I just finished “BLT week.” This was a week in which I ate one bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich every day. By doing so, I managed to consume one 16-ounce packet of bacon, most of two slicing tomatoes, and a ball of iceberg lettuce in eight days.

This is the price you pay when you’re single and live by yourself. When the extra fancy bacon goes on sale at your local supermarket, you can’t resist buying it. And then you hurriedly pick up a tomato and lettuce.

People have urged me to invest in a quality freezer. But I don’t want to live a freezer life. I watched my Boomer father give his best years to the freezer ethos.

And then it’s a race to eat all that bacon before it goes bad, or gets relegated to the back of the refrigerator, where it will eventually go really bad.

I know you can use bacon in a lot of different ways, but I’m not that creative. I stick with the BLTs. And maybe a couple of strips with breakfast.

But of course, familiarity breeds contempt. And so after a week of constant bacon, I’ve had enough.

Pork for dorks

Last month, I did a “pork chop week.” It was the same scenario as the bacon: I bought a packet of five pork chops on sale. But then I had to make sure to eat one a day, lest I forget about them and they end up in the back of my fridge, where I would rediscover them months later.

This is a standard practice for me. Since I’m rarely cooking for someone else, and I can’t resist a deal, I end up buying family-sized portions of different food products — which I then feel obligated to eat continuously until they’re gone.

I suppose I could buy a “grab-and-go,” single-person meal from the deli section of my supermarket. These meals are designed for chronically stressed-out single people, who have given up on life.

Typically, they consist of one sad pork chop, a pathetic glop of mashed potatoes, and three scrawny green beans, all encased in microwaveable plastic, for the outrageous price of $20.

No thank you on that. Instead I buy the pork chop family pack. Five pork chops for $5.

Those five pork chops are intended to be one meal for a family of five.

But for me, it’s a week’s worth of pork chops. At the end of which, I’d rather not see another pork chop for a while.

A friend in need

I have a friend who is also single. She lives alone in another state. She gets caught in the same trap, buying too much food, much of which is perishable.

But unlike me, she doesn’t force herself to eat it all. She throws the extra in the fridge and forgets about it.

This is where I come in. I go visit her and spend a week eating all the leftovers in her fridge. The fish sticks she didn’t eat. The remainder of a takeout pad thai order. Half of a tuna casserole she forgot about. Or part of a stale Sarah Lee cheesecake.

Recently, I found slices of cold pizza that had spent weeks in the back of her fridge. Fortunately, using my advanced single-guy microwave skills, I was able to bring these deceased pizza slices back to life and make a nice meal out of them.

Singles going steady

Some people refer to these food portion problems as a “singles tax.” It’s that extra bit you have to pay because you have not coupled up or don’t have a family.

You especially get gouged by the singles tax when you travel. I travel a lot, and the amount I spend on hotels … yikes! Or paying for gas on long driving trips when I’m the only person in the car. Such trips feel very wasteful.

But this is becoming the norm: Solo travelers, solo diners, solo apartment dwellers — more than ever, people are living by themselves.

According to Pew Research, “About 38% of adults aged 25 to 54 in the U.S. are unpartnered, which includes those living alone, a significant increase from 29% in 1990.”

Alone again, naturally

So where did this trend away from couples and toward singletons begin? For myself, it began in my 20s. I knew that I wanted to be a writer, which is, of course, a precarious profession.

In my case, that seemed to preclude a wife and kids. How would I support them over the inevitable lean years? I wouldn’t want to force my “starving artist” lifestyle on a family.

But nowadays, you don’t have to justify being single by your choice of jobs. People just prefer it.

Men and women no longer have a “yin and yang” relationship. They are no longer considered two different types of humans who complement each other and need each other’s different abilities.

No, men and women are increasingly the same. They both have jobs. They both own homes. They both have cars and gym memberships and credit cards and food preferences.

As they have become more isolated and less dependent on one another, men and women increasingly live alone, shop alone, dine alone.

Everyone can take care of themselves. Nobody needs anybody. It sounds good in terms of personal freedom. But you can’t help wonder about the long-term societal effects.

And really, how happy can you be when you’re forced to eat yet another BLT, after you just ate six of them?

RELATED: All downhill from here: An aging hot dog hangs up his skis

Pierre Lahalle/Getty Images

Cold, cold heart

And yes, people have urged me to invest in a quality freezer. But I don’t want to live a freezer life. I watched my Boomer father give his best years to the freezer ethos: putting stuff in there and then digging it out, five years later, covered in ice and snow, and not remembering what it is or why he bought it.

