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The Girlguiding organization of the U.K. announced reluctantly that it would no longer allow transgender-identifying boys from joining the organization, and many on the left are imploding.

The association is a part of the global Scout Movement that includes the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts in the U.S.

‘This is yet another horrible act of violence against the most vulnerable trans people for which the government is ultimately responsible.’

In its statement posted on Tuesday, the group said that the decision was made after a Supreme Court decision related to sex and gender.

“From today, 2 December, it is with a heavy heart that we are announcing trans girls and young women will no longer be able to join Girlguiding,” the group said. “This is a decision we would have preferred not to make, and we know that this may be upsetting for members of our community.”

The organization serves about 300,000 girls in groups named Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, and Rangers.

“Girlguiding believes strongly in inclusion, and we will continue to support young people and adults in marginalized groups,” they added. “Over the next few months, we will explore opportunities to champion this value and actively support young people who need us.”

Many on the left were outraged over the announcement.

“This is f**king horrific. The statement makes it clear that they don’t actually want to do this, but feel they have no choice given the current climate and the fact a legal challenge would take more resources than they have. Transphobia: harming children since forever,” said one account on the X platform.

“Enjoy living on the side of the far right, Nazis, and the worst misogynists in society … I’m sure history will look kindly on that,” he added in a second post.

“This just made me burst into tears. It’s pure cruelty,” replied another user, who identified as queer.

Tammy Hymas, the policy lead for the TransActual group, decried the decision.

“It’s awful that an organization, which would happily be inclusive and has been for many years, is being forced to exclude young trans girls by adults with bigotries and institutional power,” Hymas said. “There is no problem being solved here, only harm being done.”

RELATED: Girl Guides says it will stop calling members ‘brownies’ because ‘racialized’ girls are ‘harmed’

Hymas went on to call it an act of violence.

“This is yet another horrible act of violence against the most vulnerable trans people for which the government is ultimately responsible,” she added. “Another trauma that will leave a generation of young LGBTQ+ people scarred for life.”

“F**k @Girlguiding. I’m absolutely f**king fuming and absolute ashamed to be part of an organization which can make such exclusive and divisive decisions,” another user replied on social media.

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​Trans-identifying boys, Girlguiding organization, Transphobia meltdown, Liberals meltdown on x, Politics 

A northwest Washington state sheriff’s deputy spotted a black sports car taking over the intersection of 112th Street South and Pacific Avenue South doing donuts around 12:30 a.m. Saturday, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said. The intersection appears to be in Parkland, which is about 20 minutes south of Tacoma.

However, as the deputy approached the intersection, the vehicle took off, officials said.

Deputies knocked on the door of a residence, and a male answered and claimed his friend had dropped off the Corvette earlier and did not know anything about it, officials said.

The deputy attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle failed to stop, and the deputy was unable to catch up to it, officials said.

The deputy used his radio to share the vehicle’s direction of travel, and a sergeant picked up the pursuit — but lost sight of the car, officials said.

However, the sergeant later learned a black Corvette was listed as stolen and numerous other jurisdictions had similar encounters with the vehicle but were unable to catch it, officials said.

RELATED: Blaze News original: A dozen times vehicular street takeovers and ‘sideshows’ resulted in violence, injuries — even death

About an hour later, another deputy spotted a black Corvette in the area where police lost sight of it, officials said, adding that the Corvette matched the description of the vehicle that eluded deputies earlier.

Deputies soon learned the Corvette was stolen — and was the same vehicle they had been chasing, officials said.

Deputies knocked on the door of a residence, and a male answered and claimed his friend had dropped off the Corvette earlier and did not know anything about it, officials said.

But a bit more investigation revealed that the male being questioned had a social media account containing videos of him driving the stolen Corvette and doing donuts and other reckless driving crimes, officials said.

RELATED: Sheriff gives punks bad news about 88 cars towed and impounded after major street-takeover bust: ‘No need to keep calling’

Image source: Pierce County (Wa.) Sheriff’s Office bodycam video screenshot

Deputies arrested the 21-year-old suspect for eluding, possession of a stolen vehicle, and obstruction of a law enforcement officer, officials said, adding that the male also had warrants in another jurisdiction for reckless driving and unlawful exhibition of speed.

“It’s probably not a good idea to record yourself in a stolen vehicle doing donuts — and then post it to your social media,” Dep. Carly Cappetto wisely warned on the sheriff’s office clip.

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​Arrest, Crime solved, Donuts, Eluding, Obstruction of a law enforcement officer, Possession of a stolen vehicle, Reckless driving, Social media post, Stolen car, Street takeover, Unlawful exhibition of speed, Warrants, Washington state, Watch, Crime, Pierce county sheriff’s department 

The left is attempting to paint Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as a war criminal — and it’s backfiring miserably.

Hegseth is being accused of ordering a second strike on 11 Tren de Aragua terrorists who were running a drug-trafficking boat, while the left is attempting to spin it into an evil, unthinkable act.

“Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all,” a Washington Post headline reads. The subhead follows, “As two men clung to a stricken, burning ship targeted by SEAL Team 6, the Joint Special Operations commander followed the defense secretary’s order to leave no survivors.”

“Am I supposed to feel bad for the drug runners? Am I supposed to feel bad for the narco-terrorists? I don’t feel bad for the narco-terrorists. Who I feel bad for are all of the families in this country who had to bury their loved ones due to the importation of these drugs from these narco-terrorists,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales comments.

“So, I don’t know, Washington Post, I don’t really feel bad for these two men clinging to a stricken burning ship targeted by SEAL Team 6,” she continues.

Now, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) is claiming that what Hegseth allegedly did crossed a line that he should “never step over.”

“If what has been reported is accurate, I’ve got serious concerns about anybody in that chain of command stepping over a line that they should never step over,” Kelly said in a segment on CNN.

“This was the same guy who was just, like, last week telling the military to basically commit treason, telling the military to be insubordinate when it comes to the commander in chief and when it comes to orders that they are being given. So, it’s really, really rich,” Gonzales says.

But Kelly isn’t the only one who went after Hegseth, with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) telling ABC, “It’s very possible there was a war crime committed.”

“Of course, for it to be a war crime, you have to accept the Trump administration’s whole construct here, which is, we’re in armed conflict at war with this particular, with the drug gangs. Of course, they’ve never presented the public with the information they’ve got here. But it could be worse than that,” Van Hollen said.

“If that theory is wrong, then it’s plain murder. But even if you accept their legal theory, that it is a war crime. And so, I do believe that the secretary of defense should be held accountable for giving those kinds of orders,” he added.

“You’re going to be shocked to hear,” Gonzales comments, “that it turns out, all of this was total bulls**t because Pete Hegseth, according to the White House, was not even in charge when the second strike was ordered.”

“Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. Admiral Bradley worked well within his authority and the law, directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated,” she adds.

Want more from Sara Gonzales?

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​Camera phone, Free, Upload, Video phone, Video, Sharing, Youtube.com, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Sara gonzales, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Washington post, Pete hegseth, War crime, War criminal, Tren de aragua, September 2, President trump, The white house, Mark kelly, Chris van hollen 

The famous CEO and founder of MyPillow has filed to run for governor in Minnesota in what would be a challenge to current Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.

