The following narrative is from a longtime reader and contributor Gillian Ann Abbas. She gives us a description of her August 2010 expedition to the 'Russian Bermuda Triangle' set in the very rural Ural mountain area of Kishertsky District of Perm Krai, Russia, located on the bank of the Sylva River:My Trip to the Anomalous Zone, August 2010Originally published October 2010Without troubling the reader with an account of my journey from Bahrain to Russia, as all travels by air present pretty much the same features that have been so frequently and so well described by others, I will just give a simple account of my actual holiday and amazing experiences in a country where still, very little is known by the West.Russia lies at the back, an undiscovered country, with fresh and original people.Far from the concrete cities, in small villages in forest clearings and half-forgotten river valleys, where Western clothes and culture never really seem to penetrate, lives a lost family of our brothers and sisters. It was amongst them that I went to stay for two weeks, to experience and understand a small part of the true Russian life, in a remote area where Western Europeans rarely venture.Sadly, there still exists a great ignorance of Russia, and, as always is the result of great misunderstanding, making the popular notions about this country not only imperfect but absurd. These ideas partly derive from distorted legends of past wars, partly from sympathy with nationalities or causes that the Russian Government has treated badly, and very largely from fiction. The last is the fiction of many writers/reporters who remain wholly ignorant of the country, so we’ve ended up with the Russian spy, and the Russian conspirator, who are popularly conceived as figures of melodrama or comic opera, but not of actual life! To these novel writers, Russia has been the happy hunting ground, where they’ve been able to lay on the colors as they choose and make up fantastic scenes worthy of Arabian Nights.It’s actually an impossible task to give anyone an idea of the immensity of this great country which rolls away eastwards from Germany for nearly two thousand miles before the Rural Mountains rear their jagged peaks between Europe and Asia, but this was our destination. The country is a plains country, a bit like the American prairies in some parts, but different in being for great stretches covered with forests of birch, the Russian national tree, pines or oak and appearing wonderfully green and fresh in those parts.After a two-hour car ride from the city airport, along the one and only dirt road full of holes and ruts which lent a lot of excitement to our journey, we finally arrived at our destination, this New World that had aroused so much expectation in me and perhaps not a little fear of the unexpected as well.But now I was really there in Molebka, a fact of which I had to constantly reassure myself, so unreal and impossible did it seem. Here at last was a place that did not disappoint one's expectations, but even far surpassed one’s wildest dreams.Situated on the left bank of the River Sylva, a foreground of meadow land and small log cabins with forest masses on either side, this sparsely populated village of maybe a few hundred people at most, bordering the Perm territory and Sverdlovsk Region is truly remarkable for the salubrity of its pristine environment, beguiling forests, mountain and river views. Strange and old in every feature, old log cabins, new people and customs, and above all, a richness of coloring that quite defies description, which was the most impressive feature of the scene.The village and the anomalous zone, occupy about 44 square miles and have often been called the favorite UFO village, famous for abnormal events, and myths, and the fabulous kingdom of Shambala, a place of happiness, tranquility, and peace. The area still attracts many tourists, especially at the time of the annual festivals, for instance, the festival called “Energy of Life – Atmosphere of Love”, beckoning many Russians, UFO researchers, psychotherapists, and astrologists.I hardly need to emphasize that after the above narrative, the wonderful hospitality that we received on every hand in that village, not least from our host Valery, who accommodated us throughout our stay in a quaint traditional log cabin that stood at the top of a hill. We had a wonderful view of the surrounding area and countryside. It was almost humiliating to see the way we were greeted on every side and everyone showed the liveliest interest in making us comfortable and at home. It was fantastic and a good start to our trip.Over the next two weeks, daily we’d wake up to a glorious morning of sun and clear blue skies, which was inspiriting and inspiring. We’d tumble out and troop off down to the river Sylva where we could take a dip or simply sit back and inhale the amazing magnificent panorama that surrounded us, range after range of level-topped, interminable forest and tree-clad hills with here and there peaks rising. During those hot days lasting the entire holiday, many times we’d venture off down the steep dirt track deep in dust, down to the sun-baked hills that bordered the river, to search for stones and fossils.Several hours were whiled away before we ever thought of returning to the cabin and were not sorry to find in the village shop a good "deposit" of beer and soda drinks. The total effect was wonderful, fairy-like, a dream of the East, and I was not sorry to sit there till late afternoon, watching the river shadows slowly creep upon the hills and forest.One of the many incredible sights that kept me in total wonder was witnessing the awe-inspiring night sky that never seemed to disappoint us, no matter where we ventured, including our regular night trips to different locations in the forest and across the river. Above us, appeared a domed-shaped sky that reminded me of the Milky Way, upon which thousands of silent, glistening stars were throwing their mysterious light down upon the forest and village.I lost count of the shooting stars, as there were so many each night, and then the other mysterious ‘stars’ that moved, stopped, and moved again, with other ‘stars’ following behind. In my mind’s eye, I tried to rationalize this phenomenon and asked Valery if these moving stars were maybe a Sputnik or other type of satellite, to which the reply was that it would not be feasible for two or three Sputniks or satellites to be traveling in such close proximity to each other. I then thought of all the numberless spots in Russia and elsewhere in the world like this where one could have a bird’s eye view of such amazing phenomena! I felt so privileged and fortunate to be there and in that spot.My best days were spent setting off from the log cabin in the late evening and walking to the forest in darkness and the pitch black of night, followed by a faithful dog called Jake who looked like a cross between a Siberian