At a Glance: Starting Seeds Indoors The Best Method: The most effective method involves using a sterile, soil-less seed-starting mix, maintaining a consistent soil temperature of 70 to 85°F, and providing 14 to 16 hours of strong light once sprouts appear. The Ideal Timing: Start seeds indoors in February to early March, or depending on your local last frost date. This window is critical for slow-growing herbs and warm-season vegetables. The Necessary Equipment: A resilient setup requires three core basics. You need an organic seed kit, a waterproof heat mat for soil temperature control, and reusable trays to ensure healthy root development. Have you ever stood in the produce aisle, staring at a piece of fruit, and wondered what kind of chemical spray was used to make it look so perfect? It is a frustrating feelingWe all want to feed our families wholesome food, but relying on the modern grocery store means accepting a lot of unknown, toxic ingredientsYou do not have to settle for that. You can take control of your food supply right now, long before the ground thaws. By starting seeds indoors, you are taking the first practical step toward real independence. What’s the Best Month to Start Seeds Indoors? The ideal month for indoor gardening actually depends on your local last frost date. For most of us looking forward to a summer harvest, late winter (January through March) is the golden window. To ensure your family has a productive, chemical-free garden by mid-summer, you must start seeds indoors February. Counting back 6 to 8 weeks from your spring frost date gives slow-growing plants the time they need to build a robust root system. Utilizing this crucial month means you will be harvesting your own food instead of waiting on untrustworthy experts and supply chains. What Seeds Should You Plant Indoors Knowing which varieties to sow early is a hallmark of seasonal competence. Prioritize plants with long maturity dates or those that are too delicate to handle early spring temperature swings. Here are the best candidates to prioritize for your home setup: Medicinal and Culinary Herbs: Slow growers like lavender, thyme, and oregano need a massive head start. If you’re looking for the best organic herb seed starting kit for beginners, choose heirloom, non-GMO varieties that allow for future seed saving. This is a critical skill for total self-reliance. Warm-Season Nightshades: Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants require long, warm growing seasons to produce a meaningful harvest. The Brassica Family: Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower benefit greatly from an indoor start so they can be transplanted early before the summer heat causes them to bolt. What are the Essential Materials Required for Planting Indoors Before you start planting, learn what a seed needs to survive. Starting seeds indoors requires mimicking the natural conditions of spring. To get back to basics, here are the core requirements every beginner needs in their starter pack: A Growing Medium: Never use soil straight from the garden because it is too heavy and harbors fungi. You need a sterile, light seed-starting mix. Containers: Seeds need a place to establish roots. You need cells or pots that can hold soil and allow excess water to escape. To reduce waste and build resilient systems, invest in reusable seed-starting trays with drainage rather than flimsy, single-use plastics. A Consistent Heat Source: Seeds rely on soil temperature rather than air temperature to sprout. Finding the best heat mat for seed germination, such as a waterproof option like the VIVOSUN mat, is a practical way to wake seeds up safely without cranking up the thermostat. A Light Source: Once they break the surface, seedlings need intense light to grow strong stems. Quality Seeds: Your harvest is only as good as the genetics you start with. How to Start Seeds Indoors You can grow a safer, nutritious bounty by following these indoor gardening steps: Prep the Mix: Use a sterile seed-starting mix to ensure a toxin-free start. Pre-moisten it until it feels like a wrung-out sponge. Sow with Intent: Place your seeds in your trays. Cover them with a light dusting of mix, usually twice as deep as the seed is wide. Apply Heat: Place your tray on your heat mat. This mimics the warmth of the spring sun and triggers the germination process. Monitor Moisture: Keep the humidity dome on until you see the first green hook emerging from the soil. Let There Be Light: Once they sprout, move the tray to a bright grow light for 14 to 16 hours a day. What are Common Seed Starting Mistakes Even seasoned farmers or homesteaders still make mistakes sometimes. If you want to avoid anxiety over not being prepared for the season, watch out for these common pitfalls when starting seeds indoors: The Leggy Seedling The Mistake: Relying on weak winter sunshine from a windowsill. How to fix leggy seedling: Provide 14 to 16 hours of strong overhead light. Keep your grow lights just 2 to 3 inches above the top of the seedlings, raising the lights as the plants grow. Damping Off The Mistake: Overwatering your trays and providing poor air circulation. How to fix overwatered plants: Always use trays with drainage, allow the top of the soil to dry out slightly between waterings, and run a small oscillating fan nearby to keep the air moving. Skipping the Hardening Off Phase The Mistake: Moving your plants directly from your warm, protected kitchen straight into the harsh garden environment. How to fix: Slowly acclimate them to the outdoors over 7 to 10 days. Start by placing them outside in dappled shade for just an hour, gradually increasing their exposure to direct sun and wind each day to ensure they survive the transition. What Seeds Should You NOT Start Indoors? While starting seeds indoors is a vital skill, some plants do not transplant well and should be sown directly into the earth. Avoid planting these varieties when indoor gardening: Root Crops: Carrots, radishes, and beets hate having their roots disturbed. Fast-Growing Legumes: Beans and peas grow so fast that they often become root-bound and stressed before the weather is warm enough for transplanting. FAQs About Starting Seeds Indoors 1. How many hours of light do indoor seedlings need? For strong, resilient plants, aim for 14 to 16 hours of light. Standard windowsills rarely provide enough intensity in February. 2. Can I use regular potting soil for starting seeds? It is better to use a dedicated seed-starting mix. Regular potting soil is often too heavy and may contain pathogens that can kill delicate new sprouts. 3. When should I remove the humidity dome from my trays? Remove the dome as soon as you see the first sprouts. Keeping it on too long creates the stagnant air that leads to fungal diseases. 4. How do I know if my seedlings need fertilizer? Wait until the plant has developed its first set of true leaves. Use a weak, natural remedy to avoid burning the tender roots. 5. How long should a heat mat stay on when starting seeds indoors? Leave the mat on 24 hours a day until the seeds germinate. Once you see green sprouts, you can remove the heat, as the ambient room temperature is usually enough for the growth phase. Starting seeds indoors brings you one step closer to self-sufficiency. By investing in the right gardening tools, you ensure your family’s food supply is not left to chance.

Trump's SOTU Message: It's the Economy, Stupid!

Genes underpinning how the brain responds to nicotine could be a promising new target for drugs to help people quit smoking.

Who's the daddy?

PBS’s Firing Line with Margaret Hoover hosted the elitist media’s favorite historian Jon Meacham, who predictably found parallels between President Donald Trump and House Rep. Joe McCarthy of so-called “Red Scare” infamy, while hailing the late Jesse Jackson. The slant started in host Margaret Hoover’s introduction, a clip montage featuring “triumphs” of democracy consisting of archive footage of women gaining the right to vote. The “trials” of democracy? Clips from the January 6 riots and ICE officers spraying mobs in Minneapolis. Host Margaret Hoover: Jon Meacham is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian with a new book, American Struggle: Democracy, Dissent, and the Pursuit of a More Perfect Union. Drawing on documents and speeches spanning America's history, Meacham illustrates how the fight for democracy has always been an uphill battle, full of triumphs- [Archive clip: News Announcer] Energetic suffrage adherents realize their long campaign is over. [Margaret] And trials. [Archive clip: Crowd] Hang Mike Pence! Hang Mike Pence! Hoover: As the Trump administration expands executive power. America's democratic experiment is once again being tested. [Archive clip: Shot of ICE protesters being sprayed by ICE officers] Hoover began with a supportive softball, asking Meacham if he was still concerned about "constitutional government" a year into Trump's second term. On PBS's 'Firing Line,' host Margaret Hoover sounds like an infomercial for liberal author Jon Meacham -- to sound the alarm that Trump is a threat to constitutional governance. They warn about nationalized elections, and say nothing about how the Democrats pushed for that. pic.twitter.com/DpjIUUYPok — Tim Graham (@TimJGraham) February 24, 2026 Hoover: We last spoke in the days following the November election in 2024, after Donald Trump had been reelected. Meacham: Right. Hoover: At that time, you warned that President Trump was a unique threat to constitutional government. You also said that you hoped you would be proven wrong.  Meacham: Absolutely. Hoover: Thirteen months into Donald Trump's second term as president, how you reflect on that sentiment? Meacham: I haven't been proven completely wrong, but we're still here, and so I'm delighted by that. Hoover: Is he still a unique threat to constitutional government? Meacham: Absolutely he is, because what you saw, I thought in 2016 to 2020 that he was a difference of degree, but not kind. He was, you know, you could recognize what he was doing, not the tone and the behavior, that's totally unique and was then, but basically, you could sort of put it on an American spectrum what he was doing. Then comes the unfolding January 6th, the attempt to undermine the election, and that's a unique virus in the American body politic, and if you create the capacity, the tendency, to denounce elections simply because you don't like the result, no American president's done that…. Asked by Hoover about the struggle for the "American soul" between (as quoted from Meacham’s book) the “few and the privileged” and “the aspirations of the many,” the historian responded smugly. Meacham: It's more closely fought than I would prefer. I think all of us believe that, most of us believe that. You know, 35% of the country, that's the number of folks, by the way, who still approved of Joe McCarthy after he was censured in 1954-55, 35% of the country is a kind of hardcore [Trump] base, but a huge