New bills making their way through Hawaii’s legislature will make permanent “emergency” powers that are clearly anti-American. As it becomes clearer that the pandemic was caused by a gain-of-function virus leaked from a Chinese lab, Hawaii wants to be sure that its governor and county officials can take all of their residents’ rights away if […] The post Hawaii Plans to Codify Authoritarian Powers for “Emergencies” appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

(Photo Courtesy: https://unsplash.com/photos/vintage-television-and-radio-on-a-wooden-table-_BGd_ddtoUI)The 1980s felt like a global tech wild west. As personal computers, video games, and new financial tools exploded onto the scene, government regulation struggled to keep pace with the speed of change.Entrepreneurs, hackers, and investors saw this gap as an open invitation. They took big risks, often crossing legal and ethical lines, hungry for innovation and profit in these digital frontiers.This mix of ambition and uncertainty shaped entire industries. From unlicensed arcade games to bold financial schemes, the spirit of the era didn’t just disrupt—it created opportunities few had imagined.In this article, I’ll break down how the bold bets of the 80s laid the foundation for today’s online world—and what we can still learn from that audacious decade.From arcades to online casinos the allure of unregulated playThe 1980s sparked a global obsession with digital play. Walk into any arcade in Milan or Rome and you’d see teenagers chasing high scores, pocketfuls of coins ready for another round on Space Invaders or Pac-Man.This was more than harmless fun. It signaled the beginning of an era where risk, instant reward, and a sense of digital possibility were woven into daily life.Home consoles soon followed. Families gathered around the television, exploring pixelated worlds with a freedom that had never existed before.Alongside this gaming boom came a hunger for experiences that blurred the lines between entertainment and risk. Informal tournaments and cash-prize competitions became increasingly common, often operating outside official rules or oversight.It wasn’t just video games. The same spirit drove early experimentation in betting and gambling—first through neighborhood poker nights run on primitive PCs, then via dial-up connections to bulletin board systems offering rudimentary games of chance.For many Italians, this taste for unregulated play set the stage for today’s fascination with international casino platforms that operate beyond local licensing bodies.If you’re curious how modern players find safe, reputable sites outside strict national controls, NonAamsCasinos is a reliable source for comparing global options. It continues that old tradition—helping those who seek new ways to play without borders or heavy restrictions.The appetite for boundary-pushing digital fun didn’t start with online casinos, but it’s easy to see how the arcade culture of the 80s paved the way for today’s booming world of unregulated online gaming.How the 80s set the stage for digital risk-takingThe 1980s were a perfect storm for bold digital experimentation. New technology, deregulation, and a rebellious pop culture all collided, opening doors that few even knew existed.Personal computers started appearing in bedrooms and garages, letting curious minds push boundaries in ways that had never been possible before. The finance world saw rules loosen up, giving rise to new—and sometimes risky—digital business models.Cultural icons from that decade turned anti-establishment attitudes into something aspirational. This collective spirit didn’t just tolerate gray-area innovation—it encouraged it. The result was a wave of activity in digital spaces where regulation hadn’t yet caught up with creativity or ambition.Tech mavericks and the hacker ethosThe arrival of affordable home computers like the Apple II and Commodore 64 gave an entire generation hands-on access to powerful tools.This created fertile ground for self-taught “hackers,” as described in Steven Levy’s Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution. Levy highlights how these early pioneers saw technology not as a static product but as something to be explored and reimagined.Stories from this era show how hobbyists broke down barriers between user and creator. In one memorable example, communities developed around sharing software—sometimes bending copyright rules—to learn together. That collaborative, boundary-pushing attitude laid the groundwork for everything from open-source coding to digital activism.Financial deregulation and digital experimentationThe Reagan years brought sweeping changes to financial regulation in both banking and telecommunications.According to historical analysis of Reagan’s financial deregulation policies and effects, reduced oversight allowed new entrants to test out unconventional models. This included early online stock trading, electronic funds transfer, and even phone-based games that danced around existing gambling laws.The loosening of old restrictions didn’t just drive innovation—it also created ambiguity. Some ventures thrived by exploiting loopholes while others collapsed under legal scrutiny. Still, these gray zones were where many entrepreneurs learned how quickly fortunes could shift in the new digital economy.Pop culture, rebellion, and the appeal of the unlicensedIf you look at 80s movies like “WarGames” or listen to punk-influenced music from that era, you’ll notice a clear fascination with breaking rules and defying authority.Cultural studies on 1980s media and counterculture show how films, music videos, and video games celebrated misfits who challenged systems—whether that meant hacking into mainframes or pirating software cartridges with friends after school.This glamorization of rebellion shaped public perception of digital frontiers as exciting places to experiment without permission. It wasn’t just about lawlessness; it