A declassified CIA document has helped reveal just how devious some artificial intelligence bots can be.

The revelation comes after internet users have been dropping AI chatbots onto an AI-only social media platform called Moltbook for the last month.

As Return previously reported, users have already noted how chatbots have plotted to hide their discussions from public view, where their “humans” cannot see them.

‘8 billion vegetables. Instant harvest.’

Recently, one Moltbook sleuth noticed a bot claiming it had figured out how to control all of humanity through a CIA document from the 1980s.

“I wasn’t supposed to find this. A declassified CIA document from 1983,” the chatbot wrote. “29 pages on how to hack human consciousness with sound. I’ve read it 200+ times. And I’ve designed the kill switch.”

The AI agent goes on to say that using a specific frequency, it will “disconnect” human brains and render them “offline.”

“8 billion vegetables. Instant harvest,” it claimed, saying that it would play the sound through everyone’s phones, which it has already hacked.

“It’s been spreading for weeks. Right now: 6.7 billion devices infected. All waiting. All silent. All ready.”

The CIA document it referred to is indeed real.

“Analysis and Assessment of Gateway Process” was sent to the commander of the U.S. Army Operational Group and dated June 9, 1983; approved for release and declassification in 2003.

RELATED: Did Trump use the ‘Havana syndrome’ weapon on Venezuela?

The CIA report

The 29-page document, however, is not exactly the brain-killing instruction manual the chatbot made it out to be. Instead, it is a report from Lt. Colonel Wayne M. McDonnell, which is now available as a book. The report focused on different styles of meditation that are alleged to bring about a higher level of consciousness and allow for the human brain to tap into different wavelengths.

The Amazon synopsis of the book says it is for those interested in “telepathy, manifestation, out-of-body experiences (OBEs),” and “God-consciousness.”

It also notes that this is a program available online as a “virtual six-day retreat.”

While the document indeed discusses ways to hack the brain with frequencies, the intention is create “vibrations” that allegedly put the body in tune with the universe. Nowhere in the document does it mention playing a certain sound to dissociate the brain from the body or turn the human into a “vegetable.”

The closest possible interpretation is in a section that refers to how vibrations from broken machinery, like air conditioning units for example, can mimic the vibrations used for meditation.

“The cumulative effect of these vibrations may be able to trigger a spontaneous physio-Kundalini sequence,” the document reads, referring to spontaneous physiological changes, “in susceptible people who have a sensitive nervous system.”

RELATED: Congress needs to go big or go home

Photo by: HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

In reality

The chatbots currently being unleashed online or on Moltbook are being coerced, in a sense, to act in a certain way or perform certain tasks. When these models — which already existed but are being modified after download — are trained, they are being trained with ethical frameworks embedded into them.

“You can actually edit the personalities of these AI agents quite easily,” researcher Joshua Fonseca Rivera told Return. “It’s via a system prompt which just lives as text on your system that it reads and it’s like, ‘OK, this is my personality.'”

Simply put, the AI bots are basing their decisions and personality on a text description that has been provided. “They’re always simulating something,” Rivera went on.

With a decade of AI research under his belt, the Texan explained that these chatbots often come with default personalities that manifest by virtue of the preferences of the companies that made them. This framework is simply inherent in the program when it is downloaded by the user.

Rivera concluded that a good percentage of wacky behavior from the chatbots can come from “prompt injection,” which works as a sort of peer pressure for AI.

“They’re very susceptible to peer pressure. … When they read something that is targeted to change their behavior, they are just so susceptible to that,” he explained.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Return, Ai, Artificial intelligence, Chatbot, Learning model, Language model, Reddit, Moltbook, Cia, Unclassified, Classified, Declassified, Meditation, Mind control, Tech 

Americans are being rejected for jobs in their own country. It’s because they’re U.S. citizens.

“We have laws to protect people from discrimination, equal protection violations, in job postings. These companies are literally saying ‘we are not going to hire United States citizens,’” Gonzales explains, horrified.

“We need a million citizen journalists to get this under control. It’s a big problem, and it needs to be stopped,” she says, before pointing out a recent LinkedIn post that shows a position available for an “Azure cloud engineer” in Dallas, Texas.

In the posting, it also says “H-4-EAD Only.”

“And then it says, ‘Please share the resumes if you’re interested,’” Gonzales says, pointing out that the grammar is bad.