chunk of the country is malleable, is movable, given the season and the issues…. Hoover didn't care to ask Meacham about his speechwriting for Joe Biden, or anything about Biden or Kamala Harris. Several minutes after trashing Trump’s supporters as parallel to Joe McCarthy, both the guest and the nominal "conservative" Hoover offered elevating praise to the late, longtime left-wing racial activist Jesse Jackson for paving the way for President Barack Obama. On PBS's sad reboot of 'Firing Line,' liberal Jon Meacham puts Jesse Jackson at the center of the last 50 years of American history, as his 'keep hope alive' is the inspirational high point leading into the magical reign of Obama. pic.twitter.com/9Hfz1Mhkh1 — Tim Graham (@TimJGraham) February 24, 2026 Meacham: ….I guess what pleases me to some extent is that, as you ask this question, I'm having to think about Jackson's role in this, whereas often in history, if something is organic, you don't single it out. Does that make sense?  Hoover: Yeah. Yeah. It's part of the tapestry. Meacham: Yeah, so I just think of the American story of the last 50 years is, there's Jesse Jackson saying, "Keep hope alive."

California Governor Gavin Newsom is being touted as the Democratic Party’s next presidential hopeful, but political commentator Kevin Dalton points out that his abysmal track record might be an issue.“Obviously, leaving severely mentally ill, drug-addicted people on the streets to their own devices isn’t working. So, two or three years ago, Gavin Newsom came up with this great idea,” Dalton tells BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere on “Stu Does America.”The idea is called CARE Court, which is meant to address homelessness and mental illness by offering those suffering things like free housing, medication, and job training.“So, flash forward two years, we finally get some numbers from CARE Court. Hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars, of course, are gone. And Gavin Newsom promised that this would get around 50,000 people into the system, off the streets a year,” Dalton explains.“I can’t even remember the exact numbers, but I think a few thousand ended up signing up, and then most of those were just kicked by the courts. ... It finally spiraled down to, 22 people ended up being forced into CARE by the CARE Court,” he continues.“This is such a perfect example of millions of dollars, hundreds of millions of dollars, just going away and no results. And then Newsom just moves on to the next thing,” he adds.Stu points out that the number spent was around a quarter of a billion dollars.“Twenty-two people, almost a quarter of a billion dollars, absolutely amazing, even by California’s standards,” Stu says.Meanwhile, the California wildfires have wiped out thousands of homes — and left thousands of families waiting for their permits to be approved to try to build new ones.“In the meantime, their bills are adding up, and they’ve got these people, the corporate buyers are coming in, trying to scoop up their land now because it’s just easier. It’s just an absolute mess,” Dalton says.“For somebody who wants to run for president, you’d think, maybe start to address the homelessness, maybe try to get people back in their homes from this apocalyptic fire,” he adds.Want more from Stu?To enjoy more of Stu's lethal wit, wisdom, and mockery, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Democrats never miss an opportunity to don costumes, throw tantrums, and protest while President Donald Trump is addressing Congress.For instance, some of the Democrats who refused to clap for Trump during his Jan. 30, 2018, State of the Union address also signaled their protest by wearing Kente cloths — the garb of a slave-trading African tribe. At the February 2019 SOTU, some Democrat women wore white to protest the president's support for the unborn and other positions congressional feminists apparently find intolerable. At the president's joint address to Congress last year, some Democrats wore pink in protest and/or booed the president.While Trump derangement syndrome might still be colorfully displayed Tuesday evening, at least 30 Democrat lawmakers are planning to take their circus outside — which might make for a more peaceable State of the Union.'I don’t think that what we saw in Congress last year was particularly helpful.'The leftist organizing group MoveOn and the propaganda outfit MeidasTouch are hosting a "counterprogramming" rally at 8 p.m. on the National Mall.Democrat Sens. Ed Markey (Mass.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Tina Smith (Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.), Ruben Gallego (Ariz.), and Adam Schiff (Calif.) are planning to attend, along with a horde of House Democrats including Reps. Yassamin Ansari (Ariz.), Becca Balint (Vt.), Greg Casar (Texas), Pramila Jayapal (Wash.), and anchor-baby Rep. Delia Ramirez (Ill.).Merkley suggested that attendance at the SOTU would serve Trump's supposed effort to "tighten his authoritarian grip."Van Hollen, among the Democrats who stuck to a similar script, claimed, "Trump is marching America towards fascism, and I refuse to normalize his shredding of our Constitution & democracy."RELATED: Those who 'take a knee' to Trump will be 'held accountable' when Democrats seize control, Susan Rice threatens Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images"He uses his speeches to pillory his political enemies and spread lies — not to mention they're long and boring," complained