The return of American political comedian/commentator Jon Stewart to The Daily Show enriched many lives across the country‚ but even more so for a special NYC animal shelter. On an episode of his show‚ Stewart stole a bit of air time to eulogize “the best” dog‚ his three-legged Dipper‚ after he died at the age of 12. […] The post Thousands of Donations Pour into Animal Shelter Where Jon Stewart Adopted His Beloved Dog That Just Passed Away appeared first on Good News Network.

News Red vs. Blue Halo Parody Series Red vs. Blue to End after 21 Years with New Feature Release Who will … win? Can anyone win this? By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on March 28‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed After twenty-one years‚ the Rooster Teeth Halo parody Red vs. Blue is officially coming to an end. In a little over a month‚ the final installment‚ an eighty-seven-minute feature titled Red vs. Blue: Restoration‚ will become available for digital purchase and promises to give an ending to the series that started before YouTube was even a thing. Red vs. Blue takes place in the Halo universe and centers on two teams of soldiers—a Red team and a Blue team—who are in perpetual battle with each other. Their skirmishes under the questionable leadership of Church and Sarge are tinted with comedic‚ often absurd‚ moments. Here’s the nondescriptive synopsis for Restoration: When the universe’s greatest villain returns in a terrifying new form‚ old adversaries‚ the Reds and Blues of Blood Gulch‚ will have to set aside their differences to save the galaxy one last time. Warner Bros. Discovery officially shut Rooster Teeth down earlier this month‚ so this installment—four years since the last one in the series—will likely be the last project from the studio. Rooster Teeth co-founder Burnie Burns came back to pen the script for Red vs. Blue: Restoration‚ with Matt Hullum directing the feature. “I’m thrilled to return for Red vs. Blue: Restoration and to conclude this incredible twenty-one-year journey with our longtime fans‚” Burns said in a statement to Variety. “Red vs. Blue has been a cornerstone of Rooster Teeth’s legacy‚” added Hullum. “We’re immensely proud of what we’ve accomplished together.” Red vs. Blue: Restoration is being distributed by Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment and will be available for purchase on digital‚ with a price tag of $14.99‚ starting on May 7‚ 2024. It will be available to rent on digital for $4.99 starting May 21. Check out the teaser trailer below. [end-mark] The post Halo Parody Series <;i>;Red vs. Blue<;/i>; to End after 21 Years with New Feature Release appeared first on Reactor.

Excerpts Young Adult Read an Excerpt From Brittany N. Williams’ Saint-Seducing Gold The second book in Brittany N. Williams’ young adult historical fantasy trilogy. By Brittany N. Williams | Published on March 28‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed We’re thrilled to share an excerpt from young adult fantasy Saint-Seducing Gold‚ the second book in the Forge &; Fracture Saga by Brittany N. Williams—out from Amulet Books on April 23rd. There’s danger in the court of James I. Magical metal-worker Joan Sands must reforge the Pact between humanity and the Fae to stop the looming war. As violence erupts across London and the murderous spymaster Robert Cecil closes in‚ the Fae queen Titanea coerces Joan into joining the royal court while holding her godfather prisoner in the infamous Tower of London. Now Joan will have to survive deadly machinations both magical and mortal all while balancing the magnetic pull of her two loves—Rose and Nick—before the world as she knows it is destroyed forever. Rina Wood didn’t know what possessed her to tell the horrid story to her baby brother tonight. Sure‚ Luke had ripped the head from her favorite doll‚ but the look of abject terror that had come over his face when she’d said Old Rawhead was coming to eat him for being naughty didn’t fill her with the satisfaction she’d hoped for. The matron had let them keep only one thing from their old lives when she’d taken them into her care two months ago. Rina had chosen the doll their mum had made her from scraps of her old clothes. It was imperfectly shaped but made with so much love Rina swore she could feel her mum’s spirit when she held it close. But now it was ruined‚ head torn away and straw filling leaking out. She had every right to be furious… and yet… Rina could hear Luke’s sniffling and feel his little body shaking beside her in their bed. Her