THE CENTER SQUARE—The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to decide whether individuals can carry firearms on public transportation. The court declined to take up Schoenthal v. Raoul, which challenges an Illinois law banning citizens from carrying firearms on public transportation. Three Illinois residents challenged the ban, arguing it violates the Second and Fourteenth Amendment rights. “There is no historical tradition of banning law-abiding citizens from possessing firearms in crowded public locations where they may be more vulnerable,” lawyers wrote in a petition to the court.Illinois requires gun owners to acquire a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card and a concealed carry license in order to carry a firearm in public. However, the state bans individuals from carrying a loaded or unsecured firearm onto buses, trains or any other type of public transportation that is paid for in part or whole by public funds. Kwame Raoul, Illinois’ attorney general, argued the prohibition on guns in public transportation is consistent with the nation’s historical tradition limiting firearms in sensitive places, like court rooms, schools and polling places. “Like historical sensitive places, public transit features ‘confined areas with a high density of people,’ making firearms ‘exceptionally dangerous,’” Raoul wrote. Originally published by The Center Square. The post Supreme Court Declines to Hear Challenge to Illinois Public Transport Gun Ban appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Go Figure: Iran Rejects Ceasefire, Drops a Little List of Its Own Demands in Return

Tell us what you really think.  On Saturday’s The Weekend: Primetime, MS NOW’s resident “Republican,” Elise Jordan, went on a blistering rant against President Trump—denouncing him as “trashy,” “classless,” and “unhinged” in a tirade that outpaced even her liberal co-hosts. Reacting to Trump’s Easter post about Iran—featuring an F-bomb profanity, a “praise be to Allah” phrase, and a threat to send Iranians to “hell”—Jordan said she wasn't supposed to surprised by "the lack of decorum and the trashiness and just the utter classlessness of Donald Trump."  But she quickly escalated. I cannot believe that this characterless man is the President of the United States and is behaving this way and representing his people, a majority Christian nation, on Easter Sunday, he is this unholy and unhinged [figure], and being the antithesis of Jesus Christ and his teachings and what Easter is supposed to be all about. It is just infuriating. WATCH: MS NOW ‘Republican’ Goes Off on Trump: ‘Trashy, Classless, Unhinged Jerk’ pic.twitter.com/UYlR1PiND1 — Mark Finkelstein (@markfinkelstein) April 6, 2026 At one point, after the complained "he seems to love talking in, you know, sadistic war-criminal ways," she added he's "like a child, which I don't want to insult a child this way by saying that." The segment began with co-host Ayman Mohyeldin framing Trump’s post as undignified: "The President of the United States is using that kind of language, profanity, mocking the faith, threatening the country, possibly violating international law, but using even this phrase, praise be to Allah, in a mocking way." But it was Jordan who took things to another level, layering moral and even theological condemnation into her critique. Her crescendo came with a complaint that Trump had distracted from what she said should have been a unifying national moment: the rescue of a downed American airman after a grueling 36-hour ordeal. Instead, Jordan concluded, “we’ve got this jerk just being Donald Trump.” On MS NOW, even the “Republican” knows her assignment to keep the audience engaged—and delivers it with venom. Here's the transcript. MS NOW The Weekend: Primetime 4/5/26 6:00 pm EDT AYMAN MOHYELDIN: Here is the President of the United States in his own words, quote, "Tuesday will be power plant day and bridge day all wrapped up in one in Iran. There will be nothing like it. Open the fucking strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in hell. Just watch! Praise be to Allah, President Donald J. Trump." So imagine on Easter morning, you wake up, and the President of the United States is using that kind of language, profanity, mocking the faith, threatening the country, possibly violating international law, but using even this phrase, praise be to Allah, in a mocking way. It's an expression used by Muslims that is an expression of faith, It carries a lot of sincerity, and the president is using it in this very mocking and threatening way in a tweet that is full of threatening violence.  ELISE JORDAN: Well, imagine also if a Democrat had used that phrase. There would be cries of creeping Sharia.  ANTONIA HYLTON: Well, if President Obama had used that phrase on Easter morning.  JORDAN: Exactly, exactly. You know, I know I'm not supposed to get upset about the lack of decorum and the trashiness and just the utter classlessness of Donald Trump. But then he does something like this on Easter morning and it really just throws me in a loop again.  And I really am like, I cannot believe that this characterless man is the President of the United States and is behaving this way and representing his people, a majority Christian nation, on Easter Sunday, he is this unholy and unhinged [figure], and being the antithesis of Jesus Christ and his teachings and what Easter is supposed to be all about. It is just infuriating. . . .  Well, he seems to love talking in, you know, sadistic war-criminal ways, and bomb back to the Stone Age, and having no capacity to have empathy for anyone other than himself.  You know, obviously that's been a decades, lifelong pattern, but you know we just see it in sharp relief this morning. And he, you know it's like a child, which I don't want to insult a child this way by saying that, but [he's] bored, and is acting up because the missing airman was found, was rescued after a heroic 36-hour mission, being injured and climbing up 7,000 feet to safety with only a pistol. And the nation could be celebrating that victory, that, the goodness that he's coming home, that our military was able to execute that mission.  And instead, we've got this jerk just being Donald Trump. 

