Isiah 1:17- Learn to do well. Seek justice, Relieve the oppressed, Judge the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
Ten years ago on July 21, 2016, Donald Trump stood on the stage in Cleveland and officially accepted the Republican nomination for President of the United States.
TEN YEARS AGO TODAY: Donald J. Trump officially accepts the Republican nomination for President of the United States.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 22, 2026
The rest is history. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/naiiOQSAMJ
The rest, as the White House Rapid Response account put it this week, is history.
Defense War Department Secretary Pete Hegseth just announced a bold new initiative to optimize troop health and readiness. In a video posted to X, he unveiled plans for routine testosterone screening across the U.S. military.
Hegseth described the effort as focused on restoring natural capabilities, not enhancement:
“This initiative — it’s not about artificial enhancement; it’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight.”
He branded the Pentagon under this push as “The High-T Department of War,” aiming to keep forces at peak performance and on the “leading edge of lethality.”
Nate Silver posted some eye-opening polling data right before the July 4th holiday. The takeaway? American patriotism has declined sharply and now sits below the global average. As the fireworks fade and we move into the week after Independence Day, the numbers deserve a closer look — especially with the country’s 250th anniversary on the horizon.
The United States used to stand out for its strong national pride. In the 1980s, about 95% of Americans described themselves as “very” or “quite” proud of their nationality — significantly higher than most other regions.
By 2022, that figure had dropped to 78%. Many parts of the world maintained higher levels: Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East generally stayed in the 85–90% range. In a ranking of large and OECD countries, the U.S. now ranks around 34th out of 45.
The first chart shared by Silver shows the U.S. line trending steadily downward while other regions held steady or improved.
Obviously, some of this is partisan, with the Democratic numbers having fallen far more. Though independents are actually closer to Democrats on this issue than the GOP. pic.twitter.com/lV9bjtidDc
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) July 3, 2026
h/t Newsalert
I came across the @EndWokeness tweet on Georgia flipping to majority-minority status ahead of projections, and the numbers are clear: non-Hispanic Whites dropped below 50% faster than expected, with the White population actually declining while growth came almost entirely from Hispanic, Black, and Asian residents.
But the real question isn't just "what happened." It's can this trend be reversed? Or are we locked into a permanent transformation?
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| Source: Guide of the World |
The Numbers in Brief
International migration played a heavy role — not just internal moves or natural births.
U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) joined Miranda Devine on the latest Pod Force One episode for a wide-ranging, no-nonsense discussion on foreign policy, immigration, surveillance, and holding power accountable.
Full episode of Sen. Paul's interview here (duration 40 mins) [VIDEO]
EDITED Jun. 20, 2026: My apologies I realized I double posted the Chicago Bears tweet about Juneteenth under the Chicago White Sox, so I just edited that accordingly.
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| Source: CNN |
Chicago teams marked Juneteenth today with social media posts and events.
In Illinois, the political dynamics seem flipped from the national narrative. Republicans are often accused of “loathing” the state, but what they’re really saying is that Illinois is off track and desperately needs fixing. Democrats, meanwhile, appear largely comfortable with the status quo. Under one-party rule, critics argue they’re not reversing the state’s decline—they’re simply managing it.
A recent CNN segment shared by Tom Elliott on X/Twitter (h/t Newsalert) highlighted a striking example of this disconnect:
CNN: "Just 27 percent of Democrats say they'll display the flag on July 4th ... just 29 percent of Democrats say they’re extremely, or very proud, to be an American." pic.twitter.com/EITuYqNRiU
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) June 17, 2026
This comes at a time when many Americans are preparing to celebrate Independence Day. The low numbers raise a troubling question: What’s behind the reluctance to fly the Stars and Stripes?
I think I'll jump on that bandwagon. Today is Donald J. Trump's birthday, our President. Perhaps the most significant figure of our time.
Spencer Pratt just dropped his concession video on his X/Twitter profile — classic reality-TV energy meets LA politics.
He’s out of the mayoral race after third place in the June 2 primary. No recount, no fraud challenge. Instead, he’s launching “Phase III” — a full-throated attack on Bass and Raman.
