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White smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on Thursday, indicating that the conclave of cardinals had chosen a new pope.

Pope Francis passed away on April 21, leading to the gathering of cardinals at the Vatican in Rome. After debating the candidates, multiple votes of the 133 cardinals are made until one candidate garners 89 votes.

The new pope will appear from the basilica to the large crowd.

“Habemus papam!” will be pronounced from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, a phrase that is Latin for “We have a pope!”

The new pope will appear from the basilica before the large crowd assembled at the Vatican to lead them in prayer. He will also choose a name to be called as the leader of the Catholic Church.

Scenes from the Vatican show the crowds jubilantly celebrating. Some are waving flags, while others yell, “Viva il papa!” and “Hallelujah!”

Francis died at the age of 88 and was the first pope from Latin America, but many criticized him for what they saw as a left-leaning focus in his pronouncements. The cardinals convened after nine days of mourning following the funeral for Francis.

Ten of the cardinals eligible to be pope are from the United States.

Some expected a longer period of voting, but the cardinals appeared to quickly choose a successor to Francis.

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​New pope, White smoke at vatican, Next pope elected, Cardinals choose pope, Politics 

House Democrats unanimously voted against a resolution renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on Thursday.

The resolution passed the House mostly along party lines in a 211-206 vote, with 211 Republicans voting in favor of the renaming while one Republican and 205 Democrats voted against it. Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska was the only GOP member to side with the Democrats.

‘We’re done honoring a country that’s sponsored the invasion of our southern border.’

The GOP-led bill would simply require all federal agencies to cooperate with President Donald Trump’s executive order to appropriately update all maps and documents with the name Gulf of America.

“Democrats are FURIOUS that we want to permanently rename the Gulf of America, but they had no problem renaming military bases and tearing down statues of Lincoln and Washington,” Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), the lead sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. “They don’t hate the name… They just hate America.”

“We’re done honoring a country that’s sponsored the invasion of our southern border,” Republican Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia said in a statement. “America First.”

Although the bill would technically codify one of Trump’s executive orders, Bacon said that the resolution “just seems juvenile.”

“We’re the United States of America. We’re not Kaiser Wilhelm’s Germany or Napoleon France,” Bacon said. “We’re better than this. It just sounds like a sophomore thing to do.”

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​Gulf of america, Gulf of mexico, Donald trump, Trump administration, House democrats, House republicans, Don bacon, Marjorie taylor greene, Mike collins, Maga mandate, Politics 

After Pope Francis’ passing, the conclave to elect the Catholic Church’s next pope is now underway. This begs the question, will the next pope be “conservative” and orthodox — or will he follow in Francis’ footsteps and embrace leftist and globalist ideas?

LifeSiteNews co-founder and CEO John-Henry Westen has an idea, and he notes that we will be finding out very soon.

Westen explains that the “word on the street” is that a new pope should be expected by day three of the conclave.

“I don’t know anything about this,” Glenn Beck of “The Glenn Beck Program” admits, “but it doesn’t look like there’s any real conservative that has a chance of getting in.”

“That’s an interesting question, because in the Church, of course, we don’t talk much about conservative, it’s more about orthodoxy, those who actually follow the Catholic faith and then those who don’t. And on those who do, there are a number,” Westen tells Glenn.

However, many of the cardinals who will be voting in the conclave were appointed by Pope Francis — who also reportedly increased the numbers of cardinals from 120 to 133.

“The rule book, called ‘Universi Dominici Gregis’ was put out by John Paul II and amended by Benedict,” Westen explains, “It said it should be a limit of 120. The thing is, if you check with a canonist though, the pope has the right to change that.”

“The other thing is this, there’s now 133 cardinals who are voting, 108 were named by Francis. That’s 81% more,” Westen continues. “So if you want to talk about a stacked deck, sure.”

“The only difficulty with that kind of very political calculus is this: Can you find enough guys who sign up to that kind of extreme left-wing, non-Catholic type of deal, and the answer is no. So you’ve got a bunch of cardinals that he named that aren’t going to be following in his footsteps,” he says.

“So what you have is a bunch of guys that really nobody knows, and they’re going to take what’s coming as it comes and have to deal with the aftereffects of the last 12 years, which has been a disaster for the Church from almost anyone’s perspective,” he adds.

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The University of Washington stated it has suspended and banned 21 students who were allegedly part of this week’s takeover and vandalism of the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building in an effort to force the college to end its partnership with Boeing.

“Thirty-four individuals were arrested and are subject to criminal prosecution and university disciplinary processes. The 21 students who were arrested have been suspended and banned from all UW campuses. Non-student participants will be banned from the UW’s Seattle campus,” UW said.

‘Whether something meets the definition of domestic terrorism — I don’t know exactly what that definition is — but this is obviously a serious situation.’

The punishments come after the Trump administration’s Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism had initiated a review of federal grants and contracts at UW. While anti-Israel and anti-U.S. protesters on college campuses had greater freedom to carry out their attacks with little consequences under the Biden-Harris administration, that appears to be at an end under President Donald Trump. UW pledged that the school’s personnel will “cooperate with the Task Force’s review and are confident that an evaluation will find we are in compliance with federal civil rights laws.”

“The University of Washington condemns anti-Semitism, harassment, and discrimination. Throughout the May 5th incident, the UW was in contact with campus and Seattle Jewish community leaders. We value these partnerships and understand their deep concern. The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle issued a public statement noting the University’s swift response and clear denunciation of anti-Semitism,” UW added.

Fires were started, and much of the engineering equipment inside the building was damaged or destroyed, costing over $1 million in damages. Militants alleged to be Antifa further prevented first responders from putting out the fires and stopped law enforcement officers who responded from entering the building. Once additional officers arrived, they were able to force their way in and remove the occupiers.

As for local leadership, there has been a lack of forceful condemnation from either Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell (D) or Washington Governor Bob Ferguson (D).

When asked by KOMO-TV about the chaotic event, Ferguson was at first “reluctant to enter the debate” but said he believed the protesters will be held accountable.

“Whether something meets the definition of domestic terrorism — I don’t know exactly what that definition is — but this is obviously a serious situation,” Ferguson continued, adding that the federal task force probe is not unusual since the federal government is “investigating just about everybody these days.”

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​Politics 

Months after the Trump administration
announced that “only the United States of America flag is authorized to be flown or displayed at U.S. facilities, both domestic and abroad,” Republican lawmakers in Idaho and Utah passed restrictions on which flags could be flown at state government buildings and at schools.

While the laws prohibit virtually all nonofficial flags, irrespective of political persuasion and significance, leftists raged over their potential inability to continue hoisting sex- and race-themed flags over American soil, flaunting the success of their cultural imperialism.

Democratic mayors in Boise and Salt Lake City have apparently found a way to continue flying non-straight activists’ colors without having to continue
directly violating the law: adopt the LGBT flags as official city emblems or incorporate their elements into official flags.

‘Clear waste of time and taxpayer resources.’

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall
proposed adopting three new city flags “in addition to the traditional Sego Lily Flag, on Tuesday to most accurately reflect the values of the City and its residents.”

Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office

According to Mendenhall’s office, the first flag would represent the city’s transvestite population “and a commitment to seeing and celebrating their lives”; the second would represent the city’s non-straight residents “and broader acceptance of this community”; and the third would represent the “history of Juneteenth and the City’s Black and African American residents.”