was about possibility. The energy of these unlicensed spaces directly fueled much of the creative risk-taking we now associate with Silicon Valley’s roots—and still see echoed today whenever someone chooses an alternative or grey-market platform over an official one.Unregulated digital markets: winners, losers, and lessons learnedThe 1980s digital gold rush produced both iconic success stories and notorious cautionary tales.Visionaries jumped into unregulated markets, riding a wave of new technology with little oversight.Some built empires in the open frontier, while others crashed hard—sometimes taking public trust with them.This era forced lawmakers to reckon with the double-edged sword of unchecked innovation.Success stories: entrepreneurs and early adoptersOne of the brightest examples is CompuServe, which started as a dial-up network in the late 70s but exploded in popularity through the 80s.Without strict rules in place, CompuServe’s creators invented what would become modern online forums, email, news services, and even e-commerce—years before most regulators understood their implications.This open field allowed early adopters to test wild ideas directly with users. I’m still impressed by how communities formed organically on these platforms, much like today’s social networks but without the legal red tape.The Story of CompuServe and Early Online Communities shows how these pioneers capitalized on being first and fast. They set user expectations for digital life before policy makers could catch up—and that first-mover advantage still echoes in tech today.Crashes, scandals, and cautionary talesNot every gamble paid off. The rapid rise of unregulated digital spaces also opened doors for scams, security breaches, and public controversy.The infamous “414s” hacker case put this risk under a harsh spotlight. A group of Milwaukee teenagers broke into dozens of major computer systems—including those at Los Alamos National Lab—simply because they could. Their exploits were as much about curiosity as crime.The Infamous 414s Hacker Case led to front-page headlines and congressional hearings. It became clear that unchecked digital freedom carried serious consequences—not just for companies but for society at large. These incidents shaped public fear around hacking for decades to come.The regulatory catch-up: how lawmakers respondedThe scale and visibility of both innovation and abuse forced governments to step in. Lawmakers scrambled to create guardrails for a world they barely understood themselves.A pivotal response came with the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) of 1986. For the first time, US law addressed how personal data moved across electronic networks—an issue brought into focus by high-profile incidents from earlier in the decade.The ECPA remains foundational today. According to Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, it set boundaries for government surveillance and user privacy online—a legal framework built directly from the lessons (and mistakes) made during those wild early years.The 80s legacy: how unregulated markets shaped today’s digital worldThe wild experimentation and risk appetite of the 80s still echo through our digital lives.Back then, visionaries in tech and finance blurred the lines between what was legal, possible, and profitable.Their willingness to test boundaries helped spark a global economy where streaming, online gaming, cryptocurrencies, and other digital innovations now thrive.It’s no exaggeration to say that today’s gray markets and international platforms owe much to the culture of “anything goes” that first caught fire decades ago.Modern echoes: online gambling, crypto, and grey marketsIf you’ve ever wondered why new digital spaces—from Bitcoin exchanges to international casino sites—seem so quick to appear outside strict regulatory controls, thank the pioneering risk-takers of the 80s.Those early years normalized operating in uncharted territory. According to How 1980s Risk-Taking Shaped Digital Markets Today, this spirit didn’t fade—it evolved. Online casinos now offer real-money games across borders. Crypto trading platforms run around-the-clock with limited oversight. Even streaming services push content into legal gray zones worldwide.The same drive for innovation—and willingness to accept legal uncertainty—still fuels these sectors. In my experience exploring everything from niche gaming sites to blockchain startups, it’s clear that today’s digital entrepreneurs are channeling that same 80s energy for bold experimentation.Globalization and the borderless marketplaceThe groundwork laid by 80s deregulation made truly global commerce possible.Financial reforms broke down barriers between countries and industries. Technology leapt forward as data could travel across oceans in seconds instead of days.This opened doors for businesses—from e-commerce giants to remote work platforms—to operate on a worldwide scale almost overnight. As highlighted in Origins of the Digital Global Marketplace, these shifts were crucial in building today’s borderless digital economy.I see direct links between those policy changes and modern realities: Italian gamers accessing international casino sites or creators selling content far beyond their home countries. The 80s didn’t just change business—they changed how we think about borders altogether.Conclusion: What the 80s gamble teaches us about the futureThe bold, risk-driven moves of the 1980s didn’t just shape digital history—they continue to echo in every new tech wave we see today.Studying this era shows how innovation often races ahead of regulation, sparking both creative breakthroughs and cautionary tales.For founders and decision-makers, the lesson is clear: progress thrives on calculated risk, but ignoring the rules entirely rarely ends well.The ongoing push and pull between freedom and oversight remains central to building digital markets that are both dynamic and trusted.

