Dolly Parton is one of the greatest songwriters of all time. She’s given us countless hits like Coat of Many Colors, Jolene, Here You Come Again, and Whitney Houston’s massive hit, I Will Always Love You. Dolly loves to write and sing, and she also loves listening to music. According to Parade, Dolly Parton shared her favorite song during a 2022 interview with Today, and it might surprise you. In fact, you may not even know it. Dolly Parton’s Favorite Song is a One-Hit Wonder Dolly Parton has an excellent ear for music, and her favorite song dates back to the 1970s. “I always loved the song, ‘Sometimes When We Touch.’ It’s an older song, but I just always loved it,” Dolly told Today. Dolly Parton also opened up about her spiritual life. Her faith in God has helped her get through some very difficult times. “I have a very rich spiritual life. I’m not a religious fanatic in any way. I’m more spiritual but a lot of times when things get crazy during the day, I just kind of stop and just kind of draw in God’s energy or that good higher wisdom, whatever you want to call it. Everybody calls it something different,” Dolly explained. “I just stop sometimes and just be grateful and just say, ‘Just stop.’ Just like that Scripture. ‘Be still and know that I’m God.’ I always love that. Just stop, be quiet, and shut your mouth,” she added. “Just open your heart, shut your mouth, and just let God kind of restore me like that.” And just in case you’re interested, Dolly Parton’s favorite song, Sometimes When We Touch, was a hit for Canadian Dan Hill. The song reached No. 1 in Canada and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. This story’s featured image is by Jason Kempin/Getty Images.

Chapter under investigation for its financial activity

'It is here, where Brian interest in entrepreneurship is awakened'

The Vogues formed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the early 1960s, comprising Chuck Blasko, Hugh Geyer, Bill Burkette, and Don Miller. They began as a local vocal group performing at high school dances and regional venues, building a reputation for precise harmonies and a polished pop sound. Their early momentum came from consistent live performances rather than industry backing, and they gradually attracted attention beyond the Pittsburgh area through word of mouth and local popularity. Their transition from a regional act to a nationally recognized group occurred after signing with Reprise Records in the mid-1960s. Their breakthrough arrived in 1965 with The post Top 10 Vogues Songs appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

Hundreds of Christians in China will likely spend Christmas in jail this year, according to a recent report. Starting on December 13, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) mobilized “more than a thousand police officers, SWAT units, anti-riot forces, and firefighters” in the Zhejiang Province’s Yayang Town in Wenzhou City, raiding churches and conducting mass arrests of Christians, ChinaAid reported Friday. “Belongings of relevant individuals were illegally confiscated, roads leading to the church were completely blocked by police, and Christians in Yayang Town were unable to enter the Yayang church. The operation lasted nearly five days, yet no public statement was issued by officials,” the outlet noted. “Within just the first two days, several hundreds of people were taken away for questioning. On December 16 and 17, at least four more individuals were detained.” Two local Christians, 58-year-old Lin Enzhao and 54-year-old Lin Enci, were labeled “principal suspects of a criminal organization” by the CCP, with locally-posted wanted posters charging the two with “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” which ChinaAid noted is a “commonly used charge” by the CCP against religious and political dissidents. Over the past several years, CCP officials in Yayang Town have attempted to forcibly destroy church property, including symbols such as crosses, and install CCP propaganda and imagery, such as the five-star Red Flag and the CCP’s constitution. Enzhao and Enci were key figures in opposing the CCP’s efforts. Chen Yixin, director of China’s Ministry of State Security, is a native of the province and has led efforts to demoralize the Christian community there, including by initiating a program to destroy crosses in 2014 and install the national flag, the Constitution, laws, and socialist core values in Christian spaces and promote the “localization” and “politicization” of religious activities. However, the Christians of Yayang Town have resisted the CCP’s efforts for over a decade, hosting rallies and demonstrations and even confronting state police when necessary. Following the mass arrests this month, the CCP hosted an “Elimination of Six Evils” demonstration, with SWAT officers and riot police deployed en masse “to demonstrate force, intimidate local Christians, and create an atmosphere of fear, framing the earlier law enforcement actions as ‘results of the anti-organized crime campaign,’” by which the government means the crackdown on Christians. According to ChinaAid, police have stationed vehicles at the homes of known Christians, “disrupted” communications among Christians in the area, and have even gone “door-to-door” questioning church members and asking them to denounce Enzhao and Enci. “Government-driven public opinion campaigns are spreading defamatory rumors portraying Christians as ‘unpatriotic’ or belonging to a ‘cult,’” ChinaAid reported. “This approach aligns with China’s recent trend of criminalizing certain religious activities. On September 29, China’s leader reiterated in a speech the need to ‘systematically advance the Sinicization of religion.’ Earlier, mass arrests at Beijing Zion Church saw pastors and church members detained on fabricated charges of ‘fraud.’” In comments to The Washington Stand, ChinaAid founder and Senior Fellow for International Religious Liberty at Family Research Council Bob Fu said, “The massive pre-Christmas assault on churches in Wenzhou is a chilling reminder that the Chinese Communist Party fears the light of Christ most when it shines brightest. To raid churches days before Christmas is not only an attack on Christians — it is an assault on human dignity, conscience, and the hope that faith brings to a wounded world.” He continued, “History teaches us that no regime has ever succeeded in extinguishing faith through force. These pre-Christmas attacks will only strengthen the resolve of China’s house churches and further expose the moral bankruptcy of state-sponsored persecution.” The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and other religious liberty watchdogs have repeatedly warned that China’s totalitarian regime is enacting human rights abuses against religious groups within the nation’s border. A USCIRF report late last year detailed mass arrests and the destruction or removal of church property, part of CCP President Xi Jinping’s “sinicization of religion” policy. Religious groups and leaders who do not register with the official government-approved religious organizations are often arrested, imprisoned, and forced into “anti-cult” programs to “de-program” Christians. Earlier this year, USCIRF called on President Donald Trump to designate China as a “country of particular concern” (CPC) due to the CCP’s brutal oppression of Christians and other religious dissidents. Originally published by The Washington Stand We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post CCP Conducts Mass Arrests of Christians Days before Christmas appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. Hello, this is Victor Davis Hanson for The Daily Signal. The 2026 midterms, as we’ve talked about, will be determined by the economy. That was brought home by a recent Harvard/Harris poll where some dozen issues were arranged and the surveyed public was asked to rate their importance in their own opinion. They ranged from the economy, foreign affairs, the border, higher education problems, the transgender, and, overwhelmingly, No. 1 was the economy. And it was laced in the term that the Left has used, called affordability, and they have that one issue has driven down President Donald Trump’s, basically, 48 to 50 approval ratings the last, oh, two months ago down into the lower 40s. We don’t know how accurate these polls are, but the Left has made the argument that the prices are about 21%, 22% higher than when Donald Trump left, and they are on average about 5, 5.2 higher per year. And Donald Trump in 10 months did not lower. Now, I know you’re saying, “Victor, Victor, that’s absurd. It was former President Joe Biden who did what you just said.” Exactly. So, why is that issue hurting Donald Trump so much? And what can he do to stop it? Well, the answer is that he assumed he—I’m using Donald Trump and his name and “he” for the whole Trump conglomerate, the whole team. What they assumed was anybody, they thought, anybody who followed the 2024 campaign would understand that Donald Trump won by pointing to Joe Biden’s record: 12 million illegal aliens, many of them or most on the dole, draining the social services network, undercutting labor prices by cheap labor, bringing in drugs, a big cost. Supply chains weakened after COVID-19. Don’t want to have a lot of stimulus when there is pent-up consumer demand, warning some blue-chip economists not to do what Biden did. What did he do? Eight trillion dollars in stimulus borrowing. I could go on. But Trump had delineated all of those pathologies in the 2024 campaign that had led to this hyperinflation, the worst in 40 years. So, Trump comes in in January, and the inflation rate that particular month had gone down from an average of 5.2% to 3%. So, then he goes and works on the “Big, Beautiful Bill.” He works with his interior and energy secretaries to already produce record levels of natural gas and oil. The Big, Beautiful Bill, of course, had deregulation, the continuation and expansion of tax cuts, and then the symmetrical trade he was talking about, and then the record $10 trillion to $20 trillion, probably $10 trillion, in foreign investment. So, that was all laid out, why the Democrats were talking about affordability, affordability. The attitude, this is my point, the attitude of the Trump administration, however, was, well, we have these long-term catalyst and stimuli and reforms that are gonna supercharge the economy. Any time you have more deregulation, more tax cuts, more energy