The CEO of an in vitro fertilization company says sex is for fun and IVF is for conceiving babies.Noor Siddiqui is the founder of Orchid, a company that screens embryos for those using IVF services and looks for possible genetic defects and disease.Siddiqui recently equated the idea of using IVF screening to providing the maximum amount of love to a child, meaning that if parents choose not to use IVF, they are subjecting their offspring to untold risks.'I didn't want to quote that to you because I thought it was so ridiculous, but go on.'Siddiqui gave an interview to the New York Times podcast "Interesting Times with Ross Douthat," where the host saved his best question for last. After reciting a poem that describes the magic of a man and woman creating life, Douthat asked Siddiqui about the idea that she wants to take that magic away."You're imagining a future where that just goes away. And I'm wondering if you think anything would actually be lost if that goes away," Douthat asked.In response, Siddiqui recalled her own quote: "Sex is for fun; Orchid and embryo screening is for babies."Douthat immediately replied, "I didn't want to quote that to you because I thought it was so ridiculous, but go on."The CEO claimed that because most sexual encounters do not result in a pregnancy, "it's actually not so strange of a concept" that IVF becomes the predominant way to conceive."But when you get a baby, most people get it from having sex," Douthat argued. "It is linked inextricably to having sex with your spouse. And you are saying it's time to sever that for the sake, I concede, of potential medical benefits."While one might consider that Siddiqui is simply providing a service to those who cannot conceive naturally, the CEO made it clear that she believes those who do not use IVF are rolling the dice on their child's health.RELATED: Lila Rosa challenges Christian support for IVF, debunks one of the most common arguments "I think that if you have enormous genetic privilege and, for you to roll the dice and to get a outcome that isn't going to lead to disease is in the cards for you, then of course, go ahead and roll the dice," Siddiqui told the host.The 29-year-old claimed "the vast majority of parents" will not want to "roll the dice," before stating that IVF screenings are actually the highest form of love a parent can give a child.Parents are "going to see it as taking the maximum amount of care, the maximum amount of love, in the same way that they plan their nursery plan, their home plan, their preschool," she said.Siddiqui then turned in vitro around on naturally conceiving parents and said it would be "denigrating and dismissive" to IVF parents to say that babies conceived through IVF are somehow "inferior to babies that are made the old-fashioned way."RELATED: Surrogacy: Inside the industry that rents women’s bodies BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey took a hard stance on the issue and said embryo screening is not a moral or ethical option."When technology takes us from what's natural to what's possible, we have the obligation to ask: But is it moral? Is it ethical? Is it biblical?" Stuckey told Blaze News. "The answer here is: no, no, and no. Embryos are human, and like all humans they have an inherent right to life."Siddiqui said in a 2024 interview with Mercury that she has "always known" that she wanted to conceive through IVF, despite neither her nor her husband having any fertility issues.In the interview, she argued it was actually "unethical" to stigmatize the embryo screenings and argued it is not "playing God" to get a cast for a broken leg or to have chemotherapy for cancer. Therefore, she is not interrupting "God's plan" with her services.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A recent report from the Wall Street Journal claims that President Trump is considering reclassifying marijuana from a Schedule I controlled substance to a Schedule III controlled substance — which is considered less dangerous.BlazeTV host Liz Wheeler does not think that’s a good idea.In a recent post on X, where she was “ratioed” by angry respondents, Wheeler argued against the move.She wrote, “Marijuana is a dangerous drug that leads to psychosis, schizophrenia, and ultimately violence. We should obviously ban it,” before linking to several studies reflecting her point.“According to NAM: ‘The association between cannabis use & development of psychotic disorder is supported. ... The magnitude of this association is moderate to large and appears to be dose-dependent,’” her post reads.“Studies show marijuana may cause up to 30% of schizophrenia cases in young men. Teenagers who use cannabis by age 15 are more than four times as likely to suffer from schizophrenia compared to their peers who do not use cannabis,” she continued.“The Journal of American Psychiatry found ‘a moderate association between cannabis use and physical violence, which remained significant regardless of study design and adjustment for confounding factors (i.e., socioeconomic factors, other substance use). Cannabis use in this population is a risk factor for violence,’” she added.Wheeler also pointed out that since marijuana’s legalization in Colorado, “the crime rate has skyrocketed by 21%, traffic fatalities have increased by 57%, and suicides have increased by 23%.”“Marijuana is making America sicker, more demented, more dangerous, and more disgusting. Why is this even a question? Ban it,” she concluded in her viral tweet.Wheeler, shocked by the overwhelmingly angry response her tweet received, says “I did not post this intentionally to be rage-bait.”“I did not post this because I know that marijuana is a hot-button topic, and I know that when I speak this opinion, people have a visceral reaction to this. I did not post this to try to trigger anybody or to antagonize anybody. I actually know that many of you disagree,” she explains.