Elon Musk has virtually mastered the space race. SpaceX regularly sends up Falcon 9 rockets, autonomously lands boosters, and embarked on the most ambitious space exploration program ever dreamed up by mankind with Starship. Now Musk wants to launch a whole new kind of object into orbit — a data center meant to power xAI’s growing portfolio of products and services.And it all starts with a momentous new lunar mission.To the moonIn early February, two of Elon Musk’s most ambitious companies — space pioneering venture SpaceX and generative AI startup xAI — merged into one organization. With a unified brand, Musk claims that the move will “improve speed of execution” of the monumental new off-world undertaking.We’ll finally be rid of the resource-hogging data centers that hamper our infrastructure here on Earth.The goal? Establish Moonbase Alpha, a permanent lunar city planted on the surface of the moon. The base will serve as a manufacturing hub and a launch site for spacefaring data centers that will power Musk’s growing AI endeavors, including xAI, Grok, Imagine, Optimus robots, and more.It sounds like something out of a science-fiction novel, but if Musk has his way, Moonbase Alpha will be up and running by approximately 2030.While this project would mark the first time any human has set up residence on the moon, this isn’t the first time SpaceX has launched permanent objects into orbit. The company currently manages a fleet of 9,600 Starlink satellites that circle the earth daily, beaming wireless internet to regions all around the globe. Presumably, the new space data centers would fall in line along the same or similar paths.A data center, however, is a little more complicated than a wireless internet router in space. Data centers consist of thousands of GPUs, TPUs, cooling systems, and other networking components. They must have the bandwidth to process, store, and utilize large stores of data. For LLMs in particular, data centers also have to be able to train and maintain new models as AI evolves.Clearly, there are some pros and cons to running an AI data center in space. Let’s get into them.Pros of space-based data centersSpace: Data centers take up a lot of acreage. The largest data center on earth is 800,000 square feet, or approximately 13.9 football fields. That’s massive! Space, however, has more space. There’s plenty of room for expansion without invoking eminent domain, chopping down forests, or snatching up vacant plots of land. AI is free to grow without encroaching on the general public.Power: Data centers also require a ton of energy. Collectively, the nation’s data centers consume up to 8,190 MW per year on a 70 MW-per-center estimate. In comparison, your home uses 10.8 MW of power per year. While this need is a big strain on Earth’s power grid, orbital data centers have a direct line of solar power straight from the sun, free from cloud cover, pollution, or severe weather events. It’s just straight solar power all the time, a perfect renewable resource without the limitations of a living planet.Maintenance: Data centers have plenty of moving parts and energy demands that all generate a lot of friction and heat. While it takes specialized water cooling systems to mitigate high temperatures on earth, space is a whole different story. Above the atmosphere, it’s much colder, there’s almost no friction, and zero gravity makes it easier for parts to work without additional drag. Together, these unique qualities of space may reduce wear and tear on data centers and allow them to run longer with fewer repairs.RELATED: NASA astronaut gives very American response to DEI questioning Manuel Mazzanti/NurPhoto/Getty Images Cons of space-based data centersMaintenance: While orbital space centers will likely require less maintenance, when something does break, it could be harder to send a repairman — either from Moonbase Alpha or Earth itself — for a quick fix. Alternatively, perhaps Elon will have a team live on the data center itself, but even then, having a specialized crew on board at all times would be costly.Rapid unscheduled disassembly: More than a few times, a Starlink satellite has veered off course enough to tumble toward Earth and burn up in the atmosphere. Now imagine a multibillion-dollar data center the size of Rhode Island careening into the Atlantic Ocean. Not only could unpredictable flight path failures cause an orbital data center to burn up in the sky, such an event could also turn one of those centers into a meteor that strikes Earth on the scale of "Deep Impact."Space junk: Space is so big and vast that it’s hard to believe it’s getting crowded, but that’s exactly what’s going on above the atmosphere. Low-orbit space is filling up so fast with satellites and space junk that it has created collision risks for future rocket launches. Adding massive data centers to the mix would only make space missions more complicated and dangerous.A moon-shot mission for a new ageDespite weighing the risks against the benefits, Elon Musk believes that space is an essential piece of AI development: “Current advances in AI are dependent on large terrestrial data centers, which require immense amounts of power and cooling," he explained in a recent post at the SpaceX website announcing the merger. "Global electricity demand for AI simply cannot be met with terrestrial solutions, even in the near term, without imposing hardship on communities and the environment. In the long term, space-based AI is obviously the only way to scale. To harness even a millionth of our Sun’s energy would require over a million times more energy than our civilization currently uses!”He’s right. The only way to sustain AI in modern society is to move it to a place where it can’t siphon away our vital resources, namely power, water, and land. It needs to operate in its own sustainable vacuum. What could be better than space?Musk isn’t alone, either. Google is also putting data centers into orbit. According to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, "We are taking our first step in '27. We'll send tiny, tiny racks of machines, and have them in satellites, test them out, and then start scaling from there."And just like that, the AI age of the space race has begun. As for who will win, mankind is the biggest benefactor — not because renewable AI will magically make everything better, but because we’ll finally be rid of the resource-hogging data centers that hamper our infrastructure here on Earth while Big Tech sets its sights on moon-shot missions in the stars.