“Our City flags are powerful symbols representing Salt Lake City’s values,” said Mendenhall. “I want all Salt Lakers to look up at these flags and be reminded that we value diversity, equity and inclusion — leaving no doubt that we are united as a city and people, moving forward together.”

Salt Lake City council unanimously approved the designs on Tuesday evening,
reported the Associated Press.

Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz (R) characterized the devious workaround as a “clear waste of time and taxpayer resources.”

‘You’re a bunch of fricking commies breaking the law.’

“This law is about keeping government spaces neutral and welcoming to all,” said Schultz. “Salt Lake City should focus on real issues, not political theatrics.”

Blaze News
previously reported that the Boise City Council put making the Progress Pride flag an official city flag to a vote Tuesday evening, one week after Boise Mayor Lauren McLean suggested to state Attorney General Raul Labrador that the flag ban was “legally defective and unenforceable as written.”

The council ultimately voted 5 to 1.

According to Boise State Public Radio, one opponent of the measure yelled, “You’re a bunch of fricking commies breaking the law,” adding, “You think gay people are the only people who are entitled to anything?”

The lone vote against the resolution came from Council Member Luci Willits, who emphasized that her role as an elected official was to follow the law and suggested that the “legislature will come in, and it will slap a huge fine on the city of Boise, and Boise will have to pay it.”

“That will limit what we can spend on things that we have control over, like police and fire and libraries and parks and all the things that make Boise what it is today,” added Willits.

“Removing the flag now after years of flying it proudly would not be a neutral act,” said Council Member Meredith Stead. “It would signal a retreat from values we’ve long upheld and send a disheartening message to those who have found affirmation and belonging through its presence at city hall.”

Mendenhall and McLean apparently spoke Tuesday morning to discuss their respective plots to undermine their states’ legislatures and fly the activist colors.

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​Lgbt, Leftism, Non-straight, Gay, Transgender, Trans, Flag, Mclean, Boise, Salt lake city, Flag ban, Politics 

The University of Washington was overrun by militant Antifa members protesting in favor of Hamas and Gaza — and the scene was eerily reminiscent of 2020’s unforgettable Summer of Love riots.

“They were lighting fires. They were attacking police,” Sara Gonzales of “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered” comments, noting that the fires were “rather large.” Video also shows the Antifa members running off the campus security guards, who were in vehicles, with shields made out of garbage cans.

“Chasing away the security service with garbage cans. How embarrassing is that? What is the point of you guys? You’re scared off by a little garbage can shield?” Gonzales asks, shocked.

“When you got time to do all that stuff, you don’t got s**t else to do, and I think this is why we need to start addressing this welfare statism. And I talked about this in 2020 during the Summer of Love. These are bored people. First-world problems,” Eric July, founder of Rippaverse Comics, chimes in.

“These are people that have nothing else to do, and therefore, they just cause issues and cause all sorts of trouble. That’s all there is to it,” he continues. “All it does is remind me that I think these issues that plague America could just so easily be addressed; they just don’t, and I think we know why. I think there’s no real incentive, especially politically.”

“The Bottom Line” host Jaco Booyens believes these Antifa members are responding to a “lack of consequence” and an identity crisis.

“It is a gigantic class in American society at the moment that has no identity, and definitely not a Christ identity,” Booyens says. “So you can co-opt them to do anything.”

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​Video phone, Upload, Camera phone, Sharing, Free, Video, Youtube.com, Sara gonzales unfiltered, Sara gonzales, Eric july, Jaco booyens, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Antifa riots, Antifa, University of washington, Summer of love 

President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with the United Kingdom on Thursday, on the 80-year anniversary of Victory Day, marking the first trade deal of his second term.

This trade deal comes just a month after the administration first implemented tariffs on dozens of foreign countries aimed at renegotiating trade deals that are more advantageous to America.

Both Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that while the groundwork for the trade deal has been laid out, some of the details are still being finalized.

“With this deal, the U.K. joins the United States in affirming that reciprocity and fairness is an essential and vital principle of international trade,” Trump said. “The deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture, dramatically increasing access for American beef, ethanol, and virtually all products produced by our great farmers.”

“In addition, the U.K. will reduce or eliminate numerous non-tariff barriers that unfairly discriminated against American products,” Trump added. “This is now turning out, I think, really, to be a great deal for both countries.”

Trump also noted that the U.K. was previously “a little closed” toward the United States, saying the trade deal will now reopen and even expedite trade between the two countries.

“They’ll also be fast-tracking American goods through their customs process so our exports go to a very, very quick form of approval, and there won’t be any red tape,” Trump said. “Things are going to move very quickly both ways.”

“Furthermore, in a historic step, the deal includes plans that will bring the United Kingdom into the economic security alignment with the United States,” Trump said. “That’s the first of its kind. So we have a big economic security blanket.”

Both Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that while the groundwork for the trade deal has been laid out, some of the details are still being finalized.

“We can finish ironing out some of the details,” Starmer said over the phone during Trump’s press conference.

“The final details are being written up in the coming weeks,” Trump added.

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​Donald trump, Tariffs, Trade deal, United kingdom, Uk, Keir starmer, Victory day, American trade, Economic security, America first, Politics 

Two male students — ages 15 and 17 — turned themselves in to police overnight after a fatal stabbing Wednesday afternoon just outside Santa Ana High School in Southern California, authorities told KTLA-TV.

Santa Ana police noted to the station that the two teens — both of whom attend the high school — were with their parents when they turned themselves in, and they remained in custody Thursday morning.

KTLA said authorities couldn’t yet confirm if arrests were made.

Authorities told the station in an earlier story that the triple stabbing took place just outside Santa Ana High School’s entrance and that Santa Ana police responded to the incident around 3:25 p.m. Two male suspects reportedly fled from the scene, after which police began searching for them.

One of the stabbing victims — a 14-year-old male student who hasn’t yet been identified — was taken to a hospital where he later died, KTLA said. He was a freshman at Santa Ana High, and friends and classmates told the station he was “kind and funny.”

Dianna Vasquez told KTLA her daughter was friends with the student who was killed: “When she got home with her friends, and they found out, she was in tears. She was crying. She couldn’t believe it. She said he was a really nice kid.”

Two other victims — ages 15 and 17 — were stabbed in their upper torsos but were in stable condition and expected to make full recoveries, KTLA said. They both are students at Santa Ana High as well, the station said.

Police said the suspects are affiliated with gangs, as was the deceased victim and the two surviving victims, KTLA reported.

The Santa Ana Unified School District said it would increase police presence Thursday at and around Santa Ana High, according to a statement posted to social media Wednesday night, the station said.

“We are committed to providing a safe, caring, and supportive environment for all students and staff,” the statement reads in part, according to KTLA. “We will continue to share updates as they become available. Thank you for your continued support and compassion.”

Anyone with information about the attack is urged to call the Santa Ana Police Department at 714-245-8049.

You can view a video report here about the latest developments in connection with the fatal stabbing.

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​Santa ana, California, Santa ana high school, Stabbing, Fatal stabbing, Teen killed, Gang related, Police, Crime 

The New York Police Department detained dozens of protesters who allegedly took over Columbia University’s Butler Library at the school’s Morningside Heights campus on Wednesday.