“My question to you is, has society gotten better or worse since marijuana use has not only been normalized, but legalized? Has society gotten better, or has society gotten worse?” she asks. “Now, the obvious answer to this is that society has gotten much worse.”Want more from Liz Wheeler?To enjoy more of Liz’s based commentary, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu (D) held a rally on Tuesday to make it clear that she will not be helping the federal government carry out mass deportations in her city as the Trump administration threatens to cut off funding if Boston does not comply.Wu said the city received a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice "threatening to prosecute city officials and withhold federal funds unless we cooperate with carrying out mass deportations." Wu accused the Trump administration of causing "fear and harm" to people across the country by enforcing immigration laws.'The lives of Americans is no joking matter.'While stating that the threats are "serious," Wu added, "Silence in the face of oppression is not an option!"Wu also revealed that she was asked to give the DOJ a response by Tuesday."Here is our response: Stop attacking our cities to hide your administration's failures. Unlike the Trump administration, Boston follows the law. Boston will not back down from who we are and what we stand for," she continued. "We will not back away from our community."RELATED: Scott Jennings brings the heat after 'Young Turks' host wants evidence of Dems fanning violence against ICE ICE CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) was in attendance for the event and declared, "Trump wants the city of Boston, Mayor Wu, to bow to his dream of absolute power. But today, we are here to say Boston will not bow down."Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, said Wu's unwillingness to deport illegal aliens from her city puts lives in danger."The lives of Americans is no joking matter. These sanctuary city politicians, like Mayor Wu out of Boston, are playing Russian roulette with the American public’s lives. In the last two weeks, we arrested out of Boston child rapists ... the worst of the worst criminals, and we're going to continue to do so," McLaughlin said.McLaughlin further promised that the DHS will send even more federal agents to arrest illegal aliens since Wu will not provide the help needed for mass deportations. Due to the massive increase in funding for the DHS, ICE is in the process of hiring an additional 10,000 new agents, she noted.Hardened criminal illegal aliens are often released back into the public because Boston ignores U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers. In the aftermath of President Donald Trump putting the police department for Washington, D.C., under federal control, local police have since been ordered to work with ICE and ignore the sanctuary policies put in place by the city's Democrats. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

America’s new auditor doesn’t speak. It just charges.America is sleepwalking into a surveillance economy where artificial intelligence doesn't just watch — it charges. Every rental car return, hotel checkout, and restaurant visit now feeds data to systems designed to find fault and extract payment. The age of algorithmic auditing has arrived, and it's coming for your cash, your credit, and your capacity to remain calm.Hertz pioneered this model with ruthless efficiency. Customers return rental cars to face AI-powered damage scanners that detect microscopic scratches invisible to the naked eye. No human mediator softens the blow. The algorithm identifies, the system charges, and the customer pays. What once required a damage assessment by a trained employee now happens automatically, instantly, and without appeal.Smart toilets might soon snitch on your stool, flagging you for noncompliant fiber intake and slapping a fee on your next flush.This represents a seismic shift. Customers are no longer served. They’re monitored, scored, and corrected. Where human judgment once provided a buffer between minor imperfections and financial penalties, algorithms eliminate that mercy. As one industry analyst noted to CNBC, the critical question becomes "whether businesses should charge customers for every microscopic imperfection that algorithms can identify but human judgment might reasonably overlook as normal wear and tear." It’s China’s social credit system meets America’s corporate cheerfulness. “Have a great day!” as the fine hits your inbox.The hotel industry is next. Smart sensors now monitor room conditions with unprecedented precision. Use a hair dryer for too long, and air-quality sensors might flag unusual particulate levels, triggering smoking penalties. Leave a wet towel on furniture, and moisture detectors could generate damage fees. Touch the thermostat too frequently, and energy consumption algorithms might classify you as wasteful, adding surcharges to your bill.Restaurants are quietly implementing similar systems. In the not-so-distant future, send back that overcooked burger and the point-of-sale system might log it as “food waste” tied to your customer profile. Order a substitution, and it’s tagged under “difficult customer” metrics. Eat too slowly, and turnover algorithms may flag you for “extended occupancy.” And for those who think I’m being overdramatic, let me remind you that surveillance doesn’t kick down the door. It slips in unnoticed, makes itself at home, and rewrites the rules while you’re still digesting your dinner.The rideshare economy offers a preview of this adversarial future. Drivers and passengers rate each other, but increasingly, AI systems analyze trip data to identify "problematic" behavior. Take an extra minute to find your ride? That's inefficiency. Ask the driver to change the route? That's noncompliance. These micro-infractions accumulate into profile scores that affect future pricing and availability.RELATED: Big Tech’s charm campaign flops as Trump’s DOJ brings the heat Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty ImagesFinancial institutions are watching closely. Credit card companies already analyze spending patterns to assess risk, but algorithmic auditing takes this farther. Every purchase location, timing, and amount feeds machine learning models that adjust credit limits and interest rates in real time. The algorithm never sleeps, never forgives, and always charges.Health care presents the most troubling possibilities. Insurance companies are experimenting with wearable device data to adjust premiums based on lifestyle choices. Miss your daily step goal? Pay more. Eat at fast-food restaurants too frequently? Pay more. Sleep