The Texas attorney general says television companies have become unwelcome visitors in consumers' homes.Ken Paxton announced five separate lawsuits, including two against Chinese companies, alleging that the television companies are secretly spying on Texans by recording what they watch at home.'This conduct is invasive, deceptive, and unlawful.'The Texas AG said in a press release that the method through which the companies were conducting their spying is called Automated Content Recognition technology. Labeling it an "uninvited" and "invisible" digital invader, Paxton said that the software is capable of capturing screenshots of a user's TV display every 500 milliseconds.Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL each have individual lawsuits against them.This effectively monitors viewing activity in real time, without the user's knowledge, the state of Texas alleged. The consumer data is then allegedly sold to target ads across platforms for profit. This puts sensitive information such as passwords, bank information, and other personal information at risk, the press release added.RELATED: 'Worse than Orwell could ever imagine': How smartphones became government weapons — (@) Each lawsuit states that Texans never agreed to be part of each company's "Watchware" and that these televisions are "watching you back."Furthermore, the lawsuits state that the "mass surveillance of consumers" violates Texas law, specifically the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, which prohibits "false, misleading, or deceptive acts or practices."Each company "chose data extraction and advertising dollars over honesty and respect for consumer privacy. That's illegal," the lawsuits read.Samsung, LG, and Sony predominantly manufacture their TVs in Mexico, with other parts are made in countries like Vietnam, South Korea, or Japan.TCL and Hisense are both Chinese companies that operate and manufacture in China.RELATED: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange predicted the surveillance state we currently live in Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images "Companies, especially those connected to the Chinese Communist Party, have no business illegally recording Americans' devices inside their own homes," Paxton said in an official statement. "This conduct is invasive, deceptive, and unlawful. The fundamental right to privacy will be protected in Texas because owning a television does not mean surrendering your personal information to Big Tech or foreign adversaries."LG and Hisense have publicly stated to outlets like Newsweek and Texas Scorecard that they would not comment on pending legal matters.Sony told Blaze News that it "does not comment on pending legal matters."Blaze News also reached out to Samsung and TCL for comment on the lawsuit. Neither provided a response by the time of this publication.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Minnesota appears to be a magnet for fraudsters, particularly from Somalia.While the problem has hardly been a secret — scores of bad actors have been charged and/or convicted in connection with various fraud schemes in the state — the Trump administration has recently taken a special interest, exploring just how bad the graft has gotten on Democratic-Farmer-Labor Gov. Tim Walz's watch.Much of the focus has so far been on the alleged fraud committed by members of the Somali community in relation to coronavirus pandemic relief funding. However, Education Secretary Linda McMahon hammered Walz in a letter on Monday over student aid fraud in the Gopher State, calling on him to resign.'Minnesota's political elite has turned a blind eye and even helped facilitate the laundering of money.'"At the beginning of this year, the U.S. Department of Education became aware that fraudulent college applicants, especially concentrated in Minnesota, were gaming the federal postsecondary education system to collect money that was intended for young Americans to help them afford college," wrote McMahon.The education secretary referred to these fraudsters as "ghost students" because "they were not ID-verified and often did not live in the United States, or they simply did not exist."According to McMahon, 1,834 so-called ghost students were found to have received $12.5 million in taxpayer-funded grants and loans in Walz's state.In June, the Education Department flagged Riverland Community College and Century College in White Bear Lake as two of the institutions in Minnesota that were impacted by the fraud scheme.RELATED: Tim Walz tries gaslighting Americans again — this time about Trump's 'garbage' remark Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty ImagesThe Rochester Post Bulletin reported in April that Riverland had apparently averaged more than 100 potentially fraudulent applications per year for the previous two financial aid periods.A history instructor at Century College reportedly told state lawmakers earlier this year that he discovered