Michelle Bran&;eacute; is an anti-borders extremist. Her entire career has been dedicated to undermining America’s immigration laws and interfering with efforts to secure America’s borders. She has characterized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as “abusive” and has been a vocal advocate for defunding the agency. The bulk of her employment history consists of jobs with organizations that oppose any reasonable immigration enforcement. If you think Bran&;eacute; sounds like an incredibly poor choice to make decisions about who ICE should and should not detain‚ you would be correct. Nevertheless‚ the White House has chosen her to be the Department of Homeland Security’s immigration detention ombudsman. This administration’s hiring practices‚ like its policy choices‚ are nothing less than a deliberate attempt to undermine the DHS from within. In her new job‚ Bran&;eacute; will “assist individuals with complaints about the potential violation of immigration detention standards or other misconduct by DHS (or contract) personnel and provides oversight of immigration detention facilities.” Given her publicly and frequently expressed bias against any type of immigration enforcement‚ how often do you think she’s going to find in favor of ICE&;#63; This recent hire continues the Biden administration's series of controversial job picks. For instance‚ Tucson‚ Arizona‚ police chief Chris Magnus was selected to serve as the commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection‚ despite (more likely because of ) his advocacy of sanctuary city policies. Magnus instructed his department not to cooperate with ICE or the Border Patrol. He eventually proved so incompetent as his job that even the White House had to acknowledge his shortcomings and accept his resignation. The DHS tapped Kerry Doyle‚ a pro-illegal alien‚ anti-ICE activist with no immigration enforcement experience‚ as ICE’s chief attorney. Doyle is a vocal critic of ICE’s successful 287(g) program that enlisted local law enforcement agencies’ assistance in apprehending criminal aliens. She has also been an outspoken supporter of foolish and dangerous sanctuary city policies. Ed Gonzalez‚ the sheriff of Harris County‚ Texas‚ was nominated to run ICE in 2021. A vocal opponent of the Trump administration’s immigration policies‚ he ended his department’s cooperative agreements with ICE and criticized ICE enforcement actions as unfair to alien lawbreakers. Gonzalez eventually withdrew his name from consideration after he was accused of domestic violence. It’s not unusual for individuals with both prosecution and defense experience to be nominated for positions as judges or criminal justice agency heads. In the past‚ however‚ those nominees have typically been people who‚ along with having familiarity with both sides of an issue‚ have expressed a strong belief in the American system of justice. They have not been ideological extremists who believe that certain groups of people are entitled to break the law. But that is exactly what we’re getting now. The people in charge of immigration enforcement with the DHS are ideological extremists whose primary concern is the well-being of alien lawbreakers‚ not the American people they are supposed to protect. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas regularly appears before Congress and‚ with a straight face‚ claims he is doing everything possible to secure America’s border and discourage illegal immigration. But even if Mayorkas were serious about immigration enforcement — he is not remotely interested in enforcing the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act or securing the border — how would he do it if every agency that reports to him is being run by people who are stridently opposed to secure borders&;#63; This administration’s hiring practices‚ like its policy choices‚ are nothing less than a deliberate attempt to undermine the DHS from within. In fact‚ the very office that Bran&;eacute; is heading up is a classic inside-the-beltway boondoggle. Congress established the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman in 2019. The office did not exist before because‚ like everyone else detained in the United States‚ incarcerated aliens could seek legal review of their detention‚ both before the U.S. Immigration Court and the federal courts. If that somehow wasn’t enough‚ immigration detention is also overseen by the DHS Office of the Inspector General‚ the DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties‚ the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility (aka “internal affairs”)‚ and the ICE Custody Management Division. Dissatisfied guests in an $800-per-night luxury hotel have fewer avenues of recourse when they are dissatisfied with the service they receive. So it’s unclear why foreign nationals who have either worn out their welcome in the United States or were never welcome in the first place‚ should have so many taxpayer-funded officials ensuring that federal incarceration is to their liking. ICE’s job is tough enough under the best of circumstances. There is no reason for Congress to further complicate it by creating unnecessary watchdog agencies like OIDO. That’s bad enough. But appointing an ICE-hating extremist like Michelle Bran&;eacute; to oversee such an agency is an unforgivable slap in the face to the dedicated‚ patriotic‚ and hardworking men and women of ICE. And it serves only to further politicize a basic public safety and national security function that should receive unqualified bipartisan support.

