Hours before news broke that NBC News may be firing their newly hired Republican political analyst‚ former RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel‚ NewsNation stuck it to their cable news rival. During Monday night’s Cuomo‚ correspondent at-large Geraldo Rivera called out their “pretentious bullshit‚” and host Chris Cuomo proclaimed that “the hypocrisy reeks” at the network. Cuomo led into the segment by calling out his former morning show rivals (when he co-hosted CNN’s New Day) for their rank “hypocrisy” in calling for McDaniel’s ouster when they benefitted from being pals with Donald Trump before he got elected: Look‚ I have no beef. But it was okay for you‚ Mika [Brzezinski] and Joe [Scarborough]‚ to have Trump on all the time to talk to him about what questions to ask‚ right? When it was working for you when he was running‚ right? When you guys are all pals‚ that was ok‚ right? You have any problem with that‚ right? Just because you went bad on him when it became convenient because you work at a lefty outlet. This is okay now you can be high-minded about it‚ right? The hypocrisy reeks! When asked for his take‚ the first words out of Rivera’s mouth were “Screw them!” “I mean‚ the whole idea is that they were hiring her to be the ultimate insider. And here she gets washed or she gets drowned by this tsunami of pretensions bullshit‚” he added. “Really‚ all of these people that have a stick up there behind‚ how dare they.” Rivera took on McDaniel’s most prominent naysayers: Brzezinski and Chuck Todd: “When did she become management? When did she become‚ you know‚ the arbiter of who got hired and who doesn't get hired? And Chuck Todd‚ I don't remember his years‚ his nine years at Meet The Press as being exactly triumphant.”     Continuing to focus on the Morning Joe crew‚ Cuomo pointed out “the bias at play” in how their friends in the liberal media didn’t have an issue with their buddy-buddy relationship with Trump during the 2016 election cycle: I was against them in the morning at CNN and I still beat them twice even with them having Trump on all the time. And you remember the tape that came out‚ Geraldo‚ of them in break asking Trump about what questions to ask next and how they were going to do their next segment of the town hall. And nobody got upset about it. It was there and gone because all the reporters want to be on their show iin the morning. But now they have standards about what's right and what's wrong. It's all advantage. It's all hypocrisy. Following a recounting from Rivera about a similar protest against him at ABC (you can check that out in the transcript below)‚ he defended McDaniel as “a perfect hire 8 months before the election. Who knows more about the mechanics of the Republican Party than she does?” Cuomo agreed: “Alright‚ she's coming on. I guarantee you she would have exposed things‚ she would explain things in a way that would be satisfying to that audience. You make such a huge mistake when you limit who you talk to to be the people who already agree with you.” As they were nearing the end of the segment‚ Cuomo told the NBCers that they needed to “get out of the silos‚” but warned that “their talent has come out and shown you what they're about. They are not as tolerant on voices.” “But you guys did the wrong thing with Trump when it and now you've gotten religion on it‚” he scolded Scarborough and Brzezinski. “But remember what you did‚ you're lucky to get thrown out on your ass because of it. Now‚ you not affording the same sympathies going forward. I just think it's a hypocrisy thing.” Seeming almost prophetic in hindsight‚ Rivera’s final advice for McDaniel was to wait it out and maybe have a nice payday in court: “My thought is that I hope she tells them all to screw it‚ she's sticking around‚ forces them to fire her and then sues them for millions because that they have humiliated her in a very‚ very unjust way.” Perhaps NewsNation saw the writing on the wall and were making an on-air play to appeal to McDaniel if/when NBC gave her the boot. The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: NewsNation’s Cuomo March 25‚ 2024 8:39:29 p.m. Eastern (…) CHRIS CUOMO: NBC hires her. I'm sure other people we're trying to get her. But now everybody's mad. Now‚ this happens in the media. Somebody hire somebody that other people would have hired as well‚ but they attacked the place that hired her. But this is coming in-house; big shots inside NBC like Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski. She said this. [Cuts to video] MIKA BRZEZINSKI: And we hope NBC will reconsider its decision. It goes without saying that she will not be a guest on Morning Joe in her capacity as a paid contributor. [Cuts back to live] CUOMO: Look‚ I have no beef. But it was okay for you‚ Mika and Joe‚ to have Trump on all the time to talk to him about what questions to ask‚ right? When it was working for you when he was running‚ right? When you guys are all pals‚ that was ok‚ right? You have any problem with that‚ right? Just because you went bad on him when it became convenient because you work at a lefty outlet. This is okay now you can be high-minded about it‚ right? The hypocrisy reeks!   