from RT: There should be virtually no limits on how Moscow retaliates for the “maximum damage,” the former president has argued Moscow should use every opportunity to inflict “maximum damage” on Western nations that have declared a “war without rules” on Russia, former president Dmitry Medvedev has argued. Every weakness of the US and its allies should be exploited […]

by Katitza Rodriguez, Activist Post: This is the first post in a series highlighting the problems and flaws in the proposed UN Cybercrime Convention. Check out our detailed analysis on the criminalization of security research activities under the proposed convention. The United Nations Ad Hoc Committee is just weeks away from finalizing a too-broad Cybercrime Draft Convention. This draft would […]

From the outset, Black Country Communion seemed like a one-off supergroup. The group’s four members were all involved in other projects and would return to those after their 2011 self-titled debut album. Afterall, guitarist and vocalist Joe Bonamassa had (and still has) a thriving solo career, while bassist and vocalist Glenn Hughes, drummer Jason Bonham, and keyboardist Derek Sherinian were each embedded in any number of other musical hijinks. Then they delivered a second album in 2011 and played a handful of shows. After a third release in 2012, it seemed that was it…except five years later, a fourth one dropped. Now in 2024, Black Country Communion apparently still has legs. And their fifth release, called appropriately enough V, delivers big on that verdict. From the spirited opener “Enlighten,” right through chunky pure rockers like “Red Sun” and “Letting Go,” you immediately recognize a grounded intuitiveness and chemistry that only bands with a few miles under their wing have. Hughes, whose pipes can cover a wide range, is reined in and on-target throughout as Bonamassa’s rugged riffs establish the template. Bonham’s drumming is free to roam the landscape — something he’s unable to do confined to the established patterns of Led Zeppelin and Sammy Hagar music. Sherinian tastefully underscores the curves without softening the blows. You can’t help but notice how his clavinet curls up the corners on “Stay Free,” a funky mover that grabs you by the collar and never lets go. The real beauty of V — produced, like its predecessors, by Kevin Shirley — is its seamless flow and execution. There’s a tight cohesiveness that drives each song into the next. The bluesy easiness of “Restless” functions like a rest stop between “Red Sun” and “Letting Go.” After the build and breadth of “You’re Not Alone” settles down, we’re off to the races with the snap of “Too Far Gone.” All the songs can easily stand on their own; the running order allows them to coalesce in a simmering stew that’s best consumed in one sitting. That’s what the great albums of the classic rock era do, and V follows that recipe to a tee. The final punch of “The Open Road” is a strong indication that there’s certainly more to come. One can only surmise a VI is percolating in the hearts and minds of Hughes, Bonamassa, Bonham, and Sherinian. For the sake of rock and roll, let’s just hope the wait isn’t too long. ~ Shawn Perry

Liberal comedian Bill Maher slammed the political Left over multiple issues this week ranging from anti-Semitism in the Democrat Party to woke parenting that has crippled an entire generation of people. Maher, who made the remarks during his HBO “Real Time” show on Friday, also warned that Democrats were in for a shellacking in the forthcoming November elections because of how weak President Joe Biden has been on the border. “Voters from the European Parliament said, ‘We do not like this much immigration,'” Maher said in noting that Right-wing parties experienced significant gains in the recent European elections. “Voters keep saying over and over again, we are not comfortable with this level of immigration. I understand why, it doesn’t make you racist to say that. It’s going to get them f***ed on election day.” Bill Maher on Biden’s immigration friendly policies “It’s going to get him fucked on election day”: “Voters from the European Parliament said ‘We do not like this much immigration’. Voters keep saying over and over again, we are not comfortable with this level of immigration. I… pic.twitter.com/16GJ5zn9iN — Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) June 15, 2024 On the subject of Israel, Maher said that the anti-Semitism coming from the political Left is significantly worse than anti-Semitism coming from the political Right, and noted that it’s only gotten a small fraction of the coverage. His remarks come after pro-Hamas leftists waved terrorist flags in New York City, vandalized Jews’ homes, and celebrated the October 7 massacre this last week. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “How come it’s okay for the Left to hate the Jews?” Maher asked. “Because, obviously, if this was the people at Charlottesville doing this, wouldn’t there be a bigger outcry?” “If the people in Charlottesville who were chanting ‘Jews won’t replace us,’ I mean, that’s bad,” he said. “It’s not as bad as ‘Death to.’ That’s not deplorable? … If one side is deplorables and the other side does something that’s — I mean, if I was a Holocaust survivor, and I guess there’s not many of those left, but if I was, I would choose ‘Jews will not replace us’ over ‘Death to Zionists.'” “There’s no condemnation like there was with Charlottesville,” Maher added. Bill Maher has come to realize that the left is the side that is most dangerous to Jews. Ana Navarro cannot understand how that came to be. DEI teaches that Jews are part of the oppressor class because they are white, successful, and perform well on tests. People like you, Ana. pic.twitter.com/J8QQaGkURc — Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) June 15, 2024 Maher later begged for the return of “traditional dads” who know that their role with their children is to be “your parent, not your friend.” “Our kids are crippled with anxiety because they haven’t properly been prepared for a world that doesn’t revolve around them,” he said. “The mental health disorder is on the part of the adults, not the children. The adults who forgot that to a child, discipline is love.” Maher said that parents should be able to tell their children “because I said so” when challenged by their children about why they are giving an order. “He isn’t your emotional support animal,” Maher said. “He’s simply a guy who understands the job: to raise an adult who can survive in the wild.” He said that boys who lack a strong father figure end up following “meathead misogynist influencers” like Andrew Tate. “He’s popular with teenage boys because when we don’t give them a masculine male role model to look up to, they go out and find one,” he said. “And being teenage boys, of course it’s going to be the worst possible one.” This is what always happens when uber-liberal bullshit goes too far. pic.twitter.com/PWAvsFngkp — Bill Maher (@billmaher) June 15, 2024