Mike Lindell told CBS News that he wasn’t “100% sure” that he was running yet and would make a more definite announcement in the next week.

‘We are doing our due diligence, and so far things are looking very good!’

Walz, who unsuccessfully ran for vice president in 2024, has already announced his intention to run for re-election for a third term.

Lindell has been outspoken in his support for President Donald Trump and has used his wealth and fame to promote the president’s policies. He had hinted at a possible run for governor and said he would campaign as a Republican.

“We are doing our due diligence, and so far things are looking very good!” he said earlier this year.

“I will certainly be adding securing our elections to my platform! We polled Minnesota, and ‘secure our elections’ was the #3 concern!” he continued.

Aside from his successful pillow company, Lindell is known for pushing the theory that electronic election machines rigged the 2020 election for then-candidate Joe Biden. He was later sued by Dominion Voting Systems for $1.3 billion in damages from the accusations, as well as by Smartmatic.

Lindell had been defiant when Dominion first made its legal threat.

“I want Dominion to put up their lawsuit because we have 100% evidence that China and other countries used their machines to steal the election,” he said at the time.

Lindell was ordered to pay $2.3 million to a former Dominion executive for damages stemming from accusations of election-fixing from the pillow entrepreneur.

The self-made multimillionaire has admitted to previously being addicted to crack before building his successful business.

He has also admitted to losing much of his wealth through spending to spread his theories about the election and also in court costs to defend himself against legal challenges.

RELATED: Mike Lindell says the FBI confiscated his cell phone at drive-thru of a Hardee’s

“I’m in ruins,” Lindell said in April during a legal hearing via Zoom where he was ordered to pay more than $53K to Smartmatic.

“I borrowed everything I can. Nobody will lend me any money anymore,” Lindell added. “I can’t turn back time … but I will tell you, I don’t have any money.”

Walz, meanwhile, has fallen in polling and is supported by the same percentage of voters as those who oppose him. The Democrat has also faced intense criticism for allegedly helping cover up massive fraud by Minnesotans, including many in the Somali community.

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The Democrat-controlled Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to ban the use of masks by federal officials, and the Justice Dept. responded immediately with a fiery statement.

All of the Democrats on the board voted 4-0 in favor of the ordinance on Tuesday, with the lone Republican member abstaining. A second vote on Dec. 9 is needed to pass it. If that happens, law enforcement officers will be required to wear visible identification and agency affiliation.

‘We will not expose our brave men and women to personal attacks by allowing agitators to dox them and their families through facial recognition tools.’

Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, responded immediately to the vote.

“Let me be very clear: the county has no jurisdiction over federal agents, and we will not comply with any state or local laws restricting federal law enforcement,” he posted in a statement on social media.

“Our agents are under unprecedented assault in Los Angeles, largely due to reckless narratives and rhetoric advanced by the media and local politicians,” he added. “We will not expose our brave men and women to personal attacks by allowing agitators to dox them and their families through facial recognition tools.”

In a statement about the vote, Supervisor Janice Hahn accused ICE of behaving like an “authoritarian secret police” force.

“This is how authoritarian secret police behaves — not legitimate law enforcement in a democracy,” Hahn said.

“ICE agents are violating our residents’ rights every day they are on our streets. These agents hide their faces. They refuse to wear badges,” she continued. “They pull people into unmarked vans at gunpoint and wonder why people resist arrest. We are declaring in no uncertain terms that in L.A. County, police do not hide their faces. That is our expectation, and this ordinance will now make it our law.”

RELATED: DHS slams Newsom over illegal alien accused in death of 11-year-old boy on Thanksgiving

If approved in the second vote, the mask ban will go into effect 30 days after that vote.

Hahn added that the board expects the Trump administration to challenge the ban in court, and it is prepared to take on the court battle.

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​Ice mask ban, La county board of supervisors, Illegal immigration, Ice vs california, Politics 

An exchange between Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and an attorney from a Democratic attorney general’s office has gone viral on social media.

The case involves a pro-life pregnancy center objecting to a subpoena from the New Jersey state attorney general’s office to provide a list of its donors. Thomas cornered a representative for the AG’s office in oral arguments about the justification for the legal targeting of the faith-based group.

Even Justice Elena Kagan, a liberal justice on the court, appeared to be sympathetic to the pro-life center’s plight.

Thomas zeroed in on the point that there had been no complaints from donors about the center, while Sundeep Iyer, the chief counsel to the New Jersey attorney general’s office, was defending the investigation into whether donors had been deceived.

“Did you have complaints that formed the basis of your concern about the fundraising activities here?” Thomas asked.

“We certainly had complaints about crisis pregnancy centers,” Iyer responded.

“No, about this crisis pregnancy center,” Thomas interrupted.

“So, I think we’ve been clear from the outset that we haven’t had complaints about this specific —” Iver replied.

“So you had no basis to think that they were deceiving any of their contributors?” Thomas interrupted again.

“I don’t think that’s correct, Your Honor,” Iyer stammered.

“I think we had carefully canvassed all of the public information that is provided on the website of First Choice in making a determination that we wanted to initiate an investigation,” he continued.

“But you had no factual basis,” Thomas asserted.

“I don’t think that’s true, Your Honor. I think, for example, you could take a look at a comparison between the donation page of First Choice that we have carved out, from the very beginning —” Iyer said.

“But you had no complaints?” Thomas asked.

“We had no complaints, but the state governments [and] federal government initiate investigations all the time in the absence of complaints, where they have a reason to suspect that there could be potential issues of legal compliance,” Iyer responded.

“Well, that just seems to be a burdensome way to find out whether someone has a confusing website,” Thomas asserted.

Iyer went on to argue that the existence of complaints would be material to the merits of the case, but not to whether the state officials had standing for the subpoena.

Audio of the exchange was posted to social media, where it went viral.

The Supreme Court is considering whether the state court must enforce the subpoena against First Choice Women’s Resource Centers before the faith-based pregnancy center can challenge it in federal court.

RELATED: Leftist war on pro-life pregnancy centers faces Supreme Court reckoning

The center argues that the subpoena violates its First Amendment right to free speech as well as the right to free association.

Even Justice Elena Kagan, a liberal justice on the court, appeared to be sympathetic to the pro-life center’s plight.

“An ordinary person, one of the funders of this organization or any similar organization, presented with this subpoena and then told, ‘But don’t worry, it has to be stamped by a court,’ is not going to take that as very reassuring,” she said during the case.

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The horseshoe theory may have been on full display after the supreme leader of Iran made a surprisingly feminist statement on social media.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei often ponders philosophical and political topics on his X page, most recently critiquing the role of women in Western society. In a string of posts on Wednesday, Khamenei insisted that Islam treats women better than other Western faiths and societies, and even resurrected a 2010s feminist talking point that has long been debunked.

‘Women’s wages are lower than men’s for the same work.’

“Islam’s view of women is the opposite of the Western capitalist view,” Khamenei said in a post on X. “In Islam, she possesses her independence, her capacity to act & to progress, her identity; in the West, her dignity is not respected, and she is treated as an object in the service of material interests.”

