“This case could completely wipe out the ATF’s ability to create law and subvert congress, which would be a massive win for the Second Amendment.” [more…]
Sam Bankman-Fried’s ex finally got a new job — suspiciously like the old one
Everyone deserves a second chance, according to Caroline Ellison’s new boss.
Upon reading Ellison’s Tumblr page and Substack, the CEO thinks readers will understand too.
‘I believe in redemption.’
Ellison infamously ran Alameda research, a crypto-investment firm, while dating disgraced crypto-exchange mogul and FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried.
Alameda, which was also founded by Bankman-Fried, had a $65 billion line of credit with FTX and was used to lend Bankman-Fried money to allegedly make political donations.
Ellison was sentenced to two years in prison after she pleaded guilty to fraud-related charges, but she was released after 11 months.
Now, the CEO of a nonprofit says Ellison has been working for him since July and accepted a full-time role in August to “develop our funding platform and research how to effectively direct philanthropic dollars.”
Austin Chen runs Manifund, which describes itself as a nonprofit that “helps great charities get the funding they need.”
Chen admitted in a recent blog post that he felt indebted to the FTX Future Fund, the charitable arm of FTX that funded Manifold Markets, which was also founded by Chen, with Manifund operating as a side project.
“I believe in redemption,” Chen wrote. “Caroline has admitted her faults, worked to make creditors whole, and served her time in prison. I’d like to give her the opportunity to contribute back to the world; I hope that the world will concur.”
Chen boasted about Ellison’s online accounts as the first thing that attracted him to her professionally, including her Tumblr titled “Fake Charity Nerd Girl.”
RELATED: Caroline Ellison, Sam Bankman-Fried’s partner in FTX crime, sprung early from prison
Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The CEO also cited Ellison’s writings on an effective altruism website. While “EA” is described as a philosophical movement with the intention of providing the greatest amount of evidence-based good, it is effectively a nonprofit movement that justifies its decision-making by declaring its own moral leanings as impartial.
“Poverty and disease remain unsolved; billions of animals suffer hell on earth,” Chen wrote in relation to the hiring. “I, my team, and many EAs I know, are often burning the midnight candle to address these wrongs. I don’t wish to sideline a pair of capable hands.”
In the same post, Ellison was revealed to have been writing under the pseudonym “Carol” for the company and provided statements about her new role.
“I’m deeply sorry for what I did, and I completely understand why people may not want to work with me,” Ellison said of her past. “But I’m very grateful to Austin for giving me a second chance, and judging me on my current work performance rather than my past. I feel very lucky not only to have a job, but to be working somewhere that I think is doing great work and has a mission I believe in.”
RELATED: Caroline Ellison sentenced to 2 years in prison over massive FTX crypto-scandal
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
With Ellison at the head, Alameda Research allegedly used $100 million of FTX customer deposits to bribe Chinese officials. She blamed Bankman-Fried:
“He directed me to commit these crimes,” Ellison reportedly said in court.
During trial, Ellison reportedly told jurors that Alameda Research would lend money to Bankman-Fried and other FTX executives for political donations. Bankman-Fried donated a reported $70 million to Democrats ahead of the 2022 midterms; he was the second-highest donor behind George Soros.
Ellison was making $20 million in salary and bonuses in 2021 as head of Alameda Research.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Cryptocurrency, Sam bankman-fried, Caroline ellison, Ftx, Manifund, Tech
Armed thugs kick open apartment door, begin beating man — but victim fights back, turns the tables in lethal fashion
Two males kicked open an apartment door in Memphis last week and began beating a man in a bedroom — but the victim fought back and turned the tables in lethal fashion.
WREG-TV said the incident took place around 4:40 a.m. Tuesday.
‘I bet he doesn’t do that again.’
Citing an arrest affidavit, WMC-TV reported that Devonta Johnson and Zarian Sanders went to an apartment on Madewell Street to see the mother of Johnson’s child.
The pair allegedly kicked open the front door, which had been barricaded with a couch, WMC said.
Investigators told WMC the two men entered a bedroom and began beating a male victim.
During the attack, Johnson pulled out a handgun, WMC said, adding that a struggle over the weapon ensued, and the victim managed to shoot Johnson.
Melina Mara/The Washington Post/Getty Images
Johnson died from his injuries, WMC reported, adding that police said Sanders after the shooting threatened and hit the victim with a rifle, took the handgun, and fled the scene.
Sanders later was arrested and booked on charges of especially aggravated burglary, convicted felon in possession of a handgun, aggravated assault, and employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, WMC said.
Police told WREG that Sanders, 23, later was identified as a felon who was convicted last September after pleading guilty to theft of a firearm less than $2,500.
