'It is really sick'

'Voters are very impatient right now'

Reprinted with permission from World at Large. One of America’s largest bonsai tree collections recently celebrated its centennial with the largest exhibition on these miniature trees ever held. The collection includes some wonders of the artform: a Rocky Mountain juniper bonsai 500 years of age, a Sargent juniper from Japan thought to be over 800 […] The post Brooklyn Bonsai Museum Celebrates 100th Birthday Bash with Largest-Ever Exhibition on These Mini Trees appeared first on Good News Network.

The race to develop artificial intelligence capabilities will play a decisive role in the “New Cold War” with China. America currently enjoys a multiyear lead in cutting-edge AI technologies. This lead is protected by export controls that prevent China from obtaining America’s best technology and slow its progress in developing AI with dual-use civilian and military capabilities. However, those controls need updating. AI is developing so quickly that America needs a framework to govern the sale of advanced AI semiconductor chips and model weights, promoting the diffusion of U.S. technology to good actors while denying it to adversaries like China. The Biden administration attempted to create such a framework but it needed substantial reworking. Last month, the Trump administration rescinded the Biden-era “AI Diffusion Rule,” arguing that its regulations were too burdensome and that its “tiered” system would have alienated key U.S. diplomatic partners. However, it must now act urgently to replace it with a superior framework to protect one of America’s last remaining technological advantages over China. Such a framework is consistent with the Trump administration’s America First Trade Policy and America First Investment Policy, both of which signaled greater technology restrictions for China. The stakes couldn’t be higher. President Donald Trump’s former deputy national security adviser, Matt Pottinger, believes that “AI will likely become the most powerful and strategic technology in history,” and that “nations that are first to build powerful AI systems will gain a strategic advantage.” Energy Secretary Chris Wright has aptly likened the AI race to a modern-day Manhattan Project. The administration has already signaled that limiting China’s access to advanced AI chips is a priority, moving early on to further restrict exports of AI-related technologies to Chinese entities. In February remarks to the AI industry, Vice President JD Vance called for a robust strategy to safeguard America’s technological edge in AI: (A)uthoritarian regimes have stolen and used AI to strengthen their military, intelligence, and surveillance capabilities…This administration will block such efforts, full stop. We will safeguard American AI and chip technologies from theft and misuse, work with our allies and partners to strengthen and extend these protections, and close pathways to adversaries attaining AI capabilities. Even staunch advocates of proliferating U.S. AI technology like “AI Czar” David Sacks acknowledge the U.S. government “must take aggressive steps to prevent advanced semiconductors from being illegally diverted into China.” To date, U.S. export controls have blocked Chinese companies from purchasing the cutting-edge semiconductor chips needed to develop AI models, the tools needed to make those chips, and some of the AI models themselves. These controls have hindered China’s ability to develop and scale the technologies it needs to expand its own AI ecosystem or offer a comparable non-U.S. alternative to the world. Due to these controls, China’s most cutting-edge domestic chips are production-constrained and lower-performing, lagging years behind U.S. competitors. To be sure, export controls are no panacea: They’re frequently violated and often time-limited. China is working overtime to develop substitutes that will lessen its dependence on the U.S. and render export controls ineffective. But, if carefully designed and well-enforced, export controls can also be highly effective. They can slow China’s AI progress for at least a few years, enabling the U.S. to retain an edge during a period of critical AI breakthroughs. Recently, China has expended significant effort and enormous amounts of capital trying to circumvent these export controls and develop alternatives, underscoring the efficacy of the controls. Sadly, Western companies have created entire industries devoted to helping Chinese AI firms evade U.S. export controls by selling access to restricted chips through the cloud. Meanwhile, China is “using shell companies to set up data centers in countries that can still import advanced U.S. chips.” These threats will grow as U.S. technology proliferates. On a trip to the Gulf in May 2025, Trump announced massive new sales of AI chips—totaling tens of billions of dollars of value—to regional partners like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. While a potential boon for U.S. tech firms, the Gulf’s concerning and increasingly widespread tech ties to China reinforce the need for robust security protocols tied to the sale of advanced chips. For example, the UAE’s national technology giant, G42, has deep ties to blacklisted Chinese entities like Huawei and Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI). G42 CEO Peng Xiao has also served as the executive director of a Chinese subsidiary firm fined by the State Department for violating export controls. Congress is increasingly determined to act. The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party recently introduced the Chip Security Act to “stop advanced U.S. AI chips from falling into the hands of adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party.” It requires location verification for exporting advanced AI chips and enforces mandatory reporting on potential diversion from chipmakers. Last year, the House of Representatives passed legislation to extend export controls to cloud services. There is an urgent need for the Trump administration to complement these legislative initiatives with executive branch action that effectively address U.S. national security concerns while also ensuring the competitiveness of America’s tech sector and enabling the diffusion of American, rather than Chinese, technology to trusted global partners. By adopting a superior AI diffusion rule, the Trump administration can produce an all-American AI revolution, one led by American companies using American technology on American soil. That’s a quintessentially “America First” policy. Originally published by msn.com The post Trump Must Protect American AI From China appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably not an ostrich. If a leftist group cited by the FBI puts Christian nonprofits on a “hate map” and says Christian moral theology is evidence of “hate,” it’s probably anti-Christian—even if it swears to high heaven that’s not true. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which the FBI cited in its notorious memo on “radical traditional Catholics,” puts conservative Christian nonprofits on a “hate map” alongside chapters of the Ku Klux Klan, claiming they are part of the “infrastructure upholding white supremacy.” For years, the SPLC claimed it was a “major misconception” that the SPLC is anti-Christian. “A major misconception—one that is deliberately promoted by anti-LGBT hate groups in order to accuse the SPLC of being ‘anti-Christian’—is that the SPLC considers opposition to same-sex marriage or the belief that homosexuality is a sin as the sole basis for the hate group label,” the SPLC claimed. “This is false. There are many organizations, such as Focus on the Family, that oppose same-sex marriage or oppose homosexuality on strictly biblical grounds that the SPLC does not list as hate groups.” Yet this year, the SPLC added Focus on the Family to the “hate map,” branding it—you guessed it—an “anti-LGBTQ+ hate group.” Meanwhile, the language about the “major misconception” no longer appears on the SPLC website. No matter, I have it archived here (the 2017 version) and here (the 2020 version). Thanks, SPLC. I’m glad to have that “major misconception” cleared up. It turns out the critics were right all along, and SPLC is anti-Christian, now by its own admission. Evidence for the Anti-Christian Label Remember when Colorado prosecuted a Christian baker because he refused to craft a custom cake to celebrate a same-sex wedding? Well, the SPLC represents an institutionalization of that anti-Christian animus—the kind that says, “You must celebrate the LGBTQ+ revolution, or else!” Some Christian groups, like Alliance Defending Freedom, fight for Christians’ free speech to opt out of celebrating the rainbow, and—you guessed it—ADF is on the “hate map.” Some groups, like Moms for Liberty, fight for parental rights in schools where activists push gender confusion on children, and they’re on the “hate map,” too. Some organizations of doctors, like the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine and Do No Harm, oppose the grotesque “transgender” interventions on kids that the legacy media euphemistically calls “gender-affirming care,” and the SPLC has a spot for them, too. Even gay and lesbian groups, such as Gays Against Groomers, who have problems with things such as “drag queen story hours” for kids, are on the “hate map” as “anti-LGBTQ+ hate groups” because they won’t get with 100% of the program. Why is this anti-Christian? Well, both the Bible and Christian tradition teach that God made humans male and female (Genesis 1:27), that marriage is between one man and one woman (Matthew 19:5-6), that homosexual activity is sinful (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Romans 1), and that marriage is a symbol of the union between Jesus Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:22-32). None of this means that people who struggle with gender confusion or same-sex attraction cannot be Christian. The Gospel is for everyone, and all Christians admit that we are redeemed sinners. However, there is an inherent contradiction between traditional Christianity and the demands of LGBTQ “Pride.” The SPLC proved as much by branding the Ruth Institute, a Louisiana-based nonprofit dedicated to helping those who have been harmed by the Sexual Revolution, an “anti-LGBTQ+ hate group.” The organization maintains that the Sexual Revolution harmed men, women, and children by deemphasizing marriage and the family. As evidence of the Ruth Institute’s “hate,” the SPLC cites a quote from the institute’s founder, Jennifer Roback Morse. “The church is very clear that same-sex sexual acts are intrinsically disordered and can never be morally acceptable,” Morse said. That’s not her opinion—it’s a quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a binding faith document for 1 billion Christians across the world. The SPLC’s Statement of Faith R.G. Cravens, manager of research and analysis at the SPLC arm that publishes the “hate map,” explained SPLC’s reasoning for including Focus on the Family last week. While he mentioned other issues, he also expressly stated that Focus’ position on human sexuality is harmful. “Like other hate groups that SPLC lists, they weaponize Christian rhetoric against LGBTQ+ people,” Cravens said. “They sow division and ideas that tear families apart by perpetuating political notions that LGBTQ people can’t be, for example, truly Christian unless they deny who they are.” “That’s just, one, patently false, and it’s, two, really dangerous,” he added. This isn’t a dispassionate analysis of Focus on the Family’s harms for America. It’s a statement of faith that directly contradicts the Bible and Christian tradition. This animus helps explain why an LGBTQ activist targeted the Family Research Council for a terrorist attack in 2012, using the SPLC “hate map.” It also explains why it was such a big scandal for the FBI to cite the SPLC in its memo on “radical traditional Catholics”—and, according to documents unearthed by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, that wasn’t even close to the first time. It’s long past time that law enforcement, corporate America, and the Democratic Party wake up to the fact that the SPLC is an extreme force for polarization and division in America—and distance themselves accordingly. The post UNMASKED: Leftist Group Cited by the FBI Outs Itself as Anti-Christian appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Israel Destroys Iran's Arak Nuclear Reactor