development, more foreign investment, more fair trade, it’s gonna boom. Next year we’re gonna have the World Cup games, suckers, right in the United States. We’re gonna have the 250th anniversary of the birth of the country. This is gonna take off like a rocket. That was the assumption. I think it’s accurate, but, and then the other half of their assumption was no—and Donald Trump kept saying it’s a con job. Nobody’s gonna believe affordability from the people who destroyed it. Twenty-one aggregate inflation, if you look at insurance, housing, autos, health care, food staples. Thirty percent it went up under Biden. More than 6% a year, 7% a year, 8% a year on these key staple items that are so essential, power, gas. So, I think what I’m getting at is they were kind of asleep at the wheel. They said no one was going to believe that propaganda. They all know that Biden ruined the economy and left us with a mess, and that’s why I won the election. However, we’ve done all of these things I just delineated and they’re gonna kick in next year, and I’m going to turn my attention to solving the Middle East problem—which he’s made a lot of progress with the ceasefire with Hamas. We’re gonna solve the Iranian nuclear proliferation problem, which he’s more or less has done. I’m gonna spend a lot of time on seven or eight ceasefires, which he’s done, and now I’m turning my attention to the Ukraine war. Yes. And when you were doing that, that lie about affordability being your fault was reverberating in every single media broadcast. Affordability, affordability, Trump’s inflation. And for you not to address that every day and say, “Wait, the inflation today is 3%. That’s what I inherited, and it’s only been 10 months, and I’ve got the whole mechanisms in place to lower it, but I haven’t increased inflation one iota. In fact, it’s down at 3% from the 5.2%.” But we didn’t get that is what I’m trying to say. So, Donald Trump is saving the world, and quite successfully, with a wonderful foreign policy that is bringing real results both abroad and on the southern border, and that will have economic implications, as will his foreign policy. And meanwhile, the Left is saying he cares more about Ukraine. He cares more about the Israelis. He cares more about the Azerbaijanis and Armenians. But us, we care about our affordability. And no one is saying, “You should care about affordability. You made America unaffordable every year you were in power and we’re undoing your mess.” But we haven’t had that message, and I hope we will very soon. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post The Left Framed Trump on ‘Affordability’ Crisis. Here’s What Trump Must Do Now. appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Adopting a puppy from the Puppy Bowl or similar events feels exciting, but the actual puppy bowl adoption cost often surprises new owners. Most people focus only on the adoption fee itself and miss the bigger financial picture. At DogingtonPost, we break down every expense you’ll face, from initial fees to hidden costs that catch people off guard. This guide helps you budget realistically before bringing your new puppy home. What You Actually Pay for Puppy Bowl Adoptions Puppy Bowl adoption fees vary dramatically depending on where you adopt. During Puppy Bowl XXI in February 2025, Best Friends Animal Society covered all adoption fees for participating animals during the February 5–12 promotional window, resulting in 283 animals adopted at zero cost. Outside that window, adoption fees at Best Friends locations range from around $50 to $200 depending on the animal’s age and medical history. Shelter adoption fees typically fall between $75 and $150, while private rescue organizations often charge $150 to $300 because they invest heavily in medical care, behavioral assessment, and foster networks. The shelter or rescue where your Puppy Bowl animal lives sets the actual fee, not Animal Planet or the event itself. What’s included matters more than the raw number. Most shelters include spay or neuter surgery, initial vaccinations, microchipping, and a health exam in their adoption fee. Some rescues add extra value by including starter supplies or a trial foster period. When you contact the shelter listing your chosen puppy on Animal Planet’s website, ask specifically what’s covered before you commit. Geographic differences shape your final cost Regional adoption fees reflect local cost of living and shelter resources. Urban shelters in high-cost areas like New York City or Los Angeles typically charge $150 to $250, while rural shelters in lower-cost regions might charge $50 to $100 for the same services. Best Friends operates locations in Kanab (Utah), Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, New York City, Northwest Arkansas, and Houston, each with potentially different fee structures. If you adopt from a Best Friends Network Partner in your community rather than a flagship location, fees may differ. How to find your actual adoption cost Contact your specific shelter directly instead of assuming fees based on national averages. Ask whether they offer payment plans, whether fees include post-adoption support, and what happens if behavioral issues emerge after adoption. Some rescues