According to the New York Post, the roughly five-hour-long protest left two school safety officers injured. Footage appeared to show the anti-Israel mob shoving a security guard to force their way into the library’s front entrance, interrupting students inside studying.

‘Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation.’

The masked protesters shouted, “Free, free Palestine,” and placed signs over bookshelves, with one declaring the space a “liberated zone.” The rioters also spray-painted the walls of the library and hung Palestinian flags.

A defaced glass case read, “Columbia will burn 4 the martyrs,” according to a photo shared on social media.

Acting Columbia President Claire Shipman stated that officials believed that some of the protesters were not affiliated with the school.

In a Wednesday statement, Shipman said, “The individuals who disrupted activities in Butler Reading Room 301 still refuse to identify themselves and leave the building. Due to the number of individuals participating in the disruption inside and outside of the building, a large group of people attempting to force their way into Butler Library creating a safety hazard, and what we believe to be the significant presence of individuals not affiliated with the University, Columbia has taken the necessary step of requesting the presence of NYPD to assist in securing the building and the safety of our community.”

She declared that such disruptions “will not be tolerated.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) responded to Wednesday’s demonstration.

“At the written request of Columbia University, the NYPD is entering the campus to remove individuals who are trespassing. We will not tolerate hate or violence in any form in our city,” Adams said. “To Jewish New Yorkers, especially the students at Columbia who feel threatened or unsafe attending class because of these events: know that your mayor stands with you and will always work to keep you safe.”

The NYPD told the Daily Signal that it made 80 arrests. However, as of Thursday morning, no charges had been brought against the campus disruptors, the department said.

Columbia University released another statement on Thursday, notifying students that the library had reopened.

Jewish Community Relations Council Mark Treyger called the disruptive protest “not normal under any circumstance.”

“It is unsafe, unbelievable, and unacceptable to have fully masked strangers barging into learning institutions,” Treyger said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to look into the protesters’ visa status.

“Pro-Hamas thugs are no longer welcome in our great nation,” Rubio wrote in a post on social media.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) responded to Rubio’s post, stating, “Attention pro-Hamas rioters on college campuses across the country: you are on notice. America will no longer tolerate your antisemitic violence, destruction, harassment, and intimidation.”

Johnson thanked President Donald Trump and Rubio for cracking down on anti-Semitic violence.

Over the first 100 days of Trump’s second term, the administration revoked approximately 4,000 student visas. A senior State Department official previously told the Post that 90% had a “serious” criminal record.

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​News, Columbia university, Marco rubio, Rubio, Trump administration, Trump admin, Donald trump, Trump, Mike johnson, Anti-semitism, Anti-israel, Pro-palestine, Palestine, Pro-hamas, Hamas, Israel, New york police department, Nypd, Eric adams, Campus protests, Politics 

USA Fencing’s board director Damien Lehfeldt had a contentious hearing with members of the Republican Party over whether men should be allowed to compete in women’s fencing.

Lehfeldt, who has a detailed history of making derogatory remarks online about President Trump and those who believe sports should be separated by sex, faced a grilling alongside Fatima Goss Graves, CEO of the National Women’s Law Center.

Congressman Brandon Gill (R-Texas) pointed to troubling online posts from the executive, who largely admitted to making crass remarks.

Gill presented a social media post where Lehfeldt responded to a parent who didn’t want their daughter “being beaten up by men in sports.”

Lehfeldt allegedly wrote, “I’m not gonna pull her from the sport and write a whiny email announcing my departure.”

The board director did not deny he wrote the response and agreed it was “an inappropriate message” that he regretted posting.

Gill then asked about a post from parents who “don’t want their daughters competing against men in sports” and how Lehfeldt allegedly compared those parents to the “Ku Klux Klan.”

In response to the post, Lehfeldt reportedly wrote, “The only wizard that’s going to dig you out of the myopic hole you put yourself, and your family in, is one of the grand-wizard variety,” which is a reference to a rank in the KKK.

Lehfeldt said he apologized for that remark and called it “inappropriate” and pledged to “never making a message like that again.”

Lehfeldt then admitted that another response to the post was “not real.”

On his Facebook page, Lehfeldt was also exposed by Gill for writing, “Imagine being one of 71 million people dumb enough to vote re-election for a treasonous clown who is permanently banned from Twitter for inciting an insurrection, you mad MAGA bros.”

The executive stated that this was not in his professional capacity and acknowledged that Trump had won re-election, to which Gill replied that it was written on a page called “The Fencing Coach.”

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) took her turn hammering Lehfeldt with yes or no questions, including, “Do you think forcing a woman to change in front of a man, in a locker room, is abusive — yes or no?”

Before Lehfeldt answered, Greene continued, “Do you want your daughter to change in front of biological men in locker rooms?”

The director then replied, “My daughter isn’t really something that should be part of this hearing, respectfully.”

Lehfeldt’s social media activity was proved to be very questionable during the hearing. However, Representative Greene did show a photo of Lehfeldt that had been cropped to make it seem as if he was holding up the middle finger; he was actually giving a piece sign.

Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

In another instance on Instagram, Lehfeldt responded to a question from a user that asked, “Are you okay with cis females being at a disadvantage?”

Lehfeldt responded to the question simply by saying, “Yeah.”

Lehfeldt told the committee he exercised poor judgment in that instance and should not have said it.

Representative James Comer (R-Ky.) was another House member who offered up simple questions to the panel of guests, which also consisted of Stephanie Turner, a female fencer who refused to compete against a man, and Payton McNabb, a former female volleyball player who suffered brain damage at the hands of a male athlete in her league.

“Do you believe biological men should compete in women’s sports?” Comer asked the panel.

McNabb and Turner both quickly replied “no,” but Mr. Lehfeldt was not as reasonable.

“If they comply with the requirements, sir,” Lehfeldt replied. He then clarified that he did not mean by federal policy regarding men in women’s sports, but by the “policy of USA Fencing.”

Graves said she agreed with Lehfeldt and believed that “trans women” should be able to compete in fencing in accordance with their “gender identity.”

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​Fearless, Kkk, Fencing, Usa fencing, Hearing, Republicans, Sports 

Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell said performers boycotting President Donald Trump “won’t be welcomed” to the venue.

Grenell’s comments came after cast members of “Les Misérables” announced they will be boycotting Trump’s appearance next month. Grenell pushed back at these performers, calling them “vapid and intolerant artists” who lack professionalism.

‘The Kennedy Center wants to be a place where people of all political stripes sit next to each other and never ask who someone voted for but instead enjoys a performance together.’

“Any performer who isn’t professional enough to perform to patrons of all backgrounds, regardless of political affiliation, won’t be welcomed,” Grenell said in a statement.

“In fact, we think it would be important to out those vapid and intolerant artists to ensure producers know who they shouldn’t hire — and that the public knows which shows have political litmus tests to sit in the audience,” Grenell added.

The cast of “Les Misérables” has not been the only prominent Trump critic in the theater. Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator and star of the hit musical “Hamilton,” also said he was going to cancel his performances at the Kennedy Center.

“The Kennedy Center was not created in this spirit, and we’re not going to be a part of it while it is the Trump Kennedy Center” Miranda said. “We’re just not going to be a part of it.”

Grenell maintained that the Kennedy Center is an apolitical venue and that anyone who fails to treat it as such is unwelcome.

