Every now and again‚ you might try to start playing LEGO Fortnite and find you get an odd error message that prevents you from progressing beyond the lobby. Here is our guide explaining what the matchmaking error is in LEGO Fortnite. LEGO Fortnite – what is the matchmaking error? As an intriguing extension of Fortnite itself‚ which already has a massive audience‚ LEGO Fortnite draws large crowds. Unfortunately‚ those crowds can come in waves bigger than Epic Games and its servers are ready to handle. Essentially‚ this is what any matchmaking error you encounter is likely all about. Related: Best ways to find players for your world in LEGO Fortnite Players tend to encounter one of two common errors: matchmaking error #1 and matchmaking error #3. Especially near launch or any updates‚ LEGO Fortnite is one of the main games people are going to want to play. That means you’ll compete with a lot of people around the world to take advantag...

Imagine‚ for just a moment‚ that you work at a pizza place.  Your job is to shape the dough‚ add the ingredients‚ and slide that pizza into the oven so the customer can enjoy a hot meal. People come to the pizza restaurant you work at because they expect the pizzas to be delicious and made relatively quickly. You‚ however‚ have decided to put a little less effort in. Your pizzas take longer to make‚ and are made poorly. As a result‚ the pizza place loses business‚ and it has less money to pay you.  Layoffs are announced due to budget constraints. In protest‚ you announce that you’re going on strike until you’re paid what you think you deserve. You tell the boss you’re too important to let go; after all‚ you don’t see anyone else making the pizzas with you!  But all the while‚ it is your inferior work that caused the issues in the first place. This is what it’s like to be a liberal journalist striking at The Washington Post right now. According to a statement from The Washington Post Guild—a guild is a type of union for entitled white-collar employees—over 700 employees would walk “off the job at midnight on Dec. 7” for 24 hours. Why? Because the Post announced that budget constraints necessitate laying off 40 employees and offered to buy out the contracts of 240 others. The guild claims: “Democracy will die in darkness if there are fewer Post employees making the critical journalism that keeps our communities informed and holds our public officials accountable.” Let’s think for a moment. Why would the Post be in such dire straits financially as to necessitate laying off hundreds of staff? Much like our pizza example‚ it doesn’t exactly take a marketing expert with a business degree to figure it out. If you don’t produce a product with any value‚ people will quit giving you their money for said product. The same publication that used to produce intense‚ carefully vetted‚ damning investigations such as Watergate has been reduced to a clown show of corrections for dishonest reports based on embarrassingly shoddy research and the rumor mill.  The Post corrected over a dozen articles in 2021 after the so-called Steele dossier‚ a series of uncorroborated allegations of collusion between Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia‚ was found to be completely baseless by the Senate Intelligence Committee. One would think such a monumental failure in journalism would be corrected at the organizational level. It was not. This year‚ the Post has been forced to issue corrections and retractions because of false claims it made concerning the Israel-Hamas war‚ Hunter Biden’s laptop and foreign affairs‚ parental rights activist Chris Rufo‚ and the political history of Rep. Anna Paulina Luna‚ R-Fla. The Post has ceased reporting its readership numbers in the past few years‚ suggesting that things aren’t going so swimmingly. After all‚ if the numbers were rising‚ why wouldn’t you brag about it?  The reported data we do have shows that from 2004 to 2013‚ Post subscriptions dropped at a steady pace each year. According to the latest information available from Comscore and Pew Research‚ The Washington Post’s digital traffic dropped by 20% to 9 million in the fourth quarter of 2022. The Post’s guild blames this decline on the “publisher’s poor business strategy.” The guild is correct‚ but not in the way it claims. The Post’s poor business strategy was to hire a cadre of whiny‚ self-entitled children who believe that truth is second to activism and that their labor has inherent “critical” value regardless of its quality. This simple analysis escapes the grasp of those whose narcissism and aggrandizement blinds correction to bad practices—much as toddlers unaware they’ve done anything wrong tend to do in the face of such evidence. I’m afraid that the Post’s union isn’t the first class of mewling fools to grace us with their threats this year‚ either. The Indianapolis Newspaper Guild‚ which represents newsroom employees of The Indianapolis Star‚ called for a “byline strike” in May. In that action‚ liberal Indy Star reporters would continue to write articles but remove their names in protest of the Star’s inability to pay them more.  