heart sank as he whimpered then fell into more muffled sobs. She sighed. Her brother was only five; he couldn’t help but play recklessly. He didn’t know any better. She rolled over‚ careful not to pull the covers off him in the chilly room‚ and gathered him up in her arms. “I’m sorry‚ Luke‚” she said‚ rubbing a hand along his back. “Nothing’s coming to get you. I was just mad about my doll.” He nuzzled against her‚ tears soaking the front of her nightshirt. “I’m sorry. I’ll learn to sew so I can fix it.” “We can fix it together.” She hugged him tighter‚ happy that they at least had each other even if their parents were gone. The door to their room swung open suddenly‚ and the matron rushed in before slamming it shut behind her. She leaned back against it as she peered into the darkness of the room‚ her eyes wide and face white as her shift. Rina sat up‚ keeping her hold on Luke. “Mistress Gregg‚ what—” Mistress Gregg shook her head back and forth as she lifted a trembling finger to her lips. Rina went silent‚ squeezing Luke and shushing him urgently. SCREEEE. Something scratched along the length of the door‚ and Rina saw the matron’s whole body tense. SCREEEE. SCREEEE. SCREEE. The sound grew louder and louder. The matron shook violently‚ hands clamped over her mouth as tears sprang into her eyes. SCREEEE. SCREEEE. SCREEE. Buy the Book Saint-Seducing Gold Brittany N. Williams Buy Book icon-close Saint-Seducing Gold Brittany N. Williams Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget Rina ripped the blanket off her and Luke and dragged him out of the bed. SCREEEE. SCREEEE. SCREEE. She pulled him down beside her‚ crouching in the darkest corner she could find. SCREEEE. SCREEEE. SCREEE. The wooden door was starting to creak and groan under the loud scratches. Rina knew it wouldn’t hold much longer. They’d need to be quick. SCREEEEEEEEEEE. SCREEEEEEEEE. SCREEEEEEEE. She shifted her brother onto her back‚ felt his tiny arms lock around her neck as she raised herself into a crouch. BOOM! The door tore off its hinges and slammed into the hallway wall. The matron turned‚ a horrified moan escaping her as something dove forward and dragged her to the ground. Rina leapt up‚ racing for the dooway as the matron screamed. The wet sounds of chewing and rending meat echoed in the darkness‚ but Rina just focused on running. As she sprinted along the hallway‚ she noticed every door was open‚ every room silent. Dark splatters of some liquid covered the walls and floor. The matron always despaired that she’d never have quiet with so many children living under her roof. Rina didn’t care to find out what horror had granted the woman’s wish. She hurried down the stairs‚ her grip on Luke so tight she was sure she’d leave bruises. It didn’t matter‚ as long as she got them out. She spotted the front door as something with too many legs thudded along the floor above and behind them. Moving fast. The heavy locks that bolted them in safely every night now seemed to assure their death as the thing thumped along the stairs. They didn’t have time. “Don’t let go‚ Luke‚” Rina hissed. She grabbed the matron’s favorite quilt from her special embroidering chair and swung it over both their heads. Then she threw herself through the front window. The glass shattered around them‚ jagged shards scratching her arms and legs‚ cutting her feet as she stumbled out onto the street. She flinched as one large piece stabbed into her bare sole. She limped forward a few more steps before turning‚ just as something raised itself up in the broken window. Two piercing golden eyes‚ slitted like a cat’s‚ peered out at her from a long‚ humanlike face so deep a green it could’ve been black. Six long limbs stuck out from either side of its body‚ each ending in a hand bearing long claws. It tilted its head to the side and revealed a mouth full of two rows of razor-sharp teeth. Rina felt her heart drop. There was no escape now. Not with the thing so close. She prayed Luke would know enough to run while the beast devoured her. If he lived‚ she’d die happily. The creature tensed‚ its long body preparing to leap. “What’s going on here?” someone shouted as the light of several lanterns and torches flowed out from the other houses along the street. The creature hissed and skittered back into the darkness of the orphanage as someone pulled Rina toward them. She cried out as she put weight on her injured foot. A woman crouched down in front of Rina‚ her face alarmed but gentle and blessedly ordinary. “What happened‚ child?” “Something’s wrong‚” the