“The Kennedy Center wants to be a place where people of all political stripes sit next to each other and never ask who someone voted for but instead enjoys a performance together,” Grenell said.

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​Donald trump, Trump administration, Ric grenell, Les miserables, Kennedy center, Hamilton, Activists, Lin manuel miranda, Trump boycott, Politics 

A contractor working at one of the highest-security infectious disease research labs in North America recently risked an outbreak of deadly disease in order to exact retribution over a “personal dispute,” National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya claims.

According to a Health and Human Services official who spoke with Fox News, the contracting researcher poked holes in a colleague’s personal protective equipment following a lovers’ quarrel. The incident occurred at the Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick Army base in Frederick, Maryland, in early March, though Bhattacharya said he did not learn of it until weeks later.

At 5 p.m. on April 29, all experimental work at the facility was suspended indefinitely.

“NIH has implemented a research pause—referred to as a safety stand-down—at the Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick,” Bradley Moss, communication director for the office of research services at NIH, wrote to WIRED in an email. “This decision follows identification and documentation of personnel issues involving contract staff that compromised the facility’s safety culture, prompting this research pause. During the stand-down, no research will be conducted, and access will be limited to essential personnel only, to safeguard the facility and its resources.”

The investigation into the PPE incident ‘revealed a pattern — going back to the Biden administration — of safety not taken as seriously as it ought.’

The suspension of experiments, authorized by Bhattacharya in coordination with HHS Sec. Robert Kennedy, was a wise decision. The Integrated Research Facility conducts some of the highest-risk research on some of the deadliest pathogens in the world, including Lassa fever, SARS-Cov-2, and Eastern equine encephalitis. It is one of only a handful of facilities conducting such research involving “high consequence” infectious diseases in North America.

The Integrated Research Facility employs 168 workers, including contractors. The contractor who, according to Bhattacharya, “deliberately” sabotaged the coworker’s PPE has since been fired.

Connie Schmaljohn, the director of the facility, has also been placed on administrative leave. The HHS official told Fox News Schmaljohn failed to report the incident up the chain of command immediately, thereby delaying the remediation process.

Schmaljohn did not respond to a request for comment from WIRED.

In a tweet thread on Wednesday, Bhattacharya characterized the incident as “serious,” adding that “this is how lab leaks can happen!”

No timeline has been given for when research at the facility will resume. “I won’t reopen the lab until I am satisfied that it can be done with zero risk to public safety,” Bhattacharya pledged. “No more lab generated pandemics!”

“The sacrifice to research is immense,” said Gigi Kwik Gronvall, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “If things are unused for a period of time, it will cost more money to get them ready to be used again.”

The HHS official indicated to Fox News that breaches in safety protocol occurred repeatedly at the facility during the Biden administration, including as recently as November. Bhattacharya likewise claimed that the investigation into the PPE incident “revealed a pattern — going back to the Biden administration — of safety not taken as seriously as it ought.”

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​Research, Infectious disease, Nih, Hhs, Jay bhattacharya, Integrated research facility, Fort detrick, Army, Politics 

On May 2, Washington state Governor Bob Ferguson (D) signed Senate Bill 5375 into law, mandating that clergy, including Catholic priests, report suspected child abuse or neglect to law enforcement or state authorities, even if the information is disclosed during the sacrament of confession.

This means priests must break the seal of confession, a sacred Catholic practice, or face legal consequences. However, to abide by the law means priests will face automatic excommunication under Canon Law, which deems violating the confessional seal a grave offense.

The Catholic Church has come out in strong opposition of the law, claiming it violates First Amendment protections for religious freedom and unfairly targets clergy, as other privileged communications (e.g., attorney-client, doctor-patient) remain exempt.

“Blaze News Tonight’s” Jill Savage, Matthew Peterson, and Christopher Bedford — all practicing Catholics — say it’s an egregious law.

Confession is how “people bring their sins before God and ask for forgiveness and penance. It’s as important as marriage; it’s as important as last rites; it’s as important to salvation as baptism. It’s something that is essential in the spiritual life of Catholics,” says Bedford. “People have to unburden themselves with some darkness, and they only can do that and have that access to the sacrament if they know that the priests, that the seal of confession is legit.”

Further, the law is just “a red herring” that distracts from the real problem: abusive priests who have been historically protected by the Church.

Reflecting on his childhood, Bedford says, “We had family friends who killed themselves after the awfulness that they were subjected to by some satanic priests.”

The issue of child abuse as it relates to the Catholic Church has never been that admissions “were whispered in confession” but rather that the criminal actions of abusive priests “were know to the higher-ups of the church and covered over,” he explains.

“This is an actual attack on the Church, on the sacraments, and it’s a great thing that the bishops are coming up against it,” Bedford says, adding that “I’m really excited to see that the federal Department of Justice is now investigating this law for the obvious — obvious — civil rights violations that it entails.”

Peterson agrees, suspecting that the push for these laws isn’t really fueled by a desire to protect children, as supporters claim, but rather by an “anti-religious fervor.”

There is “a massive and increasing anti-Catholic animus across the West,” says Bedford, citing the 2021 “spate of church burnings across Canada done by activists.”

“A priest who deals a lot with the demonic once told me …’the devil is no longer hiding in the shadows. The devil is very much out in the open.”’

To hear more of the conversation, watch the episode above.

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​Blaze news tonight, Blaze media, Blazetv, Chris bedford, Jill savage, Matthew peterson, Catholic, Catholic church, Washington state, Catholic confession, Bob ferguson, Confession seal 

Vice President JD Vance and Democratic strategist James Carville both blasted Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minn.) this week over her apparent racial animus. Whereas Vance characterized the Minnesota congresswoman as a “disgrace,” Carville suggested she was a political liability whose supporters “are more trouble than they’re worth.”

Omar was asked in a
February 2018 interview about President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 13780 — the so-called “Muslim travel ban” that placed restrictions on entry to the U.S. by nationals from terrorist hotbeds such as Syria and Omar’s native country of Somalia.

“Do you think President Trump doesn’t want people like you in the country? Because he says it’s not personal; it’s national security,” Mehdi Hasan, a liberal talking head known for his “anti-Israel agitprop,” asked Omar in the interview.

‘Our country should be more fearful of white men.’

“If we were really being honest about what could be masqueraded as a national security issue, we know that no one from any of these countries has ever posed a threat within this country,” said Omar.

Hasan noted later in a portion of the interview that has
repeatedly gone viral that “a lot of conservatives in particular would say that the rise of Islamophobia is the result not of hate but of fear — a legitimate fear, they say, of ‘jihadist terrorism,’ whether it’s Fort Hood or San Bernardino or the recent truck attack in New York. What do you say to them?”

Omar — who previously summarized the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks as
“some people did something” and whose community saw dozens of young men, including the first known American Islamist suicide bomber, return to Somalia to fight for Islamic terrorist groups — appeared keen to downplay the relative threat of Islamic terrorism.

“I would say our country should be more fearful of white men across our country because they are actually causing most of the deaths within this country,” said the Democratic congresswoman. “And so if fear was the driving force of policies to keep America safe, Americans safe inside of this country, we should be profiling, monitoring, and creating policies to fight the radicalization of white men.”

‘This is blatant racism.’

An excerpt from the seven-year-old interview recently resurfaced and, with the amplification of influencer accounts like Libs of TikTok, quickly went viral.