Commenters underneath WMC’s Facebook post about the incident had little sympathy for Sanders and Johnson. To wit:
“If you don’t want the time, don’t do the crime,” one commenter wrote.”I bet he doesn’t do that again,” another user said.”I love a happy ending,” another commenter quipped.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Memphis, Fatal shooting, Home invasion, Turning the tables, Crime
Vandals leave ‘diabolical’ message on Charlie Kirk statue — only days after it was unveiled
Vandals spray-painted what appeared to be messages mocking Charlie Kirk’s death only days after a new statue was unveiled in Phoenix, Arizona.
The statue at the headquarters of Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded, was meant to memorialize the conservative activist a year after he was shot and killed at Utah Valley University.
‘Demons don’t sleep, so we will just have to sleep less. We won’t be cowed.’
On Sunday police were notified about the vandalism on the statue in red spray-paint that appeared to mimic the lethal wound he suffered.
“It was horrifying,” said Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer of TPUSA.
“It was clear that vandals came here, spray-painted what looked like blood, or what was intended to look like blood, both on the sign right there and on the statue,” he added.
The organization posted images of the vandalism that included a red “X” that was spray-painted over Kirk’s face.
Andrew Kolvet, TPUSA spokesman and the executive producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” told Blaze News that TPUSA will not be deterred from its mission.
“We will find the people responsible, and they will be held accountable. Americans of good faith, which is the vast, vast majority of Americans, by the way, are sick of this type of ugliness,” he said.
“Demons don’t sleep, so we will just have to sleep less. We won’t be cowed. We won’t stop,” Kolvet continued. “Every vile act only makes us more determined and only energizes more people to get off the sidelines and fight harder. Our Commit 100 volunteer ballot-chasing project has seen a surge in new volunteers, and donors are putting up reward money to find those responsible. What the enemy meant for evil will be used for good.”
TPUSA called the vandalism “diabolical” and pointed out that the name of Jesus Christ was painted over as well.
RELATED: Liberal college students reportedly plan celebrations of Charlie Kirk’s death on anniversary
Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, also released a statement on social media about the incident.
“Charlie once said we should be building two statues for every statue that they tear down,” she wrote. “His instinct was always to build, not to destroy. They thought a bullet would silence my husband’s voice but it only made it louder. They think spray paint can obscure his legacy, but it will only spread it further. Every attempt to tear down what Charlie built makes us root deeper and work even harder.”
She added, “We will never give up and never surrender.”
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Charlie kirk, Vandalism, Statue, Turning point usa, Erika kirk, Politics
Coach Jon Gruden screams at fan in must-see pro-America rant over NFL’s international schedule
Former NFL coach Jon Gruden is not happy about how many international games the NFL is playing, and he isn’t afraid to let everyone know.
Gruden was seemingly calm and collected recently, holding it together without bursting into one of his trademark tirades. That was until a fan started pushing him to accept the overseas games.
‘I never saw Ray Nitschke play in London!’
The Super Bowl winner went off during “The Gruden Family Football Show” on Thursday when a fan brought up the NFL’s international schedule, which this season has teams traveling to London; Paris; Madrid; Mexico City; Melbourne, Australia; Munich, Germany; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“I want a piece of you, Gruden,” the fan began, immediately piquing the coach’s interest.
“I listen to you bitch and moan about international games. Oh, how it ‘disrupts routine.’ Gruden, the game was built on sacrifice,” the comments continued.
The fan dragged Gruden, telling him how he has benefited from the sacrifices of former players and coaches who traveled across the United States to play grueling games on minimal rest.
“You need to embrace growing the sport globally. You understand that?” the fan added.
Gruden wasn’t having any of the fan’s globalist approach, though.
“Get him off!” Gruden yelled, cutting the remarks short. “I understand that completely. I mean, we’re not going overseas to play home games.”
Unable to restrain himself any longer, Gruden started screaming that while some of the NFL’s most historic players traveled a lot, they didn’t play in different countries.
“I didn’t see Red Grange playing in Australia. And I never saw Ray Nitschke play in London! OK?! So take that and stick that in your pipe,” Gruden exclaimed.
“If you want to grow the game, grow it in the United States. We got a lot of kids that aren’t playing football. So let’s play games where we need to grow the game in our country. And let’s start and end with that,” he screamed comically.
RELATED: The truth about child concussions, straight from an NFL trainer: ‘It’s not worth it’
Further endorsing an America-only schedule, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach said it wasn’t fair to have players traveling for 12+ hours before a game.
“I don’t want to be on a 16-hour flight, seven different time zones to play one of my home games. Sorry,” he told his co-hosts.