waive or reduce fees for older puppies or animals with special needs, which represents genuine savings if you remain flexible on age or ability status. These conversations with shelter staff reveal the true financial picture before you make your decision. The Real Price of Bringing a Puppy Home Veterinary Care Costs Hit Hard in Year One Most adoption fees cover spay or neuter surgery and initial vaccinations, but that first year costs far more than the adoption itself. A puppy’s first veterinary visit typically runs $150 to $300 and includes a physical exam, fecal test, and booster shots. If your puppy needs additional vaccines or has underlying health issues discovered during that visit, you’ll pay another $100 to $500. Puppies require vet attention far more frequently than adult dogs, so expect to spend $1,000–$2,000 on veterinary care during the first year alone (wellness exams, parasite prevention, and emergency visits included). Many new owners underestimate this reality until the bills arrive. Supplies and Equipment Drain Your Budget Immediately You’ll need supplies the moment you bring your puppy home. A crate costs $75 to $300, a quality food and water bowl set runs $30 to $100, and initial food purchases will total $50 to $150 depending on the brand and your puppy’s size. Bedding, toys, and basic grooming tools add another $100 to $300. These upfront supply costs hit your budget hard in the first two weeks, before most people realize how much they’re actually spending. The financial shock arrives faster than many adopters anticipate. Training and Behavioral Support Require Serious Investment Training and behavioral support represent the third major expense most adopters miss entirely. A basic obedience class costs $150 to $500 for six to eight weeks, and many puppies benefit from at least one session. If your puppy has anxiety, aggression, or severe behavioral issues, working with a certified professional trainer costs $30 to $80 per session. Your puppy won’t naturally learn house training or basic commands without structured help. Calculate Your True First-Year Investment The financial reality is stark: your first-year puppy costs typically range from $1,500 to $3,000 beyond the adoption fee itself. Budget accordingly before you adopt, or unexpected expenses will stress your finances when behavioral or health challenges emerge. Understanding these costs prepares you for what comes next-the ongoing expenses that extend far beyond that critical first year. Ways to Reduce Puppy Adoption Costs Timing Your Adoption Around Fee Waivers Most people can save significant money on puppy adoption, but they don’t know where to look. During Puppy Bowl XXI in February 2025, Best Friends Animal Society eliminated adoption fees entirely for participating animals during the February 5–12 window, resulting in 283 animals adopted at zero cost. This wasn’t a one-time fluke. Best Friends repeats fee waivers during major promotional periods, and other shelters across the country run similar campaigns throughout the year. If you remain flexible on timing, waiting for these windows can save you $75 to $300 per adoption. Contact your local shelter and ask when they typically waive or reduce fees. Many shelters run specials during slower adoption periods like summer or fall. Some rescues specifically reduce fees for older puppies (8–12 weeks old) or animals with special needs, which represents genuine savings if you remain open to those options. Choosing Mixed Breeds and Older Puppies Mixed breeds consistently carry lower adoption fees than purebreds at most shelters. Yet mixed breeds often exhibit fewer genetic health problems and live longer lives. The smartest financial move involves adopting an older puppy or young adult dog rather than the youngest litter. An 8–12 week old puppy costs more to adopt and requires substantially more veterinary care and training than a 6–month-old dog. Adopting a dog that’s already partially trained, past the critical vaccination window, and beyond the teething phase saves you $1,000 to $2,000 in your first year alone. Accessing Adoption Assistance Programs Adoption assistance programs exist but remain underutilized. Organizations like The Petcare Foundation and local animal welfare groups offer grants or fee reductions for low-income adopters, though availability varies by region. Contact your shelter directly and ask whether they participate in assistance programs or can connect you with organizations that do. Some employers and pet insurance companies provide adoption subsidies as employee benefits-check your HR documentation or insurance policy before assuming you’ll pay full price. Using Trial Foster Periods and In-Person Meetings Best Friends operates locations in Kanab, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, New York City, Northwest Arkansas, and Houston where you can meet animals in person before committing. Their Network Partners across the country offer similar flexibility. When you contact a shelter about a specific Puppy Bowl animal or any adoptable dog, ask whether they offer trial foster periods. Some rescues let you take the animal home for a week or two before finalizing the adoption, which gives you time to assess compatibility without