Marijuana has long been portrayed through film and television as a relatively harmless substance associated with relaxation, laughter, and the “munchies.”

But BlazeTV host Liz Wheeler says the scientific evidence tells a much darker story, and Alex Berenson’s book “Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence” is what ultimately changed her mind.

“Alex Berenson changed my mind on marijuana almost single-handedly,” Wheeler says, before pointing to a study on the drug.

“A recent study shows that if a man uses marijuana, then — even once a week, if he smokes marijuana — then his wife is twice as likely to miscarry. So, even if the woman, the mother, never uses pot and the man smokes once a week, his wife is twice as likely to miscarry,” Wheeler says.

As devastating as that is, it’s not all marijuana is linked to. The drug is also known to cause psychosis, schizophrenia, and violence.

But most people have no idea.

“The reason that most people think of pot and they think chill and munchies is because of that propaganda that I mentioned that was paid for by this humongous marijuana lobby who obviously stood to profit enormous amounts of money if they were able to farm marijuana,” she explains.

“They first, you know, tried to normalize it by making it a medicinal thing, medical marijuana, and then once it was kind of normalized as medicinal, which obviously had a positive connotation in people’s minds, their goal was actually just recreational legalization,” she says.

And in Colorado, where marijuana was legalized recreationally, Wheeler explains that crimes, car crashes, and ER visits are up.

“I would argue that it’s a net negative to society. It’s certainly a net negative to this channel. It causes me to lose subscribers any time I mention this,” she adds.

And anecdotally, Berenson’s wife worked in medical care and would “come home and tell him about these psychotic patients that she had and how there was always a connection to marijuana.”

“He scoffed at her. He said that is ridiculous. Like, marijuana is not tied to psychosis. It’s not tied to mental health. It’s not tied to violence. It’s like, you just smoke it, and then you get hungry. And so he tried to prove her wrong,” Wheeler explains.

But when he started researching it, he was shocked by what he found.

“And when he started researching it, that’s when he began to put the book together because he found that the actual research contradicts the narratives that we’re all pretty familiar with around marijuana,” she says.

“What Berenson actually found in the scientific literature was that it does … lead to psychosis and schizophrenia and ultimately violence, particularly violence committed by men against women,” she continues.

“I don’t think my position is extreme, that if it’s a dangerous drug that leads to these things, if it’s a net negative to society, then yes, we should ban it,” she adds.

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​Liz wheeler, Alex berenson, Marijuana, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Psychosis, Schizophrenia, Violence, Colorado, Legalize it, Blazetv show 

A British party leader who whined about his own security weeks after a political foe was savagely murdered is in hot water after apparently circulating an image promoting more political violence.

Reform U.K. immigration spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe is believed to have been assassinated on July 8 at her home in Devon, England.

‘If I was to post anything as inciteful then I would expect to be arrested.’

Joshua Kerry of Rotherham — characterized by Reform leader Nigel Farage as a “hard-left activist” who is “obsessed with Soviet communism” — is alleged to have traveled roughly 270 miles to Widdecombe’s home, smashed her over the head 21 times with a hammer, and tossed her lifeless body on the floor.

Investigators found clippings about Reform U.K., Farage, and the party’s immigration policies in their search of Kerry’s house, a source told the Sun (U.K.).

In the wake of Widdecombe’s assassination by someone who evidently despises Reform U.K. more than he does, Zack Polanski, the homosexual leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, demanded that the government provide him with additional security, telling the BBC, “I am worried about it both for myself and for all party leaders.”

“I am worried, and I have been worried for a long time. I would encourage the government to provide me with extra security, but that is a choice for them,” added Polanski.

A spokesman for the Home Office noted at the time that “no politician should be facing the threat of violence, abuse, or harassment — they must be able to go about their vital work safely and freely.”

RELATED: Horrific details emerge about international pro-life leader’s assassination

Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Nigel Farage and Reform U.K. spokesman Zia Yusuf pointed out on Monday, however, that just days after complaining about politicians’ safety, Polanski appeared to negatively contribute to the very political climate where extra security becomes necessary.

Polanski allegedly shared an image to Instagram of a bearded individual wearing a T-shirt featuring an image of a guillotine and the statement, “We’re only making plans for Nigel.”

The post has since been deleted.

“This is what Zack Polanski has just posted on his Instagram,” Farage wrote on Monday afternoon. “If I was to post anything as inciteful then I would expect to be arrested, and so should Polanski.”

Yusuf tweeted that “to do this just 2 weeks after our friend Ann was murdered is staggering. Polanski is inciting murder. It must be treated as such by the police.”

Metropolitan Police confirmed receipt on Monday of a “third-party report relating to an image shared on social media.”

“We take reports of this nature extremely seriously, and officers are conducting enquiries into the matter,” added the Met.