Husky and a wolf. His owners had died so he was a free spirit to come and go as he pleased from cabin to cabin in the village.Jake following us in the forest at nightBefore leaving we were soberly advised by Valery to try to conquer our fear and avoid using our torch/flashlight that I had tucked away inside my jacket pocket; a perfectly sensible thing to do considering we could barely make out anything three meters ahead of us. Initially, we were petrified, stumbling along those long, narrow country lanes, hands held outright as if we were blind automatons. This was something I never ever envisaged, trudging along in the middle of nowhere in the darkness for an hour or so, ostracized from civilization, occasionally tripping in the ruts and uneven surfaces, spending actual time alone in that deafening silence and solitude.Eventually, our eyes and balance soon became accustomed to the new surroundings and we were soon introduced to many places where we could sit and contemplate. In the darkness of the night, we would soon start to experience something unique and wonderful; the inner knowing that somehow we were protected and looked after, a great exercise to calm the nerves and connect more deeply with one’s own inner resources. Soon the silence was welcomed and I actually began to feel something new; a heightened sense of unity with everything.So many times, sitting in those magical parts of the forest, we would witness strange balls of orb-like balls of lights appearing and disappearing in those forests, and in the clearings, it became even more apparent that we were the ones being watched. It seemed almost like a game of hide and seek with us being the seekers and them the watchers.‘Don’t be scared and have no fear’ were the words I clearly heard in my dream the second night in the village, so it reminded me that I should not be unduly nervous about anything including the odd bear that might spring out, however, I had been told that there were none in that area! I actually believed it too!On one of our many trips, we were taken across the river by the Argo(An amphibious off-road All Terrain Vehicle), to visit an area known to some as Shambala, or a place of happiness. It was plain to see why some considered it to be so spectacular; the incredible view surrounding both sides of the river, mountains, and forest was stunning and I felt as if I’d been transported to another time zone. Our host Valery explained that he believed this place to be a gateway or portal into another dimension. We climbed up a tree-clad cliff to get a better view across the river of this eerie place, and I could sense that many had been there like us, to get a glimpse of this very special place.One of the most spectacular evenings was spent traveling by car to an unknown destination deep in the forest. On the journey, I was told that attention should be paid to animal sounds in the night and odd animal appearances as apparently, these are good omens for extraterrestrials to communicate with us in many ways, including the sending of animal messengers. They too can help us to perceive nature as part of our greater reality and the animal kingdom provides another dynamic communication network to tap into.Keeping an open mind and heart on this, I was completely taken aback when, on the dusty, dirt track we were suddenly confronted by a huge owl and I mean huge! It just sat there and took little notice of us as we gawped in amazement at this beautiful bird, till eventually it flew off into the dense undergrowth. A few moments later, the figure of a fox ran across our path and again, into the undergrowth where it simply vanished.Last but not least, a hare skipped and hopped its way in front of our car without a care in the world. That for us was the icing on the cake!Eventually, we reached our destination wherever that was, in the middle of nowhere, pitch black and deadly silent. That night the sky was crystal clear, the air chilled and crisp with zillions of stars twinkling above us; the perfect conditions for UFO hunting. Well, I honestly did not know what to expect but never in my wildest dreams did I believe that I would see the mysterious, incredible sight that greeted us. There beyond a patch of shadowy field, one could just make out above the tree line of the beginning of the forest, a stream of lights hovering and pulsating in some sort of organized linear display!I had to rub my eyes to take it all in. It really did appear to look like some flying saucer. I was told that this object does not always appear in this location and many times other enthusiasts have attempted to film or photograph it with dismal results. GPS apparently will fail to identify the true location as it simply gives no reading when one tries to approach the object. Strangely, if one attempts to find the place in daylight, all that can be found is an empty field about three to four kilometers from the place we were standing.Dare I say, my video cam did capture some very good footage and to cap it all, some extremely interesting sounds which we heard only on playback and not at the actual time of filming. At the time of filming, we heard absolutely nothing, it was deadly silent the entire time. I was told that ‘they’ knew we were there and were putting on a bit of show or display for us! Our distance from this object was apparently three to four kilometers and I was assured that there was absolutely no military presence in the area.My only thought at the time of seeing this craft was that I really didn’t want a night pass for actual contact with any of these entities/aliens/beings as I simply wasn’t expecting that sort of reality, I was not dressed for the part (just joking).After a fair amount of video footage, we left the UFO in peace and quiet and headed home to reflect on what we had seen, knowing full well that no one would actually believe me when I recounted this story and even with actual footage, would still not convince a soul!Video stills of UFO showing two of the pulsating lightsThe following night we revisited that area to see this strange object and again managed to capture some more amazing footage, however, till now, I’ve not posted the video online as my host Valery has insisted it remain private for the time being so I’ve honored his wishes and kept it at that. I believe that he has his own reasons for the protection of this incredible anomaly.Video still of UFO showing at least four of the six plasma lightsThere were so many occasions when we stopped in wonder at the strange sights and sounds that we experienced on this expedition, too many to recount here.What I have discovered too is that all of us have the ability whether we like it or not to step outside of our beliefs and consider information that does not fit into our previously accepted view of reality. When you reach that point in your life then expect some extraordinary things to happen.Whatever one is seeking, to see flying