It’s a sure sign of Christmas when we hear Nat King Cole crooning about chestnuts roasting on an open fire. While few of us have experienced eating such warm roasted chestnuts, we can surely relate to seeing “tiny tots with their eyes all aglow.” When children experience the bright lights of the Christmas Season, they can hardly open their eyes wide enough to take in all the beauty. From living room Christmas trees to sparkling downtown squares, bright, colorful decorations are everywhere. And, as the lyrics remind us, the bright lights are most exquisite when they are reflected in the eyes and on the faces of children, especially young children. What do we really see on these precious little faces? What best describes the look of wonder reflected in the wide eyes of children taking in the lights? It’s joy. The innocent expressions of wonder on the face of a child can bring joy to all of us, even when things aren’t stellar for us adults. A child’s perception of this light-filled season can even melt the hearts of all the Scrooges in our midst. That’s because children don’t just reflect the season; they are represented by the central character in the Christmas story. After all, the Christ Child is the focus of the attention of all the participants in the nativity. The lowly animals, the shepherds, the wise men, and, of course, Mary and Joseph. Our front-yard nativity sets may have all of those frozen figurines at once, even though the story itself plays out over a longer period. Just as the Star of Bethlehem lit that special night more than two millennia ago, the bright lights we see today can brighten even our darkest nights. Yet the message of joy that still flows from that manger came with it’s own set of challenges, many of which we still face today. The pregnancy was unexpected. Housing insecurity was real. A government edict forced an ill-timed travel issue. The soon-to-be husband was not the father of the baby. Such challenges have the potential to steal joy, not bring it. And yet, after 2,000 years, we memorialize it on our lawns, over the mantle, or in dioramas that dominate our home décor. No matter the conditions of their conception, babies have a way of bringing joy and smiles. Carl Sandburg once said, “A baby is God’s opinion that life should go on.” That is true with every new life, as much as it was with the Christ Child. The next generation is the hope for the future of our families, our communities, and of the world. The story of Mary and the manger reminds us that every woman should be loved and supported in her pregnancy, despite her immediate circumstances. The spark of life within every child in the womb should be welcomed and nurtured, cherished and treasured. Temporary obstacles should be overcome so that every tiny tot has a chance to be filled with wonder and joy at Christmas. Each of us should do our part to help someone near us, or close by us, or maybe even someone we’ll never get the chance to meet, be able to greet their little one with joy and gratitude. That is what motivates the life-affirming work of pregnancy help in communities all over the country every day of the year. Whether around the kitchen table in a maternity home or through an ultrasound at a pregnancy medical clinic, or in the placement of a child into an adoptive family, pregnancy help provides real help for real needs to those dealing with temporary challenges. All pregnancies are temporary, even the unexpected ones. And every life should have a chance to make a positive mark on the world and future generations. That holy night reminds us of more than the value of just that one child. That “silent night” stands as a powerful proclamation for each of us to welcome the work of God when it comes as a baby. We should make way, or “prepare him room,” for “love’s pure light” to shine into, and through, our hearts at this special time of year and all year long. That’s what empowers each of us to light up with joy and sing, “Joy to the World!” * * * Jor-El Godsey is president of Heartbeat International. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire. Christmas Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships

A brutal Omaha gas-station shootout that left four officers wounded and an illegal alien dead is a stark reminder of how past open-border policies keep endangering American communities. Gas Station Shootout Leaves Officers Wounded and Suspect Dead Omaha police recently confronted 28-year-old Juan Melgar-Ayala, an illegal alien suspect tied to a prior shooting, at a local gas station after reports connected him to midweek gunfire in the city. Officers moved in believing they were dealing with an armed, dangerous offender who had already proven willing to pull the trigger in a neighborhood setting. The confrontation quickly escalated into a gun battle, as the suspect opened fire and turned a busy commercial location into a combat zone. During the exchange of gunfire, four Omaha police officers were injured, underscoring how quickly routine policing can turn deadly when violent criminals are allowed to roam freely inside the country. Witnesses saw officers taking cover around gas pumps and squad cars as bullets shattered glass and sent bystanders scrambling for safety. Responding units closed surrounding streets while medics rushed wounded officers to area hospitals, where they were treated for injuries sustained while trying to protect their community from a known threat. Watch Nebraska police go head-to-head in a deadly shootout with a violent illegal alien from El Salvador. Juan Melgar-Ayala — an illegal with a long rap sheet — shot a 61-year-old man in the chest before turning a grocery store into a war zone. Police moved in fast, engaged, and… pic.twitter.com/gVpDbayhLd — Hans Herberg (@HANSFORNJ) December 5, 2025 How a Preventable Threat Reached Omaha Streets Police later confirmed that Melgar-Ayala was in the United States illegally and already on law enforcement radar as a criminal suspect, raising immediate questions about how he remained free to menace Omaha neighborhoods. Under years of lax border enforcement and limited