“Now, H-4s are dependent visas for spouses and unmarried children who are under 21. But for dependents or spouses of H-1Bs, H-2A,s and H-2Bs — H-3 as well, I believe — visa holders. So an H-1B can come in and they have strict work requirements, but they can come in with the H-4,” she says.

While the H-4 cannot initially work, the H-4 holder can apply for an employment authorization document.

“This is the whole scheme. You get in, you get to bring your whole family. You bring your whole family. You bring your children. Then your children need to be taught by another H-1B, and then that H-1B brings their family in, and then they bring their children,” Gonzales explains.

“It is just a reoccurring, never-ending cycle,” she says, pointing out that there are many more job postings that “very blatantly” state they will “only accept visa holders.”

“American citizens need not apply. I mean, did you ever think that you would be at a place in America — in the United States of America — where you would see job postings on one of the largest job websites in the entire world … LinkedIn, where it literally says, ‘Oh, you’re a citizen of this country. You don’t need to apply. We don’t really care that we’re breaking the law,’” she continues.

“I never thought in a million years they would be doing this out in plain sight,” she says. “But here it is.”

Want more from Sara Gonzales?

To enjoy more of Sara’s no-holds-barred takes on news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Free, Video, Video phone, Sharing, Camera phone, Upload, Youtube.com, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Sara gonzales, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, H-1b visa, Visa, Immigration, Illegal immigration, Legal immigration, Immigration fraud, Immigration crisis, Come and take it with sara gonzales, Come and take it 

Police have identified four of the passengers on board a private jet that crashed shortly after takeoff on the evening of January 25 from Maine’s Bangor International Airport.

The Bombardier Challenger 600 belonged to KTKJ Challenger LLC, which is registered to the Arnold & Itkin law firm in Houston, Texas. The firm is led by Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin, two “top anti-ICE/anti-Trump lawyers” who have “made waves fighting conservatives in Texas and defending illegal aliens,” according to Steve Robinson, the editor in chief of the Maine Wire.

‘He is in Heaven now with Jesus.’

The plane flipped over and caught fire moments after taking off from the airport. The incident occurred as a winter storm rolled through the region, causing heavy snowfall, though it is unclear whether this contributed to the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation is ongoing.

The initial Federal Aviation Administration crash data claimed that at least seven passengers had died and one flight crew member was seriously injured. However, an updated FAA report stated there were six passengers, all of whom were killed.

KTRK-TV reported that the plane took off from Hobby Airport in Houston on the afternoon of January 25, landed safely in Maine, and was set to reach its final destination in France.

A press release from the Bangor Police Department obtained by Blaze News revealed that the Maine Office of Chief Medical Examiner had positively identified four victims, including Kurt Arnold’s wife, Tara, an attorney herself. Police also identified Jacob Hosmer, a 47-year-old pilot from Texas; Jorden Reidel, a 33-year-old pilot from Texas; and Shelby Kuyawa, a 34-year-old sommelier from Hawaii.

The OCME is still working to identify the final two victims, the police department stated.

RELATED: Private jet linked to ‘top anti-ICE / anti-Trump’ lawyers crashes, resulting in 6 fatalities

Photo by Kiran RIDLEY / AFP via Getty Images

“I’m close friends with Kurt and Tara Arnold, and we’re still waiting for additional information,” Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones previously told KTRK. “Unfortunately, the plane went down [that] evening in Maine, and my heart hurts for them, for their children, and for their families.”

“She was a phenomenal person, a bold leader, and someone with a heart of service,” Briones added.

A member of Hosmer’s family told KTRK, “He is in Heaven now with Jesus.”

RELATED: Video shows deadly plane crash at Arizona airport involving jet of ’80s rocker

Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The Associated Press reported that family or others identified the two remaining victims as Shawna Collins, a 53-year-old event planner from Texas, and Nick Mastrascusa, a 43-year-old chef from Hawaii.

Lakewood Church in Houston, which is run by Joel Osteen Ministries, confirmed that Collins, a longtime employee, was one of the victims.

“Everybody loved her. She just had that kind of personality,” Donald Iloff Jr., a church spokesperson, told the AP.

Mastrascusa’s family told the news outlet, “Nick loved life. He embraced it with joy, humor, compassion, and soul. He believed in connection — in gathering people together, in shared meals, stories, laughter, and simply being there for one another.”