saucers, experience renewed energy, and good health, to test out your courage and fears, then this is the place to come and stay.Also, it’s always very lucky to follow one’s fancy, not that one will definitely have great adventures, but because you will be led into strange scenes, into those hidden parts that lie just beyond the obvious and utilitarian. You may not get all the answers to your questions but at least you’ve tried your best to find out.As for some of the other Russians that I met on my travels, many appeared to be as strong as giants, quite religious, and others mystically superstitious because of the many unexplained phenomena that surrounded them.I will say though that my impressions of the first real sight of Russia and the village are deep and lasting in my memory and am convinced that every open-hearted, nature-loving person who visits this wonderful place, will also never forget it. The urge to return to this place will last a lifetime. I for one will definitely go back.UFO Case Files of RussiaRussia's Roswell Incident: And Other Amazing UFO Cases from the Former Soviet UnionA World of UFOs**********PHANTOMS & MONSTERS VIDEO LIBRARYPOLL: WHAT DO YOU THINK? Vote & comment on paranormal, cryptid & unexplained mysteries!WEIRDEST OF THE WEIRD 2 - EXPERIENCERS COME FORWARD! | LIVE CHAT | Q & A (REAL EYEWITNESS REPORTS!)LISTEN TO NARRATIONS OF PHANTOMS & MONSTERS REPORTS & CASES - PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, LIKE & SHAREPHANTOMS & MONSTERS RADIO Podcasts on SpotifyPHANTOMS & MONSTERS READING LISTCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistHave you had a sighting or encounter?Contact me by email or call the hotline at 410-241-5974Thanks. LonJOIN AMAZON PRIME - Unlimited Movie/TV Streaming& FREE 2-Day ShippingRegister a SNAP EBT CardTry Audible PlusBigfoot and Other Cryptid Videos on YouTubeLYCANS! - PENNSYLVANIA'S CRYPTID CANINES UPDATE'KILLER BIGFOOT' HUNTED BY U.S. SPECIAL FORCES / GLIMMER MAN / MANTIS HUMANOIDSCRAWLER HUMANOIDS - GRUESOME INVADERS! (REAL EYEWITNESS ENCOUNTERS!)WEREWOLVES: DO THEY EXIST?'DOGMAN IN OUR YARD!' - AN OHIO FAMILY'S 12-YEAR SAGA WITH CRYPTID CANINESHey, folks. Thanks for the congrats on 'The Mothman Revisited' episode on Unsolved Mysteries. As a result, we are receiving more sighting reports and are very excited and grateful for the new information!I want to sincerely thank the Unsolved Mysteries team and Netflix for allowing us to tell the world about this phenomenon.If you have information about this or any other cryptid or unexplained sighting or encounter, please feel free to contact me by email or at 410-241-5974. Thanks again! LonCHICAGO MOTHMAN / O'HARE BATMAN YouTube PlaylistChicago / Lake Michigan Winged Humanoid Regional Interactive Map----------Become a Phantoms & Monsters Radio member - just $2.99 monthly, and receive these perks. Thanks for your support!-Members-only live chats-Exclusive members-only videos-Priority reply to members' commentsHave perks suggestions? LMK-----YOUR SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! THANKS

En route to a recent vacation to New England, I stopped in my old hometown of Princeton, New Jersey, for coffee and picked up a copy of the Town Topics, the local paper where I found my first car and my first job back in the ’80s. The front-page story was about an attempt on July 10 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations agents to arrest two illegal immigrants from Guatemala. Both men were high risks for hurting someone in future and any sane community would welcome their removal from the streets. The ICE report was as follows: “ERO arrests twice-removed noncitizen in Princeton while second absconds due to civilian interference.” (Now steeped in Biden-era woke language, ICE calls such men “unlawfully present noncitizens.” Conflating this with another euphemism, I have coined the acronym UNJIP—“Undocumented Noncitizen Justice Involved Person”—for use henceforth. You saw it on the BorderLine first). One of the Guatemalans, 29, had been deported from the U.S. twice already when he was charged with assault and robbery—in Princeton, so presumably his victims were locals. What about their safety and their rights? Not surprisingly, the guy didn’t show up for his hearing at municipal court, which issued a warrant for his arrest. So, when ICE picked him up, he not only had entered the U.S. illegally three times (twice after being deported, which is a crime), but he was wanted for a violent crime. ICE agents spotted the second Guatemalan, a 27-year-old who had been convicted of drunken driving in 2023. But in running after him, they “were blocked by people whose stated goal was to stop the arrest.” ICE said that the “unfortunate and unacceptable interference from outside actors not only created a dangerous situation for the public and our officers, but also impeded ERO Newark from the performance of our duties.” ICE is hardly going rogue under the anti-enforcement Biden administration. In its own words, “ERO uses targeted, intelligence-driven leads to prioritize enforcement actions against the most egregious noncitizen criminals who pose the greatest threat to national security, public safety and border security.” They are practically begging to be allowed to do their jobs. But Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., said, “I was horrified to learn of the ICE raid carried out in Princeton today,” claiming that ICE agents “stopped Hispanic/Latinx residents seemingly at random to interrogate them and demand documentation.” Coleman said, “This kind of conduct has no place in our community or our country.” Presumably by “this conduct,” she means enforcement of our nation’s laws? Meanwhile, Princeton Mayor Mark Freda wrote that “ICE activities in Princeton have left out community deeply troubled. We believe that such federal actions, conducted without prior explanation, starkly contradict our core values of respect and dignity for all.” Really? What about respect for this pair’s next victims? As for “prior explanation,” if ICE had tipped off a town government that opposes everything they do, what are the chances those two guys would still have been there? And what “core values” is the mayor talking about? Why is it more important to him that no UNJIP ever be subject to the due process of United States immigration law, than that offenders who put their neighbors at risk should have to answer for their actions? Every other American citizen and legal immigrant charged with assault or drunken driving has to face the music. Why are illegal immigrants allowed to evade responsibility? This two-tiered justice in “sanctuary” jurisdictions places the ideology of open borders ahead of both local and national interest. It places the shielding of illegal aliens from lawful arrest and due process over the security of the community. Freda tried to reassure his voters on this point. “We have no involvement with ICE,” he