America’s colleges and universities were once seen as the greatest collection of academic institutions in the world. Places where young adults went to pursue knowledge‚ speak their minds‚ and debate their views‚ especially when those views opposed one another. No longer. Driven by leftists‚ America’s institutions of higher learning‚ the birthplace of the free speech movement‚ have become Marxist indoctrination centers‚ where only one view is tolerated. Take an opposing view and you will be canceled‚ doxed‚ and possibly expelled. No wonder applications to colleges and universities have declined while enrollment at trade schools has skyrocketed. Even worse‚ today‚ the prevailing view is one that is grossly anti-Semitic in its support of a terrorist organization that murders indiscriminately; rapes men‚ women‚ and children; and even puts innocent babies into ovens‚ baking them to death in front of their parents‚ replicating the horrors of the Holocaust. How did we get here&;#63; The free speech movement began in 1964 at the University of California‚ Berkeley‚ of all places‚ with students protesting the school’s restrictions on campus political activism. What started as small‚ peaceful sit-ins and demonstrations grew to a series of huge rallies and protests‚ demanding that the rights guaranteed by the Constitution apply at Berkeley. These sit-ins and protests led the university to overturn its policies that restricted the content of speech and advocacy on campus. This spread to other campuses as students protested in favor of civil rights and an end to the Vietnam War. Then‚ universities began to change‚ sliding to the extreme left. Student radicals of the 1960s and ’70s eventually entered the faculty and became administrators. A 2022 survey of faculty at Harvard showed that more than 80% of its faculty identified as being either liberal or very liberal. Less than 1.5% of professors identified as conservative. A recent job posting at the University of California‚ Berkeley‚ required applicants to provide statements on their contributions to advancing diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion. Today‚ neither diversity nor inclusion are tolerated on America’s college campuses‚ especially if you happen to be Jewish. Funded by left-wing billionaire George Soros‚ protests in support of the terrorist organization Hamas have erupted on campuses across the country. They are looking to replace Israel with a terrorist nation‚ calling for a globalized “intifada‚” or uprising. Chants of “from the river to the sea‚ Palestine shall be free‚” echo across our nation’s universities. The slogan is a euphemism for wiping Israel — and Jews — off the map. Protesters have physically and verbally attacked Jewish students and in some cases even prevented them from attending class. In an increasingly common occurrence‚ a Jewish Yale student who was covering a pro-Hamas protest at the university reported being assaulted by a protester who supports the terrorist organization. Administrators at most universities have failed miserably in addressing the protests and the anti-Semitism that accompanies them. And perhaps no three universities have failed worse than Harvard‚ Columbia‚ and the University of California. Harvard’s president‚ Claudine Gay‚ was forced to resign after she faced national backlash over the university’s response to the Israel-Hamas war‚ failing either to condemn Hamas or address a pro-Palestinian‚ anti-Semitic statement signed by more than 30 student groups. Before Congress‚ Gay also said that students calling for the genocide of Jews may not violate the school's code of conduct. Columbia has fumbled its response to pro-terrorist protests on its campus since they began. Instead of having protesters illegally occupying the school’s Morningside Heights campus arrested‚ the administration tried negotiating with them. As of Monday night‚ protesters had moved from their encampment and into nearby Hamilton Hall‚ where they have built barricades. Columbia already capitulated to the protesters by canceling in-person classes and moving all classes to remote learning‚ effectively surrendering to the mob. The University of California has also surrendered to protesters‚ canceling its commencement ceremony‚ previously scheduled for May 10. The parent of a University of California senior‚ who requested to remain anonymous‚ expressed his and his student’s anger and frustration. “My daughter missed her high school prom and graduation because of the COVID lockdowns. Now she is missing her college graduation because the university would rather bow to people who break the law and support murderers and rapists than the law-abiding students who worked hard‚ followed the rules‚ and wanted to celebrate their achievement in front of friends and family.” This parent’s statement summarizes the situation perfectly. University administrators across the nation would rather punish the students who abide by the law and follow their university’s rules than incur the wrath of those who support rapists and baby-killers. No wonder applications to colleges and universities have declined while enrollment at trade schools has skyrocketed. America’s colleges and universities are at a tipping point. Will they re-embrace their historic position of encouraging debate‚ the free exchange of ideas‚ and the pursuit of knowledge‚ regardless of race‚ creed‚ color‚ or political affiliation&;#63; Or will they follow the path of the violent mob‚ continuing down a suicidal path driven by the left&;#63;

According to conventional wisdom‚ bad marriages spiral into divorce around year seven. It’s called the “seven-year itch.”LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers just concluded the sixth year of their shotgun marriage‚ losing to the Denver Nuggets in five games in the first round of the playoffs. The Lakers don’t have a system‚ and they married a superstar player who only buys into himself. Let’s look at the LeBron James Hollywood Experiment. The Lakers have missed the playoffs twice‚ exited in the first round twice‚ and advanced to the NBA Finals once. In 72 months‚ they won a single title with LeBron‚ the 2020 “COVID bubble” championship.By Lakers standards‚ the marriage to LeBron has been a failure. In the 64-year history of the Los Angeles Lakers‚ the franchise has competed in 27 NBA Finals. On average‚ every 2.5 years‚ the Lakers play in the NBA Finals. With the league’s all-time leading scorer‚ the franchise has advanced to the NBA’s biggest stage once in six years. This is a bad marriage. It’s showing all the signs. What happens when spouses realize they’re in a sour marriage&;#63; One of the parties concludes adding a child will rekindle the spark that united them.Shortly