There is certainly room to criticize women’s role in Western societies, especially in the post-modern era. However, Khamenei conveniently omits the practical application of Sharia law in countries like Iran that tolerate child marriages and require women to hide behind hijabs.

RELATED: Trump to ‘permanently pause’ migration from third-world backwaters in wake of National Guard member’s grisly murder

Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images

In an even more surprising take, Iran’s supreme leader insisted that the gender wage gap was an oppressive reality that Western women have to endure, despite it being both disproven and outlawed altogether.

“Today, in many Western countries, women’s wages are lower than men’s for the same work,” Khamenei said in a post on X. “Today, that’s how it is. It’s a blatant injustice.”

RELATED: How Sharia law violates everything the founding fathers built

Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images

While criticizing the West, the ayatollah omitted the real, dramatic gender disparities in Iran’s workforce.

In Iran, less than 14% of women participate in the workforce, compared to 67% of men. Additionally, a husband can prevent a wife from working at all if he believes it to be “with the family interests or the dignity of himself or his wife.”

Iran’s law also forbids women from being employed in “dangerous, arduous, or harmful work,” with massive underrepresentation in higher professions like parliament. Women are barred from positions like supreme leader, and they cannot be appointed to judicial roles.

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​Ayatollah ali khamenei, Iran, Supreme leader, Feminism, Feminist, Wage gap, Women’s rights, Politics, Sharia law 

BlazeTV host Christopher Rufo and his co-author have broken a story on the rampant fraud within Minnesota’s social services system — and now even the New York Times is reporting on what has gone down on the governor’s watch.

“This is fascinating,” BlazeTV host Stu Burguiere says. “Why would they be doing this? … Why would Tim Walz be the target of an actual investigation by the New York Times?”

In the New York Times article, titled, “How Fraud Swamped Minnesota’s Social Services System on Tim Walz’s Watch,” the outlet writes, “Over the last five years, law enforcement officials say, fraud took root in the pockets of Minnesota’s Somali diaspora as scores of individuals made small fortunes by setting up companies that billed state agencies for millions of dollars’ worth of social services that were never provided.”

“These are the types of things that we always tell you are going to happen when they set these programs up. They always do happen, and no one cares,” Burguiere says.

“Federal prosecutors say that 59 people have been convicted in those schemes so far, and that more than $1 billion in taxpayers’ money has been stolen in three plots they are investigating. That is more than Minnesota spends annually to run its Department of Corrections,” the article reports.

Burguiere isn’t surprised in the slightest.

“It’s weird — when you just give away a bunch of free money, a lot of people who want free money show up. That happens all the time. It’s what we say about the border. It’s what we say about all sorts of different communities that are able to access this cash,” he says.

And according to the Minnesota Staff Fraud Reporting Commentary, Walz was aware of the fraud well before he began taking action to stop it.

“Tim Walz is 100% responsible for massive fraud in Minnesota. We let Tim Walz know of fraud early on, hoping for a partnership in stopping fraud but no, we got the opposite response. Tim Walz systematically retaliated against whistleblowers using monitoring, threats, repression, and did his best to discredit fraud reports,” the account wrote in a post on X.

And according to the White House, the Trump administration is now “terminating Temporary Protected Status for Somalis, indefinitely halting migration from third-world countries, re-examining green cards for every alien from every country of concern, pausing all asylum decisions, and more.”

“I’m sure there are many wonderful examples that escaped a civil war and have done great things,” Burguiere comments regarding Somali citizens. “That being said, a lot of these people are not examples of that situation, and we need to do something about that, not ignore it because we feel bad to call people names because we’re worried they might think we’re racists.”

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​Free, Video phone, Camera phone, Sharing, Video, Upload, Youtube.com, Stu does america, Stu burguiere, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Tim walz, Minnesota fraud, Tim walz fraud, The new york times, Chris rufo, Fraud in minnesota, Somalian fraud minnesota, Somalians, Somali, Immigration 

The Department of Homeland Security is blasting California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) after an illegal alien was charged in the death of an 11-year-old boy on Thanksgiving.

Hector Balderas-Aheelor ran over Aiden Antonio Torres De Paz when the boy left his Escondido home to retrieve a soccer ball on Thanksgiving eve, according to police. The boy died the next day, on Thanksgiving morning.

‘We do give thanks that he is up above with our heavenly father.’

Officials said Balderas-Aheelor did not stop and sped away from the scene. He was later apprehended and arrested for the alleged hit-and-run.

The 44-year-old Mexican national had been deported three times in 2004 and a fourth time in 2010, according to a DHS press release.

In a post from the agency on social media Wednesday, the agency accused Newsom of refusing to honor the immigration detainer on the man.

“Governor Newsom is REFUSING to honor the ICE detainer for an illegal alien who killed an 11-year-old boy,” read the statement in part.

“When will Governor Newsom stop releasing criminals into our neighborhoods and putting American lives at risk?”

DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin added that the state’s “sanctuary laws threaten to put this killer back onto California’s streets.”

Newsom’s office responded with a brief statement.

“The federal government admits a failure to apprehend the suspect when he unlawfully entered the U.S., but California law does not prevent them from acting now,” said a spokesperson.

RELATED: Illegal immigrant community shocked by ICE nabbing popular figure for deportation

Balderas-Aheelor was charged with felony hit-and-run causing death or injury.

“Sanctuary policies, like those backed by Gov. Newsom, put Californians in danger every day,” replied Rep. Ken Calvert of California on social media. “We must make the safety of California families our top priority.”

Irene Gonzalez, a friend of the child’s family, spoke to KNSD-TV.

“We’re not celebrating Thanksgiving like we should be,” she said.

“We do give thanks that Aiden is no longer in pain. … We do give thanks that he is now up above with our heavenly father.”

Escondido is a suburb of San Diego.

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​Newsom ice detainers, Ice detainers, 11 year old killed, Hector balderas-aheelor, Politics 

The Trump administration is continuing its deportation operations in more cities. Now the Department of Homeland Security is launching another operation in a Southern sanctuary city.

The DHS confirmed in a Wednesday press release that it is surging resources for increased deportations in New Orleans, Louisiana.

‘It is asinine that these monsters were released back onto New Orleans streets to COMMIT MORE CRIMES and create more victims.’

The project, dubbed Operation Catahoula Crunch, is targeting criminal illegal aliens who have been allowed to “roam free thanks to sanctuary policies that force local authorities to ignore U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest detainers,” according to the DHS.

“It is asinine that these monsters were released back onto New Orleans streets to COMMIT MORE CRIMES and create more victims. Catahoula Crunch targets include violent criminals who were released after arrest for home invasion, armed robbery, grand theft auto, and rape. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, we are restoring law and order for the American people,” Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

RELATED: ‘So dumb it hurts my soul’: DHS brutally fact-checks viral ‘new data’ from Cato Institute

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

The press release included mugshots of some of the “worst of the worst” criminals targeted in the operation. The listed criminals are from Honduras, Vietnam, Jordan, Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the commencement of the operation Wednesday morning: “The men and women of DHS law enforcement have landed in The Big Easy. Operation Catahoula Crunch will remove the worst of the worst from New Orleans, Louisiana, after the city’s sanctuary politicians have ignored the rule of law.”