in 2023 that 15% of his students were "basically an organized crime ring."Minnesota State College Southeast was similarly impacted, having discovered that the spike in its 2025 spring enrollment numbers was driven by 84 ghost students. While some of the apparent fraudsters at these and other institutions were locals, most were reportedly from other countries.Ghost students will reportedly engage remotely and do the bare minimum of classwork until financial aid funds are doled out around 10 days into the semester. Once their payday arrives, they usually vanish."They collected checks from the federal government, shared a small portion of the money with the college, and pocketed the rest — without attending the college at all," said McMahon. "Our new fraud prevention system has now blocked more than $1 billion in attempted financial aid theft by fraudsters, including coordinated international fraud rings and AI bots pretending to be students."The education secretary stressed that Walz's "careless lack of oversight and abuse of the welfare system has attracted fraudsters from around the world, especially from Somalia, to establish a beachhead of criminality in our country."McMahon further suggested that Walz has done "nothing as governor to stop this criminal behavior" such that scammers have "gotten rich off federal housing, education, food stamp, and small business programs — even defrauding assistance for elder care and autistic children."After suggesting that "Minnesota's political elite has turned a blind eye and even helped facilitate the laundering of money that was meant to help America's least fortunate," McMahon accused Walz of benefiting from the sordid state of play and implored him to resign.Republican Majority Whip Tom Emmer (Minn.) said that McMahon's assessment of Walz's "catastrophic failures" was "spot on," adding that "it's time for Walz to take accountability and make way for real leadership to clean up this mess."Walz plans to seek a third term next year.Former health care executive and Army veteran Kendall Qualls won the non-binding Minnesota GOP gubernatorial straw poll on Saturday, winning three more votes from delegates than Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth.While a September poll found that Walz had a significant edge over Qualls, it appears Minnesotans are fast losing faith in their governor and his ability to curb fraud in the state.A recent KSTP-TV/SurveyUSA poll of 578 registered voters found that 69% believe Walz needs to do more to stop fraud in Minnesota. According to the poll, Walz's disapproval rating is 48%."It's pretty obvious," Walz said during a press conference on Friday. "Fraud happened. We need to take accountability — ultimately me.""I take responsibility for everything," added the governor.Blaze News has reached out to the governor's office for comment.McMahon's letter comes just weeks after Small Business Administration Sec. Kelly Loeffler announced an investigation "into the network of Somali organizations and executives implicated" in the $1 billion Minnesota COVID fraud scandal, particularly those who received SBA PPP loans.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

He pivoted from his role as an Emmy Award-winning actor on the landmark TV sitcom, All in the Family, to a celebrated career behind the camera as a film director. The post Rob Reiner Tributes: Acclaimed Filmmaker of ‘Spinal Tap,’ ‘Stand By Me,’ ‘A Few Good Men,’ 78 appeared first on Best Classic Bands.

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With just a few pantry staples, you can make homemade Au Jus Gravy Mix to have on hand anytime a recipe calls for a packet or use it to make a simple homemade au jus! A SIMPLE, HOMEMADE SEASONING MIX Ever have a recipe burning on your mind forever? Well, this Au Jus Gravy has been that for me. I’ve been wanting to create a good homemade version of au jus packet mix for a long time. So many recipes call for a packet of au jus and I know that a lot of people want a recipe to make it homemade, so now I finally have one that I think has unmatched flavor. It’s especially good for folks who need salt free options since this can be made with salt free bouillon powder. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:  What exactly is Au Jus? Au Jus is French for “with juice.” We call it gravy but it isn’t a true gravy since it isn’t thick. It is a light sauce used for dipping (like with French Dip Sandwiches.) Generally you make au jus from meat drippings, but with this dry mix, we are trying to achieve those same flavors without cooking meat. How much of this mix equals one Au Jus Gravy packet? This makes the equivalent of three (one ounce) packets of au jus seasoning mix. You will need 4 ½ teaspoons of this to equal one packet. Do you have a homemade onion soup mix recipe? I do! I know a lot of recipe that call for au jus often call for onion soup mix as well. Here is my Homemade Onion Soup Mix Recipe. What else can I add to the Au Jus gravy? You can add any seasonings you like, such as Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or a splash of red wine when you prepare the au jus. You can also add minced garlic while the sauce is simmering. What to serve Au Jus with? We love it with roast beef sandwiches, but it goes perfectly with prime rib, any cut of beef, meatloaf, or even pot roast. How do I store the mix and gravy? You can keep the seasoning mix in a cool, dry place for up to 2-3 months. I’ve stored it in bulk for up to 6 months. Prepared au jus can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE) powdered beef bouillon– This is the key ingredient for the seasoning mix. You can always adjust this if you like a stronger flavor.  