You know that old joke about "why don't they just make the whole plane out of the black box?" Well it seems like Stanley needs to just start building houses. Of course much of the news this week has been on the wildfires in California, which so far have destroyed over 1,000 structures and continue to burn out of control as firefighters struggle with dry conditions and the Santa Ana winds. But one family in Georgia recently experienced a house fire of their own that destroyed everything they own. Well, almost everything. According to a GoFundMe, Alexus Morrow was at work when her house became engulfed in flames. Luckily, her fiancé Hunter and his grandmother were able to get out, though several of his grandmother's dachshunds were sadly not able to be rescued. The house appeared to be a total loss - but Wilkins shared a video showing that she was able to salvage at least one of her possessions from the rubble of her burned down home: Her Lainey Wilson limited edition Stanley cup. https://www.tiktok.com/@alexuswilk04/video/7456498065088859438 The cup appears to be in shockingly good shape. Just need to clean the ashes off of it and that thing would probably look brand new. The most surprising part, though, is that even the plastic straw and lid look to have survived the blaze - which honestly raises some questions about just what they're making those cups out of. Should we be concerned about drinking from plastic containing a chemical so strong that a fire literally can't destroy it? Or is that a good thing? I'm far from a scientist, but I AM a little bit of a conspiracy theorist, so now I'm curious. It's not the first time we've seen the strength of these Stanley brand tumblers under pressure. A couple years ago, another woman went viral after showing off her Stanley collection that looked to be in similarly good condition after a house fire. https://www.tiktok.com/@wardrodewinter/video/7309967611314359598 And Stanley even offered to replace the car of a woman whose cup survived a car fire - with ice still in the cup. https://www.tiktok.com/@stanleybrand/video/7302186682831392043?embed_source=121374463%2C121468991%2C121439635%2C121433650%2C121404359%2C121497414%2C121477481%2C121351166%2C121487028%2C73226838%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%2C121494655%3Bnull%3Bembed_blank&refer=embed&referer_url=www.whiskeyriff.com%2F2023%2F11%2F17%2Fstanley-brands-replaces-car-of-viral-woman-whose-cup-survived-car-fire-without-the-ice-melting%2F&referer_video_id=7302186682831392043 Obviously we're all thankful that Wilkins and her family was able to make it out of the fire safely, and the cup is no doubt the least of anybody's worries - but it does show the durability that Stanley puts into their products. Lainey first teamed up with Stanley back in 2023 for her limited-edition "Watermelon Moonshine" cups, which sold out almost immediately. And just a couple of months later, she released her "Country Gold" edition cups, which appears to be the one that Wilkins had at the time of the fire. The cups are hard to find, becoming somewhat of a collector's item at this point with some going on eBay for over $100. I would say that maybe Lainey could help her find a new one, but...well, it doesn't look like she needs it anyway, because the original made it through the fire pretty much unscathed. Oh, and Wilkins did share one more item that survived the fire: Her 2023 "Trailer Trash Tammy" wall calendar. Priceless. https://www.tiktok.com/@alexuswilk04/video/7456845781018905902

An Iranian government spokeswoman has announced that the country will move its capital to the southern coastal region of Makran. The relocation of the Iranian capital has been a longstanding debate within the country, with the government conducting six inquiries since 1989 into the feasibility of such a move.  The reasons for such a move include power outages in Tehran, which developed into a full-blown energy crisis late last year due to aging infrastructure, sanctions, and Israeli strikes. Other factors include overpopulation and water scarcity. Another possible factors for the shift in capital could be for reasons of regime stability. The recent collapse of the Syrian Arab Republic, was caused in part by uprisings in and around the capital city of Damascus, which was far from the Assad regime’s coastal support base around Latakia. The Islamic Republic may wish a capital city more politically secure. Security concerns might also contribute to the decision to move the capital, due to successful recent Israeli operations in Tehran. In July, Israel successfully assassinated Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s political leader, while Haniyeh was in Tehran for a presidential inauguration.  The announcement stated that the exact location of the new capital has yet to be determined. “The new capital will definitely be in the south, in the Makran region,” government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani stated on Tuesday. “This matter is currently being worked on.” The announcement comes a week after Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that the capital should be moved toward the Persian Gulf for reasons of economic efficiency.  “Transporting raw materials from the south to the center, processing them, and then returning them south for export drains our competitive capacity,” Pezeshkian stated. “We must shift the country’s economic and political center to the south and closer to the sea.” The move of building a new capital city is not unique to Iran. Egypt is currently developing a new capital city between Cairo and Sinai, which is provisionally called the “New Administrative Capital.” Tehran was first made the capital of Iran by Agha Mohammad Khan, the founder of the Qajar dynasty, in 1786. Beforehand, the Iranian capital was located in Shiraz, in central Iran.  The post Iran to Move Capital to Southern Coast appeared first on The American Conservative.