“LAW AND ORDER WILL PREVAIL,” she added.

Border Patrol commander of operations Gregory Bovino, who has been at the head of many of the widely publicized deportation operations across the country, signaled that the new operation was off to a good start: “We are here arresting criminals who should not be here. The state, local and federal law enforcement partners in Louisiana are excellent partners!!”

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​Politics, Dhs, Operation catahoula crunch, Sanctuary cities, Department of homeland security, Louisiana 

The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to ensure that their shredded cheese products are not contaminated with metal fragments.

According to an FDA enforcement report, Ohio-based Great Lakes Cheese Co. — which touts itself as “an award-winning, premier manufacturer and packager of natural and processed bulk, shredded, and sliced cheeses” — initiated a recall on Oct. 3.

‘Wrap it securely before putting it in the trash.’

On Dec. 1, the FDA classified the recall as Class II, which describes “a situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”

There are three classes of recall. A Class II designation is the second-most serious. The most serious, Class I, concerns situations when there is a reasonable probability that the use or exposure to a problematic product will cause adverse health consequences or death.

While Great Lake Cheese Co. made the potentially contaminated shredded cheeses, they were sold by various brands including Always Save, Borden, Brookshire’s, Econo, Food Club, Happy Farms, Laura Lynn, Publix, Simply Go, Stater Bros. Markets, and Sunnyside Farms.

The bulk of the recalled cheeses were low-moisture part-skim shredded mozzarella — 235,789 cases — but a number of Italian-style and pizza-style shredded cheese blends, such as Simply Go Italian Style Six Cheese Blend, have also been recalled.

The cheeses are customarily sold at big stores such as Aldi, Target, and Walmart.

RELATED: MAHA movement WINS: PepsiCo releases NEW Cheetos and Doritos alternatives amid RFK Jr.’s health crusade

Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The recalled cheese was distributed to Puerto Rico and the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Great Lakes Cheese Co. did not respond to Blaze News’ request for comment.

The FDA notes on its website that consumers who suspect that they have a recalled food in their possession can generally return the items to the store where they were purchased for a full refund. The agency urges consumers not to give the potentially contaminated product to others such as a food bank or a pet and noted that if chucking the recalled product, consumers should “wrap it securely before putting it in the trash.”

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​Health, Science, Cheese, Food and drug administration, Fda, Contamination, Politics 

As deportation operations continue to clean up sanctuary cities across the country, the Department of Homeland Security is focusing on another hub of problematic immigration: the Minneapolis-St. Paul region of Minnesota.

The Washington Examiner reported that Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s border czar, hinted at an immigration enforcement surge there as soon as this week.

‘Focus is on those Twin Cities more because of the criminal activities there that’ve been uncovered by DOJ and DHS.’

In a Fox News appearance on Tuesday, Homan suggested that plans were already in the works to increase resources in the Twin Cities in particular.

“I can tell you, the focus is there. It’s coming, but I don’t want to give a lot. I can’t tell you how many people are on the ground now, and how many people are going to be on the ground. I’ll leave that to the secretary of homeland security, but focus is on those Twin Cities more because of the criminal activities there that’ve been uncovered by DOJ and DHS,” Homan said in the interview.

RELATED: It’s not ‘racist’ to notice Somali fraud

Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Citing an anonymous source familiar with the operations, the New York Times reported that the operation will target Somalis with final deportation orders in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region.

Roughly 100 ICE agents have been called in for the operation, according to NYT.

This surge in law enforcement comes as the federal government expands its investigations into massive COVID-era fraud schemes. Over 75 indictments have already been issued, and Governor Tim Walz has been accused of obstruction in the case.

“Today, I have ordered an investigation into the network of Somali organizations and executives implicated in these schemes,” Small Business Administration administrator Kelly Loeffler said on Tuesday in an X post. “Despite Governor Walz’s best efforts to obstruct, SBA continues to work to expose abuse and hold perpetrators accountable, full stop.”

In his now-infamous Thanksgiving Truth Social post, President Donald Trump highlighted the plethora of problems the state of Minnesota is facing in connection with the Somali community.

“Hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia are completely taking over the once great State of Minnesota. Somalian gangs are roving the streets looking for ‘prey’ as our wonderful people stay locked in their apartments and houses hoping against hope that they will be left alone,” he said.

Trump singled out Walz and Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar:

The seriously retarded Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, does nothing, either through fear, incompetence, or both, while the worst ‘Congressman/woman’ in our Country, Ilhan Omar, always wrapped in her swaddling hijab, and who probably came into the U.S.A. illegally in that you are not allowed to marry your brother, does nothing but hatefully complain about our Country, its Constitution, and how “badly” she is treated.

DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin stated, “What makes someone a target of ICE is not their race or ethnicity, but the fact that they are in the country illegally.”

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Just days ago, Jack Posobiec predicted future government leaks to damage President Trump were incoming — and not 24 hours after his prediction, it was proven right.

“When the first impeachment of President Trump happened in 2019, it was regarding leaks from a phone call, believe it or not, with Ukraine and the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” Posobiec told BlazeTV host Liz Wheeler on “The Liz Wheeler Show.”

“So in that case, you had Alexander Binman, who was an Army officer. You had the CIA officer Eric Ciaramella that was detailed to President Trump’s White House and the National Security Council. I’ve said that I think what they’re trying to do is gin this up again. They’re trying to get someone … to start leaking classified information, national security information,” he continued, adding, “Like, oh, I don’t know, the current peace negotiations between the United States, Ukraine, and Russia.”

The plan, Posobiec told Wheeler, would be to get “another impeachment of President Trump.”

“And if the Democrats are able to be victorious in taking back the House, many people think that’s a possibility for 2026, then this will be something that they have on the shelf ready to go day one,” he explained.

“I think that there’s a plot afoot, I absolutely think that it’s a color revolution designed to overthrow the sitting commander in chief, the president of the United States,” he added.

Wheeler is astounded by how quickly Posobiec was proven correct.

“Less than 24 hours after that aired … Jack’s prediction came true. We were greeted this morning with a leak, a leak of a classified phone call, or I would assume it was classified, a transcript of a phone call between Vladimir Putin’s senior foreign policy adviser and Steve Witkoff, who is President Trump’s special envoy,” Wheeler explains.

“This phone call between Witkoff and Putin’s senior foreign policy adviser is being presented in exactly the same way as that phone call between President Trump and Zelenskyy was presented all those years ago,” she continues.

Now the left is “framing this as some kind of great scandal.”

“They’re saying President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff has advised the Russian government, has given advice to Vladimir Putin, on how to coerce Trump into agreeing to a certain peace plan,” Wheeler explains, pointing out that “there was nothing remotely scandalous about anything that was said in that call.”

“The scandal, of course, is that this call was leaked to Bloomberg and that this was released publicly. That is a bad faith move by a bad actor, and we should figure out who leaked that to Bloomberg because it will be detrimental to actually creating a peace deal,” she says.

“President Trump is not only a good negotiator, he’s a good negotiator because he negotiates at a very high level, but he uses very basic negotiation techniques and tactics. One of the most effective negotiation tactics, when you have something that you want the other party to agree to, is to make the other party think that your idea is their idea,” she continues.