The legacy media threw a fit on Wednesday over the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of Tennessee banning activist “doctors” from sexually mutilating children in the name of gender ideology. Our taxpayer-sponsored “journalists” at PBS copied and pasted their “objective” coverage from the Associated Press, calling the move a “setback for transgender rights.”  Without reading the actual story, you’d think SCOTUS brought back slavery. But “rights,” according to our leftist media, mean the “right” to force everyone else into affirming their rejection of reality.  They can only achieve that by stripping everyone else’s right to disagree.

NBC’s Seth Meyers announced on Wednesday’s edition of Late Night that the arrest of New York mayoral candidate Brad Lander and removal of Sen. Alex Padilla from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference mean that we are now living in “a police state.” Meyers teed up a Padilla-related video package by declaring, “And Lander isn’t even the first Democratic official to be roughed up by federal agents and then detained without explanation.”     In the first clip, a local news reporter declared, “Democratic U.S. Senator from California, Alex Padilla, was forcefully removed from a press conference with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Video captured him approaching Noem with questions while she was discussing immigration raids. Security for the Secretary then used force and handcuffed Senator Padilla after removing him.” Claiming that Padilla simply approached Noem with questions is not quite the whole picture. Padilla clearly intended to make a scene, and the fact that he was not wearing his Senate security pin meant it was not clear whether he was a senator or just some crazy person claiming to be one. In the second clip, an emotional Padilla was shown on the Senate floor claiming, “I was forced to the ground. First on my knees, and then flat on my chest. And I was handcuffed and marched down a hallway, repeatedly asking, ‘Why am I being detained?’ not once did they tell me why.” Meyers reacted, “Why—telling people why they're getting arrested is, like, the main part of arresting. Otherwise, it's just aggressive flirting. ‘You're under arrest.’ ‘What for?’ ‘I don't know. Have you been a bad boy?’ This is what it looks like to live in a police state. Everyone's wearing masks like it's [bleep] Eyes Wide Shut.”  If this was a real police state, neither Lander nor Padilla would’ve been released without charges and free to talk about it. Here is a transcript for the June 18-taped show: NBC Late Night with Seth Meyers 6/19/2025 12:46 AM ET SETH MEYERS: And Lander isn’t even the first Democratic official to be roughed up by federal agents and then detained without explanation. LOCAL NEWS REPORTER: Democratic U.S. Senator from California, Alex Padilla, was forcefully removed from a press conference with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Video captured him approaching Noem with questions while she was discussing immigration raids. Security for the Secretary then used force and handcuffed Senator Padilla after removing him. ALEX PADILLA: I was forced to the ground. First on my knees, and then flat on my chest. And I was handcuffed and marched down a hallway, repeatedly asking, "Why am I being detained?" not once did they tell me why. MEYERS: Why—telling people why they're getting arrested is, like, the main part of arresting. Otherwise, it's just aggressive flirting. "You're under arrest." "What for?" "I don't know. Have you been a bad boy?" This is what it looks like to live in a police state. Everyone's wearing masks like it's [bleep] Eyes Wide Shut. 