The Midwest and plains states are being plunged into ice and snow. HAARP and Direct Energy Weapons being used. I heard the following last night..."fast spreading fires popping up everywhere"...not surprised. California is Maui on a larger scale. From 2 survivors that ran for their lives in one of the LA fires: "We heard 3 large booms and the neighbors house was engulfed in flames and ours was on fire", what does that sound like? DEW (UTL COMMENT:- Jew??) attack. Wait until the insurance companies start refusing to pay. Wait until everybody else gets their homeowners insurance rate increase. Los Angeles is going to look like a ghost town. They will build back the burned areas of greater Los Angeles to build smart cites for the Olympics. Mark my words. BlackRock owned companies will make billions off of the rebuild. Source: The Real BPEarthWatch on YouTube

The Los Angeles wildfires were orchestrated by the globalist elite to poison our air, water, and soil, and redistribute property into the hands of the elite, according to a World Economic Forum insider who warns that “Build back better” literally means destroying things first and then rebuilding according to New World Order plans. The global elite have chosen Los Angeles as Ground Zero for a calculated assault on the people, paving the way for the rapid transformation of the disaster zone into 15-minute cities. These so-called “smart cities” are nothing more than vast outdoor prisons, designed to trap ordinary citizens with no way out. This evil plan has been in the works for years, and now we are seeing it play out in all its grisly details before our very eyes. Receive up to $7,500 in free silver: https://colonialmetalsgroup.com/tpv or call 888-351-2043 - Become a member of the world’s first ever cyber nation: https://joseon.com - Visit https://thepeoplesvoice.tv/IPV6 to take back control of the Internet

While other kids were playing soccer, young Donovan Carrillo had other dreams. Despite living in the warm and temperate climate of Mexico, Carrillo had a singular vision of grabbing gold at the 2022 Winter Olympics. donovan carrillo has already accomplished so much in his olympic debut!!! #Olympics #FigureSkating pic.twitter.com/YvQsvhGuQN— ️️dani (@goIdenwaItz) February 8, 2022 And now, win or lose, this passionate figure skater has already become a huge success story at the Beijing Winter Games by becoming the first Mexican to advance to the Olympic free skate final event.“I always wanted to be at the Olympics,” Carrillo told NBC after his performance. “I used to talk about this dream with people. They were always laughing or telling me that it was impossible for a Mexican to qualify.” Dreams do come true! ??: @DonovanDCarr pic.twitter.com/mtkAZMmxbM— Olympics (@Olympics) February 8, 2022 In addition to dealing with the fact that Mexico has no competitive winter sports leagues, Carrillo was often called “a girl” for his interest in figure skating, telling the Associated Press that “they sometimes even think that to practice an artistic sport, it’s going to affect your (sexual) preferences as a person. I never thought that. I think that’s one of the reasons of why we don’t have many male skaters in my country.”Donovan Carrillo, who practices in a shopping mall ice rink, is the first skater from Mexico to qualify for the Olympic free skate. ? pic.twitter.com/qZFBl4LVYr— Billy B (@billyburke87) February 8, 2022 Throughout his pursuit, Carrillo never let the naysaying keep him down. Instead, he became more resourceful, training alongside girls and practicing in the ice rinks of shopping malls. Imagine having to perfect your pirouette while dodging families and amateur hockey players.Hard work and determination paid off, because Carillo found himself in Beijing, bearing the flag of Mexico at the opening ceremony. Carrillo’s entire Olympic debut has been an homage to his heritage: blades displaying the green, white and red color of the Mexican flag, a sparkling black and gold costume designed by Mexican fashion designer Edgar Lozzano, and using music from his father’s favorite band, Santana.