Politics Over Science: Biden Administration Pushed to Remove Age Limits for Gender Surgery

“Drivers License” and “Vampire” singer and pop star Olivia Rodrigo is face to face with cancel culture after putting on a t-shirt with herself photoshopped to look like Jesus on it. At Rodrigo’s Barcelona, Spain stop on her “GUTS” tour, she was tossed the gift from one of her fans. On it is the word “Barcelona” in the colors of the country's flag. The shirt sparked controversy as it had Rodrigo’s head photoshopped onto the body of Jesus Christ. When tossed the shirt, Rodrigo looked shocked and, without hesitation, put it on. She sat on stage with her lead guitarist and sang her song, “favorite crime.” Critics argue that her move affirms her support of being likened to none other than the Son of God. @gliglixx OLIVIA CON LA T SHIRT DE BARCELONA. NO PUEDO CREER QUE ESTABA TAN CERCA ?? #oliviarodrigo #livies #oliviarodrigosour #gutsworldtour #barcelona #spain #favoritecrime #concierto #guts #madrid #españa #spain ♬ sonido original - Gleiskel Lopez She received so much backlash for the move because, if it wasn’t obvious, Olivia Rodrigo is NOT Jesus and it was sort of sacreligious to do what she did. Fans, or I guess former fans now, shared their distaste with Rodrigo on social media. On TikTok, users called it blasphemy and said they were unliking and unadding all her songs on their Spotify playlists. It’s unclear whether the fan made or just gifted Rodrigo the t-shirt, but there are now websites of the shirt available for purchase online.   This isn’t the first time Rodrigo has turned heads with her anti-Christlike values.  In March, she distributed Plan B pills, which can be an abortifacient, and has previously been very vocal about her support of abortion. As you’re aware, abortion is not in line with the Lord’s teachings. Unfortunately, Rodrigo isn't alone when it comes to celebrities blaspheming God. In November, pop star Sabrina Carpenter filmed a music video in a Roman Catholic Church in Brooklyn. In January, rapper Lil Nas X posted a TikTok video downing communion cups and munching on wafers in what looked like a church. He’s previously mocked Jesus by giving a Devil version of himself a lap dance and even released a song/music video called “J Christ,” where cultish scenes and blasphemy were integral components. Rodrigo getting the shirt from a fan is one thing, but looking at it, realizing what it is and then putting it on is too far. I’m glad people are realizing that just because these people are celebrities, doesn’t mean they get to do and say whatever they please with no repercussions.

The dam appears to have broken after NewsBusters took the lead in recent days to put a spotlight on the massive defamation suit against CNN that could possibly cost them upwards of $1 billion. Along with the increased notoriety of the case, so has followed public awareness and expert analysis. NewsBusters has sought out expert opinions on how CNN had allegedly harmed plaintiff, security contractor, and Navy veteran Zachary Young, the legal realities of the case, and media industry insight. As part of his legal filing to prove economic damages, Young submitted an analysis from Major General James V. Young, Jr, Army (retired) (no familial relation to Zachary Young). “Mr. Young has a specialized background, training and career experience that makes him uniquely qualified for work that most people are not,” the former Major General wrote in his analysis. “This work is so unique that there are limits to what he can discuss, even several years after it has concluded.”     Maj. Gen. Young warned, “This type of work is based on one’s network and reputation and comparable positions are not available on job boards or employment web sites.” He also noted that trust is a major factor in the security circles Mr. Young worked in. “[B]reaches in that trust will have a profound impact on the ability to be included in comparable projects,” he added. In an interview with NewsBusters, security contractor Erik Prince said Young had suffered “significant economic damage” and that it would be “very hard” for him to continue to work in the field because he had his “discretion blown away” by a “jackass with a microphone” at CNN. He also argued that since CNN equated Young with human trafficking, it would be hard for him to complete banking transitions and obtain certain services. Prince also suggested the story was an “effort by CNN to shift the focus” away from President Biden’s pullout blunder, and effectively turned Young into a “boogieman.” As for the legal realities, NewsBusters spoke to newsroom lawyer and professor Charles Glasser, who served as the Global Media Counsel for Bloomberg News for 14 years, and currently teaches the History of Journalism and Media Law and Ethics at New York University. Key pieces of evidence provided to the court were CNN’s internal e-mails. A Florida appellate court recently affirmed that they constituted enough evidence of malice and that the case couldn’t be dismissed. On those messages, Glasser said: “…the snippets of evidence are pretty damning. After 40 years, I’ve heard reporters say some pretty egregious stuff in the newsroom, but things like emails and Slack messages are pretty hard to get around.” “I don’t see this going to trial,” Glasser predicted, thinking they would settle before trial: Unless there’s something in the case we haven’t seen yet, the smart move would be for CNN to do what they’ve gotten away with in the past: Like their smear of the Covington Kid, they’ll likely settle quietly and pretend it never happened. The Poynter Institute and other apologists will go along and just ignore it. On the prospect of settling, Vel Freedman, the lawyer representing Young told NewsBusters there was “no active settlement discussion” and that it was “so far off the table.” He also said there was “zero chance this case gets stopped before trial” and that the goal was to “take CNN to task.”     But in the case that it did make it to trial, Glasser felt CNN would be in big trouble with a jury of average Americans: Juries are made up (ostensibly) of regular citizens, and as Gawker learned in the Hulk Hogan matter, those citizens are not living in the BosNyWash bubble and have a deep distrust of what news media has become. Editors and their defenders just don’t get it. On the media aspect, Glasser didn’t think CNN nor the industry would learn a lesson from this saga because “it’s the insurance company that will take the hit,” which he explained wasn’t good either because it would drive up costs for small-time journalists and freelancers. “In a perfect world [Jake] Tapper and his producers would be publicly reprimanded, but I don’t run CNN,” he said. (For more from Glasser on the CNN defamation suit, check out his post on Instapundit). The story hit the fan the same week CNN would be taking on the duties of hosting a presidential debate with Tapper being one of the moderators. Being that the offending segment ran on his show, The Lead, Media Research Center Vice President Dan Schneider pointed out the conflict of interest: Jake Tapper started his career working for a Democrat politician and he has never been able to shake the habit. Trying to run cover for Biden's disastrous pullout from Afghanistan, he and his CNN show slimed a hero who saved the lives of those Biden put in jeopardy. Now CNN is facing a billion-dollar defamation suit at the same time Tapper will be moderating the presidential debate featuring the politician he lied for. NewsBusters will remain on top of this story.

