A veteran’s nurse with a legal concealed carry permit was shot ten times by federal agents while holding nothing but a cellphone, yet Minnesota’s senior senator insists on framing him as merely documenting events—while conveniently omitting the holstered firearm that agents themselves removed from his waistband. When Facts Become Inconvenient Truths Senator Amy Klobuchar stood before cameras on January 24, hours after Alex Pretti bled out on a Minneapolis street, and painted a picture of federal overreach. Federal agents were “making us less safe,” she declared, demanding their removal from Minnesota. Her characterization of Pretti focused relentlessly on his cellphone documentation and protective intervention when agents shoved a woman. What she conspicuously avoided mentioning was equally documented: Pretti carried a concealed handgun, legally permitted by Minnesota authorities, holstered at his waistband throughout the encounter. This omission transforms legitimate criticism into something more troubling—a deliberate shaping of narrative that serves political ends while dodging inconvenient complexity. The Timeline Nobody Disputes The facts, captured on multiple bystander videos and verified by Reuters, The New York Times, and The Guardian, tell a precise story. At 9:05 a.m. on January 24, Pretti filmed federal agents attempting to enter a restaurant during protests at 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue. Twenty-eight seconds before the first shot, an agent pushed a legal observer. Pretti moved to assist, positioning himself between an agent and a woman being shoved. He was pepper-sprayed. He embraced the fallen woman. Six agents converged, wrestling him to the ground. One agent struck him. Another reached into his waistband and removed his holstered firearm. Eight seconds after pinning him, agents yelled “gun.” Ten shots followed over five seconds, fired while Pretti remained pinned and as he collapsed. The Weapon That Was Never Drawn The Department of Homeland Security claimed Pretti “approached with a handgun” intending to massacre law enforcement. This assertion crumbles under video scrutiny. Every reviewed frame shows Pretti holding only his cellphone during the confrontation. His firearm remained holstered throughout—removed not by Pretti, but by an agent, less than one second before shots rang out. Minnesota officials confirmed his concealed carry permit was valid and legal. Witnesses under oath described Pretti assisting protesters, displaying no aggression. The gun’s presence is undeniable; its relevance to the shooting, given the timeline and video evidence, raises profound questions about whether agents created the very threat they claim justified lethal force. Sanctuary City Politics Versus Federal Enforcement Minneapolis sits at the collision point of competing sovereignties. The Trump administration deployed approximately 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents into Minnesota, outnumbering the combined sworn officers of Minneapolis and St. Paul three to one. This massive presence targeted sanctuary city policies during a broader deportation effort that stretched across 2025 and into 2026. Protests erupted, fueled not only by enforcement philosophy but by operational errors: elderly residents pulled from homes in underwear and released when actual targets were found already jailed, wrong-person detentions multiplying distrust. Pretti’s shooting was the second fatal incident in three weeks, following Renée Good’s death on January 7. Klobuchar’s press conference channeled genuine community anger, but her selective presentation of facts undermines the credibility needed for accountability. What Gaslighting Actually Looks Like To gaslight is to manipulate someone into questioning observable reality. When Klobuchar portrayed Pretti exclusively as “a guy with a cellphone,” she engaged in precisely this manipulation—not of Pretti, but of her audience. The cellphone was real; so was the gun. Both facts matter. Ignoring the firearm serves a narrative that federal agents gunned down an unarmed documentarian. Including it without context serves a counter-narrative that agents faced an armed threat. The truth, visible in video, splits the difference uncomfortably: a legally armed man never drew his weapon, never brandished it, yet was shot ten times after agents themselves removed it from his person. Honest debate over federal overreach and use-of-force standards demands acknowledging all facts, not cherry-picking those that fit predetermined conclusions. Bipartisan Alarm Breaks Through Noise Senator Tina Smith and Senator Thom Tillis, spanning partisan divides, jointly called for investigation, with Tillis warning the White House against interference. This rare unity signals that video evidence has penetrated partisan reflexes. Vigils materialized by January 25, Pretti’s image held aloft by protesters demanding answers. No agents have been charged. DHS maintains its “defensive shots” position despite video contradictions. Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension faces jurisdictional questions about investigating federal officers. The investigative path forward remains murky, tangled in federal-state authority disputes, but the pressure from both sides of the Senate aisle suggests this case will not quietly disappear into bureaucratic limbo as previous incidents have. NEW>> Gun Gaslight: Dem Amy Klobuchar Says Alex Pretti Was Just a ‘Guy With a Cellphone’ Despite Being Armedhttps://t.co/HQ4BPyNfW1 pic.twitter.com/t99URJvKrX — Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) January 26, 2026 Constitutional Tensions at Breaking Point The Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms; Minnesota law permits concealed carry with proper licensing. Pretti exercised both rights lawfully. The First Amendment protects documenting government activity, precisely what Pretti did with his cellphone. Federal law enforcement, operating under executive authority to enforce immigration statutes, clashed with a citizen exercising multiple constitutional rights simultaneously during a protest—itself protected expression. When agents removed his holstered weapon and fired seconds later, which constitutional framework prevailed? The answer determines whether lawful gun owners can safely participate in protests, whether documentation of federal operations invites lethal responses, and whether local communities retain any check on federal force within their jurisdictions. These are not abstract questions; they define the boundaries of American liberty. Sources: Killing of Alex Pretti – Wikipedia Senate Democrats and Republicans call for investigation into killing of Alex Pretti – South Carolina Public Radio 5 things to know about the latest Minneapolis shooting – WUFT

'Internal bleeding'

'Many of us grew up reading that story of Anne Frank'

A herd of 6 American bison—3 males and 3 females—have been released onto native Illinois prairie. There, to the sound of drumming, songs, and cheers, they began to acclimate to their new surroundings—surroundings that had missed them for 200 years. A large crowd of Santee Sioux, herded together in their woven blankets and synthetic down […] The post Bison Return to Illinois Prairie to the Sounds of Drumming After 200 Years of Absence appeared first on Good News Network.

Author of Be Ready for Anything and Bloom Where You’re Planted online course Lots of people imagine a flurry of nonstop work when the power goes out for a longer period. Sometimes that’s the case, but at other times, due to a natural disaster, the safest course of action is to stay in your home. All of that idle time can wreak havoc on your mental state with boredom or your imagination running amok. So, before disaster ever strikes, it’s a good idea to think about what to do for entertainment when the power goes out. In our tech-obsessed world, living without a constant barrage of entertainment and information can feel almost like withdrawal from a drug. Be sure to have some things on hand to keep your mind occupied.  (If you have kiddos, here’s a list specifically for them.) Here’s how to stay entertained when the electricity goes out. I asked some folks on Facebook what they like to do when the power goes out and they gave me some great suggestions. Use this list to stock up on the right supplies to keep yourself entertained and pleasantly busy. Keep in mind you’re going to need some lighting for many of these activities. I absolutely love my inexpensive LED headlamps at times like these. As for me, I stocked up on yarn to get a jumpstart on the holiday gifts I’m making. Karen: I read…. A lot. And I have candles and lanterns for light in the evenings. Most of my daylight time would be spent taking care of animals, finishing pens for security, checking gardens and probably canning up anything in the freezer that is left. Since I have trouble being idle, I would be focusing on what I can do and getting as much done as possible. Beth I love Word Searches, Sudoku, Hidden Words, and lots of books to read help with boredom for me. Angela Crafts – simple things like friendship bracelets, bead necklaces, and teaching the kids to make things out of paracord. It’s also a hidden way to teach knot skills Jennifer Luckily I don’t need to worry about keeping kids amused and unafraid – it’s just me. Since I have so many candles, light sticks, and flashlights, and buy my batteries in boxes of 50, it’s not a problem to read and enjoy adult coloring and other things …More often though, I use the time to enjoy the lovely sacred space