Stembridge News Digest

  • China’s AI strategy could turn Americans into data mines Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:00:00 +0000


    “The future of AI will either be ruled by American values or by China.”

    That warning came last month from Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. It may sound abstract. It is not.

  • America may shatter a heartbreaking abortion record this year Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:30:00 +0000


    The overturn of Roe v. Wade was considered a generational victory for the anti-abortion movement, and yet the murder of preborn image-bearers of God has not only continued over the past three years but has substantially increased.

    When brick-and-mortar abortion facilities shut their doors in conservative states that passed new abortion regulations, the abortion landscape quickly adapted to the shifting legal environment. More men and women who want to murder their preborn babies are turning to abortion pills and other methods of self-induced abortion.

    The increased use of abortion pills, especially those provided through telehealth, accounts for much of the recent rise in abortion numbers.

    The convenience, anonymity, and lower price point of abortion pills have made the substances more popular than ever. Many progressive states are even seeing their brick-and-mortar abortion facilities close because of the market disruption presented by abortion pills.

    These realities were confirmed once more by the latest abortion numbers report from the Society of Family Planning, which tracks all of the abortions occurring in the American health care system.

    The organization found that self-induced abortion led to a new record for monthly abortion numbers since Roe was overturned.

    Americans are currently murdering 98,800 preborn babies every month, as the first six months of 2025 would indicate, an increase from 96,300 preborn babies per month as of 2024.

    This marks the third consecutive annual increase for monthly abortion numbers since the overturn of Roe.

    In annual terms, we are on track to murder nearly 1.19 million preborn babies in 2025, an increase from 1.14 million preborn babies in 2024. That was an increase from 1.06 million preborn babies in 2023, the first full year after Roe was overturned.

    This data does not even count abortions occurring outside the formal health care system, if such a term could even be used to describe the legalized murder of preborn image-bearers of God. The report also does not consider abortion pills provided by local activist networks or overseas supply chains, nor preborn babies destroyed through the IVF process and abortifacient birth control.

    In any case, the increased use of abortion pills, especially those provided through telehealth, accounts for much of the recent rise in abortion numbers.

    RELATED: How pro-life leaders betray the one truth they can't afford to compromise

    When a woman seeks a telehealth abortion, she schedules a virtual appointment with a third-party abortion provider and soon thereafter receives abortion pills in the mail. These abortions accounted for 27% of preborn babies murdered in the second quarter of 2025, a rapid increase from 5% of abortions in the second quarter of 2022.

    Many telehealth abortions are solicited by women in conservative states and are, therefore, protected by shield laws. In other words, since progressive states like California and New York passed shield laws protecting abortion providers from civil and criminal penalties imposed by conservative states, they have legal cover to send abortion pills into states like Texas or Oklahoma.

    In the first six months of 2025, there were almost 15,000 abortions per month provided under shield laws, and 55% of those abortions were provided in conservative states with some form of abortion regulations.

    That means abortion pills provided by means of telehealth accounted for almost 50,000 abortions in conservative states in the first six months of 2025.

    RELATED: Stevie Nicks just said the quiet part out loud about abortion — and it's horrifying

    The increased abortion numbers in America are often discussed on the progressive left, yet they have only recently become a serious discussion in the anti-abortion movement. There are two primary takeaways from this heartbreaking abortion data.

    The first is that abortion in our nation is far from over.

    When a man and woman decide to have an abortion, they are making the choice to murder an image-bearer of God equal in value to a person who has already been born. The murder of even one such image-bearer of God is completely unacceptable. But the mass murder of preborn babies, protected by law in all 50 states, is an unspeakable abomination.

    God judges nations that commit child sacrifice. There are countless examples of nations throughout human history that have murdered their children in ritual fashion and reaped divine judgment as a result. The uniquely strong Christian history of America only heightens our guilt, because unlike many ancient civilizations, we are fully aware of the hatred that the one true and living God has revealed for child sacrifice — yet we persist in such wickedness anyway.

    Christians cannot tolerate the mass murder of preborn image-bearers of God.

    This is not the time for Christians to assume that the overturn of Roe means that the battle against abortion has essentially ended. This is the time for Christians to let our love for God and our preborn neighbors move us to spend more effort than ever abolishing abortion.

    The second takeaway is that abortion in conservative states is far from over.

    While many conservative states passed new abortion regulations after Roe was overturned, those laws have massive loopholes that allow for abortion pills. They may ban third-party abortion providers from assisting women with abortions, but they explicitly protect the act of a woman having a self-induced abortion, ensuring that telehealth abortions enabled by shield laws continue with no reliable deterrents.

    These policies are often based in compassion for women who are truly victims of abortion. But in the vast majority of cases, women are willful participants or even initiators in the murder of their preborn babies.

    The loopholes granting immunity to women who have abortions must be closed in favor of equal protection legislation that criminalizes the act of abortion as murder for all parties willfully involved.

    Many pro-life groups in conservative states have nevertheless opposed equal protection legislation, which would simply extend the existing state murder laws to protect life from fertilization. These organizations, no matter their intentions, are safeguarding self-induced abortions in conservative states that would otherwise have the ability to pass equal protection.

    Christians cannot tolerate the mass murder of preborn image-bearers of God. Rather than simply assuming after the overturn of Roe v. Wade that a substantial victory has been won, we must awaken from our apathy and seek to abolish abortion once and for all.

  • Vanity Fair's Trump hit piece is a ‘nothingburger’ — except for one part Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:00:00 +0000


    Conservatives are riled up after Vanity Fair released a hit piece on the Trump administration on Tuesday morning. Published in two parts, the article combines months of candid interviews with Trump's chief of staff Susie Wiles, who is quoted saying many brow-raising things about President Trump and fellow Cabinet members.