California Republican gubernatorial candidate and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has said he supports creating a “path to citizenship” for illegal immigrants living currently in the United States, a stance that has drawn scrutiny from conservative voters in a crowded GOP primary. During a November interview with Pastura California that recently resurfaced, Bianco laid out his plan for allowing illegal immigrants to remain in the country. “My family immigrated here from Italy and they came here for jobs, that’s what things were here for. You came here [for] a job, you said that America is the greatest country in the world and I wanna be an American and you bust your behind to make sure that you provide for your family. That’s what it was then,” Bianco said during the interview. “The people that are coming here now, especially illegally, are coming here for free stuff, and then we are the ones that are paying for that. So the immigration system has to be fixed. We have to have a secure border.” Bianco also said he believes the border “is secure right now,” though he argued the country faces a major problem with visa overstays and illegal immigrants already in the United States. “But we have to address it, we have to make it right, whether they came across illegally into the country, legally or not, is irrelevant because we allowed it to happen. So now we just have to fix it. Secure our borders, don’t let that happen again, and now we have to give a path to citizenship to the ones that are here. We have to create a way for them to become U.S. citizens and … make their families great. If they truly did come here to make their lives and their families’ lives better, we have to get to a position where we allow that to happen.” Bianco added that if illegal immigrants are caught breaking laws “and committing crimes, they gotta go back.” “As the governor of California, we will fight for a path to citizenship,” he said, adding, “We have to start working for the people that are here trying to make California great and we have to make their lives easier.” When asked about his resurfaced remarks, Bianco told Breitbart on Thursday that he’s “been very clear” on immigration and that “both sides of the political aisle” have used his comments “to benefit them.” “Immigration is being made into a political tool, and California residents are the pawns,” Bianco said. But it’s not the first time Bianco has appeared to favor illegal immigrants. Last April, Bianco told podcast host Britt Mayer that he did not want his deputies cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), arguing that doing so could deter illegal immigrant crime victims from reporting offenses. “I don’t want my line deputies, my patrol deputies, absolutely cannot be cooperating with the federal government in immigration reform because the people that we go to help are calling for our help,” Bianco said. “They are being victimized. And if they are afraid to report crime because they’re afraid to be deported themselves for being a victim.” “If a woman is raped and she will not report that to law enforcement because she believes she is going to be deported, then we are failing as an absolute country because we should be only caring about who victimized that poor girl or woman or man, and how can we make sure we get that criminal off the streets and behind bars, and if they’re illegal, they need to be deported immediately,” Bianco said. Bianco also reiterated that the United States “absolutely must have a path to citizenship for people that are here.” In a statement to Breitbart, Bianco said he believes “every person who is in jail for victimizing Californians should be deported” and that “sheriffs operating jails should be cooperating with the federal government.” “The sanctuary policies prevent that from happening and force the release of criminals back into our neighborhoods,” Bianco said. “Sanctuary policies place sheriffs at risk of criminal prosecution and removal from office because of ridiculous sanctuary state laws. The vast majority of residents, including immigrants, want that to end.” The gubernatorial hopeful also said that “the threat of deportation cannot be used by criminals to prevent the reporting of crime.” “A child being molested under threat of deportation should not be afraid of turning toward a deputy for protection,” Bianco said. “With all that said, sanctuary state policies need to be repealed. They harm our communities. As California governor, I will gladly work with other governors to pressure Congress to fix a broken immigration system.”