I have created but often get too busy to use. Light some beeswax candles, smudge, drum, do an angel card or medicine card reading, meditate, journal. And of course if it goes on a long time, I enjoy some nice indulgent snacks and a nice glass of wine, then have a long sleep. Victoria There’s always more downtime than you planned during a power outage. My hurricane supplies include coloring books and colored pencils/markers, decks of cards, travel games, yarn and crochet hooks, paperback books, spiral notebooks and pens, and dice. I’m always looking for portable entertainment at garage sales and thrift stores. Shelia Playing cards, horseshoes (if able to be outside), doing puzzles Melonie When we lived in typhoon (hurricane) country, I invested in board games. Even if we didn’t lose power, we could lose internet and cable, so lockdowns could get tedious. Then there are our many books and craft projects. Hurricanes are a great excuse – er, reason – for a shiny new book! Audibooks on charged devices are handy too. When my kids were little, they listened to the Herb Fairies stories while playing with LEGOs and such; we all learned neat things about herbal medicine from those! Tim Cards of course; Dominoes. Scrabble, backgammon, and Trivial Pursuit. And not to be funny but you can sit around and practice knot tying give each kid a 3-foot piece of cord and teach them knots. When that becomes easy see if they can do it in the dark. JoLyn I have a variety of musical instruments. A recorder, drum, tambourine, lap harp and harmonica. No one plays much of any of those, although we all have a little bit of musical knowledge But it’s fun to sit around and see what sounds we can get out of them. Dina Knitting, spinning, and weaving Linda I bought a 15″ Cricket loom yesterday, so if the power goes out tonight, I will light a candle and figure out how to assemble it. Susan We’re a bunch of chatty Cathys here…we could sit around and talk to each other for hours!!! Michael Nothing different. More of the stuff we already enjoy. Musical instruments, knitting, and spinning, board games. Outside fun like archery and knife throwing. But I do have a 200 count box of crayons hidden away, just in case. Linda Scrabble, reading. Marilyn No kids to entertain but the dogs just want to hang out. For myself I probably have somewhere in the neighborhood of easily over 500 to 800 books plus a good reference library, not all read; piano, 3 ukuleles and a few percussion instruments; sewing, needlecrafts such as quilting, embroidery, etc; painting supplies with lots of blank canvases and the tools to stretch more; coloring books; various crafts; a 24 x 24 shed filled with furniture to refinish and repaint; clay and pottery wheel; and a full stained glass workshop. I’m used to my own company and I doubt I will get bored being by myself as long as I can have pets. I’ve not lived my life by a clock for over four years now with the exception of the microwave and oven clocks or what I may see on my phone, so I doubt I will miss that. If all else fails I can play jacks or volunteer to sit with the children of neighbors who need some time to themselves. I grew up as an only child of a busy working Mom and she taught me to learn to be able to entertain myself. Mimi Honestly, there’s so much extra work to do without any clear idea of how long the outage will last I relax as much as possible! And I read. Hubster does his leather work. Sheila Although we only have “adults” here we have plenty of board games, puzzles galore, acoustic guitars, drums, baritone horn, xylophone, my daughter and I both crochet, beading supplies, Sculpey clay. If it’s daylight the guys have all their garage toys – I mean tools – to tinker with, knock hockey, multiple decks of cards, adult coloring books, word search and crossword puzzles, daily readings with meditations, play with the cat and her favorite string, a battery-powered DVD player, my daughter likes to paint, and once when my kids were little and it was a long rainy day they made their own version of “I Spy” by collecting things around the house and setting them up on the hutch in the dining room, then each one would pick something they put in there and we had to search for it, it was a lot of fun and really passed the time. Yancy I read two of my favorite books last time…..took advantage of not wanting to keep charging our electronics! Nice to hold a real book again. But yes, have a supply of games, Yahtzee, cards, Scrabble… Sarah Practice instruments and singing; we read books; play outside; art projects; board games and card games; work on a hobby or learn a new one (anything from crochet to whittling); cleaning projects inside the house and yardwork/gardening outside; tell stories; try out a new recipe over the fire; set the kids free to use their