Vice President JD Vance commented on the excerpt, which had over 17.5 million views at the time of publication, writing, “This isn’t just sick; it’s actually genocidal language.”

“What a disgrace this person is,” added Vance, who previously
suggested that Ilhan Omar would be “living in a craphole” if the U.S. hadn’t welcomed her.

Omar punched back, claiming she was “referring to the rise of white nationalism in an annual report issued by the
Anti-Defamation League that said white supremacists were responsible for 78 percent of ‘extremist-related murders.'”

“PS you should look up what ‘genocidal’ actually means when you’re actively supporting a genocide taking place in Gaza,” added Omar.

Other critics piled on, with some X users issuing reminders about Omar’s
past difficulty filing accurate tax returns and others calling for her deportation.

Utah Sen. Mike Lee (R)
said of Omar’s comments, “This is blatant racism. Who condemns it?”

‘There are people that actually agree with her.’

Republican Majority Whip Tom Emmer (Minn.)
said Omar “never ceases to be an embarrassment for Minnesota.”

Carville similarly took aim at Omar over her comments days later at the Sir Harry Evans Investigative Journalism Summit when
discussing how Democrats might “regain their mojo,” emphasizing that they aren’t doing her party any favors.

“Ilhan Omar says that white men are responsible for most of the deaths in the United States,” Carville said Wednesday. “So let me get this straight: 69% of the people — I’m stuck on that number; I don’t know — but 69% of people who’re going to vote are white. Of that, [48.5%] are males. So I don’t know, my rough math is 33%. Let’s go out and piss off 33% of the people that vote.”

“That’s a smart strategy,” added Carville sarcastically. “There are people that actually agree with her, and I think these — honestly — I think these people are more trouble than they’re worth.”

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​Jd vance, Vance, James carville, Ilhan omar, Racism, Democrat, Democratic, Leftism, Identity politics, Terrorism, Islamist, Minnesota, Politics 

Rather than idle in one of his three houses, millionaire Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has been traveling around the country for his Fighting Oligarchy Tour, hitting Americans up for money and giving speeches with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and other fellow travelers on “how we move forward to take on the oligarchs and corporate interests who have so much power and influence in this country.”

When pressed Wednesday about the optics of taking a private jet around the country to complain about poverty and inequality, Sanders stated emphatically that he would not apologize for avoiding the alternative modes of travel used by everyday Americans.

Citing campaign expenditures released last month, the Washington Free Beacon indicated that Sanders’ main campaign committee, Friends of Bernie Sanders, which manages the Fighting Oligarchy Tour, spent $221,723 on chartering private jets during the first quarter of 2025.

Some of the flights taken by Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez on the “Fighting Oligarchy Tour” were reportedly worth $15,000 an hour.

Where Sanders is concerned, this is par for the course.

In the final three months of 2019, Sanders’ campaign spent nearly $1.2 million on a luxury private jet charter service — not a good look for someone critical of the wealthy and supposedly concerned about the supposed threat of climate change.

‘You think I’m gonna be sitting on a waiting line at United waiting?’

During an interview Wednesday, Fox News’ Bret Baier asked the self-described democratic socialist to respond to the Beacon’s report concerning his jet travel.

Sanders initially tried to neutralize the question with some whataboutery, suggesting that President Donald Trump — who has made no claim to being a socialist — has not and would not fly commercial while in “campaign mode.”

“But he’s also not fighting the oligarchy,” said Baier.

“You run a campaign, and you do three or four or five rallies in a week. [It is] the only way you can get around to talk to 30,000 people,” said Sanders. “You think I’m gonna be sitting on a waiting line at United waiting? You know, while 30, 000 people are waiting?”

‘Socialism for you, luxury for him.’

Sanders stressed that private jet travel was “the only way to get around.”

“No apologies for that,” continued the senator. “That’s what campaign travel is about. We’ve done it in the past. We’re gonna do it in the future.”

— (@)

“I think at a time when the people on top are doing phenomenally well, when seniors, working-class people are struggling, people want to hear action to stand up to the people who have the wealth and the power and create an economy that works for all of us, not just the people on top,” Sanders told Baier.

Critics seized upon Sanders’ comments as another example of his apparent hypocrisy.

“Ironic that a self proclaimed socialist doesn’t like to stand in line since that’s what people do in socialist countries. It’s just for food, gas, and medical attention — not flights on United,” tweeted former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R).

All-American swim star Riley Gaines noted, “The socialist who rails against the wealthy flies private and scoffs at flying commercial — socialism for you, luxury for him.”

Sanders admitted during his October appearance on the “Lex Fridman Podcast” that it is easy for politicians to lose touch with everyday Americans and their priorities, noting that “it’s a very easy trap to fall into — you can get separated from ordinary people and their struggle.”

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​Bernie sanders, Sanders, Democratic, Independent, Champagne socialist, Socialist, Hypocrisy, Oligarchy, Politics 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promised parents and Big Pharma skeptics that he would work through the federal government to end the epidemic of chronic disease and illness plaguing the United States.

As with any newly appointed member of the government, cutting through red tape, bureaucracy, and the shadow group known as the deep state are likely to be Kennedy’s biggest challenges.

In fact, if anyone were likely to stand up to these threats, it would be Kennedy, a lifelong enemy to Big Pharma.

In Kennedy’s first 100 days as the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the HHS appears to have moved rather quickly on bans related to food products and additives.

First and foremost were phaseouts on all “petroleum-based synthetic dyes” that had long been criticized by the secretary.

The department started by eliminating six synthetic dyes: FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1, and FD&C Blue No. 2

These are set to be removed from the food supply by the end of 2026, with a revocation of dyes Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B also down the pipeline in the coming months.

Kennedy referred to the petroleum dyes as “poisonous compounds” that “offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers” to the health and development of children.

Kennedy added, “We’re restoring gold-standard science, applying common sense, and beginning to earn back the public’s trust. And we’re doing it by working with industry to get these toxic dyes out of the foods our families eat every day.”

Fluoride, which is predominantly added to water in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Chile, and Ireland, has faced criticism for years. Studies from Harvard in 2012 and the HHS in 2024 have claimed the use of fluoride lowers the IQ of children.

“It makes no sense to have it in our water supply,” Kennedy told an audience in Utah.

Utah recently became the first state to officially ban fluoride, with RFK Jr. saying he was reassembling a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention task force to further study the effects of fluoride and make an official government recommendation. Obviously, he hopes more states will follow suit.

‘They changed our food system in this country so that it is poison to us.’

Kennedy further praised Utah for being one of the first states to apply for a ban on soda from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Arkansas and Indiana joined Utah in requesting a waiver from the USDA to remove soda and candy from being purchasable through food stamps.

According to the Associated Press, Arkansas’ plan would exclude soda and fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice. Artificially sweet candy and confections made with flour would also be banned. The plan would allow rotisserie chicken to be purchased, which is currently excluded.

Indiana’s plan would simply exclude candy and soda from SNAP.

“They changed our food system in this country so that it is poison to us,” Kennedy remarked.

Infant formula has also seen enhanced focus from the HHS under Kennedy. A 2022 scare shocked parents across the country with a severe shortage blamed on supply chain issues related to COVID-19.