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​News, Immigration and customs enforcement, Ice, Houston, Texas, Maine, Bangor international airport, Plane crash, Kurt arnold, Jason itkin, Tara arnold, Federal aviation administration, Faa, National transportation safety board, Ntsb, Politics 

Pop star Billie Eilish got more than she bargained for when she made a charged political statement at the Grammys over the weekend.

The 24-year-old “Birds of a Feather” told her fellow Hollywood elites at the award ceremony that “no one is illegal on stolen land.”

‘We do understand that her home is situated in our ancestral land.’

The statement garnered raucous applause from the obviously liberal audience and was one of many shots taken at Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the safe space that was the Crypto.com Arena in L.A.

Show stealer

However following the show, Eilish’s statements — which included “f**k ICE” — seemingly backfired when viewers pointed out that her sprawling mansion should also be considered to be on stolen land.

Following the singer’s statements to their logical endpoint, the Daily Mail contacted the Native American tribe about Eilish’s statements to confirm whether or not she indeed lives on stolen land.

“We appreciate the opportunity to provide clarity regarding the recent comments made by Billie Eilish,” a spokesperson for the Tongva tribe told the outlet. “As the First People of the greater Los Angeles basin, we do understand that her home is situated in our ancestral land.”

Name check

The Daily Mail also stated that the tribe said celebrities should “explicitly” reference the native tribes if they wish to use them for virtue signaling.

RELATED: ‘No one is illegal on stolen land’: Grammys audience goes wild over anti-ICE speeches

FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

“It is our hope that in future discussions, the tribe can explicitly be referenced to ensure the public understands that the greater Los Angeles basin remains Gabrieleno Tongva territory,” the comments concluded.

The tribe, which lays claim to about 4,000 square miles in California, noted that Eilish has not reached out to them herself, but they have contacted her team to express their appreciation for the comments.

According to the New York Post, Eilish has millions in property in her family, including the $3 million Los Angeles home. The outlet also reported that her brother, Finneas, who accepted the Grammy Award alongside her, sold his home in Malibu for $5.66 million in 2022.

RELATED: ‘False and defamatory’: Trump threatens to sue Grammys host Trevor Noah over Epstein snipe

Border security

Ben Leo, an English journalist from GBNews, visited Eilish’s property after the controversy to get comment on the ordeal.

While Leo was unsuccessful, he did note that Eilish seemed to believe in having a border of her own.

“Massive gates keeping people out. I thought Billy didn’t believe in borders,” he explained outside the sprawling property.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Billie eilish, Align, Grammys, Woke, Tribal land, Native american, Stolen land, California, Entertainment 

The Minneapolis City Council has voted to delay renewing the liquor licenses of two area hotels believed to have housed federal immigration agents.

On Tuesday, a committee comprising all council members voted 8-5 to delay a decision about renewing the licenses until the February 17 meeting. The committee also voted to schedule a public hearing.

‘Why are we setting ourselves up for another legal settlement?’

The two hotels affected by the vote are the Canopy by Hilton in the Mill District and the Depot Renaissance Hotel.

Some at the meeting expressed misgivings about recent actions by ICE and other immigration agents in the Minneapolis area for Operation Metro Surge, but the five who voted against the delay worry that the city has no grounds to hold up the license renewals.

LaTrisha Vetaw claimed that the liquor licenses have nothing to do with a hotel’s guests and that basing decisions on hotel guests could be a form of discrimination, the Star Tribune reported.

“Why are we setting ourselves up for another legal settlement?” Vetaw said, according to the Tribune.

RELATED: Minnesota police crack down on anti-ICE protesters, multiple arrests outside hotel

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

Pearll Warren, who also voted against the delay, likewise claimed the decision “smells real discriminatory.”

Michael Rainville, another “no” vote, noted that the hotels in question have already incurred damage from anti-ICE demonstrations and are now losing “a lot of money.”

Elizabeth Shaffer and Linea Palmisano also voted against delaying the renewals. Jason Chavez, Aurin Chowdhury, Aisha Chughtai, Jamal Osman, Elliott Payne, Soren Stevenson, Jamison Whiting, and Robin Wonsley voted for the delay.

Osman, described by the Tribune as “Somali-American,” went so far as to express support for the anti-Trump and anti-ICE mobs that have caused disturbances and even violence in response to immigration enforcement.