    One particular section of the article is going viral on X. It quotes Wiles claiming Trump has “an alcoholic’s personality,” JD Vance has “been a conspiracy theorist for a decade,” Elon Musk is an “avowed ketamine user,” Russell Vought is a “right-wing absolute zealot,” and Pam Bondi “completely whiffed” in her handling of the Epstein files.

    In response to Vanity Fair’s hit piece, Wiles posted the following response.

    BlazeTV host Liz Wheeler confesses she’s not sure why everyone is freaking out about this article.

    “This article does not bump my adrenaline or my cortisol up even a notch. ... In a sense, this article is a nothingburger because it just doesn’t matter ... because the mainstream media are liars,” she says.

    And that includes Vanity Fair. In this very article, author Chris Whipple called January 6 a “bloody ... assault on the Capitol” that left “nine people” dead.

    “What an absolute lie this is,” says Liz.

    “One person died on January 6, and that was Ashli Babbitt, who was shot by a Capitol police officer. The others died of natural causes, drug overdoses, suicides in the days and weeks following,” she corrects.

    “January 6 protesters killed no one, and yet Vanity Fair would have you believe that this was a bloody, murderous mob. ... That’s just factually wrong, and Vanity Fair knows this.”

    The fact that Vanity Fair pushes such propaganda should be enough cause for us to dismiss this article. Further, even if Wiles engaged in office gossip, it doesn’t change the Trump administration’s “operational capacity or success.”

    However, there is one section of the article Liz says is interesting and perhaps worth paying attention to, and that is the part where Wiles addresses Attorney General Pam Bondi.

    In part two of the article, Whipple notes Wiles’ reaction to the Epstein files, specifically regarding Bondi’s spectacle of passing out “secret” Epstein info binders to certain right-wing political commentators, including Liz — binders that contained nothing of import or interest.

    The article quotes Wiles saying, “I think [Pam Bondi] completely whiffed on appreciating that that was a very targeted group that cared about this. First she gave them binders full of nothingness. And then she said that the witness list, or the client list, was on her desk. There is no client list, and it sure as hell wasn’t on her desk.”

    Later in the article, Whipple quotes Wiles again: “Whether [Epstein] was an American CIA asset, a Mossad asset, whether all these rich, important men went to that nasty island and did unforgivable things to young girls — I mean, I kind of knew it, but it’s never anything I paid a bit of attention to.”

    Liz has long speculated about President Trump’s dismissive attitude about Bondi’s infuriating binders and the Epstein files in general. It seems he’s “underestimated” how much his base cared about the Epstein issue and perhaps Wiles is why.

    “Behind the scenes, I know there was some discussion about why President Trump misread his base and particularly who might have been misinforming him about how the base thought about the Epstein files, and at the time, I had some people telling me behind the scenes that is was Susie Wiles,” says Liz, noting that she “never made a big deal about it” because she didn’t have confirmation.

    “Well now, this [article] seems to somewhat confirm it — not because of necessarily any malicious motive. But if, in fact, Susie Wiles told Vanity Fair that she underestimated the potency of the Epstein scandal, and it was not something she ever paid attention to, then that somewhat explains President Trump’s dismissal of the entire Epstein scandal,” she adds.

    “It sounds to me like Susie Wiles was in his ear telling him that, you know, ‘This will just pass; just let it go.”’

    To hear more of Liz’s commentary and analysis, watch the full episode above.

    Want more from Liz Wheeler?

    To enjoy more of Liz’s based commentary, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

  • 'Beachhead of criminality': Trump admin urges Walz to resign in light of 'ghost students' fraud scheme Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:30:00 +0000


    Minnesota appears to be a magnet for fraudsters, particularly from Somalia.

    While the problem has hardly been a secret — scores of bad actors have been charged and/or convicted in connection with various fraud schemes in the state — the Trump administration has recently taken a special interest, exploring just how bad the graft has gotten on Democratic-Farmer-Labor Gov. Tim Walz's watch.

  • Texas sues five TV manufacturers for secretly 'spying' on owners Wed, 17 Dec 2025 13:42:12 +0000


    The Texas attorney general says television companies have become unwelcome visitors in consumers' homes.

    Ken Paxton announced five separate lawsuits, including two against Chinese companies, alleging that the television companies are secretly spying on Texans by recording what they watch at home.

    'This conduct is invasive, deceptive, and unlawful.'

    The Texas AG said in a press release that the method through which the companies were conducting their spying is called Automated Content Recognition technology. Labeling it an "uninvited" and "invisible" digital invader, Paxton said that the software is capable of capturing screenshots of a user's TV display every 500 milliseconds.

    Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL each have individual lawsuits against them.

    This effectively monitors viewing activity in real time, without the user's knowledge, the state of Texas alleged.

    The consumer data is then allegedly sold to target ads across platforms for profit. This puts sensitive information such as passwords, bank information, and other personal information at risk, the press release added.

    RELATED: 'Worse than Orwell could ever imagine': How smartphones became government weapons

    Each lawsuit states that Texans never agreed to be part of each company's "Watchware" and that these televisions are "watching you back."

    Furthermore, the lawsuits state that the "mass surveillance of consumers" violates Texas law, specifically the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, which prohibits "false, misleading, or deceptive acts or practices."

    Each company "chose data extraction and advertising dollars over honesty and respect for consumer privacy. That's illegal," the lawsuits read.

    Samsung, LG, and Sony predominantly manufacture their TVs in Mexico, with other parts are made in countries like Vietnam, South Korea, or Japan.

    TCL and Hisense are both Chinese companies that operate and manufacture in China.

    RELATED: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange predicted the surveillance state we currently live in

    Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    "Companies, especially those connected to the Chinese Communist Party, have no business illegally recording Americans' devices inside their own homes," Paxton said in an official statement. "This conduct is invasive, deceptive, and unlawful. The fundamental right to privacy will be protected in Texas because owning a television does not mean surrendering your personal information to Big Tech or foreign adversaries."

