Seven House Democrats broke ranks with their side to fund the Department of Homeland Security even though their fellow Democrats are raging about ICE. Here’s the news: House passes Homeland Security funding . . .

It was a normal winter's day in Charlotte, North Carolina, when the Buddhist monks came to town. Soft gray clouds blanketed the city without a trace of wind in sight. A few people complained about the 96% humidity, while others put their heads down and went on with their damp day.Then, like a scene from a movie, there they were: a single-file line of men, each wearing flowing saffron and ochre-colored robes, steadily marching along the shoulder of the highway. Some wore sandals while others cheerfully went ahead barefoot. Trotting alongside them—and at times, leading them—was a scruffy, tousle-haired rescue dog eagerly wagging his tail—Aloka, whose name translates to "Divine Light" in Sanskrit. @dhonrs.bonrwr A NATIONWIDE WALK FOR PEACE IS UNFOLDING ON FOOT. BUDDHIST MONKS ARE WALKING 2,300+ MILES ACROSS AMERICA, TRAVELING FROM TEXAS TO WASHINGTON, D.C. AS THE JOURNEY PASSES THROUGH ATLANTA, THEIR ROUTE MOVES NORTH ALONG CANDLER ROAD, THROUGH THE SOUTH DEKALB AREA, AND ONWARD TOWARD DECATUR.##WALKFORPEACE##MONKSWALKFORPEACE##LEXINGTONSC##BUDDHISTMONK#USA ♬ Walk for peace - Snehashis Priya Barua In October 2025, approximately two dozen Buddhist monks hailing from various Theravada Buddhist monasteries across the globe, along with Aloka, embarked from Fort Worth, Texas, on a 2,300-mile pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. This "Walk of Peace," and the participating 18 monks, stand on the shoulders of giants: the countless of those who came before them in this time-old tradition of spiritual activism through walking meditation, from the Buddha himself to Gandhi's groundbreaking 240-mile "Salt March" in 1930, to Dr. Martin Luther King's immortalized March on Washington in 1963 and the marches from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.The journey, expected to conclude in mid-February 2026, has attracted millions of social media followers and drawn thousands of participants to major stopping points, transcending the religious and political divide during a period defined by deep division. A pilgrimage of resilience The journey began in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 26, 2025, at Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center, the Vietnamese Buddhist temple that organized the Walk for Peace. It's also the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara's home temple, who serves as the group's spiritual leader and primary spokesperson.While this is Pannakara's first pilgrimage in the States, the Vietnamese Theravada Buddhist monk has reportedly walked across several South Asian countries, including a 112-day walk across India in 2022, where he met Aloka, the stray dog that's become somewhat of a mascot for the walk. Aloka has been with Pannakara ever since. Monks offer blessings to people lined up to see them. Credit: Des Moines Register In a written statement to USA Today, Pannakara encourages others to reframe the purpose of their mission. "We walk not to protest, but to awaken the peace that already lives within each of us," he writes.He continues: "The Walk for Peace is a simple, yet meaningful reminder that unity and kindness begin within each of us and can radiate outward to families, communities, and society as a whole."He means it. For Pannakara, this walk represents a national act of healing rather than a political statement. At every stop, he offers lessons about mindfulness, peace as an inner quality, forgiveness, healing, unity, and the importance of meeting people where they are. 2,300 miles is no walk in the park The journey hasn't been easy—though that was never the point for this group. As if walking 2,300 miles across ten states wasn't difficult enough, Pannakara and the other Theravada Buddhist monks live in accordance with the earliest teachings of the Buddha and dedicated themselves to extreme monastic living and to following strict Buddhist codes of living. @clamjourney (1/3/2026) Buddhist Monks Walk 2,300 Miles For Peace 2025 Day 70 #buddhist #monks #walkforpeace #alabama #edmundpettusbridge ♬ original sound - Clam Journey As a result, the monks sleep in tents and rely on the kindness of strangers for shelter or sustenance. They've faced the physical reality of walking on asphalt for months. Then, in November, tragedy struck near Dayton, Texas. An escort vehicle was hit, resulting in an accident where one monk was severely injured and lost a leg.Yet, the group continued.At their stop Thursday in Saluda, South Carolina, Audrie Pearce—who had driven four hours from her village of Little River to see them—teared up as Pannakara handed her a flower. @dhonrs.bonrwr A NATIONWIDE WALK FOR PEACE IS UNFOLDING ON FOOT. BUDDHIST MONKS ARE WALKING 2,300+ MILES ACROSS AMERICA, TRAVELING FROM TEXAS TO WASHINGTON, D.C. AS THE JOURNEY PASSES THROUGH ATLANTA, THEIR ROUTE MOVES NORTH ALONG CANDLER ROAD, THROUGH THE SOUTH DEKALB AREA, AND ONWARD TOWARD DECATUR.