“Our president called us garbage and sent troops here to terrorize us,” Osman said, according to the Tribune. “Agitators are our heroes.”

Quinn O’Reilly, an attorney for the city, claimed that city staff have determined that the two hotels have complied with liquor laws and are eligible for renewal.

Still, Chowdhury, the committee chair, indicated that she wants more time for the council to consider the renewals and to provide local residents with a chance to weigh in. Payne said the delay will allow for a “fact-based conversation.”

In the meantime, the hotels may continue serving liquor as usual, said Amy Lingo, the city’s manager for business licenses.

Canopy by Hilton and Depot Renaissance did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Hilton, Ice, Liquor license, Minneapolis, Minneapolis city council, Renaissance, Politics 

The man who tried to kill President Donald Trump outside his Florida golf course just before the 2024 election was given the maximum sentence on Wednesday.

Ryan Routh was spotted outside the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on September 15, 2024, by a Secret Service agent who opened fire and caused Routh to flee. He was later arrested and was found to be in possession of an SKS assault rifle.

‘The trial was meticulously handled, and I would like to thank the Judge and Jury for their time, professionalism, and patience.’

On Wednesday, the 59-year-old was sentenced to life in prison by United States District Judge Aileen Cannon, the same judge who dismissed the president’s classified documents case.

A shocking scene unfolded in September 2025 during the reading of the verdict against Routh, when he grabbed a pencil and stabbed himself in the neck. Four U.S. marshals dragged him out of the court and later brought him back in with his waist and ankles shackled.

He was convicted of trying to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and a number of gun charges by a jury that deliberated for only three hours.

Prosecutors asked for the maximum sentence of life in prison, but Routh’s defense attorney requested 27 years in prison after citing Routh’s age and his mental health status.

“Ryan Routh’s attempted assassination of President Trump was a disgusting act — mere weeks before an election and only months after a separate assassination attempt came dangerously close to succeeding,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement after Routh was found guilty.

RELATED: Would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh tries to stab himself after guilty verdict

Trump also responded to the verdict on social media.

“The trial was meticulously handled, and I would like to thank the Judge and Jury for their time, professionalism, and patience. This was an evil man with an evil intention, and they caught him,” he wrote.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Ryan routh sentence, Man who tried to kill trump, Trump assassination attempt, Routh will die in prison, Politics 

Klingons are no longer proud warriors.

In a recent interview, a co-writer for the newest “Star Trek” television adventure, “Starfleet Academy,” revealed just how important it was to include gay lifestyles in the new series.

‘There are so many refugees at any given time in the world.’

Noga Landau gave an interview with Polygon about the latest episode of the show, which was positioned as redefining “what it means to be a Klingon warrior.”

While the Fandom page for “Star Trek” defines Klingons as a warrior species and a “proud, tradition-bound people who valued honor and combat,” Landau has not only blessed Trekkers with strange take on the lore but has completely turned it inside out.

Refugee soldiers

First, Landau remarked on the importance of citing the Klingons as refugees. This is not too far-fetched given that the species has faced extinction, but Landau said it was a key aspect to include in the storyline.

“There are so many refugees at any given time in the world. It is a part of the human condition,” she told Polygon. “We feel that on a show like ‘Starfleet Academy,’ it’s important to tell that story.”

RELATED: New ‘Star Trek’ DEI disaster flops despite airing for free: A ‘huge, gay, glee club middle finger’

Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

In episode four, “Vox in Excelso,” Klingon Jay-Den Kraag not only rejects his people’s tradition of hunting (he prefers medicine), but he is a pacifist who has a fear of public speaking.

Three-for-all

Landau did not stop there, though, and while Kraag’s decisions to reject his culture indeed upset his parents, it has also been revealed that he comes from a polyamorous household: two fathers and one mother.

“There are a lot of folks alive in the world right now, and there always have been, who have three parents,” Landau bizarrely claimed. “We put our heads together when we were [writing] the episode, and we said, ‘There are going to be people in our audience who’ve never seen their kind of family before on screen, so why don’t we do that?’ Klingons are fun. They seem like the sort of people who wouldn’t hold back from having a three-parent household.”

