Tuesday evening’s PBS NewsHour covered last week’s brutal murder of a college student by an illegal immigrant on the campus of the University of Georgia. It began factually but descended into typical PBS left-wing apologia -- funded by taxpayers like you. The NewsHour aired tributes from the president of her sorority‚ then summarized the case in a forthright manner. Nawaz: Riley's body was found in this wooded area on campus last Thursday. Her roommate had reported her missing after she failed to return from a morning jog; 26-year-old Venezuelan citizen Jose Antonio Ibarra was charged with her murder. Immigration officials say‚ in September of 2022‚ Ibarra was detained in Texas after illegally entering the U.S. from Mexico‚ but then released for further processing…. But then Nawaz made a politicized pivot to chide Fox News‚ suggesting “conservatives and right-wing media” were unfairly seizing on Laken Riley’s murder to promote their anti-immigration views‚ airing a Fox clip featuring anchor Jesse Watters. Jesse Watters‚ Fox News Anchor: A dangerous foreign national broke the law and suffered no consequences because of fringe policies the far left claims are compassionate. Thomas Homan‚ Former Acting Director‚ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Fox: This is another senseless‚ preventable death because of this open border. Nawaz: Conservatives and right-wing media link the Biden Administration's immigration approach with Riley's death….Georgia's Republican Governor Brian Kemp pointed to record high numbers at the U.S. Southern border. This may be a rare time the words "far left" are aired on PBS. After a Kemp clip‚ the liberal professor guest came to calm the waters. Nawaz: …. The White House has expressed condolences to Riley's family‚ but has not responded directly to the Republican accusations. All this as both Biden and Trump plan dueling border visits to Texas on Thursday of this week. And to help with some context around these questions around immigration and crime‚ I'm joined now by Charis Kubrin. She's a professor of criminology‚ law‚ and society at the University of California‚-Irvine‚ and co-author of the book Immigration and Crime: Taking Stock....Authorities also today just revealed her death was due to blunt-force trauma. And the man‚ we know‚ accused here is an undocumented immigrant. Those are all facts. What do you make of the larger conversation around those facts right now? PBS’s supposedly undeniable “facts” about Venezuelan immigrant Jose Antonio Ibarra‚ accused of Riley’s murder‚ include the oversensitive label of “undocumented immigrant.” Typically for PBS‚ the segment’s sole guest‚ an unlabeled liberal‚ defended the left flank‚ shielding illegals against accusations of criminality and also decrying potential limits on immigration. Charis Kubrin: When I heard about this tragic event‚ my heart went out immediately. That is‚ of course‚ the first reaction I had. But the second one is‚ uh-oh‚ I hope that this is not used as -- this awful event is not used for political advantage. And it appears that that is what is essentially happening. We see a tragic event become a sparking point for really restrictive policies aimed at immigrants. Nawaz let Kubrin (who donated $1‚250 to arch-liberal California Rep. Katie Porter for her successful 2018 House campaign) claim “immigrants do not engage in more crime than native-born counterparts‚ and immigration actually can cause crime to go down‚ rather than up‚ so quite contrary to public perception.” Nawaz at least asked a clarifying follow-up. Nawaz: And does any of your research examine any differences between an undocumented immigrant and those who are legally here in the United States? Kubrin: ….There are a handful of studies that have begun to do this using pretty sophisticated estimation techniques to identify the number of undocumented individuals. And what those studies find is‚ similar to the research in general‚ there is no criminogenic impact among undocumented immigrants. In other words‚ undocumented immigrants are not engaging in more crime‚ contrary to public perception…. Setting aside Kubrin’s vagueness‚ one could argue being in the country illegally is a crime in itself. She echoed Rep. Porter’s own terrible argument -- don’t generalize against illegals based on a single unfortunate incident. Kubrin: ….if we really do want to cut down on crime in general‚ absent this one horrific incident‚ making restrictive‚ exclusionary and harsh policies aimed at immigrants is really not going to yield the benefits of reductions in crime that many people believe…. This segment was brought to you in part by BNSF Railway. A transcript is available‚ click “Expand.” PBS NewsHour 2/27/24 7:15:59 p.m. (ET) Amna Nawaz: The murder of a college student in Georgia and the immigration status of her alleged killer have thrown new fuel into the heated debate over the U.S. southern border and the government's policies. At the University of Georgia‚ grief hangs in the air after last week's death of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Hope Riley. Students‚ including her sorority sisters‚ gathered yesterday to remember Riley. Chloe Mullis‚ President‚ Alpha Chi Omega: She showed incredible wisdom throughout her friendships. Many sisters have shared that she was the best listener. She would allow you to ramble on about how your day was or how your life had been lately. And she soaked it up intently. Her wisdom flowed throughout all aspects of her life‚ and she had an eye for those who were secretly struggling. Amna Nawaz: Riley's body was found in this wooded area on campus last Thursday. Her roommate had reported her missing after she failed to return from a mourning jog; 26-year-old Venezuelan citizen Jose Antonio Ibarra was charged with her murder. Immigration officials say‚ in September of 2022‚ Ibarra was detained in Texas after illegally entering the U.S. from Mexico‚ but then released for further processing. Students returned to classes this week‚ but the community has been shaken to its core. Riley's death is believed to be the school's first homicide in nearly 30 years. Bethany Bateman Mcdonald‚ University of Georgia: I'm a mom. And as a mom‚ I couldn't imagine‚ I couldn't imagine something like this happening to my children. Amna Nawaz: Beyond campus… Jesse Watters‚ FOX News Anchor: A dangerous foreign national broke the law and suffered no consequences because of fringe policies the far left claims are compassionate. Thomas Homan‚ Former Acting Director‚ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: This is another senseless‚ preventable death because of this open border. Amna Nawaz: Conservatives and right-wing media link the Biden administration's immigration approach with Riley's death. Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA): Laken's death is a direct result of failed policies on the federal level. Amna Nawaz: Georgia's Republican Governor Brian Kemp pointed to record high numbers at the U.S. southern border. Gov. Brian Kemp: It is an understatement to say that this is a major crisis. And because of the White House's failures‚ every state‚ as I have said repeatedly‚ is now a border state. And Laken Riley's murder is just the latest proof of that. Amna Nawaz: On social media‚ former President Trump said — quote — "Biden's border invasion is destroying our country and killing our citizens." And he reiterated his campaign pledge to — quote — "seal the border and deport illegal criminals." The White House has expressed condolences to Riley's family‚ but has not responded directly to the Republican accusations‚ all this as both Biden and Trump plan dueling border visits to Texas on Thursday of this week. And to help with some context around these questions around immigration and crime‚ I'm joined now by Charis Kubrin. She's a professor of criminology‚ law‚ and society at the University of California‚ Irvine‚ and co-author of the book "Immigration and Crime: Taking Stock." Professor‚ let's begin with the obvious here. Our thoughts are obviously with the family of Laken Riley and her friends‚ the senseless loss of a young woman's life. Authorities also today just revealed her death was due to blunt-force trauma. And the man‚ we know‚ accused here is an undocumented immigrant. Those are all facts. What do you make of the larger conversation around those facts right now? Charis Kubrin‚ University of California‚ Irvine: When I heard about this tragic event‚ my heart went out immediately. That is‚ of course‚ the first reaction I had. But the second one is‚ uh-oh‚ I hope that this is not used as — this awful event is not used for political advantage. And it appears that that is what is essentially happening. We see a tragic event become a sparking point for really restrictive policies aimed at immigrants. Amna Nawaz: So‚ I know in your work and in your book‚ you look exactly at this issue going back even to the early 1900s about the intersection of crime and immigration. Broadly speaking‚ what have you learned? Charis Kubrin: So‚ there's been so much research that's been done on how immigration and crime are related‚ both among immigrants‚ are immigrants more or less crime-prone than their native-born counterparts‚ and does immigration to an area cause crime to go up or down? And more recently‚ there's been an explosion of research in this area because of public perception and interest. And what's pretty amazing is‚ across all this research‚ by and large‚ we find that immigrants do not engage in more crime than native-born counterparts‚ and immigration actually can cause crime to go down‚ rather than up‚ so quite contrary to public perception. Amna Nawaz: And does any of your research examine any differences between an undocumented immigrant and those who are legally here in the United States? Charis Kubrin: Right. That's become an increasingly important question that we have sought to answer. There are a handful of studies that have begun to do this using pretty sophisticated estimation techniques to identify the number of undocumented individuals. And what those studies find is‚ similar to the research in general‚ there is no criminogenic impact among undocumented immigrants. In other words‚ undocumented immigrants are not engaging in more crime‚ contrary to public perception. And the presence of undocumented immigrants in an area does not correlate with higher crime‚ particularly violence. Amna Nawaz: Professor‚ I'm sure you have heard this argument before. We're hearing this again‚ which is that if this man had not been allowed to enter into the United States‚ if he'd not been allowed to stay‚ he couldn't have committed this crime‚ and this young woman would still be alive today. Are people making that argument wrong? Charis Kubrin: Well‚ it's not that argument's wrong‚ because‚ essentially‚ that is true‚ but I think it's misplaced‚ because‚ at the end of the day‚ if we really do want to cut down on crime in general‚ absent this one horrific incident‚ making restrictive‚ exclusionary and harsh policies aimed at immigrants is really not going to yield the benefits of reductions in crime that many people believe‚ largely because‚ as I just mentioned‚ immigrants are not the ones engaging in crime. I would point out also that there's been a lot of instances of violence on campus with young individuals getting killed‚ tragic events‚ most of which are occurring by native-born Americans. And so I think we need to pay attention to broader factors that contribute to this kind of senseless violence‚ rather than simply aiming our targets at immigrants. Anna Nawaz: So that leap from the crime of one person catalyzing to fear of an entire group or population‚ we don't really see that‚ as you mentioned‚ with native-born Americans or white Americans more broadly. Is that something unique to immigrant populations? Charis Kubrin: So that's the interesting thing. I have never seen a headline‚ not once in my life‚ that has read native-born American has engaged in this crime or that crime. And so what happens is most of the stories identify a person's immigrant status and link it with crime in headlines‚ in social media‚ in the news. That essentially reinforces the public perception that both go hand in hand‚ when in fact the data show just the opposite. So it's an uphill battle in terms of public perception. Amna Nawaz: What should we expect to see in the months ahead? We are in an election year. Immigration is a top issue for voters around the country. Do you expect this conversation to continue at this kind of heated level? Charis Kubrin: I think it will‚ unfortunately‚ for the exact reasons I mentioned early on‚ which is that this is an opportunity‚ an awful opportunity‚ to seize on a political advantage. What I hope happens is that we identify places where we can improve things when it comes to immigration‚ but also do so in a way that makes smart policy‚ policy that will help things more broadly‚ rather than simply use a scapegoat moment to make more restrictive policies that are not going to do much in the end for crime. Amna Nawaz: Professor Charis Kubrin from the University of California‚ Irvine‚ thank you so much for your time. We appreciate it. Charis Kubrin: Thank you.