2026 will feature the most international regular-season games the NFL has ever seen, with nine total.
2025 had already seen an increase to seven after the league had previously maxed out at five, the number played the previous three years, as well as in 2017 and 2019.
While Australia, Brazil, and France will see their first official NFL games this season, countries like the U.K., Mexico, and Canada have all hosted multiple games dating back more than a decade.
RELATED: ‘Let the truth come out’: UFC legend Georges St-Pierre backs vaccine-injury inquiry
Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
The NFL used to promote itself internationally through the league NFL Europe, which consisted of American football teams based in European countries like the U.K. and Germany. The league existed in different forms from 1991 until 2007.
However, the first international regular-season game for NFL teams was in Mexico City in 2005, when the Arizona Cardinals hosted the San Francisco 49ers.
The league’s pursuit of global growth has seemingly been lucrative, though, as the NFL boasted $450 million in international revenue in 2023.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Fearless, Jon gruden, Nfl, Globalism, Sports
Why are Christian women cheering on divorce?
Bad advice has always been abundantly available throughout history. But our ancestors were somewhat limited in how many sources of advice they could tap.
No such limitation exists today.
When Jesus named lust as a real, heart-level violation, He wasn’t handing people a new, more permissive category of ‘biblical grounds for divorce.’
Bad advice gushes from a firehose called the internet every minute of every day. On social media platforms, we’re drowning in it.
I’ve been writing about Christian women’s groups online and the bad theology they’re facilitating. To be honest, these kinds of groups are highly problematic, because anyone who claims to be a Christian can join, and a lot of the participants seem to consider the group a reasonable substitute for a church.
But no sound doctrine + endless opinions with zero scriptural basis + no personal relationships = a pretty awful “church.”
Imagine that. An army of young women, some of them with virtually no knowledge of Scripture, posting anonymously. What could possibly go wrong?
It’s almost like God knew what He was doing when He left us a book and instructions on how to learn it alongside fellow believers.
But I digress.
The problem with ‘Christian’ social media groups
These groups are growing and becoming more dangerous because the sheer volume of bad teaching being bandied about is mushrooming. Recently, I wrote about people who say they don’t need church (they’re wrong; you can read why here). This, of course, is just one of many examples of bad teaching: Christians are commanded to love and care for one another, which is pretty much impossible to do from your sofa.
But perhaps the most common bad advice given in virtual so-called Christian groups is something along these lines:
You gotta run, girl.
This is a common response to someone complaining about almost anything a husband has done. Of course, due to the nature of anonymous storytelling, we have no way of knowing if any given anecdote is a creative writing exercise designed for attention and clicks (yeah, that’s definitely a thing), or a genuine account of abuse (in which case, anonymously sharing it with a bunch of strangers is a profoundly unhelpful waste of time).
So if a woman shares that her husband gave her an STD or a whack across the face, of course people are going to respond with “you gotta run, girl.” Although in a case like that, I wonder if a bunch of strangers has ever been successful in persuading someone to make a life-altering decision. Because a bunch of randos on the internet for sure shouldn’t be your counsel for that kind of decision.
Common ‘grounds’
But what I see more often — very often — is a woman reporting a husband who is emotionally unavailable. Or spends too much time at the office. Or has some bad habits (ranging from very serious, like porn usage, to just irresponsible and immature, like extended video game sessions).
Yet in almost every case, SOMEONE will spin it up into “you gotta run” because, she’ll argue, if he spends too much time working that means he’s abandoned you and the marriage — you have a biblical right to a divorce. He isn’t meeting all your emotional needs, he’s not fulfilling his marriage vows to care for you — you have a biblical right to divorce.
You can twist almost anything into a “biblical right to divorce” if you’re looking at it that way, so that’s maybe not the right way to look at it.
Yes, there are biblical grounds for divorce. They are pretty narrow. And there are situations (physical safety) where separation is the wisest course, whether a divorce is sought or not.
The problem with twisting everything into “grounds for divorce” should be self-evident. For one thing, those being invited to opine are only getting one side of the story, in most cases anonymously at that. It gets lots of clicks in the Facebook group, but it’s absolutely awful for the souls of the people involved.
Let’s be clear: God hates divorce. Because of people’s hard hearts (and to protect women), He allows divorce in certain very limited scenarios. But He still hates it, and note: Divorce is NEVER required.
There are so many better options, especially when children are involved. A few that can be used individually or in combination:
Fervent prayer (and asking other trusted folks to join in prayer);Counseling with a biblically minded pastor;Marriage strengthening ministries/books/programs;Some time apart;In cases involving danger/abuse, formal separation; andIn cases involving adultery or abandonment, divorce is allowed — but not required, especially if there is true repentance/confession, along with willingness to work toward reconciliation and rebuild trust.