“It’s something that I always try to do with my performance, to involve the Mexican culture,” Carrillo told AP. Donovan Carrillo is the first Mexican in over 30 years to represent Mexico in ice skating at the Winter Olympics LETS GOOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/75w5UTOf6K— Estefanía (@estyledesma) February 8, 2022 Fast forward to Tuesday, Feb 8, 2022 and Carrillo delivered a stunning, career-best, history-making performance in the short program, nailing the quad toe loop and landing an insane triple axel.The score of 79.69 takes Carrillo to the longer free skate competition, a never-before-seen feat from his country, making the then 22-year-old athlete Mexico's most successful figure skater in history. Carrillo might have been pressed with overwhelming obstacles, but he proved to the world that dreams are worth pursuing. This article originally appeared three years ago.

When cultures come together, sometimes it can be challenging, sometimes it can be beautiful and sometimes it can be hilarious. For one couple, highlighting the hilarity of their American-Italian love story has endeared them to millions of people around the world. It all started when Sarah, who is American, went to southern Italy to visit family members who live there. Carlo worked as a lifeguard at the beach club his family owns where Sarah's family would go. He barely spoke English, but he asked Sarah on a date in the summer of 2019. They basically became inseparable for the rest of the summer. Sarah returned to the U.S. and Carlo surprised her with a month-long visit in the fall. Their long-distance relationship was supposed to get a reprieve when she was to return to Italy in May 2020, but pandemic travel restrictions destroyed that plan.They ended up meeting up in Ireland during the summer of 2020, one of the only places allowing both Americans and Italians to travel. That's where Carlo proposed. Their wedding plans also got thwarted by COVID-19. They got married in Italy, but without Sarah's family and friends able to attend. They had their second wedding, with family and friends in attendance in October 2022 in the U.S.- YouTubeBut their cute love story is only one part of why they've grown a following of 4 million people on TikTok alone. The cross-cultural nature of their relationship regularly creates hilarious moments, from Carlo's confusion over English words and phrases to Sarah committing Italian food faux pas just to see his reactions. @carloandsarah @justinbaldoni @wayfarerstudios this is my #lovestory ? #LoveWithNoLimits #longdistance #ldr #couple Their playful energy is delightful, but people also can't get over Carlo calling Sarah "my love" over and over again.In one of their first mega-viral videos, which has nearly 100 million views, Sarah breaks the pasta in half before she puts it into the water—a totally typical American thing to do—and Carlo nearly has a heart attack. @carloandsarah did someone say... DRAMA??? ? Or how about the time Sarah suggested that she ask for pineapple on her pizza while in Italy and Carlo basically said he'd be forced to move out of the country if she did that? @carloandsarah Carlo has had it with me? Italians have far more superstitious beliefs about luck than Americans do, which come out frequently in Sarah and Carlo's videos. For instance, you're not supposed to put a loaf of bread top-side down. And if you get a new car, you're supposed to put a jar of salt in the car to ward off "malocchio" (evil eye/bad luck). @carloandsarah YOU WANT MALOCCHIO?!?? Carlo's English has come a long way since they met—he started learning the language because he was interested in Sarah—but as with anyone learning any language, there are sometimes some funny misunderstandings. For instance, calling a tall building a "scratchy sky." @carloandsarah Gelato with a nice view of scratchy sky?? Or mistaken a seed for a seaman or…something else. @carloandsarah the SEA MAN?? There's often some confusion around which words are appropriate and which words aren't, which is illustrated no more clearly than how Carlo reacted to saying the word "peacock." @carloandsarah THE WAY HE YELLED IT? Cultures may clash sometimes, but cross-cultural relationships can also create humorous moments that highlight the human side of all of us. Sarah and Carlo even came up with a way to "fight" without having to understand one another's languages at all. @carloandsarah You should try it out? You can follow Sarah and Carlo on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. This article originally appeared three years ago.