“That is what you’re seeing play out with Steve Witkoff,” she adds.

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A New Jersey police officer has lost her law enforcement career in the state following a home invasion, physical attack, and threats to burn down a former lover’s residence.

Rebecca Sayegh, 32 — formerly with the Toms River Police Department — pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal mischief, and simple assault on Nov. 17.

‘I’m going to f**king burn your house down next, you piece of s**t.’

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced in a statement that his office wants Sayegh to serve 180 days in jail when she’s sentenced on Jan. 26. As part of her probation, prosecutors also want her to have no contact with the victims and to pay restitution.

Sayegh — who had been suspended without pay since her April arrest — was required to forfeit her position with the police department effective Nov. 17; she’s also barred from any future employment with the state of New Jersey, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Sayegh’s guilty plea stems from a violent home invasion of her ex-boyfriend’s home in Berkeley Township.

As Blaze News previously reported, Sayegh used her baton to smash through the front door of her ex-boyfriend’s home around 11:20 p.m. on April 25.

But the violent incident didn’t stop there.

Sayegh — who was off-duty at the time — engaged in a verbal confrontation with her former lover and his new girlfriend that quickly escalated into a physical attack, according to court documents NJ.com obtained.

Citing Assistant Prosecutor Isabella Young, NJ.com reported that the girlfriend suffered swelling to the eye when Sayegh poked her with her fingernail.

The couple was able to restrain Sayegh before she “broke free” and smashed items in the house and knocked photos off a wall, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Billhimer said Sayegh damaged the hood of a vehicle belonging to one of the victims that was parked in the home’s driveway.

The New York Post reported, “As Sayegh continued on her chaotic rampage, the new girlfriend retreated into the backyard, where she called 911.”

The prosecutor’s office stated: “Sayegh was taken into custody at the scene — after having resisted efforts to peacefully place her under arrest.”

Citing police bodycam video, the Daily Mail reported that Sayegh appeared to tell her ex-boyfriend: “I’m going to f**king burn your house down next, you piece of s**t.”

Sayegh caused $2,000 in damage to the house and another $500 to a vehicle, Young said.

RELATED: California police union executive director ran international fentanyl operation, used office to distribute drugs: Feds

Just months before the violent home invasion, Sayegh sued the Toms River Police Department, alleging sexual harassment, being passed over for promotions due to her gender, and a “boys club” culture.

Sayegh’s lawsuit alleges that she “has been victimized by a campaign of disparaging, degrading, harassing, and discriminatory conduct by defendants and the de facto ‘boys club’ culture cultivated and maintained in the department,” the Asbury Park Press reported.

The October 2024 suit also claims that fellow officers “spread false and defamatory rumors throughout the department that [the] plaintiff was sleeping with various male co-workers, commented on [the] plaintiff’s appearance, and insinuated that [the] plaintiff could not complete the responsibilities of her position simply because she is a woman.”

The defendants’ attorneys have described the lawsuit as “frivolous and without legal basis” and “baseless and/or meritless.”

Sayegh — who joined the department in 2017 — claimed that her former captain, Shaun O’Keefe, “shamelessly” pursued a sexual relationship with her.

Sayegh’s lawsuit alleges that O’Keefe followed her into the women’s restroom, took out his penis, and told her to perform oral sex on him during a Toms River Police Foundation event at the Bey Lea Golf Course in June 2022.

O’Keefe retired from the police department in 2021.

In April 2025, Superior Court Judge Robert E. Brenner dismissed the claims against O’Keefe without prejudice, ruling that the lawsuit was filed after the two-year statute of limitations had expired, according to the Asbury Park Press.

Sayegh’s lawsuit against the police department is still pending, according to the Daily Mail.

Sayegh previously had been commended and received an award for her “bravery” after rescuing a woman and her pets from a Toms River house fire in January 2021.

“Officer Sayegh went to the front door and made entry, locating Ms. Nicolo and her pets. Officer Sayegh was able to escort Ms. Nicolo and her pets across the street to safety. Officer Sayegh is commended for her swift action, bravery, and lifesaving actions,” the department stated.

The Toms River Police Department and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office did not immediately respond to Blaze News‘ requests for comment.

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United States Attorney General Pam Bondi was asked by a group of conservatives to defend intellectual property and copyright laws against artificial intelligence.

A letter was directed to Bondi, as well as the the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Michael Kratsios, from a group of self-described conservative and America First advocates including former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, journalist Jack Posobiec, and members of nationalist and populist organizations like the Bull Moose Project and Citizens for Renewing America.

‘It is absurd to suggest that licensing copyrighted content is a financial hindrance to a $20 trillion industry.’

The letter primarily focused on the economic impact of unfettered use of IP by imaginative and generative AI programs, which are consistently churning out parody videos to mass audiences.

“Core copyright industries account for over $2 trillion in U.S. GDP, 11.6 million workers, and an average annual wage of over $140,000 per year — far above the average American wage,” the letter argued. That argument also extended to revenue generated overseas, where copyright holders sell over an alleged $270 billion worth of content.

This is in conjunction with massive losses already coming through IP theft and copyright infringement, an estimated total of up to $600 billion annually, according to the FBI.

“Granting U.S. AI companies a blanket license to steal would bless our adversaries to do the same — and undermine decades of work to combat China’s economic warfare,” the letter claimed.

RELATED: ‘Transhumanist goals’: Sen. Josh Hawley reveals shocking statistic about LLM data scraping

Letters to the administration debating the economic impact of AI are increasing. The Chamber of Progress wrote to Kratsios in October, stating that in more than 50 pending federal cases, many are accused of direct and indirect copyright infringement based on the “automated large-scale acquisition of unlicensed training data from the internet.”

The letter cited the president on “winning the AI race,” quoting remarks from July in which he said, “When a person reads a book or an article, you’ve gained great knowledge. That does not mean that you’re violating copyright laws.”

The conservative letter aggressively countered the idea that AI boosts valuable knowledge without abusing intellectual property, however, claiming that large corporations such as NVIDIA, Microsoft, Apple, Google, and more are well equipped to follow proper copyright rules.

“It is absurd to suggest that licensing copyrighted content is a financial hindrance to a $20 trillion industry spending hundreds of billions of dollars per year,” the letter read. “AI companies enjoy virtually unlimited access to financing. In a free market, businesses pay for the inputs they need.”

The conservative group further noted examples of IP theft across the web, including unlicensed productions of “SpongeBob Squarepants” and Pokemon. These include materials showcasing the beloved SpongeBob as a Nazi or Pokemon’s Pikachu committing crimes.

IP will also soon be under threat from erotic content, the letter added, citing ChatGPT’s recent announcement that it would start to “treat adult users like adults.”

RELATED: Silicon Valley’s new gold rush is built on stolen work

Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

The letter argued further that degrading American IP rights would enable China to run amok under “the same dubious ‘fair use’ theories” used by the Chinese to steal content and use proprietary U.S. AI models and algorithms.

