV reported, ending a six-month mission on China’s space station.

The station represents a significant milestone in China’s three-decade crewed space programme, first approved in 1992. It also flags the start of permanent Chinese habitation in space.

Dickinson said his command, along with U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, was focused on the challenge from China.

“A unified stance by allies and partners is critical to countering the coercion and subversion that threatens the international rules-based order here in the Indo-Pacific and beyond,” he said.

Russian forces shelled the entire front line in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine on Thursday, Ukrainian officials said, part of what appeared to be the Kremlin’s scaled-back ambition to secure only the bulk of lands it has claimed.

The fiercest fighting was near the towns of Bakhmut and Avdiivka, the region’s governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said in a television interview. Artillery slammed into the town of Toretsk southwest of Bakhmut, killing one civilian and damaging 12 buildings, Kyrylenko said.

“The entire front line is being shelled,” he said, adding that Russian troops were also trying to advance near Lyman, which was recaptured by Ukrainian forces in November, one of a number of setbacks suffered by Russia since invading its neighbour in February.

In Bakhmut and other parts of the Donetsk region that neighbours Luhansk province, Ukrainian forces countered with barrages from rocket launchers, a Reuters witness said.

Ukraine’s military command said Russian artillery attacked civilian infrastructure in the towns of Kupiansk and Zolochiv in the northeastern region of Kharkiv, and Ochakiv in the Mykolaiv region. Ukrainian anti-aircraft units downed several of the missiles trained on Kharkiv region on Thursday evening, governor Oleh Synehubov said on a messaging app.

“The Russians have intensified their efforts in Donetsk and Luhansk,” Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said in a video post.

“They are now in a very active phase of attempting to conduct offensive operations. We are advancing nowhere but, rather, defending, destroying the enemy’s infantry and equipment wherever it tries to advance.”

Reuters was not able to verify battlefield reports.

In a reminder that, despite the hostilities, Russia maintains lines of communication with the West, the United States said Russia had freed U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner in return for the release of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

The White House said the prisoner swap would not change its commitment to the people of Ukraine.

Separately, a U.S. citizen ordered deported by a Russian court over a domestic dispute left Russia late on Thursday.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a defence bill on Thursday that provides Ukraine at least $800 million in additional security assistance next year.

In Rome, Pope Francis broke down and cried as he mentioned the suffering of Ukrainians during a traditional prayer.

“Immaculate Virgin, today I would have wanted to bring you the thanks of the Ukrainian people,” he said before being overwhelmed by emotion and having to stop.

Francis, who was later able to continue speaking, has mentioned Ukraine in nearly all his appearances since the invasion and has grown increasingly critical of Russia.

President Vladimir Putin has given conflicting statements on the goals of the war but is now clear the aims include some expansion of Russia’s borders, in contrast with comments at the beginning of the “special military operation”, when he said Russia’s plans did not include the occupation of Ukrainian land.

The Kremlin said on Thursday it was set on securing at least the bulk of the territories in east and south Ukraine that Moscow has declared part of Russia, but appeared to give up on seizing other territory in the west and northeast that Ukraine has recaptured.

Russia proclaimed in October that it had annexed four provinces, which it calls “new territories”, shortly after holding so-called referendums that were rejected as bogus and illegal by Ukraine, the West and most countries at the United Nations.

While Russia made clear it wanted to take full control of Donetsk and Luhansk – two largely Russian-speaking regions collectively known as the Donbas – it left unclear how much of the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson it was annexing.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says his troops will eventually drive Russia from all captured territory, including the Crimea peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.

In the settlement of Posad-Pokrovske in the southern region of Kherson, retaken by Ukraine, some villagers have returned to homes damaged or reduced to rubble by Russian shells, set in a landscape of downed utility poles and spent munitions.

Zelenskiy in his late Thursday video address paid tribute to four policemen killed by landmines in Kherson province.

“This is perhaps even fiercer and more devious than missile terror,” said Zelenksiy.

“For there is no system against mines that could destroy at least part of the threat as our anti-aircraft systems do.”

He accused Russian forces of leaving landmines, tripwire mines, mined buildings, cars and infrastructure in places they abandoned under Ukrainian military pressure.

On Thursday, Russian naval forces shot down a Ukrainian drone over the Black Sea, according to the Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol, an important port and the largest city in Crimea.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky paid tribute to the freedom fighters of his country—and around the world—Thursday night at TIME’s 2022 Person of the Year reception in New York City.

After nearly 10 months of brutal conflict following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Zelensky has emerged as one of the most notable world leaders in his efforts to protect Ukraine’s independence. He is TIME’s 2022 Person of the Year.