As more people become aware of the way the H-1B visa program is transforming Texas, many are turning to see what their leaders have to say about it. Unfortunately, in the case of Texas, the answer is not what Americans might expect from a red state. 'We will continue to celebrate Diwali here in the great state of Texas.'In a resurfaced video clip, Governor Greg Abbott (R) can be heard giving a message to the "Indian community," apparently around the time of Diwali."As long as I'm governor of this great state, Texas will be a land for the Indian community," Abbott says in the clip.RELATED: 'Massive scheme': Federal visa fraud indictment in Dallas intensifies pressure on Abbott over H-1B visas ARUN SANKAR/AFP/Getty Images"We will continue to celebrate Diwali here in the great state of Texas. Happy Diwali, everybody!"The clip, which went viral on Monday, appears to originally be from a November 3, 2024, Diwali celebration at the governor's mansion. A video of his remarks was uploaded on TikTok two days after the event, on November 5, 2024. Diwali is a major Hindu holiday, celebrated in the lunar months of Ashvina and Karttika, that marks the victory of light over darkness, according to Britannica. A notable feature of this pagan holiday is the "row of lights" that is associated with the celebrations. Abbott's office has previously denied to Blaze News any involvement in facilitating the H-1B program in Texas, noting that it is a federal program. His office has also touted the governor's pause of H-1B visas at state-sponsored institutions.A Blaze News analysis of Department of Labor data from the first quarter of fiscal year 2026 found that Texas companies sponsored and certified over 11,200 H-1B visa applications, second only to California, which brought in over 13,700 H-1B visas, according to available data. Blaze News reached out to Abbott's office for comment about the resurfaced video but did not receive a response. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

