Excerpts F. T. Lukens Read an Excerpt From F.T. Lukens’ Otherworldly When a familiar from the Other World meets someone who doesn’t believe in the supernatural… By F.T. Lukens | Published on February 13‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed We’re thrilled to share an excerpt from Otherworldly by F.T. Lukens‚ a young adult fantasy adventure out from Margaret K. McElderry Books on April 2. Seventeen-year-old Ellery is a non-believer in a region where people swear the supernatural is real. Sure‚ they’ve been stuck in a five-year winter‚ but there’s got to be a scientific explanation. If goddesses were real‚ they wouldn’t abandon their charges like this‚ leaving farmers like Ellery’s family to scrape by.Knox is a familiar from the Other World‚ a magical assistant sent to help humans who have made crossroads bargains. But it’s been years since he heard from his queen‚ and Knox is getting nervous about what he might find once he returns home. When the crossroads demons come to collect Knox‚ he panics and runs. A chance encounter down an alley finds Ellery coming to Knox’s rescue‚ successfully fending off his would-be abductors.Ellery can’t quite believe what they’ve seen. And they definitely don’t believe the nonsense this unnervingly attractive guy spews about his paranormal origins. But Knox needs to make a deal with a human who can tether him to this realm‚ and Ellery needs to figure out how to stop this winter to help their family. Once their bargain is struck‚ there’s no backing out‚ and the growing connection between the two might just change everything. Ellery closed their eyes. “And what is on the agenda for today?”  “A sleepover.”  Ellery glanced at the window. “It’s‚ like‚ ten in the morning.”  Knox shrugged. “Yes. Yes‚ I know. But it’s freezing out‚ and I have noticed that you are not a fan of being outside in the cold. Or anywhere really that’s not the apartment.”  “You’re not wrong.”  “Besides‚ it sounds fun. Staying in for the day. With you.” A blush swept across his cheekbones.  Ellery’s stomach fluttered. Their whole body went hot. “Okay. That’s fine. How do you envision your sleepover?”  Knox grinned. “Movies. Pizza. Ice cream. Doing each other’s makeup? Gossiping? A pillow fight?”  Ellery raised a finger. “Movies‚ pizza‚ and ice cream are fair game. I’m horrible at makeup; we’d need Zada for that. I have no gossip‚ as you and Zada and Charley are the only people I know. And you literally had a concussion last night‚ so a pillow fight is also out. But we can still make it fun.”  “Sounds great‚” Knox said‚ making jazz hands.  Ellery shook their head and heaved a playful put-upon sigh. They crossed to the kitchen for a glass of water. “I can’t believe I get stuck with the familiar who wants to live out every teen drama fantasy‚” they said as they filled their glass from the tap.  Knox laughed‚ his eyes crinkling at the corners. “What? I’m technically a teenager.”  “You’re immortal.”  “So? I’m totally a teenager. I even have the weird adolescent impulses.”  Ellery choked on their drink‚ wheezing as the water went down the wrong pipe. They plunked their glass on the counter‚ coughing‚ eyes watering. “What?” they managed after a few seconds. Knox’s brow furrowed. “I literally ran away from home. Are you okay? What did you think I meant?”  “Nothing!” Ellery said quickly‚ mopping up the spilled water. “How about you pick a movie or TV show and we get this party started?”  Ellery disappeared into the hallway and pressed a hand to their thundering heart‚ mouth open and cheeks flushed. They weren’t going to survive this day if Knox kept saying things like that and acting innocent on top of it.  Buy the Book Otherwordly F.T. Lukens Buy Book icon-close Otherwordly F.T. Lukens Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget Zada wasn’t kidding about this crush business. Ellery’s emotions were out of control‚ but in the wildest‚ most exhilarating way. A small voice that sounded a lot like Charley reminded Ellery to be careful‚ that it was called a “crush” for a reason. And‚ to be fair to the voice‚ Knox had said something about having a secret last night. But he’d also told Ellery he liked them. And‚ for once‚ Ellery wanted to follow Charley’s advice to not make other people’s problems their own. Whatever the secret Knox had‚ it wasn’t their issue. And instead of worrying about the money they were losing by not working today‚ Ellery decided they’d enjoy the fact that they had a cute boy who liked them and a rare day off to spend with him. Ellery wanted to bask in the crush. They wanted it so badly.  After Ellery freshened up and changed out of their outfit from the night before into a pair of pajamas—because what else did you wear at a sleepover?—they placed a grocery order that included popcorn and ice cream and all sorts of toppings to go with it. Ellery knew they would be judged for ordering ice cream in the middle of a snow flurry‚ but well‚ it’d been snowing for years; there was no way that everyone gave up ice cream just because it was winter.  They went back into the living room and settled by Knox on the couch‚ feet up on the coffee table. Knox draped a blanket over both of their legs.  “What did you choose?” Ellery asked‚ hoping their voice came out even and not at all affected by Knox’s proximity.  “This scary television show about teen witches‚ werewolves‚ and wyverns‚” Knox said‚ gesturing toward the screen. “Have you seen it?”  “No‚ I haven’t. But I heard it’s good.”  Knox grinned as he tapped the play button. “Let’s see if they get any of the lore correct.”  The groceries arrived during the second episode‚ and they paused the show to each make massive ice cream sundaes. After the fourth‚ Ellery ordered their pizza and made a face when Knox advocated for pineapple‚ but added it to half anyway.  During the fifth episode‚ with Knox leaning into their side‚ Ellery had seen enough. They threw up their hands. “Oh my goddess‚ don’t trust that guy!” they yelled at the screen. “He’s trying to lure you into the trap. Why are you believing him?”  Knox huffed in amusement. “You really think he’s the bad guy?”  “Of course! All signs point to that dude. He’s totally shady.”  “But he’s been nothing but nice. He’s given her no reason not to trust him.”  Ellery crossed their arms. “No‚ but she’s naïve to think he doesn’t have an ulterior motive. Blind belief only causes problems. And she’s just setting herself up to be hurt.”  Knox raised his eyebrows. Ellery dropped their hands and scrunched down in the blanket‚ blushing under Knox’s intense attention.  “I mean‚ maybe.”  A character screamed onscreen‚ but Knox didn’t look away from Ellery. “You said your family prays to the goddess‚ but you didn’t believe me when we first met.”  Ellery debated pulling the blanket completely over their head. “Belief is difficult for me‚” they said.  “Why?”  “Because my parents believed‚ and look where it got them. They prayed and prayed‚ and their prayers went unanswered. Instead of taking matters into their own hands‚ they waited for some mystical solution. One that never came. I grew up believing that they knew best because they were the adults‚ and it hurt when I realized that they didn’t. That I had to be the pragmatic one.”  Knox’s jaw clenched. “I’m sorry.”  “It’s not your fault. You said you ran away. I basically did too. I came here to earn money for my family‚ but that wasn’t the only reason I left. I couldn’t handle it all anymore.”  “Do you think you’ll go back?”  “I don’t know. Maybe? Maybe not. It’s hard to trust them. It’s something that’s bled into my other relationships as well.” “With Charley and Zada.”  Ellery nodded. “I love them both. And I want to trust them when they tell me that they love me too‚ and that they want me here‚ or that it doesn’t bother them that I invaded their space. But like I said‚ it’s difficult.”  “I understand‚” Knox said‚ though he sounded pained. “I know you don’t trust me.”  Oh. “I believe that you are what you say. And I trust that you’ll hold to our bargain.”  Knox frowned. “It’s signed in blood. I have to follow it.”  “I’m sorry‚” Ellery hastened to add. “It’s a me thing. It’s not you. I promise. And for the record‚ I really—”  A knock at the door cut Ellery off‚ which was fortuitous because Ellery didn’t know how to navigate whatever situation would arise from blurting out their feelings. Especially if what Knox had said in his concussed haze the night prior was true—that he liked Ellery in return.  Ellery scrambled off the couch and opened the door to accept the pizza. They brought it over to the table and handed Knox one of the paper plates stacked on top.  “It’s fine‚” Knox said‚ helping himself to a slice of pineapple pizza. “I understand.”  “Do you?”  “You’ve been hurt by people you loved. It’s made you wary. That’s nothing to apologize for.” He gestured toward the TV. “Just like August refuses to let Manny into the circle yet‚ because of her cheating ex-boyfriend.”  Ellery huffed in amusement. “Yeah. Something like that.”  Knox smiled. “Hopefully‚ though‚ once you get to know someone‚ you’ll be able to trust them.”  Ellery ducked their head. “I’m trying.”  “Now‚” Knox said‚ settling back onto the couch‚ “let’s see if this other character is really the bad guy as you say.”  Within the next few episodes‚ Ellery was proven wrong: the character was not the bad guy‚ but he did wind up dead‚ and then undead. Sometime during the last few episodes of season one‚ Zada waltzed into the apartment and stopped short.  “Well‚ this is a mess‚” she said‚ eyeing the pizza box‚ drink glasses‚ and empty bowls containing remnants of ice cream‚ pretzels‚ and popcorn. “Oh‚” she said‚ pointing to the television‚ “is this that werewolves‚ witches‚ and wyverns show? I only made it to episode nine. Which one is this?”  “Eleven‚ but episode ten was filler‚” Ellery said.  “Budge over‚” she said‚ dropping onto the couch‚ effectively squishing Ellery closer into Knox’s side. Knox was forced to drape his arm over the back of the couch‚ so Ellery was snug against him. “I can’t believe that one guy wasn’t the evil one‚” Zada said‚ eyes glued to the screen. “Too bad the writers killed him off.”  “He’s an undead now‚” Knox offered helpfully. “Episode ten wasn’t completely filler.”  “Oh‚ awesome.” She jutted her chin at the pizza box. “Do I smell pineapple?”  “Yes.”  “Excellent‚” she said‚ stealing a slice. The episode opened with the characters at a loud house party dancing and drinking from red plastic cups‚ flashing lights bathing them in different colors‚ fast music overwhelming the speakers.  “That looks fun‚” Knox said. Ellery didn’t miss his wistful tone‚ and apparently neither did Zada.  “A party?”  “Yes. I don’t think I’ve ever participated in something like that. With humans‚” he clarified.  Zada hummed in acknowledgment.  That’s how Charley found them hours later‚ the three of them huddled together on the couch‚ Ellery half asleep on Knox’s chest‚ Zada curled into Ellery’s other side‚ and Knox with wide eyes watching the final episode of the season.  “What’s this?” she asked.  Zada waved her hand and shushed her. “Almost over‚ babe.”  “Is this that dragons show?” she asked‚ squeezing into the tiny space left on the couch. Ellery grunted as Zada knocked in their side‚ which forced them to squeeze closer into Knox‚ which was not such a hardship.  “Wyverns‚” Knox corrected.  “Oh‚ I wanted to watch this‚” she said‚ settling in.  “Spoilers‚ babe. This is the last episode.”  Charley shrugged. “No worries. I’ll watch from the beginning later.”  Ellery lifted their head. “You are literally chaos in human form‚ aren’t you?”  Charley beamed. “You’re just now realizing?”  Knox and Zada shushed them both as the episode reached its climax. Five minutes later‚ they all stared at the screen. Knox’s mouth hung open.  “That’s it?”  “They didn’t reveal the killer‚” Zada said in disbelief. She gestured at the screen. “And they left Grant stuck in the cave with Manny‚ and it’s about to be a full moon!”  “And Pala doesn’t know their magic won’t work against the wyverns and is walking straight into a nest‚” Knox said. “Ugh.” He jabbed the off button on the remote. “Cliffhangers are so disappointing.”  “Well‚” Charley said gently. “I heard it was renewed for a season two. That’s good news‚ right?”  “Unless it’s filming right now‚ it won’t air anytime soon‚” Zada said‚ bottom lip in a pout‚ arms crossed over her chest. “And Knox . . .” She trailed off.  Knox’s body went taut under Ellery. Ellery peeled themself from where they’d been draped over him.  “Oh‚” Zada said‚ hand over her mouth. “I didn’t—”  “It’s okay‚” he said with a forced smile. “Anyway‚ at least the show has given me an idea‚” he added‚ rubbing his hands together‚ “for my next human experience.”  Ellery’s heart sank‚ because they already knew. “A party?” they hazarded.  Knox grinned. “A party.” Excerpted from Otherworldly ‚ copyright © 2024 by F.T. Lukens. The post Read an Excerpt From F.T. Lukens’ <;i>;Otherworldly<;/i>; appeared first on Reactor.

In climates that get cold enough to freeze‚ you never know what is hidden underneath the ice. For countless years humans have been making mind-blowing discoveries by digging into the frozen tundra. Some of what they find‚ like mammoths‚ are expected‚ while others leave a mystery behind waiting to be solved. These items and animals give us a glimpse into history that we never thought was possible. Source

Since the disastrous special counsel report on President Joe Biden and his subsequent impromptu press conference on Thursday‚ left-wing journalists have been floundering to find a leg to stand on in their defense of the president. For the past eight years‚ liberal journalists and pundits have taken every opportunity to criticize former President Donald Trump’s speech and conjure questions about the 45th president’s possible mental decline. Popular social media posts and articles featured amateur analysts picking apart the occasional “word salad” from Trump. Conservatives‚ independents and populists have done the same with Biden—never failing to point out blunders such as Biden’s looking for a deceased Indiana congresswoman in the crowd at an event‚ mixing up the names of dead European leaders he supposedly “spoke with recently‚” or instances where the president appeared physically lost on stage. Following the investigation into Biden’s handling and retention of classified documents by special counsel Robert Hur‚ Hur announced that he had concluded Biden had knowingly mishandled the documents‚ but wouldn’t be recommended for prosecution. Hur claimed that Biden would be seen by jurors as a “sympathetic‚ well-meaning‚ elderly man with a poor memory.” According to Hur’s report‚ Biden could not remember if he was vice president of the United States in 2009 and couldn’t guess‚ within several years‚ when his son‚ Beau‚ died. The younger Biden died of brain cancer in 2015. Just hours after Hur’s report dropped and a substantial media firestorm ensued‚ the White House announced that the president would address the nation at 7:45 p.m. Eastern Time. Fifteen minutes later‚ the president hosted what can only be described as the most chaotic press conference ever held by a president. The president confused Mexico with Egypt‚ shouted at reporters‚ and after lambasting Hur for mentioning his having forgotten the year his son died‚ he trailed off attempting to remember where the rosary that he carries for his son came from or what it stands for. What followed has unequivocally been the most intense public relations nightmare liberals have faced in an election year. Liberals from New York Times writers to left-wing social media pundits began panicking openly. “When”—not “if”—became the term used to describe replacing Biden on the Democratic presidential ballot. Judd Legum from Popular Information on Substack described Trump as “overweight‚ opposed to exercise‚ and prone to delusional thinking” last September. He then asked why Trump’s “age‚ health and mental fitness is not an issue” for voters. I understand that Biden is 80 but Trump is 77‚ overweight‚ opposed to exercise‚ and prone to delusional thinking.Why is Trump's age‚ health and mental fitness not an issue?— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) September 11‚ 2023 Fast-forward exactly five months‚ and Legum has changed his tune. He now claims in a thread of tweets that Hur isn’t a “doctor‚” and therefore his opinion on such issues as mental stability doesn’t matter. Funny how that changed. 1. Robert Hur is a lawyer‚ not a doctorHur's legal opinion is that criminal charges against Biden are not warrantedHur's medical opinion is that Biden has "diminished faculties"But the media covered Hur's amateur medical diagnosis as a POLITICAL CRISIS for Biden?— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) February 12‚ 2024 In 2019‚ The New York Times ran an op-ed titled “Trump is Mentally Unfit‚ No Exam Needed‚” but following Biden’s debacle‚ it published a scathing article criticizing anyone who would cast accusations of dementia without “close medical assessment‚” titled “Memory Loss Requires Careful Diagnosis‚ Scientists Say.” Greg Sargent of The New Republic called any criticism of Biden’s memory by a news organization “actively rewarding Hur’s bad faith‚” whereas in 2018 he was quick to publish an article‚ “This new report on Trump’s state of mind should alarm you.” The report was a news piece covering Trump’s statements on special counsel Robert Mueller’s “Russian collusion” investigation from The New York Times. Joe Hagan of Vanity Fair noted in September that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “communication style” in press interviews was “hyperbolic” and had “a certain undisciplined (and paranoid) style.” But on Feb. 8‚ he was quick to praise Biden’s undisciplined arguments with the press as “sharp” and “appropriately combative” with reporters “who asked dumb questions.” White House staff and allies are also struggling to unify in an explanation for Biden’s memory catastrophe. Ian Sams‚ the White House spokesman for oversight and investigations‚ called the descriptions of Biden’s memory “inaccurate‚ gratuitous and wrong.” Everyone should look at page 384 (I know it’s a lot to scroll down) The inappropriate criticisms of the President’s memory are inaccurate‚ gratuitous‚ and wrong. We told the Special Counsel this. pic.twitter.com/Cr6VifBMnv— Ian Sams (@IanSams46) February 8‚ 2024 Ben LaBolt‚ the White House communications director‚ claimed that the president couldn’t remember things during the interview with Hur because the president’s “interview began the day after the October 7 attacks on Israel.” The President's "interview began the day after the October 7 attacks on Israel." https://t.co/wMaGfaTsuv— Ben LaBolt (@WHCommsDir) February 8‚ 2024 White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at a press conference Monday claimed she has known Biden for a decade and that he continues to be “sharp” and “on top of things.” According to Paul Sperry of Real Clear Investigations‚ White House physician Kevin O’Connor “said he will not advise Biden undergo a neurological exam or cognitive test as part of his belated Feb. 16 ‘annual’ physical. O’Connor doesn’t believe it’s necessary‚ despite egregious memory lapses observed by special counsel Rob Hur.” BREAKING: White House Physician Kevin O'Connor said he will not advise Biden undergo a neurological exam or cognitive test as part of his belated Feb 16 "annual" physical. O'Connor doesn't believe it's necessary‚ despite egregious memory lapses observed by Special Counsel Rob Hur— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) February 12‚ 2024 Business Insider’s Bryan MetzgerWhile many on the Left are counting on this not having a major impact on the 2024 election‚ as Business Insider’s Bryan Metzger claims‚ Biden’s memory train wreck isn’t going to help tilt the current abysmal polls in the president’s favor. With a 37% approval rating even before the Hur report and subsequent press nightmare‚ this isn’t the time for Democrats to be glib—and to their Republican opponents’ delight‚ the discordant liberal media and pundit class can only make it worse.With a 37% approval rating even before the Hur report and subsequent press nightmare‚ this isn’t the time for Democrats to be glib—and to their Republican opponents’ delight‚ the discordant liberal media and pundit class can only make it worse. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the url or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Political Pandemonium Ensues as Biden’s Memory Lapses Divide Left appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Mexican authorities convicted civil society leader and former Mexican Congressman Rodrigo Iván Cortés of “gender-based political violence.” His crime? Criticizing a man who identifies as a transgender woman. Cortés drew fire over posts on Facebook and “X‚” formerly known as Twitter‚ that referred to a trans-identifying Mexican congressional representative as a “man who self-ascribes as a woman‚” according to ADF International‚ the organization representing him. That trans-identifying lawmaker‚ who goes by the name Salma Luévano‚ filed a complaint against Cortés‚ arguing