AI developers, the writers insisted, should focus on applications with broad-based benefits, such as leveraging data like satellite imagery and weather reports, instead of “churning out AI slop meant to addict young users and sell their attention to advertisers.”

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The New Jersey attorney general’s office confirmed to Blaze News that it has launched an investigation into the NJ Sharing Network, an organ procurement organization, after nearly a dozen whistleblowers accused the group of numerous offenses, including allegedly covering up an attempted organ recovery from a patient who showed signs of life.

The NJ Sharing Network, a tax-exempt organization, was also accused of fraudulently billing Medicare, skipping hundreds of patients on the wait list, harvesting organs without appropriate consent, operating a fraudulent taxpayer-funded research program, and creating a culture of fear and retaliation.

‘The only way patients will be protected is when law enforcement gets involved and prosecutes criminal activity.’

The House Committee on Ways and Means held an Oversight Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday with some whistleblowers who have reported concerning patterns among the nation’s OPOs.

“I think a lot of the problem is that we are not providing the family with updates on actual neurological function and just those kinds of problems where we’re using medications to chemically sedate and paralyze patients,” Nyckoletta Martin, a former OPO employee, told lawmakers on Tuesday. “We’re never really giving patients a chance.”

Jennifer Erickson, a senior fellow for organ donation policy with the Federation of American Scientists, described the “chilling” accusations against the NJ Sharing Network as “not only extreme abuse of public trust, but also potential violations of law.”

“A patient who’d been declared deceased reanimated, and according to information obtained by this committee, the CEO told staff on site they should proceed with recovery,” she continued. “Several whistleblowers alleged documentation regarding the case was deleted or otherwise manipulated.”

Erickson urged the committee to continue its investigation into the NJ Sharing Network and contended that the organization should be decertified.

RELATED: Organ group wanted to harvest from patient showing signs of life — then tried to cover it up, whistleblowers claim

Leon Neal/AFP via Getty Images

On November 19, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) sent a letter to the NJ Sharing Network, demanding documents and over 30 transcribed interviews with staff to investigate whistleblowers’ claims further.

The committee copied the New Jersey attorney general on that letter.

When reached for comment, the AG’s office confirmed to Blaze News that it was looking into the allegations.

“Our office is aware of the allegations of potential misconduct involving New Jersey Organ and Tissue Sharing Network discussed in correspondence from the U.S. House of Representatives,” a spokesperson stated. “We are investigating these allegations and are committed to ensuring that the organ donation system functions appropriately and for the purpose for which it was intended. We ask anyone with information to contact the Division of Criminal Justice at 609-376-2330.”

RELATED: ‘Donor may still be alive’: How organ donation groups allegedly exploit grieving families to cash in on billions

New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Greg Segal, the founder and CEO of Organize, reacted to the AG’s office announcement.

“After 15 years of organ donation advocacy, I have come to believe that the only way patients will be protected is when law enforcement gets involved and prosecutes criminal activity,” Segal told Blaze News. “I am deeply grateful for the New Jersey attorney general. It is time to take out the trash.”

The NJ Sharing Network did not respond to a request for comment.

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This week, “Tron: Ares,” the blockbuster that wasn’t, makes its final bid for profitability — hitting the streaming services, complete with a bonus deleted scene. As Hollywood continues its messy quest to restore its lost glory, what better time for a postmortem?

“Tron: Ares” tells us much. This trilogy-completing movie should have been a layup. With the film, Disney had a great existing piece of intellectual property and a time that could not have been better for a sequel. You can’t go a day on the internet without hearing about AI, surveillance, data centers, hacking, and other topics that the “Tron” universe is uniquely qualified to address.

I need to defend Jared Leto for a second.

The question was: Could Disney pull off a sequel to a pair of movies released in 1982 and 2010 while delivering a quality film that made compelling points on the future of Big Tech and the ever-changing interplay between AI and humanity? The Disney modus operandi is usually to serve up a disappointing experience of woke talking points, lazy writing, and uninspired filmmaking. “Tron: Ares” offered the studio the chance to buck that trend.

The centerpiece of the “Tron” universe is a digital world called the Grid. For the uninitiated, this alternate world, existing inside computer systems, appears as a neon-lit, mirror-smooth alternative to our own. Computer programs inhabit humanoid forms and live in strict, hierarchical societies.

Its well-crafted lore merits a catch-up. In the original “Tron” movie (1982), brilliant programmer Kevin Flynn is attempting to hack into the system of his former employer, ENCOM, to prove that another employee, Ed Dillinger, plagiarized Flynn’s work to get ahead at the company. Flynn ends up getting transported onto the Grid via particle laser and battles the Master Control Program that is attempting to influence the real world. He is successful, proves that Dillinger plagiarized his work, and ends up as CEO of ENCOM. The franchise gets its title from a program named Tron, which fights alongside Flynn.

In “Tron: Legacy” (2010), Kevin Flynn expands his Grid and ends up getting stuck there, vanishing from the real world. His son Sam has inherited control of ENCOM, now a top tech company, but refuses to step into a leadership role. He goes looking for his father and ends up having his own adventure on the Grid, working alongside his father to outwit Clu, the program that betrayed his father and took control of the Grid. His father sacrifices himself to allow Sam to escape back to the real world along with Quorra, a female “isomorphic algorithm.” That is, a computer program manifested onto the Grid without any human contribution. Sam and Quorra end the film setting out to make the world a better place with the grid technology.

High concept, low plot

Here’s where the slapdash takes over from the archetypal. “Tron: Ares” picks up 15 years later with a healthy dose of the now-classic Disney bait and switch. Forget Sam, Quorra, Tron, or any of the popular characters from the previous installments. Sam, in a “somehow, Palpatine returned”-level move, has “left ENCOM for personal reasons.” Instead, we are introduced to his replacement: Eve Kim (Greta Lee). The bait and switch, along with other now-classic Disney tropes, is present throughout the film, but more on that later.

Let’s break down the plot. (Warning: inevitable spoilers below.)

RELATED: Bad performance or bad politics? A list of the most hated actors

Photo by Jean Catuffe/GC Images

There are two massive tech companies: ENCOM Technologies, now run by Eve Kim, and Dillinger Systems, run by Julian Dillinger, the grandson of Ed Dillinger from the first movie. These companies have figured out how to use particle lasers to bring things from the Grid into the real world. They basically just 3D-print tanks, ships, trees, people, anything at all, using nothing but electricity. How does that actually work? Never mentioned.

These Grid creations only last 29 minutes before disintegrating into dust and reappearing on the Grid. Eve Kim is determined to solve this problem by finding the permanence code, which Kevin Flynn supposedly hid somewhere. She holes up in Flynn’s old hideout in Alaska and starts looking for it while her male assistant, Seth Flores (Arturo Castro), sits around eating breakfast burritos and complaining that she doesn’t pay enough attention to him. Meanwhile, Dillinger Systems is presenting its new Master Control Program, Ares (Jared Leto). Julian Dillinger leaves out the fact that Ares only lasts 29 minutes, for which he is reprimanded by his mother (Gillian Anderson), who provides the conscience and competence at Dillinger.