same voice from before called. “Bring the light over here.” Several men holding lanterns and torches and one brandishing what looked to be a sturdy cooking pan ran past Rina and the woman and into the silent building. The woman ignored the commotion and focused on Rina‚ slowly pulled the blanket away. Rina heard Luke whimper as he was uncovered. She tightened her grip on him once more and felt him do the same. She was about to say something when one of the men returned‚ his face pale as the matron’s had been. “Kate‚ get the children inside‚” he said firmly‚ only a slight tremble shaking his voice. Kate frowned at him. “What’s happening?” “Get the children inside. Now.” Something in his tone made the woman‚ Kate’s‚ eyes widen before she nodded and guided Rina and Luke away. Rina whimpered again as she put weight on her foot and the woman looked back at the man helplessly. His gaze softened and he strode forward‚ lifting both Rina and Luke easily. Kate kept pace with him as he walked toward another house‚ several of its windows illuminated with warm light. “Simon‚” Kate whispered‚ “what’s going on?” Rina felt Simon’s grip on her tighten slightly‚ protectively‚ and felt a rush of relief flow through her. He shuddered. “Nothing of God‚ Kate. Nothing of God.” As she looked to the orphanage they left behind‚ she spotted a pair of golden eyes gazing out of the upper window. And Rina was sure she’d never felt so cold in her entire life. Excerpted from Saint-Seducing Gold‚ copyright © 2024 by Brittany N. Williams. The post Read an Excerpt From Brittany N. Williams’ <;i>;Saint-Seducing Gold<;/i>; appeared first on Reactor.

News The Monkey Stephen King’s The Monkey Adaptation Wraps Production‚ Announces Full Cast‚ Including Elijah Wood and Tatiana Maslany If you find a mysterious toy in an attic‚ leave it there By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on March 28‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed It’s been almost a year since we found out that Stephen King’s short story‚ “The Monkey‚” was getting a feature adaptation starring The White Lotus’ Theo James. Today‚ Deadline broke the news that the project‚ directed by Osgood Perkins (Longlegs) and produced by Malignant‚ Aquaman‚ and The Conjuring filmmaker James Wan‚ wrapped up production. The outlet also reported on who else will be in the film besides James‚ and it’s an impressive line-up that includes Tatiana Maslany (pictured above in Orphan Black)‚ Elijah Wood (Yellowjackets)‚ Christian Convery (Sweet Tooth)‚ Colin O’Brien (Wonka)‚ Rohan Campbell (The Hardy Boys)‚ and Sarah Levy (Schitt’s Creek). Here’s the official synopsis of The Monkey‚ which hews closely to King’s original tale: Twin brothers Hal and Bill discover their father’s old monkey toy in the attic‚ a series of gruesome deaths starts occurring all around them. The brothers decide to throw the monkey away and move on with their lives‚ growing apart over the years. But when the mysterious deaths begin again‚ the brothers must reunite to find a way to destroy the monkey for good before it takes the lives of everyone close to them. In the film‚ James plays the adult versions of the twins while Convery plays the younger versions. We don’t have news on who the other cast members are playing‚ though I’m eager to find out. We also don’t know when the film will make its way to our eyeballs‚ but given production has ended‚ it’s looking like it might be later this year or early next. [end-mark] The post Stephen King’s The Monkey Adaptation Wraps Production‚ Announces Full Cast‚ Including Elijah Wood and Tatiana Maslany appeared first on Reactor.

Once you begin to search the old summer house in Open Roads‚ you’ll probably try to figure out how to get inside August’s old room. The door is locked‚ but is there a key or another way inside? Open Roads: How to unlock August’s old room As you’re exploring the old summer house you’ll realize that only one out of the three doors are unlockable. One of the two locked doors leads to August’s old room (your Aunt)‚ which may lead you to believe it requires a key. How you can get inside August’s old room in Open Roads is by entering the crawl space under the house. Screenshot: PC Invasion You don’t need any keys to unlock this door. Instead‚ make your way to the dog house outside of the summer home. At the corner of the house‚ you should see an interactable area at the base of the house. You suggest to Opal‚ your mom‚ that you can crawl through and see what’s inside. Screenshot: PC Invasion Although she protests‚ she al...