    LG and Hisense have publicly stated to outlets like Newsweek and Texas Scorecard that they would not comment on pending legal matters.

    Sony told Blaze News that it "does not comment on pending legal matters."

    Blaze News also reached out to Samsung and TCL for comment on the lawsuit. Neither provided a response by the time of this publication.

    Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

  • The ‘blue-slip block’ is GOP cowardice masquerading as tradition Wed, 17 Dec 2025 13:00:00 +0000


    President Trump and Vice President Vance have every right — and every reason — to call out Republican senators who hide behind the so-called blue-slip tradition to block nominees for key executive positions, especially U.S. attorneys.

    The effect is simple and damaging: Trump is denied the full exercise of his constitutional authority over the executive branch. Without aligned U.S. attorneys across the country’s 94 districts, the administration’s de-weaponization agenda stalls. In some cases, it collapses outright. So far, the Senate has advanced just 18 of the 50 U.S. attorneys nominated by the administration.

    That is the real function of the blue slip. It is not institutionalism. It is careerism. It lets senators hide.

    The blue slip is a Senate custom requiring the consent of both home-state senators before certain nominees — U.S. attorneys, judges, U.S. marshals — can advance to committee. In practice, it operates as a hack of the Constitution. The Senate’s role is advice and consent by the full body. The blue slip transfers that power to two senators, and often to just one, who can halt the process without explanation or accountability.

    Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has insisted that the Republican Senate will not reconsider the practice despite the abysmal pace of confirmations. “There are many Republican senators — way more Republican senators who are interested in preserving that than those who aren’t,” he said. What he has not explained is why.

    The answer is avoidance. The blue slip spares Republican senators from taking difficult votes. The fewer Trump-aligned U.S. attorneys brought to the floor, the fewer public positions senators must take. The blue slip allows them to kill nominations quietly rather than oppose them openly.

    Despite years of rhetoric about party realignment, the Senate remains dominated by politicians hostile to Trump’s agenda. Some were forced out. Many more learned to mimic an America First accent without embracing America First policy. They do just enough to deter primary challengers while staying safely aligned with donors, lobbyists, and institutional power.

    Forcing senators to vote up or down on Trump-aligned prosecutors like Alina Habba in New Jersey or Julianne Murray in Delaware — both of whom were serving as acting U.S. attorneys until the Senate ran out the clock — would expose those evasions. So the Senate stalled them instead.

    I watched this play out firsthand during the failed confirmation of Ed Martin, Trump’s nominee for U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C. Because D.C. is not a state, the blue slip did not apply. Senate leadership attempted a different maneuver: delay until time expired.

    When the base demanded a vote, Senator Thom Tillis (RINO-N.C.) stepped in and tanked Martin’s nomination outright. As a judiciary committee member, Tillis effectively wielded a one-man veto by shifting the committee balance back toward Democrats.

    That decision carried consequences. Shortly afterward, Tillis opposed advancing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in its existing form. Trump threatened a primary. Tillis burned through his remaining political capital and soon announced that he would not seek re-election.

    Had Tillis been able to blue-slip Martin, he might have avoided that outcome.

    RELATED: Accountability or bust: Trump’s second term test

    Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

    That is the real function of the blue slip. It is not institutionalism. It is careerism. Cloaked in collegial language, it operates as a mutual defense pact among Republican senators to shield one another from accountability. It lets senators hide. A six-year Senate term has become a financial asset in a hyper-funded political system. Assets avoid risk. Votes create risk. Fewer votes mean greater protection.

    Defenders of the blue slip claim it preserves the Senate’s unique institutional character. That argument belongs to another century. Today’s Senate is neither deliberative nor restrained. It lurches between performative hearings and massive spending bills, punctuated by social media sound bites. Any appeal to Jeffersonian dignity at this point borders on parody.

    Notably, the blue slip never restrains Democrats. When Democrats want nominees confirmed, process does not stand in the way. For Republicans, the blue slip amounts to unilateral disarmament dressed up as principle.

    Trump and Vance should keep attacking this practice publicly. The only antidote to procedural cowardice is exposure. Voters who support a mandate deserve to see whether their senators will carry it out — or hide behind tradition while returning to business as usual in Washington.

    Even if Republican senators ultimately vote against these nominees, at least the votes would happen in the open. Accountability begins there.

  • Scrambling for a Christmas gift for Dad? We've got you covered. Wed, 17 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000


    We get it. You've spent so much time on other gifts that you may have forgotten one very important person — Dad. While Christmas is just around the corner and it would probably serve you well not to tell anyone when you got these gifts, we have some special recommendations from American companies that your father will love.

    Give your dad a gift he'll remember for years — and be proud to own!

    1. Liberty Cigar Company

    Liberty Cigar Company

    Liberty Cigar Company was founded, fittingly, on July 4, 2015, to rekindle the liberty that was so dearly held by those original American seekers of independence. The compay believes that cigars are a quintessential element of the simple pleasures of leisure, a cornerstone of colonial America’s spiritual foundation. Each cigar is named after influential figures of the founding period, so each has a story. The Founders’ Series was Liberty's inaugural cigar collection, featuring 13 cigars for 13 founders. Each cigar is blended to reflect the unique spirit of these historical giants. Box of 13 MSRP: $196.00

    2. Lynx Defense

    Lynx Defense

    With an emphasis on thoughtful design, Lynx Defense is your one-stop shop for all your range-day needs. Founded in 2013 to provide an organized pistol bag, Lynx Defense has since grown into a much larger company committed to providing high-quality gun range accessories. The team has over 150 years of combined sewing experience, and the company's commitment to sourcing and manufacturing its products in the USA guarantees the highest quality. Designed for portability, yet spacious enough for an impressive and organized loadout, the Concord pistol range bag is the solution every shooter at the range has been looking for. MSRP: $369.00

    3. KelTec

    KelTec

    KelTec, established in 1991 with a strong commitment to the Second Amendment and making the world a more secure place, is one of the leading gun manufacturers in the USA and beyond. KelTec proudly employs over 300 American citizens, many of whom are military veterans. KelTec's guns are marked by cutting-edge and innovative designs, made to “strike a nerve” with customers. The semiautomatic SUB2000 is designed for convenience, featuring Glock magazine compatibility and the capability to completely fold in half for easy storage and carry — optics and all. MSRP: $511.00

    4. Daniel Defense

    Featuring M-LOK attachment technology with the Daniel Defense MFR 15.0 rail, this made-in-the-USA AR-15-style firearm has attachment points in seven positions and an uninterrupted 1913 Picatinny rail on the top, maximizing functionality. It’s also equipped with a DD improved flash suppressor, built around a cold hammer-forged 16-inch barrel to reduce that flash signature.