While noting that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and HHS want to ensure a “strong” and resilient supply, much of what the federal government announced was related to testing the baby formula for a nutritional review.

This included increased testing for heavy metals and other contaminants, increased transparency in labeling, and prioritizing research related to long-term health outcomes associated with formula feeding in infancy.

“The FDA remains committed to infant formula safety and nutritional quality and is taking all actions to ensure the U.S. infant formula supply ranks best in the world,” a press release stated.

Furthermore, a proposed policy change that may have flown under the radar in March was Kennedy’s direction to the FDA to eliminate the ability for companies to “self-affirm ingredients are safe.”

Describing it as a “loophole,” Secretary Kennedy said that companies are able to introduce new ingredients and chemicals into the U.S. food supply without notifying the FDA.

While manufacturers are currently “strongly” encouraged by the FDA to inform the agency of any new substances Generally Recognized as Safe that they are using, those manufacturers can self-affirm a substance is generally safe without notifying the FDA.

“Eliminating this loophole will provide transparency to consumers,” Kennedy said.

Cost cutting

Upon taking office, RFK Jr. immediately pointed to $1.7 trillion spent annually in the United States on health care, an increase of 17% in just five years.

Therefore, Kennedy immediately began “slashing unhealthy fat” at HHS, which amounted to almost 10,000 employees leaving the department.

While the media framed this as layoffs and “job cuts,” Kennedy said the removals were voluntary resignations.

“We offered our employees, especially those who were not aligned with our mission, the chance to resign gracefully. Nearly 10,000 HHS employees voluntarily chose to depart through our Deferred Resignation Program, Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, and Voluntary Separation Incentive programs.”

RFK Jr. also announced the closing of five of the agency’s “highest-cost regional offices” in Boston, Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, and Seattle.

‘It’s clear that HHS had become a cesspool of deep state bureaucrats …’

While these decisions are certainly quick money savers, the HHS claimed it saved another $67 billion through work with the Department of Government Efficiency. This was accomplished through actions like canceling $14.1 billion in COVID-related grants.

Government contracts were terminated or changed to save another $17 billion, while requiring individuals to produce their proof of income to qualify for federal subsidies saved another $10.5 billion.

“Evidenced by the number of HHS workers who voluntarily resigned once Kennedy took over with the MAHA agenda, it’s clear that HHS had become a cesspool of deep state bureaucrats uninterested in the true objective of the department: keeping Americans healthy,” said BlazeTV’s Sara Gonzales.

She added, “I am grateful for Secretary Kennedy’s swift action to address harmful food dyes and fluoride in the water, both of which predominantly harm our children at greater rates than anyone else.”

Gonzales pointed to other work by the HHS, such as attempts to find the root causes of autism.

Kennedy said he was assembling teams of scientists to focus research on the origins of an autism epidemic that now affects 1 in 31 children.

“We expect to begin to have answers by September,” RFK Jr. explained.

In its report, the HHS attempted to quell the claim that the increased number is attributed to the expansion of diagnoses and detection. The department said the expansion of diagnoses could not be attributed solely to the expansion of testing and that nearly two-thirds of children with autism also had severe or borderline intellectual disabilities.

Along with a new report on gender dysphoria, there is a lot for health-conscious Americans and conservatives to sink their teeth into.

Kennedy recently announced that vaccines would require further testing before approval, including undergoing safety testing in placebo-controlled trials prior to licensure. An HHS spokesperson called this a “radical departure” from past practices.

“From finding the root causes of autism and eliminating the poisons in our food, to finally testing childhood vaccines with true placebos, there is much more work to be done,” Gonzales said.

With near mind-bending levels of government efficiency, Kennedy seems to have a lot on the horizon that citizens on both sides of the political aisle could describe as making America healthy again. If true, government working on behalf of the health of the citizenry is indeed a radical departure from the past.

​T3, Health, Robert f kennedy jr, Rfk jr, Maha, Make america healthy again, Nih, Hhs, Trump administration, Politics 

When President Donald Trump returned to office in January, nearly everyone in his circle agreed on the top priority: renewing the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Without action, a crushing 22% tax hike looms, threatening to undo the economic gains of the past decade.

Extending the tax reform would also give businesses and investors the long-term stability they need to plan, expand, and hire.

Repealing the C-SALT deduction would hammer small businesses — the backbone of the American economy.

Instead, the administration has sent mixed signals. Daily shifts in tariff policy have rattled markets and injected uncertainty into every sector of the economy. Investors are jittery. Business leaders are holding back. And analysts are already warning of a potential recession.

These mistakes make it even more important to switch the focus to the tax package. The Trump administration should stop talking about tariffs and focus, along with Congress, on stabilizing markets and laying the foundation for economic growth by getting taxes down.

C-SALT: A conservative’s dream

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act delivered everything conservatives had long demanded: 100% expensing for business property, a 21% corporate income tax rate, and a child tax credit that rewarded work. It stood as the defining achievement of Trump’s first term. Making it permanent could help revive the pre-COVID economic boom.

But lawmakers must resist the temptation to gut the law’s pro-growth provisions to fund unrelated priorities. That includes rejecting the misguided push to repeal or limit the corporate state and local tax deduction, known as C-SALT.

Debates about the individual SALT deduction cap have dominated headlines in Washington. Some reforms to that cap may make sense. But individual SALT and C-SALT are not the same issue, and they shouldn’t be treated as interchangeable.

C-SALT promotes growth by preventing double taxation on businesses. It lets employers reinvest earnings, stay competitive, and create jobs. Rolling it back would hit business owners hard, slow hiring, and weaken America’s edge in the global economy.

Policy groups like Americans for Tax Reform and the Tax Foundation agree: Gutting C-SALT would put long-term growth at risk — and betray the core economic agenda that fueled Trump’s first-term success.

For businesses, state and local taxes are an operating expense. If businesses lose the ability to deduct these taxes, they will be paying taxes on taxes.

Small businesses pay the price

Repealing the C-SALT deduction would hammer small businesses — the backbone of the American economy. Many already struggle under heavy corporate, state, and local tax burdens, especially in rural and Republican-leaning states. Removing this deduction would force them to shoulder a disproportionate share of the pain.

No serious conservative case exists for eliminating or capping the C-SALT deduction. Some Republicans seem confused, conflating C-SALT with the personal SALT deduction, which overwhelmingly benefits wealthy taxpayers in high-tax blue states. But they are not the same. As the Tax Foundation notes, capping C-SALT won’t “reduce distortive tax benefits or enhance state competition” the way a cap on the personal SALT deduction might — because corporate and individual tax systems function differently.

In 2023, American businesses paid nearly $1.1 trillion in state and local taxes. Stripping away their ability to deduct those taxes from federal corporate income tax amounts to a massive tax hike — potentially hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade.

That kind of tax increase would erase much of the economic progress since the 2017 tax law was passed. It would punish the very job creators conservatives claim to champion.

Lawmakers in Congress — especially Republicans who support free enterprise and pro-growth tax reform that spurs economic growth — should focus on restoring and making permanent the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’s tax cuts without jeopardizing the benefits that the C-SALT deduction provides for American businesses of all sizes.

​Opinion & analysis, Tax reform, Tax cuts and jobs act, Donald trump, Economy, Taxes, Tariffs, Recession, C-salt, State and local taxes, Small business, Congress, Tax foundation, Americans for tax reform 

Discount Tire, America’s largest specialist retailer, whisked journalists to a junket in San Antonio, Texas. Details were hazy: A website and a test track. It wasn’t clear what the one had to do with the other.