Cash-strapped New York City, which could shell out as much as $10 billion in the next fiscal year to address the migrant crisis within its limits, has now agreed to pay a man $350,000 because he was housed with other men during a brief stint at Rikers Island a couple years ago.From June to July 2022, Ali Miles — a biological man whose given name was Dylan but who now reportedly identifies as a "Muslim transgender woman" — was jailed at a men's facility at Rikers Island before transferring to an Arizona jail to await adjudication for charges there, Reduxx reported. Miles was ultimately convicted of two felony counts of aggravated harassment per domestic violence as well as several misdemeanor offenses, including harassment and disorderly conduct, and sentenced to 312 days in jail, including time served.A lawsuit filed last May alleged that a NYC yoga studio deprived Miles 'of his civil rights because he is gay, undergoing a gender transition, and because Miles does not conform to ... stereotypes about how a man/woman should dress and conduct himself/herself.'The following year, Miles filed a lawsuit against NYC, claiming that Rikers officials knew that he identified as a woman and that a judge had ordered him to be kept at the women's unit at Rikers but that the judge's order was not followed. As a result, Miles supposedly endured "transphobic" comments from prison staff, including one officer who allegedly complimented Miles' "t*ts" and "p***y," even though he has not undergone genital-mutilation surgery.The lawsuit even claimed that fellow prisoners, especially "African American male" inmates, sexually assaulted Miles. The initial lawsuit sought $22 million, but last week, NYC officials offered Miles $350,000, ostensibly to make the case go away. Per the terms of the agreement, the city did not admit fault in Miles' case, and Miles will not be able to take further legal action against the city in connection with this matter, Reduxx reported.Miles has filed other lawsuits against NYC and Arizona businesses, alleging discrimination and other forms of mistreatment on account of his so-called gender identity, even as the lawsuits often used male pronouns in reference to him. A lawsuit filed last May alleged that a NYC yoga studio deprived Miles "of his civil rights because he is gay, undergoing a gender transition, and because Miles does not conform to ... gender-based preferences, expectations, or stereotypes about how a man/woman should dress and conduct himself/herself."Miles also filed suits against a NYC bagel shop, a Planet Fitness facility, a Presbyterian hospital, and a former Arizona employer. These suits are often "poorly-written" and "rife with spelling errors," Reduxx claimed. One suit even repeatedly referred to the plaintiff as "Mr. Miles." Others were dismissed because Miles failed to file the appropriate paperwork and pay the attending fees.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Devin McIntosh of the London-based parkour group was attempting to jump from one rooftop toward another building's facade when some of the stone broke off, sending him to the ground with a hurt ankle. The post Parkour Group Known As ‘Team Phat’ Damages Historic Site In Ancient Italian City Of Matera appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Before this discovery in Namaqualand, South Africa, the oldest known termite mounds on Earth dated back just 4,000 years. The post Scientists Just Found 34,000-Year-Old Active Termite Mounds In South Africa — And They’re The Oldest Ever Discovered appeared first on All That's Interesting.

By allowing the executive branch to use diffuse pressure to regulate speech in ways that Congress could not by law, the Court expands the imperial power of the president to stifle dissent.

In the wake of today’s Supreme Court decision, it falls on legislators to act.

Bowman seemed to go out of his way to alienate his Jewish constituents. But his allies insist AIPAC was to blame for his defeat.

'The Switch Is On'! Here's One of Biden's Surrogates at Tomorrow's Debate