Zelensky, appearing in a video message of the event, thanked the bravery of doctors, farmers, journalists, and human rights lawyers—as well as ordinary people who stepped up to help the war effort. He also thanked those who supported Ukraine in its fight for freedom.

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“It is an honor for me to represent the struggle of Ukrainians and the spirit of Ukraine, the spirit of freedom that echoes in the souls of so many people around the world,” Zelensky said. “This is the free world spirit, and let’s do everything for our spirit to win.”

He added that the “stories of heroes who are fighting for independence are also your stories.”

The Ukranian president made a bold choice earlier this year when he decided to stay in Kyiv as tensions with Russia worsened and fight back with an information war that has kept Ukraine at the forefront of international news. “You have already seen the spirit of Ukraine on the covers of TIME Magazine,” Zelensky said. That spirit “united the world this year with the colors of the Ukrainian national flag and our people’s achievements,” he said.

Zelensky thanked everyone who stood in solidarity with Ukraine and who has helped keep the movement alive. “Slava Ukraini,” he said, or “Glory to Ukraine.”

The Ukrainian flag, a blue and yellow fixture that’s popped up all over the world since Russia’s invasion, adorned TIME’s Person of the Year cover featuring Zelensky.

“Whether the battle for Ukraine fills one with hope or with fear, Volodymyr Zelensky galvanized the world in a way we haven’t seen in decades,” TIME Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsenthal said in his explanation for TIME’s Person of the Year choice.

Felsenthal saluted other noteworthy people at the reception: Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya; actor Liev Schreiber who organized fundraising to help Ukrainians after the war broke out, and TIME senior correspondent Simon Shuster, who has reported extensively from Ukraine and followed Zelensky closely.

Read the full text of Zelensky’s video message:

Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor for me to represent the struggle of Ukrainians and the spirit of Ukraine—the spirit of freedom that echoes in the souls of so many people around the world. Stories of heroes who are fighting for independence are also your stories.

Ordinary men and women who became brave hearts, when they joined the defense forces to defend freedom—different generations of different nations knew this spirit.

The doctors who save the wounded under bombs, during blackouts or in occupation, no matter what it takes. It is about humaneness that we all value so dearly.

Farmers who work the land under the roaring guns. It is about the natural desire to live and take care of one’s families and communities.

Journalists who spread the truth. It is in the history of how to resist tyrants. The history which began even before the word “journalism” appeared. This is what inspires across all continents, freedom fighters who may possess nothing but courage to defeat those with armored vehicles and repression. When freedom wins, and tyranny collapses, people are smiling the same way all over the globe.

Lawyers who do not yet see that upcoming victory in war, but are already working to ensure that war criminals are brought to justice. This is the Nuremberg Trials’ story with many other just verdicts that were delivered to those who believed in their impunity.

This is the spirit.

You have already seen the spirit of Ukraine on the covers of TIME Magazine, not on each one, but on many. There were not Ukrainians on the covers before, but there were courage, striving for freedom, solidarity, creativity, and dedication—well known to mankind from a long time ago, and which united the world this year with the colors of the Ukrainian national flag and our people’s achievements.

This is the free world spirit. And let’s do everything for our spirit to win. I thank you for your attention. Thank you for supporting Ukraine. Slava Ukraini.

Regular vigorous exercise is one of the best ways to improve your health and longevity, but most people don’t get enough. In the U.S., less than a quarter of adults meet the federal physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. However, new research suggests that doing three one-minute bursts of intense physical activity every day can reduce your risk of death. One easy way to do this? Pick up the pace at activities you do every day—like walking, climbing the stairs, or doing chores.

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In the study, published Dec. 8 in Nature Medicine, researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia used a data set from the U.K. to analyze everyday physical activity of more than 25,000 adults who reported that they didn’t exercise. In the data set, the participants wore activity monitors on their wrists for seven days, and their health events and outcomes were then tracked for an average of about seven years. The researchers found that people who had gotten just one to two minutes of vigorous physical activity from everyday activities—not dedicated exercise—about three or four times a day during the week they wore an activity monitor had a 38% to 40% lower risk of dying during the study period, compared to people who got no such vigorous physical activity. This held true for death by any cause, including cancer. Getting this small amount of intense physical activity was linked to an even greater risk reduction of dying from cardiovascular disease: about 48%.

This suggests that stepping up everyday activities in a vigorous way—using so much energy that you can’t speak comfortably—can have major health benefits, says Emmanuel Stamatakis, a professor of physical activity and population health at the University of Sydney and lead author of the study. Globally, he says, there seems to be a limit to the number of people who can be persuaded to exercise regularly, but these data suggest there are easier ways to improve health.

