If you rewatch "The Jetsons," it's clear that robots were initially designed to help humanity. The show features a robot named "Rosie," who serves as the family’s maid, dusting in hard-to-reach places and vacuuming under the rug. For a long time, gadgets like Roombas seemed harmlessly novel, alleviating the burden of small, unwanted jobs. But our relationship with robots as quirky helpers has changed significantly with the proliferation of technology and artificial intelligence.It's a cheat code for a faster, more efficient life — but a life that is safe, sanitized, and numb.The rise of AI, for example, has transformed machines from helpers of humanity into its surrogate thinkers.Educators are sounding the alarm. They claim the widespread availability of AI has severely impacted the education process — and for good reason. Tech companies and academic institutions have argued that AI can allow for "equitable" education that provides immediate, adaptive feedback. It is an expanse of knowledge, distilled into a chatbot or webpage.But for a technological advancement that sounds so liberating, its implications are actually quite confining. Classmates to chatbotsIn the past, students were encouraged to think critically and to collaborate with their classmates, whether through coloring together in kindergarten or having a lab partner in high school. But now students are bypassing their classmates — and their own cognitive abilities — through AI, using machines to formulate "their" ideas.One recent study showed that only 16% of students said they preferred to brainstorm ideas without the help of AI programs. Another study found that students preferred to collaborate with AI rather than a human partner because it felt less judgmental. The data is clear: Students are now learning to self-isolate.The loneliness economyThis new form of "companionship" extends outside of the classroom. The COVID-19 pandemic hastened not only a shift from office to remote work but a movement from in-person learning to online schooling. In 2019, approximately 5.7% of Americans worked from home. In 2025, that number has hit nearly 20%, meaning the number has almost quadrupled in less than a decade. This means that people who were previously accustomed to office culture and frequent human interaction have now had many of their personal relationships relegated to Zoom calls and email chains. Couple that with the fact that most Americans consider themselves lonely, and you have the perfect recipe for robotic disaster.RELATED: If AI isn’t built for freedom, it will be programmed for control Laurence Dutton/Getty Images Plus Recently, fears over people forming close relationships turned from a joke into reality. People who have struggled to find human partners have rejoiced in their ability to use AI to engage in emotional relationships. Some have even begun to consider AI personalities their spouses, using chatbots as substitutes for other people who can be fully customized to their desires.Empathy, kindness, and something that looks like love can all be generated without any of the work required for interpersonal relationships. The extremes of AI have launched a thousand think pieces, stirring criticism independent of political affiliations. The technology is most commonly used to solve questions, generate images, or summarize long essays. It makes life a little bit easier because we can spend less time researching, designing, or reading. But our dependence on AI is growing at an alarming rate. Employees use it to correct the grammar in work emails or comb through valuable data in a white paper. Middle schoolers use it to solve math homework, college kids use it to form a thesis, and your boss uses it to put together an earnings report. It seeps into daily life in innocuous ways, and it slowly — but steadily — becomes normalized. Cognition crisisAI is supposed to be a little helper, just like the Jetsons’ "Rosie" robot. But the reality is far more sinister. New analysis shows that frequent use of chatbots can result in decreasing brain activity and lowered cognitive function. Neurological, linguistic, and behavioral skills are drastically impaired after extensive AI use. It's becoming clear: AI is eating away at peoples’ brains.RELATED: Your job, your future, your humanity: AI just crossed the line we can never undoSchools and companies worldwide have been promoting AI as the new wave in human excellence. They claim AI will make education more accessible and argue that it will fast-track human progress. But it erodes the human experience. Children isolate themselves, adults destroy their relationships, and everyone’s analytical skills deteriorate. It's a cheat code for a faster, more efficient life — but a life that is safe, sanitized, and numb.Creation can't be codedHuman creativity is actionable. It builds cathedrals, epic poems, and timeless operas. From ballet to Botticelli, the creative spirit has expressed itself throughout history as a testament to mankind. The result of experience and struggle is beauty. AI removes these things because they aren’t part of a streamlined system. The technology is built to view the pedantic parts of life as barricades to productivity. It's a machine, and humanity will always be just a little bit broken. In the early 16th century, Michelangelo was commissioned to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. For four years, he laid on his back, matching colors, mixing paints, and grunting through brutally hot Italian summers. He had to carefully consider each small detail that would represent the awesomeness of God. When he finished, small mistakes were overlooked, and every pain was worthwhile because he had produced something new. AI can't do this. It can repeat patterns, but it lacks the capacity for the painful lows and rewarding highs of creation. AI generates "new" ideas instantly. It removes the need for individuals to muscle through problems. But it also removes the ability to create anything outside of its preprogrammed database. AI is trying to kill creativity, and it’s our job to shut off its takeover.