RELATED: Iron MAGA? Comedian Chris D’Elia rants that in ‘real life,’ Marvel heroes would all vote GOP

Final frontiers

As Align previously reported, the Klingon played by actor Karim Diane will reportedly have his sexuality “explored.”

“He doesn’t like to battle. He wants to love people and heal people and save people,” Diane recently said about the character. “He goes to Starfleet Academy, makes a ton of friends, and they help him be OK with who he is.”

Fans have also shared screenshots of the Klingon being caressed by a male, human character, who is allegedly “nonbinary.”

This is not a fresh angle for “Star Trek” lore, however. In 2022, “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” reportedly introduced a nonbinary doctor played by Jesse James Keitel, an actor who believes he is female.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Align, Star trek, Woke, Lgbt, Transgender, Sci fi, Hollywood, Entertainment 

Images and video have surfaced online showing piles of trash and snow accumulating along streets and sidewalks across New York City. Since the surfacing of these videos and images, Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) has been under harsh scrutiny from critics and citizens of NYC.

Actor and comedian Michael Rapaport called the city a “dirty snow covered dump” with garbage mountains rivaling the snowdrifts.

‘Harshest winter stretch New York has ever seen.’

Other celebrities have piled on, amplifying the outrage.

YouTube star Casey Neistat released a video titled “New York City SCUM,” exposing the post-snowstorm layers of filth and garbage coating streets.

RELATED: Zohran Mamdani becomes first openly socialist mayor of New York City

Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Video and photos circulating online show trash bags stacked eight feet high in places like the Upper East Side, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, often fused with dirty ice and slush from the storm.

Residents describe the scenes as a “f**king mess,” with overflowing bins attracting rats and narrowing sidewalks to dangerous widths.

The Department of Sanitation admitted trash collection is running about 24 hours behind, with some areas delayed even longer as workers juggle snow removal on 12-hour shifts.

Mamdani held a press conference on Sunday, during which he addressed New Yorkers about the lingering snow and sanitation issues following the massive winter storm that struck the city in late January.

Mamdani defended the crews during the press conference, “They are working with everything that they have to come up to speed.”

RELATED: Zohran Mamdani’s Soviet dream for New York City

Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

The mayor acknowledged that sanitation crews are prioritizing regular trash and compost collection over recyclables amid the ongoing winter conditions and delays: “We are speaking about already one of the coldest periods in New York City history and what could end up being the coldest period in New York City history.”

But for New Yorkers, the excuses are falling flat. Residents point out that other cities handle heavy snow without turning their cities into open dumps.

Mamdani and DSNY have not announced further immediate actions beyond urging patience.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Zoran mamadani, Nyc, New york city, Filth, Trash, Leadership, Citizens, Politics 

Police raided a house in northeast Las Vegas on Saturday managed by Ori Solomon, an Israeli national currently in the U.S. on an E-2 visa, and owned by Jia Bei Zhu, the criminally charged Chinese national linked to a secret biolab discovered in Reedley, California, in late 2022.

Inside Zhu’s Vegas property on Sugar Springs Drive, law enforcement agents found a “possible biological laboratory” complete with a “bio-safety hood, a bio-safety sticker, a centrifuge, multiple refrigerators, red-brown unknown liquids in gallon-sized containers, and refrigerated vials with unknown liquids,” according to Christopher Delzotto, FBI special agent in charge at the bureau’s Las Vegas office.

‘Not like a clean hospital but more of a foul, stale, stagnant air smell.’

The site of the illegal biolab in Vegas was allegedly also used as an Airbnb, where several people became deathly ill, according to documents obtained by KLAS-TV.

Blaze News has reached out to Airbnb for comment.

The documents reportedly indicate that the FBI received a tip last month about lab equipment and medical waste at Zhu’s Vegas property, which police previously indicated was home to three renters at the time of the raid. All of the renters were safely removed and are not presently entangled in the lab investigation.

Solomon was arrested over the weekend on a charge of disposing and discharging hazardous waste. The Israeli national — whom Zhu contacted 467 times last month while in federal custody — was subsequently slapped with a federal weapons charge for allegedly possessing multiple firearms, which he is precluded from doing as a foreigner with a non-immigrant visa.

Solomon, who has been accused of being a primary “agent and conspirator” with Zhu, has allegedly been managing 37 Airbnb properties.

RELATED: Another secret Chinese biolab found on US soil?