Smith.Schiff recycled similar talking points and added, "This isn't business as usual."The organizers for the "counterprogramming" event hinted that Democrats will concern-monger about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents' execution of their duties, the termination of public health workers, rising costs, and other matters."Trump wants the attention and the ratings, but we cannot treat this year’s State of the Union like business as usual," said MoveOn program chief Sara Haghdoosti. "That’s why MoveOn is hosting the People’s State of the Union, where we will hear directly from the people facing the consequences of Trump’s disastrous administration."House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) may be relieved that his colleagues are planning to rage remotely on Tuesday.After all, their booing and incivility were so bad at Trump's address to the joint session of Congress last year that one lawmaker, Rep. Al Green of Texas, was later censured. Most Democrats also remained seated while Trump honored a cancer-stricken Texas boy, Devarjhaye "DJ" Daniel, and announced his deputization as a U.S. Secret Service agent.Jeffries made clear last week to his fellow Democrats that they had two options — and more ugly protests in Congress aren't one of them.RELATED: Watch the State of the Union tonight on BlazeTV's YouTube channel "The two options that are in front of us in our House [are] to either attend with silent defiance or to not attend and send a message to Donald Trump in that fashion, which will include participation in a variety of different alternate programming that is going to take place in and around the Capitol complex," Jeffries said on Wednesday, reported The Hill.Jeffries is not alone in wanting his colleagues to exercise some restraint."I don’t think that what we saw in Congress last year was particularly helpful. I think it made us the story," Rep. Sarah McBride (Del.), the cross-dressing Democrat formerly known as Tim McBride, told NOTUS. "I think this president's unpopular policies should be the story, not sort of gestures from our side."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Americans are paying more for new vehicles — and it's not because of greedy dealers or temporary supply disruptions.The real problem? The modern automobile has become a government-regulated platform.This regulatory floor helps explain why many entry-level vehicles have disappeared. Automakers did not abandon affordable cars because Americans suddenly rejected them.What once functioned primarily as personal transportation is now layered with federal mandates, compliance systems, and policy-driven technology. The cost of that transformation is embedded into every vehicle sold.The average transaction price for a new vehicle now hovers around $48,000 to $50,000, according to Cox Automotive — nearly double what many Americans paid a decade ago. That figure is not driven primarily by dealership markups or consumer excess. It reflects a system in which regulatory requirements steadily raise the baseline cost of every vehicle before it reaches a showroom.Dealers sell what they are allowed to sell. Consumers pay for what regulators require to be built. Regulations stack Unlike market innovation, federal mandates rarely replace older requirements. They stack. Safety rules, emissions standards, cybersecurity protocols, and connectivity requirements accumulate over time. Each new layer raises the minimum cost of building any vehicle, regardless of brand or segment.Automakers no longer decide which technologies to include based solely on consumer demand. They build to regulatory specifications — and those specifications grow more complex every year. Driver-assistance: No longer optional Advanced driver-assistance systems are a clear example. Lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, cameras, radar units, and onboard processors were once optional upgrades. Today most are standard across model lines due to evolving federal safety expectations and liability pressures.These systems require sensors, software calibration, processors, and constant updates. They also increase repair costs. A recent study by AAA shows that vehicles equipped with advanced driver-assistance features can cost 20% to 40% more to repair after collisions, in part because sensors must be recalibrated or replaced.Whether buyers want every feature is beside the point. The technology is built in.RELATED: Would you buy a car from Amazon? Nicolò Campo/Bloomberg/Getty Images Engineering complexity Emissions regulations add another layer. Even gasoline-powered vehicles now rely on increasingly sophisticated emissions control systems, specialized materials, and complex software calibration to meet tightening federal and state standards.These systems improve measurable compliance outcomes, but they also increase engineering complexity and production cost. Manufacturers cannot legally offer simplified alternatives that fall outside regulatory thresholds. Computers on wheels Modern vehicles are now rolling computer networks. Federal standards increasingly require data systems, cybersecurity protections, over-the-air update capability, and integrated monitoring infrastructure.Hardware, antennas, processors, software validation, and compliance testing all add cost. None of it is optional at scale. Once these systems are embedded into vehicle architecture, they become permanent cost centers. 