Late Wednesday afternoon‚ the Supreme Court announced they’d hear the case on presidential immunity as it relates to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s January 6 criminal case against former President Trump. Naturally‚ this decision left the liberal media — including ABC and NBC on Wednesday night and Thursday morning — enraged this could further delay what they hope leads to Trump’s imprisonment. Instead of letting the D.C. Court of Appeals’s decision against Trump stand‚ the Court decided it would weigh in on whether a president is immune from prosecution‚ which is‚ in fact‚ a big deal. In other words‚ the kind of topic the high court exists to answer. One could say ABC News was losing its noodle over what it deemed as the Supreme Court doing Donald Trump’s bidding by “serving” his desires “of pushing his trials past the presidential election” and thus handing him a “victory” and Smith “a major setback”. Thursday’s Good Morning America was apoplectic. Co-host and former Clinton official George Stephanopoulos huffed “the Supreme Court agreeing to hear Donald Trump’s claim that he is immune on federal charges” placed the trial for said charges “on hold‚ serving the former President’s strategy of pushing his trials past the presidential election.” Chief Washington correspondent and three-time anti-Trump author Jonathan Karl was despondent that “the trial in that case could be pushed back to late summer or fall‚ or possibly until after the presidential election” and thus‚ regardless of the Supreme Court’s ruling “a Trump victory”. “With this delay‚ even if the trial was able to happen before the election‚ it would likely take place against the back drop of the political conventions later in the summer‚ or in the heat of the fall campaign‚ possibly‚ George‚ after voters in several states have already started casting their ballots‚” he added. A seething Stephanopoulos commiserated with chief legal analyst Dan Abrams‚ suggesting‚ in his view‚ it’s pointless because there’s no way Trump could prevail in any court. Abrams was also forlorn at “a really big win” the Court gave Trump (click “expand”): STEPHANOPOULOS: Ultimately‚ this question of pres — immunity is not a close call. They’re going to rule against Donald Trump there. So‚ why take it? ABRAMS: Because they want to put their stamp on it. Because the U.S. Supreme Court wants to weigh in on an incredibly important question. But‚ look‚ this really is all about the clock. I mean‚ this always has been about the clock. I think Donald Trump and his legal team know they’re not going to win the argument that he is completely immune‚ that the President has complete and total immunity. The question is‚ when do they decide that? And now‚ this is a really big win for Donald Trump if you look at his effort‚ as an effort to delay. STEPHANOPOULOS: But that gets to my second question‚ why take 16 days to decide this? Why schedule arguments two months from now? ABRAMS: The 16 days‚ I think‚ shows there was some dissent within the justices about what to do here. And‚ yeah‚ they could have expedited it even more. Look‚ the easiest way to deal with moving it forward would have been to say‚ as they do in most cases‚ we’re not gonna hear it‚ right? The appellate court has ruled on this. We’re gonna simply say this is not a case that the Supreme Court is going to weigh in on. And the appellate court decision would have stood against Donald Trump. The Court not saying that. And then also not move it quite as quickly as they could have. And so‚ I now think it’s very unlikely that you’re going to see this trial move before the election. STEPHANOPOULOS: One final question‚ thought. Could the judge‚ assume he’s not — he’s not immune‚ schedule the trial for November 8? And‚ even if Donald Trump wins‚ he still has to face trial? ABRAMS: That’s‚ like‚ one of the questions a professor asks in class‚ right? It’s like‚ should — STEPHANOPOULOS: But answer it! [LAUGHS] ABRAMS: — it’s like‚ theoretically — yeah‚ theoretically‚ it’s possible. Practically‚ there’s absolutely no way the judge is going to schedule the trial for after the election. There’s just no way. By the way‚ I don’t think the judge — I don’t think the department of justice is going to allow the — the case to move forward even in the 60 days before the election. So‚ I don’t think any of that period becomes a realistic possibility‚ although theoretically it’s possible. During a subsequent bottom-of-the-hour news brief and lead-in at the top of the second hour‚ Stephanopoulos made sure to return to this claim that the Court is “serving” Trump ahead of Karl relitigating his report from the first hour. Rewind to Wednesday’s World News Tonight and anchor David Muir framed it not as something the high court was made to answer‚ but how this affects the election.  