NewsNation correspondent at-large Geraldo Rivera. Look‚ I get making the decision not to hire McDaniel‚ but the idea that NBC News‚ Chuck Todd‚ or Mika Brzezinski‚ or Joe Scarborough are offended. What do you make of it? GERALDO RIVER: Screw them! I mean‚ I like everyone you just named. I don't know Chuck Todd‚ but Mike and Joe and I heard Nicolle Wallace said something bad against the Ronna McDaniel. I mean‚ the whole idea is that they were hiring her to be the ultimate insider. And here she gets washed or she gets drowned by this tsunami of pretensions bullshit. Really‚ all of these people that have a stick up there behind‚ how dare they. And for Mika to say NBC shouldn't hire them. When did she become management? When did she become you know‚ the - the - the - the arbiter of who got hired and who doesn't get hired. And Chuck Todd‚ I don't remember his years‚ his nine years at Meet The Press as being exactly triumphant. You know‚ she is the ultimate insider and to say that they don't want to hire her now because of election denialism. Well‚ then you don't want half the country to watch your network because half country is Republican more or less. And they – they believe a lot of them or at least they've convinced themselves about election being a‚ you know‚ fraudulent or whatever it is. Now‚ I think that she's wrong. I think that the Republican Party is going off the cliff. But the fact is they hired her to be who she is‚ who she was and for them now‚ these other talent‚ you know‚ some of past their prime to – to go after her and then they won't have her. I think that's – that's baloney. CUOMO: I mean‚ look‚ I like it on one level. Okay? One is Ronna McDaniel and all the Trumpers beyond the pale from what they're used to see? Yes‚ they advanced things that go beyond questions of fact‚ unarguable questions? However‚ now you see the bias at play‚ especially when it comes to Mika and Joe. I was against them in the morning at CNN and I still beat them twice even with them having Trump on all the time. And you remember the tape that came out‚ Geraldo‚ of them in break asking Trump about what questions to ask next and how they were going to do their next segment of the town hall. And nobody got upset about it. It was there and gone because all the reporters want to be on their show iin the morning. But now they have standards about what's right and what's wrong. It's all advantage. It's all hypocrisy. RIVERA: It's also pretension and – and a bogus I’m holier than thou. I remember way in 1977. Go way back to very brief story. I was on Good Morning America and I had a show called Good Night America. Roone Arledge‚ the legendary boss of ABC got the big gig. He says to me‚ “I want you on the evening news.” It was the Son of Sam. Son of Sam was happening. “No one knows New York better than you Geraldo. I want you on it.” Ted Koppel and a bunch of guys from the Washington bureau of ABC. Ted Kopple tells this story Arledge’s eulogy. Now they want to Roone Arledge and said‚ “You can’t hire Geraldo‚ he's not one of us. He’s not professional. He’s done all this crazy stuff. And we're going to resign.” Roone Arledge said‚ “Okay. Put your resignation on the desk.” And I went on and I stayed on and screw them. And since then I all of these‚ you know‚ that holier than thou‚ lecturey‚ pompous‚ I'm going to be Walter Cronkite – You know‚ so many anchors have said to me or said to others‚ “He's a he's not fit for—“ And 54 years later‚ I'm still I'm still here‚ after I started because the American people have made a decision about me. Television’s a lie detector. You look right through it. She’s a perfect hire 8 months before the election. Who knows more about the mechanics of the Republican Party than she does? You know‚ and if you're going to find Republicans who except the 2020 results as legit‚ you know‚ good luck to you and your search. CUOMO: Look‚ I just think that you've got to get out of the silos. At least MSNBC. Their talent has come out and shown you what they're about. They are not as tolerant on voices. Now‚ you can say‚ “No‚ these people lie.” A lot of people lie. Alright‚ she's coming on. I guarantee you she would have exposed things‚ she would explain things in a way that would be satisfying to that audience. You make such a huge mistake when you limit who you talk to to be the people who already agree with you. And they're making that mistake. But at least they let you know. And I know they're going to come back at me. It's not done with animus. I wish them well. I think Mika Brzezinski cares about what she does. I think that's basically true about Joe Scarborough too. But you guys did the wrong thing with Trump when it and now you've gotten religion on it. But remember what you did‚ you're lucky to get thrown out on your ass because of it. Now‚ you not affording the same sympathies going forward. I just think it's a hypocrisy thing. I got to jump. Do you have a last button? RIVERA: My thought is that I hope she tells them all to screw it‚ she's sticking around‚ forces them to fire her and then sues them for millions because that they have humiliated her in a very‚ very unjust way. CUOMO: And also from management. I never got to decide who comes on my show and who doesn't. That was always the bosses. RIVERA: Exactly. Exactly. CUOMO: You know‚ and it is now too‚ by the way. And look‚ I'm at different level of the game‚ but if they say they want somebody on‚ they say they want me to go somewhere. I go. That's what being an employee is all about. (…)

