Recently, the world witnessed the assassination of Charlie Kirk with the gruesome video of the incident circulating online in real time. National attention quickly zeroed in on the assassin and in that process a powerful image surfaced.  The image was that of a young Tyler Robinson sitting in front of a laptop. Dressed in Avengers pajamas and surrounded by what appears to be Christmas candy, Robinson’s lips are curved in a soft smile as he clicks on the keyboard. “Almost forgot Tyler,” Tyler’s mother captioned the photo, “He can totally avoid us now that he got all of the computer accessories he’s been wanting.” Today, that little boy is a 22-year-old man who sits in jail awaiting trial, accused of murdering Charlie Kirk in front of the world. As a mother, this photo broke my heart. It serves as a chilling reminder of what a truly dangerous, radicalizing, and lonely place the internet can be.  The photo of a young Tyler is indicative of the rapid rise of the internet, which has been detrimental for children’s socialization, critical thinking, and safety. Many children are substituting in-person experiences and relationships with online platforms and a manufactured “community.”    Reports indicate America’s youth are spending more time socializing on Instagram, TikTok, and Discord than in-person and that 31% of teens find conversations with AI “companions” more satisfying than conversations with real friends. This human replacement affects nearly half of American teenagers, who are online “almost constantly.”   These trends have ensured that most American teenagers are, as sociologist Sherry Turkle aptly says, “forever elsewhere” — living online instead of in the moment during their most formative, vulnerable years. Instead of learning how to think or interact in real-world scenarios, children are encountering potentially dangerous strangers and ideologies online without any meaningful guardrails. Indeed, 72% of popular gaming sites allow anonymous sign-ups and self-declaration of age, meaning that predators and other bad actors have the capability of texting, video, and audio calling minors on these sites without being easily traceable.   The consequences of this are unimaginable.    Just look at the online platform Discord, which is used by a third of teenage boys in the U.S. In 2023, Discord was allegedly involved in 35 cases of kidnapping, grooming or sexual assault. Discord also allegedly played a role in 165 cases where adults used the platform for sextortion, and to spread Child Sexual Abuse Material.    In addition to sexual exploitation and grooming risks, experts have warned that Discord has been used to spread extremist or nihilistic content. Moreover, multiple suspects in “high-profile mass shooting events” used Discord to announce their plans—including Robinson, who allegedly confessed to Kirk’s murder in a Discord chat. Discord and another gaming site, Roblox, came under fire earlier this year when a mother alleged that her son committed suicide after being groomed and coerced into sending explicit pictures on the platforms.  Ideological activists often use online platforms as echo chambers for radical ideas that they push on susceptible group members. Impressionable children joining chat rooms and ‘groups’ on these sites for community are often met with mature or even dangerous ideas and content they lack the experience or maturity to understand.  For example, young girls turning to platforms like Reddit and Tumblr for acceptance or support with eating disorders have been told by online “friends” that they must be transgender, some even pressured into permanent life-altering surgeries as minors. Similarly, a 17-year-old boy with no prior confusion about his gender was manipulated online into thinking he was ‘pansexual,’ and ‘gender-fluid.’ Children may also be encouraged to adopt violent rhetoric due to popular online streamers that openly call for violence against political figures or perform dangerous stunts on platforms like Twitch.  The real-world impacts of these virtual interactions are destabilizing our culture today. Children are more depressed, anxious and risk-averse than ever before. Too many online interactions and not enough in-person socialization are undoubtedly fueling this crisis. In the absence of meaningful guard rails or outright internet abstinence, parents may never know what their children are doing online, who they are interacting with, or whether their children number among the many casualties of online grooming, exploitation, and radicalization. In the absence of learned, real-world consequences and healthy civil discourse, many children are growing up reliant on what social psychologist Jonathan Haidt calls “experience blockers“—digital devices or platforms and the insufficient or negative habits they teach them. Compounding the loss of real-world experience and socialization, children are encountering a whole host of radical ideas, extremist or inappropriate content in online echo chambers that lack nuance or counterbalance. They train children to hide behind screens, enjoying the comfort of anonymity as they shamelessly engage in extreme or heated conversations they would likely not have the courage to engage in face-to-face. As parents, it’s our duty to ensure that online platforms are used carefully with proper guardrails (or not at all), and not as an excuse for children to “totally avoid” meaningful relationships in their lives. Among the most meaningful skills we can equip our children with is their ability to respond to adversity and live in, engage with, and enjoy the real world. The first step to this is removing the screens. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post Parenting in a Digital World: A Heartbreaking Image and Its Warning appeared first on The Daily Signal.