Who calls MSNBC a "news" channel? Joe Scarborough dug deep into his bag of Trump-Hitler analogies on today's Morning Joe. Scarborough began by analogizing the January 6 riot to Kristallnacht‚ the 1938 anti-Jewish pogrom led by the Nazi SS. He claimed "you can hear on Fox News people saying that nothing was wrong with January 6th." They're like Nazi newspapers: "Were there Nazi newspapers in the 1930s‚ saying‚ you know‚ Kristallnacht‚ there's some people that actually think that was a bad thing?!" Kristallnacht was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Jews‚ and the damage or destruction of hundreds of synagogues and thousands of Jewish businesses. It is seen as the precursor to The Final Solution--the Holocaust. To in any way equate this riot to a pogrom is wildly inaccurate and repulsive. But this is MSNBC‚ where they air lunatic pundits who claim "9/11 is nothing compared to January 6."   Later‚ Scarborough unloaded his usual braggadocio about how he reacts when "somebody makes the mistake of saying‚ I used to like you when you were a conservative." Mika said "Please don't do that." He bragged that he'd tell conservatives that they're liberal if they're voting for Trump and all his big spending (as if Democrats opposed massive pandemic relief‚ and other spending).  He boasted to George Conway: "You and I were conservatives‚ and are conservatives‚ but we were conservatives when some of these women on Fox News who call us liberals were still playing with their‚ their Barbies. Of course‚ Eva Braun edition." Conway found Scarborough slurring Fox News women as proto-Nazis hilariously funny. He kept on bragging: "We were fighting for conservative values. We were fighting to balance the budget‚ to reform welfare‚ we were fighting to hold Democratic administrations accountable when they were in grade school and have done it our entire life." So‚ sexism‚ ageism‚ and a Nazi slur -- quite the three-fer‚ Joe!  It's a little much to hear these people still mocking the conservatives because Ronna McDaniel said sometimes you "take one for the team" and don't state your own opinion. "No convictions....no core values‚" said Mika. Joe and Mika backed Trump enthusiastically in 2015‚ and then turned and ran the other way. Now‚ every day‚ they aim to please their number one fan‚ President Biden. But they think other people are just saying what the boss wants to hear.  Here's the transcript. MSNBC Morning Joe 3/28/24 6:26 am EDT MIKA BRZEZINSKI: I think‚ first of all‚ the reason for these gag orders‚ as Jonathan Lemire pointed out‚ is because of the fear of violence‚ of retribution. And Donald Trump is proven on that point in many different ways. We could talk for four hours about all the different ways he has threatened people. And then‚ of course‚ we have January 6th. And I just have to say‚ I was watching one of his networks‚ cause I like to see what Trump voters are hearing from places that call themselves news networks. And they were talking about January 6th in a discussion‚ in a discourse -- about us‚ actually. And saying that we want to put out there that January 6th was more than just a little thing. And that is the problem with the discourse. JOE SCARBOROUGH: I‚ I‚ I: let's just come out and say it. You hear‚ you can hear on Fox News people saying that nothing was wrong with January 6th. MIKA: You can have some -- yeah‚ if someone believes it was a little thing‚ you can still talk about it. SCARBOROUGH: It wasn't a big deal. And others saying‚ that network‚ you know‚ they actually sit there and people who watch that network think January 6th was an important event.  And you're‚ you're sitting there going‚ wait a second!  MIKA: More than a little thing. SCARBOROUGH: Were there Nazi newspapers in the 1930s‚ saying‚ you know‚ Kristallnacht. There's some people that actually think that was a bad thing?! The fact that Donald Trump has numbed people so much that the same people who said it was a horrible thing on January 7th are now coming back into the cult‚ back into the folds‚ going‚ you know‚ some people actually are stupid enough to say that that was a really terrible thing. Mind-blowing to me. MIKA: That can't be the debate. SCARBOROuGH: Mind-blowing to me that they are actually able to say that on a network that has paid dearly for election lies. . . .  MIKA: Their crime‚ in their party‚ is that they spoke their mind. And the problem we're seeing right now is‚ you have a lot of people on the media that leans to the right‚ and has that take‚ is that they are right now cutting down people for speaking their mind. They are right -- SCARBOROUGH: -- But they don't really know what -- MIKA: They are right now cutting down people who speak their minds despite who pays them. SCARBOROUGH: They -- MIKA: And they are -- SCARBOROUGH: [Getting annoyed by Mika] Yeah. MIKA: And they proving that they take one for the team every day. [Scarborough repeatedly jams ballpoint pen against chin in frustration.] You don't know what you're watching. SCARBOROUGH: And‚ and‚ and they actually admitted over the past week. They said -- MIKA: Time and time again. SCARBOROUGH: They said‚ I would never say anything that my boss doesn't want  -- MIKA: Insubordination. SCARBOROUGH: -- me to say. I would never speak my mind --  MIKA: Wait.  