A member of the state parole board in Illinois has resigned her position after releasing a suspect with a history of violence and stalking who then allegedly attacked his ex-girlfriend and fatally stabbed her son just hours later.On Monday‚ 63-year-old LeAnn Miller resigned her position on the Illinois Prisoner Review Board after drafting the decision to release 37-year-old Crosetti Brand back onto the streets late last month.By all accounts‚ Brand is a dangerous man who poses a serious threat to society in general and in particular to many people who have had the misfortune of crossing paths with him. According to reports‚ he has been serially stalking Laterria Smith of Chicago ever since she broke up with him in 2006. In the years following the breakup‚ Brand reportedly showed up outside Smith's home and fired a weapon‚ punched her in the face at a bus stop after she began dating someone else‚ and even made threatening phone calls to members of her family and threw rocks at their windows. Smith secured a protection order against Brand shortly thereafter.In 2015‚ Brand began a sentence for attacking another ex-girlfriend and pointing a gun at her son. He served just half of the 16-year sentence he received in that case and was out on parole last October.Once out of prison‚ Brand allegedly began stalking Smith once again. On February 1‚ Smith called police to report that Brand was outside her home once again‚ incessantly ringing her doorbell and pulling on the door handle. Though Brand initially turned himself in‚ he insisted he was in the area looking for an apartment. He was then sent to the Stateville Correctional Center on a series of charges related to parole violation.By the time his hearing rolled around on February 26‚ Brand had changed his story once again. This time‚ he denied going to her apartment entirely. "GPS would have picked up on it‚ and it didn’t‚" he said at the hearing‚ referring to his ankle monitor. Smith was not asked to testify at the hearing.Ultimately‚ Miller‚ one of five Republicans on the Prisoner Review Board‚ and two of her PRB colleagues — independent Krystal Tison and fellow Republican Kenneth Tupy — signed off on the decision to release Brand on March 12‚ claiming that there was not enough evidence to support Smith's allegations.Days before Brand's hearing‚ Smith pled with Judge Thomas Nowinski to grant her an emergency order of protection against Brand‚ citing harassing text messages and his arrival at her apartment on February 1. Once again‚ the system failed Smith‚ as Judge Nowinski ruled that since Brand was still in custody at the time‚ her case did not amount to an "emergency" and scheduled another hearing for her case on March 13.Smith never made it to that hearing. On the morning of March 13‚ Brand allegedly showed up at Smith's apartment once again‚ this time carrying a knife. He then allegedly forced his way into the apartment and began viciously stabbing Smith‚ who is pregnant. Smith‚ a 33-year-old mother of three‚ including her unborn child‚ was not alone at the time. Her two sons‚ 11-year-old Jayden Perkins and an unnamed 6-year-old boy‚ were there as well.To shield his mother from further violence‚ 11-year-old Jayden stepped in between Smith and her attacker and suffered several stab wounds as a result. Jayden and Smith were rushed to the hospital‚ and Smith and her unborn child are both expected to survive.Young Jayden did not."He's the kindest‚ trustworthy friend you could probably ever ask for‚" 12-year-old Nathaniel Vodak later said after a candlelight vigil to honor his lost friend."No one can replace him‚" added Alexis Perez‚ another friend. "No one can take his place." Smith's 6-year-old boy thankfully was not hurt during the incident. However‚ with his older brother dead and his mother and unborn sibling wounded‚ the community has demanded answers from those who allowed the suspect back on the street. In the wake of the public outcry‚ Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) called Miller's resignation "the correct decision.""It is clear that evidence in this case was not given the careful consideration that victims of domestic violence deserve‚ and I am committed to ensuring additional safeguards and training are in place to prevent tragedies like this from happening again‚" Pritzker's statement added.Miller joined the board in 2021 after 20 years in the state's Department of Corrections. She also had a 35-year career in education. The Daily Mail contacted Miller and the Prisoner Review Board for comment.PRB President Donald Shelton likewise stepped down on Monday‚ though whether he did so on account of Brand's alleged violent attack is unclear‚ as Shelton was not directly involved in the decision to release him. Pritzker honored Shelton for his service. "During his time with the Champaign Police Department and with the PRB he worked diligently to keep Illinoisans safe and uphold our justice system‚" Pritzker said.Like Blaze News? 