after the Nuggets eliminated the Lakers on Monday night‚ NBA information guru Shams Charania reported that owner Jeanie Buss was open to adding LeBron’s unqualified son Bronny James to the Lakers roster. Making Bronny the NBA’s first “make-a-wish” kid is the key to salvaging this bad marriage. Only in Hollywood.I say that because many people will rush to lay all the blame for this failed experiment on LeBron James. An equal amount of blame falls on the Lakers’ outdated strategy. The truth is‚ the Lakers have never been an expertly run sports franchise. I say that with the full knowledge that the great Jerry West served as the franchise’s general manager for nearly two decades‚ and legends Pat Riley and Phil Jackson coached the team through two dynasties. But the Lakers have been the NBA’s most dominant franchise solely because it has been allowed to acquire the biggest and most dominant forces in basketball — Wilt Chamberlain‚ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar‚ Shaquille O’Neal‚ and LeBron James. The Lakers didn’t draft and develop any of those players. They acquired them via trade or free agency. It’s good for the league to have its most indomitable forces located in the city known for creating TV icons. Plucking Chamberlain from Philadelphia‚ Abdul-Jabbar from Milwaukee‚ O’Neal from Orlando‚ and James from Cleveland served the NBA’s bottom line. The NBA‚ like all sports leagues‚ is just another TV show. But‚ given all the rule manipulation and the dramatic change in style of play‚ the formula no longer works. Wilt‚ Kareem‚ and Shaq played during a physical era when a brute in the low post created the space for his four other teammates to flourish. The game is now spaced‚ three-point shooters rule‚ and an analytics-driven strategy delivers championships and consistent winning. LeBron hangs out along the three-point line like everyone else. His brute strength and physical advantages are nullified in the modern NBA. Great coaching and homegrown talent are the key to consistent winning. You could see it in the Steve Kerr-Steph Curry Golden State dynasty. You can see it in what Michael Malone‚ Nikola Jokic‚ and the Denver Nuggets have built. You can see it with the Minnesota Timberwolves‚ the Oklahoma City Thunder‚ and even the Boston Celtics. You need a system and players willing to buy into it. The Lakers don’t have a system‚ and they married a superstar player who only buys into himself. LeBron has had eight different NBA coaches. Paul Silas‚ Brendan Malone‚ Mike Brown‚ Erik Spoelstra‚ Ty Lue‚ David Blatt‚ Frank Vogel‚ and Darvin Ham. Ham is likely to be fired by the Lakers this offseason. In comparison‚ starting with high school and including the Olympics‚ Michael Jordan had eight different basketball coaches: Clifton Harring in high school; Dean Smith in college; Bobby Knight at the 1984 Olympics; Kevin Lougherty‚ Stan Albeck‚ Doug Collins‚ and Phil Jackson with the Bulls; Chuck Daly at the 1992 Olympics; Doug Collins at the Wizards.LeBron James is the Liz Taylor of basketball divorce. He’s in another toxic relationship. Adding Baby Bronny won’t fix what’s broken inside the Lakers organization.

George Soros‚ who for decades has been funding progressive‚ neo-Marxist leftist groups‚ also poured money into groups and individuals that reject the existence of Israel. So‚ it is not surprising that his son‚ Alexander‚ who now runs the ironically named Open Society Foundations‚ is now funding‚ directly and indirectly‚ pro-Hamas demonstrations and Hamas-supporters’ encampments on university campuses across the United States.The campus “occupations” are reminiscent of Kyiv’s Maidan Square encampment in the winter of 2004-2005‚ when Soros helped fund the Orange Revolution. He also supported the 2014 demonstrations of the Maidan Revolution‚ for which he was awarded Ukraine’s Order of Freedom by the Ukrainian president he helped elect‚ Petro Poroshenko.Soros is the prime mover behind a decades-long effort culminating with a tsunami of anti-Semitic attacks on Israel and Jews everywhere.When Hamas‚ the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood‚ took over Gaza in 2007‚ Soros criticized Israel for refusing “to recognize the democratically elected Hamas government.” He deliberately ignored the fact that the Islamist terrorist group’s explicit and well-advertised objective is the elimination of the Jewish state of Israel.Soros has been funding‚ directly and indirectly — and apparently with the acquiescence of U.S. administrations — Israeli-Jewish and Israeli-Arab leftist groups‚ as well as media outlets‚ that oppose Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.That’s in addition to his generous funding of Palestinian-led groups‚ along with pro-Palestinian Jewish‚ Christian‚ and Muslim organizations that promote boycotts‚ divestments‚ and sanctions against Israel. Among the many groups Soros funds include Students for Justice in Palestine and the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights‚ which are spearheading violent demonstrations on college and university campuses.More than a few organizations backed by Soros' foundations have well-documented links with the U.S.-designated terrorist groups. All support the elections and appointments of anti-Israel activists to Congress‚ the administration‚ and international nonprofit organizations. Details of his decades-long crusade against the Jewish state are spelled out in “The Soros Agenda.” Despite the evidence‚ the Open Society Foundations have repeatedly denied such funding. In 2019‚ Soros spokesman Michael Vachon made a feeble attempt at plausible deniability. While denying the foundations’ support of BDS groups‚ he admitted that at times they simply don’t know how their support is used. “The foundation[s] cannot track every project connected to every organization that ... [they have] supported over the decades‚” he said.The Open Society Foundations and their well-funded proxies never fail to condemn Israel for its effort to curb the activities of Palestinian terrorist groups masquerading as human rights charities. Like parrots‚ they repeat Hamas' lies about Israel. Their phrasing is then used by the United Nations‚ the European Union‚ and Biden’s State Department to further criticize Israel.Just how many millions of dollars Soros has directed to pro-Hamas‚ anti-Israel‚ and anti-American groups is unclear. These are merely guesstimates because the Open Society Foundations are notoriously opaque. What is certain‚ however‚ is that Soros is not only funding the pro-Hamas and anti-American demonstrations we see on campuses today. He has also been the prime mover behind a decades-long effort culminating with a tsunami of anti-Semitic attacks on Israel and Jews everywhere.