Here was his opening tease: “This move from the Supreme Court to decide this will delay the federal case brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith...[H]ow soon could the Supreme Court decide this? And if they don’t decide in Donald Trump’s favor‚ would there still be time for this federal trial before the presidential election?” After correspondent Devin Dwyer also bemoaned this in political terms‚ Muir brought in ABC News contributor Kate Shaw‚ the wife of MSNBC leftist loon Chris Hayes. While more covert than overt‚ Shaw put her thumb on the scale by demanding the Court “mov[e] much faster in a case like this” compared to waiting until late June to release it (as the Court does with blockbuster cases). That way‚ she argued‚ “a trial maybe late this summer” was still possible. In other words‚ she was aiming to not have her fellow progressives lose hope. Wednesday’s NBC Nightly News was similarly not amused. Along with anchor Lester Holt emphasizing “[t]he decision likely delays the start of any trial”‚ chief legal correspondent Laura Jarrett (and daughter of Obama confidant Valerie Jarrett) was relayed the Court did as “Mr. Trump hoped” and revived chances the case could be dismissed if he wins in November. Jarrett returned to Thursday’s Today with even more saltiness as though Team Obama wrote it for her‚ whining the Court helped gave “Trump the gift of time” by ensuring “the calendar works to his advantage” and lessening the “sky high” “stakes” (click “expand”): JARRETT: The immunity issue one that could make or break the prosecutor’s case against Donald Trump. The Supreme Court’s involvement on this could hand him a win or loss‚ but either way‚ the calendar works to his advantage‚ making the chances he will face trial before election day this year on charges of trying to overturn the last election‚ more remote by the day. This morning‚ the U.S. Supreme Court handing Donald Trump the gift of time. The justices agreeing to decide whether the Republican frontrunner should be immune from federal charges because his attempts to reverse the 2020 election happened while he was still in office. TRUMP [on 01/06/21]:  We will never give up. We will never concede. JARRETT: In a one page order‚ the high court saying it will hear arguments the case the week of April 22. But‚ with no firm for its final ruling‚ the prospect of a federal criminal trial being completed before the November election‚ becoming increasingly unrealistic. And‚ if the Supreme court rules in Mr. Trump’s favor‚ the charges against him in Washington‚ D.C.‚ wiped out completely. TRUMP [on 02/08/24]: You cannot allow a president to be out there without immunity. They don’t have immunity‚ you don’t have a presidency. JARRETT: The stakes‚ sky high for the former President‚ who has cast the prosecution itself as election interference and Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team‚ which has accused Mr. Trump of defrauding the government he once led. SMITH [on 08/01/22]: My office will seek a speedy trial‚ so that our evidence can be tested in court. JARRETT: But the case has been beset by appeals on the immunity question with lower courts finding Mr. Trump should not be shielded from prosecution. The Trump campaign seizing on the Supreme Court taking up the case as another fundraising opportunity with the former President pressing his case on social media. (....) JARRETT: Even if [the Court] said [Trump] loses it‚ he’s not immune‚ he — the still wouldn’t just spring back to life‚ right? He wouldn’t immediately go to trial the next day because he gets benefit of all of this time when the case essentially just been frozen on ice...So‚ he would get roughly three months tacked on to that time. In contrast to all this‚ CBS had longtime Supreme Court correspondent Jan Crawford on both Wednesday’s CBS Evening News and Thursday’s CBS Mornings‚ who provided a sober‚ reality-based view that the Court “had to take this case” given its magnitude. In other words‚ her message was this: relax. To see the relevant transcripts from February 28‚ click here (for ABC)‚ here (for CBS)‚ and here (for NBC). To see the relevant transcripts from February 29‚ click here (for ABC) and here (for NBC). 