said. “Our police department does not help them. None of our departments help them.” Well, why not? Freda was intent on noting “extensive human services and health department programs to help recent immigrants, whether they are documented or undocumented.” This mayor prizes providing services to people here illegally over ensuring safety for everyone (including other illegal immigrants). “We have to change our mindset about how we deal with ICE,” said Freda at a town meeting on July 16, hinting that not only would town authorities not cooperate with federal agents, but could hinder them. It is not surprising that one of the Guatemalans had a drunken driving record, which is a common offense among noncitizens. ICE logged more than 43,000 arrests for DUI offenses from 2018 to 2023. Not all caused fatalities, but drunken driving by illegal aliens kills people regularly. On July 21, a Honduran 18-year-old drunken driver called Axel Flores-Cordova killed teens Rylan Oncale and Taliyah Crochet in Louisiana. The police didn’t report his status, but Flores-Cordova was seven times over the legal alcohol limit and had no driver’s license, so it’s a fair chance he’s an UNJIP. In Virginia, another 18-year old Honduran, Elvis Jamir Cruz-Ferrera, was charged with involuntary manslaughter for killing college student Lauryn Ni’Kole Leonard, 19, back in February while driving. He was ordered deported in 2018 but didn’t show up for his court date. Prior to killing Leonard, Cruz-Ferrera had already been caught once speeding and twice driving without a license. Leonard would be alive but for Cruz-Ferrera’s illegal presence in the U.S. and continued ability to drive a car in spite of his many offenses.   It’s not just drunken driving that’s a risk, it’s uninsured, unlicensed, or criminal use of vehicles by people who should not be here at all, let alone in charge of a car. On July 31, Jose Aguilar-Martinez, an El Salvadoran here illegally, was charged with carjacking a grandmother in Virginia, then running her over and killing her. ICE has put a detainer on him, meaning they want local authorities to tell them when he’s being released so they can arrest him. But many sanctuary jurisdictions ignore such requests and send these offenders back out on to the streets, despite their being clear, preventable dangers to their own citizens. Prizing the imaginary rights of UNJIPs to remain in the U.S. over the actual rights of Americans to be safe in their own hometowns makes no sense. I’m saddened, but not surprised, to see Princeton put ideology ahead of public safety, as do so many leftist-run towns, cities, and states. But instead of rushing to coddle and protect illegal immigrants from the due process that would apply to any American, they should help ICE do the hard work of interior enforcement—or at the very least stop vilifying them for doing their jobs. The BorderLine is a weekly Daily Signal feature examining everything from the unprecedented illegal immigration crisis at the border to immigration’s impact on cities and states throughout the land. We will also shed light on other critical border-related issues such as human trafficking, drug smuggling, terrorism, and more. Read Other BorderLine Columns: A Successful US Immigration Policy Would Send Venezuelans Home to Rebuild Here’s the Chart on Illegal Immigration That Trump Was Talking About When Shot How Noncitizens Get to Vote in US Elections and How to Stop It Yes, America Is Exceptional. Happy 4th of July! Supreme Court Confirms No ‘Right’ for Foreigners to Enter US The post NJ City Prioritizes Protecting Illegal Aliens From ICE Over Public Safety: The BorderLine appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Former President Donald Trump announced three network debate dates that he agreed to, but said he’s still waiting for a response from Vice President Kamala Harris.  Trump said at a Mar-a-Lago press conference Thursday that he’s agreed to debate Harris on Fox News on Sept. 4, on NBC on Sept. 10, and on ABC on Sept 25. CBS would have the vice presidential debate between Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The Sept. 10 date was agreed to when President Joe Biden was the presumptive Democratic nominee. Harris has reportedly agreed to the Sept. 10 date. “Those networks are very anxiously awaiting those dates. We have spoken to the heads of the networks and it has all been confirmed, other than some fairly minor details, audience, location, which city would we put it into, but all things that would be settled very easily,” Trump said. “The other side has to agree,” Trump later said. “I don’t know that they’re going to agree. She hasn’t done an interview. She can’t do an interview. She’s barely competent.” The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to an email inquiry about whether it has agreed to the other dates. As of publication, there was nothing on her X campaign account that indicated she has accepted. Biden dropped out of the race last month amid concerns about his mental capacity and Democrats’ concerns of whether he could win in November after a poor performance against Trump in the June 10 debate.  Trump said that Biden was pushed out of the race.  “I’m no Biden fan, but I’ll tell you what, from a constitutional standpoint, from any standpoint, they took the presidency away,” Trump said. “People were saying he lost the debate. I don’t know that that is true necessarily. But whether he could win or he couldn’t win, he had the right to run. And they took it away. They said they were going to use the 25th Amendment. They were going to hit him hard. Either we can do it the nice way or do it the hard way. And he said alright. What they’ve done is pretty incredible.” Biden has said he left the race voluntarily to pass the torch to Harris. However, a recent story by Pulizer-winning journalist Seymour Hersh said that leading Democrats threatened to forcefully remove Biden through the 25th Amendment if he did not drop out.   Trump said he would be doing an interview show with Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.  “Elon called me. As you know he endorsed me,” Trump told reporters  in response to a question.  “He asked me if I would do a show, I think it’s going to be Monday night,” Trump said. “And I believe he is the host of the show. It will be very interesting. A lot of people are talking about it. I look forward to it.”  In response to a question, Trump said there would be a peaceful transfer of power–-an apparent reference to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021 where rioters entered the Capitol to stop the certification of Biden’s Electoral College victory in 2020. This came after Trump alleged that the election was stolen. “Of course there will be a peaceful transfer, and there was last time, and there will be a peaceful transfer,” Trump said. “I just hope we’re gonna have honest elections. That’s all.” Trump said 2024 is a critical time amid a possible world war and depression.  “Our country right now is in the most dangerous position it has ever been in from both an economic standpoint, from a safety standpoint. Both gangs on the street and frankly gangs outside of our country in the form of other countries that are very powerful,” Trump said early in the press conference.  “You could end up in a depression of the 1929 variety,” Trump said. “We are very close to that and we are very close to a world war in my opinion. We have people who don’t know how to handle it. They are not respected. All over the world they are laughed at.” The post Trump Challenges Harris to 3 Network Debates appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Brittney Pearson was a mother of four and 24 weeks pregnant when she was diagnosed with breast cancer—a tragic enough situation. To make a bad situation worse, though, the Sacramento native was pregnant as a surrogate mother for a gay couple. Upon being informed of the cancer diagnosis, the two men demanded that Pearson abort the child. While the baby was still in Pearson’s body, she had full rights under California’s bodily autonomy laws. But the intended parents attemptedto coerce her to have an abortion with financial penalties or lawsuits. Despite these threats, Pearson refused to terminate her pregnancy. She carried the baby as long as she could before having to begin chemotherapy. After all, Pearson also had to keep herself alive for her own four children. At around 25 weeks, Pearson went into induced labor. The intended fathers, who were contractually and legally recognized as the child’s parents by California law, decided to withhold lifesaving care and let the infant die.  Last month, Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., introduced legislation to prevent surrogate mothers such as Pearson from being forced into abortions. Ogles’ bill responds to cases such as those of Pearson, where women face threats of legal action or financial penalties from intended parents who demand abortions. The legislation aims to curb the destructive practices of the unregulated industry that is surrogacy.  When many Americans think of the word “surrogate,” they may imagine an altruistic lady who agrees to help a slightly older infertile couple—a scenario in the vein of Hagar and Abraham in the Old Testament. However, just as much anguish came from Hagar and Abraham’s actions, the modern surrogacy industry is rife with tragedy, pain, and confusion. Take the story of Melissa Cook, for example.  Cook gave birth to triplets eight years ago. Today, she doesn’t know where they are. In 2015, Cook signed a surrogacy contract that came with $30,000. The surrogacy agency, citing client confidentiality, provided her with virtually no information about the family she thought she was helping. It was only after Cook persisted that she discovered that instead of acting as a surrogate mother for a couple, she would be doing so for a 51-year-old single man who was deaf, blind, and living in his parents’ basement in Georgia. Cook still didn’t know the man’s name. “The warning bells rang, but I thought, ‘Why should a disability prevent someone from becoming a parent?’ So I signed the contract,” she recalled for the Daily Mail. Signing the surrogacy contract terminated all of Cook’s parental rights. Later, after the deaf and blind intended father found out that Cook had three viable embryos inside her, he sent her a text saying he wasn’t sure he could “have three kids.” “Can you think about aborting?” the man asked. He was right that he couldn’t manage three kids, let alone one. Perhaps he couldn’t even take care of himself.Nonetheless, commercial surrogacy allows anyone to get a child, without referrals from family or friends, home visits, or psychological evaluations—all required in normal adoption processes. When Cook spoke to her doctors about the situation, they told her that they could inject one of the triplets to induce death. The dead child could stay in her womb alongside his brothers until they eventually were born. To avoid this gruesome option, Cook offered to take care of the third son herself.Ultimately, the unborn baby was not aborted, but Cook had to give all three babies to the Georgia resident anyway. Her concern grew with court documents in which the deaf and blind man’s sister described him as “paranoid,” prone to “frequent anger fits,” and having “a history of being cruel to animals.” Court documents also noted that the man’s heroin-addicted nephew allegedly sold drugs out of the house at the time. At one hearing, the judge said: “What is going to happen to these children once they are handed over to C.M., that’s none of my business. That’s not part of my job.” Cook wasn’t allowed to have anyone with her during birth, per the orders of the deaf and blind man who was 2,000 miles away. To stifle any natural postpartum bonding, Cook didn’t get to see her children or breastfeed them. After the triplets spent a few weeks in the hospital, a team of nurses and a doctor flew back to Georgia with the disabled intended father. Stories such as Melissa Cook’s and Brittney Pearson’s aren’t politically correct to share. The surrogacy industry operates with little to no oversight or accountability. Americans are led to believe that surrogacy is an altruistic gift when it actually is an unaccountable, Wild West industry that prioritizes adult wishes over the needs and rights of children.             As Cook told the Daily Mail: “You always hear the happy stories, but people are never told horror stories like mine.” We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post Forced Abortion Is Part of Dark World of Surrogacy appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A former non-commissioned officer who served as Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota’s superior said he would not have allowed him to retire shortly before his National Guard unit was ordered to Iraq, The Washington Post reported Wednesday. A 2018 Facebook post by retired Army Command Sergeant Major Thomas Behrends accusing Walz of retiring after learning his unit would be deployed to Iraq resurfaced after Vice President Kamala Harris chose Walz as her running mate in the upcoming presidential election. Retired Army Command Sergeant Major Doug Julin, who was the command sergeant major of the brigade Walz was assigned to, said Walz went over his head in arranging his retirement with higher officers before the unit was scheduled to be deployed, The Washington Post reported. “I would have analyzed it and challenged him,” Julin told The Washington Post. “It would have been a different discussion, but he went to the higher ranks. He knew I would have told him, ‘Suck it up, we’re going.’” Julin previously criticized the Minnesota governor in a Sept. 26, 2022, interview with Alpha News, where he expanded on what took place prior to Walz’s May 2005 retirement, calling it a “backdoor deal.” “I’m going forward,” Julin recalled Walz telling him during an early 2005 meeting he and Walz attended where the unit’s deployment to Iraq was discussed, according to Alpha News. “Then out of nowhere in June of 2005, Tom Behrends is there as the new [command sergeant major].” Julin said that the sudden retirement caused his fellow soldiers to ask questions. “Soldiers are thinking, ‘What does he know that I don’t know?’ That’s the kind of message it sends,” he told Alpha News. “When the nation called, he quit,” Behrends and Herr wrote. “He failed to complete the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. He failed to serve for two years following completion of the academy, which he dropped out of. He failed to serve two years after the conditional promotion to Command Sergeant Major. He failed to fulfill the full six years of the enlistment he signed on September 18, 2001. He failed his country. He failed his state. He failed the Minnesota Army National Guard, the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion, and his fellow Soldiers. And he failed to lead by example. Shameful.” Walz did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation. Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation The post ‘I Would Have Told Him, Suck It Up’: Walz’ Decision To Retire Before Deployment Frustrated National Guard Superior appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. CrowdStrike – a company that advertises itself as stopping breaches using “AI-native cybersecurity” – recently failed to deliver in a spectacular fashion. One of its faulty updates (for Windows) caused a massive global outage across different industries and services, including hospitals and airports. This latest poster child for “single point of failure,” and why IT systems should not be centralized to the degree they are, now apparently sees making false copyright claims, thus abusing the DMCA, as one way of damage control. The recipient of the takedown attempt is a parody site, ClownStrike. Created by IT consultant David Senk, clownstrike.lol went online on July 24, in the wake of the embarrassing and costly (damages are said to run into billions) episode caused by CrowdStrike. Screenshot But despite ostensibly having more pressing issues to deal with, a week later Cloudflare (that hosted the parody site) sent Senk a DMCA notice issued on behalf of CrowdStrike by CSC Digital Brand Services. CrowdStrike wanted its logo, which is seen “fading into a cartoon clown” on Senk’s site removed, and threatened that otherwise the site would be shut down, writes Ars Technica. But the site is clearly a parody one, which would protect Senk’s display of the logo as fair use under the DMCA. However, this story has two “bad guys” – in addition to CrowdStrike, there’s Cloudflare. When Senk contested the takedown notice on fair use grounds, Cloudflare ignored it, and then sent him another email reiterating the copyright infringement accusations – and then, again ignored the site creator’s counterclaim. Senk has switched to a server in Finland, where he feels companies are “less susceptible to DMCA takedown requests.” Now the site also features the CSC logo (with a clown wig). And it’s been updated with Senk’s thoughts on corporate cyberbullies, Cloudflare’s “hilariously ineffective” system of countering copyright notices, and other rant-worthy topics. Ars Technica suggests that ClownStrike may have simply got caught up in as many as 500 notices CrowdStrike has been sending left and right these days to ensure “proactive fraud management activities (…) to help prevent bad actors from exploiting current events.” Senk’s description of this statement? “Typical corporate bullshit (taking) zero accountability.” If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Parody Website ClownStrike Rejects CrowdStrike’s Baseless DMCA Takedown Notice appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

Stolen Valor Scandal Gets Worse, If Possible

CBS Mornings devoted a significant segment of Wednesday’s first hour to a foolish report on the importance of leftist teenage influences on TikTok. Correspondent Jo Ling Kent hyped the quickly emerging “campaigning design” for the apparently beneficial impact it had on young voters, naturally focusing on how it advantaged the Democratic Party. Co-host Jericka Duncan began by highlighting a couple of (carefully selected) positive videos concerning Vice President Kamala Harris’ brand new running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D). Before turning to Kent, she giddily applauded how “Democrats have really deployed these influencers to attract those young voters.” Kent focused much of her report on 23-year-old TikToker Awa Sanneh and played certain tasteful clips from her videos, like one where she bragged, “I just peed in the White House.” The obviously delighted correspondent celebrated that “when she posted this video of her White House bathroom break, her half a million followers took notice.”      So much for the decency the Democratic Party swore it demonstrated. Kent could barely contain her excitement about another one of Sanneh’s videos, her “birth control blog” where she idiotically declared “over the United States of my uterus” following the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. “It was this viral video she posted…that initially caught the attention of a Democratic super PAC,” Kent cheered. Rather than being fueled by organic enthusiasm for the candidates or the presidential race in general, Kent herself revealed that, “Democratic organizations are flooding the creator community with cash and providing behind-the-scenes access.” She also interviewed a Rob Flaherty who had the esteemed role of running “digital strategy” in President Joe Biden’s White House and for the Harris campaign. More accurately, Flaherty is a millennial “coaching” a bunch of Gen-Zers with “talking points, resources, [and] base language” to market Kamala Harris.  Flaherty called the “highly meme-able Harris a massive asset,” clearly in denial that his work was simply part of the desperate attempt by the older generations to stay relevant in popular culture, while simultaneously struggling to appeal to the younger ones. Ironically, Kent clarified again that, “While Flaherty says the Harris campaign does not pay influencers directly, CBS news found a constellation of other Democratic political organizations that do,” meaning the so-called influencers demonstrated very little initiative or passion but were instead motivated by their greed (Sanneh revealed creators were paid from $3,000 to $10,000 “and upwards”). In fact, Sanneh said that she was “hired” by Protect Our Care, “a progressive advocacy group that relies on anonymous donors.” Kent revealed that groups like Protect Our Care send carefully scripted talking points, adding, “She takes their talking points and puts them into her own voice, saying she always discloses when she's being paid.” The hypocrisy was all too evident and that statement was a pathetic reassurance of the integrity of the Democrats’ new and not-so-subtly insidious agenda.  