The media is being used to change your perception of reality.Memory is important. It’s more than a record or the sum of our experiences. It’s more than the mere chronicle of our lives and the tally of good and bad lessons learned. Although our memory is those things‚ it is fundamentally the key to who we are.We are cutting the flowers of our future. This only happens if we allow someone to cut us from the root.Entities that lose their memory‚ whether it be people‚ groups‚ or nations‚ don’t merely lose knowledge of their past‚ of who they were or have been. They lose the knowledge of themselves‚ the knowledge of their purpose‚ of who they are‚ of who they’re meant to be. They lose the present and the future. This is exactly what the media is doing. It is creating “memory holes.”In “1984‚” everyone was forced to go into the “Ministry of Truth” where they were taught the lies that were integral for keeping the tyrannical powers in control. These lies were taught in rooms where they would take evidence of the “old truth” like photos and documents and throw them down the “memory holes.” At the bottom of the memory hole was a fiery furnace. All the memories of the past would be gone forever‚ priming the people for a new history‚ a new identity.When you lose the knowledge of yourself‚ you lose your purpose and who you were meant to be. You are truly lost.Think of any movie or series that starts with the hero waking up to find his memory gone. His fundamental character traits may remain‚ but he's unmoored‚ not only unable to recognize family from strangers but also without the knowledge of who he is and how he should act next. It leaves people open to manipulation‚ to being reprogrammed with lies by whatever bad actor who wants to use them for his own purposes. This is also true for societies. If we forget our stories‚ if we stop telling them or allow others to edit them to suit their purposes‚ we lose them. We forget who we are and who we can and should be. We leave ourselves open to anyone with an alternate story to tell.This is what’s happened to Christianity. We’ve stopped reading the Bible‚ and now we're listening to scientists and atheists and others who say‚ “Live for today.” What’s wrong with that&;#63; Living merely for today is living life on our own terms. There lies the problem. We forget who we are and who we serve and leave ourselves open to the enemy. This is the trait of every postmodern‚ post-Western‚ radical atheistic‚ Marxist thinker or leader.“Remember who you are‚ Simba&;#33; Remember who you are.” That seems kind of important for the entire story of “The Lion King” — that Simba remembers his roots. Why is it not so important for us&;#63; These stories tell us why we’re here and what we’re here to do. But now‚ we are being told new stories. The old memories are torn apart and must be denied‚ delegitimized‚ erased. Now‚ the new‚ more suitable‚ “enlightened” stories can replace them.Many on the left truly believe the old stories are garbage and that the new stories are true. Yet‚ they can enjoy the fruits of what’s built on the foundation of the old stories‚ the material and moral benefits that they take for granted and are currently destroying. They are cutting down the flowers of liberty. But cut flowers are not alive. When you cut a flower‚ it fades‚ wilts‚ and dies. They're a silent memory of what was and what could have been. To misquote Patrick Rothfuss‚ “All around them hangs the cut flowers‚ the silence the beauty of a culture waiting to die.” They don’t produce any seeds. There is no next generation of flowers. When they fade‚ only rot will remain. What was‚ will be no more.We are cutting the flowers of our future. This only happens if we allow someone to cut us from our roots.Do you know why our families are so broken&;#63; Because we don’t know where we came from or how we got here. “We’re all immigrants.” That's what everybody says. But how many of us know why they brought their family here&;#63; What it cost them&;#63; Millions have risked their lives to come here for a reason. We need to remember these stories. But memory requires a conscious effort‚ a choice‚ a ritual. It requires that a story be told over and over again.We aren’t retelling these stories‚ and in the vacuum we've created‚ new stories are being told‚ stories that are rewriting our past to form the foundation of the elite’s “Brave New World.” The story is one that defines humanity in the Marxist categories of oppressor and oppressed‚ one that promises safety and security at the expense of freedom‚ one that is antihuman rather than championing the dignity of the individual. It’s being told over and over and over again‚ and look how quickly our identity is being lost.This is our memory hole‚ and we are at risk of losing our memory of who we are as individuals‚ as a people‚ as a nation. But the solution starts with us. We must tell our stories. We must tell the truth. We must tell the stories of our own lives‚ of our families. And we must retell our stories over and over again. Tell the stories of your family. Teach your children the beautiful stories that forged this nation. Memory holes require a vacuum. It's on us to fill that void with true and beautiful stories.Want more from Glenn Beck&;#63; Get Glenn's FREE email newsletter with his latest insights‚ top stories‚ show prep‚ and more delivered to your inbox.