What happens to the young woman who takes her complaint to a group like this, and gets countless admonitions that she needs to get out? That her feelings trump any other considerations? That his behavior is abusive (a definition I’ve seen stretched to include such “abuses” as leaving his socks on the floor, since it shows disrespect for her work caring for the home)?
If dozens or even hundreds of people tell you you’re being abused, you will start to believe it. You’re going to lean hard in that direction. The direction that God hates.
The cancer of pornography
One of the most common complaints, sadly, is that the husband is using porn. This is 100% a cancer to the marriage, and it defiles the holy union. Many claim that porn itself is grounds for divorce because Jesus said if you even look at a woman with lust, you’re committing adultery.
I asked a pastor friend to comment on this passage, and he was gracious enough to provide full context around this portion of Scripture, so that we can bring the whole counsel of God to the topic. Anyone contemplating divorce due to this issue would do well to consider his points:
First, in Matthew 5, Jesus is declaring Himself the pivotal point of history; the One to whom all the law and the prophets point — and He then shows how the Old Testament is validated and finds perfect continuity in His teaching (5:17-18).
But there’s a problem: Jesus knows that much of what the crowd on the mountain has heard about the Old Testament is not actually Scripture, because the Pharisees treated certain oral traditions as carrying equal authority with Scripture itself.
That’s why Jesus begins each of His next five teachings with the same formula: “You have heard it said (whatever the Pharisees claimed) … but I say to you (Jesus’ perfect teaching).”
In each teaching, His concern is to correct people’s distorted understanding of the Old Testament and point to the true direction the law was always aiming.
In 5:27-28, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Apparently, some believed that as long as they didn’t actually sleep with someone, they were in the clear.
But Jesus wasn’t satisfied with mere formal obedience to the letter of the law. He wanted to expose the heart of purity the law was always meant to protect. He deepens the seventh commandment by connecting it to coveting another person’s spouse; in fact, the Greek word translated “lust” in most Bibles (epithymeō) is the very same word used for “covet.”
It’s worth noting this doesn’t mean noticing someone’s beauty or feeling attraction.This coveting another person is the deep-seated greed to take and possess someone who doesn’t belong to you.
RELATED: Dolly Parton never had to leave her husband to find herself
Michael Putland/Getty Images
‘Adultery in the heart’
Some today do use this passage to argue that porn is grounds for divorce, which is understandable given the real sin of lust and the real pain of betrayal and the devastating consequences they carry. But the distinction Jesus makes is important: The offender has committed adultery “in his heart.” Sinning in your heart is not the same as committing the act itself.
In the teaching just before this one, Jesus addresses murder and anger the same way: “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court” (5:22). Obviously, being angry with someone in your heart is different from actually killing them, and the consequences are not identical. If we use the same logic that some use, claiming that lust is automatic grounds for divorce, then everyone who has been angry with someone should be in prison.
None of this excuses porn usage or lust. But it is not the same thing as having sex with someone else.
Consider this: If Jesus truly meant that “adultery in the heart” constituted biblical grounds for divorce, then just about every marriage would have legitimate grounds for divorce — unless a husband and wife made it through their entire life together without ever once lusting after someone else.
Even more importantly, that reading would also make marriage trivial, which is the very opposite of what Jesus intended. He wanted to raise the bar for marriage, not lower it. He wanted to protect its sanctity, because mainstream Judaism at the time had taken an extremely lax position that allowed a man to divorce his wife for practically any reason, like burning food, or if the man just found another woman better looking.
So when Jesus named lust as a real, heart-level violation, he wasn’t handing people a new, more permissive category of “biblical grounds for divorce” that simply met the culture where it already was. He was doing the opposite: confronting the culture’s careless view of marriage with the values and standards of the Kingdom of Heaven.
That said, the waters get murkier in cases of unrepentant, habitual lust, which Jesus addresses in Matthew 19:9. But if we want to stay faithful to the text, here is the distinction: a repentant heart; one that is doing everything it can to slay the dragon of lust (see the call to gouge out an eye in Matthew 5:29-30) presents no biblical grounds for divorce.
Jesus never asked married couples for perfection. He asked for a fight: a relentless, ongoing pursuit of purity that guards the marriage — not an excuse to escape it.
So what’s a girl to do?
What do we tell a woman whose husband is entangled with porn?
It is critical to not go this issue alone. Your church must be involved. Counsel from your elders and pastors, for both husband and wife, will help everyone understand and apply biblical teaching.