    5. American Giant

    The American Giant lightweight full zip is as light as a T-shirt but as cozy as a hoodie. This casual hoodie is perfect for a few extra layers of warmth on cool summer evenings or crisp spring and autumn days. And it’s from a company that produces its products in the USA.

    6. White’s Boots

    White's Boots

    White’s Boots, founded by Edward White in 1853 in Connecticut, has been a legacy boot-making company for nearly 175 years. From 1853 to 1972, Edward White’s legacy was passed on to his family, who were always committed to creating boots they could be proud to sell. As a result of the boom of loggers, miners, and mill workers in the Pacific Northwest in the early 20th century, the company moved west to meet the demand. Now based in Spokane, Washington, White’s Boots continues to produce handcrafted, high-quality boots like the Packer. It’s an all-purpose, all-weather stomper, so well worth the investment. It could be the last boot you’ll ever have to buy. MSRP: $725

    7. GoRuck

    GoRuck

    Founded by a former Green Beret in 2008, GoRuck set out to create high-quality rucksacks inspired by those used in the military. In keeping with the company's special forces roots, GoRuck commits 1% of its annual revenue to supporting communities that protect the American way of life. You can also check out the GoRuck community challenges, which the company has been hosting across the nation since 2010. The new Bullet Ruck x Carryology-Berserker Viking collab showcases the finest craftsmanship and the highest-quality material — all with a lifetime guarantee. MSRP: $795.00

    8. Case Knives

    Case Knives

    Committed to keeping the legacy of American craftsmanship alive for future generations, Case Knives handcrafts its utility knives with an eye to aesthetics. Responsive to its fan base, including an exclusive Collectors’ Club and sponsorship program to inspire younger generations to love American craftsmanship, Case delivers on its promise of excellence. Headquartered in Bradford, Pennsylvania, Case offers a wide range of unique designs among its pocket and kitchen knife collections. The new Crossroads Sod Buster EDC, a fan-favorite design, combines the classic Sod Buster frame with modern enhancements, including a screwed-together build. MSRP: $89.99

    9. Gokey

    Gokey

    Promising timeless style and enduring quality, one company has claimed to be the industry standard in boot-making since 1850. Founded as a premium leather hunting and sporting boots manufacturer, Gokey produces several other leather products, including a variety of shoes, moccasins, and sporting accessories. Handmade in the United States, the boots have been enjoyed by the likes of Presidents Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower and the adventurer turned novelist Ernest Hemingway — a testament to the company’s longevity. The Gokey Super Light Upland Boot, available in Wavy Olive and Chocolate Milonga leather, is built to last in the company's Tipton, Missouri, factory. If you’re in the area, they will happily hand-measure your feet to find the perfect fit for your boots. MSRP: $580.00

    10. Saddleback Leather

    Saddleback Leather

    Saddleback Leather produces heavy-duty, luxury leather goods that “they’ll fight over when you’re dead.” With the confidence of a hundred-year warranty, you’ll never have to worry about anything going awry with these “over-engineered” products. Visit Saddleback Leather’s new showroom in Azle, Texas, coming next year, to get a feel for the passion with which the company creates these premium leather goods. The large classic leather briefcase easily converts to a backpack when you need your hands free and is spacious enough to fit everything you need for a weekend getaway in style. MSRP: $689.00

    11. Warwood Tool

    Warwood Tool

    Boasting a rich, 170-year history, Warwood Tool has supplied American soldiers, firefighters, woodsmen, landscapers, and homeowners since before the Civil War. To this day, it is said that many generations of the same family have worked at the factory, and ownership has only changed hands seven times. The Pulaski axe, developed by “legendary” U.S. Forest Service ranger Ed Pulaski in 1911, is considered to be “nearly synonymous with wildland firefighting.” A combined axe and mattock blade, it is a versatile tool. Hand-forged by American craftsmen from high-quality steel and American hickory in West Virginia, the Pulaski axe is an elite option for all of your outdoor needs. MSRP: $99.00

    12. Unplugged

    Adobe

    Everyone knows it: Our phone data is constantly being accessed and sold by data brokers without our consent. But what can be done about it? Luckily, Unplugged, Erik Prince’s company, has a secure solution: UP Phone. Featuring an advanced operating system designed specifically for privacy protection and a physical “kill switch” on the body of the phone, you can rest assured that your data is kept private and secure in an increasingly vulnerable world.

  • OOF: Mark Zuckerberg's losing metaverse bet cost Meta $77B Wed, 17 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000


    Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, changed its name back in 2021 as CEO Mark Zuckerberg planted his flag into the “metaverse,” denoting it as the future of his company. Several short years later, all Meta gained from the brash move is an empty digital wasteland, a drop in hardware sales, and substantial losses that could fund the GDP of a small country. With debt mounting, Meta would be in serious trouble if not for the help of an unwitting ally – OpenAI.

    What is the metaverse?

    With AI sweeping through the tech industry, it’s been quite awhile since anyone talked about the metaverse. Just in case you forgot what it is (or perhaps you dodged the initial lackluster hubbub entirely), the metaverse was supposed to be a broad digital world that replaced reality.