Jimmy Ringo is the fastest gun in the West‚ a reality that causes him great annoyance and emotional pain. When news spreads that he’s in Cayenne‚ the school teacher declares a holiday to let the girls go admire him — the boys didn’t even show up for class. There are other reasons the teacher let them loose. He’s welcomed by marshals and deputies who cautiously tell him to keep moving to the next town. It’s a simple story‚ but a good one: An infamous gunfighter is besieged by fame-seeking hotshots who force him into their murders. With each dead hotshot‚ his infamy grows‚ further cementing his identity as a killer and intensifying the widespread pursuit of his death. It’s the only thing that people talk about. How will he die&;#63; How many has he killed&;#63; This conversation takes place in every single scene‚ with different people using the same exact words and phrases. All the while‚ this notorious gunslinger just wants to see his wife and son. That is all he can think about. The complexity of &;quot;The Gunfighter&;quot; — and for all its simplicity‚ it is wildly complex — comes largely from the constant irony seeping from every single line. Even the marching squad of nagging women who condemn Ringo don't realize they're just burnishing the myth. And yet‚ his son still prefers Wyatt Earp.Nor do they realize that the kind‚ patient‚ reticent‚ and ultimately upright man they’re talking to is in fact the savage murderer they’re screeching about. When the marshal comes into the jail station‚ one of these hen-ladies berates him‚ unaware that she’s literally a foot from Ringo:“What do you to intend to do about the madman&;#63;”“Nothing‚ Ma'am‚” says the marshal. “You’re going to allow him to sit right there in that saloon as long as he pleases‚ demoralizing the whole town&;#63;”“Well the trouble so far ain’t been him demoralizing the town‚ it’s the town demoralizing him. Some fella just tried to demoralize him with a Winchester.”With each scene‚ the disparity between Jimmy Ringo's murderous reputation and his private heartbreak widens. Everybody wants Ringo to fight. They want to witness him kill or croak‚ but to him‚ it’s like swatting flies — he’s so quick that the camera doesn’t even have time to pull back to him by the time he’s fired a deadly shot. All it does is remind him of his deep sadness. &;quot;The Gunfighter&;quot; depicts that sadness with notes of unexpected humor.Characters make strange decisions‚ many of which simply fizzle out. This actually improves the drama. The deputy guarding Ringo at the Palace Bar displays quietly comic cluelessness. He refuses to abandon his post in order to pursue a rifle-wielding maniac. This leaves Ringo to do the lawman's work.It’s one of the great ironies in a film flooded with ironic situations and people: Our lovable “villain” might be the most lawful man in town. Tick tockMuch like &;quot;High Noon‚&;quot; there’s a running countdown that keeps Ringo fixated on clocks. He’s got to escape before three men come to kill him‚ but he’s trapped‚ like an inmate awaiting execution. For most of the movie‚ he’s stuck in the Palace Bar. That name is wonderfully ironic for what is essentially a prison. In our interview‚ Andrew Patrick Nelson offered a list of four Westerns that everyone needs to see: “In terms of underrated Westerns‚ 'The Gunslinger' is probably one of the most underrated Westerns. So‚ I would start there.”A loosely historic account of gunslinger Johnny Ringo‚ &;quot;The Gunfighter&;quot; features Gregory Peck as Jimmy Ringo‚ an infamous aging gunslinger who “tries to reconnect with his wife and child‚ but finds that his past always is going to catch up with him‚ which is a kind of a timeless Western story and seems more contemporary.”Notably‚ the film is directed by Henry King‚ a legend of the early days of Hollywood and a founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. &;quot;The Gunfighter&;quot; is the second of six collaborations between King and Peck‚ one of the decades-spanning actor-director duos for which the genre is known. &;quot;The Gunfighter&;quot; was the second-to-last film of veteran cinematographer Arthur C. Miller‚ who makes his noir background apparent.But it’s also a film experience you enjoy hearing. If you covered up the screen and only paid attention to the audio‚ it might not be obvious that the film is a Western. It’s full of the kind of banter that could just as easily appear in a Bogart film. I love the sound of the movie in general. It has none of the volume-jumping of modern movies. It’s an incredibly relaxing movie to watch. Soothing.Westerns can heal what ails you. There's more than a little truth to the recent Babylon Bee meme reading‚ &;quot;Breakthrough treatment discovered for male depression called ‘Watching Tombstone.’&;quot;Admirers and schemersJimmy Ringo can’t go anywhere without people gawking at him‚ stammering‚ afraid and in awe. Just as reliable are the wannabes eager to gain their own prestige by winning a gunfight against the inimitable Jimmy Ringo. If I sound repetitive‚ it's because the film emphasizes these tensions and anxieties relentlessly until we feel as beleaguered as Ringo himself.Gregory Peck does a fantastic job of capturing the exhaustion of an old West legend who's had enough. What he wants is normalcy. He earned the fame he sought when he was young and cocky‚ now it’s a burden he can’t ever set down. Ironically‚ because the people wanting his fame for themselves won't let him. At the same time‚ they fear him. They don’t want him in their safe little towns. Ringo wanders from town to town just trying to get a glass of whiskey and be left alone. But his presence alone is enough to spook anyone he interacts with. This fame is a handicap. A sizable hindrance. “I guess I’ve got more people wondering when I’m gonna get killed than any man in the country.”This might not be as hyperbolic as it seems. “He don’t look so tough to me‚” a deputy tells the marshal‚ who has known Ringo for years — long enough that Ringo is surprised to see him wearing a badge. “Yeah‚ yeah‚ that’s the way it always starts. He don’t look so tough to somebody.”“Except with this somebody it’s gonna stop right there‚ too.”“Ha‚” replies the marshal‚ “because with a man like that‚ you can’t come off much better than second.”