imagination to entertain us. Lynda Books, games and all kinds of needle work and basket making materials. Mary Besides all these great ideas (love Scrabble), I try to catch up on sleep. Without power, I am more tuned in to the rhythms of the sun. Polly Visiting with nearby family. Reading, especially books that have been sitting on the shelf for a while. Long walks if the weather permits. Napping. Chores. Adventures in cooking. Jim Sculpty clay! And other craft items. Card games. Books. Jon Reading paperback. Cards. Bryan If it’s dry, drink by a campfire. If it’s a wet drink by the fireplace. Either way, the wife and I’ll have a great time. If it’s an EMP, we’ll drink at the bug out location. Stella Use glow bracelets and necklaces from the 99 cent store to make a ring toss game for the kids Blackouts are not as scary with glow sticks and glow jewelry Linda I read or listen to audio books. Play with the cats. Sara Books! I love books! I don’t often re-read books, but save (or, hoard, as my husband calls it) them anyways… I’d reread them if I got bored! The rest of my family hasn’t read anywhere close to all of them so it’d entertain them. Board games, card games… Sewing materials…Art supplies (for the kids) Word searches Amanda UNO! Donna Books, board games, art supplies – paper, markers, crayons, watercolor paints Card games, play dough. Put play sand in empty coffee cans or plant pots. Bring in garden solar lights and add to containers. If using a camp light or solar light, place it in front of a mirror, the room will be much brighter. Let the kids or grandkids make s’mores for snacks. Melt the marshmallow on a skewer over a candle. I keep extra chocolate bars in the freezer for this – hidden of course Virginia Since it’s just the two of us, I usually do crocheting if in the evening or during the day normal things that don’t require electricity. Ron Lost power during a wind storm and caught up on reading. Made S’mores with my GF in the fire that night. I actually Miss being stuck in the dark… Alyssa I always have small wooden crafts on hand for my kids to put together. They are just little kits from the dollar store, so very inexpensive. We used them for bad weather days. I let the kids color them with markers, then we house them together. Brandy Besides reading, games, singing storytelling et cetera, if you have kids then build a fort where you can pretend that you’re on a great adventure in the wilderness and let them be little Preppers to tell you how they should set up camp LOL. Use it as a learning experience make it fun so it’s not so scary. Have them help you make meals that way they learn also. Thaddeus Cribbage! Julie My kids love to play board and card games so we would get the games out, do puzzles, play with Legos, color, read books etc. We would pretty much do the same things we usually do for no TV time. I like the above idea of setting up a fort in the living room. I might also get our camping tent and bring that inside so we can ‘camp’ inside the house. Scott  My wife is expecting my 8th child. What do you think I would do during a power outage? ???? Looking for more information on dealing with power outages? Here are more articles loaded with FREE INFORMATION about handling power outages with a gleam in your eye. Last-Minute Emergency Supplies: What to Buy When the Shelves Are Almost Empty What to Eat When the Power Goes Out “I’m bored”: 30 Ways to Keep Kids Entertained When the Power Goes Out 8 Prepper Hacks for Cleaning Without Running Water Getting Started: Prepping for a Two-Week Power Outage How to Survive a Summer Power Outage Staying Warm During a Winter Power Outage If you’re looking for inexpensive preparedness PDF books to download instantly, go here. We add new titles all the time, so sign up for that list while you’re over there! What do you do for fun during a blackout? What about you? Share how you pass the time when the electricity goes out for a while. Let’s talk about it in the comments section. About Daisy Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging author and blogger who’s traded her air miles for a screen porch, having embraced a more homebody lifestyle after a serious injury. She’s the heart and mind behind The Organic Prepper, a top-tier website where she shares what she’s learned about preparedness, self-reliance, and the pursuit of liberty. With 17 books under her belt, Daisy’s insights on living frugally, surviving tough times, finding some happiness in the most difficult situations, and embracing independence have touched many lives. Her work doesn’t just stay on her site; it’s shared far and wide across alternative media, making her a familiar voice in the community. Known for her adventurous spirit, she’s lived in five different countries and raised two wonderful daughters as a single mom.  