interior deportations, many violent offenders slipped through the cracks, shielded by bureaucratic delays, sanctuary policies, and political reluctance to prioritize citizen safety. Local officers once again faced the immediate consequences of failures made hundreds of miles away in Washington. Previous administrations often treated illegal immigration as a political chess piece, softening enforcement, narrowing deportation priorities, and downplaying public safety concerns in favor of ideological narratives about borderless compassion. That approach left communities like Omaha dealing with the downstream reality: officers forced into shootouts with people who should never have been in the country at all. For residents, the incident reinforced a sense that their safety had been traded away to satisfy activists, lobbyists, and globalist talking points disconnected from life on the ground. Border Security, Police Safety, and Public Trust The shootout illustrates how immigration policy is not an abstract debate but a direct law-and-order issue that shapes everyday risks faced by patrol officers and families at ordinary places like gas stations. When illegal aliens with criminal histories are allowed to move unimpeded through towns and cities, local police become the last line of defense against threats that federal policy should have neutralized earlier. Each failure to detain, remove, or block reentry gives dangerous offenders another chance to ambush officers and terrorize neighborhoods. Under President Trump’s renewed focus on border security and enforcement, the stated priority is shifting decisively back toward protecting American citizens and legal residents first. Closing loopholes, restoring cooperation with local law enforcement, and cutting off incentives that draw criminal traffickers and repeat offenders are all designed to prevent scenarios like Omaha from repeating. For many conservatives, this represents a long overdue correction after years when Washington elites dismissed concerns about crime tied to illegal immigration as exaggerated or bigoted, despite mounting evidence to the contrary. Douglas County, NE: Illegal alien Juan Melgar-Ayala is accused of shooting a man then dying in a shootout with police that injured officers. https://t.co/95JK8kvQTG pic.twitter.com/lrgZ93FagJ — Illegal Alien Crimes (@ImmigrantCrimes) December 5, 2025 What This Means for Communities Moving Forward For Omaha residents, the gas station shootout is likely to accelerate demands for tougher immigration enforcement, stronger cooperation with federal authorities, and an end to any local policies that might shield criminal noncitizens from removal. Citizens watching four officers carried away in ambulances understand instinctively that safer borders mean safer streets, fewer violent confrontations, and less strain on already overburdened police departments. The expectation now is that national policy will finally match that common-sense reality instead of ignoring it. Families across the Midwest and beyond look at incidents like this and see a litmus test of whether leaders truly value the rule of law, the badge, and the Constitution over ideological experiments. When illegal aliens with criminal records are quickly identified, detained, and removed, police can focus on homegrown crime instead of cleaning up problems imported by deliberate federal neglect. The Omaha case stands as a sobering lesson—and a rallying point—for those insisting that border security is not optional, but essential to preserving American lives and freedoms.

Barry White built a one-of-a-kind musical presence through a voice that carried authority and warmth, reshaping soul and R&B during the 1970s. His early life in Galveston and Los Angeles gave him access to a vibrant musical environment that set the foundation for his future career. He worked behind the scenes as a producer, songwriter, and arranger long before audiences knew his name, thereby developing the artistic instincts that later defined his solo success. His work with the girl group Love Unlimited marked the beginning of that recognition, and his production on their hit “Walkin’ in the Rain with the The post Complete List Of Barry White Songs From A to Z appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

Jessie Murph built her career with the kind of emotional clarity that reaches people instantly, creating songs that feel confessional yet polished and sharp in production. Her early years were shaped by her decision to post covers and original material on social media. This path allowed her audience to form before she ever stepped into the traditional music industry. That foundation helped her transform from a young, independent creator into a major label artist with a rapidly expanding catalog and a growing presence across pop, R&B, and alternative charts. Her rise accelerated when her early singles connected with listeners who The post Complete List Of Jessie Murph Songs From A to Z appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

When three experienced musicians from disbanded or separate projects converged in New Jersey during 2008, they created a collaboration that would achieve rapid commercial success and chart dominance within four years. Fun, a pop rock band from New York City, emerged from Nate Ruess’s departure from his previous group and his connection with Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff, each bringing established musical backgrounds to the project. The band released two studio albums between 2009 and 2012, establishing themselves as a significant force in contemporary pop music during the early 2010s. The group’s trajectory accelerated substantially following the release of their The post Complete List Of Fun Band Members appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

In the early 1990s, one toy captured the imagination of kids everywhere: the Talkboy. It was a handheld cassette recorder that could change the pitch of your voice, making it sound deeper or higher. The CONTINUE READING... The post Toy Stories: Talkboy appeared first on The Retro Network.