The hot dog is much, much more than a backyard barbecue staple — it is a quintessential American icon that has become a symbol of American patriotism. The humble handheld repast is a beloved food that brings people together. Hot dogs have been embraced by baseball fans at ballparks across the country, Americans celebrating with backyard cookouts, prestigious presidents, and competitive eaters on the Fourth of July. 'A hot dog at the game beats roast beef at the Ritz.'The term "hot dog" may have been coined in April 1901 at the New York Polo Grounds because of their dachshund-like shape, according to some historians. However, the hot dog has many names, including weenie, wiener, glizzy, snappy boy, Coney, dirty water dog, and frank. No matter what you call a hot dog, it is always a delicious bite of pure Americana.German immigrants brought their beloved “frankfurters” — named after Frankfurt, Germany — to the United States in the 1800s, introducing Americans to the sausage-style snack that would soon become a national favorite.Whether topped with mustard, ketchup, relish, sauerkraut, chili, or Chicago-style with onions, tomatoes, pickles, and a dash of celery salt, the hot dog adapts to regional tastes while staying true to its all-American roots: iconic, irresistible, and endlessly reinventable. Hot Dog VendorImage Source: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images The simple hot dog, once a humble street snack, skyrocketed to fame thanks to Nathan’s Famous in Coney Island, New York. In 1916, Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker launched a hot dog stand on Coney Island, selling dogs for just 5 cents. Handwerker was able to start his hot dog business thanks to a $300 loan from friends and a secret spice blend from his wife.The first official and recorded Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest took place in Coney Island on July 4, 1972. Now, roughly 40,000 people attend the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, while hundreds of thousands of Americans watch the annual contest every July 4 on ESPN. Joey Chestnut — the king of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest — has won the competitive eating contest a record 16 times. Chestnut holds the record for most hot dogs eaten during the competitive eating contest, with 76 hot dogs consumed in 2021. Hot dogs are also the iconic food of America’s pastime — baseball. Hot dogs perfectly encapsulate the spirit of the game and its fans.MLB fans chowed down on an estimated 20 million hot dogs at stadiums across the country during the 2024 baseball season, which breaks down to approximately 8,000 hot dogs per game. Actor Humphrey Bogart once famously said, "A hot dog at the game beats roast beef at the Ritz." Photo by Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Hot dogs are widely regarded as one of America’s most patriotic foods, famously enjoyed by politicians and presidents alike.On June 11, 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt hosted King George VI and Queen Elizabeth during a picnic at his Hyde Park estate in New York. FDR served the royal couple hot dogs, which was reportedly the first time that King George VI ate a hot dog.Since then, numerous American presidents have made hot dogs part of their patriotic branding, including former President Ronald Reagan. Hot dogs have transformed from a simple food to a symbol of American identity that is woven into the fabric of U.S. history, politics, and patriotism. Plus, hot dogs are seen as an accessible food that is treasured by Americans of all social classes. American politicians are often seen eating hot dogs as a prop in their patriotic photo-ops. Image Source: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Fire up the grill and pass the mustard, because no food sizzles at patriotic celebrations quite like the cherished hot dog. No food completes a Fourth of July cookout or a Memorial Day picnic quite like the hot dog. Hot dogs take center stage during many red, white, and blue bashes since the tasty treat is the undisputed champ of patriotic snacking. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans devour an estimated 150 million hot dogs on Independence Day alone — enough to stretch from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles more than five times over. Photo by Robert R. McElroy/Getty Images So when you are grilling hot dogs this Fourth of July, remember that you are not just eating a snack — you're biting into a piece of American history.The hot dog has transcended from immigrant dreams to presidential picnics. This unapologetically American cuisine doesn't just feed our bodies — it feeds our souls with patriotism, nostalgia, and the simple joy of coming together to celebrate what it means to be part of this country.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Texas officials prepared early last week for heavy rainfall and possible flash flooding, ensuring that local first responders had what they needed to act quickly and decisively. They were, however, met with a downpour far worse than expected.Officials in West Texas and the Hill Country momentarily were put on the back foot in the early hours of Independence Day by nearly a foot of rain, which triggered flash floods; Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said that reportedly caused the Guadalupe River to rise at least 26 feet in a matter of 45 minutes.'So many people have been swept up into an extraordinary catastrophe.'Among the settlements swept by the floods was Camp Mystic — a Christian camp for girls near the Guadalupe River in Hunt. Of around 750 campers, 27 were still reported missing as of Saturday afternoon. The mother of 9-year-old Janie Hunt told CNN that her daughter, who was among the missing, has been confirmed dead.In addition to the more than 1,000 responders and 800 vehicles the state has deployed, an army of local, federal, and volunteer rescuers have been working around the clock to save victims from the waters, reunify families, clear debris, and tend to the injured. The Kerr County Sheriff's Office indicated that as of Saturday morning, first responders had evacuated over 850 uninjured people, including eight injured people. They also recovered the bodies of 27 people who perished in the floods.Among the dead were nine children, one of whom has not yet been identified.Shortly after signing a disaster declaration on July 4 for 15 counties the flooding has impacted, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott told reporters, "This is a time when we as a state, we as a community, need God more than ever.""Little kids off at camp joyfully excited about the upcoming day to celebrate the Fourth of July; campers alongside the [Guadalupe] River doing the same thing and enjoying one of the beautiful spots in the State of Texas — asleep, probably just a few hours from waking up," said Abbott. "So many people have been swept up into an extraordinary catastrophe."While emphasizing the need for prayer, Abbott indicated that search-and-rescue operations were underway and would continue as flooding continues across the state. — (@) President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that his administration was working with state and local officials and added, "GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!"Lt. Gov. Patrick said Friday, "I've talked to several people at the White House. The president sent the message, 'Whatever we need, we will have.'"Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Friday activated the U.S. Coast Guard and Federal Emergency Management Agency resources and was working to get the Camp Mystic girls to safety, Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said on social media. Photo by Eric Vryn/Getty ImagesThere also has been an outpouring of support and prayers for the victims of the floods and their families."Our nation's heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families. Just an incomprehensible tragedy," wrote Vice President JD Vance. "I hope everyone affected knows they're in the prayers of my family, and of millions of Americans. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace." The NFL's Houston Texans are among the organizations that have shelled out hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide support and resources to those impacted by the floods.This is a developing story.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!