Circulation had dropped precipitously over the past few years because of the poor work produced by the Star’s journalists‚ but the entitled guild pressed on. No one cared‚ Star management didn’t budge‚ and the strike ended as pathetically as it began. Gannett reporters from over a dozen other publications tried a similar strike in June‚ calling for a change in corporate leadership. No one cared‚ Gannett didn’t budge‚ and the strike was meaningless. In the past four years‚ Gannett has cut 59% of its staff. This strike by Post employees will end like all the others—with this guild of self-obsessed journalists realizing that no one finds them brave or essential and that perhaps it would be better to have a job after all (while there’s still enough money to provide them with one).  The “reporters‚ editors‚ cartoonists‚ visual journalists [whatever those are]‚ advertising sales people and circulation drivers” will return to work yet again after this strike concludes. They’ll have nothing to show for their bold moves but dented pride and a skillset that won’t pay the bills for much longer. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state.   The post Another Pathetic Strike by Leftist Journalists appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The new president of one of Pennsylvania’s largest school districts was sworn into office with her hand on sexually-explicit LGBT propaganda and “banned” books. Democrat Karen Smith took up her new position Monday night as the head of the Central Bucks School District and immediately moved to undo Republican-led‚ pro-parent‚ and pro-family policies. For the swearing-in ceremony‚ Smith chose to place her hand not on a Bible but on a stack of frequently banned books‚ including “Flamer‚” “All Boys Aren’t Blue‚” Beyond Magenta‚” “Lily and Dunkin‚” and “The Bluest Eye.” “I’m not particularly religious‚” Smith explained. “The Bible doesn’t hold significant meaning for me‚ and given everything that has occurred in the last couple of years‚ the banned books‚ they do mean something to me at this point.” Both “Flamer” and “All Boys Aren’t Blue” feature explicit depictions of homosexual activity‚ with the graphic novel “Flamer” including illustrations of nude teenage boys showering and masturbating. “Flamer” is centered on an overweight teenage boy who identifies as homosexual navigating puberty during a Boy Scouts summer camp‚ while “All Boys Aren’t Blue” is about a young black man who identifies as homosexual growing up in New Jersey and Virginia. “Beyond Magenta” is built around a series of interviews with teenagers who identify as transgender. “Lily and Dunkin” tells the story of “Lily Jo‚” born as Timothy‚ an eighth-grade biological boy who identifies as a girl. “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison features a passage in which a 9-year-old girl is raped and impregnated by her father‚ prompting a number of schools and libraries across the nation to bar the books from being accessed by children. In fact‚ all of the books Smith used for her swearing-in ceremony (with the exception of Elie Wiesel’s testimonial Holocaust novel “Night”) have been subjects of recent controversy and many have been banned from classrooms or libraries for their sexually-explicit and ideologically-charged content. Meg Kilgannon‚ senior fellow for education studies at Family Research Council‚ commented to The Washington Stand‚ “People and political forces who would use children to advance their evil ideologies may have momentary successes or seem to win the day‚ but in the end we know that God wins.” She continued‚ “The effort to reform American education is going to require the same kind of ‘long march’ through the institutions that got us here in the first place. We will have victories and setbacks‚ but the most important requirement is that we not give up. There are children’s souls and futures on the line‚ along with our nation.” Under Republican leadership‚ the Central Bucks school board had successfully banned the controversial books “Gender Queer” and “This Book Is Gay” and about 60 other books—including many of those Smith brought to her swearing-in ceremony—were being reviewed for removal from classrooms and school libraries. The Republican board also previously blocked teachers from displaying politically- or sexually-charged imagery‚ such as rainbow Pride flags‚ in classrooms and mandated parental notification policies‚ requiring teachers to inform parents of students’ social gender transition attempts or requests. Additionally‚ Republicans on the board approved a policy barring biological boys identifying as transgender from competing in girls sports. Voters flipped the board’s political makeup last month‚ handing Democrats a 6-3 majority. Led by Smith‚ Democrats instantly began undoing pro-parent policies. First‚ the new board suspended the ban on sexually explicit books. Although “Gender Queer” and “This Book Is Gay” were already removed‚ Smith said that the other 60 books or so flagged for sexually explicit content are “definitely not going to be reviewed at this point.” Next‚ the new board undid the policies barring biological boys from participating in girls sports and forbidding teachers from flying LGBT Pride flags in classrooms. Originally published by The Washington Stand Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Democrat School Board President Sworn in on Sexually Explicit Books appeared first on The Daily Signal.