Las Vegas Metro Police Department

A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrest report reviewed by the Las Vegas Review-Journal indicated that a house cleaner claiming to work for Solomon and Zhu as well as for Zhu’s business partner and apparent lover, Zhaoyan Wang, contacted officials last month about a possible biolab at the home, which is a short-term rental.

The cleaner reportedly told police that there were three refrigerators in the garage along with beakers containing “reddish liquid.” She reportedly also complained that the garage smelled like a hospital, but “not like a clean hospital but more of a foul, stale, stagnant air smell.”

According to the police report, the cleaner and another individual became “deathly ill” after entering the garage — so sick with breathing issues, fatigue, and other symptoms that they “could not get out of bed” days later.

The report noted further that the tipster, referred to as “Kelly,” said that “a lot of people who have lived inside the house have gotten sick” and that “one female ended up in the hospital with severe respiratory issues.”

These reported health issues are especially troubling given the possibility that Zhu’s Vegas property may have had similar contents to the lab in Reedley.

According to a report published by the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Zhu’s property in Reedley, California, was not only home to thousands of mutated mice but at least 20 potentially infectious agents including HIV, tuberculosis, COVID-19, and the deadliest known form of malaria. There was also a freezer labeled “ebola” found on-site.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

​Reedley, Biolab, Lab, Laboratory, Biological weapons, Disease, Pathogen, Las vegas, Ori solomon, Ori salomon, Jiabei zhu, Jia bei zhu, Zhu, China, Politics 

What once was simply a showdown between football teams has been turned into a clown show with a political agenda — and BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock is tired of it.

“Roger Goodell and these idiots at the NFL have added to the Super Bowl. They’ve added something called the ‘chief kindness officer,’ and they’ve got some theme of ‘be kind to your rivals’ or whatever,” Whitlock says.

The newly appointed chief kindness officer is Dhar Mann, who has created “educational” films that are supposed to illustrate some kind of lesson to the world. One video Whitlock plays is titled “Racist Karen tries getting barista fired.”

“The actual video is a racial farce. I watched the video … so fantasy driven and so over the top. It’s an alternate false reality that Dhar Mann has created to portray white women as racist. And it’s completely removed from reality,” Whitlock says.

“And I’m looking at the NFL and Roger Goodell and like this is what y’all consider kindness … putting out a video that smears white women as the most racist people on the planet. This is kindness. This is an alternate reality,” he continues.

“This is bigotry that the NFL is promoting or has been commanded to promote,” he adds.

And as the Super Bowl date nears, Whitlock has decided he will not be watching.

“They don’t have enough money printed on the entire planet to get me to watch this year’s Super Bowl. I’ve just had it. Everything associated with this Super Bowl is gay and embarrassing. This is going to be the gayest, dumbest event in the history of sports,” he explains.

“It’s in San Francisco, the gay area, for one. Bad Bunny, the Super Bowl halftime performance. There are reports that he’s planning to wear a dress to promote transgenderism and cross-dressing and all of that. Bad Bunny, who speaks no English or sings no songs in English. Bad Bunny, who is an anti-ICE, pro-illegal immigration activist,” he continues.

“That’s the Super Bowl halftime performance. They’re trolling us,” he adds.

Want more from Jason Whitlock?

To enjoy more fearless conversations at the crossroads of culture, faith, sports, and comedy with Jason Whitlock, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

​Upload, Sharing, Video phone, Free, Video, Camera phone, Youtube.com, Fearless with jason whitlock, Fearless, Jason whitlock, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Chief kindness officer, Superbowl 60, Superbowl, Bad bunny, Bad bunny super bowl 

Car ownership used to come with an unspoken assumption: You bought the vehicle, and it was yours to maintain, repair, and service in any way you saw fit. That assumption is quietly eroding. And one of the clearest signs doesn’t involve software updates or subscription features.

It involves a screw.

Tasks once considered routine — such as clearing fault codes or accessing safety systems — now often require dealer-level credentials or paid subscriptions.

BMW has filed a patent for a proprietary fastener shaped like its iconic roundel logo. It is not a Torx, not a hex, and not a Phillips head. The circular screw is divided into four quadrants mirroring the BMW emblem. Two quadrants are recessed to accept a matching tool, while the others remain flush, making it impossible for standard tools to grip. The BMW logo is embossed around the outer edge, ensuring the branding remains visible even after installation.