He only wanted a harmless distraction from No-Man – but when the debut album sold 30 times its original pressing run, he had to take things more seriously

WASHINGTON—If you spent any time on social media in November, you may have noticed that many Americans put up their Christmas decorations early this year. First Lady Melania Trump joined the ranks of those early decorators last week, when she received the White House Christmas Tree in a festive celebration. .@FLOTUS receives the White House Christmas Tree? pic.twitter.com/MUx0rmySw8 — Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) November 24, 2025 Melania walked from the White House to meet the tree delivery. She spoke to the handlers of the fir, which was grown at Korson’s Tree Farms in Michigan, named the National Grand Champion by the National Christmas Tree Association. She then wished the crowd a Merry Christmas before departing. It was a nice moment, and par for the course for our First Lady, who, unlike her Democratic predecessors, doesn’t like to spend a lot of time yapping with the press. In other words, Melania was polite, inoffensive, and just the right amount of festive — so, naturally, the media were unhappy. “It seems that Melania Trump has yet to warm up to the holiday spirit,” The Daily Beast reported, joking that this year’s White House Christmas decor “should be more minimal compared to years past, given the destruction of the White House’s East Wing, which typically housed the display.” “Melania Is Already Suffering Through Christmas,” The Cut proclaimed, while The Daily Beast reported that “Grinch Melania Spends Two Minutes and 50 Seconds at Christmas Event Before Fleeing.” For context, the official White House video of the Christmas tree installation ceremony ran three minutes and seventeen seconds. Last year’s official video featuring former First Lady Jill Biden was four minutes and fifty-six seconds. The first ladies’ remarks were essentially identical. Of course, The Daily Beast didn’t slam Jill Biden for the duration of her remarks last year or any other year. In 2022 their headline read simply “Jill Biden Unveils 2022 White House Christmas Decorations.” Nor did the Beast have anything to say about the White House Christmas display the Bidens forced on the nation their final year in office — a “bizarre,” “freaky,” and “cringey” performance by a New York City-based dance troupe that encourages support of groups like Black Lives Matter. The publication, like the rest of the mainstream media, was also silent last year when Dr. Jill imposed upon a farm affected by Hurricane Helene for the White House Christmas Tree. Naturally, though, several publications took this year’s ceremony to recall Melania’s 2018 decorations, which included a number of festive red trees that, for some reason, the entire internet chose to mock. Red trees, it seems, are creepy. But nightmare-inducing circus freaks are the perfect embodiment of, as the Biden White House called it last year, “A Season of Peace and Light.” Melania wasn’t bothered by the coverage in 2018, and she seems unbothered by this year’s media reaction too. Days after the Christmas tree ceremony, the first lady joined her husband at the annual White House Turkey Pardon. The Daily Wire was on hand for the ceremony, during which President Donald Trump poked fun at his political opponents and praised Gobble, this year’s National Thanksgiving Turkey. The Trumps never let the haters get them before, and they aren’t going to start now. It looks like it’ll be another festive Christmas season at the White House — no matter what The Daily Beast has to say.

