At least one indicator appears to show that Democrats' orchestrated campaign to call GOP vice presidential pick Senator JD Vance "weird" is taking a toll on his favorability ratings. CNN polling analyst Harry Enten said an analysis of search terms on Google showed a sharp rise in interest in the word "weird" in recent weeks. 'They latch onto a message and they try to sell it, even if it’s fake.' According to Enten, Google searches for the word "weird" had increased by 32% over the three days before Aug. 2, and they had increased by 22% over the week prior to the same date. Not only had searches for weird increased, but other words searched with weird included "JD Vance," "MAGA," and "GOP," according to the analysis. Enten pointed to two polls that showed Vance's net support had dropped by 13 percentage points in the AP-NORC poll and by 15 percentage points in the ABC/Ipsos poll as compared to his support from mid-July. "So it seems like the attack lines against JD Vance are working, and one of those big attack lines, of course, is the idea that he is weird," Enten said. He added that these numbers were uniquely bad for Vance as compared to vice presidential picks in the past like Sarah Palin and others. Vance has responded to the "weird" campaign by punching back at his attackers. “The people who call me weird want to give hormone therapies and sterilize 9-year-olds. A lot weirder than me just living a normal life with my kids and my wife,” Vance said on the "Full Send Podcast." “But this is what they do, I think, is they latch onto a message and they try to sell it, even if it’s fake,” he added. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

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Over the past few weeks, stories about an upcoming iPhone 17 Slim have popped up again and again. Now, one of the most trusted Apple reporters is reiterating Cupertino's work on this new fourth iPhone model that isn't going to be a "mini" or a "Plus" version of the regular iPhone, but something completely different. While BGR's Chris Smith has his reasons to believe the iPhone 17 Slim will be the perfect iPhone, I think it's going to fail just like its predecessors – at least, by Apple's standards. Since 2020, Cupertino has tried to profit more by offering a different version of its popular regular iPhone. In the beginning, people would say they wanted an iPhone as powerful as all the others but with a mini form factor. After two years offering that, Apple discovered that there weren't enough people willing to buy this product. Then, the company changed its strategy for a Plus model. After all, the iPhone Pro Max is so popular, but some people only want the larger display. Two years later, Plus versions also haven't much of a market, especially because the price is too close to the base iPhone Pro model. Even though we're getting an iPhone 16 Plus this year, Apple is now preparing a different strategy for 2025. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple wants to create an "Air" version of the iPhone, something between the regular and the Pro models. "The sales pitch will probably go like this: If you want something snazzier than a standard iPhone — but don’t really need the performance, screen size or cameras of a Pro model — you can get something that looks much cooler while still having the specifications of a regular iPhone," Gurman reports. While the journalist says this "slimmer entry will just be a step toward something better," it's still going to be a product some people will buy. But I don't think they should. Here's why the iPhone 17 Slim might be bad for consumers Rumors so far expect an ultra-thin iPhone 17 with the A19 chip and a single main camera. However, it's going to be pricier than a regular model – it could even be more expensive than a Pro phone. Even if this iPhone looks different than anything we've ever seen, Pro users will still choose a Pro phone. And those who don't care about the best specs will keep going to the cheapest option, whether it will be a regular iPhone or the new iPhone SE 4, which is rumored to be a success. With that in mind, it's crystal clear why the iPhone 17 Slim will flop. Eventually, Apple will add these changes to the main line series, and this device is going to lose its purpose. This is why the only possible way for Apple to have a successful fourth product would be to offer a more expensive device. When we had rumors about an iPhone Ultra, that honestly made more sense, although it could cannibalize iPhone Pro Max sales. However, Apple users are more willing to pay a premium price for exclusive features than paying more for half-functions. You can take a look at the M4 iPad Pro. When you pay for the 1TB model, you can "unlock" a better chip, and you get to choose between a nano-texture display. You can also differentiate yourself by buying a Cellular version, a Magic Keyboard, and the Apple Pencil Pro. This is a great example of how Apple can make a $1,000 product be sold for $3,000 by only specifying up this tablet. This is why, if Apple wants to succeed with a fourth iPhone model, it needs to be more expensive but offer more perks. Personally, I'd say that Apple needs to remove the fourth iPhone from its lineup and focus on the three versions that sell: the regular iPhone, the Pro version, and the Pro Max iteration. Wrap up There are a lot of rumors regarding the new iPhone models. With a foldable version in the works and the 20th anniversary of the original iPhone fast approaching, I'm sure Apple has a lot to unveil in the next three years. Below, you can learn more about the latest iPhone 17 rumors. Don't Miss: iPhone 17: Release date, rumors, features, A19, price, and Slim model The post Don’t wait for the iPhone 17 Slim, it’ll probably fail appeared first on BGR. Today's Top Deals Best Apple deals for August 2024 Amazon gift card deals, offers & coupons 2024: Get $450+ free Today’s deals: $229 iPad, $300 off Samsung foldables (last chance), $20 label maker, HP laptop sale, more Today’s deals: $248 Sony XM5 earbuds, $180 Roomba, $13 Anker fast chargers, $19 Roku streamer, more

The ancient Maya civilization, known for its intricate and highly developed society, flourished in Mesoamerica for thousands of years, reaching its zenith during the Classic Period (250-900 AD). Central to the Maya way of life were their religious practices, which permeated every aspect of their existence, from governance and architecture to agriculture and astronomy. The Maya pantheon, composed of a multitude of gods and goddesses, was deeply intertwined with natural phenomena, celestial bodies, and human activities. And, in many ways, it was the defining feature of this enigmatic ancient civilization. Secrets of the Ancients: The Maya Pantheon and Cosmology At the heart of Maya religion was a complex pantheon of deities, each associated with specific aspects of life and nature. The primary gods included Itzamna, the creator god; Chaac, the rain god; and Ah Puch, the god of death. The Maya also worshiped a variety of other deities connected to agriculture, warfare, and the celestial bodies. These gods were not isolated figures but part of a larger cosmological framework that included the heavens, the earth, and the underworld, known as Xibalba. Read moreSection: ReligionsMyths & LegendsAmericasHistoryAncient TraditionsPremiumPreviewRead Later 

An official in the Kursk border region of Russia on Monday urged more residents to evacuate due to the "very tense situation" in the area, where Russian forces are still scrambling to respond to a surprise Ukrainian attack after almost a week of fierce fighting.

International Criminal Court prosecutors said Monday that they are "actively monitoring" events in Venezuela, where security forces have launched a crackdown on the opposition in the aftermath of the nation's disputed presidential election.