If you don’t go to church, this is a good time to seek out a strong Bible-teaching congregation. There are a number of resources, programs, and books to help (here’s one).
Unrepentant, habitual lust — where the husband continues making excuses for porn use, or lying about it — is blatant sexual immorality, and that is grounds for divorce. It doesn’t mean the wife has to divorce, but she has biblical grounds.
If, however, the husband is repentant, taking steps to fight, waging a relentless ongoing battle for his own purity and the purity of the marriage union — it’s not right to walk away from a man who is willing to fight that battle and honor his vows.
That is a biblical response, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy, because trust has been betrayed, and rebuilding can be arduous and painful. That’s where those elders and pastors can meaningfully support a couple in crisis.
But remember that God is a reconciling God, a healing God, a God who not only hates divorce, but wants every marriage to reflect His love for us, His church — which He will never divorce.
Of course, no couple will meet that perfect standard. But it’s what we’re all to strive for.
So no, girl, you don’t gotta run. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you have to, but know what the Bible demands from marriage, and hold your husband accountable to move toward that standard — even as you hold yourself accountable to the same.
Christianity, Christian living, Marriage, Divorce, Jesus, Adultery, Pornography, Prayer, Lifestyle, Faith
Democrat used to model fetish gay sex attire
The private life of a Democrat running for Congress has made national news after old photos reveal he used to model leather sexual attire and other “bondage gear,” according to a report from the New York Post.
The Post confirmed that Chris Gallant, a 37-year-old Democrat who is running to represent Long Island in Congress, modeled for Mr. S Leather, a sexual fetish company based in San Francisco. According to the Post, Gallant donned “collars, leather straps, neoprene, bondage gear, and more” in the product photos.
‘As Chris began considering a future in public service, he asked that the photographs no longer be used.’
While the photos have since been removed from the Mr. S Leather website, they were posted there between 2011 and 2020 and can still be accessed via internet archives, the Post reported.
Attorney Sara Azari, who represents Gallant, confirmed the authenticity of the photos in a statement to the Post: “The photographs are authentic and were taken during a private, consensual photo session involving Chris and his then-partner, with whom he was in a committed four-year relationship.”
She added: “As Chris began considering a future in public service, he asked that the photographs no longer be used and that they be removed from the company’s website. Mr. S honored his request.”
RELATED: ‘People need God’: Marty O’Donnell vows to save your grandchildren from Democrats
Douglas Rissing/Getty Images
According to the Post, some of those photos apparently “depicted him in hardcore pornographic poses, including fully naked and having sex with another man” and even made their way to “hardcore” gay porn sites.
Azari indicated that Gallant “never intended to authorize unrestricted publication” of the photos by third parties.
Gallant has served in the Army National Guard for the past 20 years, his campaign website says, indicating the photos were taken and posted during his time with the Guard.
LGBTQ+ outlet Pink News is celebrating the news of Gallant’s apparently pornographic past. “Congressional candidate modelled BDSM gear before turning to politics — and honestly, good for him,” read the Pink News headline.
Gallant already has his work cut out for him running in the 1st Congressional District of New York against incumbent Republican Rep. Nick LaLota. LaLota has held the seat since 2022, and the Cook Political Report considers the district “solid R.”
The Gallant and LaLota campaigns did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Congress, Democrat, Lgbtq, New york, Politics
Report Identifies Hydrating Foods That Can Aid Daily Fluid Intake
(NaturalNews) Hydrating Foods Can Aid Daily Fluid Intake, UCLA Health SaysUCLA Health has published guidance identifying 15 foods with high water content that can…
Review Examines Fermented Foods’ Effects on Gut, Immune Function
(NaturalNews) A review published June 27, 2026, in Nature Reviews Microbiology synthesizes dozens of studies on fermented foods and the human microbiome, according …
Organic coconut milk powder brings convenience and versatility to your kitchen
(NaturalNews) Unlike canned coconut milk that spoils within days after opening, organic coconut milk powder can be stored for months after opening and up to 10-…
Study: Walking Pace Outperformed Blood Pressure, Cholesterol in Predicting Death Risk
(NaturalNews) A University of Leicester analysis found that walking pace predicted death risk more accurately than other physical measures tested, including standar…
Snoring Linked to Cardiovascular and Cognitive Risks, Clinicians Say; Natural Approaches Draw Attention
(NaturalNews) Snoring is commonly dismissed as an annoyance, but clinicians and researchers describe it as a possible indicator that breathing and sleep quality are…
Meteorologist: Was 2026 the “Hottest Summer on Record” in the United States?