“We’re shifting the discussion to everyday living—to activities people do anyway,” says Stamatakis. “Only a small minority in the population do regular leisure time exercise. We need to come up with more options for these people to gain some benefits from physical activity.”

Read More: Forget Physique. Mental Health Is the Newest, Hottest Fitness Goal

The researchers also found that even people who exercised appeared to benefit from these short bursts of activity. When the researchers looked at the data for more than 62,000 people who got at least some exercise, getting short bursts of intense physical activity benefited them about as much as it benefited the non-exercisers. Stamatakis says that in this study, the researchers didn’t separately examine data for the fittest people, but he suspects that anyone could benefit from short bursts, given that vigorous physical activity seems to be so beneficial.

While this study is observational, it accords with other research that has shown that even short periods of vigorous physical activity can improve health, including research on high-intensity interval training. Stamatakis points to one small study published in 2017 showing that doing three 60-second bursts of vigorous exercise three times a week improved cardiovascular function within a few weeks.

Stamatakis says that he hopes that research like his will persuade experts writing physical activity guidelines in the future to consider encouraging people to think about how they can build vigorous physical activity into their daily routines. Parking further away from your destination, then walking quickly for a few minutes, is one way to squeeze in a short burst of vigorous activity, he says; another is to take the stairs or garden vigorously. Since doing this research, Stamatakis says he’s been more conscientious about how often he gets vigorous exercise during the day, including by walking fast for a few minutes. “I’ve given up elevators altogether,” he says.

The Federal Trade Commission said Thursday it is suing to block Microsoft’s planned $69 billion takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard, saying it could suppress competitors to its Xbox game consoles and its growing games subscription business.

The FTC voted 3-1 to issue the complaint after a closed-door meeting, with the three Democratic commissioners voting in favor and the sole Republican voting against. A fifth seat on the panel is vacant after another Republican left earlier this year.

The FTC’s complaint points to Microsoft’s previous game acquisitions, especially of well-known developer Bethesda Softworks and its parent company ZeniMax, as an example of where Microsoft made some popular game titles exclusive despite assuring European regulators it had no intention to do so.

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“Microsoft has already shown that it can and will withhold content from its gaming rivals,” said a prepared statement from Holly Vedova, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. “Today we seek to stop Microsoft from gaining control over a leading independent game studio and using it to harm competition in multiple dynamic and fast-growing gaming markets.”

Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, suggested in a statement Thursday that the company is likely to challenge the FTC’s decision.

“While we believed in giving peace a chance, we have complete confidence in our case and welcome the opportunity to present our case in court,” Smith said.

The FTC’s challenge — which is being filed in an administrative court — could be a test case for President Joe Biden’s mandate to scrutinize big tech mergers.

Read More: The 10 Best Video Games of 2022

Microsoft had been ramping up its public defense of the deal in recent days as it awaited a decision.

Smith said Microsoft has been committed to addressing competition concerns and brought proposed concessions to the FTC earlier this week.

“We continue to believe that this deal will expand competition and create more opportunities for gamers and game developers,” Smith said.

Microsoft announced the merger deal in January but has faced months of resistance from Sony, which makes the competing PlayStation console and has raised concerns with antitrust watchdogs around the world about losing access to popular Activision Blizzard game franchises such as Call of Duty.

Antitrust regulators under Biden “have staked out the view that for decades merger policy has been too weak and they’ve said, repeatedly, ‘We’re changing that,’” said William Kovacic, a former chair of the FTC.

The goal is to “not allow dodgy deals and not accept weak settlements,” said Kovacic, who was a Republican commissioner appointed in 2006 by then-President George W. Bush. But he said trying to block this acquisition could trigger a legal challenge from Microsoft that the company has a good chance of winning,

“It’s evident that the company has been making a number of concessions,” he said. “If the FTC turns down Microsoft’s commitments, Microsoft would likely raise them in court and say the FTC is being incorrigibly stubborn about this.”

Microsoft announced its latest promise Wednesday, saying it would make Call of Duty available on Nintendo devices for 10 years should its acquisition go through. It has said it tried to offer the same commitment to Sony.

The deal is also under close scrutiny in the European Union and the United Kingdom, where investigations aren’t due to be completed until next year.

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said in a message to employees Thursday that the FTC’s action “sounds alarming, so I want to reinforce my confidence that this deal will close.”

“The allegation that this deal is anti-competitive doesn’t align with the facts, and we believe we’ll win this challenge,” Kotick wrote.

Kotick said the deal will be good for players, employees, competition and the industry.

We believe these arguments will win despite a regulatory environment focused on ideology and misconceptions about the tech industry,” he said.