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Garth Brooks switched music genres in 1999 via his alter ego‚ Chris Gaines‚ and quickly retreated from his country roots. Aaron Lewis gained fame as the lead singer of the alternative metal band Staind. He tried country music on for size in 2010 with the song “Country Boy‚” and the genre fit like the proverbial glove. “I was around before cell phones and computers. I know what life was like before the deep state and the Democrats were given the ultimate power of the computer and power to brainwash everybody." “Doubts keep you from doing big things in life‚” Lewis tells Align. “I save my doubting stuff for times that don’t really matter that much. … Usually doubt will keep you from having great things happen.” Lewis added a twist to his makeover‚ one that may trump them all. He came out as a conservative in an industry openly hostile to that ideology. “As far as current events‚ I feel compelled to talk about them. They affect my life‚ your life‚ my childrens’ lives‚ my future grandchildren‚” Lewis says. Courtesy of The Valory Music Co. That outspoken side gets a twist on his latest album‚ “The Hill‚” out March 29. The first track‚ “Let’s Go Fishing‚” suggests the problems facing the country today but doesn’t offer solutions or specifics. Lewis serves up anger and solace‚ letting listeners connect the dots. You got to work two jobs and rob a bank To put food on the table and gas in your tank And everybody knows who's to blame But I ain't gonna worry about none of that s*** today So let's go fishing‚ let's go wishing On a star in the dark in the middle of the night The world's gone crazy and the s*** ain't right Let's go running a little backwoods-hiding It's all so f***ed up I can't stand it Let's go Karen‚ let's go Brandon And let's go fishing There’s a deeper meaning in the track‚ one that might get lost in that “Let's Go Brandon” energy. “People are expecting things to be instantaneous‚ some sort of instant gratification accountability for everything that’s going on right now‚” he says. “Let’s Go Fishing” asks us to “take a pause for a second. Let’s check out and be able to look at this from a 10‚000-foot view for a bit.” Another track‚ “Made in China‚” drops more references you won’t find on most modern songs. I ain't made by Uyghur kids For pennies on the dollar I'm made in the USA It says so on my collar Tried and true‚ red‚ white‚ and blue My roots run way too thick Yeah‚ I ain't made in China 'Cause I'm American as it gets “The Hill” continues Lewis’ approach to country music: pure. Unfiltered. Raw when required. “I’ve always believed in the concept that a song stripped down like that will stand true on its own‚” he says‚ leaving just the “best‚ most honest and pure representation of a song acoustically.” That honesty spills into his live act. “I am myself up on stage. There is no show. I sit down on a stool‚ and I play songs and have conversations. … I feel it’s my responsibility to do something good with what God has been so gracious to bless me with‚” he says. “I’m very fact-based. When it comes to the things I’ll say on stage‚ I can back them up with receipts.” He’s closing in on his 52nd birthday and recalls a time far different from today’s America. “I was around before cell phones and computers. I know what life was like before the deep state and the Democrats were given the ultimate power of the computer and power to brainwash everybody‚” he says. He knows artists fearful of saying the “wrong” thing and suspects his YouTube channel has been throttled for its pro-America sentiment. Yet he still sees the positive side of our information age. “As much as they’re using the internet to create chaos and division among us‚ we’re using the internet for just the opposite‚ to find out what’s really happening. It’s a double-edged sword‚” he says. “The misinformation they keep talking about is the truth.” Being honest with his opinions hasn’t slowed his professional roll. His 2021 smash “Am I the Only One” became only the ninth song ever to debut in Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart at number one. His Staind reunion album‚ October’s “Confessions of the Fallen‚" debuted at no. 4 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart after a 12-year hiatus. His secret‚ beyond obvious talent? “Sticking to my morals and my values and my ability to speak my mind and have an opinion‚” he says about his 25 years atop the music business. Lewis’ reinventions are far from over. The unadulterated country heard on “The Hill” follows in the footsteps of “Confessions‚” and he has another project in the works unlike anything in his existing canon. He describes the sound as Portishead “from back in the day” or more akin to modern-day Billie Eilish. He created the rough outline for it during the pandemic but thinks the “ethereal” music has a promising future. “I look forward to coming back around to it‚” he says.