Actually, just a few moments later, Kent disclosed: “when it comes to selling commercial products or sharing financial advice online, federal rules do require influencers to disclose when they are being paid. But in December, the Federal Election Commission voted against similar requirements for influencers spreading political messaging.” Interestingly, Kent continued to expose the Democratic scheme by interviewing the University of Pittsburgh’s Sam Woolley who “studies political influencers,” asking him, “How can you tell what is a genuine grassroots expression of political opinion versus what's being paid for?” “If you see multiple influencers spreading the same exact message, you can start to realize, ‘Hmm, some kind of coordination is going on,’” Woolley responded. Following the report, co-host Gayle King gushed, “I am so fascinated by this, Jo Ling. ‘Cause at first I couldn't decide is this obnoxious, or refreshing, or creative?” She decided on “refreshing and creative” but certainly should have gone with her first impulse. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: CBS Mornings 8/7/2024 07:39:27 AM EST JERICKA DUNCAN: If you've been on Instagram or TikTok over the past day, chances are you've seen videos, like these, about the new Democratic vice presidential nominee, Tim Walz. They reflect a different kind of campaigning design to win the newest battleground, our social media feeds. Jo Ling Kent is here to show us how Democrats have really deployed these influencers, if you will, to attract those young voters. Good morning, Jo Ling. JO LING KENT: Good morning, Jericka. Good to see you. Now, influencers have become a key conduit to reach voters this election, as both parties are trying to gain an edge with Gen-Z, a bloc that’s estimated to have 41 million eligible to cast their ballot in November. Eight million for the first time. [Cuts to video] AWA SANNEH: Look at the volume in this hair… KENT: 23-year-old Awa Sanneh made a name for herself dispensing beauty tips on TikTok. SANNEH: I just peed in the White House. KENT: So, when she posted this video of her White House bathroom break, her half a million followers took notice. SANNEH: I was just shocked. I was, like, did you see that marble? KENT: Sanneh, who met us in Houston, was one of a few dozen influencers invited to the White House to watch the State of the Union and meet President Biden. SANNEH: He said to us, “The collective presence in this room has more viewership on Gen-Z than all of traditional media combined.” So, here's my birth control blog… KENT: It was this viral video she posted after the fall of Roe v. Wade.. SANNEH: Over the United States of my uterus– KENT: …that initially caught the attention of a Democratic super PAC. On the right, Turning Point USA has mobilized influencers for years, raising nearly $200 million since 2020. CHARLIE KIRK: You realize they're coming for you guys next. KENT: Now, Democratic organizations are flooding the creator community with cash and providing behind-the-scenes access. CLARKE PEOPLES: Come with me to meet the president of the United States… ROB FLAHERTY: We just have to be working with them and if we’re not, we're missing a huge way that voters are getting information about the world. KENT: Rob Flaherty runs digital strategy, previously in the Biden White House and now for the Harris campaign. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? KENT: He called the highly meme-able Harris a massive asset, as the campaign reaches out to thousands of influencers.  What kind of coaching do you give influencers acting on behalf of the Harris campaign? FLAHERTY: Talking points, resources, base language. KENT: While Flaherty says the Harris campaign does not pay influencers directly, CBS news found a constellation of other Democratic political organizations that do. In May, Future Forward, the super PAC supporting Harris, hosted panels like “Gaming the Algorithm” and “How advocacy can benefit your business.” SANNEH: In the first 100 days of a Republican presidency under Trump, Project 2025 talks about sacking thousands of civil servants… KENT: Last month, Sanneh says was hired by Protect Our Care, a progressive advocacy group that relies on anonymous donors. She made a video warning about Trump's second-term agenda. They almost help you script it, right? SANNEH: Right. Definitely. KENT: She takes their talking points and puts them into her own voice, saying she always discloses when she's being paid.  What's your rate? SANNEH: So, a video, just for a creator in my size, an average can go from $3,000 to $10,000, depending and upwards. SAM WOOLLEY: This is a bid by campaigns to create authenticity at a small scale. KENT: University of Pittsburgh's Sam Woolley studies political influencers.  How can you tell what is a genuine grassroots expression of political opinion versus what's being paid for? WOOLLEY: If you see multiple influencers spreading the same exact message, you can start to realize, “Hmm, some kind of coordination is going on.” KENT: Next up for Sanneh, the Democratic National Convention. SANNEH: They just told us that if we wanted to put on our own show that they would give us all the resources to do that. KENT: The Democrats are rolling out the red carpet. SANNEH: Definitely. And I'm glad to be on it. KENT: The beauty influencer now applying her own filter to this presidential campaign. [Cuts back to live] KENT: Now, when it comes to selling commercial products or sharing financial advice online, federal rules do require influencers to disclose when they are being paid. But in December, the Federal Election Commission voted against similar requirements for influencers spreading political messaging, guys. DUNCAN: Hmm. VLADIMIR DUTHIERS: Hmm. GAYLE KING: I am so fascinated by this, Jo Ling. ‘Cause at first I couldn't decide is this obnoxious, or refreshing, or creative? And after watching your piece, I'm now come down to refreshing and creative. And very smart to do this way. KENT: Yeah it’s interesting… KING: We’re learning how to do it. Yes. KENT: It's interesting, and it's a whole different business model. KING: Exactly. KENT: Both the campaigns and the super PACs having a strategy to reach more people. And the key thing here, it's not just influencers with millions of followers.  KING: Yeah. DUNCAN: Mhmm. KENT: We're talking about micro-influencers. Some people say in Pennsylvania, Bucks County… DUNCAN: Right. KENT: …30 followers. KING: I love she took you behind the scenes. I thought she was very good… KENT: It was fascinating! KING: …showing how that was done. KENT: She really opened up the doors and showed us how this works. KING: Yeah. DUTHIERS: Jo Ling, thank you very much. Great report. KING: Yes, yes, yes. KENT: Thanks, you guys. (...)

