In 1852, Frederick Douglass was invited to give a 4th of July speech in his hometown of Rochester, New York. After praising the framers of the Constitution and the nation they established, Douglass turned to the cruel hypocrisy of commemorating American independence while millions remained in the bondage he had only recently escaped, pointedly addressing white Americans in the second person:"What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? ... To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; ... There is not a nation on the Earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour."If anyone had reason to condemn America as irredeemably lost, it would be a man like Douglass, legally reduced to chattel for the first 20 years of his life. And yet Douglass ended his speech with a stirring affirmation of faith in “the Declaration of Independence, the great principles it contains, and the genius of American Institutions.” He had the wisdom to distinguish the lasting ideals of the founders from the human wickedness that had perverted them. For Douglass, these ideals remained worth protecting; indeed, they are what allowed him to hope that his abolitionist cause would soon triumph. Ten years later, as the American Civil War raged, Douglass gave another 4th of July speech. This time, he used the third person plural, aligning himself with both his countrymen and the Founding Fathers and describing the Union effort as “continuing the tremendous struggle, which your fathers and my fathers began eighty six years ago.”Douglass had urged President Lincoln to let black soldiers fight for the Union since the war began. When the 1863 signing of the Emancipation Proclamation permitted this, two of Douglass' sons were among the 200,000 black Americans who enlisted. In a little less than two years, America will celebrate the 250th anniversary of its founding. As we contemplate that milestone from this particularly volatile moment in our history, may we ponder what divides us and, like Douglass, strive to discern the unity it conceals.

Marvel’s surrender to wokeness has all but ruined the franchise. Longtime comic book fans have fled for hills when their favorite MCU characters have been gender-bent, race-bent, or altered to be more socially acceptable. However, Disney+ will soon debut a new series called “Agatha All Along,” which follows Agatha Harkness, the villain from Marvel Studios’ "WandaVision.” Could “Agatha” reverse Marvel’s downward spiral? Lauren Chen, Blaze Media’s cinema critic, discusses the upcoming series. Disney's NEXT FLOP: 'Agatha' Trailer Breakdown www.youtube.com Although the series won’t drop until September, the trailer alone has Lauren fearing that the show will be yet another money pit. First, she doesn’t think the series will generate enough interest. “It's not like this was a particularly popular character in the comics and even in ‘WandaVision,’ the show that introduced her,” she says. Further, according to rumors Lauren is privy to, “the reason they're giving Agatha her own series is not just because she's potentially another girlboss character they can exploit, but also because they are hoping to resurrect Scarlet Witch in the MCU.” Even the show's producers seem wary about the series, given that it was announced in 2021 but is premiering three years later. “It definitely seems like the prolonged production period was due, at least in part, to uncertainty on behalf of the show's creators,” says Lauren, adding that the series “has had four different names at different points in time” – names that “had already been announced to the public,” further solidifying the theory that there’s an air of doubt surrounding the show. MCU fans are also skeptical about the series appearing to be “more horror-centric” than other MCU shows, but Lauren would enjoy a darker series “if Disney could pull it off.” As for the series’ wokeness meter, rumors have suggested that “they may make Agatha herself gay or at the very least bisexual,” says Lauren, referencing a Bounding into Comics article. “I think we should expect this show to be completely lockstep in line with the M-She-U as of late,” she predicts. “I personally cannot wait to see how much of a flop [‘Agatha All Along’] ends up being.” For all its faults, Lauren does see a couple of bright spots for the show. “It doesn’t look cheap,” she says. And Aubrey Plaza stars in it, but Lauren doubts that “she's going to be enough to save this series.” To hear more about “Agatha All Along,” watch the clip above. Want more from Lauren Chen?To enjoy more of Lauren’s pro-liberty, pro-logic, and pro-market commentary on social and political issues, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Theorists who believe the Moon landing was staged point to uneven shadows, the lack of stars in photos, and the famous picture of a waving flag as proof. The post Was The Moon Landing Fake? Inside The Conspiracy Theory That Man Never Walked On The Moon appeared first on All That's Interesting.

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In 2021, Apple revamped the MacBook Pro with a new industrial design. Alongside the hardware changes, Apple added a 1080p camera, an improved keyboard, more ports, and a microLED display with a notch. But what exactly was the point of the notch? At the time, the company explained that it was a "smart way" to give users more space for their content, as they'd have a 16:10 display by making the screen taller in the 14-inch and 16-inch models. Then, in 2022, the company expanded this visual change to the MacBook Air lineup. Image source: José Adorno for BGR While most of us got used to Apple's new design language, wouldn't it be nice to make this lost space more useful? At least, this is what lo.cafe developers envisioned when they created NotchNook, a new app that turns that wasted space into a useful Dynamic Island. For those with an iPhone 14 Pro or newer, you'll see that NotchNook works similarly to iPhone's Dynamic Island. When you click the notch, it reveals a "Nook" with a Live Activities-like feature. For example, you can preview the song playing on Apple Music, add a shortcut, drop files or apps into a Tray tab, or even use your FaceTime HD camera as a little mirror. Image source: José Adorno for BGR You can tweak several settings, such as enabling Live Activities, activating different gestures, and even changing how you want the app to behave. What's genius enough about NotchNook is that even Macs without a notch can take advantage of it, such as my Mac Studio with Studio Display. The developers say the app works with multiple monitors. If the customer chooses the $3 monthly subscription, a license allows activation on two devices. Those making a one-time $25 payment get five licenses. NotchNook works with any Mac running macOS Sonoma or newer. You can find more details about it here. Don't Miss: macOS Sonoma 14: Release date, features, Mac compatibility The post This app transforms your MacBook notch into a useful Dynamic Island appeared first on BGR. Today's Top Deals 75+ leftover Prime Day deals you can still shop today Best Echo Dot deals for July 2024 Amazon gift card deals, offers & coupons 2024: Get $375+ free Today’s deals: $100 eufy smart lock, Nintendo Switch game sale, 20% off Dreo ChefMaker, $4 smart plugs, more

Nestled within the majestic Sarawat Mountain range in western Saudi Arabia, the ancient beehives of the Maysan Governorate are a testament to a region boasting some of the most remarkable environmental engineering formations. These include around 1,200 beehives that once served as a crucial daily sustenance source for its early inhabitants.   The abandoned village of Kharfi, located south of Taif in the Maysan Governorate, houses the most impressive of these historical beehives, reports Arab News. Today, the Maysan Governorate’s honeybees are central to Saudi honey production and sales. These beekeeping sites, dating back to ancient times, highlight the early community’s enduring interest in honey production.  Read moreSection: NewsHistory & ArchaeologyAncient PlacesAsiaRead Later