Families residing in Massachusetts overflow shelters must reapply monthly while providing evidence of their attempts to move out of the shelter and become independent‚ Democratic Gov. Maura Healey announced on Monday.According to a recent press release‚ Healey’s administration is tightening its restrictions on the state’s overflow shelters. The governor believes the additional requirements will encourage families to find alternative‚ more stable housing while the state continues to contend with an over-capacity shelter system amid the ongoing migrant crisis.Starting on May 1‚ families residing in overflow shelter sites will be required to undergo a recertification process each month to continue their stay. Their reapplication must demonstrate attempts to find a path out of the shelter. Families who do not provide this evidence may not be eligible to remain in the state’s shelter system.Families with children and pregnant women are eligible for the state’s Emergency Assistance shelter program. The state noted that “less than half” of the families utilizing the emergency services “are new arrivals to Massachusetts.”“During this recertification process‚ they will be evaluated on whether they have participated in state-provided services to help them move toward independence‚ including applying for a work authorization‚ participating in a workforce training program‚ submitting job applications‚ taking English classes‚ and engaging in a search for housing. Families will be permitted to remain at sites as long as they continue to engage these services and activities‚” read the press release from Healey’s office.Emergency Assistance Director General Scott Rice called the new measure “a responsible step” toward addressing the state’s overwhelmed shelter system.“We have said for months now that our system is at capacity‚ and we do not have the space‚ providers or funding to continue expanding‚” Rice stated. “Families will need to demonstrate that they’ve taken action to get on a path toward independence and out of shelter.”According to Healey’s office‚ the state’s shelter system has been “operating at capacity for months.” “Last fall‚ the administration announced that the system could no longer safely or responsibly expand and established a waiting list. Families who qualify for EA and are on the waiting list are eligible to stay at the state’s safety-net sites‚ which currently serve approximately 200 families‚” the press release added.Families currently utilizing the EA program and new applicants will be notified about the policy change. According to Healey’s office‚ the new measure does not affect those staying at shelter sites operated by the United Way of Massachusetts Bay.The state plans to open an additional overflow shelter site next month at the former Chelsea Soldiers’ Home facility‚ which has been vacant and was scheduled for demolition. The new facility will be able to provide shelter space to roughly 100 families. Healey told reporters on Monday‚ “It’s important as we look to manage this responsibly.”“If they don’t have a good reason for not fulfilling requirements then they will lose their spot‚” she continued. “The whole idea of this is to divert people from our emergency shelter system‚ to get them on a different path.”Paul Craney of Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance told Blaze News that Healey and the Massachusetts legislature have repeatedly voted against reforms that could have solved the state's migrant crisis."The Governor's plan utterly fails to address the underlying cause of the fiscal‚ humanitarian‚ health care‚ and housing crises we are currently facing. So long as we give people‚ anywhere in the world‚ a blank check to receive Massachusetts public benefits‚ people will continue to fight tooth and nail to get here and collect those benefits‚" he stated."No amount of reapplication requirements will fix this. The Right to Shelter law was designed to ensure the indigent and homeless of the Commonwealth had access to housing‚ not to act as a clearing house for people flooding across our open southern border‚" Craney added."If the House is actually serious about solving this crisis‚ then they need to focus on reforming the generous taxpayer funded benefits offered‚ starting with a residency requirement for the state's right-to-shelter law‚" he continued. "This will at least act as a deterrent so the entire world isn't trying to get in line for free housing in one of the most expensive housing markets on the planet."Elizabeth Sweet of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition expressed concern that the new measures will "create unnecessary red tape‚ sow confusion‚ and ultimately‚ place more families on the street."