"As a woman, two of the main emotions that we are 'not allowed' to feel..." The post “Anger is a powerful life force”: Alanis Morissette on the emotion that can move worlds first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

My memoirs were published on September 23, 2023, after I had spent several very pleasant years reliving the events covered in them. The Wall Street Journal lost no time in reviewing them, and hesto presto, I was off to a good start. The Journal handed my book over to one of its best political minds, Barton Swaim. Had I known that Barton was at work on the book I would have popped open a bottle of the sparkling stuff a bit earlier. As it was, eventually I drank a whole bottle of champagne. The review turned out to be that good. Read on for yourself. My book, How Do We Get Out of Here? Half a Century of Laughter and Mayhem at The American Spectator — From Bobby Kennedy to Donald J. Trump, amused Swaim who concluded that “The book is irreverent, discursive, intermittently, hilarious, gossipy, spiteful, penetrating on political topics, and zealous in its admiration of R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr.” He goes on, “Even Mr. Tyrrell’s enemies will have to admit that his achievements are considerable.” Well done, Barton. Another assessment to roll across my desk came from the ex-speaker of the House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich. I was a little uneasy about this development for we had not seen eye-to-eye on everything in the past, but Newt was a gent. Said he, “No one in the conservative movement has been more creative and more strategically aggressive than Bob Tyrrell. His creative reporting and commentary made The American Spectator one of the most dynamic centers of thought for the last two generations. His memoirs will help younger conservatives learn what it is like to be effective and inventive.” Hear, hear, Mr. Speaker. From London came the greatest Churchillian biographer writing today, Andrew Roberts, who solemnized: “Bob Tyrrell’s witty, rumbustious and occasionally moving autobiography chronicles fifty-five years of fascination with and involvement in American politics. The general reader will enjoy the impish delight with which Tyrrell recalls his journalistic coups, and historians will find invaluable his original take on American conservatism from Ronald Reagan’s first tilt at office right up to the present day.” And I would be remiss if I did not include Henry Kissinger’s reflections on my memoirs. Before he kicked this mortal coil, my dear friend Henry wrote that “In How Do We Get Out of Here R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. displays the wit and interest to which readers of The American Spectator are long accustomed. Its perspectives no less than its narrative make it a rewarding memoir.” The list continues. John Fund: “Fifty Years of Spectating — R. Emmett Tyrrell’s Rousing Memoir of American Politics.” Ben Stein: “Bob Tyrrell is the most unafraid writer in America today.” George Gilder: Tyrrell ends his remembrance of presidents and power “exquisitely with a poignant prayer: ‘Life is short, but eternity is forever.’” Yet something was missing. I had enjoyed a plenitude of reviews from across this great nation of ours, but none had come in from the New York Times or the Washington Post in going on two years — not even an insult. Just two blank spots. Moreover, I had started my column-writing days at the Post, and I even complimented my editor at the Post, the charming Meg Greenfield. What is more, as a column writer, I had picked Donald Trump as a winner twice. The first time I was about the only columnist in the country to do so. Did that not get the paper’s attention? Apparently not, but it might have gotten the attention of the paper’s proprietor. The proprietor’s name is Jeff Bezos, and he is concerned with the Post’s reputation for accuracy. He recently wrote a piece headlined “The hard truth: Americans don’t trust the news media.” What can be done about it? Start by reviewing books that deserve a fair reviewing and report fairly on candidates that have won the presidency of the United States … twice. READ MORE from R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.: Bob Dylan Is My Hero Throw the Bum Out Theodore Olson, RIP The post The Case of the Missing Book Reviews appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

