Department of Justice (DOJ) Special Counsel Jack Smith is close to pushing the "nuclear button" in Donald Trump's classified documents case‚ a legal expert told Newsweek on Wednesday. Judge Aileen Cannon‚ who was appointed by Trump‚ has faced scrutiny over her handling of the case in which federal prosecutors charged the former president with 31 counts for allegedly keeping classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and maintains...

The innocent bystander felled by a robber’s stray bullet in a Bronx bodega on Easter Sunday could “make every moment a joyful moment‚” his heartbroken family said — as they condemned the rampant Big Apple violence that took his life. “This random‚ senseless violence has become the norm but it has to stop‚” Anthony Barnes‚ 59‚ said of his slain 29-year-old nephew‚ Stefon Barnes. “People dying just because they’re in the wrong place at the wrong time is becoming a regular thing in New York. “...

Special counsel Jack Smith warned the judge overseeing Donald Trump’s classified documents case that she is pursuing a legal premise that “is wrong” and said he would probably appeal to a higher court if she rules that a federal records law can protect the former president from prosecution. In a near-midnight legal filing‚ Smith’s office pushed back hard against an unusual instruction from U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon — one that veteran national security lawyers and former judges...

An outbreak of the bird flu could make future trips to the grocery store more expensive. The average price of a dozen Grade A large eggs came in at just under $3 in February‚ according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures. Although this is well below highs of $4.82 a carton seen in January 2023‚ it marks an almost 50% increase from lows of around $2 in late summer and early fall. The sky-high early 2023 prices of the grocery cart staple — which had more than doubled from a year...

Ex-ESPN anchor Sage Steele revealed that an interview she conducted with President Joe Biden had been scripted “to the word” and that she was told not to deviate from her script at all during the segment. The interview in question happened on March 31‚ 2021‚ approximately two months after the president began his term in the White House. In reflecting on her interview‚ Steele described it as “an interesting experience in its own right” because of how scripted it was.

A lone electoral vote in Nebraska could have a decisive impact on the 2024 presidential election.  And that reality is now being seized upon by prominent Republicans.  Nebraska is a reliably red state in presidential races. The last Democratic presidential candidate to win statewide was Lyndon B. Johnson over half a century ago.  But Nebraska is one of only two states — Maine is the other — that awards a portion of its respective electoral votes to the candidate who...

Additional funding to help Ukraine fight its war against Russia has divided Republicans on Capitol Hill — but it’s also dividing candidates and voters in GOP primaries. The latest example is outside Indianapolis‚ where a narrator in an ad that recently hit the airwaves in Indiana’s 5th District says‚ “Why does Victoria Spartz put Ukraine first? Chuck Goodrich will put America first.” The ad from Goodrich‚ a state legislator‚ knocks Spartz‚ a two-term congresswoman‚ for...

The governor of a northern border state is taking matters into his own hands to help secure the southern border after receiving "crickets" from President Biden on a plan to resolve the crisis. Montana Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a declaration on Tuesday‚ which authorizes the deployment of several Montana National Guardsmen to aid in Operation Lone Star. He joined "The Faulkner Focus" to discuss his decision to take action as a northern governor.