    Yep, you read that right.

    Almost all major brands have either discontinued their hardware or vastly scaled back.

    In the same vein as "Ready Player One," the metaverse was meant to be a place where we worked in digital offices, played games in virtual arenas, hung out with friends in online cafes, sold and traded digital goods like NFTs (another forgotten relic of the past), and more. Meta even built a rudimentary version of this world called Meta Horizon Worlds, which you can access today, though most people don’t.

    To dive into the metaverse, all you needed was a pair of virtual reality goggles or glasses — a device along the lines of Apple Vision Pro, Samsung Galaxy XR, or more specifically in Meta’s world, the Meta Quest series.

    Photo Credit: Meta

    Nobody cares about VR

    The mere fact that you’re reading this article on your phone, tablet, or computer — not inside some digital cyberpunk cafe on a cloud server in somebody’s basement — proves that Meta’s virtual reality endeavors amounted to a massive dud. The vision Zuckerberg had in mind for Meta never got off the ground, much less became a vital piece of our digital lives.

    Why, you ask? The metaverse failed for more reasons than I can count, but here are a few off the top of my head:

    1. Price: VR headsets are expensive. Even the “cheap” ones cost hundreds of dollars. While the price was hard to swallow in 2021, shifts in the current economy have made these even less accessible.
    2. Comfort: VR headsets are unwieldy. Most iterations available today are big, bulky, heavy, and they’re annoying (or even painful) to wear for several hours or more.
    3. Redundancy: While phones, tablets, and laptops have become a necessary piece of tech in most people’s lives, VR headsets are an added luxury. They’re a supplemental gadget at best, all without a “killer app” that sets them apart from the devices we already own.
    4. Reality check: As it turns out, people would rather live life in the real world than be trapped in a digital version. Sure, if we were all still stuck at home in a COVID lockdown (as we were when Zuckerberg thought up this wild idea), then maybe the metaverse would be something more than it is today. But alas, the lockdowns were lifted, COVID vanished from headlines everywhere, and real life goes on.

    The metaverse was destined to fail

    COVID lockdowns aside, Zuckerberg’s interest in the metaverse was shortsighted from the start. By the time he changed the name of his company and went all-in, consumer interest in VR was already at a notable low. Major brands in the gaming space, like Playstation, Steam, and Xbox all tried their hands at VR headsets, and almost all of them have either discontinued their hardware or vastly scaled back.

    We’ve seen a similar reception with Apple’s attempt at the VR space. Vision Pro has suffered from staggeringly low sales, poor developer support, and slow innovation. By most accounts, Vision Pro is a massive failure for Apple (despite Tim Cook’s candy-coated outlook), and I wouldn’t be surprised if it discontinues the product in another several years.

    RELATED: Meta gave sex traffickers 16 chances, says former hire

    Meta had 17-STRIKE policy for sex traffickers, ex-employee says Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images

    Not to be outdone, Google and Samsung recently teamed up to launch their own VR headset, dubbed Samsung Galaxy XR. If you’ve never heard of this device or even seen it floating around on your social feed, that’s because it’s already headed down the same path as its predecessors. No one’s talking about it, Google and Samsung aren’t actively advertising it, and consumers have already forgotten about it.

    Meta takes a multibillion-dollar dive

    The overall lack of consumer interest in the metaverse didn’t go unnoticed by Zuckerberg and company. A recent report revealed that Meta lost a staggering $77 billion on its entire strategy, including Meta Quest hardware and Meta Horizon development. To soften the blow, Meta will reportedly slash its VR budget by 30%. Layoffs are also on the way, though the actual reduced headcount hasn’t been announced yet.

    Luckily for Meta, the terrible news couldn’t come at a better time. As the metaverse melts into vaporware, Zuckerberg’s AI division continues to grow. In fact, if it weren't for the AI boom of 2022 — ushered in by OpenAI with ChatGPT — Meta might be in serious trouble right now. Towering high over the colossal failure that is Meta Horizon Worlds, Meta’s Llama has done surprisingly well with the service showing up in all of Meta’s major apps, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Today Meta AI boasts one billion active users per month.

    That said, Meta isn’t out of the water yet as recent development delays could cause trouble for the future of Zuckerberg’s AI ambitions. Only time will tell if AI is the vital lifeline Meta needed to escape its metaverse hell or if Llama will join it in the burning pit of dissolution.

  • Former volleyball coach used artificial intelligence to groom teenage girl for sex, police say Wed, 17 Dec 2025 10:30:00 +0000


    A former volleyball coach is accused of trying to groom a teenage girl for a sexual relationship and used artificial intelligence to help him plot the scheme, Texas police said.

    Matthan Lough, 32, was arrested on Wednesday by Mesquite Police and charged with third-degree felony child grooming.

    Those messages allegedly escalated into flirty and inappropriate jokes, and then into explicit messages.

    The 17-year-old girl told police that Lough had been trying to persuade her into a sexual relationship with him, including some incidents that took place at the church where Lough's father served as the senior pastor.

    The girl and her mother filed a report with the police on Oct. 2 after the mother found out about the alleged relationship.

    Police said that they discovered a "Hypothetical Counter-Influence Plan" on the man's iPad device during an investigation. The AI-generated plan included steps titled "rebuild her autonomy" and "shift the power dynamic."

    Lough had been grooming the girl since spring of 2023, according to an arrest affidavit.

    He allegedly approached her at a graduation party for her cousin, and she recognized him as the husband of a woman who led their worship group. He asked her if she wanted to join a volleyball team he was organizing at the church.

    In the fall of 2024, he held tryouts for the team, gave her a spot, and then began sending messages to her about his marriage.

    Those messages allegedly escalated into flirty and inappropriate jokes, and then into explicit messages. He also messaged her about possibly committing murders and let her know he carried a gun, apparently to frighten her into staying in the relationship.

