For a few days at the end of 2011 and the opening of 2012‚ a wave of nighttime arson fires swept across Los Angeles. There would be 55 in all‚ and they would be extraordinarily damaging‚ targeting densely parked cars in carports underneath apartment buildings so the fires would quickly threaten homes and the people sleeping inside them. Watching the destruction spread across the city‚ speculation ran wild: a giant band of trained arsonists‚ sent by al-Qaeda? It wasn’t. It was one dumb-as-dirt nutjob‚ too pathetic to discuss in any detail. His brilliant technique was to stuff some cubes of hardware store fire-starter into the wheel well of a car‚ then light it up and run like crazy. He had no training or craft beyond the crushingly obvious‚ no motive worthy of anything but an eyeroll‚ and not much ability to evade detection. Police agencies flooded the streets with volunteers and cops on overtime‚ and the idiot was caught by an unpaid reserve deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department who recognized his car from the many witness descriptions. That volunteer cop was the son of Armenian immigrants‚ and L.A.’s large Armenian community threw a long series of banquets and parties — gleefully proud that one of theirs had made a positive contribution to their chosen country‚ working hard and being useful in a new place. The appearance of extraordinarily dangerous disorder was deceptive. An act that was widely attributed to a band of trained terrorists was one imbecile with a stupid grudge. A bigger group of people were committed to order‚ to peace‚ and to the protection of the community‚ and they fixed the problem. This is all of life and a useful thing to remember in this long historical moment of manufactured crisis. It's difficult to build‚ but remarkably easy to destroy. People who make things do it more quietly than the armies of half-wit nihilists who live to produce noisy ruin. Notice them. To use an example from last week‚ it takes a lot of planning and effort to put on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and a handful of narcissistic jerks to disrupt it. So we see the disruption‚ and we conclude that we're facing a decline and a loss of order. Put a thousand good people‚ working and building‚ alongside a half-dozen preening cultural arsonists‚ and the prevailing impression is of destruction. The small band of destroyers creates an image that can‚ and often does‚ prevail over the image of the thing that the larger group built. American culture is currently dominated‚ in appearance‚ by the relentlessly destructive scum of the earth‚ dim-witted and amoral self-promoters who endlessly gibber pathetic nihilistic babble about the dumbest and most useless set of pretend ideas a living being could possibly invent. These repulsive pieces of human garbage‚ endlessly impeding and ruining‚ look significant. They’re not. The Antifa trash and the Black Lives Matter grifters and the brain-dead pro-Hamas trash flooding campuses and big cities are loud. The end. The Adam Schiffs and Liz Cheneys‚ the Jamaal Bowman fire alarm-prankster cultural vandals‚ the Rashida Tlaib murder-worshippers are a completely worthless noise-producing machine. They are hollow. (See Christopher Rufo for details.) History will roll past these ruin-makers and reduce them to the footnote they’ve always been. Whatever they appear to be saying‚ what they’re actually saying is that they want to burn down a society that doesn’t elevate their useless lives to the high status that they mistakenly think they deserve. We have a mental health crisis dressed up as politics. Don’t honor it by believing it to be powerful. Ideologically deranged government impedes and impedes and impedes‚ and I speak as a Californian who lives that reality daily. But in the face of an endless wave of dumb laws and ruinously stupid regulations‚ despite the absurdity of being pretend-governed by a corrupt and senile figurehead president and a worthless gang of congressional midgets‚ there is meat on your table‚ and flipping a light switch turns on the lights. The narrative about ruin and decline marches on alongside a country full of people who grow food and drive trucks and stock shelves. People who make things do it more quietly than the armies of half-wit nihilists who live to produce noisy ruin. Notice them. I wonder every day if the destroyers will win‚ but so far‚ they haven’t. The quiet production of order and plenty can prevail. See the makers. They're all around you. Be grateful.