Spencer Pratt held second place behind incumbent Mayor Karen Bass for most of the week after the June 2 primary. He lost that lead on Monday as more ballots were counted, with far-left City Council-member Nithya Raman surging ahead to claim the runoff spot.
(I like Council-member over the rather clunky Alderperson we sometimes hear in Chicago — yuck!)
Let’s be clear: Raman isn’t just a Democrat. She’s a Democratic Socialist. While I believe today’s Democratic Party have lost their minds, there’s an important distinction here. We’re not talking about your average, everyday Democrat.
From what I’ve seen, Pratt ran on straightforward common sense and actually fixing LA’s problems. I only started following this race closely in the last month — right in the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary. Realistically, was he going to win the mayor’s office? No. But his performance sent a clear message.In 2022, Los Angeles voters chose incumbent Mayor Karen Bass over billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso. Caruso didn’t run again this cycle, which opened the door for Pratt. The Jersey Shore reality TV star may be best known for his bold persona, but his campaign reflected real anger over the city’s leadership — especially after the devastating wildfires, when Mayor Bass was overseas in Africa.
I have to share this raw IG video from Doug Ellin, the creator and producer of the HBO series Entourage. He posted it just a week before the election. Ellin is clearly fed up and tired of being gaslit by local media. He openly laments how LA voters chose Bass over Caruso four years ago.
His city was torn apart by the riots following Floyd's death in 2020. Six years later, Frey still prioritizes this narrative over Memorial Day.Today, we remember George Floyd, who was murdered by a former Minneapolis police officer six years ago.
— Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) May 25, 2026
That moment changed our city forever.
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| @WWE IG |
There are a lot of people who take issue with some of Hogan's tall tales or even his alleged racism, I still respect him as a wrestling legend. He was one of the first wrestling champions I cheered. He's not a perfect man, no one is.
A lot of people are saying that Hogan - aka as Terry Gene Bollea - was a racist p.o.s. and the recording that came out within the last decade led to his temporary separation from WWE (the organization formerly known as the World Wrestling Federation or WWF) in about 2015-16. Of course he came back long enough to be booed by the wrestling fans in attendance for Monday Nite Raw's debut on Netflick as he attempted to put over Real American Beer - has latest business venture.
That proved to be his last appearance in front of the WWE Universe.
I used the nice term tall tales, but some people do think of him as a liar. Perhaps telling tall tales of how he put others over and also reports of him trying to protect his top position at the expense of others.
I don't think much of his usage of the N-word or even his attempts to sort of explain himself. Perhaps it's more the stories of how he protected his position in the business when he was still an active wrestler. I may take more issue with that than anything else.
No denying, however, that he is the most recognized wrestler ever. Perhaps there would be now WWE without him the 1980s. He belongs on the Mount Rushmore of pro wrestling although we can debate the other four performers.
As I stated he was the first wrestling champion I ever cheered, and then when he turned heel in WCW and joined the nWo I booed him. I still did when he came back to the organization then known as the WWF. While I might have not let go of his heel persona, I was glad to see the nostalgia and he was cheered by the crowds again in one of his last runs in the now WWE. He sort of adjusted very well to the "Ruthless Aggression" era.
And now he leaves us with memories. He had been in declining health in recent months. Hadn't made many public appearances, even was rarely posting on social media - it was even reported any pics of him were older pics. There were reports that he had been in the hospital for a bit and the last report a day before his demise was he had a damaged trachea.
And then he leaves us to have his last match with the Macho Man Randy Savage who died over a decade ago.
R.I.P. Hulk Hogan
[VIDEO] Since the weekend what has been dominating the news are Donald Trump's airstrikes targeting the Iranian nuclear program. It was in the world's best interest that the radical theocracy of Iran doesn't get nuclear weapons. The nation itself is also considered a state sponsor of terrorism.
As a matter of fact before the past weekend's U.S. airstrikes, Israel has been performing their own airstrikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran which had also targeted Iran's nuclear program. After the Israelis and the U.S. conducted their airstrikes.