No, I want to live now. I want to eat now. I want to go to the supermarket and feel the thrill of finding a jumbo pack of gourmet chicken apple sausage at half price!

If that means I’ll be eating chicken apple sausage every day for the rest of the calendar year, that is a sacrifice I am willing to make.

Hope, always hope

In the meantime, I remain hopeful that change is possible. That men and women will come together, embrace their differences, and learn to live with each other again. (And increase the birthrate?)

Only then will we create the kind of families who can easily consume five pork chops in one sitting.

In the meantime, if you need any chicken apple sausage, I’ve got extra.

​Lifestyle, Single life, Cooking, Men’s health, Pork chops, Blts, Blake’s progress 

Catholic churches across the United States are seeing increases in attendance, especially for Easter.

This comes just a few short months after Pope Leo XIV was interpreted as making a push for more inclusivity within the religion.

‘[There is] a thirst and hunger for God and stability that faith brings to people’s lives.’

An Italian academic who follows the Vatican said earlier this year that the new pope is likely to continue his predecessor’s “trajectories.”

Pope Francis famously said in 2013, “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?”

To that end, Pope Leo’s comments at the beginning of 2026 were determined by some to signal an increasing tolerance toward those who are typically considered at odds with the Catholic tradition.

“Only love is trustworthy; only love is credible,” the pope said in January. “While unity attracts, division scatters.”

However, the truth was somewhere in the details. Massimo Faggioli, the academic from Trinity College Dublin, told Reuters that the pope was “working to convince the cardinals that they need to work collectively together to do what the Catholic people want them to do.”

As the year has progressed, followers have learned that while the pope told his biographer the church’s beliefs about “gay and trans people” has not changed, he added, “but the Church invites everyone.”

RELATED: Massachusetts stands firm on denying Catholic couple foster parent license — even after state scraps woke policy

Grzegorz Galazka/Archivio Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images

Truly progressive messaging was not clearly found in the pope’s Lent messaging soon thereafter. He asked parishes to listen to “the word of God, as well as to the cry of the poor and of the earth.”

He said Catholics must strive to make their communities places where “the cry of those who suffer finds welcome, and listening opens paths towards liberation, making us ready and eager to contribute to building a civilization of love.”

No matter how one interprets the pope’s call to religious arms in 2026, it has seemingly worked, with a recent survey of Catholic parishes showcasing a rather large uptick in attendance.

The New York Times reported at length about the surge in followers, starting with the Archdiocese of Detroit, which will see 1,428 new Catholics for Easter, its highest in 21 years.

Galveston-Houston will see a 15-year peak, while Des Moines has an increase of 51% this year, 265 to 400.

Washington Cardinal Robert McElroy said his congregation is up by nearly 200 — already at its highest in 15 years — while Philadelphia’s following has nearly doubled since 2017. Newark has gone from 1,000 Easter-goers in 2010 to 1,700 in 2026.

RELATED: Hollywood gossip king returns to Christ: Perez Hilton’s shocking conversion

Grzegorz Galazka/Archivio Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images

McElroy told the Times he thinks the Holy Spirit is behind the surge, while Archbishop Mitchell Thomas Rozanski of St. Louis says the increase could be due to a rise in uncertainty and anxiety.

There is “a thirst and hunger for God and stability that faith brings to people’s lives,” he said. The archbishop then blamed technology and COVID-19 for magnifying isolation.

The report also claimed that those between 18 and 35 years old were the noted age range that has seen the most growth among several dioceses.

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​Align, Religion, The pope, Pope leo, Pope francis, United states, Catholics, Catholic church, Vatican, Easter, Faith 

A brother and sister pair in Florida are both facing decades in federal prison after a bomb was discovered at an Air Force base days after they had fled the country.

Alen Zheng, 20, and Ann Mary Zheng, 27, who lived together in Land O’ Lakes, Florida, are both under federal indictment in connection with the bomb.

Officials described the device as ‘viable’ and ‘potentially very deadly.’

On March 10, a person called 911 to report that an IED had been placed at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, CENTCOM for the U.S. military. Investigators searched the base but did not find any suspicious device at that time.

However, on March 16, an IED was discovered at the base visitor center. At a press conference on Thursday, officials described the device as “viable” and “potentially very deadly.”

The 911 call about the bomb was eventually traced back to Alen Zheng, who, along with Ann Mary, had purchased plane tickets to China on March 11 and then flew there the following day, according to Gregory Kehoe, the U.S. attorney for the Central District of Florida.