Tech giant Meta has proudly unveiled its plan to control content as censorship … er‚ election season nears in the European Union. Meta — the parent company of Facebook‚ Instagram and WhatsApp — has a whole slate of actions planned ahead of the upcoming EU parliament elections. From its partnership with the biggest fact-checking network to weaponized artificial intelligence (AI) to an Elections Operations Center‚ Meta is fully committed to election-related censorship. This Feb. 25 release comes soon after Meta President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg accidentally admitted on CNBC News that a majority of the company’s employees are involved in censorship activities. It appears that anti-free speech European legislation has spurred Meta’s zeal‚ as the press release cited the Digital Services Act and EU Code of Practice on Disinformation. Meta bragged that it invested over $20 billion in “safety and security‚” which is leftist speak for “censorship.” The release further cited that Meta “quadrupled” its safety team which now has “around 40‚000 people‚” including 15‚000 “content reviewers.” A CNBC hot mic really put that number into perspective‚ highlighting the enlarged team as approximately 60 percent of the platform’s workforce. Meta’s release described 26 fact-checking partners for 22 languages in the EU‚ including three new partners. Fact-checked content will have warning labels and reduced distribution‚ thus suppressing any content of which the biased tech giant disapproves‚ according to the release. These include any ads questioning election “legitimacy‚” indicating that allegations of voter fraud will be targeted. Meta also claimed it would engage in “media literacy” campaigns for “[c]ombatting misinformation‚” a vague term applied to any speech with which leftists disagree. “Between July and December 2023‚ for example‚ over 68 million pieces of content viewed in the EU on Facebook and Instagram had fact checking labels‚” Meta proudly declared. One of Meta’s EU election efforts involves AI‚ as Meta is “committed to taking a responsible approach to new technologies like GenAI‚ and signed on to the tech accord to combat the spread of deceptive AI content in elections.” State-controlled media accounts‚ particularly from Russia‚ will also be labeled as such‚ Meta added. Ironically‚ in its new press release‚ Meta claimed to have “comprehensive policies to prevent election interference and voter fraud.” Yet Meta’s censorship activities appear to be election interference too. In fact‚ censorship can impact election results. A Media Research Center poll found in November 2020 that 17 percent of then-presidential candidate Joe Biden’s voters would not have voted for him had they been aware of the president’s scandals that Big Tech and the legacy media censored. Yet Meta’s Oversight Board members recently advocated for increased censorship. Conservatives are under attack. Contact Facebook headquarters at (650) 308-7300 and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency‚ clarity on “misinformation” and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored‚ contact us using CensorTrack’s contact form‚ and help us hold Big Tech accountable.

These Pistachio Cookies are made with instant pudding and are a wonderful treat. They come together quickly and cook in about 10 minutes. If you are a fan of pistachio recipes‚ you will love this delicious Pistachio Cake. It’s so easy and a great dessert. ❤️WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE This recipe is simple ingredients...

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) ratified a law in September increasing the hourly minimum wage for fast-food restaurant employees from $16 to $20 per hour‚ effective April 1‚ 2024. This legal requirement was not‚ however‚ imposed equally. Insiders recently revealed to Bloomberg that Newsom personally fought for an exemption that would ultimately benefit his longtime donor and billionaire pal Greg Flynn‚ one of America's largest restaurant operators. Assembly Bill 1228 defines "fast food restaurant" as a "limited-service restaurant in the state that is part of a national fast food chain." While Flynn's two dozen Panera Bread locations in California — which serve soups‚ pizza‚ salad‚ sandwiches‚ milkshakes‚ desserts‚ and other meal items — would ostensibly satisfy this definition‚ Newsom apparently secured an exception to the rule for "an establishment that on September 15‚ 2023‚ operates a bakery that produces for sale on the establishment's premises bread" as a stand-alone menu item. When a KCRA-TV reporter pressed Newsom on the apparent carve-out for Panera on Sept. 28‚ the Democratic governor said‚ "That's part of the sausage-making that was part of 257‚ the original bill‚ and we went back and forth and [it] was part of the negotiation. It's the nature of negotiation." Newsom stressed further that it was the decision was the result of "give and take." Flynn‚ who also owns thousands of Taco Bell‚ Pizza Hut‚ Applebee's‚ and Wendy's locations‚ reportedly opposed AB 257‚ the so-called "California Fast Food Restaurant Minimum Wage and Labor Regulations Referendum" in 2022‚ which included the bread exemption but would have increased the minimum wage to $22. Flynn evidently got his way. AB 257 was repealed and replaced with AB 1228‚ which still contains the favorable exemption benefitting Panera Bread. Flynn told Bloomberg he did not play a role in crafting the bread exemption and declined to comment on his connections to the governor. The duo went to the same high school and apparently did some business together. Bloomberg highlighted that Newsom even drew an undisclosed amount of income from Flynn's company while California's lieutenant governor. Flynn has donated a great deal to Newsom in the years since. For instance‚ he donated $50‚000 in April 2017 in support of Newsom's gubernatorial bid the next year. In 2018‚ Flynn kept shelling out cash in support of Newsom's race for the governor's mansion. In 2021‚ Flynn donated $100‚000 to Newsom's campaign to stave off a Republican recall effort. He also threw $64‚800 Newsom's way in 2022 in support of his re-election. The billionaire's donations to Newsom pale in comparison to the amount of money restaurants exempted from the new wage hike could potentially save. In the hypothetical case of a full-time employee paid the straight hourly for 52 40-hour weeks‚ the delta is over $8‚000. Bloomberg noted that McDonald's Corporation franchisees are expecting an additional annual cost of $250‚000 due to the law‚ which some have deemed a "devastating financial blow." Businesses unwilling to eat the the whole of the cost will offload it onto customers. Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.‚ for instance‚ is reportedly considering increasing prices to offset the boosted expense. Despite the potential savings‚ some of Flynn's Panera establishments have reportedly advertised that they will pay $20 hourly wages for select non-management roles. However‚ the Flynn-owned Panera near the California capitol in Sacramento still appears to be advertising $16 and $18 hourly wages. Bloomberg indicated that neither Newsom nor Panera Bread representatives responded to their requests for comment. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Mike Tyson will lend his likeness to the name of a new "micro-school" aimed at providing a more comprehensive education for middle school and high school students that focuses on innovation‚ financial literacy‚ and more.The Tyson Transformational Technologies Academy is a new institution set up in Arizona to serve grades 6 to 12. All tuition costs will be covered through Empowerment Scholarship Accounts‚ along with internal school scholarships‚ the new school said in a press release.Arizona first established ESAs in 2011 to allow students with disabilities to attend different educational institutions outside of public or charter schools. A qualified student's parents receive state tax funds in exchange for agreeing that they will be used on approved expenses for education while not enrolling the student in a school district or charter school and not accepting any other tuition or scholarships.Tyson's new academy said that it hopes to "redefine learning" by teaching kids about innovation‚ financial literacy‚ mentorship‚ and community engagement.To open the school‚ Tyson teamed up with Daniel Puder‚ a former professional athlete. Puder won the WWE's "Tough Enough" competition in 2004-2005; a million-dollar contest the wrestling organization conducted to find the next big wrestling star. Puder also had a short‚ but successful‚ six-year run in mixed martial arts‚ finishing in 2009 with a 6-0 record.Puder told TMZ that he and Tyson found each other through mutual friends to come together on the project through the Foundation Academies School System‚ which Puder is the president of."You put me on TMZ and in the first eight weeks we had over 10‚000 emails from 12 countries of kids that were being bullied. Now we have investors‚ we have family offices‚ we have over 1‚300 kids‚ we've graduated over a thousand‚ we have 11 campuses... but I need the biggest brands in the world‚" Puder told TMZ's Harvey Levin.Puder added that Tyson is "the biggest brand there is.""I've been called worse‚" Tyson jokingly interjected."Who doesn't want to go to Mike Tyson's Academy? When you see that on a resume going to college people are gonna be like‚ 'Say what?'""As a society‚ we get to build our youths for the next generation. We are so blessed to have Mike Tyson part of our school system. He inspires our students‚" Puder also said in a statement.The former heavyweight champion added that it was important to him to be able to share his life experience with the next generation."This new educational institution will build core values that I am honored and grateful to be part of [in] the Arizona community. I was thrilled to be part of the ribbon cutting ceremony and meeting some of the students‚" Tyson stated.Tyson provided his name and likeness to the school without compensation.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

TikTok and X users last week criticized IMG-signed model‚ influencer‚ and alleged “trad wife” Nara Smith. They have all sorts of problems with her. It’s not realistic that her videos are so stylized. It’s insane that she makes everything from scratch. Why is she wearing a full face of makeup in a highly produced video she’s broadcasting to millions of people? I thought she was supposed to be a mom! And Smith isn’t the only one. While TikTok and X users alike think they’re criticizing “trad-wife content‚” what they’re really doing is pushing back against stylized images of domestic labor of any kind. The point of entertainment is that it’s a performance‚ and you know it’s a performance. You’re not blindsided by the fact that it’s a fantasy. In Smith’s case‚ she’s just cooking. There is no meaningful difference between her and‚ say‚ the Barefoot Contessa‚ Martha Stewart‚ or Giada De Laurentiis — except‚ of course‚ for her age and the fact that TikTok is her primary medium‚ not the Food Network. She isn’t preaching or moralizing. She’s just cooking while being a married mother. Who is a trad wife‚ anyway? The criticism of “trad-wife content‚” such as that of bizarro-world June Cleaver-wannabe Estée Williams‚ isn’t absurd. They’re not “aspirational lifestyle content‚” because the message isn’t “you can look like me in an ideal world” or “with incremental changes‚ you can model my lifestyle.” They’re saying that your inability to raise a family on a single income is a moral failure. They’re moralizing‚ and they’re out of touch. But what’s interesting is that Nara Smith‚ social media’s enemy du jour‚ is not a trad wife. In her own words‚ she has two jobs: She’s a professional model‚ and she makes TikTok videos of her cooking. That’s right‚ in Smith’s own words‚ her TikTok videos are “work.” As for her cooking‚ which is