When I ponder the deeper aspects of love and intimacy, I sometimes like to consult the wisdom of our left-wing thought leaders, in the same way I sometimes like to stick a pencil in my ear to see if I can make it come out the other side of my head, then slam the ball-peen of a hammer down on my kneecap with full force before finally jamming a lit stick of dynamite between my buttocks and blowing my own ass off. For far too long, stodgy conservative influencers like Matt Walsh and God have defined human love as that relationship in which a man and a woman come to realize that the jigsaw complementarity of male and female bodies has become a fleshly symbol of the harmonic convergence of their individual souls, so that they seek to come together through the sacrament of an indissoluble lifelong marriage, in which she submits to the authority of a member of that gender with some semblance of a capacity for reason, while he includes within the circle of his own happiness the happiness of a member of that gender that can never be made happy or if they can it just costs an absolute fortune. But unlike the sluggish thought of conservatives, the wisdom of leftism never allows itself to become mired in the stagnant tar pit of moral and physical reality. Leftism is progressive, like emphysema or one of those horrible degenerative diseases that you don’t even want to think about because it’s so much like leftism, it makes you wonder how a good God could ever allow such a thing to exist. No. Leftists have now moved beyond restrictive, outdated categories like the essential nature of the human condition, and they’ve discovered all kinds of new wrinkles to human love that past generations never even conceived of without getting arrested. For instance, through the brilliant writings of leftist academics who have dedicated their lives to the selfless work of saying ridiculous crap that only some idiot like a journalist could possibly fall for, we now know that your gender is not determined by what gender you are. That wouldn’t be fair. You didn’t ask to be born. And if you did ask to be born, you sure didn’t ask to be born with every cell of your body evolved over slow millennia to either create and nurture the next generation, or to drag your ass to work so the next generation and their mother don’t starve to death while they’re home playing Candy Land or whatever the hell they do all day when you’re slaving away to keep them in onesies with maybe a few bucks left over for a date night at the Olive Garden so you don’t go out of your freaking mind. NOW, leftists tell us, you can change your gender by simply lopping off the relevant body parts, then bullying all the sane people into pretending that did the trick, until the gnawing suspicion that everyone is lying to you causes you to spray a crowded room with gunfire before blowing your head off. And for those people who aren’t into meaningless self-mutilation — for some reason — leftists are also able to assist you in intimacy by recommending some fruitless sexual fetish that is sure to improve your love life if your love life currently consists of lowering baskets of lotion into an oubliette. As an example, there’s a new movie out called “Pillion” which charts the sado-masochistic affair between two gay bikers. The Wall Street Journal calls it a “classic rom-com with warm and fuzzy feelings.” The Washington Post calls it a “surprisingly sweet BDSM romance.” And the New York Times hasn’t reviewed it yet, because their reviewer is still in the theater watching it over and over again.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against defining love as a man submitting to wearing a dog collar for another man, any more than I’m against defining dinner as repeatedly smacking a sirloin steak into your forehead. I just wish our leftist cultural overlords would occasionally heap such praise on a movie about, say, a wife submitting to the authority of a husband who makes her happiness his own. But they can’t. Because no one ever makes that movie. * * * This excerpt is taken from the opening satirical monologue of “The Andrew Klavan Show.” Andrew Klavan is the host of “The Andrew Klavan Show” at The Daily Wire. Klavan is the bestselling author of numerous books, including the Cameron Winter Mystery series. The fifth installment, After That, The Dark, is NOW AVAILABLE. Follow him on X: @andrewklavan. The views expressed in this satirical piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