poorly for a week? Pay more.Smart toilets might soon snitch on your stool, flagging you for noncompliant fiber intake and slapping a fee on your next flush. The algorithm turns every aspect of human behavior into a billing opportunity. Imagine a world where your bathroom scale reports to your health insurer — where a few extra pounds trigger premium hikes, not privacy warnings. Step on, upload, get penalized. If this trajectory holds, you won’t have to imagine it for long. That future is less science fiction than it is a draft regulation.The expansion seems unstoppable because the economics are irresistible. Businesses operate on razor-thin margins while facing rising labor costs and inflation pressures. Algorithmic auditing promises to recover revenue from previously unmonetized customer interactions. Every minor inconvenience becomes a profit center. Every imperfection becomes a charge.Corporate executives justify this shift as efficiency and fairness. Why should responsible customers subsidize careless ones? If technology can identify who caused what damage, shouldn't they pay? The logic sounds fair, right up until it strips out the human element that once separated service from surveillance.Pushing back means more than complaining. It takes defiance on the ground and disruption at the top. Personally, document everything. Photograph rental cars from every angle before and after use. Video-record hotel room conditions upon arrival. Keep receipts for every interaction. When algorithmic charges appear, dispute them immediately and demand human review. Many companies will quietly reverse charges when challenged because fighting costs more than the fees.This also requires regulatory intervention. Consumer protection agencies need updated authority to oversee algorithmic auditing systems. Transparency requirements should force companies to disclose when AI systems determine charges. Appeals processes must include human review options.State legislatures could mandate "reasonable wear and tear" standards that algorithms cannot override. Federal agencies could investigate algorithmic pricing as a potential unfair business practice. Consumer advocacy groups should sue companies that implement obviously punitive AI systems.The future doesn't have to be adversarial. Technology should serve customers, not hunt them. But that requires choosing resistance over resignation. The algorithm is watching. The question is whether we'll let it bill us for the privilege.

There are approximately 25 million foreign-born individuals in the U.S. who are naturalized citizens. The country naturalized roughly 8 million citizens over the past decade. Last year, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services welcomed 815,500 new citizens during naturalization ceremonies.To successfully secure U.S. citizenship, these individuals had to evidence GMC — "good moral character" — especially in the five years immediately preceding the filing of their applications.'USCIS officers must account for an alien's positive attributes and not simply the absence of misconduct.'Up until this month, GMC meant not having a record of certain criminal offenses — such as a murder conviction or an aggravated felony conviction — or of disqualifying conduct such as taking part in prostitution or commercialized vice, practicing polygamy, earning a living off of illegal gambling activities, failing to support dependents, or being a drunkard.The Trump administration is taking steps to ensure that prospective citizens aren't just meeting the bare minimum for civility but are actually poised to make a positive contribution.The USCIS issued a new policy on Friday in a memo titled "Restoring a Rigorous, Holistic, and Comprehensive Good Moral Character Evaluation Standard for Aliens Applying for Naturalization" that instructs officers to consider positive behavior along with possible disqualifying behavior."Becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen means being an active and responsible member of society instead of just having a right to live and work in the United States," the memo reads. "Evaluating GMC involves more than a cursory mechanical review focused on the absence of wrongdoing. It entails a holistic assessment of an alien's behavior, adherence to societal norms, and positive contributions that affirmatively demonstrate good moral character."RELATED: ‘Paperwork Americans’ are not your countrymen Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesThe memo noted that prior to the early 1990s, Immigration and Naturalization Service officers would consider felony convictions and other bars "as the minimum disqualifiers, not as exclusive criteria. Officers considered rehabilitative evidence, volunteer service, family responsibilities, and other positive traits in weighing GMC."However, the minimum disqualifiers became over time a "firm checklist that equated GMC with the absence of statutory disqualifications rather than the presence of positive moral conduct and character."'It should only be offered to the world's best of the best.'The new policy indicates that an alien may lack GMC even if he or she has not committed one of the disqualifying acts, that "USCIS officers must account for an alien's positive attributes and not simply the absence of misconduct."Before granting or denying naturalization, officers will now consider various positive factors including educational attainment; family care-giving and ties in the U.S.; stable and lawful employment history and achievements; compliance with tax obligations; financial responsibility in the U.S.; and sustained community involvement and contributions.In addition to looking for positive factors, officers will also apply greater scrutiny when looking at possible disqualifying behavior.Applicants can now also be disqualified for unlawful voter registration, unlawful voting, convictions for driving under the influence, drug violations, reckless or habitual traffic infractions, and harassment.When pressed for comment, the White House referred Blaze News to USCIS.USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser said in a statement, "U.S. citizenship is the gold standard of citizenship — it should only be offered to the world's best of the best."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!