Before they left, the siblings allegedly sold a black Mercedes SUV that investigators determined was at MacDill at the time the bomb was placed. IED “residue” was later discovered in the vehicle, Kehoe alleged.

For reasons unknown, Ann Mary Zheng returned to the U.S. on March 17. She and their mother spoke with investigators and “conceded” that they knew about the IED planted at MacDill and Alen’s involvement in it, Kehoe claimed.

RELATED: Another Chinese researcher busted for allegedly smuggling crop-harming biomaterial into America

Alen Zheng, who is believed to still be in China, has been charged with attempted damage of government property by fire or explosion, unlawful making of a destructive device, and possession of an unregistered destructive device. If convicted, he could spend up to 40 years behind bars.

Ann Mary Zheng — who has been accused of “corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating, and concealing a 2010 black Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 with the intent to impair its integrity and availability for use in the federal prosecution of Alen Zheng” — has been charged with evidence tampering and assisting after the fact. She faces up to 30 years if convicted.

A spokesperson from the office of the U.S. attorney for the Central District of Florida confirmed to Blaze News that the siblings are naturalized U.S. citizens and that their mother, whose name was not provided, is in federal custody regarding immigration.

“The mom’s in custody because she is an overstay, and … she’s in custody for deportation,” Kehoe said at the press conference. She has not been charged with any crime, but Kehoe indicated that the investigation is ongoing and that the possibility of future charges against her could not be precluded.

Of note, MacDill Air Force Base received a call on March 18 from someone who mentioned a bomb placed there. “How did you like the surprise at the MacDill Visitor Center?” the caller said, according to a DOJ press release. “Tick tick boom, it’s gonna be between your eyes.”

The suspected caller, 35-year-old Jonathan Elder, was arrested Monday.

The spokesperson from the U.S. attorney’s office told Blaze News that there is no known link between Elder and the Zhengs at this time.

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​Alen zheng, Ann mary zheng, Bomb, Centcom, Florida, Ied, Macdill air force base, Politic 

Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida just got one step closer to being expelled from the House of Representatives.

The House Ethics investigative subcommittee effectively found Cherfilus-McCormick guilty of nearly every campaign finance violation levied against her earlier this year. The bipartisan panel voted to start the process that could lead to Cherfilus-McCormick’s expulsion after she was accused of laundering millions of dollars worth of Federal Emergency Management Agency funds related to a COVID-era contract into her campaign account.

‘That raises serious concerns about due process.’

“After careful deliberation that lasted until well past midnight, the adjudicatory subcommittee found that Counts 1-15 and 17-26 of the [Statement of Alleged Violations] have been proven,” the committee said in a statement.

“Shortly after the House returns from April recess, the full Committee will hold a hearing to determine what, if any, sanction would be appropriate for the Committee to recommend.”

RELATED: Senate approves DHS funding — but there’s a catch

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

This verdict came after the committee’s six-hour hearing Thursday, which was the first public ethics hearing since 2010.

Cherfilus-McCormick is facing several accusations in addition to a federal criminal indictment ranging from filing false financial disclosures, seeking “special favors” with earmark funding requests, and improperly using funds to finance her campaign.

Ahead of the hearing, Cherfilus-McCormick criticized the committee, saying her legal team was denied “reasonable time to prepare” for the trial.

“That raises serious concerns about due process and the fundamental rights every American is entitled to under our Constitution,” Cherfilus-McCormick said in a statement. “While I am limited in what I can address due to an ongoing federal matter, I have cooperated fully within those constraints.”

RELATED: Democrats’ latest victory in deep-red Mar-a-Lago district offers bleak midterm forecast

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

“I urge the Committee to follow its own precedents and uphold fairness and not allow this process to be driven by politics or numbers,” Cherfilus-McCormick added. “I welcome the opportunity to set the record straight and challenge these inaccuracies, when I am legally able to do so. Make no mistake: I am innocent and I am a fighter. My district is made up of fighters. I will continue to fight for the people I was elected to serve.”

In order for Cherfilus-McCormick to be expelled, two-thirds of representatives would have to vote in favor of expulsion, requiring some Democrats to agree to vote with Republicans.

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​House ethics committee, Congress, House democrats, Sheila cherfilus-mccormick, Fraud, Covid relief, Covid, Fema, Politics 

Police in Dayton, Ohio, have released body camera video showing an officer stopping a male on a bicycle for a traffic violation — but it turns out he had a gun, ran from police, and was fatally shot amid a struggle for the weapon.