Starting with a formal evening on the deck of a boutique hotel and affixing the smile of a politician coming into contact with the general public, I interrogated members of Discount Tire’s C-suite about minor glitches on their website.

Hoping to show engagement, I demonstrated only peevishness, while drinking their wine. The same fixed smiles appeared on their faces.

Redolent of the hippos in Disney’s ‘Fantasia,’ the sheen on the asphalt allowed the BMW to spin and glide in just about any direction except forward.

For the journalists, rule one is this is all very tedious. No such affect from the influencers, emotions displayed on their faces in a way Marcel Marceau would have found a little obvious.

Top gear

But the tire execs loved that the influencers loved it. The PRs beamed like parents at a preteen birthday party when the kids are getting along. No part of the joy escaped capture on iPhone 16 Pros. No one had anything else: not the (embarrassing) 15 nor the (shaming) non-Pro. Sorry, Android, but all these bubbles were blue.

Pre-dawn, we assembled by a series of Sprinters. Gimbals, suction-cupped GoPro cameras, tripods, lighting rigs, and editing software were being compared and Bluetooth microphones affixed. All this would blend with B-roll the PR company was filming with drones. “Apocalypse Now” had lower production values.

I looked intently into my iPad, attempting to suggest my own serious media needs, a frown to convey that my device also needed expert handling. My emasculating iPhone 13 mini stayed hidden.

Still having little idea what to expect, we got to Discount Tire’s Treadwell Research Park in Pearsall, about 50 miles outside San Antonio.

On the skids

Discount Tire bought the 900-acre four-zone facility in 2022, partnering with track testers Smithers. A 1.9-mile oval simulates real-world surfaces from highway on-ramps to potholes and noisy road surfaces, as well as skid pans for measuring wet and dry stopping distances.

Next there is a flooded asphalt field — vehicle dynamics area — with water depth kept between 1.75mm and 2.25mm (less than one-tenth of an inch), capturing hydroplaning. It is complemented by a dry VDA, being used by British sports car maker Lotus on this particular day.

Finally, there is around a mile of off-road track with deep mud, gravel, and fine sand. In addition, sophisticated lathes simulate wear. This testing data powers Discount Tire’s Treadwell recommendations, online and in-store.

Behind the wheel

For demonstrations, we were split into groups in paired BMW 330i vehicles. Brett, our pro, took us onto the wet VDA around a course marked out with cones, first slowly, then like Lewis Hamilton.

Then he handed it to me. I did my best to emulate his driving style. Judging by my companions’ reactions, I was not unsuccessful.

Cathy made short-form videos on Instagram focusing on safety, aimed at young mothers, offering wise words on shredding bank statements. Cathy was shooting video using the better cameras on the back of her (inevitable) iPhone 16 Pro.

Somehow she was able to keep herself in the center of a frame she couldn’t see while the car was pirouetting in the wet, its occupants experiencing fighter pilot G-forces. I didn’t know it was a skill until I saw it.

The other rider was James, aka Pikachu, the Pokémon character, his on-camera persona as excitable as the namesake yellow mouse. He happily farmed out video shooting to anyone with a convenient hand.

Redolent of the hippos in Disney’s “Fantasia,” the sheen on the asphalt allowed the BMW to spin and glide in just about any direction except forward. Cones were knocked down like skittles, or crushed. We said supportive things while unsticking our cheeks from the windows.

In the controlled environment, the speed was strangely unconcerning, though with tight-lipped nonchalance Cathy did ask what happened at the edge of the track.

It was a lot of fun. Then we did it again in a BMW fitted with different tires, finding that the first handled with the solemnity of a maiden aunt when compared with the teenage delinquency of the second. It was even more fun.

At the oval we drove another pair of BMWs, identical except for tires, with stopping distances measured in emergency braking from 70mph. On a dry surface in a late-model sedan, the tires could make the difference between a fender-bender and a write-off. In the wet the differences pile up, perhaps literally. Controlled skids with fellow journalists shrieking from the rear seats made me a convert.

From left: Brett, James aka Pikachu, Cathy, and your humble correspondent. Photo courtesy of Discount Tire

Unbiased rankings

Treadwell’s site asks for the vehicle’s details and ZIP code, for likely weather. Specifics can be tailored, but there are default options: “suburb & city” and “highway.”

The third is “tracks and traction,” for “spirited drivers.” Bravo to the wordsmith who came up with that for Donnie in the Dodge Charger flashing his high beams and sitting behind you so close that a colonoscopy would seem less intimate.

Treadwell lists results, compared with the factory specification and sorted by test ratings. The company says suppliers cannot pay for this placement, but this was buried in the FAQ. Another group of C-suite executives too slow to escape questioning explained it to me.

As most sites sell search results and page placement, I would be jumping up and down If I ran it — but perhaps the point of bringing journalists to San Antonio is so we do those gymnastics.

Roads scholar

What’s the alternative? Standardized data is available. Each tire has a tongue-twisting Uniform Tire Quality Grade. But information can be hard to find.

What happens when it’s a zero? Does the big-box retailer show stopping distances: wet, dry, new, worn? If it does (the one with cheap hotdogs does not) who provided it? Or do you just get what the dealership recommends?

I’m not saying the manufacturer would lie to you. Electrify America’s EV charging network was built as part of a settlement by Volkswagen for … lying to regulators. Recall the Ford Pinto, which is more than Ford did when its explosive gas tank became evident. You may even think of Ralph Nader, before he became Ralph Nader. Of course, we need draw no conclusions from clearly isolated incidents that seem to keep happening.

Back from Texas and donning mystery-shopper dark glasses, I drove to America’s Tire (the brand where I am, Discount Tire, also owns Tire Rack). A proprietary laser scan recommended replacing all four tires. Darn it, but better than finding out the hard way.

Online, Treadwell recommended the Michelin Defender 2. In-store, that was also what Andrew pulled up on his system.

Far from steering me to spend more, it was the cheapest branded tire. The car’s manufacturer fits the Michelin Primacy MXM4 AC. Treadwell’s suggestion was cheaper, and the new ones should last six years, versus under three for the originals. The stopping distance is worse — by one foot. But I was given the information to make the choice, knowing it was backed up by independent testing.

Treadwell is Discount Tire’s recommendation engine and its rigorous testing site: they are two sides of the same coin. It really does it, and it does it really well. Rarely has a demonstration proved so eye-opening. It could save you money. It could also save your life.

​Alex johnson, Provisions, Test track, Discount tire, Treadwell research park, Tires, Consumer rankings, Align cars 

On Tuesday, at 4:40 p.m. local time, the conclave to pick a new pope began.

Most of us are following this process, but it may be helpful to understand a little more about what is actually going on. There are many questions surrounding this event. It can be hard for those not familiar with the structure and practices of the Church to understand what is actually happening.

Who’s who

Before we get into the actual proceedings of the conclave, we should make sure to understand who is involved.

The pope

The pope is the head of the Catholic Church. The Vicar of Christ on earth. Upon his death, the Apostolic See is empty — meaning that nobody is currently occupying the office of pope. The term for this situation is “Apostolica Sedes Vacans.” The official language of the Church is Latin, hence the Latin terminology. The conclave ends with the election of a new pope.