A Green Party spokesperson told Blaze News in a statement, “Zack condemns the image on the T-shirt. He was tagged in a post with 20 images and clicked accept without realising there was more to it than he had seen.”

“The T-shirt is clearly in poor taste, especially at a time of heightened fears for the security of public figures having experienced multiple threats himself,” continued the spokesperson. “He and the Green Party call on everyone involved in public discourse to show kindness and not encourage more division.”

The spokesperson added that Polanski has not yet been contacted by Metropolitan Police.

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​Nigel farage, Ann widdecombe, Reform uk, Politics, Green party 

The website for the MyGender Dolls recommends that the “award-winning” and “culturally attuned” dolls with supposedly removable genitals be given to children between 4 and 10 years old.

According to the New York Post, the transgender-identifying dolls will be provided to teachers for the next school year and were developed at the University of Minnesota Medical School, which receives taxpayer funding.

‘It’s time to put everyone involved where they belong … behind bars.’

The dolls have already been used at the medical school’s Institute for Sexual and Gender Health to encourage children to “talk about gender and bodies.”

“We were able to explore and brainstorm not just what our bodies are able to do now but what we want our bodies to do and look like in the future,” Adjunct Assistant Professor Elizabeth Panetta said.

The report of the dolls with “swappable genitals” led to an onslaught of vitriol against Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

“This is sick. It is a complete betrayal of Minnesota parents, students and taxpayers — and it shows just how extreme Tim Walz and [Democratic Sen.] Amy Klobuchar have become,” Minnesota GOP Chairman Alex Plechash responded.

“Four-year-olds should be learning their letters and numbers — not being encouraged to pull genitalia off dolls and ‘explore’ changing their bodies,” he added.

“This is not education. It is taxpayer-funded indoctrination,” he continued.

The GOP chided Walz by pointing out that fewer than half of students in Minnesota meet either math or reading standards while Democrats seek to indoctrinate them into the transgender agenda.

Others online were similarly incensed.

“It’s time to put everyone involved where they belong … behind bars,” former Major League Baseball pitcher John Rocker replied.

“These are the most disgraceful things I have ever seen. Anyone gives one of my kids one of those dolls they better have their prayers said and their plot picked. Hell hath no fury when someone messes with one of my kids, period!” one critic responded.

“This is getting beyond dystopian … you are going to end up with children who think their genitals are meant to detach and THAT is REALLY f**king dangerous!” another detractor replied.

“Disgusting — I’d have my kids right out of there before an adult asked my 4yo to play with a dolls [sic] privates,” another critic said.

RELATED: Tim Walz pardons illegal alien despite HORRIFIC child sex crimes — which may shield him from deportation

A spokesperson for the university denied that any public funds were used to develop the trans dolls, but when pressed about the funding, the spokesperson told the Post to file a Freedom of Information Act request.

Tim Walz’s office also did not respond to a comment request from the Post.

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​Transgender agenda, Tim walz, Minnesota, Online outrage, Politics 

In an interview with Jon Stewart, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) explained that concepts like a public library and fire department are examples of democratic socialism at work — but Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck couldn’t disagree more.

“Jon Stewart, you’re pathetic. You’re pathetic. You allow him to explain socialism to America, and then he actually comes out and says, ‘Yeah, well, you know, building a building and lending out books for free. If we suggested that today, we’d be slandered,’” Glenn says.

“That’s the library. Same thing with public schools and roads and everything else,” he adds, which leads him to ask — and answer — whether or not the fire department is actually “a sign of socialism” as Mamdani alleged.

“The richest man in Rome was Marcus Crassus. Rome was wood, packed tight, burning constantly, and there was no fire department. So Crassus built one because he was the richest guy there. Five hundred men,” Glenn explains, noting that Crassus was a “bad guy” who used the free market to exploit those whose homes were burning down.

His fire department would withhold help until those whose homes were burning agreed to sell it to them.

“That’s the free market being applied to a burning building in the most corrupt way. It’s also why nobody has tried it again,” he says.

“So let me take you to the year 6. Jesus was 6 years old now, and the fire tore through the city again in Rome. Caesar Augustus was there. And he went to the watchmen of the city, 7,000 men in seven what were called cohorts,” Glenn explains.

“Each cohort was responsible for two districts. The first permanent public fire brigade in the history of the world was formed. He was the emperor. He ruled by slaves. He ruled by force,” he continues.

“He was not a good guy. He wasn’t a socialist. He beat Karl Marx to the fire department by 18 centuries,” he adds.

Then in 1736, Benjamin Franklin got “a couple dozen men to sign articles of agreement.”

“Every man brings six leather buckets and two linen bags. They meet monthly, and when a member misses a meeting, he pays a fine. And the fines bought fire engines. That was the Union Fire Company,” Glenn explains.