(NaturalNews) A meteorologist is questioning whether the summer of 2026 was truly the hottest on record in the United States, according to a Sept. 11, 2026, report …
Johnson Says Trump’s Proposed $5,000 Payments Would Require Congressional Approval
(NaturalNews) House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Sunday that President Trump’s plan to send $5,000 dividend checks to American adults would require an act of C…
Report Says Iran Resumed Ballistic Missile Production Despite U.S. Claims
(NaturalNews) Iran has resumed production of ballistic missiles using stockpiled components and working in underground facilities, according to a Wall Street Journa…
The Plot to Criminalize Open Source AI and Hand Tech Giants a Government-Protected AI Cartel
(NaturalNews) Anthropic’s Dario Amodei Cries WolfThe weekend AI meltdown we just witnessed was not a spontaneous crisis. It was a scripted panic, and I watched it…
The Saudi Pipeline Is Gone: Why the Global Energy Shock Just Got Far Worse
(NaturalNews) The Saudi Pipeline Is GoneI have been warning for months that the global energy system was balanced on a knife’s edge, and now the blade has cut dee…
Better to be new than true? Welcome to the era of ‘take-ism’
I’ve recently come up with the term “take-ism” to describe what I consider to be one of the most pernicious and destructive social phenomena of our era.
We all know the term “hot take.” Basically, it’s an idea that’s provocative, strident, and also — and this is key — a bit new. It’s the opposite of a cold take, which is essentially common knowledge.
Is it the overexposure to infinite faces and places that our phones enable that creates this desperate need for novelty, even at the expense of our sanity?
A hot take is often offensive to someone out there, but that’s just a byproduct. What it really needs to offer is novelty.
Race to novelty
Take-ism is essentially a race to novelty above all and at all costs. While there are hot takes that are true and novel takes that do illuminate an unexplored and previously unobserved fact of reality, the pursuit of truth plays little role in the real thrust of take-ism.
The logic of take-ism is essentially the logic of the internet: novelty = interest = attention = likes = follows = good. Truth doesn’t matter, earnest belief doesn’t matter, all that matters is novelty and attention.
Take-ism takes many forms, ranging from the very benign to the extremely corrosive and actually evil. A couple of benign examples of take-ism would be things like:
“Actually, summer is the worst season of the year.”
“Actually, Italian food is terrible.”
Maybe someone really believes those things. Who knows? The point is that everyone knows summer is supposed to be great and Italian food is supposed to be delicious, so saying the opposite gets attention. The take wins.
Take it till you fake it
More corrosive and evil examples of take-ism would be things like:
“Actually, the good guys lost World War II.”
“Actually, the United States of America is a force for evil in the world, and China is force for good.”
You’ll notice the word “actually” appears at the beginning of all four of those examples. Even when it doesn’t, it’s always implied. Take-ism loves to correct.
“Actually, everything you know is wrong.”
Take-ism also plays a role in conspiracy-theory culture. A big part of what propels the conspiracy-theory influencer world is a logic of take-ism and insatiable need for new secrets and new “truths.”
You can see this logic in transgenderism. “Actually, I am not who I am, I am someone else. I am not a girl despite having XX chromosomes, I am a man. Actually, biology doesn’t matter. Actually, your eyes cannot tell you reality. Actually, everything you know is wrong.”
The fact that transgenderism has spread primarily by way of the internet is a further confirmation of the fact that it is ultimately just a form of take-ism. Obviously, social contagion plays a huge role in this case, but the subterranean logic underneath it is take-ism.
RELATED: Are antidepressants zombifying American culture?
Oscar del Pozo/Getty Images
Belief optional
Of course, we can never know for certain why people believe what they believe — or if they really believe it. But we can make some inferences based on our own observations of the world and what we know about human nature.
We can also see the financial incentives at play in the era of posts, memes, and short-form video. And lastly, we can easily see how simple it is to manipulate people who posses shallow morals and a mind permanently addled by nihilistic brain rot.
How much do influencers, writers, posters, and speakers believe when they claim to believe an idea based on take-ism? How much do the doom-scrollers believe when they hear it? What difference does it make if one believes based on earnest thought or one believes based on a secret desire for something novel?
Slop culture
The question underneath all of this is why do people seek out the novel above the true?
Why exactly is take-ism the latent logic of the internet? Is it inherent to the medium? Does the internet — and its democratic communication — lend itself to unifying with take-ism?
Is it the overexposure to infinite faces and places that our phones enable that creates this desperate need for novelty, even at the expense of our sanity? Are we being entertained to death by endless scrolling and thusly all we want is more entertainment and nothing else? Does the internet click-economy clandestinely aim to make us all into cynical nihilists who no longer care about earnest belief, goodness, or truth?