Comedian and podcast host Steven Crowder says that YouTube “essentially” banned him until election day. Crowder’s channel received strikes on no fewer than eight videos, including one posted in 2023, he announced in videos posted Monday on X. Google-owned YouTube reportedly accused Crowder of committing “harassment and cyberbullying” and “hate speech.”  Crowder called the censorship “startlingly dark,” and accused Google of “the direct suppression of your vote through misinformation, through censorship, through forbidding you from finding information.” The videos are related to the 2024 election and include critiques of the legacy media, Google and the Biden-Harris administration. The strikes issued by YouTube on Aug. 2 do not expire until Oct. 31, which is mere days before the Nov. 5 election day, hence Crowder’s complaint of being “essentially” banned till the election. Crowder said seven out of the eight censored videos were posted since President Joe Biden stepped out of the 2024 presidential race in favor of his Vice President Kamala Harris. According to Crowder, Google’s “election policy” involves taking sides with Democrats and censoring “any and all opposition to their narrative,” what he calls “direct election interference.” He warned that all Big Tech platforms are also engaging in election censorship, “rigging this election.” The show host also argues that YouTube targeted him because he plans to provide election coverage using not only legacy media sources but also independent analysts. “We know for a fact that they’re not happy about it,” he says. But, despite that, “We’re not going to be scared off. We’re not going to be beaten into submission.” He encouraged listeners to find his show on Rumble. MRC Free Speech America has found evidence repeatedly of Google’s election-interfering censorship, including most recently of Google search engine suppression of the Donald Trump assassination attempt and excessive promotion of Kamala Harris. MRC exposed Google for interfering in elections 41 times since 2008. This would not be the first time YouTube censored Crowder. For instance, last November, Crowder’s video exposing the Nashville mass shooter’s alleged manifesto was censored. YouTube has suspended Crowder more than once, including in December 2021, when no explanation was provided. Not long before that, in October 2021, YouTube accused Crowder of “hate speech” for highlighting the threat of “transgenders” sexually assaulting women. Read Also: Steven Crowder Bashes ‘Terrifying’ Big Tech Censorship, Government Collusion & Censorship Obsession: YouTube Censors Steven Crowder — Again? Conservatives are under attack. Contact YouTube here and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency, clarity on so-called hate speech and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored, contact us using CensorTrack’s contact form, and help us hold Big Tech accountable.

A Mexican cartel is using drones to “drop explosives” on a rival gang near the Arizona southern border, the New York Post reported, citing a recently leaked bulletin.The United States Border Patrol’s Yuma Sector Intelligence Unit released a bulletin on Tuesday warning about the recent cartel activity along the U.S.-Mexico border. According to the alert, members of Los Salazar, a cell of the Sinaloa Cartel, are using drones with explosives to attack Los Pelones, a rival cartel. The activity is part of an ongoing conflict between the two cartels in Sonoyta, Mexico, roughly two miles from the border. “Other confrontations between these two organization[s] have occurred along the border, south of Wellton Stations area of operations in recent months,” the bulletin read. “Agents are reminded to take any necessary precautions if drones are encountered or obse[rved] and report that activity up their chain of command as soon as possible.”In March, Air Force General Gregory Guillot told the Senate Armed Services Committee that, in his estimation, there are “over 1,000” drone incursions each month at the southern border, calling the number of encounters “alarming,” Blaze News previously reported. Guillot noted that no one knows the exact number of incursions but that it is “in the thousands.”At the time, he told lawmakers, “I haven’t seen any of them manifest in a threat to the level of national defense, but I see the potential only growing.”Cartel spotters typically use the drones to spot gaps in the border wall where they can sneak past law enforcement agents undetected. Guillot stated that some of the drones may be used to carry illicit drugs over the border.Last year, Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez told the House Oversight Committee that more than 10,000 drone incursions and 25,000 sightings were reported over a one-year period.“We have made great progress in countering the threat of small, unmanned platforms,” Chavez said. “However, the adversaries have 17 times the number of drones, twice the amount of flight hours, and unlimited funding to grow their operations.”In 2023, Customs and Border Protection called human smugglers’ use of drone technology a “growing trend.”The Associated Press recently reported that the Mexican army has stated that some of its soldiers have been killed by cartel drones dropping explosives. Mexican Defense Secretary Gen. Luis Cresencio Sandoval stated, “Our personnel have suffered wounds, and some of our troops have even died."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!