Cardinals

Cardinals are bishops who are chosen by the pope for elevation to a body known as the College of Cardinals. They have various positions of importance in the administration and governance of the Church. Certain large or important dioceses around the world will generally have a cardinal in charge of them. In this U.S., these dioceses have typically been New York, Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Newark.

There are other functions that cardinals serve, but all you really need to know in this case is that after the pope dies, all of them who can make it travel to Rome for the General Congregation.

This is a period of meetings where the cardinals sort out aspects of church government and get to know one another. Remember that they are sent all over the world, and many of them rarely interact with one another.

Another important distinction to note is that only cardinals under the age of 80 can vote in the conclave; these are called cardinal electors. This time around, that’s 134 out of 252 cardinals.

If a cardinal is over 80, he can still be elected pope. In fact, any Catholic man can technically be elected pope, although a layman would have to be immediately ordained and consecrated. However, a non-cardinal has only been elected a handful of times (mostly during the early Church period). The last case was in 1378.

Vatican staff

During the conclave, there is still staff work that needs to be done. As I will explain, only the voting sessions are restricted to cardinals only. However, the Vatican staff present during the conclave are still sworn to secrecy. The penalty for violating the oath of secrecy is the same for staff and cardinals alike: “latae sententiae” [automatic and instantaneous] excommunication from the Catholic Church. This penalty can only be lifted by the pope or his designated representative.

Some history

It is worth taking a moment to look at the history of the conclave to see how it came to be the way it is today.

From the earliest days of the Church, the pope has always been elected. What’s more, it became an exclusively clerical affair quite early on. In 1059, it was decided that only cardinals could vote, and in 1179, the Third Lateran Council set the requirement for election at two-thirds, where it has been ever since.

After a rather trying conclave in 1268 — which ended up lasting three years, until 1271 — Pope Gregory X decreed that the cardinals would be kept in seclusion until the election was complete. (He also mandated that their food rations be decreased incrementally the longer the conclave went on, but this requirement is no longer in place.)

1492 was the first year the voting portion of the conclave was held in the Sistine Chapel, where it has been held ever since. In 1970, the voting cutoff was set at 80 years old. The 134 cardinals who will vote in this conclave will be highest number in history.

The vote

So, how does the conclave actually work? First, the conclave refers to the whole period of time from the procession of the cardinals into the Sistine Chapel as they chant the “Veni Creator Spiritus,” to the point when the new pope accepts his election.

The voting sessions are the part where the actual vote casting, tallying, and burning take place. When all of the cardinal electors have assembled in the chapel, the command “Extra omnes!” (Everyone out!) is given, and everyone but the cardinal electors is locked out. The chapel is then sealed. After a period of prayer, the voting will begin.

How does the voting work? On the first day (if time allows), there will be one round of voting. Each round of voting consists of two ballots. A ballot refers to the vote by the individual cardinals. Each cardinal will write the name of his nominee on a paper ballot, bring it to the altar, recite an oath that he acts in good conscience before God, and place the ballot in a large urn.

This process is repeated, and then the ballots are counted, the results announced, and the ballots are burned. (Coloring is used to ensure that the smoke is either white or black.) So each cardinal casts two ballots per voting round. On the first day, there will be one round, and afterward two rounds each day, one in the morning and one in the evening.

The acceptance

Once there is a two-thirds consensus (for this conclave, that number is 89), the man elected must accept his election (you can’t force someone to become pope). If he accepts, he goes to the Room of Tears, which is a small chamber next to the chapel named for the overwhelming emotion the new pope feels and the tears that are often shed as a result.

In the Room of Tears, there are three white cassocks (small, medium, and large), as well as the other necessary vestments in different sizes. The pope will also choose his shoes, which are either red, white, or black. After dressing in the Room of Tears, the new pope will proceed to the “loggia” (balcony) of St. Peter’s Basilica, where he will be announced to the world and deliver his first address.

During the voting sessions of the conclave, the cardinals are locked in the Sistine Chapel. When not in voting sessions, they stay in the Domus Sanctae Marthae, a large guesthouse in Vatican City.

If you stood in St. Peter’s square facing the front entrance of the basilica, the Domus Sanctae Marthae would be diagonally to your left beside St. Peter’s, while the Sistine Chapel would be diagonally to your right. During the conclave, the cardinals walk between the two buildings by going behind St. Peter’s and remaining well within the restricted areas of Vatican City. They sleep, take their meals, pray, and talk with one another within the secluded confines of the Vatican until they have chosen the next pope.

Secretive proceedings

The conclave is famously difficult to cover due to the secretive nature of the proceedings. It can be very difficult for media outlets to speak coherently on the proceedings or likely outcomes given the unique nature and structure of politics and relationships within the Church.

Giving any sort of intelligent commentary requires extensive knowledge and exposition of Church history, proceedings, recent papal documents, curia appointments, as well as an understanding of the supranational and doctrinal nature of ecclesiastical law and authority.

The names that have emerged as potential frontrunners for this conclave are Cardinals Parolin and Tagle on the more “liberal” side, and Cardinals Pizzaballa and Erdo on the more “conservative” side. One of these men may very well step out onto the “loggia” of St. Peter’s as the new supreme pontiff, but it may just as easily be anyone else.

We should remember to pray for the wise discernment of the cardinals in choosing a pope who will be a good and faithful leader of the Church, a leader for Christians, and a leader for the whole world.

​Culture, Pope, Conclave 

An Ohio woman was arrested during a routine traffic stop after police discovered crack cocaine — and a raccoon in the front seat with a glass meth pipe in its mouth, according to authorities.

At around 7:15 p.m. Monday, an officer with the Springfield Township Police Department pulled over a vehicle because the driver reportedly had an active warrant and a suspended driver’s license.

‘While our officers are trained to expect the unexpected, finding a raccoon holding a meth pipe is a first!’

“However, things took an unusual turn,” the Springfield Township Police Department said in a statement.

“As Officer Branham returned to the vehicle, he observed a raccoon named ‘Chewy’ sitting in the driver’s seat with a meth pipe in its mouth,” police stated. “Chewy had somehow gotten hold of a glass methamphetamine pipe, leading officers to further inspect the vehicle.”

Police said a subsequent search revealed a “bulk” amount of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and three used glass meth pipes.

The driver — 55-year-old Victoria Vidal from Akron — was arrested “without incident” and charged with possession of drugs, three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, and a citation for driving with a suspended license.

The Midland Daily News reported that a “grand jury will consider additional charges related to crack cocaine possession, pending lab results.”

Vidal reportedly was turned over to Cuyahoga Falls Police on her active warrant.

The Springfield Township Police Department said, “Thankfully, Chewy the raccoon was unharmed, and notification was made to the proper authorities to determine that she has the proper paperwork and documentation to own the raccoon.”

The police department joked, “While our officers are trained to expect the unexpected, finding a raccoon holding a meth pipe is a first! No raccoons were hurt or injured in this incident.”

Police did not specify if Chewy would be returned to Vidal.

In Ohio, residents reportedly are permitted to own raccoons as pets if they file appropriate documents.

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​Weird news, Strange news, Odd news, Ohio, Ohio crime, Raccoon, Crime, Meth pipe, Springfield, Traffic stop