A man obsessed with James Bond movies risked his freedom—and his country’s trust—chasing a spy fantasy that landed him in prison, all for the price of a delusion and a phone call. A Spy Thriller Played by a Retiree, Not a Super Agent Howard Phillips, a retired City worker from Essex, did not fit the mold of an international spy. Yet, he fell so deeply for the mythos of James Bond that he set out to play the role himself. Phillips began contacting what he believed were Russian intelligence agents, offering to provide sensitive information about a former UK Defence Secretary. In his mind, he was about to embark on a covert operation worthy of the silver screen. In reality, his “handlers” were undercover British officers running a sting. Phillips’ self-created mission would unravel in the cold light of a British courtroom, not in the shadows of Moscow. Phillips’ actions were driven by more than just a need for adventure. Facing financial trouble and craving validation, he believed espionage would offer both purpose and profit. He provided the home address and phone number of Grant Shapps, the former Secretary of Defence, and even volunteered to arrange hotel bookings and logistics for supposed Russian operatives. For British intelligence, this was a classic case of a fantasy colliding with national security, and they were ready. The sting operation, carefully orchestrated by MI5 and counterterrorism units, ensured that Phillips never posed a real threat to classified information or national safety. National Security Act Used to Set a New Precedent The trial took place at Winchester Crown Court, where on July 22, 2025, Phillips was convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison. The prosecution under the National Security Act was notable, as such cases remain rare even in the current climate of heightened UK-Russia tensions. The law, modernized in response to recent threats and high-profile incidents like the Skripal poisoning, gave authorities new tools to address espionage attempts—no matter how amateurish. Legal experts have pointed to the case as a milestone, demonstrating the UK’s seriousness about countering hostile state activity and deterring would-be informants, regardless of their competence. The court described Phillips as a “narcissistic fantasist” who betrayed his country for cash. The Crown Prosecution Service, eager to send a clear message, emphasized the potential consequences of such reckless actions. “Phillips was brazen in his pursuit for financial gain, and unbothered about the potential detriment to his own country,” said Bethan David, head of the CPS counterterrorism division. The sentence was meant not only to punish but to serve as a stark warning to anyone tempted by the allure of espionage—real or imagined. The Real-World Fallout from an Espionage Fantasy Phillips is now serving his sentence, his dreams of secret missions reduced to a prison routine. The fallout from his misguided adventure rippled far beyond his personal fate. For Grant Shapps, being targeted—even ineffectively—underscored the real risks posed by individuals lured by espionage fantasies. For British intelligence, the case validated the use of proactive sting operations and highlighted the importance of vigilance, even against unlikely threats. The episode has sparked debate in legal and security circles about the psychological drivers behind such acts, and whether more should be done to identify and intervene with individuals at risk of being seduced by delusions of grandeur. James Bond fantasist jailed for 7 years in UK for trying to spy for Russia https://t.co/O2WJ4xBPgb via @niafallsreview — Niagara Falls Review (@NiaFallsReview) November 7, 2025 The broader message is clear: in the UK’s current security environment, fantasy is no excuse for betrayal. The National Security Act’s teeth have been bared, and the consequences for crossing the line—even clumsily—are severe. The story of Howard Phillips stands as a peculiar but powerful warning, not just to would-be spies, but to anyone who confuses the world of fiction with the hard realities of national loyalty, law, and consequence. Sources: Euronews Evening Standard The Telegraph

Alfa Mist grew up in Newham, East London, a borough far removed from the glittering hubs of jazz tradition yet full of creative urgency. His real name is Alfa Sekitoleko, and he started making grime and hip-hop beats in his teenage years, with the software and bedroom-studio mindset typical of his neighborhood. That early interest in sampling led him into jazz, and eventually, he taught himself piano to unravel the music behind the beats. Alongside college studies, including A-levels and a BTEC in music composition, he quietly laid the foundation for a career built on rhythm, improvisation, and a refusal The post Complete List Of Alfa Mist Z Songs From A to Z appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