As the number of people who have chosen to detransition out of a transgender identity continues to grow‚ a parallel increase in lawsuits filed by detransitioners against gender clinics and medical professionals is also occurring. In November of last year‚ 18-year-old Chloe Cole became the first detransitioner to file a medical malpractice suit against Kaiser Permanente as well as the doctors who advised her to undergo gender-transition procedures and performed them over a five-year period beginning when she was 13. The lawsuit noted that as a result of undergoing “puberty blockers‚ off-label cross-sex hormone treatment‚ and a double mastectomy‚” Cole experienced “deep emotional wounds‚ severe regrets‚ and distrust for the medical system” and has “suffered physically‚ socially‚ neurologically‚ and psychologically.” In June‚ Kaiser was sued by a second detransitioner in California. At the advice of her doctors‚ Kayla Lovdahl began taking puberty blockers at age 12 and underwent a double mastectomy at age 13. Lovdahl’s doctors “did not question‚ elicit‚ or attempt to understand the psychological events that led Kayla to the mistaken belief that she was transgender‚ nor did they evaluate‚ appreciate‚ or treat her multifaceted presentation of co-morbid symptoms‚” the lawsuit stated. It appears that Cole and Lovdahl’s cases are just the tip of the iceberg. Earlier this year‚ a new law firm was launched in Dallas that specifically serves detransitioners who are seeking recompense for being victims of what they say is medical malpractice. So far‚ Campbell Miller Payne has filed lawsuits on behalf of four clients‚ and the firm says that it is currently in discussions with 40 more potential clients. According to founding partner Jordan Campbell‚ it is “only the beginning.” The firm’s clients include Prisha Mosley‚ who began testosterone injections at age 17 and had both breasts removed just one year later. Soren Aldaco was also prescribed cross-sex hormones at 17—without her parents’ knowledge—and also underwent a double mastectomy only two years later. A third client named Isabelle Ayala was prescribed testosterone at age 14‚ with her doctors keeping her on the drug despite a subsequent suicide attempt. Lawsuits against medical practitioners who carry out gender-transition procedures are likely to continue surging due to the explosive growth in demand for the procedures and in the facilities that carry them out. In 2022‚ the U.S. market size for gender-transition surgery was estimated to be $2.1 billion and is estimated to grow to more than $3.1 billion by 2032. The lawsuits come as new studies reveal that gender-transition procedures do not appear to be resolving the mental health issues of those struggling with their gender identity. A Finnish study published last month found that those with gender dysphoria “present with many more common psychiatric needs” than the general population‚ “even when medical GR [gender reassignment] interventions are carried out.” Dr. Jennifer Bauwens‚ a licensed therapist and clinical researcher who has studied the effects of trauma on children‚ was encouraged by the increasing number of detransitioners who are stepping forward to file lawsuits. “This is good news‚” she told The Washington Stand. “We need to fight this from every direction. This whole ideology was introduced from multiple directions‚ so we need to fight it multiple ways. We’re fighting it legislatively‚ but now we’re fighting it through these individual lawsuits‚ and hopefully those will just continue to grow.” Bauwens continued: The other great thing about this is it really opens up a discussion and the impact that these individuals have experienced as a result of this so-called gender-affirming care. When you’re giving testimony to a legislative body‚ you’re just given a few minutes‚ but through these lawsuits we’re going to hear more of what these people have gone through and the tragedy that they have faced. A lot of the transgender activists say that there are so few minors that are undergoing ‘gender-affirming care‚’ yet we are seeing these lawsuits from very young women. This is not an anomaly. The fact that there have been