Comedy cowards had a pretty good week‚ no&;#63;First‚ fake “Saturday Night Live” newsman Colin Jost ended his White House Correspondents' Dinner speech Saturday by essentially endorsing President Joe Biden.“My ‘Weekend Update’ co-anchor‚ Michael Che‚ was going to join me here tonight — but in solidarity with President Biden‚ I decided to lose all my black support.”Because that’s what political humorists do‚ right&;#63; Remember when SNL serenaded outgoing President Barack Obama with a rendition of “To Sir with Love&;#63;”The cringe … it lingers.Howard Stern trades whack-pack for flack-packJost‚ to his credit‚ actually flung a few zingers at the “Weekend at Bernie’s” president. That’s more than what Howard Stern did.The King of All Suck-Ups interviewed Biden Friday from his SiriusXM radio perch‚ a chat so fawning‚ Stephen Colbert told Stern to take it down a peg.It’s one thing to read the Stern-Biden excerpts‚ and I advise doing so before you eat. It’s another to hear Stern swoon like a schoolgirl over a president currently ignoring anti-Semitic protests engulfing whole campuses.The MSNBC fanboy once stood tall for the state of Israel. Now&;#63; Not so much.Stern was never everyone’s cup of Joe. He was rude‚ sexually obsessed‚ and eager to offend. He also changed the face of radio‚ delivered raw commentary few could equal and stood tall for free speech during the 1990s.The 2024 Stern is a “Body Snatcher” version‚ or he knows his ribald past would get him canceled in a New York minute. For Hopalong Howie‚ it’s go far-left or find yourself out of a gig ...Dwayne Johnson bails on Biden; bears bad behavior backlashThis reporter interviewed Dwayne Johnson in 2004 when he was promoting the “Walking Tall” remake. Johnson had spent a full day in D.C. chatting with fellow journalists. You try answering inane questions for eight-plus hours.Now‚ it was my turn. Johnson didn’t disappoint. He was funny‚ frank‚ and engaged‚ brimming with energy for the task at hand.That memory resurfaced after reading a withering report on TheWrap.com about the 51-year-old superstar. The report alleges Johnson repeatedly showed up late to the set of his upcoming Prime Video title “Red One.”How late&;#63; Try up to seven hours‚ on average‚ and that’s assuming he showed up at all. The other details are just ... gross.My old colleague John Nolte noted the hit piece came weeks after Johnson announced he wouldn’t endorse Biden this time ‘round. His proof&;#63; Many of the allegations against Johnson aren’t new‚ but they’re being shared for the first time‚ now.Just a coincidence‚ folks&;#33;The allegations are shocking‚ and we’ve yet to hear Johnson’s response to them‚ to be fair.It suggests the rising star I met 20 years ago has had a belly full of fame‚ and he’s all the worse for it ...Seinfeld on comedy censors: there is something wrong with that.Jerry Seinfeld rocked pop culture in 2015 when he said he and his comedy pals avoid playing to woke college students. Why would a squeaky-clean comic care about easily offended patrons&;#63;Seinfeld cared because he cares about comedy. Then and now.That’s why Seinfeld did it again recently in a chat with the New Yorker’s podcast. Seinfeld blamed the decline in comedy on the “extreme left‚” and the media predictably melted down. The Independent‚ the Guardian‚ and Rolling Stone either attacked Seinfeld‚ called him old‚ or somehow insisted he was wrong.Ad hominem attacks are never a sign of strength.Except they couldn’t explain exactly why he was wrong. Because he’s right.Rolling Stone‚ which once stood for free speech‚ spent most of its cyber-ink maligning the “far-right” extremists who praised Seinfeld.There’s a reason leftists try to silence their opponents. They’re lousy debaters ...Actual joke spotted in wild‚ to liberal chagrinOne final thought on Jost’s WHCD performance. Jost actually zinged President Biden a time or two‚ but the reaction from the crowd spoke volumes of the current state of journalism.The far-left Hollywood Reporter noted his material was met with a “notable amount of silence.” Case in point&;#63;“My ‘Weekend Update’ co-anchor‚ Michael Che‚ was going to join me here tonight — but in solidarity with President Biden‚ I decided to lose all my black support.”Not bad‚ and it’s rooted in Biden’s diminished polling with black Americans. That’s satirical comedy 101. Clever and reality-based. It’s speaking truth to power&;#33;Except the assembled journos wanted no part of it.“The booing came and the silence lingered after that one‚” THR noted.That‚ coming weeks after an NPR veteran exposed the platform’s hard-left biases for all to see‚ captures the fall of the Fourth Estate to a T.

George Santos is no Joan Rivers. The former congressman may dabble in style reportage‚ but he insists that when it comes to the red carpet he's very much a freshman. &;quot;I would be remiss if I accepted the throne of a queen like Joan Rivers‚&;quot; Santos tells Align. &;quot;I have a long way to go. Joan Rivers was unparalleled.&;quot; Although Santos may not have his official fashion police badge‚ he's not shy about making the occasional citizen's arrest. Over the weekend he got tongues wagging with his second annual roll call of fashion faves and fails from the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Angry texts followed. But Santos says journalists should know nothing in the spotlight is off the record. &;quot;I will say this: Provocateur cultural commentator at large extraordinaire George Santos is far more unforgiving than politician George Santos‚&;quot; he cautions. &;quot;You wanna walk the red carpet‚ you wanna act like a big-boy celebrity‚ get ready.&;quot; He smiles the sly‚ confident smile of a sheriff fixing to clean up the town. &;quot;I think some of the folks in D.C. aren't thrilled that there's going to be actual attention on what they're wearing.