##WALKFORPEACE##MONKSWALKFORPEACE##LEXINGTONSC##BUDDHISTMONK#USA ♬ Walk for peace - Snehashis Priya Barua "There's something traumatic and heart-wrenching happening every day in our country," Pearce told Newsday. She describes herself as spiritual, but not religious. "I looked into their eyes, and I saw peace. They're putting their bodies through such physical torture, and yet they radiate peace." Aloka, the four-legged peacekeeper While the monks inspire reverence, the true celebrity of the group might just be their canine companion.Aloka is an Indian Pariah dog, a breed known for its intelligence and loyalty. His story with Bhikkhu Pannakara began thousands of miles away in India during a previous peace walk. When Aloka fell critically ill as a puppy, Pannakara carried him and nursed him back to health. Thevada Buddhist monks greeting fans on their Walk for Peace. Credit: Des Moines Register Now, the roles have reversed. Aloka is the one keeping spirits high. He happily trots alongside the monks, offering a furry reminder of loyalty and joy. When the group reached North Carolina, locals didn't just bring water for the monks; they brought dog treats for Aloka. Strangers becoming neighbors Perhaps the most beautiful part of this journey is how it has brought people together. As the monks traverse states like Mississippi, Alabama, and the Carolinas, they have been met not with suspicion but with overwhelming hospitality.The Herald shared stories from people in the crowd as the monks traveled through Rock Hill and Fort Mill on their way to Charlotte."I like the idea of peace, and I'm concerned about the state our country is in," said Penny Sheppard of Rock Hill, as she waited for the monks to walk by. "The peace walk exemplifies where we could be…. I just want to support them… They just impress the heck out of me." The monks as they enter North Carolina. Credit: 7News Stevie Goudui of Fort Mill echoed this sentiment. "We could definitely use a little more peace in the United States right now," he said.Then, from Rock Hill resident Carolyn Hall: "No matter your religion, it makes sense that the purpose of the walk was for peace," Hall said."Women, children, people getting killed. It's a sad day in America right now," she added. "I think it's great what (the monks) are doing. I love it, and I just want to be a part of it."Streets lined with onlookers on a cold, wet Wednesday made for an emotional morning. "That really touched my heart," said the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara. "These days, you all make me cry so much. A lot. But happy tears. Joy." A quiet request for a national holiday While the spiritual goal is paramount, the monks do have a tangible objective for their arrival in the nation's capital. Upon reaching Washington, D.C. in mid-February, they plan to ask Congress to recognize Vesak—the day celebrating Buddha's birth and enlightenment—as a federal holiday.The hope is that recognizing Vesak will officially acknowledge a day dedicated to reflection, compassion, and unity for all people, regardless of their faith. @jafleming Buddhist Monks Walk for Peace. Liberty NC ♬ Ordinary Feb 14 - alexwarrenupdates (fan page) Judging by the overwhelming response to the Walk of Peace, the monks will always have the public's support, regardless of the outcome in Congress.The viral trek gained more than one million followers on both Facebook and TikTok since the monks started walking in October. Even Aloka the dog has enjoyed Internet stardom, gaining 752,000 followers on Facebook."Together, we are proving that peace is not just a dream—it is alive, it is real, and it is growing stronger every single day," Walk for Peace organizers posted to Facebook. Finding your own “peaceful day” You don't have to walk 2,300 miles to feel the impact of this journey. The monks' message is that peace is accessible to everyone, right where they are.Becki Gable, a woman grieving the loss of her daughters and parents, drove nearly 400 miles to meet the monks in Saluda, South Carolina."I just felt in my heart that this would help me have peace," she told a local news station. "Maybe I could move a little bit forward in my life." @curiousworld004 Buddhist monks are walking 2,300 miles across the U.S. for peace. Truly inspiring.#walkforpeace#walkforpeace#monks#walkforpeace2025 #peace ♬ Ordinary (Wedding Version) - Alex Warren She spoke about how the encounter helped her move forward, adopting a simple practice suggested by Bhikkhu Pannakara. Every morning, she writes down five words: "Today is my peaceful day."You can follow the monks on their journey to Washington, D.C. through their live tracker here.