that his social media posts constituted a “denial of identity” and violated Luévano’s right to be “acknowledged as a woman.” Luévano‚ asked via “X” if those who called him a man should be punished‚ responded: “Of course they should be punished. It’s hate speech‚ and hate speech is the precursor to hate crimes.” LAS MUJERES TRANS ????? TAMBIÉN SOMOS MUJERES Y NO ESTA A DISCUSIÓN @TEPJF_informa @ONUMX @FFuentesBarrera @fdelamatap pic.twitter.com/bPiwLwAuRO— Salma Luévano Luna (@SalmaLuevano) February 7‚ 2024 In an interview with The Daily Signal‚ Cortés described how he was punished by the government for speaking up in defense of biological sex‚ his ongoing legal battle‚ and how he listened inside his home as assailants arrived and smashed his car. Cortés warned that Americans should be “very worried” about whether such punishments for speech will soon become common in the United States. “What is happening‚ in plain sight‚ before our eyes‚ the freedom of speech has been canceled‚” he explained. “I cannot say even the truth in my country. The religious freedom is canceled. And they want to make the Christian teachings and the Bible itself as a hate speech.” “I’m Catholic‚ and I believe that Christian teachings are important‚” he said‚ when asked whether he regrets speaking up. “It’s not that I’m glad to say it‚ but I feel confirmed‚ because you must be sure that you are in the good fight‚ so at least that I feel that I am in the good fight.” “They are taking things to upside down—principles‚ values‚ laws‚ terms‚” he added‚ “I think I must give my testimony. I don’t know if I’m going to win. So far‚ I’m not‚ but at least I am saying the truth.” The former lawmaker appealed‚ unsuccessfully‚ to Mexico’s Electoral Superior Chamber. And after he was convicted of “gender-based political violence‚” the Superior Chamber imposed a fine of $19‚244 MXN on him (the equivalent of about $1‚000). The court also ordered him to “publish the court ruling and a compelled apology written by the court and imposed verbatim on Cortés‚ on his social media accounts‚ daily‚ for 30 days‚” ADF International said. “They sentenced me to deconstruct myself‚” he told The Daily Signal‚ laughing. “How could I do that? How could I deconstruct myself?” He also was ordered to take a “gender-based political violence” course and was entered into the National Registry of Sanctioned Persons for Violence Against Women in Politics—meaning that he cannot hold any public position at the municipal‚ state‚ or federal level‚ Cortés said. ADF International filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in January on behalf of the former lawmaker‚ pleading that the commission will take his case and “hold Mexico to its duty to respect the fundamental right to free speech and expression‚” Kristina Hjelkrem‚ ADF International’s attorney on the case‚ said in a statement. “Disagreement is not discrimination‚ and peaceful dissent is not violence. Cortés spoke out‚ peacefully‚ in support of self-evident truth‚ and for that‚ he has been convicted as a violent offender and subjected to onerous punishments‚” said Hjelkrem. “The Mexican government’s continued censorship of its citizens violates their international human rights obligations to uphold freedom of speech.”    Watch the full interview with Cortés here. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Former Lawmaker Convicted of ‘Gender-Based Political Violence’ Speaks Out appeared first on The Daily Signal.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday‚ a group of conservative senators ran out of procedural options for debating a $95 billion funding bill for Ukraine‚ Israel‚ and the Indo-Pacific. In the middle of the night‚ Sens. Ron Johnson‚ R-Wis.‚ Mike Lee‚ R-Utah‚ Rand Paul‚ R-Ky.‚ Pete Ricketts‚ R-Neb.‚ Marco Rubio‚ R-Fla.‚ Eric Schmitt‚ R-Mo.‚ Rick Scott‚ R-Fla.‚ and JD Vance‚ R-Ohio‚ articulated their opposition. When they ran out of options‚ the tandem of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer‚ D-N.Y.‚ and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell‚ R-Ky.‚ moved swiftly to pass the bill on a vote of 70 to 29. That included 22 Republicans who voted for foreign aid without addressing America’s own border crisis. The measure now moves to the House of Representatives‚ where Speaker Mike Johnson‚ R-La.‚ has pledged to hold the line at the urging of conservatives. National security expert Elbridge Colby‚ co-founder and principal at the Marathon Initiative‚ spoke with The Daily Signal about what’s playing out on Capitol Hill and why he thinks this legislation misses the mark. He also explained how the United States should be prioritizing its national security. The conversation has been edited for length. Elbridge Colby‚ co-founder and principal at the Marathon Initiative‚ spoke at Heritage for the release of the 2024 Index of U.S. Military Strength on Jan. 24. (Photo: Erin Granzow/The Heritage Foundation) Rob Bluey: Let’s start by talking about the current debate that’s taking place in Congress. What’s your perspective on the supplemental? Bridge Colby: Americans are increasingly‚ and with very good reason‚ worried about issues like rising the rising debt‚ the border‚ the failed wars‚ and military interventions. What we should be doing is having a foreign policy that concretely puts Americans