First Amendment advocates appeared in court this week to overturn two laws aimed at trapping minors in the LGBTQ lifestyle by barring counselors from having consensual discussions with children who do not want to identify as transgender. Attorneys from the Alliance Defending Freedom sued Kansas City, Missouri, and Jackson County—the county-level government overseeing Kansas City—after they passed ordinances outlawing so-called “conversion therapy.” The 2019 Kansas City statute bars medical experts from helping anyone under the age of 18 who wants “to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.” The statutes impose fines ranging from $500 to $1,000 for each so-called “offense.” “It’s censorship, pure and simple,” Hal Frampton, senior counsel and director of the Center for Conscience Initiatives at Alliance Defending Freedom, told “Washington Watch with Tony Perkins” on Wednesday. He further noted that Democrat-controlled local governments are aiming to regulate the contents of “a private conversation between a counselor and a willing client who is looking to find a way through his gender confusion.” Reparative therapy sometimes allows those who do not wish to suffer from gender dysphoria, or be attracted to members of the same sex, to lessen these thoughts over time. But Frampton said its practitioners face a mountain of lies and misrepresentation over what they do. “One of the falsehoods that we have to deal with in these cases is the lie that if you just have a conversation about this, it will somehow harm the child,” potentially even triggering the child’s suicide. “The research simply doesn’t bear that out. There’s no evidence that having conversations is remotely harmful. In fact, the emerging evidence is that it helps children better understand who they are and who God made them to be,” he pointed out. However, studies have found that undergoing transgender procedures does not help, and sometimes affirmatively hurts, patients’ mental health. While the statutes punish those who try to reduce unwanted same-sex or transgender ideation, they praise those who take the opposite position. The Jackson County ordinance specifically cites the fact that local hospitals and centers provided transgender counseling or services to 300 children a year. At least one of them, Children’s Mercy Hospital of Kansas City, injected minors with cross-sex hormones. After Missouri passed a SAFE law, Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, had to send letters to Children’s Mercy and Planned Parenthood Great Plains in Kansas City threatening them with legal repercussions unless they would comply with the law and cease and desist carrying out transgender procedures on minors. The hospital insisted it would comply with the law. But the KC Care Medical Center’s website still refers minors to “Gender Pathways Services at Children’s Mercy Hospital.” While Children’s Mercy does not appear to carry out such procedures, its website still tells parents, “Gender identity is usually firmly established and can be stated by your child” by the age of seven. Missouri, home of whistleblower Jamie Reed of The Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, has noted that “nearly all children who came to the Center here presented with very serious mental health problems,” including autism, ADHD, serious depression, and psychosomatic blindness.  “There are essentially two paths here. There’s path one, where a counselor helps a child through their confusion, has open and honest conversations with him, and the child develops comfort with his natal sex,” said Frampton. “As we know, the overwhelming majority of children with these concerns will [outgrow them] if they’re given the chance.” “The second path, and the one that Kansas City is essentially forcing counselors to send kids down, is the path towards medicalized transition and dangerous drugs and surgeries that we know, in the end, do not actually make people happier and carry inordinate risks.” More than 20 states ban free-speech on sexual preference and/or gender identity, including Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. Walz and Whitmer are Democrats. The Supreme Court will soon decide whether state stifling of consensual free speech will stand. Justices agreed in March to hear a case against Colorado’s free-speech ban—just a year and a half after justices declined to hear a challenge to the same law in Washington state. “We’re very encouraged that the Supreme Court … agreed to take that case,” Frampton told Perkins, hoping the justices will “hand down a decision affirming that, yes, indeed, counselors have a First Amendment right to have these conversations with struggling kids.” Originally published by The Washington Stand. The post Attorneys Fight ‘Censorship, Plain and Simple’ Over Reparative Therapy Bans appeared first on The Daily Signal.