Optical illusions are wild. The way our brains perceive what our eyes see can be way off base‚ even when we're sure about what we're seeing. Plenty of famous optical illusions have been created purposefully‚ from the Ames window that appears to be moving back and forth when it's actually rotating 360 degrees to the spiral image that makes Van Gogh's "Starry Night" look like it's moving.But sometimes optical illusions happen by accident. Those ones are even more fun because we know they aren't a result of someone trying to trick our brains. Our brains do the tricking all by themselves. The popular Massimo account on X shared a photo that appears to be a person and two dogs in the snow. The more you look at it‚ the more you see just that—two dogs and someone who is presumably their owner. But there are not two dogs in this picture: This is how optical illusions mess with your mind. \n\nFirst you see two dogs and their owner‚ and then... — (@) There are three dogs in this picture. Can you see the third? Full confession time: I didn't see it at first. Not even when someone explained that the "human" is actually a dog. My brain couldn't see anything but a person with two legs‚ dressed all in black‚ with a furry hat and some kind of furry stole or jacket. My brain definitely did not see a black poodle‚ which is what the person actually is.Are you looking at the photo and trying to see it‚ totally frustrated?The big hint is that the poodle is looking toward the camera. The "hat" on the "person" is the poodle's poofy tail‚ and the "scarf/stole" is the poodle's head. Once you see it‚ it fairly clear‚ but for many of us‚ our brains did not process it until it was explicitly drawn out. @Rainmaker1973 That one took me AGES to see. \nOwner is is a 3rd dog closer to the camera. The black fur hides the contours. — (@) As one person explained‚ the black fur hides the contours and shadows‚ so all our brains take in is the outline‚ which looks very much like a person facing away from us. People's reactions to the optical illusion were hilarious. One person wrote‚ "10 years later: I still see two dogs and a man." 10 years later:I still see two dogs and a man— Farhad (@farhadge) January 8‚ 2024 Another person wrote‚ "I agree with ChatGPT :)" and shared a screenshot of the infamous AI chatbot describing the photo as having a person in the foreground. Even when asked‚ "Could the 'person' be another dog?" ChatGPT said it's possible‚ but not likely. Ha. @Rainmaker1973 I agree with ChatGPT :) — (@) One reason we love optical illusions is that they remind us just how very human we are. Unlike a machine that takes in and spits out data‚ our brains perceive and interpret what our senses bring in—a quality that has helped us through our evolution. But the way our brains piece things together isn't perfect. Even ChatGPT's response is merely a reflection of our human imperfections at perception being mirrored back at us.Sure is fun to play with how our brains work‚ though. This article originally appeared on 1.8.24

If you grew up in the U.S. from 1968 on‚ you're most likely familiar with the Big Wheel tricycle. There's a good chance that you have your own visceral memories of riding one‚ whether you were lucky enough to have one or just mooched from a kid in the neighborhood.The the sound of the wheels rolling over pavement. The invincibility you felt flying down the sidewalk peddling as hard as you could. The pain in your butt when you hit a rogue rock. The smell of plastic as you skidded to a stop. The impossibility of driving that thing over grass. The Big Wheel was a portal to grown-up driving—no shaky balancing required like a two-wheeler‚ just pure power and speed in a flash of bright red and yellow. And every year‚ fully grown adults relive that 3-wheeler childhood thrill in San Francisco's Bring Your Own Big Wheel race. Bring Your Own Big Wheel (or BYOBW) has been delighting people in San Francisco for 24 years. The event takes place at 20th and Vermont Street on Easter Sunday afternoon. While some kids go hunting for eggs in their Sunday best‚ others are racing Big Wheels down San Francisco's crookedest hill. Kids 12ish and under go first (this year‚ they had the 2:00 to 3:00 time slot) and then the adults get their turn. It's quite an event to witness. Watch: See on Instagram The event is free‚ with participants being asked to make a small donation to cover the costs associated with putting on the event (permits‚ hay bales‚ port-a-potties etc.). And there is no advertising or corporate sponsorship allowed in the event—just pure‚ childlike fun—with helmets‚ gloves‚ knee pads and elbow pads recommended‚ of course. Clearly‚ people take "Big Wheel" loosely‚ as people brought a whole range of tricycles‚ but the effect is still sheer delight. A former BYOBW participant called it "terrifyingly fun." As one commenter wrote‚ "Ya know - society would be so much better if we just did a bunch of fun events like this. It's certainly a lot more fun than the 'red vs. blue' routine we got going now."I mean‚ check out these dudes in suits up front: See on Instagram And every video is more fun than the last. See on Instagram Learn more about BYOBW at bringyourownbigwheel.com.