&;quot; Here at Align‚ the thrill is all ours. Santos was kind enough to sit down with us and go over some of the night's most notable — and notorious — looks. —Matt Himes Abby Phillip‚ CNN anchor and political correspondent Getty Images/Drew Angerer Abby Phillip slayed. Look‚ not a lot of people will give credit where credit is due. I think Abby Phillip absolutely delivered. She understood the assignment‚ but the only reservation I would have is the color kind of washed her up a little bit because she's a black girl. So a lot of these warmer gold tones do wash up black women. However‚ she pulled that dress off with all its pleats and ruffles and everything it had to offer like a pro. So I gotta give it to her. And she accessorized with velvet just enough on that big oversized belt of hers‚ which most people thought‚ let's just do all suede and velvet looks‚ which it's really easy to look cheap ... Getty Images/Paul Morigi Olivia Beavers‚ Politico Congress reporter ... and that's where you got my worst dress of the evening‚ which was a reporter from political called Olivia Beavers. She absolutely bombed. Gold is not for everyone. Here's a problem we run into. The dress is tapered all the way to the bottom‚ which means it gives you very limited mobility and very limited flow. And there's no natural flow to the dress. You can see that the dress kind of moves‚ but it ruffles up against itself on the body because there's no natural flow to the dress‚ which means she would have benefited from a slit on that dress‚ and it would have given the fabric better movement‚ right&;#63; But instead you look at the hem‚ it looks a little cheap. It's a little weird at the bottom. It funnels her. She has a beautiful figure. I actually know Olivia from my time on the Hill. She's one of the most relentless‚ notorious reporters on Capitol Hill. But then when you go and look at the shoe element‚ it's not the right shoe. It's not helping her toes or cliffhangers. It just looks really cheaply put together. I could almost say I feel like Olivia went on Temu and just ordered an outfit ready to go and she got home and just burned it because that's it. You can't reuse it. Getty Images/Drew Angerer Jacqui Heinrich‚ Fox News White House correspondent Jackie Heinrich came out with a beautiful gold gown‚ and that kind of fell through the cracks. And I said‚ well‚ if you're going to do gold‚ this is how it's done. Just because it's gold doesn't mean it's 24 karat gold. And she delivered 24 karat gold there. If you were comparing karats and some of these other people kind of delivered‚ you know‚ 10 karat or even‚ I would say‚ faux gold. Getty Images/Drew Angerer Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) The sheer chutzpah to show up like that alone&;#33; It's just so inspiring that he does not care what people are going to say. The one thing he could have done was wear Adidas shorts because Adidas already has the stripes naturally on the side. It would have been just perfect&;#33; So‚ room for improvement. But I think Senator Fetterman did a great job. Getty Images/Drew Angerer Sophia Bush‚ actress She used every positive attribute about her. From her curvy silhouette to her hips‚ to her thighs. And she put this very cinched dress. And she put pockets on it&;#33; And I'm like‚ yes‚ she nailed it. She looks stunning. She looked comfortable‚ too‚ which is crazy‚ right&;#63; A lot of people gave me pushback on that one. &;quot;No‚ it looks like she put all of her grandma's old ugly earrings on the dress.&;quot; I'm sorry. If you think that dress is ugly‚ then you clearly are a hater. Sophia Bush looked like a million bucks in that dress. Getty Images/Drew Angerer Kennedy‚ host of 'Kennedy Saves the World' Kennedy wore [the kind of] classic dress you take it behind the barn into the gravel pit and you shoot it dead‚ if you know what I mean‚ because there's really not a redeeming quality. Quite frankly‚ it was kind of embarrassing. I understand she has this shtick where she likes to say she's‚ you know‚ completely a contrarian to everything‚ blah‚ blah‚ blah. After a while‚ I just stopped believing it. I just think quite frankly‚ you just don't know what you're doing. Getty Images/Paul Morigi Heather Podesta‚ lobbyist A notorious lobbyist in Washington‚ D.C.‚ we all know who she is‚ but she just had classic elegance. It was regal. It was just appropriate. It was age-appropriate. It was event-appropriate. The pattern‚ the cut‚ the silhouette‚ it just fit her so perfectly well. And she throws on that silver fox [hair]‚ which just elevates it even more. She didn't look like she was even trying. It was that good. So it caught my attention really quick. And I'm like‚ oh‚ Heather‚ girl‚ all the years lobbying‚ we would think you'd wear some tired pantsuit‚ and look at you. You killed it. She was stunning. I gotta take my hat off to Heather. You looked fabulous. Getty Images/Paul Morigi Lynda Carter‚ actress Are you kidding&;#63; Linda Carter&;#63; I think she can still pull off Wonder Woman better than Gal Gadot does it today. That's old Hollywood. That's classic‚ right&;#63; That's a master class in what you should look like every time you go on a red carpet‚ and Lynda Carter never misses. I think she can put potato sacks on and she'll still pull it off. Getty Images/Drew Angerer Gayle King‚ 'CBS Mornings' host Gayle King: 10 out of 10. So last year she made my bad dress list for the dinner. She had a pink dress that didn't fit her right. It was too short at the ankle. The shoe was wrong‚ the hair was wrong. And then Oprah goes on Ozempic and she took so much Ozempic Gayle King lost 15 pounds and looked great in this pastel metallic green. It just looks so stunning. Getty Images/Drew Angerer Kristen Welker‚ NBC News White House correspondent Kristen Welker is such a beautiful woman. She has this beautiful golden skin tone complexion. And she decided to cover it all up. Oh‚ that's fine. But then it's pink. And I love pink. I mean‚ I love a lot of pink. But this pink just felt busy. It loses definition because there's no contrast of colors on the upper part. And there's a ribbon. And then there's some type of embroidery. It's just a lot. It's a high-neck collar. It's the poofy sleeves. It just felt busy. This is a classic mistake of more is not better. It's less is more. And that's what she should really consider next year because this was kind of weird for me. Like‚ oof. Getty Images/Paul Morigi Sunny Hostin‚ co-host of 'The View' The dress is retro. I get the concept‚ I get the look. It's incorporated‚ it's structured. You can see all the stitching there. It's a nicely confectioned dress. But it's stiff on the bottom. It ruffles in indentations because of how stiff it is. It's like a type of a jeans material‚ as you can see from the picture. You look at the hem‚ you also see like that undoing non-hemmed bottom. But it aged her. And Sunny Hostin looked so beautiful last year. Her curls were naturally out. She had this flowy‚ beautiful gown. She just looked like a million bucks. This kind of packaged her in a weird way. The hair's wrong. The look is uncomfortable-looking‚ but it's also just not good. Hey‚ she has a great figure. She could pretty much put anything on‚ but it doesn't necessarily elevate her. This definitely did not elevate Sunny Hostin. And it's a shame because I was actually looking forward to seeing what she put on this year. This is something that I can see Posh Spice‚ Victoria Beckham from the Spice Girls‚ wearing back in 1995. Getty Images/Paul Morigi Juju Chang‚ 'Nightline' co-anchor Juju Chang is beautiful‚ right&;#63; She's beautiful woman. She's a legend at ABC. That entire outfit‚ and there's not a redeemable piece of that outfit. That dress would never work anywhere. That shawl would never work anywhere. That bag is absolutely terrible. The shoes are horrible. Like effort‚ I'll say this‚ beautiful hair and makeup done. And the accessory earrings‚ beautiful. The entire outfit‚ none of those garments work separately‚ let alone together. I really feel like she tripped into a thrift store‚ walked out and said this'll do because it looks vintage‚ it looks old‚ it looks dated‚ and it does look ugly. And this is really very ugly to me. I don't understand how such a beautiful woman can go so wrong in such a really messy outfit. It's all too busy‚ it's all clashy. There's tassel‚ there's a tassel bag‚ there's the shoe‚ almost like grandma slippers. This is a beautiful woman. She should be showing up with a lot more impressive of a look‚ and unfortunately‚ Juju Chang really bombed this year at the red carpet. Getty Images/Paul Morigi Coco Rocha‚ model Let me make this clear: Coco's beautiful. And Coco gets a lot more wins than I've ever seen her lose. [But] this specific dress gave her a weird ergonomic shape‚ almost where she has a two-tiered body‚ which is disconnected. And quite frankly‚ there's a lack of balance. If anything‚ it's a very imbalanced look. I just think it didn't work for her. She was trying to elevate the runway and bring high fashion to D.C.‚ which I guess I'll give her an &;quot;A&;quot; for effort. But girlfriend‚ I don't think this was it in Paris. I don't think this was it in New York‚ let alone in D.C. Getty Images/Paul Morigi Alyssa Farah Griffin‚ co-host of 'The View' This dress does not belong on Alyssa Farah. Quite frankly‚ if you look at the dress‚ it almost looks like it was cropped onto her. Doesn't even look like she's actually wearing the dress. You remember when we were younger and girls would have those paper dolls that they can just like fold the dress on top&;#63; That's exactly what this looks like. It looks like that. It doesn't look like anything that you would consider normal. So we have Alyssa Farah in this structured gown. And look‚ I always say Alyssa needs a lot more structure to make sense‚ but this dress ain't it. It's actually not a bad dress. She didn't pull it off. It's poorly accessorized and it's ill fitting on her. It does not look like it was meant for her. Maybe this would work on someone else‚ but for me‚ this was a big miss. Getty Images/Drew Angerer Melanie Zanona‚ CNN Capitol Hill reporter Melanie Zanona from CNN‚ who showed up in a beautiful strapless red dress that I got to tell you‚ Matt‚ she looked like a million bucks. I mean‚ she took on every single part of her body and said‚ this goes here‚ this goes there‚ this is the pose and worked it. And she showed off her big‚ beautiful arms‚ her collarbone‚ and her entire chest. It looked so well put together. And this is a person that I would walk by all the time in Congress. And I wouldn't take two looks at her because she's always professional in a skirt suit or a suit pants and doing her job. And then she comes out like this. I'm like‚ well‚ girl‚ you rocked it. Words of wisdom If you want to make an impression on the red carpet‚ make sure you have good friends that tell you the truth. Because if not‚ I will tell you the truth when you hit the carpet.

Alongside the launch of Stardew Valley 1.6‚ we’ve seen a real surge of delightful rivals including Paleo Pines‚ Disney Dreamlight Valley‚ Lightyear Frontier‚ Kingsgrave‚ and My Time at Sandrock. One of the best farming games in the style‚ however‚ is Coral Island‚ which puts a coastal fantasy spin on the format with a blend of above-ground and underwater building and growing‚ all tied together with some gorgeous art. Developer Stairway Games teases its new Coral Island 1.1 update‚ which brings the long-awaited Merfolk romance options to the table. Continue reading Fantasy Stardew Valley style farming game reveals big ocean update MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best farming games‚ Best simulation games‚ Upcoming PC games

How do you complete the Gray Zone Warfare Medical Detective task&;#63; Early in the game‚ this task proves a bit of a stumbling block as you're expected to seek out a medical office in town to find some evidence for Gunny. When you find the office though‚ it transpires you'll need a key to gain access. With Gray Zone Warfare releasing into early access‚ we've got performance tips from the developer if you're struggling with your frame rate‚ or check our very own Gray Zone Warfare system requirements guide to ensure your gear isn't the issue. With that aside‚ let's find the key to the medical office for the Medical Detective task. Continue reading Gray Zone Warfare Medical Detective task guide MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games‚ Gray Zone Warfare System Requirements‚ Best survival games