“It’s the first volunteer fire company in America. We still have volunteer fire departments. Why? Because of Benjamin Franklin, not Karl Marx. The government had nothing to do with it,” he continues.

“The American answer to all of these things has always been share the problem in association, not theft,” he adds.

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​Benjamin franklin, Caesar augustus, Democratic socialism, Glenn beck, Jon stewart, Zohran mamdani, Blazetv show 

Democratic Hawaii Governor Josh Green is calling for his lieutenant governor to resign from office after she was indicted on a dozen charges that included bribery and falsifying campaign reports.

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, a Democrat, was indicted by a grand jury on Friday on 12 counts after a months-long investigation, according to Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez.

‘The Lieutenant Governor needs to consider formally resigning to address this matter and so that the state of Hawaii can move forward.’

“From the outset of this investigation, I have repeated that we have a commitment to following the facts to where they lead, no matter how long it takes to get there,” Lopez said.

Luke is accused of participating in the bribery scheme with lobbyist Tobi Solidum in order to advance a COVID-19 testing contract in 2022. She was the chair of the state House Finance Committee at the time.

Four others were also indicted, including the former chair of the Dept. of Human Services, a Democrat; the former chair of the Public Utilities Commission, also a Democrat; and Solidum. Bench warrants were issued for all five of those indicted.

Green told Politico Sunday that Luke should step down.

“The attorney general announced significant developments in her department’s corruption investigation and has provided an update on their findings,” the governor said. “The lieutenant governor needs to consider formally resigning to address this matter and so that the state of Hawaii can move forward.”

Luke took a leave of absence in April over the investigation and ended her re-election campaign.

RELATED: Ex-Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez’s wife convicted for her role in bribery scheme: ‘Partners in crime’

Luke’s bail was set at $100,000 and then lowered to $80,000.

“We are asking for $100K bail simply based on the seriousness of the allegations against her. We recognize that she’s not a flight risk. She’s got extraordinarily strong ties to this community,” Supervising Deputy Attorney General David Van Acker said, according to KHON-TV.

Bribery is a class B felony that carries a possible sentence of 10 years in prison.

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​Bribery, Hawaii, Grand jury, Political corruption, Politics 

A green energy political action committee has spent over $700,000 on faux-MAGA ads attacking Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) to boost primary challenger Charlie Hatcher.

“Charlie Hatcher is an America First conservative who gets things done,” Invest in Tomorrow’s advertisement states. “Pro-gun, pro-life, pro-Trump, Charlie Hatcher is the trusted conservative leader we need.”

‘If you’re an extremist on American energy, you’re on our target list.’

Despite what the ad’s content may suggest, Invest in Tomorrow isn’t a conservative organization. The PAC is funded by Democratic donors and former Obama-Biden officials aiming to punish politicians who oppose green energy subsidies.

“As the Trump-endorsed candidate in this race, I am being targeted by left-wing liberals from California because I am one of President Trump’s closest allies,” Ogles told Blaze News when reached for comment. “More than $1 million is flowing to my opponent from Gavin Newsom’s top donors and former Biden officials.”

Trump endorsed Ogles in October.

Ripple Labs co-founder Chris Larsen donated $6 million to the PAC between February and June 2026, according to Federal Election Commission disclosures. Larsen previously donated $10 million in crypto to Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. The San Francisco tycoon is worth nearly $13 billion.

“I’m a big believer in Gavin,” Larsen told Politico in May. “His instincts are incredible. It’s super early, but we’re already supporting him in any way we can.”

RELATED: Trump’s approval rating SOARS in new poll

Paul Harris/Getty Images

CleanChoice Energy CEO Tom Matzzie chairs the PAC and contributed $50,000 in February. “If you’re an extremist on American energy, you’re on our target list,” Matzzie told Punchbowl News.

Despite claiming not to know Hatcher’s views on green energy, Matzzie said the PAC wants to “communicate a message to the other members of Congress that if you take these extreme positions, the industry is watching.”

Although Matzzie told Punchbowl the PAC aims to avoid being “sucked into those partisan games,” he’s pedigreed in left-wing politics. Matzzie previously worked for the Democratic National Committee, AFL-CIO, MoveOn.org, and John Kerry’s presidential campaign.

Former Biden Department of Energy Loan Programs Office Executive Director Jigar Shah donated $50,000 to Invest in Tomorrow in March 2026. His Obama-era predecessors Mark McCall and Peter Davidson donated $200,000 and $26,525 respectively. McCall is currently managing director at green private equity firm Lime Rock New Energy, while Davidson is CEO of asset management company Aligned Climate Capital.