By the Author of Dear Diary: It’s Me, Jessica Find the previous chapter here. Dear Diary, It’s me, Jessica. The weather has been crazy!  It got cold and snowed heavy for three days.  Jack was the only one with snowshoes.  Twice a day, he would make paths through the snow to pack it down so we could at least walk to others’ homes if we had to.  At first, I did not think the paths would do much, but when I tried to walk off the paths, it was like trying to walk in wet sand versus walking on a sidewalk.  The clouds were really dark.  We needed to light candles an hour before sunset.   Then for three days, it warmed up into the fifties and sunny.  With the snow, it was so bright I had to wear sunglasses.  By the end of the third day, most of the snow was gone.  The next day it began to rain.  A cold, rain that made everyone just want to stay home in front of a good fire under a big fluffy blanket on the couch and read a book.   Diary, it is funny, I was never much of a book reader before the power went out.  Now, I read everything.  We will even trade with others for books to read.  We talk about books we like or did not like.  I also keep an eye out for books to read in class.  We sometimes watch a movie on Mom’s laptop, but I think I like reading a book by the fire, and she plays music instead.   Seems so strange the hours I used to watch videos on my phone of people doing dumb things, cute or silly videos of dogs or cats.   How much time did I waste? Entry two In one of the abandoned homes, Dad found a bunch of stock pipe of different sizes and lengths, fittings, and tools.  The owner must have been a pipe fitter.  Dad used four, ten-foot lengths of pipe, and used a manual hydraulic pipe-bending tool to bend the first two lengths at a ninety-degree bend at the halfway point.  Then he did the same with the other two lengths.  He then connected and secured them with something called two-part epoxy and crimp fittings.  The upper length of the pipe would attach to the rear of my saddle.  It would then extend just past my horse’s hindquarters, bend downward to where the fittings met the other pipe, and bend back horizontally with the ground, but now at the height of my horse’s knee joint.  Dad then bent other pipes to form a frame for a pull behind carriage with enough room for supplies and in the very back, a bench seat for two people to sit.  From two fat-tire mountain bikes, he took the wheels and front suspension forks and attached them to the carriage, with the suspension forks and rear wheels mounted under the bench seat to absorb any bumps on the road.  Now we could carry more supplies than just on foot or in saddlebags on a horse.  And, Jack and Dad, or anyone else who could not ride a horse, could come along. The next day we met up with Katie and her bunch to make the trip to the mid-way point to meet up with Jamal and his group for trade.   Katie was so impressed with Dad’s carriage that she and Dad haggled for him to make her three carriages in exchange for tack for my horse.  They shook on it.  I now had not only a horse but my own tack.  Dad could see how happy I was. We stopped on our way through Four Corners to see if anyone had anything they wanted us to trade on their behalf.  We could not make any promises but would do our best.  As we crossed the bridge, we now had several loaves of bread and a dozen live chickens strung upside down attached to the cart.   Katie alternated between a trot and a canter, quickly eating up the distance.  We arrived well before noon, but was surprised to find Jamal and his group already there.   While we tended to the horses, Jack and Dad got out of the cart to greet Jamal. “You must have left the city before dawn to be here now,” Jack commented as they shook hands. “Shorter days, wanted to be here early to get back before dark.” “Smart thinking.  Lets get to it then and get you back on the road,”  Jack nodded. Just as HAM Guy had said, Jamal and his group had cartons of cigarettes, bags of coffee, candy, gum, tubes and bags of chips, and a few bags of cough drops.   In exchange, they got several bottles of Jack’s alcohol, the bread, chickens, a few slabs of cured and smoked bacon, cuts of beef, and sausages.   While others conducted trade, I asked Jamal how things were at their new location. “Better, I think.  We found a fire station that we are using as our new home.  