Recently, the world witnessed the assassination of Charlie Kirk with the gruesome video of the incident circulating online in real time. National attention quickly zeroed in on the assassin and in that process a powerful image surfaced.  The image was that of a young Tyler Robinson sitting in front of a laptop. Dressed in Avengers pajamas and surrounded by what appears to be Christmas candy, Robinson’s lips are curved in a soft smile as he clicks on the keyboard. “Almost forgot Tyler,” Tyler’s mother captioned the photo, “He can totally avoid us now that he got all of the computer accessories he’s been wanting.” Today, that little boy is a 22-year-old man who sits in jail awaiting trial, accused of murdering Charlie Kirk in front of the world. As a mother, this photo broke my heart. It serves as a chilling reminder of what a truly dangerous, radicalizing, and lonely place the internet can be.  The photo of a young Tyler is indicative of the rapid rise of the internet, which has been detrimental for children’s socialization, critical thinking, and safety. Many children are substituting in-person experiences and relationships with online platforms and a manufactured “community.”    Reports indicate America’s youth are spending more time socializing on Instagram, TikTok, and Discord than in-person and that 31% of teens find conversations with AI “companions” more satisfying than conversations with real friends. This human replacement affects nearly half of American teenagers, who are online “almost constantly.”   These trends have ensured that most American teenagers are, as sociologist Sherry Turkle aptly says, “forever elsewhere” — living online instead of in the moment during their most formative, vulnerable years. Instead of learning how to think or interact in real-world scenarios, children are encountering potentially dangerous strangers and ideologies online without any meaningful guardrails. Indeed, 72% of popular gaming sites allow anonymous sign-ups and self-declaration of age, meaning that predators and other bad actors have the capability of texting, video, and audio calling minors on these sites without being easily traceable.   The consequences of this are unimaginable.    Just look at the online platform Discord, which is used by a third of teenage boys in the U.S. In 2023, Discord was allegedly involved in 35 cases of kidnapping, grooming or sexual assault. Discord also allegedly played a role in 165 cases where adults used the platform for sextortion, and to spread Child Sexual Abuse Material.    In addition to sexual exploitation and grooming risks, experts have warned that Discord has been used to spread extremist or nihilistic content. Moreover, multiple suspects in “high-profile mass shooting events” used Discord to announce their plans—including Robinson, who allegedly confessed to Kirk’s murder in a Discord chat. Discord and another gaming site, Roblox, came under fire earlier this year when a mother alleged that her son committed suicide after being groomed and coerced into sending explicit pictures on the platforms.  Ideological activists often use online platforms as echo chambers for radical ideas that they push on susceptible group members. Impressionable children joining chat rooms and ‘groups’ on these sites for community are often met with mature or even dangerous ideas and content they lack the experience or maturity to understand.  For example, young girls turning to platforms like Reddit and Tumblr for acceptance or support with eating disorders have been told by online “friends” that they must be transgender, some even pressured into permanent life-altering surgeries as minors. Similarly, a 17-year-old boy with no prior confusion about his gender was manipulated online into thinking he was ‘pansexual,’ and ‘gender-fluid.’ Children may also be encouraged to adopt violent rhetoric due to popular online streamers that openly call for violence against political figures or perform dangerous stunts on platforms like Twitch.  The real-world impacts of these virtual interactions are destabilizing our culture today. Children are more depressed, anxious and risk-averse than ever before. Too many online interactions and not enough in-person socialization are undoubtedly fueling this crisis. In the absence of meaningful guard rails or outright internet abstinence, parents may never know what their children are doing online, who they are interacting with, or whether their children number among the many casualties of online grooming, exploitation, and radicalization. In the absence of learned, real-world consequences and healthy civil discourse, many children are growing up reliant on what social psychologist Jonathan Haidt calls “experience blockers“—digital devices or platforms and the insufficient or negative habits they teach them. Compounding the loss of real-world experience and socialization, children are encountering a whole host of radical ideas, extremist or inappropriate content in online echo chambers that lack nuance or counterbalance. They train children to hide behind screens, enjoying the comfort of anonymity as they shamelessly engage in extreme or heated conversations they would likely not have the courage to engage in face-to-face. As parents, it’s our duty to ensure that online platforms are used carefully with proper guardrails (or not at all), and not as an excuse for children to “totally avoid” meaningful relationships in their lives. Among the most meaningful skills we can equip our children with is their ability to respond to adversity and live in, engage with, and enjoy the real world. The first step to this is removing the screens. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post Parenting in a Digital World: A Heartbreaking Image and Its Warning appeared first on The Daily Signal.