By June 23, 2025, a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was declared. There were some violations of this ceasefire and when President Trump spoke to the press at some point after this he dropped an F-bomb. Not very presidential but hey he's keeping it real.
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| Tweet from June 21, 2025 |
I saw a brief video about this via Chicago's ABC News affiliate and here's a link from Capitol Fax about this. The discussion is interesting.
[VIDEO] This is really a discussion on the right.
Canada as part of the United States and an American purchase of the Danish territory of Greenland. Greenland would be primarily purchase for U.S. nat'l security reasons. And well Canada, we did try to take them over during the War of 1812.
Also during the War of 1812, the U.S. capital city was burned to the ground by the enemy - the British Empire whom we had broke away after 1776.
Anyway, Canada is having their own problems. The soon to be former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be stepping down as due to the political pressure from his own Liberal Party they're feeling the pressure of the incoming Presidency of Donald Trump.
I would like the idea of an American controlled Canada. To go to Montreal or Toronto or Vancouver. Even to go up to Edmonton and Calgary and not need a passport. Nice.
Also the idea of a Gulf of America...
Is all of this just trolling?It's going to be a beautiful and huge Gulf of America 🇺🇸👇 pic.twitter.com/AmVRt4ZkY8
— Anti Left Memes (@AntiLeftMemes) January 8, 2025
Earlier in the past week, the public found out that former football legend & accused double murderer O.J. Simpson had passed away from cancer. The first time I heard about it, I was watching the PBD Podcast while he was speaking with former ESPN personality Sage Steele.
In posts like this it's customary for me to at R.I.P. however in light of his infamy I'm avoiding that. For me, I'm taking no position on whether or not he committed the murder. In my own head a jury of his peers judged him to be not guilty in the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her buddy Ron Goldman.
We could debate - well if it really is a "debate" - whether or not O.J. was guilty of this gruesome murder. IMHO, if he did commit the murder I feel as if his life had unravelled in ways that may signal that perhaps he was part of that. I look at his most recent conviction where he had been sent to prison for robbery in Nevada between 2007 and 2013 when he was released.
On Ben Shapiro they showed clips of him from an interview that never aired on FOX. He discusses in some real detail the murder - I see it was involving his book If I Did It - and his detail seemed too real even if he did call it hypothetical. I see a man who really has difficulty processing what he had done. Another clip showed him joking using a banana like a knife stabbing into the air and mocking the music to the classic film Psycho. Again this just seems like a man unraveling.
Everyone is different for sure, however, killing another human being should take it's toll on anyone. My hope is that if he truly did the crime that at the time of his death he prayed for forgiveness. And however his life unravelled I just hope the first thing that weighed on him was guilt!
When this whole story took place I was still in grade school and making the transition to my high school years. The trial finally concluded during my high school years when my French teacher rolled a TV into the classroom so that we could watch the reading of the verdict. I probably cheered though the case is known for its division along racial lines.
For me in my young head I probably didn't pay much attention to that. It was difficult for me to recognize how someone who was as well-known as O.J. could effectively throw his life away like this. In California, murder either gets you sent to prison for life or they can execute you (California hasn't executed anyone in years, however, they still have the death penalty).
One of his attorney's on the so-called "dream team" the late Johnnie Cochrane said it best himself years later, Blacks probably cheered because they saw a Black man with money beat the rap. He also stated he'd be sick to his stomach if he learned O.J. had done it. Of course with attorney client privilege I can only wonder if Mr. Cochrane knows the truth himself anyway.
Also I was aware of the racial division of this case. They got the bogey man in former LAPD police detective Mark Fuhrman. This was at least three years after the L.A. Riots which was the result of a brutal police beating of Rodney King. Perhaps while one segment of the population saw this case for what it was, another seemed to have wanted the "racist" justice system to take a hit by getting O.J. acquitted.
For me, yes I wanted justice to prevail however I wanted O.J. to be innocent. Again I didn't want to believe he'd thrown his life away by doing this. Of course in later years we see how his life had turned out.