If you need this salt free, make sure to use a sodium free beef bouillon powder like the Herb Ox brand (not a paid affiliate link) that you can purchase at Walmart Mart or other grocery stores. cornstarch – This is definitely needed as it will thicken the au jus when it is prepared. Do not substitute with flour. onion powder– The seasonings below are all key to adding a rich flavor to the seasoning mix. dried parsley flakes garlic powder dried thyme – This is my annual reminder to check the expiration dates on your dried seasonings. Old and expired seasonings are not going to give you the best flavor (and it’s just not safe to keep using them.) dried rosemary – I will take the rosemary and gently crush it with my fingers. freshly ground black pepper beef broth – used to make the actual Au Jus Gravy with this Homemade Mix. I use this over water as it will create a richer flavor. Make sure the broth is low-sodium or no-sodium, as this will allow you to adjust the salt to your preference. When I first made this, I did not, and it was way too salty. You can also use beef stock, as it is richer in flavor. Need to make this salt free? Use salt free bouillon powder. Herb Ox makes a salt-free version. See my Frequently Asked Questions above. HOW TO MAKE AU JUS GRAVY MIX: To a small bowl, add all the dried ingredients. Mix until combined. If you want this ultra fine, you can blend it in a small food processor (this will give more of the consistency of what you find in the packet seasoning.) Store in a covered container for up to 6 months. HOW TO MAKE AU JUS GRAVY FROM MIX In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring 2 cups beef broth (or water) to a simmer. In a bowl, stir ¼ cup beef broth with one ounce (4 1/2 teaspoons) of the seasoning mix. Mix until combined.    Whisk this mixture into the simmering broth. Let simmer for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally. WHAT TO MAKE WITH HOMEMADE AU JUS GRAVY MIX?  French Dip Sliders Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches Crock Pot Cubed Steak Texas Toast French Dips Crock Pot Mississippi Meatloaf Print Au Jus Gravy Mix A homemade mix of seasonings to make a batch of Au Jus Gravy mix and how to use it to make some homemade gravy. Course Seasonings, Side DishCuisine American Prep Time 5 minutes minutesCook Time 5 minutes minutesTotal Time 10 minutes minutes Servings 6 Calories 40kcal Author Brandie Skibinski IngredientsAu Jus Gravy Mix Ingredients4 Tablespoons powdered beef bouillon (can use salt free)4 Tablespoons cornstarch4 teaspoons onion powder2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes1 teaspoon garlic powder½ teaspoon dried thyme½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepperTo make Au Jus Gravy (with seasoning mix)2 ¼ cups low or no sodium beef broth or water (divided use) InstructionsSeasoning Mix InstructionsTo a small bowl, add 4 Tablespoons powdered beef bouillon, 4 Tablespoons cornstarch, 4 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Mix until combined.NOTE: If you want this ultra fine, you can blend it in a small food processor (this will give more of the consistency of what you find in the packet seasoning.) Store in a covered container for up to 6 months. Gravy InstructionsIn a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring 2 cups low or no sodium beef broth (or water) to a simmer.In a bowl, stir ¼ cup low or no sodium beef broth with one ounce (4 1/2 teaspoons) of the seasoning mix. Mix until combined. Whisk this mixture into the simmering broth. Let simmer for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then serve! Notes Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions. 4 1/2 teaspoons of this mix is equal to one packet of au jus gravy mix. NutritionCalories: 40kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 1034mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g

[View Article at Source]The medical reasons that led prior FDAs to require in-person doctor visits before women could access the abortion pill still stand.

Coalition Life, the nation’s largest pro-life professional sidewalk counseling organization, has released footage of a hearse pulling into the Fairview Heights, IL Planned Parenthood. The video contains…