Ogles and Hatcher are running in Tennessee’s newly redrawn 5th District. Though solidly Republican, nearly 83% of voters were previously in a different district and are new to Ogles, according to the Tennessean.

Formerly the Tennessee commissioner of agriculture, Hatcher received Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s endorsement on July 16.

Invest in Tomorrow also campaigned against Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) during his primary campaign for Texas attorney general. The PAC ran advertisements accusing Roy of being insufficiently MAGA. Roy ultimately lost to state Sen. Mayes Middleton.

“As leaders within the clean energy industry, ITC PAC is proud of our role in ending Chip Roy’s political career, investing nearly $1.5 million to reach GOP voters where they are — including on conservative cable, streaming sites like Rumble, and on MAGA social media — to remind them that Chip Roy betrayed their leader,” Invest in Tomorrow posted on X in May after Roy’s loss.

The House Freedom Caucus Fund has spent over $560,000 to defend Ogles against Invest in Tomorrow’s campaign, according to a spokesperson.

“This desperate attempt to SILENCE me is futile,” Ogles told Blaze News. “I will not be silent, and I will never stop fighting to put America First.”

Chris Larsen, Jigar Shah, Peter Davidson, Tom Mattzie, and Charlie Hatcher did not respond to requests for comment. Invest in Tomorrow Coalition PAC, Aligned Climate Capital, and CleanChoice Energy also did not respond for comment.

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​America first, Democratic national committee, Gavin newsom, Kamala harris, Politics, Andy ogles 

Every week on my “Dangerous Laughter” podcast, I speak with people whose ideas deserve a hearing, whether the cultural gatekeepers approve or not.

Sometimes the guest is a politician. Sometimes a journalist. Sometimes a historian. Last week, it was Solomon Schmidt, author of “A Pen to Change the World: The Life of J.K. Rowling,” a biography that should have been among the easiest books in the world to promote.

Somewhere along the way, ‘He Who Must Not Be Named’ stopped being a fictional villain. For too many people, it became the woman who imagined him.

Instead, its reception has become a case study in modern publishing cowardice.

Schmidt told me that organizations serving independent bookstores declined to carry advertising for the book. Harry Potter fan communities that once celebrated every Rowling project have shown little interest in discussing a biography of the woman who created Hogwarts. Media outlets that ordinarily rush to cover major literary releases have largely looked away.

Consider the absurdity.

J.K. Rowling is not an obscure novelist seeking her first break. She created the most successful book series in modern publishing history. Her novels have sold hundreds of millions of copies, been translated around the world, inspired blockbuster films, and introduced a generation of children to the joy of reading.

That achievement should make her an obvious subject for serious biography.

The resistance has nothing to do with literature and everything to do with politics.

Rowling stopped being judged primarily as one of the world’s most consequential living authors and became a political litmus test. For many cultural gatekeepers, her views on sex and gender now outweigh everything she has written, accomplished, donated, or inspired.

Readers do not have to agree with Rowling to recognize what is happening. They need only ask one question: When did we stop being curious?

What struck me during my conversation with Schmidt was how straightforward his motivation was. He was not looking to pick a fight. He noticed an obvious gap.

How could the woman behind Harry Potter, arguably the defining literary phenomenon of the past 30 years, not already have a definitive modern biography?

RELATED: WNBA star Sophie Cunningham comes out against men in women’s sports: ‘I want to protect young girls’

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Charles Dickens has biographies. William Shakespeare has biographies. J.R.R. Tolkien has biographies. C.S. Lewis has biographies.

Yet the creator of the most successful publishing franchise of our lifetime has become too radioactive for many people even to discuss.

That should disturb anyone who claims to love books.

Understanding Rowling’s life also helps readers understand Harry Potter. Her experiences with poverty, depression, rejection, and single motherhood were not incidental details. They shaped the stories.

They informed Harry’s loneliness, the Dementors’ vivid embodiment of depression, and the books’ recurring lesson that courage usually carries a personal cost.

Biography is not endorsement. It is exploration. Our cultural institutions increasingly refuse to recognize the difference.

The irony is that Harry Potter warned us about this long before social media existed.

Throughout the series, the Ministry of Magic spends almost as much time controlling information as protecting people. The “Daily Prophet” becomes less interested in reporting facts than preserving approved narratives. Dolores Umbridge does not need to burn books. She simply decides which voices deserve to be heard and which should disappear.

Sound familiar?

Millions of readers understood those lessons while turning Rowling’s pages. Some seem to have forgotten them as soon as they closed the books.

My own new book, “The Curse of the Bearded Lady,” appears to have little in common with a biography of J.K. Rowling. One is political satire. The other is literary history.

Both, however, ask the same question: What happens when powerful cultural institutions stop encouraging debate and begin discouraging curiosity?

We are finding out.