The male was identified as Reginald Thomas, 44, WHIO-TV reported, citing the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office and Dayton Police Department.

‘He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun!’

The incident occurred just before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday in the area of N. St. Clair and E. Third Streets, the station said.

Police Chief Kamran Afzal on Wednesday said an officer was on routine patrol and saw Thomas, who was riding a bicycle, commit a traffic violation and stopped him, WHIO noted.

Thomas kept trying to show the officer his ID even though he wasn’t asked to show it, police told the station.

The officer then asked Thomas if he had a weapon, WHIO noted, adding that Thomas in the bodycam video can be heard denying he had a weapon.

RELATED: Man in mental health crisis grabs cop’s gun, pulls trigger as he’s being restrained; another officer opens fire: Officials

Image source: Dayton (Ohio) Police bodycam screenshot

The bodycam video then shows Thomas jumping off his bike and running from the officer.

Image source: Dayton (Ohio) Police bodycam screenshot

The officer soon catches up to Thomas and takes him to the ground, the video shows.

The bodycam video shows that Thomas appears to have a gun in his hand, WHIO reported.

Image source: Dayton (Ohio) Police bodycam screenshot

Indeed, the officer begins yelling, “He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun!”

After a struggle, the officer points his gun at Thomas and orders him to drop his weapon, the station said, adding that Thomas complies, and the officer re-holsters his gun.

However, when the officer attempted to handcuff Thomas, he fought the officer — and in the new struggle, the officer and Thomas began moving toward the gun that Thomas had just dropped, WHIO said.

The station added that the bodycam video appeared to show Thomas again reaching for and gripping the weapon, the station said.

RELATED: ‘Despicable’ homicide suspect caught on body cam pointing gun at Florida deputy — and pulling trigger, cops say

Image source: Dayton (Ohio) Police bodycam screenshot

With that, a second officer who arrived for backup fired one shot, which struck Thomas, WHIO reported.

Officers rendered aid to Thomas before he was taken to Miami Valley Hospital where he later died, the station said.

You can view bodycam video of the incident just below:

RELATED: ‘You got f**kin’ nothin’: Ketchup-covered, blindfolded frat pledges seen in viral police bodycam video — but no one’s talking

The officer who initiated the traffic stop and the officer who fired the shot both have three years of service with accommodations and no discipline, WHIO reported.

Police provided post-incident images showing the recovered gun and loaded magazine as well as a mugshot of Thomas indicating his previous convictions for resisting arrest, assault, and aggravated menacing.

RELATED: Stolen car goes airborne ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ style amid police chase — but occupants sure ain’t no Bo or Luke

Image source: Dayton (Ohio) Police

Image source: Dayton (Ohio) Police

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office will conduct a criminal investigation and present the facts to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office, the station said, adding that the Dayton Police Department’s Professional Standards Bureau will conduct an internal administrative investigation.

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​Dayton, Ohio, Police, Bodycam video, Traffic violation, Fatal shooting, Armed suspect, Gun, Footchase, Police involved shooting, Struggle for gun, Crime 

As someone who works in media, BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales has seen it all — or so she thought.

A couple of days ago, Sara stumbled across a story that genuinely baffled her: “Quadruple amputee cornhole champion facing murder charges in fatal shooting.”

To make matters even more confusing, the suspect — Dayton James Webber, 27, of La Plata, Maryland — was driving a car when he allegedly shot the victim in the head twice.

“This is the most curious thing I’ve ever heard,” says Sara.

“Obviously, I did a deep dive on this story.”

On this episode of “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered,” Sara shares the details of a story unlike any she’s covered before.

While information regarding how Webber was able to drive a car or allegedly fire a weapon have not been officially disclosed by police, video footage appears to shed some light on how he was able to accomplish certain tasks.

Sara first plays a clip of Webber competing in a cornhole match. The video captures his unorthodox technique, in which he caterpillar-crawls his way to the pitcher’s box, grips the corner of the bag between his residual limbs, and uses a powerful whipping motion of his upper body and arms to release the bag with impressive accuracy.

Sara also shows video footage that appears to show Webber loading and firing a 9mm handgun using his residual limbs as well as footage of him appearing to handle a long rifle.

“Like, I know he has the right to bear arms, but that usually implies he has some arms of his own,” Sara quips.

“This is the weirdest story.”

To hear Sara go into more details of the case, watch the video above.