at least 40 people that have contacted this law firm should be raising alarm bells. We know that there have to be so many more. This is not just some one-off‚ one person who was pushed through these types of procedures. “I also appreciate how they are bringing out the physiological harms that have happened to them‚” she added. “They’re also bringing out the fact that when they went for help to the therapeutic and medical community‚ instead of getting an accurate assessment‚ they were just onboarded to these so-called treatments. I think that’s a really important thing that we will hear more about through these lawsuits‚ and I hope they get a lot of money for what they went through.” Bauwens‚ who serves as director of the Center for Family Studies at the Family Research Council‚ went on to observe that the lawsuits could serve as a caution to institutions and medical professionals that push gender ideology. “The good thing with these lawsuits is for those activists who are motivated primarily by money‚ this hits them where it hurts‚” she noted. “I do believe that there are some people who are so ideologically driven that they will push forward regardless of how it hits their bank account‚ but I think that so much of this practice is tied up to money. When hospitals and universities and the profession itself starts losing money‚ they’re going to back away from this faster than even any legislation that’s put forward. It’s a good attack strategy.” Cole‚ the first detransitioner to file suit‚ has in many ways become the face of the growing movement. At an event at the University of Utah last week‚ Cole was labeled “transphobic” by a professor‚ a label that has become a consistent line of attack against detransitioners from the Left. Bauwens remained unconvinced that the strategy will be effective going forward. “I think the more the public learns about what’s involved with ‘gender-affirming care’ and what the long-term ramifications are‚ I think people are beginning to move away from it‚” she said. “The line of ‘transphobia’ is going to carry less weight the more that people see the faces of those who have fallen prey to the ideology.” As to the question of how those struggling with gender identity can achieve authentic healing‚ Bauwens highlighted the importance of homing in on underlying causes. “Healing is going to need to take place where the original problem started‚” she underscored. “It’s too bad that they were put on this other track that veered them away from dealing with whatever the root cause was to the distress. There’s going to be a layering of issues to deal with because now‚ they’re going to have to face the fact that those in authority—and those who were supposed to be experts and healers—have completely led them astray and actually were (perhaps unwittingly) part of re-victimizing them‚ their bodies‚ as well as their minds. But it’s not all hopeless‚ by any stretch.” Bauwens further emphasized how those who have detransitioned are in a unique position to become peerless witnesses and role models for those wrestling with gender confusion. “When someone who has been through a situation where the authority has so clearly violated them‚ as they heal‚ they can be a tremendous voice. They can be tremendously clear about what they believe and how they view the world‚” she pointed out. “The potential for raising up other Walt Heyers and people who are able to help others and be a clear voice on this issue and many others is phenomenal.” “People like Kathy Grace Duncan and Laura Perry have developed relational depth through their experience and have a clear understanding of their authentic self. They would have done some of the identity work that maybe others haven’t been forced to do. They have the opportunity to have a richer authentic connection with themselves and with others once they’ve actually treaded that hard road of grappling with their identity.” Originally published at WashingtonStand.com The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post ‘Only the Beginning’: Lawsuits From Detransitioners Are on Rise appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Why Aren't We Attacking the Houthis?