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Candace Owens’ departure from the Daily Wire appears to have sparked even more animus toward her‚ especially where it concerns the black conservative community. Why? This is the subject of Jason Whitlock and Shemeka Michelle’s conversation. Owens has come under intense fire for using the phrase “Christ is King” during conversations surrounding the ongoing war between Israel and Palestine. Many have called her use of the expression "anti-Semitic" — granted‚ she has been openly critical of Israel’s war on Gaza — and even questioned the authenticity of her Christian faith. “When I saw her say [Christ is King] the first time a few months back‚ I didn't really believe it simply because she hadn't been talking that way previously‚” says Shemeka. However‚ “I think that people can find Christ and then all of a sudden just become very spirited and passionate about it.” Jason agrees‚ adding‚ “I do think it's possible that she's just on fire right now for Christ‚ and I want to give her grace‚ even if she's making some missteps.” Last week‚ Owens was interviewed on “The Breakfast Club” podcast‚ hosted by Charlamagne Tha God‚ and apparently‚ the political commentator missed an opportunity to connect with the black community when she performed poorly on a quiz that referenced various aspects of black culture. Further‚ on March 15‚ Owens had a conversation with Joe Budden on “The Joe Budden Podcast‚” during which she disapproved of specific black artists in the hip-hop community‚ including Lizzo‚ Ice Spice‚ and Sexyy Red‚ which only fueled the accusations that Owens is “anti-black.” Jason‚ however‚ thinks much of the animosity toward Owens is a result of jealousy. “Some of these attacks on Candace are just jealousy” stemming from “the attention she gets and the opportunities she gets‚” he says. Shemeka thinks that in addition to jealousy‚ there’s something else playing into the hatred for Candace Owens. “Candace not being married to a black man is going to” lead many black people to ask: “If you love [black men] so much‚ why didn't you marry one?” she tells Jason. But Jason understands that Candace has “[limited her] dating pool with black people tremendously‚” considering her political affiliations. On “The Breakfast Club‚” when asked why she speaks openly about the black family when she married a white man‚ Candace explained that love‚ not race‚ led her to marry her husband‚ who she says is intellectually compatible with her. Many‚ of course‚ took this as a slight against black mens’ IQs. “I thought her answer was transparent and appropriate and not in any way disrespectful to black people‚” says Jason. To hear more of the conversation‚ watch the clip below. Want more from Jason Whitlock?To enjoy more fearless conversations at the crossroads of culture‚ faith‚ sports‚ and comedy with Jason Whitlock‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

Critics are blasting a "rain tax" Toronto is proposing to charge homeowners‚ Newsweek reported.What are the details?City officials are proposing to hit homeowners with a "stormwater charge" according to how much their properties' water runoff would impact the storm sewer system‚ the magazine said‚ adding that it's an attempt to encourage citizens to keep grass and plants on their properties rather than paving outdoor square footage.Newsweek‚ citing Toronto city authorities‚ said the charge would be based on each property's hard surface area‚ including roofs‚ driveways‚ parking lots‚ and other concrete landscaping."Stormwater is rain and melted snow. When not absorbed into the ground‚ stormwater runs off hard surfaces onto streets‚ down storm drains‚ and through a network of pipes that carry it into local waterways‚" Toronto's city website says‚ according to Newsweek. "In urbanized areas like Toronto‚ there are a lot of hard surfaces. [...] Too much stormwater can overwhelm the city's sewer system‚ which can lead to flooded basements and impacts to surface water quality in Toronto's rivers‚ streams‚ and Lake Ontario's waterfront."The proposal is eliciting annoyed reactions — such as from Donald Trump Jr.: — (@) Newsweek noted that Warren Kinsella‚ founder of political campaign strategy firm Daisy Consulting Group‚ penned an op-ed for the Toronto Sun. Kinsella opened his piece with a nine-word assault: "A rain tax. Seriously‚ they want to tax the rain."Canadian Parliament member Kevin Vuong echoed Kinsella's words in an equally critical social media post: — (@) Toronto is consulting the public about the proposed charge until April 30‚ the magazine said‚ adding that a report on the outcome of the public consultation is scheduled to be released this summer.If that ain't enough ...Earlier this month‚ Toronto police endured serious backlash after telling residents to leave their car keys at the front doors of their homes for thieves to take in order to lessen the risk of residents being physically attacked for car keys in their homes.“To prevent the possibility of being attacked in your home‚ leave your fobs at the front door because they are breaking into your home to steal your car; they don’t want anything else‚" a police official said. "A lot of them that they’re arresting have guns on them‚ and they are not toy guns. They are real guns. They’re loaded.”