Eve finds the permanence code and successfully tests it, then gets a call from ENCOM’s necessarily diverse CTO Ajay Singh (Hasan Minhaj). He tells Eve that Dillinger has hacked ENCOM’s server and caused all sorts of damage. Basically, Julian learned that Eve has the permanence code, and he wants to get his toxic white hands on it.

The rest of the movie is a series of action scenes strung together by the bare bones of a story. Ares is sent into the real world to get the code from Eve. He comes close, forcing her to destroy the flash drive, but fails when he hits his 29-minute shot clock. Eve is then transported onto the Grid when another Dillinger agent shoots her with a particle gun. Once there, the code can be extracted from her now-digital mind. This process would kill her, but Julian orders Ares to proceed. Ares, who has shown signs of straying from his programming, goes rogue and helps her to escape, asking for the permanence code in return so that he can live in the real world. Eve agrees, and the rest of the movie is basically them running around trying to get the code (remember, Eve destroyed the drive, so now they have to find it again) before Dillinger’s new MCP, Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith), catches them.

They end up finding a way to access it on Kevin Flynn’s old computer and send Ares onto the original Grid from the first “Tron” movie. Once there, he meets Kevin Flynn, or rather some sort of aspect or memory of him — it is never made clear — and gets the permanence code after Flynn determines that he is suitably curious (or something) enough to become human. Meanwhile, Athena is determined to catch Eve and brings a few Grid vehicles into the real world for a rather underwhelming final battle.

Things wrap up when Ares arrives back in the real world just in time to save Eve, while Ajay and Seth hack the Dillinger mainframe and shut it down, disabling Athena, whose sympathetic death scene feels like a DEI box-check. The film concludes with Eve using the permanence code to lead ENCOM in transforming various industries and Ares wandering the world under cover, learning how to live among humans.

The good, the bad, and the utterly predictable

There are three main takeaways from this film, but first I need to defend Jared Leto for a second. I know there are plenty of reasons, professional and otherwise, for people to dislike Leto, and I’m not necessarily disagreeing with them. However, I thought his performance in this film was quite good. The physical choices he makes in portraying his AI character add a subtle, uncanny-valley aspect to Ares. The best part of the performance, though, is the vocal work. Leto manages to give a digital quality to Ares’ speech without resorting to crude robotic tones. He uses careful pitch and tone changes and curates his pauses to give the effect of an LLM responding to a prompt, without losing the organic quality of human voice and speech. It is very well done, and the delivery works perfectly with the dialogue written for his character.

I’ve seen a lot of complaints about the acting in “Tron: Ares,” and some of it is warranted. However, as is so often the case, people are blaming the actors when a large part of the problem is bad dialogue. Seriously, you try turning the line “I don’t like sand; it’s coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere. Not like here. Here everything is soft and smooth” into an earnest, romantic phrase. The acting in “Tron: Ares” is mostly fine, and in Leto’s case, it is very impressive. Sure, it’s not all amazing, but the dialogue is clearly the bigger issue. The exception is the portion written for Ares. I suppose feeding prompts into ChatGPT actually worked in that case.

Another issue is the Disney tropes that permeate the film. They didn’t bother me that much because they are so worn out at this point. There is, of course, the IP bait and switch, in which a studio baits an audience with a familiar IP, character, etc. and then switches it out for a DEI replacement. Throwing out the entire Flynn family and replacing them with a diverse CEO girlboss is the relevant example here. If you’re still falling for this move in A.D. 2025, let me just say, as a longtime “Star Wars” fan, you wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum where they raised me.

Like any modern Disney movie, “Ares” adheres to what we might call the CCCC: color and chromosome competence correlation. Eve is a woman of color and therefore exceedingly competent and driven. Her Hispanic assistant, Seth, is light enough to be belittled for his manhood, but diverse enough to be portrayed as a competent force for good. Ajay, the CTO, is an Indian man. His complexion is darker than Seth’s, making him more competent. The film makes certain we know it is Ajay who actually manages to get into the Dillinger mainframe. However, being Indian means he is not dark enough to be excluded from male penalties. Therefore, he gets a personality that is Kash Patel turned tech bro, and part of his competence and drive are outsourced to his female assistant, Erin.

The CCCC applies across the moral spectrum. Julian Dillinger might be an evil tech villain, but he is also a white man and cannot, therefore, be competent or have real authority. These qualities are supplied by his mother, Elisabeth. Athena, the program who takes over as the Dillinger MCP, is played by a black woman (get it — Black Athena?) and is therefore competent and driven. Her failure is not her fault, but the result of Ajay truth-nuking the Dillinger Grid. In “Ares,” these tropes were too worn out to be troubling; they were just boring. I’m tired of being able to predict films after a passing glance at the principal characters.

Like the tropes, the film’s treatment of AI is just boring. The “Tron” universe is full of interesting AI potential, but “Ares” doesn’t go for any of them. The permanence code, which is a double helix as opposed to regular binary code (maybe I’m just a tech neophyte, but I thought that was cool), is never explained or explored. There is no real attempt to look at what the 3D-printed Grid creations actually are and what makes them work. If you can digitize a person’s mind by bringing him onto the Grid, that opens up all kinds of fascinating possibilities. “Ares” does not explore any of these paths. Rather, it goes for the same old “what if AI started becoming human” line that is pretty worn out at this point. Gareth Edwards’ “The Creator” did the whole “you should empathize with AI when it acts human” routine much better, but it isn’t very convincing in that film, either. In “Tron: Ares,” the wasted potential just makes the result more frustrating, which brings us to the final point and the biggest issue I have with the film.

At the end of the day, “Tron: Ares” is slop. It is content conceived and designed to be just that and nothing more. AI could have written this film, which might be by design (in which case, my apologies, Jesse Wigutow, I was not familiar with your game), but I don’t think so. It is not just the lack of explanations or the fact that anyone with an IQ above room temperature could predict the entire film after 10 minutes. Everything in this film feels like it was cut and pasted from a general template for “popular high-budget sci-fi movie.”

Who will take these missed opportunities?

So what went wrong? Well, leaving aside the obvious “don’t be woke” talking point, the main issue was misunderstanding the sort of IP the filmmakers were dealing with. At its core, “Tron” is a story about computers, not just a sci-fi universe of shiny alternate realities. Ignoring this fact robs “Ares” of the necessary thematic continuity for any good sequel. Instead, the film relies on cheap nostalgia and throwaway references, refusing to use the unique set of tools it has to tell a compelling story.

To take just one example, the ability to digitize the human mind — that alone offers a more compelling and relevant story. If you can digitize the human person, storing people on the grid, what does that say about the human soul? What does it mean for surveillance, incarceration, and memory? In a time of privacy concerns and AI data-farm controversies, a computer server with the ability to store, alter, or destroy human consciousness — not to mention the capacity for independent evolution and generation — sets up a whole list of compelling questions, themes, and plot points.

If you want to understand what I’m getting at, compare the soundtrack — an album by Nine Inch Nails that sounds more like GPT — to the “Tron: Legacy” soundtrack by Daft Punk, a now-legendary, pitch-perfect expression of the computer/reality synthesis that the franchise just couldn’t live up to.