Reinforced the first floor, have a good overlook in all directions from the upper floors.  Keeping a low profile to not attract attention.  We are further out than we have scavenged before, that is how we found the gas station and these supplies.” “Any people?” “We catch glimpses of children now and then.  They take off as soon as they know we see them.  Never get a long enough look or close enough to get an idea of their age.  With the lack of food, their growth could be stunted.  No adults that we know or have seen.” “Sad.” “Yeah, think they have gone wild.” Once trade had finished, Jamal and his group, eager to be off, thanked us and, with a wave, set out to hump it back home, pushing grocery carts or pulling garden wagons with their trade.   No one was really sure if one got the better of the other.  If we did not eat the candy ourselves but used it for another trade at Four Corners only then would we be able to say if we got a good deal or not.  Dad was not going to trade for the coffee he got!  All in all, everyone seemed happy with the trade. Entry three I was eager in anticipation, sitting at the kitchen table.  The smell of some of Dad’s cured and smoked bacon frying filled the kitchen.  Mom was now making eggs.   And there it was:  The smell of freshly brewed coffee, in the French press, steeping.  Mom had an old egg timer sitting next to the stove.  After what seemed like an eternity, the egg time bell went, “Ding!” The coffee was ready.  It smelled heavenly.   Dad pressed the plunger and then poured three cups, one for each of us.  We had some cream, and Mom even got out sugar.  We mixed the cream and sugar to our own liking, and then almost as one, we all took a sip.  And then we all sighed in unison of contentment.   “It is the little things in life,” Dad said, smiling down into his cup. “Never thought I would relish coffee this much,” Mom said. I just took another sip. “Can we reuse the coffee grounds,” Mom asked Dad. “Well, I read during Nazi-occupied Warsaw, Poland, in the ghetto, when they could get coffee, they would reuse the grounds three or four times to the point it got to be more like coffee-flavored tea.” “We will try it,” Mom said with a degree of determination in her voice. After breakfast, Dad went to work on building the pull-behind carts for Katie, as agreed.  On our way to the mid-point to trade with Jamal, Dad noted the performance of the cart he and Jack were riding in, making mental notes for improvements.  For Dad, those improvements were tweaks here and there with not much more work.  The problem was finding more fat tires from the bicycles.  The ones he found were hanging upside down in the garage of the abandoned house.  For everyone else, bicycles were too valuable to just give up or even trade for.  Dad said we might have to see if Jamal can find us some for trade or, we might have to go to the city ourselves.   Diary, after the night firefight with the other city gang, the encounter with the big brawler and his group, I am not sure how I feel about making any more trips to the city.  About 1stMarineJarHead 1stMarineJarHead is not only a former Marine, but also a former EMT-B, Wilderness EMT (courtesy of NOLS), and volunteer firefighter. He currently resides in the great white (i.e. snowy) Northeast with his wife and dogs. He raises chickens, rabbits, goats, occasionally hogs, cows and sometimes ducks. He grows various veggies and has a weird fondness for rutabagas. He enjoys reading, writing, cooking from scratch, making charcuterie, target shooting, and is currently expanding his woodworking skills. The post Dear Diary, It’s Me, Jessica: Chapter 26 (Book 2) appeared first on The Organic Prepper.

I thought it would take a lot longer to get through the approval process, but Haven Hill is ready, and you can now get the entire book PLUS a two-part epilogue, in paperback format. I hope this is a book that you will enjoy and that the non-preppers in your life might find as inspiration to start learning skills and storing supplies themselves. Grab Haven Hill at this link! PS: Please, please take the time to leave a review. This helps so much as it moves the book up through the charts on Amazon and shows it to more people! Five star reviews mean everything to independent authors! The post ANNOUNCEMENT: Haven Hill Is Now in Paperback!!! appeared first on The Organic Prepper.