Experts in online child safety have warned that children are now using artificial intelligence to create inappropriate images of other children. Business Insider reported that the UK Safer Internet Centre has called for action to be taken to tackle the issue of children creating indecent images using AI. The images that have been created are considered child sex abuse material. The organization has insisted that children need to be educated on the dangers that come with using AI. The UKSIC noted that children could be creating the images through sexual exploration‚ simple curiosity‚ or for a host of other reasons. However‚ the fear is that the images could quickly circulate online.The organization went on to say that "parents and teachers are urged to help children understand the risks associated with making AI generated imagery of this sort‚" adding that "this imagery can have many harmful effects on children — and warns it could also be used to abuse or blackmail children."As in the U.S.‚ it is illegal in the U.K. to possess or create child sex abuse material‚ even if it is made with AI. The European country has also made it illegal to create less realistic depictions of said material‚ including cartoon depictions.However‚ the AI-generated images currently in question are not cartoon depictions‚ but photorealistic images that could pass as professional photos‚ according to UKSIC director Emma Hardy."This is not some theoretical risk. It's something we are seeing here and now.""We must see measures put in place to prevent the abuse of this technology. Right now‚ unchecked‚ unregulated AI is making children less safe." The UKSIC has apparently received a number of reports from various schools and has called on them to ensure that their online monitoring systems can effectively block illegal images that may be made available on electronic devices."Young people are not always aware of the seriousness of what they are doing‚ yet these types of harmful behaviors should be anticipated when new technologies‚ like AI generators‚ become more accessible to the public‚" David Wright‚ another director at UKSIC‚ said."Although the case numbers are currently small‚ we are in the foothills and need to see steps being taken now‚ before schools become overwhelmed and the problem grows‚" he continued.The concern is not only that the children who are creating these images are doing so illegally‚ but also concern for the safety of the children who are being used to create these images‚ potentially making them targets of sexual predators online.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The justifiably angry response by Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and other conservative commentators to a “privileged white” holding forth at Forbes (of all places) about “three ways to decenter whiteness in the workplace” reminded me of something else. It was my disagreement with a critic reviewing an anthology of paleoconservative writings I edited earlier this year. This critic insisted that my colleagues and I were not really American conservatives‚ but rather “right-wing Marxists” fixated on class struggle. We allegedly believed that conservatives should be spearheading a populist movement against the rich and powerful. At the time I emphatically denied that charge‚ but I should qualify my denial by indicating there was at least a kernel of truth in my critic’s reproach. Although I certainly don’t believe‚ like Marx‚ that all belief systems and values are reducible to material interests or that socialism can lead to a happier human condition‚ it does seem that the cultural war we are currently losing is very much about class. True‚ other factors may have contributed to the crisis‚ including deep racial‚ sexual‚ and moral divides. But what seems to me a pervasive driving force is class war. Contrary to what Marx taught‚ but following the views of James Burnham‚ Samuel Francis‚ and others who have presented this thesis‚ I would argue that the Western world‚ particularly since the 1960s‚ has been moving ever more deeply into a managerial society melded with an all-embracing welfare state. We are also burdened by state propaganda agencies pretending to keep us “informed” that promote further government managerial control over our lives and thoughts. We doubt that we can win our social and cultural war by telling ourselves that we are now the freest society in human history. New strategies must be pursued for dealing with leftist class domination. Quite disastrously‚ this new class has taken power in every major Western society and pushes everywhere the same radical values‚ albeit in different languages. Although this class has achieved dominance‚ attempts to see it as a continuation of the traditional bourgeoisie or‚ even less credibly‚ as an extension of some WASP old-boys network are ridiculously mistaken. Our present ruling class has taken over from older‚ now-displaced elites. Equally wrong-headed are efforts to treat this struggle as a battle over “whiteness.” As I have pointed out ad nauseam‚ it is predominantly white people living in tony neighborhoods who are exercising power. They may stir up black racial resentments‚ but they are really acting to increase their own power and riches. Some black people may be foolish enough to yield to this organized demagoguery‚ while black politicians happily go along with the mostly white ruling class because they are allowed to line their pockets and rage against lower-class white people. But it’s all a scam. Deluded black people gain no real advantage from trashing cities and pulling down the statues of long-dead American heroes‚ except for photo opportunities courtesy of our corporate leftist media. Those who incite mob violence or call for opening jails and letting out violent criminals do win points‚ however‚ for stoking righteous indignation. They also use the black underclass the way the czarist regime used Ukrainian peasants‚ whom the Russian political authorities aroused against Jewish shopkeepers to divert attention from their own misrule. No one I know on the populist right is challenging traditional moral or social verities. Most of us would fit the definition of a “cultural conservative.” What distinguishes us from our critics in the conservative establishment is our weariness with certain ritualistic practices. We have no interest in recycled pep talks about “the permanent things” or seminars about lowering corporate taxes or waging wars for “democracy.” We doubt that we can win our social and cultural war by telling ourselves that we are now the freest society in human history. New strategies must be pursued for dealing with leftist class domination. The decline of American constitutional freedom and the collapse of most social decencies since I grew up in the 1950s has been appalling. Unless we on the right can do something to reverse this process‚ our problems are likely to become worse. Most significantly‚ what we oppose is both structural and cultural. We are being controlled by a demonic ruling class that has declared war on normal‚ God-fearing people. These elites are obviously driven by class hatred. Hence their persistent‚ heated attempts to punish ordinary white people who still accept traditional gender distinctions and resist the left’s efforts to turn all received human practices on their head. And let’s not make any mistake about the level of hostility. Our ruling class includes those who‚ until a few decades ago‚ would have been rightly regarded as sexual deviants‚ socially dissatisfied women‚ and antiwhite race-baiters. Cultural hatred has been there all along. Christopher Rufo’s carefully researched work on the origins of our cultural revolutionary leaders underlines the loathing for normality that has driven our present left since the 1960s. Decade by decade‚ this group has tightened its grip on vital institutions while imposing its counter-values. These ideologues have become integral to the ruling class and have accompanied its ascendancy.