Daisy is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books, 12 self-published books, and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides, printables, and courses at SelfRelianceand Survival.com You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, and X. The post What to Do for Entertainment During a Power Outage appeared first on The Organic Prepper.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. By the time you’re reading this, there’s a decent chance that somewhere, quietly and with a great deal of bureaucratic back-patting, someone is trying to figure out exactly how old you are. And not because they’re planning a surprise party. Not because you asked them to. But because the nine horsemen of the regulatory apocalypse have decided that the future of a “safe” internet depends on everyone flashing their ID like they’re trying to get into an especially dull nightclub. This is the nightmare of “age assurance,” a term so bloodlessly corporate you can practically hear it sighing into its own PowerPoint. This is a sprawling, gelatinous lump of biometric estimation, document scans, and AI-ified guesswork, stitched together into one big global initiative under the cheery-sounding Global Online Safety Regulators Network, or GOSRN. Catchy. Formed in 2022, presumably after someone at Ofcom had an especially boring lunch break, GOSRN now boasts nine national regulators, including the UK, France, Australia, and that well-known digital superpower, Fiji, who have come together to harmonize policies on how to tell whether someone is too young to look at TikTok for adults. The group is currently chaired by Ireland’s Coimisiún na Meán. This month, this merry band of regulators released a “Position Statement on Age Assurance and Online Safety Regulation.” We obtained a copy of the document for you here. Inside this gem of a document is a plan to push shared age-verification principles across borders, including support for biometric analysis, official ID checks, and the general dismantling of anonymity for the greater good of child protection. It insists that all of this should be “accurate, reliable, fair, and non-intrusive.” The pitch, of course, is that it’s all for the kids. But it’s starting to look suspiciously like a surveillance infrastructure. More: The Digital ID and Online Age Verification Agenda Most of these tools rely on facial recognition, third-party credential brokers, and databases that not only guess your age, but also remember you. The moment you hand over your ID to prove you’re 18, that information is out there, possibly shared, possibly stored, and quite possibly turned into a marketing profile. And once this machinery exists, it won’t stop at pornography. Mission creep is the only thing in government that’s ever truly efficient. If they can check your ID to block adult content, they can check it to block content they decide is “psychologically harmful,” “emotionally damaging,” or “financially risky.” According to GOSRN’s own terms, those categories include anything that might affect your “social,” “emotional,” or even “psychological” safety. Which is basically everything. Part of the plan is to make all these systems “interoperable,” which is just regulator-speak for “you’ll only need to have your soul scanned once, and then everyone gets to share it.” The goal is to stop companies from “forum shopping,” or in other words, choosing to operate in countries that don’t insist on scanning your face every time you log in. Ofcom, the UK regulator, is fully on board and already flexing its new muscles. Under the Online Safety Act, it has launched 83 investigations and started handing out fines to websites that fail to deliver “highly effective age assurance.” This is part of what they call “Safety by Design,” but it is actually a regulatory philosophy that wants everything on the internet pre-chewed, sterilized, and algorithmically approved. Anonymity? That’s for criminals and weirdos, didn’t you know? Real people sign in with their real names, linked to their real faces, and behave like good little users in the polite, sterile techno-state. GOSRN might say it’s committed to human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. But its definition of “online harm” is so elastic it could be used to classify sarcasm as a threat to national security. And once everyone agrees on the need for interoperable, identity-based age gates, we won’t just have lost our privacy. We’ll have signed it away, smiling politely, because we were told it was for the children. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Nine Bureaucracies Walk Into Your Browser and Ask for ID appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

Schumer Shutdown II on ICE?

Twin Cities Law Enforcement Abandons Hotel to Mob