One of the central weaknesses of the Biden administration’s national security policies was its reliance on the concept of “integrated deterrence” to prevent aggressive actions by the People’s Republic of China. The strategy entailed building robust alliances in the Indo-Pacific, forward-deploying greater numbers of U.S. military assets to the region, and a tighter integration of military capabilities across the full spectrum of warfare. But this approach only works if the United States can also credibly wage and win a war against China and prevent its regional and global military ambitions. In this respect, the Biden administration was far less successful. There are four major areas the Trump administration should focus on to make deterrence as well as U.S. war-fighting strategies more successful. The military challenge of China is an order of magnitude greater than any military threat the United States has ever faced. Over the last decade, it has consistently increased its military budget by 7% every year—far more than the United States—and has dramatically grown its military forces in every respect. It now fields the largest navy in the world and the largest missile force on the planet. Similarly, the People’s Republic of China is the world’s fastest growing nuclear power, and today fields more tactical weapons in Asia than does the United States. All of this is part of China’s strategy to deter and, if necessary, deny any potential U.S. military actions within the region. Due to these developments, the United States must grow the size of its military overall—to include conventional forces relevant to deterring Chinese aggression, such as ships, combat aircraft, and logistic support systems—and aggressively address retention and recruiting problems across the force. The second area requiring attention is the “missile gap” between the munitions available in U.S. inventories and those required to successfully prosecute U.S. war plans against China. While many of these munitions have been used in the war in Ukraine and in operations in the Middle East, the paucity of industrial capacity to build required munitions on a scale necessary for a future possible conflict is alarming. While some production lines have been opened in response to war-fighting requirements in Ukraine and some procurement orders have been given multiyear contracts, more must be done. Similarly, the ability to build additional conventional capabilities while also refitting and refurbishing existing platforms is also disturbingly low. Reindustrializing U.S. military infrastructure should be a priority for the Trump administration. The third area requiring greater attention is preparing for the mass mobilization of reservists if war with China were to break out. A significant portion of existing active-duty weapons platforms require reserve help in order for them to work and deploy. Existing reserve centers lack sufficient personnel to process such a large mobilization and the services vary in their ability to track former reserve members, who may also need to be called up, in the event of large-scale conflict. Further, many reservists also work in industries necessary for war so a focused look at the implications of full-scale mobilization also needs to be undertaken. The final area requiring greater attention is closely examining how a full decoupling of the U.S. and Chinese markets would look like in a wartime environment. Far too many components, parts, and even rare earth elements are controlled or influenced by the People’s Republic of China and its government-controlled companies. In a wartime scenario, the absence of these crucial items could prove disastrous to the war-fighting ability of the United States. A credible policy of deterrence can only exist if the ability to wage and win a war against an opponent is also viable. This can only be done through the growth of U.S. military forces, addressing significant munition shortfalls, making sure reservists can be mobilized at scale and quickly, and that U.S. military capabilities can continue to fight if access to the Chinese market is curtailed. The Trump administration needs to focus on rebuilding the war-fighting abilities of the United States to make America safe again. If not, catastrophe could await our armed forces. Originally published by ArcaMax The post A More Effective Way to Confront China’s Growing Aggression appeared first on The Daily Signal.

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Southern Fried Squash made with fresh yellow squash is a mouthwatering country dish that features tender slices of squash coated in a crispy, golden-brown crust! A CLASSIC SOUTHERN SIDE DISH RECIPE This Fried Squash recipe is one of my all-time favorites when the veggies start popping up in my garden. I could eat it every single day, it is that good! Squash is also a super affordable vegetable and there is so much you can do with it (like my favorite Squash Casserole!) This whips up pretty quickly and can be served all by itself, in a sandwich with lettuce and tomato or with a dipping sauce. Let’s dig in! Absolutely perfect! Made it exactly to your recipe and wouldn’t change a thing! Huge, huge hit with the family!– Stacy FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Can fried squash be made in the air fryer? Yes, you can air fry squash! Keep in mind, it does not come out as crispy as frying in oil but it can be done. Cut and prep the squash just as you did for this recipe. Then place the pieces in the Air Fryer basket. Spray with olive oil nonstick cooking spray. Set the timer for 10 minutes, then flip after 5 minutes and spray again, until lightly browned and tender. How do I make this in the oven? Again, it doesn’t come out as crispy but it is possible. Start by preheating your oven to 350F. Cut the squash as you would for this version. Prep the squash just as you did in this recipe. Then, spread the squash on a baking sheet (topped with a wire rack that has been sprayed with nonstick spray) and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown, flipping halfway through. Why is my fried squash soggy? Fried squash can be soggy for a variety of reasons. It might not be cooked long enough, or the temperature of the