I’m not one to tell Santa his business, but I hope The Other Big Guy has left some room on his Naughty List for certain folks in the political world. I’m talking politicos seriously deserving of lumps of coal. And not that “beautiful, clean coal” of ours that President Donald Trump keeps hyping. I’m talking the kind of dirty coal that created the Great Smog of London; heavy chunks that sag Christmas stockings like Nancy Pelosi’s face when someone calls her out about J6. Rep. Bennie Thompson: The ‘Unfortunate Accident’ Putting the “miss” in Mississippi congressman, Rep. Bennie Thompson earned the season’s Ilhan Oman “Some People Did Something” Award for his comments last week about the brutal, vicious, premeditated, murderous attack on two young National Guardsmen on Thanksgiving Day. While grilling Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem, Thompson actually described the cold-blooded murder as an “unfortunate accident.” Noem was rightly apoplectic. “You think this was an unfortunate accident? It was a terrorist attack! They shot our Guardsmen in the head!” For the record, puppies have unfortunate accidents. Not Islamist terrorists yelling “Allah akbar.” To make matters worse, Thompson’s response was not to apologize, but to whine like a 5-year-old who can’t see Santa that Noem wasn’t answering his question. ? Rep. Bennie Thompson refers to the terrorist attack against two National Guardsmen in DC as an "unfortunate accident."Sec. Noem: "Unfortunate accident? It was a terroist attack. They shot our Guardsmen in the head." pic.twitter.com/34YtPrVteF— Greg Price (@greg_price11) December 11, 2025 Tim Walz: Blame Whitey Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is a gift that keeps giving. Yes, it’s easy to mock Mr. Jazz Hands, like when he boasted again last week about his intimidating masculinity while on a podcast with California Gov. Gavin Newsom. For the record, governor, you make Hermey the Elf look like Det. John McLain. And together, you and Newsom are like Thelma & Louise … except it’s your states that you’re driving over a cliff. But I digress. When Walz was asked if the Somalis who pulled off one of the biggest frauds in American history right under his nose will be held accountable, Walz channeled his inner Joy Reid and attacked white men. “Look, it’s not law-abiding citizens. If that were the case, there’s a lot of white men should be holding a lot of white men accountable for the crimes that they have committed,” Walz said. Then after a bit about communities and victims within the communities of the fraud—though not a word about the real victims of the fraud, the American taxpayers—he returned to his Caucasian excoriation. “So, I think it’s asking us then, you know, for every crime, which of course, the majority being committed by white men, asking us to do more about that.” Chuck Schumer: 15 Jews Slaughtered, But in Our Top Story, the Bills Won! When you’re the senator from New York and your state’s other two NFL teams are the Giants and the Jets, one can understand a little misplaced enthusiasm for the Bills. Still, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer deserves to be forced to watch Josh Allen commercials on a 24-hour loop for his comments this week. In the wake of the horrific Hanukkah massacre on Bondi Beach in Australia, Schumer showed all the sensitivity of a quarterback sack.    “I’m going to say a few words about the terrible shooting in Sydney, Australia. First, of course, as I always say, no matter what: Go Bills! They beat the Patriots. It’s a big deal.” ? SCHUMER: “I’m going to say a few words about the terrible shooting in Sydney, Australia… first, of course, as I always say, no matter what: Go Bills! They beat the Patriots.” pic.twitter.com/pONwxTGouE— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) December 15, 2025 Really? Millionaires running around jumping on each other for three hours until a whistle blows with one group victorious is a big deal when compared to the global problem of antisemitic terrorism? Sorry, Chuck. I think you’re a few candles short of a menorah on this one. Impeachments Fill the Capitol Like a Mug of Hot Cocoa Democrats currently are pushing impeachments the way Kohl’s Mom is pushing clothing apparel.Last week alone: Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., filed two articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. One for “Murder and Conspiracy to Murder” in connection to the debunked charge of ordering a second strike on hapless, helpless, lovable, adorable, cuter-than-an-Elf-on-a-Shelf survivors of a strike on a narco-terrorist boat. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., filed articles of impeachment against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., citing “health care chaos.” She’d have a better case for impeaching RFK for wearing blue jeans while rock climbing … or for having lethal abs. Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., is pushing for impeachment hearings for Noem, according to Axios. Noem’s “high crime and misdemeanor”?  She’s in charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which, by definition, makes her more evil than keeping gingerbread cookies locked in a glass container. And, of course, Democrats are again trying to impeach Trump. Rep. Al Green, R-Texas, has filed impeachment articles against the president yet again. Green runs to impeachment as often as TBS runs “A Christmas Story.” The TDS seems worse by the hour. If I could get Democrats a Christmas gift, it’d be a ticket to Ireland and a joint counseling session with Rosie O’Donnell’s shrink.   And for you, my Christmas wish is simple: May each and every one of you find someone to love you half as much as Democrats love impeachments, narco-terrorists and human traffickers. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post Dear Santa: Some Suggestions for Who Should Get Lumps of Coal appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The answer is right under your nose. Obviously.