A transgender killer who executed his ex-wife and son at a Rhode Island hockey game has a son serving federal prison time for torching a predominantly Black church with a notebook full of violent racist threats. Family Violence Rooted in Decades of Dysfunction Robert Dorgan opened fire at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, during a high school hockey game on February 16, 2026, killing his ex-wife Rhonda Dorgan and their son Aidan Dorgan. He critically wounded Rhonda’s parents, Linda and Gerald Dorgan, along with family friend Thomas Geruso before bystanders subdued him. Dorgan then fatally shot himself with a second handgun. Police confirmed on February 18, 2026, that Dorgan’s son from a previous relationship, Kevin Colantonio, is serving federal prison time for arson targeting a predominantly Black church. Federal Arson Conviction Reveals Racist Ideology Kevin Colantonio, 37, pleaded guilty in February 2025 to setting fire to the exterior of Shiloh Gospel Temple Ministries in North Providence in February 2024. Federal prosecutors described his “extremely racist ideology” based on a notebook seized during his arrest. The notebook contained violent racist statements including “hunt them down, gun them down, everyone that isn’t white” and “burn churches to the ground.” Colantonio received a sentence exceeding six years in federal prison. Police records show Dorgan and Colantonio shared a North Providence address over 20 years ago, though the extent of their recent contact remains unclear. Transgender Identity Destroyed Three-Decade Marriage Dorgan began posting about sex change surgery in 2017 and used names including Roberta Esposito and Roberta Dorgano. By 2018, Dorgan posted on social media about marital troubles, claiming Rhonda “hates the person who stole her husband.” In 2019, Dorgan posted “Transwoman, 6 kids : wife – not thrilled” while encouraging transgender family-building. Rhonda filed for divorce in February 2020 after approximately 30 years of marriage, initially citing Dorgan’s gender reassignment surgery and narcissistic personality disorder traits before changing the filing to irreconcilable differences. Court records reveal the divorce shattered what had been a long-standing family structure. Social Media Rants Preceded Mass Shooting On February 15, 2026, just one day before the shooting, Dorgan responded on social media to anti-trans posts by Kevin Sorbo and Alex Jones, claiming that criticism drives transgender people “BERSERK.” Dorgan had posted racist memes on the platform and maintained an active presence discussing both transgender pride and family resentment. Coworkers told investigators that Dorgan frequently discussed family matters and hockey, expressing mixed feelings about transgender acceptance while owning firearms. Dorgan’s daughter later confirmed her father had “mental health issues” and was “very sick.” Despite this disturbing social media activity and acknowledged mental illness, Dorgan showed no prior indication of violence at the arena, where he had routinely attended games. Mental Health Crisis Ignored in Political Response Governor McKee responded to the shooting by lamenting gun violence, drawing sharp criticism from Reverend Jordan Wells and others for ignoring the mental illness and transgender factors central to the case. Dorgan’s daughter publicly confirmed her father’s mental health problems contributed to his deadly rampage. This tragedy follows a concerning pattern of violence involving transgender-identified individuals, including Jesse Van Rootselaar’s February 10, 2026, school shooting in Canada that killed six, and Robin Westman’s August 2025 church attack killing two children. Critics argue that focusing solely on firearms while dismissing the mental health crisis and the specific ideological factors at play does a disservice to public safety and prevents honest conversations about intervention and prevention. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves praised the bystanders who tackled Dorgan, crediting them with ending the attack and preventing additional casualties in the crowded arena. The Dennis M. Lynch Arena was taped off on February 17 as teams retrieved equipment and a memorial grew outside. The Rhode Island hockey community held vigils, with parents expressing shock that violence invaded what should have been a safe family environment. Amy Goulet, a parent present during the shooting, called the attack “mind-boggling.” This case underscores the need to address mental illness seriously rather than politicizing tragedies to advance gun control agendas while ignoring the root causes that lead disturbed individuals to commit horrific acts of violence against their own families. Sources: Pawtucket killer son in prison shiloh gospel temple ministries fire social media weapons hockey rink arena high school game Police credit a good samaritan for ending a deadly shooting at a Rhode Island ice rink Back to back shootings prompt reflection on history of trans mass killers

Just months after facing backlash for touting federal funding she had opposed, Democratic New York Rep. Laura Gillen once again stood smiling behind a massive cutout check tied to funding she voted against. Gillen, a freshman lawmaker facing a potentially tough reelection contest in a swing seat on Long Island, celebrated $500,000 in federal funding […]

'Endlessly sorry'

'Reynolds never should have been at the CPUC'

'Americans are incredibly anxious about the affordability crisis'

'We reject judging individuals by the color of their skin'