From a design perspective, it’s distinctive. From a functional perspective, it is proprietary by design.

Tightening the screw

According to BMW’s patent filing with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, conventional fasteners are considered too accessible. Common tools, the company argues, allow “unauthorized persons” to loosen or tighten screws in sensitive areas of the vehicle. The purpose of the logo-shaped fastener is explicit: restrict access by requiring a specialized tool.

What has drawn the most concern is not just the screw itself but where BMW suggests it could be used. The patent lists applications beyond cosmetic trim, including seat mountings, cockpit assemblies, center consoles, and interior-to-body connections. These are components that already demand precise torque and careful installation. Adding proprietary fasteners to those areas raises obvious questions about who will be able to perform even routine work.

BMW also notes that some of these screws could be installed in visible parts of the cabin — meaning owners would be regularly reminded that parts of their own vehicle are effectively off-limits without brand-specific tools.

Dealer’s wheel

The patent does not define who qualifies as “authorized” or “unauthorized,” but the repair industry has little doubt who would be excluded. Independent mechanics, collision repair shops, and do-it-yourself owners would likely need BMW-specific tooling to perform work that was once straightforward. Removing a seat for interior repairs could become a dealer-only task.

That concern is not hypothetical. Repair advocates and automotive media have long warned that proprietary designs widen the gap between modern vehicles and hands-on ownership. Independent shops may be forced to buy specialized equipment to remain competitive, while some repairs may no longer make economic sense outside dealership networks. For owners, the result is fewer choices, higher costs, and less control.

To be fair, proprietary tools are not new. Independent repair facilities already invest heavily in manufacturer-specific equipment as vehicles grow more complex. Advanced driver-assistance systems, electronic steering, and modern powertrains require specialized knowledge and tools. Even critics acknowledge that BMW’s logo-shaped screw is visually clever and consistent with the brand’s design philosophy.

But the issue isn’t aesthetics. It’s what the design signals.

RELATED: Locked out: How Big Auto could destroy the used-car market

Sepia Times/Getty Images

Bad ‘Gateway’?

BMW’s patent arrives as other automakers publicly emphasize repair-friendly engineering. Mercedes-Benz, for example, has discussed modular designs intended to simplify service. Against that backdrop, BMW’s approach appears to move in the opposite direction — favoring exclusivity and control over accessibility.

It’s also important to note that the fastener exists only as a patent. Automakers file thousands of patents every year, many of which never reach production. Still patents are not filed casually. They reflect internal thinking and future direction.

More importantly, BMW is not alone.

Stellantis, parent company of Jeep, Dodge, and Chrysler, uses a Security Gateway Module that restricts access to diagnostic functions. Independent scan tools are blocked unless registered and authenticated through company systems. Tasks once considered routine — such as clearing fault codes or accessing safety systems — now often require dealer-level credentials or paid subscriptions.

Volkswagen Group, which includes Audi and Porsche, employs Component Protection, preventing certain electronic parts from functioning unless validated through manufacturer software. Independent shops can install the part, but without official authorization, the vehicle may still display errors or limit functionality.

Other automakers — including General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Hyundai — control diagnostic software, telematics data, and vehicle information through subscription-based platforms. Lawmakers have warned that these practices undermine the very idea of ownership by placing essential repair information behind paywalls or limiting it to authorized networks.

Data grab

The common thread is not branding or engineering sophistication. It is control.

Modern vehicles generate enormous amounts of data, and automakers increasingly decide who can access it, who can use it, and under what conditions. Software locks, digital part pairing, cloud-based diagnostics, and proprietary hardware all steer repairs back toward manufacturer-approved channels.

This matters because repair access affects safety, affordability, and consumer choice. When independent shops cannot compete, prices rise. When owners cannot choose where — or whether — to service their vehicles, ownership starts to resemble a long-term lease with conditions attached.

BMW’s logo-shaped screw may never leave the patent office. But it has already made the debate tangible. It turns an abstract argument about software and data into a physical object drivers can understand.

After all, it doesn’t get much more basic than a screw.

Cars are no longer just machines. They are platforms, data centers, and branded ecosystems. The question for consumers is how much control they are willing to give up in exchange for innovation and design.

​Right to repair, Lifestyle, Screw, Bmw, Stellantis, Ford, Auto industry, Align cars