oil used to fry it might be too low. The moisture content of the squash can also affect its texture when fried – some varieties are naturally moist, while others are dryer. Make sure that you take the squash out of the pan or deep fryer promptly after cooking; leaving it in too long can cause it to become soggy. We like to place the cooked squash on a wire rack on top of a sheet pan lined with paper towels. What oil is best for frying squash? The best kind of oil to use when frying squash is an oil that has a high smoke point. High smoke point oils are best because they will not burn or break down as easily as other types of oils. I always use peanut oil as I think it doesn’t stink up the house as much as other oils. Be sure to heat your oil to 350F degrees before adding the squash to ensure even cooking and crispiness. Could I use zucchini? Yes, zucchini is just another type of squash and also works great with this recipe. So does eggplant! How do I keep the cooked squash warm while I work on the next batch? Great question! Nothing like chomping into a cold squash bite and it being cold. Nobody wants that. So, what I like to do is, place the cooked squash on a parchment lined baking sheet in the oven (on warm or on the lowest setting that it can go) so you can keep the finished pieces warm without continuing to bake them. How to reheat leftovers? In a preheat oven (350F degrees) for a few minutes until heated thoroughly. Place them on a wire rack that is sitting on a sheet tray. This helps prevent them from steaming on the bottom when you place them in the oven. Or try reheating in the air fryer for a couple of minutes. I’d skip the microwave, they always turn out soggy in there. How to store leftovers? Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container and should be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days. Can I freeze fried squash? Yes, cooked fried squash can be frozen. Just flash freeze it first, then place the pieces in a freezer safe container before freezing them for up to 3 months. INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE) HOW TO MAKE FRIED SQUASH: Start by slicing the squash into rounds that are about 1/4 inch thick. If you have a mandolin available, this can make the job easier. Set the sliced squash aside. In a medium-sized shallow bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, seasoned salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well. In a separate medium-sized shallow bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture. Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet (I like cast iron) until it reaches a temperature of 350°F. Take a slice of squash and dip it into the buttermilk mixture, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl. Next, coat the squash with the flour mixture on both sides, shaking off any excess flour. Carefully add the squash to the hot oil and fry until it is lightly golden on both sides, flipping a few times to ensure even browning. This should take around 4 minutes in total. Once the squash is cooked, remove it from the oil using a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Then, immediately place it on a wire rack set over a sheet tray. Repeat the dipping and frying process with all of the squash slices in batches until they are all cooked. Serve hot and enjoy! CRAVING MORE RECIPES? Southern Fried Okra Fried Pickles Fried Green Tomatoes Yellow Squash Tots Fried Red Tomatoes Red Beans and Rice Deviled Eggs Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Originally published: April 2023Updated and republished: May 2025 Print Southern Fried Squash (+Video) Southern Fried Squash made with yellow squash is a mouthwatering country dish that features tender slices of squash coated in a crispy, golden-brown crust! Course Side DishCuisine American Prep Time 20 minutes minutesCook Time 4 minutes minutesTotal Time 24 minutes minutes Servings 4 servings Calories 187kcal Author Brandie Skibinski Ingredients1 pound yellow squash (about 2 large)1 cup all-purpose flour2 Tablespoons yellow cornmeal2 teaspoons seasoned salt½ teaspoon black pepper¼ teaspoon garlic powder¼ teaspoon onion powder½ cup buttermilk1 large egg, well beaten1 Tablespoon flouroil, for frying InstructionsStart by slicing 1 pound yellow squash into rounds that are about 1/4 inch thick. If you have a mandolin available, this can make the job easier. Set the sliced squash aside. In a medium-sized shallow bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 Tablespoons yellow cornmeal, 2 teaspoons seasoned salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon onion powder. Mix well. In a separate medium-sized shallow bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 large egg, well beaten and 1 Tablespoon flour. Take a slice of squash and dip it into the buttermilk mixture, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl. Next, coat the squash with the flour mixture on both sides, shaking off any excess flour. Continue with a few more slices of the squash and set those aside on a plate (you can do this as you go while frying if you prefer.) Heat about 1/2 inch of oil, for frying in a heavy-bottomed skillet (I like cast iron) until it reaches a temperature of 350°F.Carefully add the squash to the hot oil and fry until it is lightly golden on both sides, flipping a few times to ensure even browning. This should take around 4 minutes in total. Do not overcrowd the pan. Once the squash is cooked, remove it from the oil using a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Immediately place it on a wire rack set over a sheet tray (this will help keep the coating crunchy.) Repeat the dipping and frying process with all of the squash slices in batches until they are all cooked. Serve hot and enjoy! Video Notes Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions. You can use milk instead of buttermilk but make sure it’s 2% or higher. Buttermilk is more authentic for this recipe and brings the best flavor.  NutritionCalories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1213mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g

WORLD — Leading theologians have uncovered new evidence that when Noah's ark hit Mount Ararat, his wife was likely steering.