Drugs and Gangs in Brussels Sprout Repeated‚ Deadly Violence

Washington State Economist Refused to Lie‚ So They Forced Him Out

Employees of a zoo in Pakistan's Punjab province noticed that a big cat had a shoe in its mouth. As workers investigated the strange situation‚ they quickly made a grisly discovery — a man had been mauled to death by the big cat. On Wednesday‚ workers saw a big cat with a shoe in its mouth at the Sherbagh Zoo in Bahawalpur‚ Pakistan. "When they cleaned the zoo and the dens‚ they found the (animal) holding a shoe in its mouth‚" said Zaheer Anwar‚ a senior government official in Bahawalpur. "The staff got suspicious‚ and then they found a body inside the den‚" he added. An official with the rescue service in Bahawalpur told AFP that the victim's legs had been severely mauled."It is yet not known who he is and how he got there. It is being investigated. The body looked several hours old‚" the official said‚ adding that forensic experts were examining the body.Officials are not sure how the man got into the big cat enclosure. Authorities did not reveal the identity of the man who was mauled to death in the animal attack."Our assessment so far is that this appears to be a lunatic because a sensible person would not jump into the den‚" Anwar added. "You can see that the den is secured. There are stairs behind the den‚ maybe he jumped from there."Anwar identified the animal only as a "big cat‚" which can be a tiger‚ lion‚ jaguar‚ cougar‚ leopard‚ or cheetah. The Sherbagh Zoo's website notes that it hosts Asiatic lions and Bengal tigers."The exhibits are a mix between old style cages and newer moated enclosures‚" the Sherbagh Zoo's website reads. "Lions‚ tigers‚ and hyenas are housed in more modern moated enclosures‚" the site adds. The animal attack fatality in Pakistan comes just days after a zookeeper was mauled to death by a black bear in India. The 23-year-old zookeeper was killed by a Himalayan black bear at the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park‚ according to the Times of India.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations is attempting to clarify controversial remarks about Hamas' barbaric attack on Israel.Speaking at the annual Convention for Palestine in the U.S. in Chicago last month‚ Nihad Awad admitted the Oct. 7 attack — which included Hamas murdering more than 1‚200 innocent people‚ takings hundreds of hostages‚ and using rape as a weapon of war — made him "happy" because Palestinians were able to break through the "walls of the concentration camp."Awad‚ who is Palestinian‚ said:The people of Gaza only decided to break the siege‚ the walls of the concentration camp on Oct. 7. And yes‚ I was happy to see people breaking the siege and throwing down the shackles of their own land and walk free into their lands that they were not allowed to walk in. And yes‚ the people of Gaza have the right to self-defense‚ have the right to defend themselves. And yes‚ Israel as an occupying power does not have that right to self-defense. — (@) Later in the speech‚ Awad claimed the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is controlling the U.S. government."AIPAC and its affiliates have been controlling the United States government and the United States Congress‚" he said. "And if someone says 'Oh‚ Nihad Awad said this about the Congress‚' I tell you‚ 'Yes‚ I say it today‚ and I will say it tomorrow.' Unless we free Congress‚ we will not be able to free Palestine."The remarks are jarring‚ not only because of their contents but because Awad leads the most prominent and influential Muslim advocacy group in the U.S.Awad responded to concern about his remarks by claiming they were taken out of context in order to "create a completely false meaning." Instead of being happy because of the terrorist attack‚ Awad alleged his "happy" reference was about the "average Palestinians who briefly" entered Israel on Oct. 7."The average Palestinians who briefly walked out of Gaza and set foot on their ethnically cleansed land in a symbolic act of defiance against the blockade and stopped there without engaging in violence were within their rights under international law; the extremists who went on to attack civilians in southern Israel were not‚" Awad said. "Targeting civilians is unacceptable‚ no matter whether they are Israeli or Palestinian or any other nationality."American Muslims for Palestine‚ the group that hosted the conference‚ has since removed the video of Awad's remarks.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