For decades, river restoration in the Northwestern United States followed a simple rule: if you saw logs in the water, take them out. Clean streams were seen as healthy streams, fast-moving water was seen as optimal, and wood was treated like a "barrier" to natural processes, particularly those of the local fish.Now, helicopters are flying thousands of tree trunks back into rivers to undo that thinking.In central Washington, one of the largest river restoration efforts ever attempted in the region is underway. More than 6,000 logs are being placed along roughly 38 kilometers, or 24 miles, of rivers and streams across the Yakama Reservation and surrounding ceded lands.Nearly 40 years ago, Scott Nicolai was doing the opposite kind of work, all in the name of restoration."(Back then) the fish heads — what I call the fisheries folks — we stood on the banks, and we looked at the stream," Nicolai, a Yakama Nation habitat biologist, told Oregon Public Broadcasting. "If we saw a big log jam, we thought, 'Oh, that's a barrier to fish. We want the stream to flow.'" Fish find shelter for spawning in the nooks and crannies of wood. Photo credit: CanvaAt the time, logs were removed in an effort to simplify the habitat. However, it soon became clear that wood provided vital "complexity," creating sheltered pockets for salmon and bull trout to spawn and supporting algae that feed aquatic insects. Logs also slow water, spread it across floodplains, and allow it to soak into the groundwater. That water is then slowly released back into streams, helping keep them flowing and cooler during hot, dry periods.The consequences of removing this "critical part of the system" (in addition to overgrazing, railroad construction, and splash dam logging) were made all too clear over the years as the rivers dried up and wildlife populations declined."We're trying to learn from our mistakes and find a better way to manage," said Phil Rigdon, director of the Yakama Nation Department of Natural Resources.That's why Nicolai is now helping lead a project for the Yakama Nation aimed at rebuilding river complexity by returning logs to their rightful place. Many of these streams are now unreachable by road, which is why helicopters are used. Logs are flown from staging areas and carefully placed at precise drop locations marked with pink and blue flagging tape. Many of these streams are now unreachable by road, which is why helicopters are used.Photo credit: CanvaThe wood comes from forest-thinning projects led by The Nature Conservancy and includes species such as Douglas fir, grand fir, and cedar. Although some of the timber could have been sold, it is instead being used as river infrastructure.For tribal leaders, the work carries even deeper meaning. During the helicopter flights, they gathered along the Little Naches River for a ceremony and prayer. Tribal leaders gathered by the Little Naches River for a ceremony and prayer.Photo credit: Canva"It was very simple: to bring what was rightfully part of this land back to us," said former tribal chairman Jerry Meninick.The aftermath of the original restoration project illustrates how human concepts, such as the belief in the superiority of "cleanliness," can be limited and sometimes cause more harm than good. The miracle of nature, however, is that when left to her own devices, she can heal herself.