financial pressure. This approach costs nothing extra and prevents expensive returns or surrenders later. The most expensive adoption isn’t the one with the highest upfront fee; it’s the one where you adopt the wrong animal and face behavioral or health crises that force surrender or expensive rehabilitation. Final Thoughts Puppy Bowl adoption cost extends far beyond the initial fee you pay at the shelter. The realistic first-year budget ranges from $1,500 to $3,000 when you factor in veterinary care, supplies, training, and behavioral support. During promotional windows like Puppy Bowl XXI in February 2025, you can eliminate adoption fees entirely, but the hidden expenses remain constant regardless of when you adopt. Dog ownership represents a long-term financial commitment that spans 10 to 15 years. Beyond that critical first year, annual veterinary care, food, preventive medications, and emergency expenses typically cost $500 to $1,500 annually. Older dogs often require more frequent vet visits and specialized care, pushing costs higher in their senior years. Your best strategy involves timing your adoption around fee-waiver periods, choosing mixed breeds or older puppies, and contacting shelters directly about assistance programs in your area. Best Friends Animal Society and their Network Partners across the country offer flexible adoption options and can connect you with resources tailored to your financial situation. Visit DogingtonPost for practical advice on adoption, dog care, and responsible ownership that prepares you for the financial and emotional commitment ahead.

Newsom Loses More CA Business and Wants to Take Away the Farm

It must be nice to be a Democrat. You can just speculate wildly about your political opponents, and the corporate media will launder whatever you say into a legitimate news item. When a few Congressional Democrats pontificated that the September 2, 2025 U.S. “double tap” drug boat strike somehow constituted a “war crime,” the left-wing TV news media eagerly amplified the claim. But almost without exception, journalists were careful not to mention that the original accusation had originated from a handful of Democrats. Quotes from lawmakers often add useful information to a news report. They can elucidate what the point of contention is on a political issue, or they can help the audience decode along what lines the partisan divide lies for a given topic. But the partisan identity of the speaker is absolutely vital context. Without it, viewers have no means of distinguishing between claims made by a seasoned expert, and those originating from (for example) a low-level Democratic Congressman’s press office. And in fact, that’s precisely why that context keeps getting left out of all the reports. The corporate media have laundered a partisan talking point into not just a legitimate detail, but in fact the defining feature of a news item.  Thus, a few Democrats speculating without evidence that the other party committed a “war crime” has morphed into: “Some are calling this a war crime.”

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday against the Trump administration asking to allow the president to order National Guard troops to Chicago, Illinois.Conservative Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch publicly dissented from the opinion, which passed 6 to 3. Chief Justice John Roberts and Trump-appointed Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett joined the majority. Kavanaugh wrote a separate concurring opinion.'The government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois.'The Trump administration argued that it had the authority to order troops into Chicago in order to protect federal agents performing deportation operations. The government was asking for a stay against an order blocking the troops from U.S. District Judge April Perry in October."At this preliminary stage, the government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois," the majority order reads.Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote that federal officers were "forced to operate under the constant threat of mob violence" and cited incidents where they were threatened and assaulted.Much of the protests and violence has been directed against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in the Chicago suburb of Broadview."Finally a ruling from this Supreme Court that makes clear what all patriotic Americans know: No Kings," wrote Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland.RELATED: DHS has a message for 'cowards' threatening ICE on social media — influencer laughs in response Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker previously criticized the administration over the troop order."Donald Trump will keep trying to invade Illinois with troops — and we will keep defending the sovereignty of our state," Pritzker said in a statement. "Militarizing our communities against their will is not only un-American but also leads us down a dangerous path for our democracy. What will come next?"Other critics of National Guard orders from the White House accuse the president of trying to militarize the streets in order to intimidate his political opponents.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!