I do not expect everyone to agree with Rowling. I do not expect everyone to buy Schmidt’s biography. I certainly do not expect everyone to agree with me.

RELATED: JK Rowling crushes Glamour UK magazine for awarding ‘Women of the Year’ to 9 trans-identifying males

Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing/Getty Images

Agreement was never the point.

Readers should be free to encounter ideas, arguments, and complicated people without first receiving permission from self-appointed cultural referees. Publishing once trusted readers to make those judgments for themselves.

Too many gatekeepers now prefer to make the choices in advance.

History has never been written exclusively about saints. Fortunately, the people who change the world are usually complicated. They achieve remarkable things. They fail publicly. They contradict themselves. They change. That is what makes them worth studying.

J.K. Rowling is one of those figures, whether her critics approve or not.

The final irony is almost too perfect.

Rowling spent years teaching millions of young readers to question authority, resist propaganda, and think for themselves. Harry, Hermione, and Luna never accepted an official narrative merely because someone powerful delivered it.

Perhaps that explains why the books still endure. They encourage independent judgment.

That may be the most dangerous magic left.

Somewhere along the way, “He Who Must Not Be Named” stopped being a fictional villain. For too many people, it became the woman who imagined him.

​Opinion & analysis, Social media, Harry potter, Jk rowling, Transgender agenda, Solomon schmidt, Dolores umbridge, Popular culture 

An adherent of the “religion of peace” drove a white van into Germany’s largest annual LGBT Pride event on Saturday, killing one and injuring at least 29 individuals before smashing into a tree nearby Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate.

After plowing through the pro-diversity festivities, homegrown terrorist Abdul Ballout — a 21-year-old German citizen with foreign ties — attacked passersby with a knife, then fled the scene, according to German interior minister Alexander Dobrindt.

‘The rainbow has suffered a crack today.’

Yannicka Riebensahm, a Berlin-based performer and activist who performs under the name Nyya, spoke at the vigil held on Saturday evening for victims of the attack and complained about the identity of the suspect, noting that she had hoped it was not a foreigner “but a Christian white person” who had mowed down the non-straight revelers.

Other attendees at the vigil waved LGBT imperial colors, and one held a sign that said, “From grief, to anger, to resistance!”

Some Berlin LGBT organizers have demanded that the Islamic terrorist attack not be “instrumentalized for political ends.”

Ballout, who was born in Germany three years after his mother’s arrival from Lebanon in 2002, was previously known to police, having committed multiple crimes, including aggravated assault and predatory extortion, and belonging to the “Islamist scene,” said Dobrindt.

RELATED: Activists RAGE against Democrat who admits hiding LGBTQ+ support to appease Muslims

The LGBT event before a Muslim terrorist drove into it. RALF HIRSCHBERGER/AFP/Getty Images

Tawfik, the terrorist’s father who lives in Lebanon, told Der Spiegel that his son had been “brainwashed.”

According to German prosecutors, the suspect traveled to Lebanon last year with the aim of joining ISIS, reported PBS. Ballout successfully met up with what he figured for militants, but before he could wage jihad, he was arrested by Lebanese authorities and sentenced by a military court to three months in prison.

Ballout subsequently returned to Germany and was arrested at the airport, according to PBS. In May, he was convicted both of plotting a serious act of violence threatening national security and of publishing ISIS propaganda.

Dobrindt told reporters, however, that Ballout’s original sentence was suspended. Instead of serving one year and 10 months in youth custody, the terrorist was released from detention within days of his conviction pending an appeal of his sentence by prosecutors.

Following the attack, Andre Lehmann, a top official at Germany’s largest non-straight NGO, LSVD+, said in a statement, “The rainbow has suffered a crack today. This is a dark day for our community and our country. Our thoughts are with everyone directly affected.”

The City of Berlin said that the motto of this year’s Christopher Street Day parade was “Taking a stand is hot,” and that organizers were urging people “to take a stand for an open society, for democratic values, and for the equal rights of queer people.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated early on Sunday, “This is an attack on our society.”

“The act will be investigated and pursued with the utmost severity,” added Merz.

On Sunday, German special forces caught up with the suspect in the greater Berlin area. Ballout attacked police, then “suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene.”

Following the attack, Alternative for Germany — or AFD, an ascendant rightist party that the German establishment has for years subjected to lawfare for sounding the alarm about the fallout of mass migration — blasted Merz’s ruling CDU Party for “once again shirking responsibility.”

AFD said that contrary to the suggestion by elements of the CDU, “the problem is not ‘hate and incitement on the net,’ but rather a far too lax approach to Islamist threats and all those who have been massively endangering the lives and security of citizens in Germany for eleven years now — let into the country by the CDU.”

AFD reiterated its demand for “the immediate detention of Islamist threats and consistent deportations.”