SCARBOROUGH: They literally are on the air -- MIKA: [Extended but unintelligible interruption.] I'm so confused. SCARBOROUGH: And they assured the viewers -- MIKA: [Unintelligible interruption] -- SCARBORuGH: -- That  they would never speak their mind -- MIKA: Ever! SCARBOROUGH: -- if their boss didn't want them -- MIKA: No convictions! SCARBOROUGH: -- speaking their mind. MIKA: No core values. SCARBOROUGH: And that's‚ [points back and forth to Mika and himself] we're speaking serially here‚ because we believe it a lot.  That's one of the reasons why -- MIKA: Please keep talking about it. [Joe stares angrily at Mika.] Sorry‚ go ahead. I was just talking to my friends over there. SCARBOROUGH: That's one of the reasons why -- . . .  If I'm walking through an airport‚ and somebody makes the mistake of saying‚ I used to like you when you were a conservative -- MIKA: Please don't do that. It's not good. SCARBOROUGH: I'm like‚ really‚ really? All right. And then I go down the list of issues. Where are you on this? Where are you on this? Well‚ I'll tell you what‚ you're‚ you're a liberal on spending if you support Donald Trump. You're a liberal. And you just go down the list of things.  It is so funny‚ George. You and I were conservatives‚ and are conservatives‚ but we were conservatives when some of these women on Fox News who call us liberals were still playing with their‚ their Barbies. Of course‚ Eva Braun edition. [George Conway laughs hysterically.]  We were fighting for conservative values. We were fighting to balance the budget‚ to reform welfare‚ we were fighting to hold Democratic administrations accountable when they were in grade school and have done it our entire life.  What's the difference? When an anti-democratic‚ fascist-leaning guy wants to be President of the United States -- you know what? We're Americans first. Let's work with other people who support democracy.

The White House's Office of Management and Budget‚ currently in the hands of the Biden administration‚ has announced that significant changes have been made to questions related to race and ethnicity on most standard federal surveys and questionnaires‚ including the U.S. census. These are the first such changes to be made in nearly 30 years.The first major change is that race and ethnicity‚ which had been addressed in separate questions‚ will now be conflated‚ though respondents may still select multiple options. One purpose for this change‚ the AP reported‚ is to simplify the process for Hispanic people. The AP claimed that people of Hispanic heritage often "aren't sure how to answer the race question" and as a result either select "some other race" or leave the question blank. There will also be a new racial category added to the mix. Since 1997‚ the U.S. has recognized five minimum racial categories: American Indian or Alaska Native‚ Asian‚ Black or African American‚ Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander‚ and white. Now‚ respondents will have the additional option of selecting Middle Eastern and North African. Those in charge of creating surveys should also consider breaking several racial categories down even further‚ the OMB said. For instance‚ the office suggested‚ some who select the category "black" might more specifically identify as Haitian or Jamaican.Finally‚ the OMB has eliminated the following terms from federal surveys and questionnaires because they are either offensive or inadequate: Negro‚ Far East‚ majority‚ and minority.Many on the left are celebrating these new changes‚ which — according to the AP — were made over the last two years by "a group of federal statisticians and bureaucrats who prefer to stay above the political fray.""It feels good to be seen‚" said Democrat state Rep. Anna Eskamani of Florida‚ whose parents were born in Iran. "Growing up‚ my family would check the 'white' box because we didn’t know what other box reflected our family. Having representation like that‚ it feels meaningful.""You can’t underestimate the emotional impact this has on people‚" added Meeta Anand‚ senior director for Census and Data Equity at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. "You are seeing a desire for people to want to self-identify and be reflected in data so they can tell their own stories."However‚ the AP's reporting also notes that the new changes‚ which will greatly reduce the number of people considered white‚ will likely have political consequences in terms of congressional districts and the understanding and enforcement of civil rights laws.Others have some reservations because they believe the Middle Eastern and North African category still isn't inclusive enough. "It is not reflective of the racial diversity of our community‚" said Maya Berry‚ executive director of the Arab American Institute. "And it’s wrong."