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​Sara gonzales, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Blazetv, Blaze media, Quadruple amputee, Dayton james webber, Cornhole 

Night driving used to be routine. Now for many drivers, it’s something they actively dread.

The reason is simple: Modern headlights are getting brighter — and for everyone outside the vehicle using them, that often means blinding glare. Drivers are dealing with harsh, white LED and laser lights that can overwhelm their vision in seconds. It’s not just uncomfortable. It’s a real safety issue.

Instead of flipping down a solid visor that blocks part of the windshield, the system uses a clear panel that darkens electronically.

Now Michigan-based auto tech company Gentex says it may have a solution.

Bright lights, big pity

Automakers have spent years pushing more powerful lighting systems in the name of safety. On paper, brighter headlights improve visibility for the driver behind the wheel.

But on real roads, the effect is more complicated.

For oncoming traffic, those same lights can reduce visibility, not improve it. Drivers report being dazzled, losing contrast, and struggling to see lane markings, pedestrians, or obstacles for several seconds after exposure.

That’s not a minor inconvenience. At highway speeds, even a brief loss of clear vision can have serious consequences.

And the data backs up what drivers already know.

A 2024 European survey found that 71% of drivers say headlight glare is intolerable or extremely annoying. More than half say they sometimes squint or briefly close their eyes to cope. A majority report difficulty seeing the road during those moments.

In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says glare is now the number one lighting-related complaint from drivers.

Nightly trade-off

This is a classic example of a well-intentioned change creating a new problem.

Headlights have become more powerful due to advances in LED and laser technology, along with evolving safety standards. But there has been less focus on how those lights affect everyone else on the road.

The result is a trade-off drivers feel every night: One driver sees better; everyone else sees worse.

That imbalance is now drawing regulatory attention. European regulators are studying whether lighting rules need to change, and in the U.S., complaints continue to rise.

But regulatory fixes take time — and in the meantime, drivers still have to deal with the problem.

RELATED: Why are modern car headlights so blindingly bright?

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Dim some

That’s where companies like Gentex come in.

The proposed solution is a transparent, dimmable sun visor designed to reduce glare from oncoming headlights. Instead of flipping down a solid visor that blocks part of the windshield, the system uses a clear panel that darkens electronically. You can still see through it, but the harsh light is softened.

The technology builds on something many drivers already trust: auto-dimming rearview mirrors. Sensors detect bright light, and the glass adjusts instantly to reduce glare.

Bringing that same concept to the front of the vehicle is a logical next step — and in practice, it works.

In testing and demonstration, the effect is noticeable. The glare is reduced without blocking the road ahead, which is the key difference from a traditional visor. It doesn’t feel like a work-around so much as a natural extension of a feature drivers already rely on.

Eye spy

For drivers who regularly deal with bright, poorly aimed headlights, this kind of technology could make a meaningful difference.

It reduces eyestrain. It makes night driving less fatiguing. And importantly, it does so without requiring drivers to change how they drive or where they refuel — something that has been a sticking point with other new automotive technologies.

That’s part of what makes this approach compelling.

Rather than waiting for a full redesign of headlight standards — or expecting perfect compliance across millions of vehicles — this is a solution that works within the reality drivers already face.

In many ways, this is how the auto industry has always evolved.

A problem emerges. Regulations lag behind. And suppliers step in with technology that improves the driving experience in the meantime.

Made in the shade

Gentex has done this before with auto-dimming mirrors. This visor builds on that same idea — using relatively simple, proven technology to solve a very real problem.

And because it doesn’t require a complete redesign of the vehicle, it’s easier for automakers to adopt.

Like most new features, the dimmable visor will likely appear first in higher-end vehicles when it launches around 2027. Over time, as costs come down, it could move into more mainstream models.

That matters because the underlying issue isn’t going away. Headlights will likely continue getting brighter as automakers pursue better forward visibility and new lighting technologies. Which means glare will remain part of the driving experience.

Practical work-around

Gentex’s dimmable visor doesn’t solve the root issue of headlight glare — but it doesn’t need to. What it does is something more immediate: It gives drivers a way to manage a problem they already deal with every night.

And based on early impressions, it does that in a way that feels intuitive, effective, and easy to live with. In today’s automotive landscape, that kind of practical innovation can go a long way.

Because for many drivers, the challenge isn’t seeing the road. It’s seeing clearly when the road lights up in front of them.

For more on this, check out my interview with Gentex’s Craig Piersma.

​Lifestyle, Auto industry, Automakers, Gentex, Headlights, Tech, Dimmable visor, Align cars