    The teen followed through with requests from him to send explicit images out of "fear and pressure," according to her account.

    The victim said Lough kissed her at a church event in September. Then later that month, he allegedly sexually assaulted her twice.

    RELATED: Former teacher who mocked conservatives over grooming claims sentenced to 17 years for child porn

    The relationship ended when the teen's mother found the messages and contacted Lough's wife.

    His wife filed for divorce in October and left the state.

    Lough's father also stepped down from his position as senior pastor at the Christian Center of Mesquite.

    Lough was given a bond of $10,000 and appears to have been released.

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  • Glenn Beck warns: Sydney's Hanukkah bloodbath proves the West is sleepwalking into another Holocaust Wed, 17 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000


    On December 14, two gunmen — a father and son radicalized by Islamic State ideology — opened fire on a crowded Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing 15 people, including children and elderly victims, and injuring over 40 others in what authorities declared a targeted anti-Semitic terrorist attack.

    While it was certainly the deadliest, this wasn’t the only anti-Semitic violence that happened last weekend. In Amsterdam, pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted Hanukkah concerts at the Concertgebouw concert hall by throwing smoke bombs, chanting anti-Semitic slogans, and attempting to storm the venue. In Los Angeles, a drive-by attack targeted a Jewish family’s home, which was decorated for Hanukkah. An unidentified person fired shots while yelling anti-Semitic slurs.

    Glenn Beck says these targeted attacks on Jewish people reveal an uncomfortable truth most don’t want to admit: Once again, we find ourselves on the same fertile ground that cultivated Hitler’s crusade.

    “Jewish people carry history, not as abstraction, but as inheritance,” Glenn says. “And it lives in names that are whispered at dinner tables and photographs rescued from ash in stories that begin with, ‘And we thought it would never happen here.”’

    He comments that before WWII, “polite society everywhere” ignorantly believed that lie — that genocide could never happen on their civilized turf. But then it did, ushering in incomprehensible war and death.

    Glenn warns that today, we’re making the same mistake. We’re primed for another Holocaust, and we can’t even see it.

    But the signs are everywhere.

    “Shadows that all of us hoped were buried forever — hatred with organization, ideology, hatred with teeth, violence, justification — they’re no longer whispers,” he says. “They’re shouting it now in our streets. They’re shouting it in the streets of Australia. They’re shouting it in the streets of Germany and England and France and Norway.”

    “They’re burning flags. They’re firing guns. They’re chanting not only, ‘Death to the Jew,’ but, ‘Death to the West,’ ‘Death to Canada,’ ‘Death to the U.S.,’ ‘Death to Europe.”’

    But the West, brainwashed by progressive dogma that repackages self-sabotage as inclusivity, is “tolerating it.”

    For years, Australia’s Jewish community warned authorities that anti-Semitism was “metastasizing into something ideological and organized and deadly,” but they were dismissed and told to “calm down.” They were told that “multicultural harmony would manage itself.”

    “But it didn’t, because it doesn’t. Ideology doesn’t dissolve when it’s ignored. It consolidates. It grows,” Glenn says.

    And grown it has — all across the West from Europe to America to Australia.

    As a result, today, “Jewish schools [are] guarded like fortresses” and “Jewish families [wonder] whether visibility itself is now a liability,” Glenn laments. “And yet all across the West, officials hesitate to name the problem clearly. So let me do it precisely, truthfully.”

    “Islamism is a political ideology. It’s not about faith. It is about power. It’s the belief that society has to be governed by religious law — Sharia law — that freedom of conscience is illegitimate, that women are subordinate, that dissent is heresy, and that the world and everybody in it has to submit,” he lays bare.

    This isn’t myth or exaggeration either. It’s their doctrine — documented in writing and preached to the masses.

    “Any culture built on individual liberty, freedom of speech, equality before the law — it can’t survive alongside an ideology that views all of those principles as sins or as an affront to Allah,” Glenn says.

    Western nations ignorantly “assume that everybody ultimately wants to live and to compromise and live side by side. We assume violence is accidental. We assume that it’s a lone wolf. We assume that words like ‘tolerance’ and ‘dialogue’ mean the same thing to everybody. But they don’t,” he continues.

    We have to stop treating Islamism as anything other than what it is: a worldview incompatible with Western ideology.

    “I ask you to think about what it feels like to be Jewish today because of the Jewish people, but also because you're next,” Glenn warns. “Jewish communities always pay the price first. They always do. And believe me, you are on the list — you, your faith, your freedom, your children are on the list.”

    “History shows this with brutal consistency. When a society begins to rot from ideological cowardice, the Jews are always the early warning system. They’re the canary in the coal mine,” he analogizes.

    The question is: Will we first wake up and see it? And then will we have the courage to do something about it?

    “If we refuse to do that work now, our children are going to have to do it later under far worse conditions,” Glenn says.

    “[We’re] running out of time.”

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  • Charlie Sheen changed his politics by changing the channel Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:00:00 +0000


    About six years ago, I started a simple experiment. Each evening, instead of relying on a single news source, I watched both sides of the political spectrum — MSNBC and CNN on the left, Fox on the right. The goal was not balance for its own sake. It was triangulation: getting closer to the truth than any one outlet seemed capable of providing.

    The pattern emerged quickly. The full story almost never lives on a single channel. It lives in the gaps — in what one side omits, what the other exaggerates, and what only becomes visible when competing narratives collide. Stepping outside a single media ecosystem sharpened my understanding of events and exposed how much emotional steering hides behind what passes for “objective” news.

    If a Hollywood actor immersed for decades in elite cultural assumptions can break free simply by pressing 'channel up,' that should give the rest of us pause.

    I was reminded of this after reading Megyn Kelly’s interview with actor Charlie Sheen.