Happy Thanksgiving‚ everyone! OK … not to overwhelm you‚ but it’s time to start thinking about Christmas. This year‚ I am hopping on the anti-consumerist Christmas bandwagon. That is to say‚ most everything I give will be crafted or cooked. And so‚ in that spirit‚ I thought I’d share the pie recipe I make every year for my husband. This is what I plan to give my neighbors and friends. It’s a bourbon pecan pie sweetened with maple syrup instead of corn syrup. I am unfortunately one of those people whose hormones are extremely sensitive and have been decimated over the past three years by multiple back-to-back pregnancies. It’s a blessing in disguise‚ though — I have to be careful about ingredients‚ and we’re all healthier for it. This is a perfect food item for neighbors and friends because it keeps for a while and you don’t have to worry about a soggy crust. You’re going to want to use disposable aluminum tins like these. I double up to ensure a sturdy base. Consider investing in bakery boxes for transport. This keeps things neat and clean. You can line the inside of the box with gift wrap‚ and I like to wrap the boxes with a simple ribbon that matches our custom monogrammed stationery gift tags from Etsy. These‚ I think‚ are a fantastic investment. You can slip them over the neck of a bottle of wine for a hostess gift; it really adds thought and personality to any gift. Either way‚ make sure to include a Christmas card and write a personal note. We’re living in an era of broken families and chronic depression. I don’t really care if it’s cheesy; people need to be reminded that they are loved. Without further ado … the best pie you’ll ever taste. Adapted from Ginny Dyer’s recipe. INGREDIENTSPie crust (only if you are ambitious. I’ll probably be outsourcing this to the grocery store).1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar ¼ teaspoon salt½ cup unsalted butter‚ cold and cut into cubes 2-3 tablespoons bourbon‚ cold 1 egg‚ whisked‚ for the egg wash Pecan filling¾ cup pure maple syrup 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 cup light brown sugar‚ packed ¼ cup unsalted butter‚ melted and slightly cooled 2 tablespoons bourbon‚ at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract ½ teaspoon salt 3 eggs‚ at room temperature and whisked 2 cups whole pecans INSTRUCTIONSPie crust Add flour‚ sugar‚ and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine. While the food processor is running‚ add in the cold butter a few pieces at a time until all is combined. While the food processor is running‚ add in the cold bourbon. Start with two tablespoons and increase from there just until you see the dough pull away from the sides and come together. Divide the dough in two‚ form into disks‚ and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least two hours and up to three days. Once the dough has chilled‚ remove one disk from the fridge and allow it to sit out of the fridge for 15-20 minutes until it is soft but still cold. Roll the dough out on a floured surface until you have a 10-inch circle. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch metal pie pan. Press the dough into the bottom of the pie pan. Roll the outside edges of the dough toward the edges of the pie pan and tuck them behind the rest of the dough so you have a double layer‚ and slightly press together. Press the edges of the dough together so they form a scalloped shape. Poke a few holes with a fork on the bottom of the pie crust‚ then place the prepared pie crust in the fridge for at least 20 minutes while working on the filling. Pecan filling Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a cookie sheet in the oven while it is preheating. Add the maple syrup and flour to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add in the brown sugar‚ melted and slightly cooled butter‚ bourbon‚ vanilla‚ and salt and combine. Add in the eggs and gently mix just until combined. Add in half of the pecans and stir to combine. Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Arrange the rest of the pecans on top of the pie. (This is optional. You can also just add all the pecans to the filling mixture and then pour into the prepared crust.) Brush the edges of the pie crust with egg wash. Place the pie on the preheated cookie sheet in the oven. Bake the pie for 40-45 minutes‚ just until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly. KEEP AN EYE ON IT. Pecans burn easily. Once the pie is done baking‚ transfer it to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely‚ at least five hours.