In recent years he's shown himself on what he calls "Xworld" formerly Twitter where he rants on things such as sports. He event commented on his health which was one of the last rants he had before his demise was announced on Twitter.
On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer.
— O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) April 11, 2024
He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren.
During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.
-The Simpson Family
I would say another thing he just failed to avoid or attract was the spotlight. For me, knowing how this "debate" was still going on after his acquittal I've always wondered why he never could stay low?
In his case I'm most certainly fine with the idea that he asked for forgiveness when the inevitable happens. Who wants to think about that part of life? However again I hope he feels guilt over what happened, I suppose we'll never really know how that whole event went down.
Hospice??? pic.twitter.com/OXLzs9jWO6
— O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) February 9, 2024
One sad chapter is over now!
Well I'm not very invested in this case, however, he still has family and while his brother chooses not to appear on camera with Tucker Carlson he does discuss his doubts about Jeffrey Epstein's suicide. Too many questions there.
Allow me to share with you the video from X/Twitter
As I said I'm not that invested in this case, however, there is some corruption here. Epstein seems to have connections with a number of powerful people which includes former presidents such as Bill Clinton and even royalty with English Prince Andrew - brother to King Charles III. I'm hearing about the late physicist Stephen Hawking even associated with him.Ep. 59 Most people understand that Jeffrey Epstein didn’t kill himself. But the attorney general of the United States helped cover up his murder? That’s a different thing entirely. Epstein’s brother Mark explains. pic.twitter.com/aP6EjURJmL
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) January 4, 2024
[VIDEO] Mark Dice refers to this period as a cultural appropriation of the Jewish holiday Hanukkah. I'll leave it up to you if you think it's phony or something created out of nowhere by a criminal back during the 1960s. I'll also leave it up to you if we do have a fake president who is outright observing Kwanzaa via social media.
This in addition to talking about the next wave of people crossing the southern US border....
Happy Kwanzaa from the Biden-Harris Administration! pic.twitter.com/ZkjrSiNAuk
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) December 26, 2023
Sometimes I forget that not everyone agrees with everything. And one reminder of that is that Ben Shapiro seems to have fired shots - well more shots - at his colleague Candace Owens from The Daily Wire.
Candace Owens later took to Tucker's X/Twitter program to further discuss this. She was largely diplomatic in talking about any possible rift with Shapiro. She mentions how pro-Ukraine, pro-vax, or certainly pro-Israel Shapiro is. Although he has backed off of being pro-vax and I do recall has been heavily into the vax once it became available.Candace, if you feel that taking money from The Daily Wire somehow comes between you and God, by all means quit. https://t.co/qachKhAuHo
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) November 15, 2023
[VIDEO] This actually dropped last nite during the GOP Presidential Debates which Donald Trump again didn't attend. The bits and pieces I have seen shows a chaotic debate where no one really stood out and it shows which candidate thought of as a threat for example a lot of back-and-forth with Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis & Vivek Ramaswany.
The best part of the debate is when the moderators attempted to play GOP "Survivor" and vote on who should drop out of this race and Gov. Ron DeSantis said that this would be disrespectful to his opponents. I know that the GOP candidates have been snappy towards each other but I respect DeSantis more for that. Just disappointed in his campaign.
Anyway I did a pivot didn't I?
Back to Tucker Carlson's interview with O'Reilly. It was an interesting discussion. O'Reilly talks a little about corporate politics at News Corp which he claimed to stay away from. He had some independence with the late honcho Roger Ailes and one Ailes left he knew his position was in trouble.
The parallel between O'Reilly and Tucker Carlson is that they both had the No. 1 rated show on cable news and both were cancelled by FOX News Channel. And worse still what helped tank O'Reilly and The O'Reilly Factor was allegations of sexual misconduct.
And while I haven't signed up I do like that O'Reilly like Tucker had moved from broadcast/cable news to their own thing on the internet. And the trend seems to have been growing since the 2000s the rise of independent media such as O'Reilly's No Spin News. Perhaps 24/7 cable news has had its day.