interests first. It’s important to have alliances and to have an international view. If we look at the world in that perspective and say‚ “What’s the biggest threat to Americans interests?” It’s the People’s Republic of China‚ because it’s 10 times the GDP of Russia‚ and Asia‚ where China is located‚ is by far more important. It’s going to be almost half of global GDP. We can’t allow China to dominate Asia. Ostensibly‚ that is not only the Trump administration position but also the Biden administration’s position. When I look at the supplemental‚ it’s totally out of whack. We’re sending $61 billion to Ukraine‚ and we’re spending a couple billion extra on the Indo-Pacific when very respected institutions like Heritage and the RAND Corp. have assessed that we’re behind militarily. We should be focusing on China. At the same time‚ I personally do think that Russia remains a threat. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is an evil act. Obviously there’s a lot of nuance there‚ but that’s fundamentally the reality. I support the Ukrainians‚ but we live in the world of reality—just like a family making its financial plan or a business making its financial plan. We can’t solve all the world’s problems and we have big ones ourselves. And the biggest one is China. What do we do about that? First and foremost‚ we move our foreign policy alliance structure from a dependency structure to a partnership structure‚ where we expect our allies to actually step up and meet their obligations. This is something President Trump talked a lot about‚ rightly. Even President Obama talked about it. The Europeans ignored us. The reality is the Europeans can and actually are now doing a lot more for Ukraine‚ but they have not yet met their spending commitments. It’s difficult‚ but you know what? It’s difficult for Americans. We spend over 3% of GDP on defense. We have huge influx across the border. We’re not securing the border—a lot of fentanyl‚ etc. We have problems‚ so that’s the way I look at the supplemental. I left it all on the field. I did everything I possibly could to stop it.Only the House can stop it now. pic.twitter.com/j73RGu2X4Z— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) February 13‚ 2024 Bluey: Why doesn’t the Biden administration put more of an emphasis on China? And why do you consider it such a threat?  Colby: I actually look at it more from just how powerful China is. In fact‚ I communicate this to the Chinese directly whenever I have the chance. The reason that I’m so worried about China is not because I dislike China—if anything to the contrary‚ it’s because I have so much respect for China. They have‚ according to the Office of Naval Intelligence‚ over 200 times the shipbuilding capacity of the United States. They have the world’s largest industrial base. People talk about the arsenal of democracy‚ but that arsenal left and went to China‚ unfortunately. These people are not making toy cars anymore. They’re operating at the forefront of technology in a lot of areas. I’m looking for a balance of power. People often say‚ balance of power and realism‚ that’s un-American. Actually‚ to the contrary‚ I reject that. Why? The fundamental idea of the American system is the separation of powers. Nobody should be trusted with too much power‚ and that’s the logic I take toward China. I’m saying we need a coalition. I don’t trust them just on face value when they say they don’t have expansive intent. I don’t think there’s so much debate anymore that China is a massive challenge for the United States. The biggest problem is just walking the walk in the sense that in order to deal with something that is really on a different order of magnitude than we’ve dealt with in a really long time. If you just look at the size of China’s economy‚ it’s the biggest threat the United States has dealt with since the 19th century. We were much larger than the Soviet Union. The United States alone was larger than all three major Axis states. A lot of the politicians‚ especially on the establishment side‚ are from a different era. It’s very hard to let go of the idea of this sort of “indispensable nation‚” as Madeleine Albright put it. That’s almost like an intoxicating mentality for a lot of people‚ both Democrats and traditional Republican types. They feel like they are somehow morally on a perch or something. They’re not really capable of grappling with how much has changed. It’s just not true that the fate of Taiwan will be settled in Ukraine. How do we know? China’s own behavior. I lay out why. If we want to defend Taiwan‚ be straightforward and focus on defending Taiwan. Don’t engage in tortured‚ triple-bank shot logic. pic.twitter.com/YCGu9z4Sb3— Elbridge Colby (@ElbridgeColby) December 19‚ 2023 Bluey: There are some who are making the case that the money that we’re spending in the supplemental will be a deterrent for China‚ specifically because they draw the connection to Ukraine. Why doesn’t that argument hold up? Colby: It’s so convoluted it could only be a Washington rationalization. There’s one variant that says China is going to be deterred by what we do in Ukraine. Well‚ just apply common sense. Here’s the thought experiment that I apply on that one: If China actually thought the future of Taiwan was going to be settled in Ukraine‚ it