    Pick up the remote

    For years, Sheen embodied Hollywood’s loud, theatrical hostility toward Donald Trump. He embodied Trump derangement syndrome. Then he startled people by admitting that he had begun to change his views. Not because of a grand ideological awakening, but because of something mundane.

    "I'm going to change the channel," he told Kelly. "I'm gonna do my own research, like I've done with everything my entire life. I'm gonna listen to other voices. I'm gonna explore just hearing both sides of the g**d**n story."

    Sheen described realizing that he had been “hypnotized” — his word — by the media he trusted. What once felt authoritative and neutral began to look curated, repetitive, and manipulative.

    “What I was so hypnotized by,” he said, “in some ways can be described as state-run media. ... Legacy media is very much like that.”

    How narrative replaces reporting

    That charge matters, because it is not rooted in party loyalty. It is rooted in recognition. More Americans sense that the information they consume does not simply inform them — it conditions them. It trains emotional responses, assigns villains, and narrows acceptable conclusions.

    As Sheen flipped channels, he discovered how incomplete his worldview had been. Then came his most striking admission: “I felt really stupid. I don't have a fancier way to describe it. ... Some of the stuff I’d bought into … some of the people I was hating because I was told I was supposed to hate them.”

    That kind of honesty is rare. In today’s culture, changing one’s mind is treated as treason rather than growth. Sheen’s shift is not primarily about moving from left to right. It is about reclaiming agency — refusing to let a single narrative dictate who deserves trust or contempt.

    For years, Americans have been sorted into hardened political tribes by outlets that no longer report so much as reinforce. Each network offers a prepackaged worldview with designated heroes, enemies, and emotional cues. The longer someone consumes only one of them, the more certain — and less informed — he becomes.

    This is how democracies fracture. Not because citizens lack reason, but because they are denied the full range of facts required to reason well.

    Regret isn’t the point

    Sheen even expressed regret over his 2024 vote for Kamala Harris, a decision he now believes was made inside an echo chamber he did not recognize at the time. The regret itself is not the point. The awakening is.

    RELATED: Netflix wants a monopoly on your mind

    Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    If a Hollywood actor immersed for decades in elite cultural assumptions can break free simply by pressing “channel up,” that should give the rest of us pause.

    It suggests intellectual independence remains possible. It suggests curiosity can overpower conditioning. And it suggests Americans are far more capable of balanced judgment than our media landscape assumes.

    The most patriotic habit left

    The lesson is not complicated. If you want to understand what is really happening in this country, do not limit yourself to the channel you already agree with. Change it. Listen to the other side. Sit with the discomfort.

    The clarity that follows may surprise you. It may challenge your assumptions. It may even change your mind.

    In today’s America, that may be one of the most constructive — and patriotic — acts left to us.

  • Trump designates Venezuelan regime a  terrorist organization and orders oil tankers seized Wed, 17 Dec 2025 01:10:00 +0000


    President Donald Trump announced the escalation of U.S. efforts against the regime in Venezuela after a series of military strikes on alleged narco-terrorist drug boats.

    The president said he was designating the regime a foreign terrorist organization and ordered a blockade against oil tankers.

    'I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela.'

    "Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America," he wrote on social media. "It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before — Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us."

    He went on to accuse the regime of using stolen oil funds to support murder, drug terrorism, kidnapping, and human trafficking.

    "For the theft of our Assets, and many other reasons, including Terrorism, Drug Smuggling, and Human Trafficking, the Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION," he added. "Therefore, today, I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela."

    On Wednesday, the president announced that the military had seized an oil tanker outside of Venezuela. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi released a video of the operation and said the tanker had been warned about transporting sanctioned oil from Iran.

    "We've just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela," Trump said to reporters. "Large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized actually."

    Democrats have accused the administration of acting improperly in the actions against Venezuela. Other critics have accused the president trying to distract Americans from the controversy over the release of the Epstein files.

    RELATED: Trump crushes 'obnoxious' reporter at media briefing: 'It's always the same thing with you!'

    Earlier in the month, the president said he had given an ultimatum to Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro to step down from power or face further escalation. Maduro reportedly offered to resign from political office but demanded that he be allowed to retain control of the military. No deal was reached.

    The administration has also placed a $50 million bounty on Maduro's head.

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  • Minneapolis police chief cites his Catholic faith when comparing holy family with illegal aliens Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:30:00 +0000


    The police chief of Minneapolis cited his Catholic faith when advocating on behalf of illegal aliens against the deportation policies of the Trump administration.

    Police Chief Brian O'Hara told residents that they should call 911 if they saw anyone "kidnapping" illegal aliens, whether it be federal law enforcement agents or others pretending to be them.

    'The Minneapolis Police Department does not participate in immigration enforcement. We do not care and do not ask people about immigration status.'

    He also said that illegal aliens in the U.S. are similar to Joseph, Mary, and Jesus being sought by officials in the biblical account of the birth of Jesus.

    "It's especially personal to me, having been raised a Catholic, to be in a Christian church this morning as we are approaching Christmas," O'Hara said.

    "And I cannot help but think of what is happening in our city today and how that echoes with how outsiders have been treated for thousands of years. How Mary and Joseph themselves were considered outsiders and forced to stay in a barn!" he added.

    "That's what we're getting ready to commemorate as Christians around the world while all of this fear is happening right here in our town," O'Hara said.

    O'Hara was criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement over a vehicle stop that led to the arrest of two U.S. citizens on Monday. ICE officers were swarmed by protesters who threw snow and other objects, and some suffered cuts and other injuries, according to ICE.

    He said that some officers were sent to assist ICE over the attack but that they "disengaged from the scene" after the scene was safe.

    RELATED: Ocasio-Cortez claims ICE is targeting 6-year-olds in her district during crazed speech on immigration

    O'Hara went on to reassure illegal aliens that they could safely call 911 for help because his police force would not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

    "The Minneapolis Police Department is committed to honoring the human dignity of every person in our community," O'Hara said.