(H/T: Not the Bee)Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Beginning April 1‚ every fast food restaurant in California will have to pay their employees a minimum wage of $20 per hour. Unfortunately‚ the negative costs of the law‚ signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) last year‚ are already adding up.Ahead of the law taking effect‚ California restaurant owners are already taking steps to mitigate costs of increased labor‚ the Wall Street Journal reported. They are going about it in three ways.1. LayoffsBlaze News reported last year that two Pizza Hut franchisee-holding companies had already filed government notices to lay off all their delivery drivers‚ impacting more than 1‚200 drivers. Now‚ customers who order pizza from those restaurants and want it delivered to their house will be forced to use third-party apps‚ like DoorDash‚ GrubHub‚ and Uber Eats. That means customers will be paying more for the same product because of the added costs associated with those apps."Pizza Hut was my career for nearly a decade and with little to no notice it was taken away‚" Michael Ojeda‚ a Pizza Hut delivery driver‚ told the Wall Street Journal.Round Table Pizza is also eliminating dozens of delivery driver positions. A spokesperson for Round Table's parent company‚ Fat Brands‚ said such drastic measures are necessary to ensure the overall financial health of the business."This is the reality of today’s restaurants. Operators are doing their best to retain staff and keep doors open‚" the spokesperson said.Alexander Johnson‚ the owner of 10 Auntie Anne’s and Cinnabon restaurants‚ told the Wall Street Journal he had to reduce his workforce by 10 employees to cover the $470‚000 annual cost of the forced wage increase.Another way businesses are reducing costs is by cutting employees' hours and enacting a moratorium on hiring new employees."I can't charge $20 for Happy Meals. I'm leaving no stones unturned‚" Scott Rodrick‚ the owner of 18 McDonald's restaurants‚ told the Wall Street Journal.2. Increased PricesThe second primary way that restaurant operators will offset the cost of government-forced payroll increases is by raising menu prices.McDonalds‚ Chipotle‚ and Jack in the Box have already committed to raising the price of their food. You can bet other national chains will follow suit.How much prices will go up across the board remains to be seen‚ though it could be as much as 8-10%. That's because‚ according to the Wall Street Journal‚ restaurants need to increase their prices 2% to cover the cost of every $1 in hourly wage increase. Right now‚ the minimum wage in California is $16 per hour.3. AutomationBurger King‚ Jack in the Box‚ Denny's‚ and El Pollo Loco are some of the restaurants looking to reduce costs by introducing more technology into their restaurants to replace hourly workers.Self-service kiosks‚ robot fryers‚ and automated salsa-making are just a few ways those companies are exploring how technology can reduce labor costs.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Of all the people pontificating online about dating and marriage‚ few figures are more polarizing than Pearl Davis. Often hailed as the "female Andrew Tate‚" Davis is a woman who’s made her name by advising men not to listen to women. Pearl Davis doesn't need your attention‚ whether scornful or admiring. What she could use are your prayers. She’s always handy with a provocative generalization — just the kind of thing that gets traction on social media. In a now-deleted post on X‚ she proclaimed that “16 year old chicks are hotter than 26 year old chicks.” She's also invited female victims of abuse to consider their own complicity: “Was he really abusive or did you bring abuse out of him?” Other typical Pearl takes include: The worst thing a woman can be is fat; Women lose their attractiveness (“hit the wall”) at age 30; Women should expect and even want to be cheated on; Paternity tests should be mandatory; Women should be denied the right to vote. Such talk has elevated Davis to the level of online villainhood that leads people to compile lists of her worst moments: “The Tragic Tale of Just Pearly Things | The Un-Pickable Pick-Me.” And that was her plan all along‚ if you ask those to whom Davis is clearly a grifter who doesn’t believe what she espouses. The evidence for this seems clear. Davis simply doesn’t live up to her own strict standards for being a high-value woman: virginity‚ model-level beauty‚ piety‚ submissiveness. And she doesn’t care. In that case‚ why take the bait? Why give her the attention she so clearly craves? That’s a question I've had to ask myself after letting Davis get under my skin one too many times. Lately‚ however‚ I've started to see the brokenness beneath her routine. Pandering to the resentful and bitter worst of the "manosphere" seems a bit sad. So does boosting her own value in their eyes by devaluing other women. In all likelihood‚ she really does believe at least some of what she says. Raised in a large and wealthy Catholic family‚ Davis admits to struggling with low self-esteem from a very young age. In manosphere influencers like Andrew Tate‚ she found confirmation of the deep flaws she always suspected she had. Since then‚ her project has been to confirm that these flaws exist in all women. Doing