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins reported that they had recovered their shipment of 19‚000 bobbleheads after 11 days of rescue missions that involved federal authorities and ransom demands.The bobbleheads‚ which were meant to commemorate hockey legend Jaromir Jagr‚ were announced by the team as stolen when the shipment arrived in California in early March 2024.Nearly two weeks later‚ team officials announced they had recovered the cargo as part of an operation that involved Los Angeles police forces‚ the Department of Homeland Security‚ and the FBI."They were due to arrive at the arena‚" Pittsburgh Penguins executive Kevin Acklin told KDKA. "They didn't arrive. At first‚ we heard that there was some engine trouble‚ and then it sounded like a group of extortionists had stolen the bobbleheads‚ maybe along with some other merchandise‚ and they were negotiating with the trucking company to release them."Acklin‚ the team's president of business operations‚ told the local outlet that a person or persons used fake documentation to take the shipment of bobbleheads out of the holding facility."Somebody put fake paperwork in the hands of a distribution center‚" Acklin said. "They walked away or drove away with our product. And were starting to make contact with the company about delivering it back. Ultimately‚ it took about a week."The shipping company then used its own "cargo recovery team" to acquire the shipment. The Penguins executive also alluded to the fact that the thieves made ransom demands but could not clarify if the shipping company paid a ransom."We weren't directly involved in paying any ransom‚" Acklin explained. "It was on the supplier to recover them and deliver them‚ and they did that. Now‚ I'm not sure 100% if they paid anything for that. My guess is that they probably did‚ and they have insurance for this kind of loss."The hockey executive said that the thieves had not been arrested but that the truck with the bobbleheads was indeed secured by the recovery team.An official team announcement said that the "special cargo recovery team negotiated the return of the stolen property to a secure warehouse." THE JAGR BOBBLEHEADS ARE HOME!\n\nFull details on how to redeem your @68Jagr bobblehead voucher: https://t.co/3lSIozXTYY — (@) After the shipment initially went missing‚ the Penguins' publicity team quickly went to work and made light of the situation‚ capitalizing on the popularity of the all-time great player Jagr."Did anybody see my bubbleheads?? 18000 of them. Actually‚ I got one‚ missing 17‚999. Let me know. Thank you‚" Jagr wrote on his X account. Did anybody see my bubbleheads?? 18000 of them. Actually‚ I got one ‚missing 17‚999. Let me know. Thank you. — (@) The team then quickly filmed Jagr taking a fictional journey in his car to find the remaining figurines. That video prompted conspiracy theories that the shipment theft was a publicity stunt‚ with hosts on "The Pat McAfee Show" wondering if the story had been "a work" of fiction."Was the theft a publicity stunt?" a fan asked the hockey team directly on Instagram."They were actually stolen‚ unfortunately‚" the team replied. "All fans in attendance will receive a voucher that includes a one-time scannable barcode that will be required to pick up the bobblehead at a later date‚" the team added.The cargo never it made it out of California‚ although Acklin had a moment of concern that they might have gone north of the border."I got the call‚ and they said we have the cargo‚ it's in Ontario. I'm like‚ 'How did they get to Canada?' But apparently‚ it was Ontario‚ California." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) Ticket-holders will use vouchers to acquire the precious memorabilia that was promised to them nearly a month before.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Democratic-appointed judges on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that only those mail-in ballots that are correctly dated can be counted in elections held in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Republican National Committee celebrated the result‚ suggesting it would bolster voter confidence in the integrity of their elections. The ACLU of Pennsylvania and other leftist outfits alternatively denounced the ruling‚ intimating the fight to permit the counting of unsound ballots in Pennsylvania is not over. Background Following a lawsuit from the Republican National Committee‚ the Republican Congressional Committee‚ and the Republican Party of Pennsylvania‚ the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered state election officials in November 2022 to refrain from counting any mail-in ballots bearing undated or incorrectly dated envelopes. The court had