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​Islam, Germany, Lebanon, Berlin, Isis, Pride, Lgbt, Politics 

Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky wrote in a statement Monday that he is still recovering from a fall in June and released a photo of himself in an apparent attempt to quell suspicion about his absence.

The photo shows a smiling McConnell alongside his wife, Elaine Chao. It was reportedly taken on Sunday from a rehabilitation facility. Unlike the previous photo released, he is not holding a newspaper or any other item that might help verify when it was taken.

‘He is not yet medically cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office.’

McConnell released a statement in the press release lamenting that he would not be able to attend the annual Fancy Farm Picnic, a massive church fundraiser in Kentucky that has been running for more than 140 years.

“I’m still working hard to get back to my full schedule of work in the Senate and in Kentucky, keeping up with intense physical therapy per my doctors’ orders,” he wrote.

“As always, I appreciate all of your continued well wishes, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon,” he added.

The Office of the Attending Physician, the specialized unit that provides health care to members of Congress, also released a statement on his condition.

“Since his discharge from hospital care, he has maintained a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, including multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls,” the office said.

McConnell’s bout with childhood polio continues to affect his health, the office added.

“He is not yet medically cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office,” it concluded.

Chao reportedly traveled to China days before McConnell’s fall, and three days after his hospitalization, the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. shared a photo of Chao with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng. She has since returned to Kentucky.

RELATED: Kentucky governor makes unusual request as mystery deepens over Mitch McConnell’s health

Mitch McConnell press release

McConnell has been heavily criticized by Democrats as well as some in his own party for being far too secretive about his condition.

“Allowing speculation to continue in the media is not fair to the Senator or to Kentuckians,” reads a statement from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D), “and my hope is that this provides him the opportunity to share the information in a transparent manner, direct from the source.”

McConnell previously announced that he was not running for re-election. He is the longest-running senator for Kentucky and has the longest record of leading the U.S. Senate.

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​Mitch mcconnell, Kentucky, Us senate, Politics 

The cracker has finally crumbled for the executive at the forefront of Cracker Barrel’s infamous rebranding meltdown.

Just over 11 months ago, Julie Felss Masino was responsible for what could be considered the American story of the year when Cracker Barrel completely swapped out its iconic logo for a mascot-free reimagining.

‘I want to thank Julie for her leadership and commitment to Cracker Barrel.’

On Monday, Cracker Barrel announced that Masino would be stepping down after the company conducted a “comprehensive succession planning and search process.”

In a press release, the brand said that while Masino would stay on in advisory role until October 9, it would only be to “support a smooth transition” for her replacement, David Deno.

Deno will join the Cracker Barrel board of directors following his role as CEO of Bloomin’ Brands, which owns Outback Steakhouse. He also spent 15 years in senior-level operations at Yum! Brands, which owns KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell.

Masino has been at the helm of Cracker Barrel since late 2023, but it wasn’t until 2025 that the business spiraled out of control.

After ensuring audiences last August that customers would love the new changes, Masino led Cracker Barrel down a winding, woke road that had customers putting the company on blast for all its progressive initiatives.

RELATED: Cracker Barrel CEO praises company’s ‘Google star rating’ while revealing huge financial losses

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Looking down the barrel

Cracker Barrel was knee deep in “culture and inclusion,” stating on its website that it wanted to promote “inclusive, ambitious, and diverse” team members.

This included the “Be Bold” program, which had a mission to develop “Black Leaders” through “allyship, mentorship, and education.”

The “Hola!” initiative promoted “Hispanic and Latino culture through hiring, developing, and retaining talent” within the company.

Cracker Barrel also had a program about “empowering” women and another regarding “strengthening Cracker Barrel’s relationship to the LGBTQ+ community.”

As the backlash peaked, Masino told Blaze co-founder Glenn Beck, “I feel like I’ve been fired by America.”

In March 2026, Masino had no choice but to reveal how bad the company had been doing financially. Total revenue decreased by 7.9% compared to the year before. Restaurant revenue dropped by 7.5%, and traffic had declined by more than 10%. At the same time though, Masino praised the restaurant’s Google rating as having its “highest quarterly score since Q2 in fiscal year 2020.”

A recent notable partnership with NASCAR featured Cracker Barrel hosting a women’s podcast and wine sampling on its stage at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 in late June.

RELATED: ‘I feel like I’ve been fired by America’: Cracker Barrel CEO nearly brought to tears over redesign backlash

Parting remarks

“We are confident David [Deno] is the right leader to continue building on the Cracker Barrel legacy, drive further positive momentum operationally and financially, and create sustainable value for our shareholders,” said independent chairman of the Cracker Barrel board Carl Berquist.