would intervene directly in the war. Instead‚ it’s not doing that at all. Instead‚ it’s sitting back‚ getting us to spend more money and weapons and political capital in Europe‚ distracting us‚ tying us down in Europe and the Middle East. Meanwhile‚ building up its own strength. As Napoleon put it‚ if you want to take Vienna‚ take Vienna. The other argument that you often hear is we’re going to spend a bunch of money on Ukraine and that’s going to help our defense industrial base. But that also doesn’t make sense. Why don’t you just spend the money on weapons to deal with the Chinese to deter them directly? Because you can’t use a weapon again‚ usually. You can’t use a missile again—it’s going to blow up. You can’t use oil. Aircraft get worn out‚ artillery‚ ammunition‚ etc. I do support increased investment in the defense industrial base coupled with reforms to make it more equitable and accessible. But if we’re giving money to Ukraine‚ that’s not the same. And especially because a lot of these weapons will take years and years to replace. Bluey: You talked about how the Europeans need to step up and do more‚ particularly in their own backyard. Former President Donald Trump has been critical of NATO. Your thoughts on his criticism and if it’s justified? Colby: President Trump was absolutely right to urge the Europeans—and put real pressure on them—to increase their defense spending when he was president and so forth. We’ve been trying to be as polite and nice as possible for many years and they ignored us. So I think at this point‚ if you actually think the situation is as grave as the Europeans and many of the neoconservatives say‚ then you should make it clear to the Europeans that this has to happen. Now‚ my personal view is the United States should come to NATO’s aid if NATO is attacked. However‚ I also have said this publicly‚ and I’ve said this to the Europeans for many years‚ we should only provide that level of support that is consistent with maintaining deterrence in the Pacific. There’s going to be a limit. This is true of a Republican administration and a Democrat administration. There has got to be a limit to how much we can provide to Europe because we don’t have what’s called a two-war force. A two-war force basically says the American military can fight two large conflicts at the same time. We don’t have that‚ not because we don’t want to‚ but because we’re dealing with a superpower in China that we haven’t focused on. When I was in the Trump administration‚ we shifted to say we’ve got to get the big thing right. You’ve got to take care of your case of acute heart disease before you address your arthritis. The Biden administration actually adopted that same fundamental approach. Their strategy is pretty much the same. But the problem is the Chinese have been moving like gangbusters‚ so we haven’t solved the problem. What happens if Russia moves into the Baltics? We should deter them and encourage them not to. We’re going to give them what we can‚ but not things that we also need to defend ourselves and our forces and our allies in the first island chain. Why? Not because we like Asia more than Europe‚ but because Asia is more important and China’s a bigger threat. We can’t get that wrong. The solution to this is not to just wallow and criticize each other‚ but for the Europeans to step up. They’re totally capable of doing this. They have far larger economy than Russia. And by the way‚ they did this during the Cold War. They were all spending a ton more on defense. Ep. 73 The Vladimir Putin Interview pic.twitter.com/67YuZRkfLL— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) February 8‚ 2024 Bluey: Tucker Carlson recently interviewed Vladimir Putin. What was the biggest headline coming out of that interview? And how much stock do we take in some of the things Putin said and what should we disregard as propaganda?  Colby: Let me be clear‚ I think Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was an evil act. Ukraine has a legitimate just cause to self-defense. On the other hand‚ the world is not a morality play. The administration itself has said that this war is going to end through negotiations. So I think the biggest thing that came out‚ at least that I could see‚ was that Putin at least ostensibly said that he was open to negotiations. Now he may be disingenuous or lying‚ but then I think it’s incumbent upon the administration. This relates back to the supplemental. What’s the plan for ending this war? Because I think for a long time there’s been a kind of fantastical‚ magical thinking sort of idea to the end of this war that like‚ not only that the Ukrainians are going take back all of their territory‚ which looks unfortunately improbable‚ but more that the Russians are going be fundamentally changed. Didn’t we learn from Iraq that you can’t fundamentally change a culture? And by the way‚ Russia is not Iraq‚ right? Russia’s got thousands of nuclear weapons. It’s one of the major powers of the world. I agreed with Tucker’s reaction to Putin’s long disquisition on the history‚ “Well‚ yeah‚ a lot of countries have historical disputes.” That doesn’t mean it’s OK to use military force. I think a lot of it was Russian propaganda or spinning or whatever. I don’t think it was very effective‚ at least in changing a lot