As the Biden administration obsesses over every last Israeli troop movement in Gaza‚ international shipping and our own naval vessels are under assault from Hamas’ Iranian proxy allies in the Red Sea.Meanwhile‚ over 60 U.S. troops have been injured in at least 73 attacks in Syria and Iraq since October‚ as our soldiers remain there with no discernable mission. Isn’t it time we get our own military strategy in order before we meddle in Israel’s fight against Hamas and its human shields?In general‚ the United States needs to divest its resources from refereeing Middle Eastern civil wars and focus a lot more on our borders. But one paramount foreign policy goal‚ going back to America’s founding‚ has always been to keep the shipping lanes open. We spend more than any other nation on defense by a mile and squander billions on operations well outside our national and strategic interests. When it comes to the ultimate national security threat of Iranian proxies blocking shipping lanes‚ however‚ our government is feckless in not immediately neutralizing the problem. On November 19‚ the Houthis hijacked the Galaxy Leader‚ a Bahamian-flagged cargo ship‚ as it was traveling in the Red Sea. The crew‚ composed of nationals of allied countries‚ is still being held hostage. Several days later‚ the Iranian-backed terrorists that the Biden administration inexplicably de-listed from the terrorism designation tried to attack a Malta-flagged container ship with a drone as it traveled on the other side of Yemen in the Indian Ocean. On November 27‚ two missiles were fired at the USS Mason after terrorists tried to hijack the M/V Central Park‚ a Liberian-flagged tanker. Finally‚ on Sunday‚ the Houthis fired missiles and suicide drones at several commercial vessels and the USS Carney in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait‚ the critical outlet from the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. According to one government source quoted by the Associated Press‚ the attack lasted for five hours. None of this is unexpected. On November 14‚ the Houthis issued a warning in English‚ Arabic‚ and Hebrew: “We will sink your ships.” Yet the Biden administration officials are so busy bullying Israel they refuse to respond to direct kinetic action against our own troops and assets from the same forces aligned with Iran. In the early years of our republic‚ Americans had a slogan: “Millions for defense‚ but not one cent for tribute.” But today‚ we spend nearly $1 trillion on defense but then fail to use it when it’s appropriate to do so. Our military doesn’t perform well when precariously stationed in isolated areas on land between Sunni and Shiite civil wars with no civil society to hold our gains. That’s why we need to remove our troops from Syria and Iraq. On the other hand‚ our air and naval assets are perfectly designed to create a kill zone in maritime waters to destroy anything that threatens our ships and the free flow of commerce. If we don’t use our naval and air assets to keep shipping lanes open‚ then what is the purpose of continuing to bankrupt this nation to pay for the military?Four government officials told Politico that ships are constantly under attack‚ but the administration has made a concerted effort to downplay the nature of the threat and to de-escalate rather than deter.“If our ships see something is coming near them or toward them‚ they are going to assess it as a threat and shoot it down‚” said one Pentagon official‚ who‚ like others in this story‚ was granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic. “You’d be hard-pressed to find another time” U.S. ships have been this challenged in the region.“We are not taking this seriously‚” said retired Vice Admiral John Miller‚ former commander of Fifth Fleet. He added that the attacks both at sea and in Iraq and Syria “have gone largely unanswered.” “We’re not deterring anybody right now.”Hence the Biden administration is pursuing the worst possible mix of policies vis-à-vis military deterrent toward Iran. The government is refusing to respond to either the land or sea-based attacks but won’t at least withdraw our troops from Iraq so they don’t remain vulnerable to the undeterred attacks‚ all in pursuit of an aimless mission — a mission that was designed to protect those very Iranian-backed militias from the Sunnis. Congress is currently putting the finishing touches on the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. Lawmakers continue to fund everything we shouldn’t be funding: troop deployments in Iraq and Syria; assistance to Hezbollah-backed Lebanese forces; State Department missions promoting a Palestinian state; border security in Jordan but not the United States. And on and on. Nobody has bothered to ask what the purpose of our military is and what it should be used for. The threat to shipping lanes is a much bigger problem than Ukraine‚ even if one believes Ukraine is worthy of our attention. Yet Ukraine is consuming the entire debate over military aid and strategy. After House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told Senate leaders he wouldn’t tie Ukraine aid with anything less than H.R. 2‚ which abolishes catch-and-release at the border‚ red-state Republicans like Senator James Lankford called it “not rational.” No‚ what is not rational is uniparty senators’ obsessing over every foreign theater but the ones that most directly threaten American interests.