Whatever it is — and it’s a lot of things — take-ism is responsible for the boiling of people’s brains in vats of conspiracy sludge, transgenderism, and countless other forms of intellectual damage and dysfunction, which are currently coursing through the culture.
Conspiracy culture, Transgenderism, Lifestyle, Slop, Internet, Influencers, Culture, The root of the matter, Brain rot
GOP civil war over race ignites after Republican posts University of Texas crowd photo
A Republican running for a statewide race in Texas has lit a firestorm on the right after noting the racial demographics of the student section at the University of Texas football game over the weekend.
On Saturday night, the Texas Longhorns hosted the Ohio State Buckeyes for an early-season marquee showdown between two top-five teams. While the Buckeyes led most of the game, the Longhorns stormed back in the fourth quarter and won, 24-23.
‘Texans didn’t ask for their state to become a playground for the third world.’
As might be expected, the hometown Texas crowd was ecstatic, and one photo in particular seemed to capture the exuberance of the UT student section.
Only not everyone is celebrating it.
On Sunday morning, Bo French, a Republican running for Texas railroad commissioner, shared the photo of non-white UT students on X and remarked, “Like body-cams exposed criminals, social media is exposing how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners. It’s everywhere and far worse than any of us could imagine.”
French was swiftly inundated with condemnation by many other X users, including prominent voices on the right.
Outgoing Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) replied, “This is the Republican nominee for statewide office. Are other Republican elected officials going to condemn the intolerance and racism, or look the other way while it becomes normalized. This is how great political parties self-destruct. Sad.”
Texas state Rep. Lacey Hull said, “Please delete this. This post breaks my heart. I see college kids cheering on their football team. I see Texans.”
Former Trump Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin commented, “This is gross. Touch grass.”
Democrat U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico joined in, calling French’s post “blatant racism” and adding, “Racism has no place in Texas.”
RELATED: Wake-up call for Redskins ownership: Family of canceled native hero wants team name, icon to return
Alex Slitz/Getty Images
While accusations of racism abounded, French also has plenty of supporters who argue that native-born Americans have been unfairly edged out of public universities like UT-Austin by foreign-born students.
BlazeTV host Auron MacIntyre quipped, “The Texas GOP is furious that Bo noticed these cowards are selling the state to foreign interests and replacing the population with Indians.”
BlazeTV host John Doyle called French a “patriot,” slammed Republicans for echoing Democrat talking points about “racism,” and suggested that the GOP cannot survive without directly appealing to white voters:
As a matter of simple arithmetic, the Party will be destroyed when it ceases to win elections because it cannot get the votes to win. 85% of all votes cast for the Republican Party come from white Americans. Since the historic American electorate has been overwhelmingly white, it squares that the people most interested in the conservation of America would be white.
“Texans didn’t ask for their state to become a playground for the third world,” he added.
According to Kalshi, on Sunday, Democrat candidate Jon Rosenthal briefly overtook French in the betting odds for the Texas railroad commissioner race, but within a couple of hours, French had retaken the lead.
French does not appear to be backing down from his comments.
By Sunday afternoon, he tweeted: “Generations of Texans have invested billions of dollars into UT. Today it is filled with foreign nationals and Leftists who boo Ted Cruz. John Cornyn says we should accept decline. The voters I talk to want to return our institutions to serving the interests of citizens.”
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
John cornyn, Republican party, Texas, Politics
Trump offers Americans $5,000 if Republicans win both chambers: ‘Socialism is cool when our side does it’
President Trump made a promise of a $5,000 payment to every adult American if Republicans win both chambers of Congress, framing it as a dividend made possible by what he described as unparalleled financial success.
“What we’re doing is because we’ve done so well and because our country is making so much money, that only I can make this promise to you,” Trump said.
“And here is my promise. If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them, because of our tremendous economic success, like in history, we’ve never had anything like what’s happening,” he continued.
“But because of our tremendous strength and success economically, I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000,” he added.
The men of “Pat Gray Unleashed” are not impressed.
“$1.3 trillion dollars in new spending,” executive producer Keith Malinak comments. “Yay, inflation.”
“I mean, socialism is cool when our side does it. When our guy wants it, then it’s cool,” he adds.
“It’s a weird promise, too, because it’s like a bribe, you know?” Gray says.
“So if we lose the House or the Senate, then we don’t get the $5,000. How about you keep the $5,000 per person and apply it to the debt to save America?” he asks.
Though he notes sarcastically, it’s “silly of [him] to mention the $40 trillion.”
“Soon to be 41.3 trillion apparently if you vote Republican,” Malinak adds.