Nearly every parent hopes their child will be better off than they are: smarter, more secure, and more well-adjusted. Many parents see this as a stamp of successful parenting, but something has changed for children growing up today. While younger generations are known for their empathy, their cognitive capabilities seem to be lagging behind those of previous generations for the first time in history. Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, a teacher turned cognitive neuroscientist who focuses on human learning, appeared before Congress to discuss concerns about cognitive development in children. In his address to the members of Congress, he says, "A sad fact that our generation has to face is this: our kids are less cognitively capable than we were at their age. Since we've been standardizing and measuring cognitive development since the late 1800s, every generation has outperformed their parents, and that's exactly what we want. We want sharper kids." Student smiling in a classroom, working on a laptop.Photo credit: CanvaHorvath explains that the reason this happens is that each generation has gone to school longer than the previous generation. Gen Z is no exception to the longer duration of time spent in school, but they're the first ones who aren't meeting this normal increase in cognitive development. According to the cognitive neuroscientist, the decline is due to the introduction of screens in the classroom, which started around 2010. "Across 80 countries, as Jean was just saying, if you look at the data, once countries adopt digital technology widely in schools, performance goes down significantly. To the point where kids who use computers about five hours per day in school for learning purposes will score over two-thirds of a standard deviation less than kids who rarely or never touch tech at school," Horvath reveals.In most cases, the decline in performance doesn't result in better strategies. The neuroscientist shares that the standardized testing has been adjusted to accommodate lower expectations and shorter attention spans. This is an approach that educators, scientists, and researchers went to Capitol Hill to express wasn't working. But not every country is taking the approach of lowering standards to meet lowered cognitive ability. Denmark went in the opposite direction when it realized their students were slipping behind. France24 recently interviewed educators in Denmark following their seemingly novel approach to students struggling with cognitive development. Since the beginning of the 2025/2026 school year, Denmark has not only been having students turn in their cellphones, but they've also taken tablets, laptops, and computers out of the classroom. No more digital learning for the majority of the school day. Danes went old school by bringing back physical textbooks, workbooks, and writing assignments. The results have been undeniable. Even the students can't seem to deny the success of the countrywide shift in educational approach."I think the biggest issue has been that, because we kind of got rid of the books and started using screens instead, that we've noticed that a lot of the kids have trouble concentrating, so it's pretty easy to swipe with three fingers over to a different screen and have a video game going, for example, in class," Copenhagen English teacher, Islam Dijab tells France24.Now, instead of computers being part of every lesson, Denmark uses computers very sparingly and with strict supervision. One student says that it has been nice not having screen time at school because she loves to read and write. But it wasn't just the lack of attention span children were developing, they were also developing low self-esteem and poor mental health due to the amount of time spent on devices. Students focused and ready to learn in the classroom.Photo credit: CanvaThe data showing the negative impact of screens on teens' brains has prompted a nationwide change in Denmark that extends outside of the classroom. Afterschool activities are eliminating or extremely limiting electronic use. There is also a national No Phone Day that encourages everyone to put away their devices for the day, and Imran Rashid, a physician and digital health expert, is petitioning parliament to ban social media use for children under the age of 15. The no phone movement in Denmark is a nationwide effort that hopes to right the ship before another generation feels the effects.

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was full of wisdom. His pursuit of knowledge remained steadfast throughout his life."His ambition was a little engine that knew no rest," Lincoln's law partner said of him, according to the National Archives.Although his life was infamously cut short by assassin John Wilkes Booth on Friday, April 14, 1865, his words continue to inspire people years after his death. One of Lincoln's most famous quotes about how he achieved success centers on his reliance on loyal friendship and is twinged with self deprecation: - YouTube www.youtube.com "I’m a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn’t have the heart to let him down."There has been some debate about whether Lincoln really said this—and there are no historical documents confirming he did. However, the attribution has stuck. Showcasing Lincoln's humor, the quote represents how Lincoln relied on friends and the strength and encouragement he received from them during personal hardships and his political career to carry him through.There are many examples from Lincoln's life that support the importance he placed on his friendships. One example came from Illinois businessman, G.S. Hubbard, who said about Lincoln: "We were thrown much together, our intimacy increasing. I never had a friend to whom I was more warmly attached. His character was nearly faultless. Possessing a warm, generous heart, genial, affable, honest, courteous to his opponents, persevering, industrious in research, never losing sight of the principal point under discussion." Abraham Lincoln portrait by Alexander Gardner in 1865.Photo credit: CanvaOne of Lincoln's closest friendships was with a man named Joshua Speed, who befriended Lincoln long before his presidency back in Springfield, Illinois, in 1837. According to Smithsonian Magazine, Speed helped the future president make it through two "serious, suicidal bouts of depression." Lincoln battled depression throughout his life, notably after the start of his political career in the mid 1830s, and in 1840 when he shockingly broke off his engagement to Mary Todd, with whom he would later marry in 1842 and welcome four sons.By 1846, Lincoln was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and was deemed one of the most successful attorneys in Illinois. However, "Lincoln still suffered from bouts of depression, sorrow over the death of his son Edward Baker Lincoln, and disappointment after two failed runs for the U.S. Senate," according to the National Park Service. - YouTube www.youtube.com However, Lincoln was also buoyed by friends, especially during his run for president. One in particular was David Davis, a circuit judge who met Lincoln in Illinois while he was still a practicing attorney. "The two became close friends, and Davis worked diligently as Lincoln's campaign manager at the 1860 Republican nominating convention in Chicago. Along the way, Davis went from a circuit-riding lawyer to a U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice and maintained a long-time friendship with Abraham Lincoln," according to Davis's website.And it was Lincoln's sense of humor that helped him through his darkest times and drew friends to him. Lincoln's longtime friend from Illinois, lawyer Thomas W. S. Kidd, wrote of him: "He enjoyed a joke or good story, and possessing an inexhaustible fund of both, they were ever at hand or within reach when occasion required them for his own or the amusement of his friends. They certainly attracted to him more friends that stuck to him, whether on the calm or stormy side of life, than any other influence he could use to draw them."Lincoln's quote on friendship highlighted the president's sense of humor and humility and shows that without friends and the support of others, his success may not have been possible.