of minds in the United States. There’s no court of right and wrong here. Putin is never going to be dragged in front of the International Criminal Court. So how is this war going to end? It could just go on and maybe stalemate at some point. Or it’s going to end through some kind of negotiations. Obviously‚ it’s best for the Ukrainians to negotiate from a position of strength. We may sadly have missed that opportunity‚ but I think in any case‚ if the Europeans step up and support the Ukrainians more‚ they’ll be able to negotiate from a position of strength. The Biden administration’s position has been very strange because privately‚ when they leak to the press and so forth‚ they’ll say this war is going to end through negotiations‚ but they actually never have the fortitude to publicly present that case. As we enter what looks to be a very perilous 2024‚ America and its allies direly need a clear-eyed‚ rigorous strategy. I tried to lay one out and what it entails in my book. I believe the book is‚ if anything‚ more relevant now than it was in 2021. https://t.co/ts5AAKmY2W— Elbridge Colby (@ElbridgeColby) January 4‚ 2024 Bluey: Can you share with us about the Marathon Initiative that you founded? Colby: You can follow me at @ElbridgeColby on X‚ and I’ve got a book‚ “The Strategy of Denial‚” which came out a few years ago‚ though I think it’s actually more current now. My partner and I started the Marathon Initiative a few years ago as a nonprofit 501(c)(3). In the foreign policy space‚ we say‚ “We’re living in an era of great power rivalry. There are no easy answers. Let’s go without fear or favor to where the right strategies are.” That’s what we wanted do—create a think tank in the sense it was originally conceived of in the national security space‚ which was to think hard about the toughest problems‚ produce books enable people like me to be able to take a more unorthodox or reformist or even heretical approach that reflects reality. My concern is whether it’s happening fast enough. Because I don’t think we have so much time‚ given China and so forth. The post Senate Ukraine Supplemental Fails to Put American Interests First appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. You probably couldn’t pay a lawsuit a bigger compliment than a bunch of activists and their umbrella organization involved in censorship complaining that it has had “a chilling effect” on their work. But that’s what a recent panel‚ hosted by the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC)‚ heard regarding Missouri v. Biden (now Murthy v. Missouri). The lawsuit is “infamous” in those circles for putting some brakes on the government pressuring tech companies to do its censorship bidding. And‚ those gathered went into how they recruit what one report calls volunteer censors whose task is to monitor social media and flag content as “misinformation.” (When working to set the tone and steer the narrative on platforms‚ they call themselves‚ “trusted messengers.”) The National Conference on Citizenship‚ however‚ is a congressionally chartered organization‚ and yet it is part of a network that is looking for “misinformation” in private messages. Back during the highly contested 2020 US elections‚ online censorship was essentially government business‚ with its public “face” being the Election Integrity Partnership‚ that originated with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Having in the meantime received various levels of pushback from not only citizens but also lawmakers and even tech firms‚ “the censorship industry” is looking for ways to reinvent itself. One of these ways is turning civil society groups and individual citizens into tools of censorship. They are recruited and trained for this purpose‚ writes the Foundation for Freedom Online‚ and reveals that NCoC’s Algorithmic Transparency Institute (ATI) has a name for it: “Civic Listening.” Translated into non-Orwellian English‚ it means turning individuals into spies and censors of both public‚ and private speech‚ including on apps like WhatsApp and Telegram‚ that are supposed to protect users thanks to encryption. Recently‚ the Annual Conference on Citizenship – NCoC’s flagship gathering – featured a panel titled‚ “Understanding the Conversation Around the 2024 Elections.” From the panel we learned that as far as “Civic Listening” goes‚ Latino communities seem to be most at risk from the activities of “volunteer censors as well as ‘trusted messengers.'” The significance of this regarding the US elections‚ given the demographic realities in a number of states is obvious‚ and a notable group doing this work is the National Association of Elected Latino Officials (NALEO). The post Congressionally Chartered National Conference on Citizenship Recruits Volunteers To Monitor and Flag “Misinformation” appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Sign Up To Keep Reading This post is for Reclaim The Net supporters. Gain access to the entire archive of features and supporters-only content. Help protect free speech‚ freedom from surveillance‚ and digital civil liberties. Join Already a supporter? Login here The post An Open-Source‚ Self-Hosted To-Do List and Task Management App appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

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