Guitar World magazine's Founding Editor heard and met Hendrix in 1966 in Greenwich Village‚ where he believes the guitar icon truly developed The post Remembering Jimi Hendrix in Greenwich Village appeared first on Best Classic Bands.

Is Star Citizen on Steam? The open-world‚ massively multiplayer online space game has been over a decade in the making and has already been available to play for many years‚ despite not having been officially released yet. If you want to jump into your own spaceship and explore the Star Citizen universe right now‚ you might be wondering how to do so. Steam is one of the most well-known and accessible platforms for PC gaming‚ and so we often wonder whether our favorite games can be played via the Steam library. Whether you're looking to purchase Star Citizen on Steam or add the simulation game to your library retroactively‚ here's what you need to know. Continue reading Is Star Citizen on Steam? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best simulation games‚ Best multiplayer games‚ Best space games

The Steamworld series is back to explore yet another new genre. After putting out a pair of Metroidvania games‚ a turn-based tactical game‚ and an RPG adventure‚ the newest entry is a city builder. However‚ this one doesn't hail from series creator Image &; Form but from The Station‚ best known for the 2018 narrative adventure of the same name. In our Steamworld Build review‚ I found a mostly enjoyable mix of city building and dungeon crawling‚ even if some design troubles and the sense that two disparate games have been bolted together keep it from reaching the greatness of the series' earlier entries. Continue reading Steamworld Build review – city building and dungeon crawling collide

What are the best Cities Skylines mods? Colossal Order's city builder is a prospective civil engineer’s dream come true. It’s been a staple of the genre for many years‚ and the modding community has flourished in that time. Today‚ there are literally thousands of Cities Skylines mods available on the game’s Steam Workshop page‚ which makes it understandably daunting to find the best ones. Luckily‚ you have us. We’ve gone ahead and handpicked a suite of the best Cities Skylines mods that are guaranteed to breathe new life into the building game. No matter if you’re a casual builder or a hardcore city planner‚ you’re sure to find something to tickle your fancy‚ so without further ado‚ here are the best mods for Cities Skylines. Continue reading Cities Skylines mods – the best mods and maps MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Cities Skylines mods‚ Cities Skylines 2 release date‚ The best city-building games

Marvel Snap publisher Nuverse is potentially facing closure‚ according to reports that its owner‚ ByteDance‚ is planning to withdraw from the gaming market altogether. Naturally‚ this may make people concerned about the superhero card game’s future‚ but developer Second Dinner says that Marvel Snap will continue and “flourish” even if Nuverse disappears. Continue reading Marvel Snap isn’t about to die‚ dev promises‚ as Nuverse faces closure MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Marvel Snap decks‚ Next Marvel Snap season release date‚ Marvel Snap Silver Surfer deck

Looking for the best Stardew Valley mods? The mod scene has been thriving on PC despite having no official Steam Workshop support. Dedicated modders have been working to alter almost everything available in the game‚ from adding game-breaking cheats like god mode to texture overhauls that turn Stardew Valley into a pixelated fairytale. Despite thousands of daily concurrent players enjoying the base indie game‚ Stardew Valley is getting on a bit‚ so we can't blame you for wanting to shake things up. Thankfully‚ and predictably‚ the modding community is here to help bring other IPs to the valley‚ along with new maps and improvements to married life. We’ve compiled our favorite Stardew Valley mods that celebrate the creativity of the modding scene. Here are our top picks that provide visual overhauls‚ gameplay changes‚ and‚ yes‚ even some cheats‚ making one of the best PC games even better. Continue reading Best Stardew Valley mods 2023 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Stardew Valley multiplayer‚ Stardew Valley realism‚ The best Stardew Valley mods