evidently agreed with the Republicans seeking the injunction who argued the "General Assembly could not have been clearer" when it "mandated that a voter who chooses to vote via absentee or mail-in ballot 'shall ... fill out‚ date and sign the declaration' printed on the outer envelope of the ballot." Since Democrats relied more on mail-in ballots than Republicans in previous years‚ the ruling was expected to lead to more disqualified Democrat votes in the general election. The Pennsylvania State Conference of the NAACP and other leftist groups subsequently sued Pennsylvania election officials in an effort to force the state to count such invalid mail ballots. The original complaint in NAACP v. Schmidt alleged that the refusal to count ballots supposedly mailed on time but lacking a date or incorrectly dated "violates the Materiality Provision of the Civil Rights Act‚ which makes it unlawful to deny the right to vote based on an 'error of omission' on a voting-related 'record or paper' that is 'not material in determining whether [a voter] is qualified under State law to vote in [the election].'" In November 2023‚ the U.S. Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania ruled in favor of the plaintiffs‚ concluding that federal law requires mail ballots be counted even if undated or bearing a date that is "incorrect." Republicans swiftly appealed the decision to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Fortunes reversed The federal appeals court handed down a 2-1 ruling Wednesday‚ reversing the district court's ruling. Circuit Judge Thomas Ambro noted in the majority's opinion Wednesday that contrary to the claim advanced in the Pennsylvania State Conference of the NAACP's complaint‚ "The Materiality Provision only applies when the State is determining who may vote. In other words‚ its role stops at the door of the voting place." "The Provision does not apply to rules‚ like the date requirement‚ that govern how a qualified voter must cast his ballot for it to be counted‚" continued Ambro. The court underscored that individuals "are not 'denied' the 'right to vote' if non-compliant ballots are not counted." Ambro added‚ "We reach this conclusion because a contrary approach cannot be reconciled with the text and historic backdrop of the statute‚ nor cabined to the date requirement while leaving intact other vote-casting rules that serve valid state interests." Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley said in a statement‚ "This is a crucial victory for election integrity and voter confidence in the Keystone State and nationwide." "Pennsylvanians deserve to feel confident in the security of their mail ballots‚ and this 3rd Circuit ruling roundly rejects unlawful left-wing attempts to count undated or incorrectly dated mail ballots‚" added Whatley. "Republicans will continue to fight and win for election integrity in courts across the country ahead of the 2024 election." The RNC further emphasized the importance of reinforcing mail ballot safeguards in Pennsylvania as it is a "crucial swing state." Mike Lee‚ executive director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania‚ bemoaned the result‚ claiming thousands of Pennsylvanian voters might "lose their vote" over their apparent inability to properly cast a ballot. Ari Savizky‚ an attorney with the ACLU's Voting Rights Project who unsuccessfully argued the case before the court‚ said‚ "We are considering all of our options at this time. And we will not stop fighting for voters." Philip Hensley-Robin‚ the director of Common Cause Pennsylvania‚ a plaintiff in the case‚ claimed that this ruling will "undoubtedly have a negative impact on elderly voters and voters of color" but did not specify why minorities are supposedly more likely to submit faulty ballots. "We will work with partners to ensure that voters across the state of Pennsylvania know how to make sure their votes are counted‚" added Hensley-Robin. Spotlight PA noted earlier this month that the decision is likely to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court‚ whereon certain justices have indicated an interest in taking up the issue. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

What are the best AFK Journey artifacts? These equipable boons play a major part in a unit's growth path. If you don't make proper time to find and upgrade them‚ you're sure to start lagging behind on your server. Before you start to spend resources on simple character levels‚ it's best to ensure your Artifact setup is the best it can be. Still in the early stages of this tactical RPG? Check out our AFK Journey tier list and AFK Journey reroll guide to get your account off on the right foot. And if you're a ways in already‚ new AFK Journey codes might just give you the pulls you need to stay competitive. Continue reading All AFK Journey Artifacts ranked MORE FROM PCGAMESN: AFK Journey tier list‚ AFK Journey codes‚ AFK Journey reroll