Want more from Pat Gray?
To enjoy more of Pat’s biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
Donald trump, Socialism, Inflation, Debt, 5000 dollars, Pat gray, Keith malinak, Blazetv show
Ex-mayor convicted of child sex crimes walks free after 90 days — judge admits key mistake he made in sentencing
Misty Roberts, the former Louisiana mayor convicted of child sex crimes, has completed her jail sentence that some have described as a “slap on the wrist.” The judge admitted to making a miscalculation at the bench when sentencing the former disgraced mayor.
Prosecutors said Roberts hosted a boozy pool party at her home that included juveniles in July 2024 while serving her second term as the mayor of DeRidder.
‘A slap on the wrist for a child predator, because at the end of the day, that is exactly what it is.’
Prosecutors said Roberts provided alcohol and sexually abused her teen son’s 16-year-old friend during the pool party.
Roberts — who was the first female mayor of DeRidder and was serving her second term — resigned on July 27, 2024.
As Blaze News previously reported, Roberts was arrested in August 2024 and charged with third-degree rape and contributing to the delinquency of juveniles.
In March 2026, Roberts was found guilty of carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behavior with a juvenile — both felonies.
Roberts faced a maximum prison sentence of 17 years.
The victim’s mother described Roberts before sentencing as: “This danger came from a predator with hair extensions, high heels, Botox, and other modifications.”
Blaze News reported in June that Roberts was sentenced to 90 days in jail.
Roberts, 44, also received two concurrent five-year suspended sentences, which she will avoid serving provided she complies with the terms of her probation.
The terms of her probation require her to undergo regular drug screenings and psychological therapy.
Judge Kent Savoie ordered Roberts to register as a sex offender for 15 years and pay a $5,000 fine.
Neighbors were disappointed in Roberts’ sentence.
“A slap on the wrist for a child predator, because at the end of the day, that is exactly what it is,” DeRidder native Kari McGee told KALB-TV in June.
McGee continued, “When it comes to children, we should use the fullest extent of the law. There are no excuses when it comes to our children.”
Neighbor Ryan Clark added, “That’s an insult to the actual victim and the family.”
Another DeRidder resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “She was an authority figure in a high position, and she got slapped on the hand. What if I did that? I’d be getting maxed out, no matter what, without a shadow of a doubt.”
On Sept. 7, Roberts was released from jail after serving her 90-day sentence.
Last month, prosecutors with the Beauregard Parish District Attorney’s Office filed a motion to request that the judge reconsider his 90-day jail sentence for a harsher punishment, but he refused.
When asked how he arrived at a 90-day sentence, Savoie informed KPLC-TV that he examined 34 past sex abuse cases in Beauregard Parish.
However, all of those cases ended in plea deals whereas Roberts had gone to trial and been convicted by a jury.
KPLC noted, “Every single case was resolved before trial, unlike Roberts’. Not one case on the list Savoie reviewed involved a defendant who was convicted by a jury.”
Judge Savoie admitted that he had made an error when sentencing Roberts by comparing her case to the 34 plea-deal cases.
KPLC reported on Aug. 31 that Savoie “previously told the court in open session that the case list was a mix of plea deals and trial convictions. It was not.”
Savoie stated, “I asked someone to get me a list of cases similar. I made an assumption, and that assumption was wrong.”
“I made an assumption, and when you do that, you make an ass out of you and me,” Savoie said.
“I was wrong in that respect,” the judge admitted.
Assistant District Attorney Charles Robinson said comparing Roberts’ case to the plea deals felt like “comparing apples to oranges.”
“I feel that this list reflects what the district attorney and judges believe is for people who take accountability,” Robinson continued. “If you go to trial, you are going to face a much harsher punishment. Miss Roberts did roll the dice, which she is entitled to.”
Robinson pointed out, “We have a person in their 40s. That’s something I don’t see on this list.”
Savoie said that he was disappointed with the state’s request for a maximum sentence of 17 years.
“I was considerably turned off by your request for the maximum sentence,” Savoie explained. “I was disappointed. I thought it was overboard considering she was a first-time offender.”
Judge Savoie added, “I’ve always tried to be fair and honest. I use the list as guidance for me as for what has happened in Beauregard Parish.”
Beauregard District Attorney Jimmy Lestage told KPLC:
I appreciate Judge Savoie acknowledging that the list he put together was not an accurate representation of sentences for convictions of this nature. I also appreciate that he took the time to reconsider our position. I am disappointed that the sentence was not changed. I, like I have told you before, do not believe that the sentence reflects the values of Beauregard Parish.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Child sex crimes, Mayor, Louisiana, Judge, Sentence, Crime