“On behalf of the board and the entire company, I want to thank Julie for her leadership and commitment to Cracker Barrel,” he added.

Deno described Cracker Barrel as “a truly iconic American brand, defined by its unique combination of warm country hospitality, timeless appeal, and deep connection with guests across generations.”

The new CEO said he was honored to lead the team while “unlocking the full potential” of the Cracker Barrel brand by focusing on food and experiences.

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​Cracker barrel, Julie felss masino, Lifestyle 

A former NFL linebacker has been removed from the United States by immigration enforcement, apparently after years of living in the country illegally.

Daniel Ogama Adongo played professional rugby union in South Africa before being recruited by the NFL in 2013.

‘Our communities are SAFER now that this criminal is OUT of our country.’

Adongo, now 37, was in his prime when the Indianapolis Colts brought him aboard, but the Kenyan played in a total of only five games over the course of two seasons, never recording a tackle.

After being waived by the Colts at the end of 2015, Adongo reportedly overstayed his visa in 2016, followed by a series of arrests over the last decade.

Fox News reported that the linebacker was arrested for crimes like criminal mischief with damage, felony intimidation, battery, and disorderly conduct. One of the arrests led to a one-year jail sentence in 2020.

According to the Daily Mail, another arrest stemmed from a 2017 incident when Adongo allegedly threatened his Uber driver with a hatchet.

A Department of Justice immigration judge ordered Adongo’s removal in March, according to Fox News, and he was deported on June 20 after being detained in Chicago.

RELATED: Video shows Canadian ‘illegal alien’ slapping teen; assault suspect ‘has no business being in our country’: DHS

The Department of Homeland Security responded to a news story about Adongo, saying he was “DEPORTED after he broke our laws.”

“Our communities are SAFER now that this criminal is OUT of our country,” the department wrote on X.

ICE Chicago told Fox News that Adongo was “clearly a threat to the community, which is now safer since he’s been removed.”

The comments came from Assistant Field Office Director Douglas Thompson, who added, “Those who violate immigration law are held equally accountable, including former professional athletes.”

RELATED: Video: MLB player ruptures his testicle mid-game — then shocks his manager with what he does next

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Adongo was born in Nairobi in 1989 and was signed by the Colts without any football experience. His two games came in 2013 and 2015, as he bounced between the practice squad and the full-time roster starting in July 2013, until his eventual release in December 2015.

Police had been called to Adongo’s home multiple times throughout that season, the Daily Mail stated, but there were no charges filed at the time. He was later suspended by the NFL in 2016 following an investigation. Around 12 months later, he was arrested in Indianapolis for the alleged hatchet incident.

As noted by Pro Football Reference, Adongo had his suspension lifted by the NFL commissioner on October 4, 2016.

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​Nfl, Kenya, Ice, Indianapolis colts, Sports 

A knife-wielding male entered a Southern California restaurant “frightening customers and staff” earlier this month, according to law enforcement — that is, until a concealed-carrying patron stepped into the fray.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a report of a person armed with a knife at Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que in the 11300 block of South Street in Cerritos just after 2 p.m. July 19, KABC-TV reported.

‘He pointed a gun at him, told him to put the knife down, [but] the guy kept walking toward him like Michael Myers.’

Deputies told the station that a preliminary investigation found that the armed male entered the restaurant and ran through the kitchen/service areas “frightening customers and staff.”

However, a customer who was “lawfully armed and possessed a valid concealed carry permit” confronted the male and ordered him to drop the knife, deputies told KABC.

But the male with the knife reportedly charged toward the customer, and the customer shot him, the station said.

In addition, a sheriff’s department source told KABC that the knife-wielding male apparently stabbed himself before walking into the restaurant.

A restaurant employee told the station that what went down resembled a horror movie.

“I just saw a guy run in the restaurant with his throat slit, and he had a knife. Once he went to the main dining area with all the guests, I guess there was another guest that was sitting down,” the employee recounted to KABC. “He pointed a gun at him, told him to put the knife down, [but] the guy kept walking toward him like Michael Myers. He shot him.”

Investigators told the station they believe the incident began prior to the male getting to the restaurant. The sheriff’s department source added to KABC that the male with the knife had been driving a stolen truck before abandoning it and stabbing himself at a nearby Starbucks on South Street.

Magaly Zacarias told the station she saw the driver before he ran toward Lucille’s: “I noticed a driver driving recklessly into the plaza. He just left the car there, ran off to Lucille’s, and it seemed like he had a knife in his hand, and he was also wounded. I got a closer look at the car, and it seems like there was already blood all over the steering wheel and inside of the car.”

RELATED: ‘Anyone who breaks into someone’s home should expect to get shot’: Gun-toting Florida homeowner takes care of business

Zacarias works nearby and added to KABC that the deadly incident was a shock to her and others who work in the area: “We were really anxious, especially because this plaza is safe, so it was a little shocking for us to hear what was happening.”