President Donald Trump laid out new ground rules for college-level sports and athletes in a new executive order being praised by some of the biggest names in collegiate sports.However, some of the president's proposed limitations are sure to bother some, especially top-earning college athletes.'I urge Congress to pass bipartisan legislation and SAVE COLLEGE SPORTS!'Following a college sports roundtable at the White House in March, the president signed an executive order on Friday to implement "Urgent National Action to Save College Sports."The order puts a theoretical cap on student-athlete pay, sets a five-year window for athlete eligibility, and even limits transfers to one per student-athlete in a five-year period.At the same time, the order — and subsequent fact sheet — make clear and repeated mention of the president's intention to boost women's and Olympic sports at the college level. This includes "implementing revenue-sharing in a manner that protects and expands opportunities in women's and Olympic sports."In response, legendary college football coach Nick Saban said the directives allow universities to "preserve opportunities for all sports, including women's and Olympic sports, not just football and basketball."Saban, who coached Alabama from 2007 to 2023, told Fox News that he wanted to "thank the president" for helping "manage and fund all sports."RELATED: 'We want to be inclusive': After Christian player posts Bible verses, Patriots coach says team needs to be 'educated' Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images Similarly, Arkansas men's basketball coach John Calipari came out in defense of the president against any criticisms surrounding the limitation on student-athlete revenue."I've spent my entire life focusing on the success and well being of student athletes," Calipari wrote on X Saturday. "Their success in both sports and academics is paramount. I have no problem with Athletes making money and I have had that stance for many years. But what we have been dealing with the last few years is harmful not only to their total success but also the longevity of College Sports as we know it."Calipari added: "Yesterday, President Trump took bold action to preserve and protect Collegiate Athletics. I urge Congress to pass bipartisan legislation and SAVE COLLEGE SPORTS!"Trump's executive order made specific mention of an alleged "fraudulent name, image, likeness (NIL) scheme" where student-athletes were being paid above "actual fair market value" to play for certain programs. The idea behind the regulation is to prevent "pay-for-play or player eligibility" in which large schools would essentially pay student-athletes large sums of money through collectives or sponsorships to entice them to their program.Otherwise, the order states, "fair competition cannot occur."RELATED: Female ex-referee accuses NFL of sexism, sues after she was allegedly made to perform 'an utterly humiliating' act Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Trump's executive order defines the fair market value compensation cap around how much a student-athlete can be paid by a third party that is not affiliated with a school's athletic department.Henceforth, the student-athlete would have to be paid at rates commensurate with that of non-student-athletes of similar notoriety or fame.Trump has called on Congress to pass the SCORE Act, which, aside from the above, would prevent schools from restricting students from entering NIL agreements and require schools that generate more than $20 million annually to provide medical benefits to student-athletes, while maintaining at least 16 varsity sports teams.Trump's executive order is currently set to take effect August 1.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Our interview with "Kootch" about his "new" band and of his phenomenal legacy as a session musician, songwriter and producer. The post Danny Kortchmar on Playing With Carole, James, Jackson, & Don appeared first on Best Classic Bands.

On Easter morning, U.S. forces rescued a downed pilot from the middle of Iranian territory, advancing America’s tactical and strategic position.

Dem Rep. Pramila Jayapal's Claim About 'Being Undocumented' Gets Community Note Nuked Into Oblivion

Why Does Eric Swalwell Have a Side Hustle... With Former CIA Officer/Steele Dossier Pusher John Sipher?