so lets her opt out of normal female intrasexual competition for men by informing men that the contest is rigged and the prize is not worth having. She may be as "low-value" as the women she relentlessly criticizes‚ but at least she's aware of it. The problem with this method of status-seeking is that it requires her to take more laughably extreme views as time goes on. Case in point: a recent X post about how trans women are better at being women because they put “more effort into their appearance than most American women.” She also needs to become increasingly uncharitable to her opponents‚ making it ever more apparent that her rants are about self-aggrandizement rather than changing minds. In a way‚ Pearl Davis is the right-wing version of Aella‚ the “ex-vangelical” who panders to libertine‚ "sex-positive‚" rationalist Silicon Valley men with degrading and extreme displays of promiscuity. Both women seem obsessively‚ at times destructively‚ focused on acting out in the worst way possible. Both seem to have been "traumatized" to some degree by their Christian upbringings. Were they truly to question their childhood faith rather than simply react to it‚ they might find valuable wisdom directly applicable to their predicaments. Namely‚ that every one of us‚ no matter what mistakes we make‚ has inherent‚ infinite value as a child of God. Pearl Davis doesn't need your attention‚ whether scornful or admiring. What she could use are your prayers.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (D) is demanding the media stop airing footage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.Speaking with CNN via phone on Tuesday morning‚ Scott sensationalized the horrific video footage of the bridge collapse as "something out of an action movie.""It's something you never think you would see. And being here‚ right now‚ looking at it is even more surreal‚" he said.Then he made an odd demand of the media."I'm going to be the first to ask that CNN and everyone else stop showing the video‚" Scott said. "No one needs to see a possibility of their family member being severely injured or otherwise over and over and over again because it's just traumatizing our community.""Fair enough‚ mayor‚" CNN anchor Sara Sidner responded. — (@) The request is downright bizarre.The media's job is to cover the news‚ including when a massive cargo ship collides with a major piece of infrastructure to cause its sudden collapse. The video is key to the story because it demonstrates the magnitude of what happened. Without the video‚ Americans miss critical context of the shocking incident‚ like the fact that the ship appeared to lose power twice before colliding with the bridge.We don't demand the media stop showing pictures or videos of tragic incidents because such multimedia exists to document history. Every year‚ videos of the 9/11 terrorist attacks are replayed on social media and on TV. That was one of the most traumatizing days in American life‚ yet no one is demanding the videos should stop being aired‚ because Americans universally understand their significance.Rescue efforts‚ meanwhile‚ remain ongoing to find at least six people‚ officials said Tuesday afternoon.Gov. Wes Moore (D) said earlier in the day that bridge officials are "heroes" because they acted quickly to stop traffic on the bridge once they heard the cargo ship's "mayday" call and realized the ship was going to collide with the bridge.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

When Joe Biden was informed of his polling situation in the battleground states of Michigan and Georgia‚ he was not happy. This was reflected in a report detailing Biden’s angry response to finding out that his actions haven’t been pleasing his own voter base. “There’s a report that when President Biden was told his handling of the war between Israel and Hamas was starting to affect his poll numbers‚” Doocy said to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. “The quote is‚ ‘He began to shout and swear.’” “So‚ when he does that‚ is he shouting and swearing about Netanyahu or about Hamas or about his poll numbers?” Doocy asked. This is not a good sign for Biden‚ as his base may be a little too radicalized for him — and Sara Gonzales is well aware‚ noting that they’re angry he hasn’t given a “fist bump to Hamas.” “That is your own base kind of shooting back at you‚” Eric July tells Gonzales‚ explaining that it’s because “they have kind of radicalized not just‚ of course‚ the people‚ if you will‚ but even members of their party and how they generally approach the situation with Israel.” Matthew Marsden is in agreement‚ saying‚ “They eat their own.” “They do because there’s no real underlying higher moral order for them‚” he continues. “When you have that situation‚ you end up cannibalizing each other.” This is why the right has a stronger chance of winning than the left. “We actually have morals‚ and we have objectives that we want to achieve‚” Marsden adds. Want more from Sara Gonzales?To enjoy more of Sara's no-holds-barred take to news and culture‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.