Naming your baby is a really special experience that can help shape who they become, honor the legacy of close friends and family members, and carry personal meaning through symbolism. It's a hard process to get just right, and unfortunately, there are a lot of horrible ways it can go wrong.One couple with a rather unfortunate last name recently took to social media to playfully mourn all the names they "absolutely can't" use for their impending baby.Quince and Zach have built a following of more than three million people across Instagram and TikTok, where they share relatable, funny content about life as young parents to a two-year-old daughter, with another baby on the way.There's just one problem for Quince and Zach, and it's their last name: Cox.There's nothing wrong with Cox on the surface; it's a perfectly normal and respectable last name. It wasn't until the couple started brainstorming names for their soon-to-be baby girl that they realized Cox was, let's say, problematic.In a hilarious post on Instagram, the couple recently shared a lengthy, exhaustive list of names they immediately knew would be a no-go:Holden CoxAnita CoxHarry CoxSawyer CoxSharon CoxCheck out the fantastic, tongue-in-cheek post here: See on Instagram More than 400,000 people interacted with the viral post, including thousands of comments from people eager to share their own close calls with unfortunate baby names."Maiden name was Dix. I'm now a Cox. I wish I was joking," wrote Shenai Cox."My maiden last name is cox. Definitely couldn't hyphenate with my husband. His last name is Oancea (pronounced want-cha) want-cha cox? No thank you," another user wrote."My last name is Muncher soooo..." wrote Amber Muncher.There were even a few people who could only wish their parents had shown the same foresight as Quince and Zach.Harry Wang, a commenter, wrote, "Wish my parents though like that," before adding, "It's a part of me now, gotta wear it with pride."In any case, the public service announcement was much appreciated by all:"As a former cox (maiden name) more people need to be this aware some Cox’s are shockingly blase out here about what they are naming their kids," someone wrote.In part two of the post, Quince added more names to the cross-off list and revealed why she couldn't hyphenate her last name after getting married."I mean we could always hyphenate my maiden name 'Pullen'" she joked in the caption before officially eliminating Hugh Cox, Olive Cox, and Ophelia Cox.You may laugh, but variations of Olive are some of the most popular names in America. See on Instagram A few labor and delivery nurses even chimed in on Quince's post to voice their support, saying they wished more parents would be mindful of names that could one day humiliate their children.There are more ways a name can go wrong than just having phallic undertones. There could be easy rhymes, embarrassing abbreviations, or even an unfortunate "first initial, last name" combination that makes emailing an unpleasant experience for a child one day. Nurses who meet babies all day, every day have seen some horror stories: @issabelvictoria_ Baby names are so fun? #nicunurse #neonatalnurse #nursesoftiktok #newgradnurse #newgradnurses #nursetok #nursingschool #nursetiktok #nursing #fyp #nurse While there are only a handful of names that are strictly illegal in the United States—depending on the state, you may have trouble naming your baby Hitler, Santa Claus, or King—parents are urged to take precautions against names that could make life difficult for their child.Some helpful methods include saying the name out loud (both the full and shortened versions), spelling it out, checking the initials, and watching for embarrassing nicknames, to start.

Labour of love. The post The Beatles album George Martin called traumatic: “It took two years” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

by Joseph P. Farrell, Giza Death Star: Some stories that I receive are stories that will only manifest their importance over a long span of time, and this story – shared by V.T. with our gratitude – is one of them. Because of this long term (and I suspect, very long term) implication, it is a story […]