How gullible can Audie Cornish be? Can't she tell the difference between democracy and theocracy?  On Thursday's episode of CNN This Morning, host Cornish claimed that in addition to Iranian leaders: "The people of Iran are striking a defiant tone."  Audie's evidence: a video clip of a motorcycle parade in Tehran, featuring people waving Iranian flags. Can Cornish possibly believe this was an authentic, organic demonstration of the views of most Iranians, and not an astroturf event staged by the regime? What does Audie think would happen to people who tried to stage a "No Ayatollahs!" protest in Tehran? Of course, it's difficult to get reliable public opinion data in a harshly authoritarian country like Iran, where women have been killed for not wearing a hijab. But this 2023 survey by a Dutch institute found that 80% of Iranians reject the Islamic Republic and prefer a democratic government.  If Audie wanted an image of the authentic feelings of those supposedly "defiant" Iranians, she should have displayed this photo of hordes of people trying to leave Tehran. Earlier, CNN's Nic Robertson reported from the site of an Israeli hospital that had been badly damaged by an Iranian missile strike. Does Audie also believe the Iranian regime's claim that the hospital was hit by mistake, the real target being an Israeli military facility? In light of the strike on the hospital, Robertson was dubious that diplomacy could work for now. Some might say that—even better than a strongly-worded letter—nothing delivers a diplomatic message like a 30,000-lb. bunker buster. Cornish then played a clip of an Iranian official clumsily claiming that if the United States gets involved militarily, Iran will retaliate against American targets. Where is Baghdad Bob now that the Ayatollah needs someone like him in Tehran? CNN's Nick Paton Walsh said that the most obvious targets would be US bases in the region. That would surely be the mother of all FAFO moves.  Here's the transcript. CNN This Morning 6/19/25 6:06 am EDT and charred. And charred. When you get a little bit away from the building, maybe, Sanjeev, you can pull up, see the side of the building there. You can see the concrete ripped back, toppled down.  A 1,200-bed hospital. Like all hospitals in Israel, this one, as a precautionary measure, had been moving patients to the basement. And that's why the director said that the casualty toll here was not worse. It could have been far worse.  And I think when you try and look at this and you know, the question at the moment is diplomacy. Is diplomacy going to work? Is it possible at the moment. Days like today, when such an emotive site as a hospital, the cancer ward, the urology ward, pregnancy clinic here as well, children's wards, part of this hospital, when that happens, that raises the temperature.  And it does feel on this seventh day of the conflict, clearly diplomacy, it, it hardly seems it's a question at the moment, Audie.  AUDIE CORNISH: Yes, Nic, thank you so much. I mean, it's kind of shocking to see such a direct hit by Iran there. Nic Robertson is going to be joining us from Israel throughout the day.  Now, the leaders and the people of Iran are striking a defiant tone as they wait for President Trump to decide whether the U.S. will get involved in attacking them.  Late last night, a motorcycle parade of Iranians waving flags filled the streets of Tehran just hours after the country's supreme leader and other high-ranking officials vowed to never surrender.  IRANIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MAJID TAKHT-RAVANCHI: If the Americans decide to get involved militarily, we have no choice but to retaliate wherever we find the targets necessary to be acted upon.  CORNISH: Joining me now is CNN's chief international security correspondent, Nick Paton Walsh.  Nick, we just heard him say whatever targets would be necessary. What kind of U.S. targets could be vulnerable to an Iranian counterattack?  NICK PATON WALSH: Certainly, all eyes will point towards U.S. bases in the region. 

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