'Kill-switch' costs One of the least discussed provisions of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act requires the installation of advanced driver monitoring systems designed to detect impairment in future vehicles. Critics have labeled this a “kill-switch” mandate because the rule requires technology capable of preventing operation under certain conditions.Regardless of terminology, implementing such systems requires additional hardware, sensors, software integration, validation, and certification. Even before activation or enforcement details are finalized, the design and compliance costs are already being built into pricing structures.When every manufacturer must comply, there is no competitive pressure to eliminate the expense. Tariffs and supply chains Tariffs compound the issue. Import duties on vehicles and automotive components affect not only foreign-built cars but also vehicles assembled in the United States that rely on global supply chains. Steel, aluminum, semiconductors, and specialized materials all move through international networks.When tariffs raise component costs, those increases flow downstream. Automakers do not absorb them indefinitely. Dealers do not control them. Buyers ultimately pay. Extinct entry-level This regulatory floor helps explain why many entry-level vehicles have disappeared. Automakers did not abandon affordable cars because Americans suddenly rejected them. They exited those segments because compliance costs made lower-margin models difficult to sustain profitably.When the baseline cost of meeting regulatory requirements approaches what buyers can reasonably pay for a basic vehicle, the product becomes economically unviable. Shrinking used-car market The used-car market offers limited relief. As new vehicles become more expensive, consumers hold onto existing cars longer. According to S&P Global Mobility, the average age of vehicles on American roads has climbed to nearly 13 years, an all-time high.Fewer late-model trade-ins tighten supply. Prices rise. Regulatory-driven cost increases in the new-car market ripple outward and affect every segment. EV expenses Electric vehicles illustrate the same dynamic. Federal incentives, emissions targets, battery sourcing rules, and manufacturing credits shape production decisions and model availability. While battery costs have declined over time, compliance requirements and policy alignment continue to influence pricing and product mix.For many households, the upfront cost of EVs remains significantly higher than comparable gasoline models — even after incentives. Fixed costsThe expectation that prices will fall once supply stabilizes misunderstands how regulatory-cost structures function. Supply constraints can ease. Compliance costs rarely do.As long as vehicles are treated as platforms for policy implementation rather than purely consumer goods, the floor price will continue to rise.High vehicle prices are not simply a market fluctuation. They are, to a significant degree, a policy outcome.And until policymakers reckon with the cumulative cost of regulatory layering, the $50,000 vehicle will increasingly become the norm — not the exception.

A snowball-throwing mob was caught on video pelting New York City Police Department officers Monday afternoon in Manhattan's Washington Square Park, and multiple officers were injured as a result, WABC-TV reported.Police told the station that officers responded to the park around 4 p.m. for a report of a number of people atop a roof.'This is the environment that NYC police officers are up against.'Police added to WABC that the officers were then hit with snowballs, and multiple officers were taken to a hospital with facial cuts.RELATED: DA Bragg offers plea deals to illegal aliens charged in vicious mob attack on NYPD cops NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch on Monday night wrote on X that she's aware of the videos and that "the behavior depicted is disgraceful, and it is criminal."RELATED: Teen Tren de Aragua-linked mob ambushes NYPD in another brazen Times Square assault: Report Tisch added that detectives are investigating.The Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York called the incident "unacceptable and outrageous," WABC added.RELATED: Illegal alien released after attack on NYC cops in May just got arrested, released for another alleged crime "This is the environment that NYC police officers are up against. Our police officers are being treated for their injuries, but the case CANNOT end there," the PBA said in a statement on social media, according to the station. "The individuals involved must be identified, arrested, and charged with assault on a police officer. And all of our city leaders must speak up to condemn this despicable attack."Scott Munro, president of the NYPD Detectives' Endowment Association, called on Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to ensure that those responsible are prosecuted, WABC reported.RELATED: 'Who would have thought?': Mamdani takes side of knife-wielding suspect — not the cops "No free pass. No get out of jail free card. Make no mistake: Detectives will do what they always do. They will identify those involved, and they will apprehend them," Munro said in a statement, according to the station. "Our men and women in blue deserve to be safe. They deserve to be protected. And they deserve to be respected. They earn it every single day."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

IL Democrat Defends Gavin Newsom's Racist Comments, Says Black Republicans Are Out of Their Minds (Watch)