characterized by how she makes everything from scratch‚ she knows it’s time-consuming‚ but it’s both her hobby and her “love language.” She knows that most people aren’t able to invest the same amount of time in it that she does. Though she hasn’t said it quite as plainly‚ regular viewers of Smith’s content understand that she views her ultra-homemade recipes as a passion‚ a privilege‚ and a job since she’s been able to monetize. Smith’s critics claim her videos are propaganda. Extremely stealthy propaganda — the kind of propaganda that even the most skilled viewers won’t clock as propaganda. I mean‚ by that logic‚ isn’t everything propaganda? Where do you draw the line between “entertainment” and “propaganda‚” anyhow? One argument you’ll often see is that Smith is Mormon‚ and that alone is enough to validate the claim that she has an agenda. But we know Smith is Mormon in the same way we know she’s black; it’s mentioned sometimes‚ in passing‚ and not in detail. It’s just who she is. Why is being Mormon “enough” to constitute its status as nefarious material? Another criticism is that her videos are “just not realistic.” And to that‚ I say‚ “So?” It’s part of a recent trend in social-media-focused criticism that seems to be of mass media in general. “It’s just not realistic” applies just as much to any film as to Smith’s TikToks. The “point” of entertainment is not to be a hyperrealistic depiction of daily life. The point of entertainment is that it’s a performance‚ and you know it’s a performance. You’re not blindsided by the fact that it’s a fantasy. Others‚ like writer Caroline Burke‚ have more esoteric and admittedly somewhat more humanizing explanations for what this “trad wife” content is. In a TikTok‚ Burke says that Smith’s trad-wife content expresses Christian perfectionism. That is‚ Christian women — and Mormon women in particular — are conditioned to always be “on.” These are the types of women that Burke says will be upset if they can’t wear mascara to church. They want to present a perfect face at all times. Another path to fame And to that‚ I say baloney. It’s not that her diagnosis of some Christian communities isn’t true. I’m sure there are plenty of churches with high expectations for women. I just don’t think it explains Nara Smith‚ and it feels like she’s over-intellectualizing the whole thing. Nara Smith and every other person pushing aspirational lifestyle content aren’t doing it because they’re aspiring to some specifically Christian vision of perfection. The reason people want to be famous is usually much more straightforward than propaganda or labyrinthine reasoning about Christian indoctrination — it opens doors‚ you get free stuff‚ and you’re validated for being you. Influencers like Nara Smith also know that being a professional model has a short window; hosting a cooking show (which is what her whole shtick is; let’s be serious here) can sustain you for as long as you’d like. She can have a career as long as she’s agile enough to move platforms. If you want to dig into a deeper‚ more sweeping explanation for what’s happening‚ then look at why fame seems more fulfilling than other career paths. I’d be more curious about why “try my darndest to make my Substack/TikTok/Instagram/X account take off” seems more sustainable and more appealing to young people than almost any other career path. Why does turning your life into content feel more fulfilling and realistic for some people? As for Smith in particular? There is no reason to be offended by her content or to believe it’s some game of 4D chess. If she’s not your bag‚ she’s not your bag. For me‚ as a mom-to-be who works at home and enjoys baking? She’s given me some recipe ideas‚ and if nothing else‚ she’s fun to watch. It’s certainly more enjoyable than nonstop political monologuing‚ another popular genre on TikTok. As the kids say‚ “Let her cook.”

A city council meeting in Seattle became so unruly with far-left activists that councilmembers had to take several recesses and a handful of people wound up in handcuffs.On Tuesday‚ hundreds of activists‚ many of them wearing face masks‚ marched outside Seattle City Hall and flooded the chamber inside‚ demanding that local leaders allocate more resources toward immigrant housing rather than fund "racist" police equipment. The protestors included members of far-left groups such as Stop the Sweeps Seattle and Comunidad Sin Fronteras."We need housing now!" they chanted in unison before one ringleader‚ believed to be Rosario Lopez Hernandez‚ rattled off a speech in Spanish to rile up the crowd. — (@) As the council attempted to conduct business — such as honoring Washington's first black state senator — activists continued to disrupt the proceedings‚ shouting loudly and banging on the windows with such force that some feared they might break."It is a physical threat to the safety of each of us on this council. And it is a physical‚ it is a threat to the operation of our civic institution. And I want the record to be clear that I physically feel threatened‚" said Councilmember Cathy Moore. "... We are shutting down the work of our democracy because of a mob action‚ and it is not to be tolerated." — (@) Just before 3 p.m.