Daniela Reyes of Cerritos told the station that she and other frequent shoppers also were shaken.

“It’s just crazy to think about, because what if we were, well, knock on wood, but what if we were nearby and something like this happened?” Reyes noted to KABC. “And now it’s like, OK, we have to be careful with our surroundings.”

Javier Reyes added to the station that he hopes security is increased: “Hopefully there’s more security, because this is kind of unacceptable that this happened, and it makes me worried to go out for a nice Sunday dinner.”

More from KABC:

Homicide investigators and the sheriff’s department deputies had the restaurant blocked off as the investigation continued. Witnesses and employees were being questioned.

Investigators have not released the name of the man who was shot and killed. They also have not released a possible motive for why he hurt himself and then went to the restaurant.

Deputies said the customer who shot the armed man remained at the scene and is fully cooperating with investigators.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

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​Concealed carrier, Fatal shooting, Gun rights, Southern california, Crime, Second amendment 

AirDrop for iPhone and Quick Share for Android offer fun ways to quickly send photos, videos, and other files to other devices within a 30-foot radius via Bluetooth and WiFi.

Unfortunately, researchers claim that these services are compromised, and hackers can exploit them to make your life miserable.

Whether you use an iPhone or you have an Android phone, the fix is the same.

Not one, not two, but six vulnerabilities have been uncovered in both Apple’s AirDrop and Android’s Quick Share file-sharing systems. This revelation came directly from security researchers at the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security in Germany.

Here’s what you’re looking at in terms of risks and threats.

The vulnerabilities

Both AirDrop and Quick Share are designed to allow users to send various files wirelessly from one device to another, even if you don’t have the contact information of the other device saved to your phone. Up until recently, AirDrop only worked between devices in Apple’s ecosystem, including iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Quick Share, on the other hand, primarily worked between Android devices, like the Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel. Thanks to some ingenuity from the Android team, now it’s possible for some Android phones to wirelessly send files to iPhones and back, finally bridging the gap between the two file-sharing services.

Unfortunately, while AirDrop and Quick Share are meant to be a helpful — if not a neat — file-sharing feature, they’re both left wide open for hackers to intervene. According to the report, “A proximity attacker needs a laptop with Wi-Fi and a spot within range, often 10 to 30 meters. No pairing, contact exchange, or shared network is required.”

RELATED: The latest iPhone security threat has a nasty fix

Moor Studio/Getty Images

On Apple devices set to receive from “Everyone,” the early protocol phases respond before any user prompt appears. Quick Share answers nearby devices by default once it is visible.”

Once a hacker attacks a device, both AirDrop and Quick Share can misbehave but in different ways. The AirDrop vulnerability will result in a system crash that affects AirDrop, AirPlay, Handoff, Universal Clipboard, and Continuity Camera. In other words, AirDrop hackers can’t access user data through this exploit, but they can remotely disable the target iPhone, essentially turning it into a brick. Meanwhile, the Quick Share vulnerability allows hackers to bypass security protocols, leaving the system open to intercept or modify the sent file, which can be leveraged for malicious purposes.

How to protect your device from file-sharing hackers

The good news is that whether you use an iPhone or you have an Android phone, the fix is the same. You can protect your device from unwanted file-sharing hackers by restricting your AirDrop or Quick Share access to your contacts only, or disable the feature entirely. The only thing you don’t want to do is make your AirDrop or Quick Share feature available to all nearby phones.

To customize AirDrop on iPhone, open the Settings app. Then tap “General,” followed by “AirDrop.” On the next page, check either “Receiving Off” or “Contacts Only” to protect your phone.

Zach Laidlaw/iPhone 17 Pro Max on iOS 26.5.2

To change the Quick Share settings on Samsung Galaxy, open the Settings app. Tap “Connected devices,” then “Quick Share,” and follow that with “Who can share with you.” From the popup menu, select either “No one,” “Your devices,” or “Contacts.”

Zach Laidlaw/Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 on One UI 8.5

Finally, to tweak your Google Pixel Quick Share capabilities, open the Settings app and hop into the “Connection devices” section, then “Connection preferences.” Tap “Quick Share” at the bottom, followed by “Who can share with you.” From there, either select “Your devices,” “Contacts,” or disable Quick Share entirely by toggling the “Visible to nearby devices” switch off.

Zach Laidlaw/Google Pixel 10 Pro XL on Android 17

Now your devices are protected from hackers who may wish to exploit AirDrop and Quick Share to either disable your device or install malicious code meant to do harm. You can now roam about public spaces without risk of file-sharing attacks.

​Tech, Hacking, Phone, Security