The soundtrack isn’t the only place where “Tron: Ares” is a downgrade from “Legacy.” So let me offer some advice: If you find yourself looking to stream an AI-themed sci-fi movie, just watch “Tron: Legacy.” It’s not perfect, but the soundtrack is great, the CGI holds up well, and the writing and acting actually bear the mark of real human beings.

​Tech, Culture, Movies, Tron 

A doctor who pleaded guilty to selling ketamine to late “Friends” actor Matthew Perry is set to be sentenced in court.

According to the Associated Press, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who admitted to selling the actor large doses of ketamine, will be sentenced during a hearing on Wednesday.

His lawyers have called a prison sentence ‘neither necessary nor warranted.’

Plasencia, 44, is not accused of selling Perry the dose of ketamine that is believed to have killed him on October 28, 2023.

Perry had been taking lower doses of surgical anesthetic ketamine as a treatment for depression and sought more from Plasencia after his doctor denied him the amount he desired. Plasencia admitted to selling Perry higher doses of ketamine despite having knowledge of Perry’s substance-abuse problems.

RELATED: ‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry dead at 54, actor allegedly drowned in hot tub

Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

According to court documents, Plasencia texted another doctor saying that Perry was a “moron” who could be exploited.

“Rather than do what was best for Mr. Perry — someone who had struggled with addiction for most of his life — defendant sought to exploit Perry’s medical vulnerability for profit,” the prosecution’s sentencing memo said.

Perry struggled with addiction for many years.

U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett is expected to give Plasencia three years in prison after he pleaded guilty in July to four counts of distribution of ketamine.

His lawyers, who have asked for leniency since he has already lost his medical license, clinic, and career, have called a prison sentence “neither necessary nor warranted.”

Perry’s family members and others are expected to be given a chance to speak prior to the sentencing.

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More than a year and a half after a Democrat congressman was indicted on federal charges under the Biden presidency, President Trump has announced that he will be granting an “unconditional pardon.”

On Wednesday morning, President Trump announced on social media that he will be granting a “full and unconditional PARDON” for embattled Texas Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar.

‘It has tested our faith in ways we never expected, but it has not broken it. We still believe in justice.’

In the post, President Trump slammed Joe Biden for weaponizing the Department of Justice and the FBI against his political opponents — including members of his own party.

Trump suggested that Cuellar was targeted by the Biden regime because of his unflinching demands for tighter border security.

RELATED: ‘The border is not secure’: Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar says Biden’s border policies allowed ‘over 5 million’ migrants to enter the US

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

“Sleepy Joe went after the Congressman, and even the Congressman’s wonderful wife, Imelda, simply for speaking the TRUTH. It is unAmerican and, as I previously stated, the Radical Left Democrats are a complete and total threat to Democracy! They will attack, rob, lie, cheat, destroy, and decimate anyone who dares to oppose their Far Left Agenda, an Agenda that, if left unchecked, will obliterate our magnificent Country,” Trump said in the post.

“Because of these facts, and others, I am hereby announcing my full and unconditional PARDON of beloved Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar, and Imelda. Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight — Your nightmare is finally over!”

In the Truth Social post, Trump included a letter written by the Cuellars’ daughters, Christina and Catherine, who asked for a full and unconditional pardon.

In the letter, they wrote, “This ordeal has taken a deep emotional and financial toll on all of us. It has tested our faith in ways we never expected, but it has not broken it. We still believe in justice. We still believe in America — a country built on truth, fairness, and compassion, even during the hardest of times.”

Cuellar and his wife were indicted on several federal charges related to bribery in May 2024, though they were never convicted.

At the time, Trump said, “Biden just Indicted Henry Cuellar because the Respected Democrat Congressman wouldn’t play Crooked Joe’s Open Border game. He was for Border Control, so they said, ‘Let’s use the FBI and DOJ to take him out!’ This is the way they operate.”

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​Politics, Henry cuellar, Doj, Fbi, Weaponization of the federal government, Democrat congressman, President trump, Pardon, Border security, Joe biden 

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth shared a meme on Sunday depicting the eponymous star of the children’s book franchise “Franklin the Turtle” and the television adaptation “Franklin” dressed as an American soldier, perched on the side of a Bell UH-1 helicopter, and firing a rocket-propelled grenade at maritime drug-runners.

The AI-generated illustration, shared after lawmakers from both parties expressed concerns over American strikes against suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean Sea, was made to look like the cover of a book in the series, complete with a title — “A Classic Franklin Story: Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists.”

‘We doubt Franklin the Turtle wants to be inclusive of drug cartels … or laud the kindness and empathy of narco-terrorists.’

The viral meme, which Hegseth captioned “for your Christmas wish list” and had over 25.6 million impressions on X on Wednesday, evidently enraged various liberal media personalities and Democrats as well as the Toronto-based publisher of the Franklin books.

Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) also complained about the meme, stating on the Senate floor, “He wants to be taken seriously, but yesterday he posted a ridiculous tweet of a cartoon turtle firing on alleged drug traffickers — a sick parody of a well-known children’s book. This man is a national embarrassment.”

Kids Can Press said in a statement, “Franklin the Turtle is a beloved Canadian icon who has inspired generations of children and stands for kindness, empathy, and inclusivity.”

RELATED: Trump’s boat strikes may leave one Venezuelan drug-smuggling pirate haven in ruins

Photo by Rick Madonik/Toronto Star via Getty Image

“We strongly condemn any denigrating, violent, or unauthorized use of Franklin’s name or image, which directly contradicts these values,” added the Canadian publisher.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell responded to the publisher’s condemnation, stating, “We doubt Franklin the Turtle wants to be inclusive of drug cartels … or laud the kindness and empathy of narco-terrorists.”

Unfortunately for Kids Can Press and Democratic critics, their condemnations of the fictional turtle’s enlistment in MAGA memes appear to have only helped fuel the desire by trolls to depict Franklin in other provocative fake titles including, “Franklin Guards the Woman’s Locker Room,” “Franklin Gets Falsely Accused of War Crimes,” “Franklin Assists with 20 Million Deportations,” “Franklin Explains What Fauci Deserves,” and “Franklin Learns about George Floyd’s Autopsy.”

One fake book cover titled “Franklin Gets a New Job” features an image of the turtle, this time dressed up as a Department of Homeland Security agent, arresting the eponymous Latin American star of the animated children’s show “Dora the Explorer.”

Another fake cover titled “Franklin and Pete Hegseth Laugh at Communists” features an image of the war secretary and the turtle riding their bikes past four slovenly leftists.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) also got in on the fun.

Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA analyst who was among the Democratic lawmakers who urged the military last month to “refuse” allegedly illegal orders from the Trump administration, called on Hegseth to resign on Tuesday in the wake of a report claiming that the war secretary ordered SEAL Team 6 to leave behind no survivors in a recent boat strike.

Luna responded with a fake Franklin cover titled “Franklin Shows His Classmates How to Identify a Spook.” The fake cover features an image of the turtle directing his fellow woodland critters’ attention to an apparent caricature of Slotkin on a chalkboard.

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​Franklin the turtle, Book, Publisher, Pete hegseth, Department of war, War department, Hegseth, Meme, Trolling, Chuck schumer, Democrats, Liberals, Politics