‘This week, unfortunately, I had a really bad accident and it really shook me’

A courageous kitten approached kind strangers for help. Now, he's surrounded by the love and warmth of a cat family. DrewAllisonAbout three weeks ago, a few Good Samaritans noticed a kitten sprinting towards them, meowing frantically for help. Seeing his injured chin, they immediately leaped to his aid.The kitten was alone, starving, and in urgent need of medical attention. They gently scooped him up, took him home, and contacted Allison, a foster volunteer for AnimalLuvr's Dream Rescue."He may only weigh one pound, but he is stronger and smarter than most people would think," Allison shared. Drew was found outside all aloneAllison"He was living outside, covered in fleas, emaciated, dehydrated, and all alone. To make matters worse, our sweet warrior had also experienced a severe trauma to his face."His injury was likely the result of a car-related incident. "Thankfully, my daughter's friends happened to be in the right place at the right time, and this highly intelligent kitten took the opportunity to ask for help." He had an injured chinAllisonThe following day, the kitten underwent surgery to repair his chin. At just four weeks old, he showed incredible strength, resilience, and a fearless spirit.Shortly after surgery, he perked up, eager for food and affection. Allison welcomed him into her care and named him Drew, a name that signifies wisdom, courage, and strength. Drew underwent surgery to repair his chinAllison"His healing journey (inside and out) officially began. He was so happy and thankful to be at his foster home."As Drew recovered, his personality truly came to life. He'd dart around, creating all kinds of playful antics. Despite his small size, he acted as though he was the biggest and toughest in the room, pouncing and side-hopping with confidence. He is so happy to have a loving foster family to cater to his needsAllisonHe found joy and contentment in the simplest things. "Some kittens are happy to be clean and free of fleas.""Drew is truly inspirational. He was wise enough to find help, courageous enough to fight through the pain, and strong enough to learn how to love and be loved again." His chin healed beautifullyAllisonHe enjoyed companionship and wanted a constant friend throughout his recovery. "We had to keep him separated from the other fosters to allow him to heal. Finally, the time arrived to make friends."Across the house from Drew, two boisterous kittens were racing around, keeping their mother cat on her toes. They had been found in a field and brought to their foster home for a fresh start. Betty and her kittensAllisonAfter several rounds of curious sniffing and puffing up their fur, Drew and the two kittens became fast friends.Before long, Drew was nursing alongside his new siblings, basking in the care of his new mom. The kittens quickly hit it offAllisonHe discovered the fun of playing with kittens his own age and felt the love and warmth of a nurturing mother."Betty (the mama cat) and the family had completely accepted Drew as one of their own." The cat family accepted Drew as one of their ownAllisonBetty insists on giving her kittens their mandatory baths, and now that includes Drew. Despite his attempts to wiggle away, he eventually surrenders to the tender care of the mother cat. Betty gave Drew a mandatory bathAllisonDrew has come a long way since he was found crying on the street. He's blossomed into a playful, handsome little man with a big personality and boundless courage, convinced he can conquer anything. He's transformed into a handsome young catAllisonShare this story with your friends. More on Drew, his cat family, and Allison's fosters on Instagram, and AnimalLuvr's Dream Rescue on Instagram.Related story: Big Tom Cat Comes to a House for Food One Day, Changing the Course of His Life