‚ Seattle police received a call about the disturbance. Though they warned demonstrators to leave or face arrest‚ several apparently refused‚ and officers then arrested six individuals. Five of the six arrestees‚ including Ms. Hernandez‚ were charged with criminal trespass and booked into custody. They were then subsequently bailed out by the Northwest Community Bail Fund‚ a notoriously anti-police fund dedicated to assisting "non-white and non-cisgender people." The other arrestee was reportedly released before charges were filed.Jonathan Choe of Discovery Institute reported that none of the arrestees are "migrants." However‚ Hernandez seemed to indicate during her speech that she is "undocumented." "There's not a special card that says‚ 'You are undocumented‚ Rosario. You don't get to pay taxes‚'" she yelled in the council chamber.Following the incident‚ the city council released a statement‚ reiterating that immigrants were not to blame for the ruckus. "To be clear – that disturbance was caused by a group of protesters and not refugees‚ who the City of Seattle has been working with to provide shelter‚" the statement read in part (emphasis not added).The office of Democratic Mayor Bruce Harrell told Choe that the city "will pay for a temporary stay of three additional weeks ... at a hotel in response to the homeless migrants that requested assistance in Seattle."King County has already spent $3 million to house 350 illegal immigrants through June and has offered an additional million for immigrant-related costs‚ though officials want to consult with a nonprofit to determine the best way to spend it. Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee has likewise proposed budgeting an additional $5 million for the Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance and $3 million in grants earmarked for counties to spend on immigrant services.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A Virginia election official is discouraging voters from mailing in ballots due to recent delivery failures‚ WRIC reported Monday.Keith Balmer‚ the General Registrar for the City of Richmond‚ warned that a number of residents have reported that the United States Postal Service has recently failed to deliver some important documents.“The reports we’ve been receiving about delayed‚ misplaced‚ or even missing mail are deeply troubling‚ especially as we approach crucial electoral events like the Presidential Election in November‚” Balmer stated during a town hall event last week.Balmer acknowledged that the USPS’ “recent failures in mail delivery” have “undoubtedly caused inconvenience and anxiety among our community members.”Instead of mailing in absentee ballots‚ he encouraged voters to “consider alternative methods of submission.”“To address these concerns and mitigate potential voter disenfranchisement‚ I strongly recommend bypassing USPS and utilizing one of the three drop boxes located in the city for ballot submission‚” Balmer said.By circumventing the postal service and dropping off the mail-in ballots‚ Balmer claimed that residents “can ensure that your vote is securely and promptly delivered to my office.”He assured voters that other options are available‚ including visiting an early voting location or voting on election day. “I understand that these issues extend beyond mere inconvenience; they represent a fundamental threat to our democracy‚” he added.Balmer stated that his office plans to send voting guides to every registered voter to provide information about dates‚ times‚ locations‚ and candidates.Last week‚ residents attended a town hall meeting to express their frustrations with the USPS’ mail delivery problems.One resident‚ Rocio Carrillo‚ told WRIC‚ “It’s been difficult and very frustrating‚ because sometimes‚ if I have my cash or a payment‚ it doesn’t get there on time.”“So I get overcharged or I get charged for packages that I’m not supposed to pay for‚” she claimed.“They have to get more people delivering everything so they have enough time‚” Carrillo continued. “Sometimes‚ they don’t have enough staff and it’s very hard for them. They want a few of them to deliver everything on time or they lose track of them.”According to the Virginia Department of Elections‚ 33% of those who voted in 2023 submitted absentee ballots. The USPS told the Associated Press it is committed to “secure‚ timely” mail delivery. The Postal Service noted that it is working with local officials to meet its goals but is struggling in the current labor market‚ the news outlet reported. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: The General Registrar addresses the failures of USPS to deliver absentee ballots. We encourage voters to drop off your absentee ballot at one of our three drop box locations. Please read for more details. — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

It should come as no surprise that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is upset that people are losing trust in the mainstream media because that means he’s losing control over the narrative and therefore‚ the people. Dave Rubin plays a clip of Trudeau explaining his fears. “There is out there a deliberate undermining of mainstream media. There are the conspiracy theorists ... [and] the social media drivers who are trying to do everything they can to keep people in their little filter bubbles‚ to prevent people from actually agreeing on a common set of facts‚” he whined. “CBC and CTV ... and Global used to project across the country at least a common understanding of things.” Translation: "I’m upset because there are more than just government news outlets now‚ which means I’m less able to implement thought control and social conditioning." “We are getting a blowup clown that I‚ every now and again‚ am allowed to punch‚” says Dave. “I will just punch a clown because that's what that guy is.” “What he's saying is that ‘yes‚ in Canada we could agree on a set of facts when everybody was getting their news from the CBC — the government-run news organization‚”’ Dave explains‚ adding that “this is the same guy who was jailing truckers who were protesting him [and] who was jailing priests and closing churches.” “[Trudeau]‚ Joe Biden‚ John Stewart‚ all of these people ... have figured out a way to kind of control everybody. They slow roll all the information so nobody's ever able to catch up with the truth‚ and then anytime somebody says something 'against the narrative‚' like‚ 'I’m a little worried about the vaccines‚' or 'this Russian collusion thing seems a little bit weird‚' they’re immediately labeled 'a conspiracy theorist' or 'a mean right-winger.'” Want more from Dave Rubin?To enjoy more honest conversations‚ free speech‚ and big ideas with Dave Rubin‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.