WASHINGTON — Embrace the chaos — that’s my formula for dealing with Trump 2.0, especially on the world stage. If you thought that the second time around President-elect Donald Trump was going to be more congenial toward our allies in the international community, Tuesday you got your wake-up call. During a Mar-a-Lago press conference, Trump explained how he plans to protect U.S. national interests in ways that a year ago seemed unthinkable. It was not a good day for the governments of Canada, Mexico, Panama, and Greenland. The term “Manifest Destiny” is enjoying a comeback. Yes, he was trolling. At one point, Trump offered, “We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring.” If you put your ear to the ground, you could hear the sound of cellphones buzzing from Foggy Bottom to Mexico City. On cable news and social media, the reaction was predictable. How dare he say that? Can he do that? (The answer is yes, there’s a federal office for rebranding, the U.S. Board for Geographic Names.) Well, there’s a caveat. Washington can change the name of the Gulf, but other countries need not follow our lead. Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, R-Ga., pounced on the clickbait issue. “I’ve directed my staff to immediately begin drafting legislation to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.” Trump also maintained he could use “economic force” to annex O, Canada, which he wants to make America’s 51st state. Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau understandably dismissed the annexation scheme as not having a snowball’s chance in hell. Never one to ignore a good graphic, Trump posted a map that melded Canada and the USA into one country on Truth Social. The Hill asked its readers, “Do you think Canada should merge with the United States?” Presumably, Canadians have some say in the matter. Ditto residents of Greenland and Panama. Trump is especially fixated on Panama, with its canal built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Greenland, which is controlled by Denmark, given their key role in international shipping. When a reporter asked Trump if he could assure the world that he wouldn’t use military or economic coercion to get control of Greenland or the Panama Canal, the former president replied, “No.” It was an unexpected remark when you consider how Trump boasts that he never started a war. But we’ve seen Trump use his bully pulpit as a negotiating tool before. At his first NATO summit in 2017, Trump berated member nations for not paying their “fair share” on defense — 2 percent of their GDP — and was slow to explicitly endorse Article 5, NATO’s one-for-all and all-for-one provision mutual defense pact. Only four countries met the 2 percent goal in 2017. That number rose to nine in 2020 and 23 last year, a steep rise that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Now Trump argues NATO countries should spend 5 percent of their GDP on defense. You can be sure NATO leaders are listening. It’s a dangerous world out there. They should embrace the chaos. READ MORE from Debra J. Saunders: Biden Stumbles Again. Where Are the Handlers? Did Donald Trump Want Matt Gaetz to Be the Next Attorney General, or Was the Very Notion a Ruse? Jimmy Carter Had the Best Post-Presidency Contact Review-Journal Washington columnist Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@reviewjournal.com. Follow @debrajsaunders on X. COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM The post Trump Takes the World Stage. Embrace the Chaos appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Robert McElroy to succeed Cardinal Wilton Gregory as the Archbishop of Washington. A progressive voice in the American hierarchy, McElroy’s imminent move to the nation’s capital seems more political than pastoral.  McElroy has previously sparked controversy for his views on eucharistic coherence, the discernment of who can or cannot receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church. While the debates about the reception of the Eucharist frequently center on prominent pro-abortion Catholic politicians, all people living out of communion with the Catholic Church are unable to receive the Eucharist — including Catholics who are divorced and remarried and Catholics in same-sex relationships.  In a 2023 America article, McElroy challenged these practices. Bishop Thomas Paprocki, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance, responded obliquely to McElroy’s views in a First Things article titled, “Imagining a Heretical Cardinal.” Framed as a thought experiment that illustrates the various theological and canonical structures at play in such a scenario, Paprocki repudiated McElroy’s arguments with scriptural, historical, and theological authority.  Due to McElroy’s controversial views, the pope reportedly considered other candidates to lead the Archdiocese — until Trump got under his skin, that is.  An Unexpected Appointment In the months-long search for Gregory’s successor, several candidates were put forth, receiving conflicting recommendations from various stakeholders. Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, a progressive prelate and close ally to the pope, supported McElroy for the position, though Pope Francis allegedly made a “firm decision” against McElroy in October. He had been “initially ruled out [for the role] in part because he could be seen as a provocative choice by the incoming administration,” the Pillar reported.  A senior official told the Pillar that Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, opposed McElroy’s candidacy, viewing him as a “‘polarizing’ choice for the D.C. job.” With priorities of achieving peace in Ukraine and the Holy Land, the secretariat of state was reportedly anticipating a “‘non-confrontational’ approach to the incoming Trump administration.”  But President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of CatholicVote president Brian Burch changed the pope’s mind. An anonymous official stated that “the appointment of Burch was perceived at the Secretariat of State as ‘aggressive’ and ‘undiplomatic.’” The Pillar reports:  At the same time, sources close to the process told The Pillar, Cardinal Cupich privately represented the nomination as antagonistic towards Pope Francis personally, requiring an appointment for Washington in response. The result was Pope Francis reversing his previous decision and opting for McElroy.  Keeping An Eye on Trump When he was introduced as the new archbishop on Monday, Cardinal McElroy foreshadowed conflict with Trump on immigration.  “The Catholic Church teaches that a country has the right to control its borders. And our nation’s desire to do that is a legitimate effort,” he said. “At the same time, we are called always to have a sense of the dignity of every human person. And thus, plans which have been talked about at some levels of having a wider indiscriminate massive deportation across the country would be something that would be incompatible with Catholic doctrine.” As the Daily Signal pointed out, “McElroy’s comments come after Catholic charities in the United States have been criticized for facilitating the unlawful migration crisis in the United States through their support of illegal aliens who are transported across the border by Mexican drug and trafficking cartels.”  As Archbishop of Washington, McElroy can operate independently from the United States Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), which has its own system for government relations.  “While the conference aims to establish itself to federal agencies and the White House as the voice of the bishops, the Archbishop of Washington is usually in a position to thwart that,” Catholic reporter JD Flynn wrote for the Pillar. Flynn explained that, while Gregory did not focus on D.C. politics, his predecessors Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Theodore McCarrick were “notorious for putting themselves in the process.”  How McElroy will navigate the imminent second Trump term — and, particularly, the administration’s immigration policies — remains to be seen following his installation as archbishop on March 11.  Inheriting the McCarrick Scandal  Though the role will give him a bully pulpit for criticism of the incoming Trump administration, McElroy will also inherit the disgraceful legacy left by Theodore McCarrick, who served as Washington’s archbishop from 2001 to 2006. Over the past two decades, a decided lack of transparency has characterized the archdiocesan approach to the McCarrick scandal, with Cardinal Wuerl falsely claiming ignorance of his predecessor’s behavior and Cardinal Gregory remaining tight-lipped about the scandal.  Unfortunately, McElroy’s track record doesn’t give much reason to hope for increased transparency on the issue. In 2016, he dismissed concerns about McCarrick’s behavior brought by psychotherapist and clerical sex abuse expert Richard Sipe. Philip Lawler, director of Catholic Culture and editor of Catholic World News, predicted two consequences of McElroy’s move to D.C.: “He will be a prominent critic of the Trump administration. [And h]e will be criticized himself in turn, because of his ties to … McCarrick.”  “His criticism of the White House may or may not damage Trump. But the criticism of McElroy will undoubtedly damage the credibility of the Catholic hierarchy,” Lawler commented. “So his appointment tells you something about the current priorities of Vatican leadership.” Mary Frances (Myler) Devlin is a contributing editor at The American Spectator. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2022.  READ MORE by Mary Frances Devlin:  ‘Shield Laws’ Protect Abortionists Who Send Chemical Abortion Pills Across State Lines Kevin Roberts’s Fiery New Fusionism Dissatisfied Democrats Voice Frustrations With Party Line on Transgender Issues The post Pope Francis Gets His Man in Washington  appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.