    "The Minneapolis Police Department does not participate in immigration enforcement," he added. "We do not care and do not ask people about immigration status. People in our community need to know that they can feel confident that when they need help, they can call 911, and we will show up for everyone."

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  • Nick Reiner will be charged with murder in the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner: Prosecutors Tue, 16 Dec 2025 23:15:00 +0000


    Prosecutors said Nick Reiner will be charged with murder in the killing of his parents, famed moviemaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Reiner, the New York Times reported.

    Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced the charges Tuesday, the Times said, adding that the Reiners were found stabbed to death Sunday afternoon in their Brentwood, California, home.

    When hotel staff entered Nick Reiner's room later on Sunday morning, they found the shower 'full of blood' and blood on the bed.

    Hochman said his office will file two counts of first-degree murder with a special circumstance alleging multiple murders, NBC News reported.

    The charges carry a maximum sentence of the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole, the Times said, adding that Hochman said no decision has been made with respect to the death penalty.

    Hochman added that Nick Reiner used a knife to kill his parents, the paper said, but the district attorney wouldn’t provide any details about the murder weapon, including if and where it had been recovered.

    "That will actually be evidence we'll present in court," Hochman said, according to the Times.

    More from the paper:

    Nick Reiner, 32, did not appear in court on Tuesday because he had not been medically cleared to be transferred to the courthouse from the jail, his lawyer, Alan Jackson, told reporters at the courthouse. The screening is a requirement to ensure that detainees do not need medical treatment, and Nick Reiner, once medically cleared, will be brought to court for arraignment, Mr. Hochman said. At that time, Nick Reiner will enter a plea.

    RELATED: Blood allegedly found in hotel room Nick Reiner checked into hours after arguing with father Rob Reiner

    Blood allegedly was found in a hotel room Nick Reiner checked into hours after arguing with his famed moviemaker father at Conan O'Brien's Christmas party, which took place Saturday.

    Nick Reiner's behavior alarmed guests at the party, the New York Times reported, citing two attendees who asked not to be named in order to maintain relationships.

    More from the Times:

    Rob and Nick Reiner got into a shouting match at the party in West Los Angeles, said one of the attendees, who recalled Rob Reiner telling his son that his behavior was inappropriate. The attendee, who did not speak to the Reiners at the party, said that people seemed to be very aware of Nick Reiner's history with drug abuse, which the family has discussed publicly.

    Another attendee said that he did not witness the dispute, but he recognized Rob Reiner in the crowd and noticed the younger Reiner hovering at the fringes of the informal gathering. The guest said that he and other attendees were worried and that several people commented to him on Nick Reiner's behavior, saying he looked anxious and uncomfortable in a way that deeply unsettled them.

    The Reiners were upset and embarrassed about their son's behavior at the party and expressed worries about his health, NBC News reported, citing another person.

    What's more, Nick Reiner was alleged to have interrupted a conversation involving comedian Bill Hader, NBC News added. When Hader told Nick Reiner that the conversation was private, the source told the news network that Nick Reiner appeared to pause and stare before "storming off." Hader did not return a request for comment, NBC News also said.

    Nick Reiner hours later used his credit card to check into the Pierside Santa Monica hotel around 4 a.m. Sunday, TMZ reported, citing sources with direct knowledge.

    Eyewitnesses who saw Nick Reiner check into the hotel told TMZ he seemed "tweaked out," but there were no visible signs that he had been in a violent confrontation, and there were no bloodstains or cuts on his body.

    TMZ added that Nick Reiner's reservation was for one day, but he never formally checked out.

    When hotel staff entered Nick Reiner's room later on Sunday morning, they found the shower "full of blood" and blood on the bed, TMZ reported, adding that the room's window was covered by bedsheets.

    LAPD Robbery-Homicide detectives went to the hotel Monday to gather evidence and interview employees, TMZ said, adding that Nick Reiner was located and arrested about 20 miles away in Exposition Park, near downtown Los Angeles.

    Reiner was arrested around 9:15 p.m. Sunday night; authorities were called for medical aid to the Reiner home around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, where the bodies of his parents were found.

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  • THIS is what happens when you disarm your citizenry Tue, 16 Dec 2025 23:00:00 +0000


    After two Islamic terrorists attacked a Hanukkah festival at Bondi Beach in Australia — where 15 lives were taken — BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales is pointing out what should have been obvious to those championing Australia’s gun laws before.

    That when you disarm the citizenry, only the criminals will jump through the hoops required to own weapons.

    “How did the terrorists end up being the ones to get the guns? It’s extremely hard. There are very few ways that you can get it. In fact, semi-automatic rifles and handguns, semi-automatic handguns, are extremely regulated in Australia. High-capacity shotguns are extremely regulated in Australia. You can get a bolt-action rifle ... but you have to have a reason to own any gun,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales explains.


    “You have to get the permission slip signed. You have to specify a reason. The reason isn’t, ‘Because I f**king want one,’ like it is here in America,” she continues.

    The permissible reasons to own a weapon under the rule of the Australian government include sport and target shooting, recreational hunting and vermin control, vertebrate pest animal control, business or employment, rural occupation, animal welfare, and firearms collection.

    “By the way, lacking from that list: self-defense,” Gonzales comments.

    “If someone comes up and tries to cause harm to my family, I want to be able to shoot them dead. By the way, I’m aiming to kill,” she adds.

    While no one around the two attackers appeared to have any weapons, the father of the father-son terrorist duo owned six weapons.

    “All six firearms were at the scene. It turns out, when you make it very difficult for law-abiding citizens to get guns, do you know what happens?” Gonzales asks. “It’s just the bad guys who end up going through the long and difficult process in order to obtain them. And that’s how you end up with the bloodbath that you ended up with in Australia.”

    Want more from Sara Gonzales?

    To enjoy more of Sara's no-holds-barred takes on news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

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