It is our long held belief that Univision is, fundamentally, an immigration advocacy organization with broadcast licensing. A recent report from North Carolina extolling active obstruction of ICE operations proves this point. Watch as a North Carolina man describes keeping silent in order to lead ICE to believe he is in the country illegally, in order to protect his father from deportation: XEYLI ALFARO: Trying to buy time, he kept quiet in order to save his father and other workers. FERNANDO VAZQUEZ: They asked me where I was from, and I didn't say anything. I stayed quiet. ALFARO: Upon receiving the call, Fernando's father managed to hide. VAZQUEZ, SENIOR: What I mean is—if I ran in the parking lot they'd catch me, and since the company truck was nearby, I jumped in. I tried to hide in the back seat. ALFARO: He says he stayed there for about 15 minutes without moving, listening as the agents searched the place. It is worth noting that this report ran on prime A-block, so committed is Univision to advocating for open borders and unfettered immigration. The report opens with the young man giving a demonstration of how he activated his phone remotely so he could tip his father off as to the worksite raid. The report shifts to the actual deception: the young man concealing his U.S. citizen status long enough for his illegal alien father to hide from ICE agents. This is followed by reaction from the father, and testimony from another friend who claims to have been reverse-profiled. The report closes with more from the father, who laments having to live in a position of always hiding from the authorities. These victim narratives being allowed to flourish are an essential part of Univision’s immigration advocacy Click “expand” to view the full transcript of the aforementioned report as aired on Noticiero Univision on Thursday, November 20th, 2025 ILIA CALDERÓN: From North Carolina comes another account of an ICE operation. Agents arrived at a construction site, and one of the workers only thought about warning his father who wasn't there so he could get to safety. And although he was able to do so, they arrested him despite being a U.S. citizen, as Xeyli Alfaro tells us. FERNANDO VÁZQUEZ: Hey Siri, Call Papi. KHEILI ALFARO: That's how the call went down where Fernando Vázquez saved his father from being arrested by ICE in North Carolina. VAZQUEZ  I thought of calling him on Siri. ALFARO:  Fearing that he’d be shot for getting involved, he reached down his pants to grab his phone and asked the virtual assistant Siri to call his dad.  VAZQUEZ, SENIOR: Hello? VAZQUEZ: Run, run, run! Immigration is here! ALFARO: The 18-year-old, born in the city of Raleigh, says that the officers were passing by the construction site where a daycare center is being built and stopped to question him when they saw him. VAZQUEZ: I don't know if they saw the color of my skin. ALFARO: Trying to buy time, he kept quiet in order to save his father and other workers. VAZQUEZ: They asked me where I was from, and I didn't say anything. I stayed quiet. ALFARO: Upon receiving the call, Fernando's father managed to hide. VAZQUEZ, SENIOR: What I mean is—if I ran in the parking lot they'd catch me, and since the company truck was nearby, I jumped in. I tried to hide in the back seat. ALFARO: He says he stayed there for about 15 minutes without moving, listening as the agents searched the place. After being arrested there, Fernando was put in ICE vans and then driven for two miles. And then they suddenly released him. VAZQUEZ: My wallet. ALFARO: Fernando recounts that the officers searched his wallet and found his documents, yet they still took him away along with other workers. Three people were arrested that day. Mario Benítez is the brother of one of those detained. He maintains that he was spared because of the color of his skin. MARIO BENITEZ: They first asked me if I was born here, I said yes, and then they focused more on my brother, who looks more -um- Hispanic. ALFARO: Fernando ran back to the construction site, drove the truck, and brought his father out, still hiding. The frustration is immense, says Fernando's father, who today, like many families in North Carolina, lives locked inside and, when he goes out into the yard, does so with fear, making sure no one is watching him. In Raleigh, North Carolina, Xeyli Alfaro, Univision.  

NR’s longtime film critic belonged to a more cultivated, discerning age.

Vindman 2.0: Same Family, Same Threat—Now He Wants Troops in Prison for Doing Their Jobs